Diastolic function in children and adolescents on dialysis and after kidney transplantation: an echocardiographic assessment

Thirty-seven children and adolescents on renal replacement therapy (11 on haemodialysis, 14 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and 12 after renal transplantation) were studied by echocardiography, echo-Doppler and phonocardiography. Right and left ventricular (R/L V) diastolic functions were measured by transmitral and transtricuspid flow velocities and by LV isovolumic relaxation time (LVIRT). Thirty-seven age- and sex-matched healthy subjects served as controls. R/L V diastolic dysfunction was only observed in the dialysis patients. In these patients LVIRT was prolonged. LV and RV peak inflow velocities were increased both in early (E) and late (A) diastole with a reduction in the E/A ratios. This pattern of diastolic dysfunction is compatible with the combined effects of a hypercirculatory state (volume overload, anaemia, arteriovenous fistula) and an abnormality of cardiac relaxation. The transplant patients showed no major cardiac abnormalities.     

Ocular autonomic function in progressive autonomic failure

Ocular autonomic function was assessed in 4 patients with progressive autonomic failure (PAF) and age-matched control subjects, by measurement of the pupil cycle time, and determination of autonomic denervation hypersensitivity of the iris. Pupil cycle time was abnormal in all patients with PAF; sustained pupil cycling was absent in 5 of the 8 eyes tested of the PAF patients, compared with only 16 eyes from 70 control subjects. Pupil constriction in response to 2.5% methacholine, indicative of parasympathetic denervation hypersensitivity, was significantly increased in patients with PAF (p < 0.001), whilst pupil dilation in response to 0.5% phenylephrine, indicative of sympathetic denervation hypersensitivity, was also significantly higher in the PAF patients (p < 0.001). The results suggest that ocular autonomic function may provide a sensitive early indicator of generalised autonomic dysfunction.     

Hypertension in Jordanian children: a retrospective analysis of 70 cases

Seventy patients, aged 1–20 years, were seen at Jordan University Hospital with high blood pressure (BP) over a 3-year period. BP values ranged from 140 to 230 mmHg for systolic pressure and from 90 to 130 mmHg for diastolic pressure. Essential hypertension was seen in only 6 patients (8.6%); secondary hypertension (n=64 or 91.4%) was due to renal parenchymal diseases (RPD) in 46 patients (65.7%), reno-vascular lesions in 8 (11.4%), renal transplantation in 5 (7.2%), teenage pregnancy in 4 (5.7%), and phaeochromocytoma in 1 patient (1.4%). The aetiologies of RPD were as follows: end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis in 14 patients, acute glomerulonephritis in 14, idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in 10, chronic renal insufficiency in 5, and polycystic kidney in 3 patients. Surgical cure of hypertension was achieved in 5 of the children with reno-vascular lesions and in the patient with phaeochromocytoma.     

老年充血性心衰患者地高辛药代动力学研究

目的 :探讨老年心衰患者地高辛维持量的合理应用。　 方法 :用荧光偏振免疫分析法测定了 14例老年心衰患者血清地高辛浓度 ,并计算出药代动力学参数。　 结果 :14例老年心衰患者地高辛 t1/ 2 β,β和 Vd分别为 72 .769± 2 9.768h、0 .0 11± 0 .0 0 6h-1和 3.190± 3.30 0 L/ kg,与非老年心衰患者 ( t1/ 2 β 36.1± 2 .0 h,56.3± 12 h,β 0 .0 19± 0 .0 0 1h-1,Vd 7.37± 1.65L / kg)相比差异显著。　 结论 :老年心衰患者地高辛维持量以小量分次给药为宜 ,且更应注意个体化     

Distribution of organic matrix in calcium oxalate renal calculi

Summary The quantity of protein and carbohydrate comprising the matrix of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) renal stones was found to decrease with distance from the surface of the stone. The average organic concentration of stones 3 to 30 mm in diameter ranged from 5.7% at the surface to 2.7% at the core. This concentration gradient suggests matrix involvement in a “growth front” on stone surfaces with migration of organic material from the “older” interior. The matrix distribution was not readily correlated with density variations or with the presence of hydroxyapatite or calcium oxalate dihydrate. Surface matrix concentrations were greater than amounts predicted by physical adsorption. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of the organic-rich surface layer and also suggested that increase in stone size occurs predominantly by crystal growth with microcrystal aggregates as growth centers.     

异搏定防治流行性出血热初期急性肾功能衰竭的疗效观察

在综合疗法的基础上加用异搏定3～5天治疗流行性出血热(EHF)发热后期病人41例,在尿蛋白转阴、越期率,特别是越少尿期平明显优于对照组,但对 BUN 水平的影响与对照组无异,异搏定对防治 EHF 急性肾衰具有一定疗效。     

Ethical aspects of withdrawing/withholding renal replacement therapies on patients in acute renal failure in an intensive care unit

The majority of patients being treated for acute renal failure in intensive care units have multiple medical problems. Accordingly, the withdrawal of renal replacement therapies should be considered as part of a general decision about whether to initiate or continue with treatment per se. Several guidelines on withdrawing and withholding therapy have been produced and some common themes emerge: concerns to avoid euthanasia, potential for benefit, patient consent (shared decision‐making), team consensus/decision‐making, and the provision of appropriate palliative care and resource implications. Each of these is considered in turn, although the word limit for this paper does not permit detailed exposition.     

The effect of increasing the dietary fibre content of diets of patients with chronic renal failure treated by haemodialysis at home

The study described tested the hypothesis that increasing amounts of dietary fibre (DF) in the diet of patients on haemodialysis (HD) may achieve positive clinical benefit without adversely affecting serum potassium and plasma phosphate. The current diet of 20 home HD patients was supplemented with 15g unprocessed wheat bran incorporated into three 'bran muffins' eaten daily for a trial period of 28 days. During this period patients reported an improvement in bowel habit. Serum potassium decreased slightly but not significantly ( P =0.242) but there was a significant rise in plasma phosphate ( P =0.004). These findings suggest that when increasing DF in devising HD dietary regimes, plasma phosphate is possibly the more sensitive biochemical variable following introduction of wheat bran.     

比索洛尔改善充血性心衰心功能及心肌重塑的疗效观察

目的　观察比索洛尔 (bisoprolol)对充血性心衰心功能及心肌重塑的临床疗效 .方法　 2 12例患者随机分为比索洛尔组和常规药物组 ,比索洛尔剂量起始量 0 .6 2 5 mg～1.2 5 0 mg,1次· d- 1 ,逐渐增加至最大剂量为 2 .5 mg～ 5 .0mg,1次· d- 1 .观察心功能、临床疗效、左室舒张末内径(L VEDD)、左室收缩末内径 (L VESD)、射血分数 (EF)、舒张早期 E峰流速 /舒张晚期 A峰流速 (VE/ VA) .结果　比索洛尔组与常规药物组比较 ,比索洛尔治疗 3m o后有效者(87.7% )高于常规药物组 (6 6 .0 % ) ,P <0 .0 5 ;冠心病(87.9% )和扩张型心肌病心衰 (91.9% )疗效明显好于常规药物组 (分别为 6 6 .7% ,6 7.4 % ) ;治疗 6 mo后重度心衰者疗效(90 .0 % )明显好于常规药物组 (6 5 .4 % ,P <0 .0 5 ) .治疗后比索洛尔组 L VESD[(44 .8± 3.9) m m vs(48.8± 4 .6 ) mm],EF[(40 .7± 7.5 ) % vs (35 .7± 5 .2 ) % ]优于常规药物组 (P<0 .0 1) ;L VEDD,VE/ VA也较治疗前有明显改善 .结论　比索洛尔改善充血性心力衰竭临床症状 ,促进心脏收缩、舒张功能恢复 ,部分逆转心肌重塑 .