The effect of calcium dobesilate on venous function following saphenectomy in coronary artery bypass grafting

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether prophylactic use of calcium dobesilate (CD) can improve venous function after saphenous vein harvest in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 patients who underwent elective CABG were divided into four equal groups. In Group A, the greater saphenous vein (GSV) was harvested below the knee and, in Group B, through the knee till the groin. These patients remained untreated. Group C received CD in a dosage of 1500 mg po daily after the GSV was harvested below the knee. Group D received same dosage of CD after the GSV was harvested through the knee till the groin. Venous function of ipsilateral leg was evaluated clinically and by Doppler ultrasonography in the postoperative first week and second month. RESULTS: Clinical findings of venous insufficiency were observed with a similar rate between groups at both early and late periods. In Groups A and B, after 2 months, flow velocities decreased and reflux periods increased significantly. In groups C and D, treatment with CD for 2 months after saphenectomy resulted in a significant increase in flow velocities and a significant decrease in reflux periods. Patients in Groups B and D have significantly more impaired venous functions. CONCLUSION: Saphenectomy results in ipsilateral leg venous dysfunction, which seems to be unrelated to leg swelling and to be more prominent in patients with high-level saphenectomy. In addition, to be careful about the restriction of the saphenectomy procedure into the most appropriate level, prophylactic use of CD can prevent this deterioration when it was added to varice socks.     

Protective effects of resveratrol on small intestines against intestinal ischemia–reperfusion injury in rats

Background and Aim:  The aim of this study was to determine whether resveratrol could prevent intestinal tissue injury induced by ischemia–reperfusion (I/R).
Methods:  Intestinal I/R was induced in rats' intestines by 60-min occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery, followed by a 60-min reperfusion. Thirty rats were divided into three groups as follows: sham (group 1), control (group 2), and the treatment groups (group 3). The rats in the treatment group received resveratrol both before ischemia and before reperfusion. In all groups, serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase levels were determined. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase, total oxidative status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in the intestinal tissue were measured. Intestinal tissue histopathology was also evaluated by light microscopy.
Results:  The levels of liver enzymes in group 3 were significantly lower than those in group 2 ( P  < 0.05). TAC in the intestinal tissue was significantly higher in group 3 than in group 2 ( P  < 0.05). TOS, OSI, and MPO in the intestinal tissue were significantly lower in group 3 than in group 2 ( P  < 0.05 for all). Histological tissue damage was milder in the resveratrol treatment group than in the control group.
Conclusions:  The results of this study indicated that resveratrol treatment limits the oxidative injury of the small intestine induced by I/R in rats. However, more precise investigations are required to evaluate the antioxidative effect of resveratrol on small intestine tissue damage in clinical and experimental models.     

Chronic kidney disease impairs prognosis in electrical storm

Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology - The study sought to assess the prognostic impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with electrical storm (ES). ES represents a...     

Accessory pathway associated with an anomalous coronary sinus

Congenital coronary sinus anomalies are unusual and they rarely coexist with accessory atrioventricular pathways. These anomalies are generally asymptomatic, however they can cause difficulty in mapping. The association between accessory pathway and coronary sinus anomalies may suggest an embryologic link. In this case, we report a male patient with permanent form of reciprocating tachycardia coexistent with anomalous coronary sinus.     

Whole-body vibration-induced muscular reflex: Is it a stretch-induced reflex?

[Purpose] Whole-body vibration (WBV) can induce reflex responses in muscles. A number of studies have reported that the physiological mechanisms underlying this type of reflex activity can be explained by reference to a stretch-induced reflex. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to test whether the WBV-induced muscular reflex (WBV-IMR) can be explained as a stretch-induced reflex. [Subjects and Methods] The present study assessed 20 healthy males using surface electrodes placed on their right soleus muscle. The latency of the tendon reflex (T-reflex) as a stretch-induced reflex was compared with the reflex latency of the WBV-IMR. In addition, simulations were performed at 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 Hz to determine the stretch frequency of the muscle during WBV. [Results] WBV-IMR latency (40.5 ± 0.8 ms; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 39.0–41.9 ms) was significantly longer than T-reflex latency (34.6 ± 0.5 ms; 95% CI: 33.6–35.5 ms) and the mean difference was 6.2 ms (95% CI of the difference: 4.7–7.7 ms). The simulations performed in the present study demonstrated that the frequency of the stretch signal would be twice the frequency of the vibration. [Conclusion] These findings do not support the notion that WBV-IMR can be explained by reference to a stretch-induced reflex.Key words: Skeletal muscle function, Gravitational physiology, Tonic vibration reflex     

Evaluation of hearing loss in patients with Graves' disease

Hearing loss has commonly been reported in association with thyroid disorders and during treatment with propylthiouracil. The relationship between hyperthyroidism and the auditory system has not been previously investigated. The aim of this cross-sectional, case-control study was to investigate hearing loss in patients with Graves' disease (GD). The study population consisted of patients with newly diagnosed GD and healthy controls. Pure tone audiometry at frequencies of 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 Hz, along with immittance measures including tympanometry and acoustic reflex tests, were performed in all participants. Twenty-two GD patients and 22 healthy controls consented to inclusion in the study. The differences between groups with regards to age and gender distribution were statistically insignificant (P = 0.567 and P = 0.757, respectively). The hearing thresholds of right and left ears were also similar in both groups (P > 0.05). When single-ear evaluations were taken into account (total of 44 ears for both groups), hearing thresholds in the GD group were significantly higher than healthy controls at all frequencies (P < 0.05). Following testing at the designated frequencies, the only significant effect of thyrotoxicosis was observed with frequencies of 4000 and 8000 Hz. The odds ratio for having hearing loss at a frequency of 8000 HZ associated with GD was 14.97 (95% confidence interval 4.03-55.64). In patients with GD, right and left pure tone audiometric findings at a frequency of 8000 Hz correlated positively with FT3, FT4 and negatively with TSH. Our results are highly suggestive of a decrease in hearing ability in patients with GD, particularly at high frequencies. Further studies are needed to help elucidate the mechanisms behind hearing loss which develops in association with GD.     

β-Glucan treatment prevents progressive burn ischaemia in the zone of stasis and improves burn healing: An experimental study in rats

Saving the zone of stasis is one of the major goals of burn specialists. Increasing the tissue tolerance to ischaemia and inhibiting inflammation have been proposed to enable salvage of this zone. After a burn, excessive inflammation, including increased vascular permeability, local tissue oedema and neutrophil activation, causes local tissue damage by triggering vascular thrombosis and blocking capillaries, resulting in tissue ischaemia and necrosis. Oxygen radicals also contribute to tissue damage after a burn. However, macrophages play a pivotal role in the response to burn. We studied β-glucan because of its many positive systemic effects that are beneficial to burn healing, including immunomodulatory effects, antioxidant effects (free-radical scavenging activity) and effects associated with the reduction of the inflammatory response.     

Risperidone,quetiapine and chlorpromazine may have induced priapism in an adolescent

Priapism is the prolonged, painful erection of penile tissue not accompanied by sexual arousal. Priapism has been established as a rare adverse drug reaction to drugs such as antipsychotics, psychostimulants, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers. Immediate intervention is needed to prevent destructive and irreversible complications, such as erectile dysfunction, disfigurement, inability of the penis to stay erect, and related social/emotional problems. Antipsychotic‐induced priapism may result from the alpha receptor occupancy property of those drugs. We report the case of a 13‐year‐old suffering from attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder plus conduct disorder with priapism related to antipsychotics. Episodes occurred with risperidone plus methylphenidate, quetiapine plus methylphenidate, and chlorpromazine alone.     

Study of 433 Operated Cases of Thoracic Trauma

Patients with thoracic trauma constitute one third of all the trauma cases. Of traumatic patients, 20–25 % die because of thoracic trauma. Our aim was to compare our clinical experience and the results with the related literature. Four hundred thirty-three patients, who underwent surgical interventions due to thoracic trauma, were evaluated. The latest form of treatment applied were taken as the criteria for the quantitative detection of patients. Continuous variables were expressed as mean?±?standard deviation, while categorical variables were explained as number and percentage. The significance of the analysis results was evaluated using Fisher’s exact test. p values <0.05 were considered as significant. Penetrating injuries were found in 258 (59 %) of the patients, and blunt trauma was identified in 175 (41 %). Depending on the trauma, pneumothorax was discovered in 130 patients (30.02 %), hemothorax in 117 (27.02 %), hemopneumothorax in 61 (14.08 %), pulmonary contusion in 110 (45 %), pneumomediastinum in 14 (3.23 %), and pericardial tamponade in 1 patient (0.23 %). It was demonstrated that 385 of 433 patients examined in the study underwent tube thoracostomy, 41 were treated with thoracotomy, while 6 of them underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), and 1 underwent sternotomy. No correlation was observed between mortality, morbidity, and gender and type of trauma and location of trauma (p?>?0.05). However, statistically significant correlation was found between mortaxlity, morbidity, and the presence of concomitant injuries, the duration between injury and admission being more than 1 h (p?<?0.05). Urgent intervention, early diagnosis, and fast transport are vital for patients with thoracic injuries.