Renal Vein Immunoreactive Renin in Patients with Renal Artery Stenosis and Essential Hypertension

In 36 patients with unilateral renal artery stenosis and in 24 with essential hypertension the plasma levels of total immunoreactive renin, and enzymatically active renin were measured in both renal veins (V) and in the aorta (A) by direct RIA by using monoclonal renin antibodies. Active renin and trypsin-activatable inactive renin were also measured by indirect RIA with angiotensin-I antibodies. The V/A ratio for the different forms of renin calculated from the results of direct and indirect RIA were not different. The V/A ratio of active renin for the kidney with the stenotic artery was 3.04 ± 0.28 (mean ± sem) with direct and 3.02 ± 0.25 with indirect RIA. The contralateral ratio was 1.04 ± 0.02 with the direct and 1.05 ± 0.02 with the indirect RIA. In essential hypertension it was 1.28 ± 0.04 with direct RIA and 1.28 ± 0.04 with indirect RIA.

Chronic treatment with captopril had no influence on this ratio in both patients groups. The V/A ratio of total immunoreactive renin was lower than that of active renin and this ratio had lost discriminative power for lateralization. This ratio was significantly greater than one on the affected side in renal artery stenosis but not contra laterally and in essential hypertension. This study shows that renin activity after trypsin-activation of plasma is an accurate measure of the total renin concentration, i.e. active renin plus prorenin. It also shows that a kidney with a stenotic artary secretes inactive renin, which is immunologically related to active renin and is likely to be prorenin.

Direct RIA for measuring active renin is technically more simple than indirect RIA. Direct RIA however is somewhat less sensitive. For measuring the V/A ratio for active renin in patients with renal artery stenosis this can be overcome by stimulating the renin-angiotensin system for instance by captopril.     

‘Twin’ familial aneurysms of the anterior communicating artery

Abstract

Two sisters harbouringan intracranial aneurysm are described. Rather than merely adding new cases to the records of familial aneurysms, this communication reports clinical and radiological findings supporting the hypothesis of inheritance: (1) same anatomical location with involvement of the anterior communicating artery (ACoA), which is uncommon when dealing with familial aneurysms, and similar morphology of the lesions; (2) identical haemodynamic pattern; (3) similar timing of haemorrhage, occuring in both cases during the sixth decade.     

Autonomic mechanisms and sudden death after abrupt coronary occlusion

In spite of recent advances in secondary prevention, sudden cardiac death has remained a major public health problem as the majority of fatalities occur in subjects without a history of severe heart disease. Abrupt rupture of a vulnerable plaque resulting in thrombotic occlusion of a coronary artery is a common cause of sudden death in this population. Coronary occlusion does not, however, invariably lead to sudden death but may cause acute myocardial infarction or exacerbation of chest pain. Extensive studies in experimental animals and increasing clinical evidence indicate that autonomic nervous activity has a significant role in modifying the clinical outcome. Sympathetic hyperactivity favours the genesis of life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias while vagal activation exerts an antifibrillatory effect. Strong afferent stimuli from the ischaemic myocardium impair arterial baroreflex and may lead to dangerous haemodynamic instability. Studies with a human angioplasty model have shown that there is wide interindividual variation in the type and severity of autonomic reactions during the early phase of abrupt coronary occlusion, a critical period for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The site of the occlusion is not a significant determinant of the reactions, whereas the severity of a coronary stenosis, adaptation or ischaemic preconditioning, beta-blockade and gender seem to affect the autonomic reactions and occurrence of complex ventricular arrhythmias. Clinical and angiographic factors are, however, poor predictors of autonomic reactions in an individual patient. Recent studies have documented a hereditary component for autonomic function, and genetic factors may also modify the clinical manifestations of acute coronary occlusion.     

超声在子宫动脉栓塞介入治疗宫颈妊娠中的临床应用价值

目的:分析超声在子宫动脉栓塞介入治疗宫颈妊娠中的临床应用价值。方法:将74例宫颈妊娠患者随机分为观察组和对照组,每组37例。观察组采用子宫动脉栓塞介入序贯超声引导下清宫术治疗,对照组采用甲氨蝶呤治疗。观察两组的血清β-HCG水平、孕囊回声直径、局部血流阻力指数、搏动指数和临床疗效。结果:观察组患者的血清β-HCG水平和孕囊回声直径明显低于对照组,阻力指数和搏动指数则明显高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);治疗愈显率也明显高于对照组(χ2=8.044 9,P<0.05)。结论:超声在子宫动脉栓塞介入治疗宫颈妊娠中具有重要的临床价值。     

Subclavian artery stenting: Immediate and mid term clinical follow-up results

BACKGROUND: Intravascular stents are increasingly being used to treat subclavian artery obstructive disease. This study aimed to assess the immediate and midterm clinical outcome of subclavian artery stenting. METHODS AND RESULTS: Total occlusion of the subclavian artery was seen in 7 (28%) out of the 25 consecutive patients treated for subclavican artery stenosis. Mean lesion length was 14 &#45 4.3 mm. The mean preprocedure diameter stenosis was reduced from 83.2 &#45 14.9% to 9.6 &#45 5.4% postprocedure. success was achieved in all patients. Clinical follow-up was obtained in all patients. The initial success was maintained at follow-up (mean = 12 &#45 4 months) in 24 (96%) patients. Recurrence of symptoms occurred in 1 (4%) patient who had an angiographically documented restenosis four months after the procedure. It was successfully redilated. CONCLUSION: Stenting for subclavian artery obstructive disease is safe, technically feasible and has favorable clinical outcomes. It may be considered as the therapy of choice for subclavian artery Procedural obstructive disease. (Int J Cardiovasc Intervent 2000; 3: 231-235)     

不完全川崎病并冠状动脉损害的高危因素回顾性分析

目的分析不完全川崎病并冠状动脉损害的高危因素。方法回顾性的分析2007年1月-2012年12月我院收治的112例不完全川崎病患儿的病例资料，将12个可能与冠状动脉损害相关的因素进行回归分析。结果血浆白蛋白〈30g／L、发病年龄与冠状动脉损害存在相关性（P〈0．05），血小板计数≥450×10^9／L、发热天数≥10d与冠状动脉损害可能有关，但无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。血浆白蛋白〈30g／L、发病年龄均入选Logistic方程，Logistic方程为y=-0．116x1＋0．463x2—1．641，血浆白蛋白〈30g／L对判定不完全川崎病并发冠状动脉损害预后的贡献相对较大。结论不完全川崎病并冠状动脉损害的高危因素为血浆白蛋白水平降低、年龄，对相关指标的分析探讨有利于疾病的及早诊断和及早治疗。     

支架结合弹簧圈治疗破裂椎动脉夹层动脉瘤

目的评估支架结合弹簧圈技术治疗破裂椎动脉夹层动脉瘤（VADA）的可行性、有效性和安全性。方法回顾性分析57例破裂VADA的临床资料,均使用支架结合弹簧圈技术治疗,按使用支架数量分为单支架组（n=32）和多支架组（n=25）,比较两组间即刻和随访的影像学结果及临床结果。结果治疗即刻VADA完全栓塞、近全栓塞和部分栓塞,单支架组分别为4例（12.5%）、7例（21.9%）、21例（65.6%）,多支架组分别为13例（52%）、7例（28%）、5例（20%）。影像学随访12~78个月,单支架组30例,其中VADA完全栓塞19例（63.3%）,显影11例;多支架组24例,其中VADA完全栓塞23例（95.8%）、显影1例。术后即刻与随访期VADA完全栓塞率,多支架组显著高于单支架组（P〈0.05）。死亡3例。改良mRS评分在两组间差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。结论长期随访结果显示,支架辅助栓塞治疗破裂椎动脉夹层动脉瘤在技术上是安全有效的,多支架结合弹簧圈栓塞可有效提高即刻及远期的完全栓塞率,降低术后复发及再出血风险。