No evidence for the need of a routine renal transplant ultrasound after elective transplant ureteric stent removal—A retrospective cohort study

Transplant ureteric stent insertion reduces the incidence of MUCs, but it is not known whether routine PSRGU is needed to detect unmasked MUCs. This study evaluated whether routine PSRGU in the pRTR is a useful tool to identify MUCs before they become clinically apparent. A retrospective analysis was undertaken of the clinical outcomes following elective stent removal from pediatric kidney‐only transplant recipients at two London centers between 2012 and 2016. Our policy was to perform PSRGU either routinely or urgently if there were concerning symptoms or biochemical evidence of renal allograft dysfunction. Elective stent removal was performed in 86% (97 of 113 pRTR), and 75 (77%) of whom had routine PSRGU at a median (IQR) of 6 (2‐8) days after stent removal. There were changes to management in 3 (4%) of pRTR with PSRGU identifying no MUC. Nineteen patients (25%) had urgent PSRGU, most commonly due to renal allograft dysfunction, at a median (IQR) of 5.5 (2.7‐12.3) days after stent removal. Of these, two pRTR required ureteric intervention. For our current practice of removing transplant stents at 4‐6 weeks post‐transplantation, our study has found no evidence to support routine PSRGU after elective stent removal.     

Five-year clinical outcomes using the bioresorbable vascular scaffold: Insights from the FRANCE ABSORB registry

Central illustration: cumulative major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) thrombosis rates after 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years.

     

同型半胱氨酸与绝经后女性颈动脉粥样硬化的相关性研究

目的 研究同型半胱氨酸(homocysteine,Hcy)是否为绝经后女性颈动脉粥样硬化的独立风险因素。 方法 对2017年12月—2018年12月北京协和医院健康体检的1 204名55岁以上绝经后女性,进行Hcy检测和颈动脉超声检查。使用多变量logistic回归方法分析Hcy及其他传统风险因素对颈动脉粥样硬化的影响。 结果 Hcy平均值(12.4±3.3)μmol/L,高Hcy血症176人(14.62%)。Hcy与年龄和BMI正相关(分别r=0.19,P<0.001;r=0.11, P<0.001)。颈动脉粥样硬化患者的Hcy显著升高(Z=-2.56,P=0.011)。logistic回归显示,对于颈动脉粥样硬化只有年龄(OR=1.11,95%CI:1.09~1.14)和收缩压(OR=1.02,95%CI:1.01~1.02)是独立风险因素;对颈动脉斑块形成年龄(OR=1.10,95%CI:1.08~1.12)、收缩压(OR=1.02,95%CI:1.01~1.03)、糖化血红蛋白(OR=1.27,95%CI:1.07~1.50)和高血压病史(OR=1.40,95%CI:1.06~1.87)是独立危险因素。 结论 在绝经后女性,Hcy不是动脉粥样硬化发生的独立风险因素,筛查高Hcy血症在预防该人群颈动脉粥样硬化的意义仍需进一步证明。     

Use of the Covera Stent Graft for the Treatment of Dysfunctional or Thrombosed Arteriovenous Grafts: A Retrospective Analysis of 64 Patients

PurposeTo retrospectively evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Covera stent graft (SG) for the treatment of dysfunctional or thrombosed arteriovenous grafts (AVGs).Materials and MethodsWithin 29 months (February 2016–August 2018), 79 patients underwent Covera SG placement in the authors’ department for the treatment of dysfunctional AVGs. Data were available for 64 patients who underwent 64 procedures, using 64 devices. Minimum follow-up was 6 months, unless reintervention occurred. Mean follow-up was 277 days (6–923 days). Treatment characteristics were 51 cases with venous-graft anastomosis (VGA) stenosis (79.7%), 13 cases of puncture zone stenosis (20.3%), 14 cases of in SG stenosis (21.9%), 8 cases of pseudoaneurysm treatment (12.5%) (1 treatment area might have had more than 1 characteristic). Thirty-six patients presented with thrombosis (56.2%), and 31 of 64 case were de novo treatment areas (48.4%). Primary outcome measurements were technical success and post-intervention primary patency (PIPP) at 6 months, whereas secondary outcome measurements included factors influencing primary outcome.ResultsTechnical success was 100%. Median PIPP was 336 days, and 73.6% of treatment areas were patent at 6 months. There were no significant differences in terms of PIPP when de novo treatment areas were compared with restenotic areas (519 vs. 320 days, respectively; P = .1); patients who presented with versus those who presented without thrombosis (320 vs. 583 days, respectively; P = .07); puncture zone stenosis or elsewhere (329 vs. 686 days, respectively; P = .52); and VGA stenosis or elsewhere (336 vs. 335 days, respectively; P = .9).ConclusionsUse of the Covera SG for AVG treatment was safe and effective in every type of treatment area presented in this retrospective analysis.     

Ex vivo identification of atherosclerotic plaque calcification by a 31P solid-state magnetic resonance imaging technique.

Calcified tissue is a common component of atherosclerotic plaques, and occurs most often in mature plaques. The process of calcification is a poorly understood risk factor that may contribute to a plaque's vulnerability to sudden rupture. In this study a solid-state imaging sequence, termed single-point imaging (SPI), was used to observe calcification directly in ex vivo atherosclerotic plaques. Standards were used to validate the ability of (31)P SPI to detect and differentiate calcification from crystalline cholesterol, phospholipids, and other plaque components. After suitable experimental parameters were found, human carotid specimens obtained by endarterectomy were imaged ex vivo by (31)P solid-state imaging and standard (1)H methods. In contrast to (1)H imaging methods, (31)P imaging detected only the calcification in the plaque.