Early assessment of renal resistance index after kidney transplant can help predict long-term renal function.

BACKGROUND: Color Doppler ultrasonography of intrarenal arterial resistance index (RI), performed early after kidney transplant, has proven to reliably predict short-term allograft function. The aim of this study was to assess whether it could also predict long-term renal function. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 76 kidney transplant patients who underwent RI assessment within 1 month after the transplant, subdivided into two groups according to RI values, lower (group A) or higher (group B) than its median value (0.635). RESULTS: Compared with group A subjects, the patients of group B were older at the time of transplant (42 +/- 9 vs 35 +/- 8 years; P = 0.001), the donor age was also older (41 +/- 16 vs 33 +/- 13 years; P = 0.02) and had a slightly higher proteinuria (0.54 +/- 0.5 vs 0.32 +/- 0.2 g/24 h; P = 0.02). Serum creatinine, ciclosporin or tacrolimus trough level, arterial blood pressure, number of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatches, anti-hypertensive medications and incidence of delayed graft function were not significantly different between the two groups. By univariate analysis, RI turned out to directly correlate with the recipient age, donor age and daily proteinuria (P = 0.007, P = 0.0007 and P = 0.02, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that only donor and recipient age maintained their independent predictive value on RI. Kaplan-Meier analysis, considering a serum creatinine increase >50% as the endpoint of the study, showed a statistically significant different graft survival in the two groups (log-rank test = 5.489; P = 0.01). The univariate relative risk of deterioration of graft function among patients with higher RI was 3.77. Proteinuria and recipient age increased the risk as well. CONCLUSIONS: Our data seem to suggest that early determination of RI can help predict long-term graft function in kidney transplant recipients.     

彩色多普勒超声诊断飞行员左冠状动脉-肺动脉瘘一例并文献复习

目的 探讨冠状动脉瘘的影像特征、鉴别诊断及彩色多普勒超声在飞行员改装体检中的医学鉴定价值.方法 分析1例飞行员左冠状动脉-肺动脉瘘超声图像特征并复习相关文献.探讨应用彩色多普勒超声检查在飞行员改装体检中的必要性.结果 彩色多普勒超声显示心底部心肌间走行迂曲的异常血流束,经主肺动脉外侧壁注入肺动脉内.超声诊断:左冠状动脉-肺动脉瘘.飞行结论:改装并原机种飞行不合格结论彩色多普勒超声检查能清晰显示冠状动脉瘘,并能追踪观察其走行、部位、内径和大小,超声诊断与冠状动脉造影结果相符.冠状动脉瘘早期无特异性临床表现,彩色多普勒超声心动图诊断冠状动脉瘘直接、安全、快捷,具有重要的临床价值,是明确诊断的首选方法.     

Detection of microemboli in the subclavian vein of patients undergoing haemodialysis and haemodiafiltration using pulsed Doppler ultrasound.

BACKGROUND: The pathophysiology leading to pulmonary side effects during haemodialysis and haemodiafiltration is not yet fully understood. Chronic microembolization, which can be demonstrated by pulsed Doppler ultrasound, may be one cause. METHODS: The study cohort consisted of 24 long-term dialysis patients undergoing haemodialysis (n=21) and online-haemodiafiltration (n=3), respectively. The subclavian vein downstream to the venous access was investigated during different phases of the procedure using a 2-MHz pulsed ultrasound device. RESULTS: In all periods investigated (connection, dialysis, disconnection), numerous microembolic signals (MES) were found in the subclavian vein. The numbers of MES detected during haemodiafiltration (314-709 MES per 10 min) were higher than during haemodialysis (0-81 MES per 10 min). CONCLUSIONS: The composition (gaseous or solid) and origin (pump, tubing system or shunt) of the microemboli detected remains unclear. Chronic microembolization may be one cause of pulmonary complications of haemodialysis and haemodiafiltration. The detection method described in this article will help us to better understand this process and to determine what role microemboli might play in pulmonary and central nervous system disorders. It may also help to optimize the devices and techniques used.     

Die dopplersonographische Bestimmung der maximalen Blutströmungsgeschwindigkeit in der Diagnostik peripherer arterieller Verschlußkrankheiten bei Diabetes mellitus

Summary Seventy-five diabetic and 40 nondiabetic subjects who where suffering from peripheral vascular disease were studied in order to determine whether the degree of the severity of their disease can be better calculated by Doppler ultrasound examinations of the peak velocity than by the systolic pressure of the peripheral bloodstream. In 46 examinations of normal controls the mean value of the peak velocity was 13.3±3.3 cm/s with a standard deviation of 15.4%±13.2% on one day and 16.1%±15.9% on different days. Considering patients with or without diabetes mellitus the velocity was significantly decreased in correlation to an increasing degree of severity of the vascular disease (P<0.001); however, the decrease was lower in diabetic than in nondiabetic subjects (6.9±2.8 vs 4.6±6.2,P<0.05). The systolic pressure hardly decreased, but remained higher in all stages of peripheral vascular disease of diabetics than in the nondiabetic subject (P<0.05 toP<0.005). There was a significant decrease of the systolic pressure only in diabetic subjects with the most advanced degree of the disease, i.e. stage IV (P<0.05).It is concluded from this study that Doppler ultrasound measurements of the peak velocity of the peripheral bloodstream are a useful parameter to calculate the degree of severity of the peripheral vascular disease. In addition, it is concluded than peak velocity is an even better prognostic indicator of peripheral vascular disease than is measurement of the systolic blood pressure at the feet.

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Abkürzungen AVK periphere arterielle Verschlußkrankheit - USDI Ultraschall-Doppler-Index - MSBG maximale Blutströmungsgeschwindigkeit - HFV Herzfrequenzvariation     

睾丸微石症2例报告及文献复习

目的:认识睾丸微石症(TM)的临床意义和诊断方法。方法:回顾性报告2例TM病例的临床资料,结合文献进行讨论。结果:2例分别因左精索静脉曲张和附睾炎就诊的患者行阴囊超声检查时发现睾丸内散在多发点状强回声,如针尖样,1～2mm,后无声影。分别诊断为局部TM、左精索静脉曲张和TM,左附睾炎。甲胎蛋白、人绒毛膜促性腺激素、乳酸脱氢酶和睾酮等检查均正常。对睾丸微石症未做特殊处置,随访6～8个月,体检和睾丸瘤标未见异常,阴囊超声睾丸图像无特征性改变。结论:TM是一种少见、无明显临床症状、相对稳定的疾病。多因阴囊其他疾病行超声检查时偶然发现,其是否属于癌前病变尚有争议,但是定期随访和阴囊超声检查是必要的。     

超声对胰腺移植术后的监测作用

目的探讨二维超声和彩色多普勒血流显像（cDFI）对移植胰腺的功能和术后并发症的监测作用。方法用彩色多普勒超声观察6例移植胰腺的形态和血流动力学变化情况。结果（1）功能正常的移植胰腺在术后形态正常，体积偏大，主胰管内径正常，实质回声较正常胰腺略高，动脉PSV13～64cm/s，R10.44～0.68，P10.67～2.33。（2）2例出现急性排异和1例出现移植胰腺炎的移植胰腺周边出现低或无回声区，实质回声明显减低，分布不均。1例急性重度排异的RI值超过0.9，而另1例急性轻度排异RI值小于0.7。1例移植胰腺炎RI值超过0.9，PI值超过4.0。结论CDFI作为一种无创的检查技术对胰腺移植术后的监测和诊治具有积极意义。     

Impaired modulation of motor cortex excitability by homonymous and heteronymous muscle afferents in focal hand dystonia.

A decrease of heteronymous median nerve-evoked inhibition of corticospinal projections to forearm extensor muscles was reported in a group of 10 dystonic patients by Bertolasi and colleagues in 2003. Here we tested the excitability of corticomotoneuronal connections to both wrist extensor (ECR) and flexor (FCR) muscles after conditioning stimulation of median and also radial nerve at rest in a group of 25 patients with focal hand dystonia compared to 20 healthy subjects. We also investigated the effect of the wrist dystonic posture, either in flexion or in extension, on the afferent modulation of ECR and FCR motor evolved potentials (MEPs). The heteronymous (median-induced) but also homonymous (radial-induced) inhibitions (interstimuli intervals 13-21 ms) of ECR MEP size observed in healthy subjects were decreased in patients. In addition, homonymous (median-induced) facilitation of FCR MEP size was also decreased in patients while heteronymous inhibition (radial-induced) was not. Neither the involvement of the target muscle in the dystonic posture nor the origin of the afferent volley (from a dystonic muscle) influenced the degree of impairment of afferent modulation of the MEP. These findings support the view that a global abnormal somatosensory coupling in focal hand dystonia may contribute to an inadequate motor command to wrist muscles.     

TCD观察动脉瘤性SAH后脑血管痉挛的血流动力学改变

目的探讨动脉瘤性蛛网膜下腔出血(SAH)后脑血管痉挛的血流动力学改变。方法经CT、DSA证实为动脉瘤性SAH患者179例,床旁经颅超声多谱勒(TCD)在术前、术后1~3d、5~7d、9~11d、12~14d记录并分析大脑中动脉(M CA)的血流参数及频谱改变。结果M CA平均血流速度(Vm)于SAH后1~3d开始升高,5~7d、9~11d达到高峰;L I(血管痉挛指数)为3~6时预后良好;>6时可以出现神经系统功能损害,颅内压增高且有脑血管痉挛(CV S)者预后较差。结论TCD能无创、实时评价SAH后CV S的动态变化,可以推断SAH后CV S的严重程度及临床转归。     

Torsades de pointes after intracoronary papaverine

Coronary blood flow velocity and coronary flow reserve can be assessed in humans using a coronary Doppler catheter and the vasodilator papaverine. Although it is a safe, elegant and reproducible technique, serious complications can occur. Coronary flow reserve assessment in a 49-year-old man with a critical stenosis in the proximal part of the circumflex artery was complicated by a papaverine-induced ventricular arrhythmia. Several features of the present case report support papaverine-induced disturbances of the repolarization phase as the pathophysiological mechanism: a 'torsade de pointes' pattern of the tachycardia, the lengthening of the QT-interval, the appearance of a new U-wave and the presence of additional risk factors (hypokalaemia and alcalosis). Patients presenting additional risk factors for this complication should be excluded from coronary flow reserve assessment.