Impact of prehypertension on left ventricular mass and QT dispersion in adult black Nigerians

The heterogeneity of individuals with blood pressure (BP) < 140/90 mmHg in terms of cardiovascular (CV) risk was reported as early as 1939 by Robinson and Brucer.1 BP in the range of 120–139/80–89 mmHg (labelled then as prehypertension) was observed to be associated with high risk of progression to hypertension (HT) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life when compared with BP < 120/80 mm Hg.1The term prehypertension was adopted in May 2003 by the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High blood Pressure (JNC-7) to describe BP range of 120–139/80–89 mmHg.2 The resuscitation of this terminology/concept in JNC-7 was a sequel to the documentation of a higher morbidity in individuals with prehypertension in landmark publications.3-5 Prehypertension (PHT) was defined in JNC-7 not only to emphasise the excess risk associated with BP in this range, but also to focus increased clinical and public health attention on prevention.2,6,7Prevalence rates of PHT among adults in the United States, Ghana and northern Nigeria have been reported to be 31, 40 and 58.7%, respectively.7-9 In most studies, including the ones above, PHT was more prevalent than hypertension.7-9 Though PHT is associated with increased risk of major CV events independently of other CV risk factors,10 most individuals (90%) with PHT have at least one cardiovascular risk factor such as dyslipidaemia, abdominal obesity, hyperinsulinaemia, impaired fasting glucose levels, insulin resistance, a prothrombotic state, tobacco use, endothelial dysfunction, and impaired vascular distensibility.6,7,9,10QT interval dispersion (QTd) (the difference between the longest and the shortest QT intervals on a surface ECG), when excessive, is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in population studies, and many clinical conditions, including hypertension.11,12 This has been related to ventricular electrical instability, providing the necessary substrate for lethal ventricular arrhythmias.12,13 Greater QTd and left ventricular mass have been demonstrated in hypertensive individuals compared with normal individuals.11,13,14Considering the well-established, linear relationship between BP and the risk of cardiovascular events, the CV risk associated with PHT is intermediate between normotension and hypertension.2,03 Hence, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic indices of target-organ damage in PHT may also be intermediate between normotension and hypertension. The aims of this study were: (1) to compare the QTd and indices of left ventricular hypertrophy in adult black normal and prehypertensive subjects, and (2) to evaluate the relationship of QTd with electrocardiographic and echocardiographic indices in these subjects.     

毛细血管充盈时间预测脓毒性休克病人预后的价值

目的评估皮肤毛细血管充盈时间( CRT)在脓毒性休克病人中的应用价值。方法 2016年 5月至 2019年 5月安徽医科大学第一附属医院收治的脓毒性休克 73例,根据脓毒性休克病人 28 d转归分为存活组( 35例)与死亡组( 38例),采用非参数检验比较两组病人 CRT,通过受试者工作特征曲线( ROC)分析 CRT预测脓毒性休克病人预后的阈值及其灵敏度与特异度等诊断试验评价指标。结果死亡组 CRT明显高于存活组［ 5.50(4.40,5.90)s比 2.20(1.90,2.80)s,P＜0.05］。 ROC曲线下面积(AUC)显示: AUC＝0.83,最佳截断值为 2.4 s时预测脓毒性休克病人死亡,灵敏度高达 94%,特异度为 84%。结论脓毒性休克 6h液体复苏后 CRT可以预测脓毒性休克病人的预后。     

Ki-67、 PI3K、 Beclin1在口腔鳞癌组织中的表达及意义

目的：检测Ki-67、磷酸肌醇-3-激酶（PI3K）、Beclin1在口腔鳞癌组织中的表达及意义。方法：选取2017年1月—2018年12月南京市口腔医院收治的口腔鳞癌患者30例,取所有手术切除癌组织及癌旁组织标本,进行免疫组织化学染色处理,并检测Ki-67、PI3K、Beclin1的表达,采用Pearson分析TMSG-1、Ki-67、Pgp1之间的相关性。采用SPSS 20.0软件包对数据进行统计学分析。结果：口腔鳞癌癌组织中Ki-67、PI3K阳性表达率显著高于癌旁组织,Beclin1阳性表达率显著低于癌旁组织（P<0.05）。Ki-67、PI3K、Beclin1在高分化口腔鳞癌中的阳性表达率显著高于中分化、低分化口腔鳞癌（P<0.05）。Ki-67、PI3K在有淋巴结转移的口腔鳞癌中的阳性表达率显著高于无淋巴结转移的口腔鳞癌,Beclin1在有淋巴结转移的口腔鳞癌中的阳性表达率显著低于无淋巴结转移的口腔鳞癌（P<0.05）。Ki-67、PI3K、Beclin1在Ⅰ+Ⅱ期、Ⅲ+Ⅳ期口腔鳞癌中的阳性表达率无统计学差异（P>0.05）。Ki-67与PI3K的表达呈正相关（r=0.391,P=0.032）,Ki-67与Beclin1的表达呈负相关（r=-0.525,P=0.02）,Beclin1与PI3K的表达呈负相关（r=-0.367,P=0.045）。结论：Ki-67、PI3K、Beclin1的表达具有相关性,与患者有无淋巴结转移、病理分期有关,可能参与口腔鳞癌发生与发展。     

Simultaneous Dual Vascular Access Site for the Treatment of Coronary Artery Bifurcation Lesions by Complex 2-Stent Technique

Objectives: To propose an original approach based on simultaneous dual vascular access site (DAS) using 2 small-size guiding catheters to easily perform complex 2-stent techniques for bifurcation coronary lesions (BL). Background: Simultaneous kissing stenting and classic crush technique require large 7 or 8Fr guiding catheters leading to large amounts of contrast medium, vascular access site complications, and sometimes frictions or criss-cross of the 2-stent delivery systems. Methods: DAS was used in 30 patients with BL (11 radio-radial, 16 radio-femoral, and 3 femoro-femoral). Among 60 guiding catheters, the size was 5Fr in 28, 6Fr in 30, and 7Fr in 2 cases of double adjacent BL. When 2 different size catheters were used, contrast medium injections were done using the smallest size catheter. DAS patients were compared with a group of 30 BL patients treated using a single femoral vascular access site (SAS) with 7 or 8Fr catheters. Results: Success rate was 100% in all patients. Contrast volume used was smaller in DAS than in SAS patients (277 ± 156 cc vs. 380 ± 165 cc,P = 0.01). No vascular access site complication occurred in the sub-group of the 11 DAS radio-radial patients. Postintervention hospitalization duration was shorter in DAS than in SAS (1.9 ± 2 vs. 2.8 ± 2 days,P = 0.048). Conclusion: DAS allows to successfully perform complex stenting technique of BL using small-size guiding catheters leading to decreased contrast medium volume, decreased vascular access site complications rates, and shortened hospitalization duration. (J Interven Cardiol 2012;25:439-446).     

Echocardiographic patterns in treatment-na?ve HIV-positive patients in Lagos,south-west Nigeria

Introduction

Cardiovascular abnormalities are common in HIV-infected patients, although often clinically quiescent. This study sought to identify by echocardiography early abnormalities in treatment-naïve patients.

Methods

One hundred patients and 50 controls with no known traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease were recruited for the study. The cases and controls were matched for age, gender and body mass index. Both groups had clinical and echocardiographic evaluation for cardiac abnormalities, and CD₄ count was measured in all patients.

Results

The cases comprised 57 females (57.0%) and 43 males (43.0%), while the controls were 28 females (56.0%) and 22 males (44.0%) (χ² = 0.01; p = 0.913). The mean age of the cases was 33.2 ± 7.7, while that of the controls was 31.7 ± 9.7 (t = 1.02; p = 0.31). Echocardiographic abnormalities were significantly more common in the cases than the controls (78 vs 16%; p = 0.000), including systolic dysfunction (30 vs 8%; p = 0.024) and diastolic dysfunction (32 vs 8%; p = 0.002). Other abnormalities noted in the cases were pericardial effusion in 47% (χ² = 32.10; p = 0.000) and dilated cardiomyopathy in 5% (five); none of the controls had either complication. One patient each had aortic root dilatation, mitral valve prolapse and isolated right heart dilatation and dysfunction.

Conclusion

Cardiac abnormalities are more common in HIV-infected people than in normal controls. A careful initial and periodic cardiac evaluation to detect early involvement of the heart in the HIV disease is recommended.     

B超检测对慢加急性肝衰竭大鼠模型诊断的价值

目的 探讨慢加急性肝衰竭大鼠模型肝脏B超检测与病理学及血清学指标ALT、AST、TBIL的关系.方法 30只SD大鼠随机分为正常对照组(n=15)、模型组(n=15).模型组通过四氯化碳(CCl4)诱导致肝硬化后给以D-氨基半乳糖(D-GalN)及脂多糖(LPS)打击,建立慢加急性肝衰竭大鼠模型.采用B超监测大鼠肝脏及腹部,生化仪器检测血清中丙氨酸转氨酶(ALT)、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、总胆红素(TBIL),HE染色观察肝脏的病理变化.结果 模型组B超阳性结果13例,血清中ALT、AST、TBIL各项指标均明显升高,肝脏病理损伤为100％,其中达到肝衰竭的有12例,B超检测阳性且病理损伤达到肝衰竭有11例.B超检测结果与病理学(r=0.786,P=0.000 1)、血清学(r=1,P=0.000 1)结果呈正相关.结论 B超检测的结果与病理学、血清学的结果有很高相关性,能够反映肝脏的损伤程度,B超检测可以作为活体筛选肝硬化、肝衰竭模型大鼠的诊断指标之一.     

2种肠内营养途径及护理在老年ICU机械通气患者中的应用

目的：比较2种肠内营养途径在老年ICU机械通气患者中的应用效果,为此类患者实施肠内营养支持提供依据。方法采用病例对照研究,使用鼻胃管和鼻肠管2种肠内营养支持途径及护理措施,各选取25例老年ICU机械通气患者,对比分析2组目标营养剂量达到时间,第2、3、4周患者营养改善情况,以及并发症发生率。结果鼻肠管喂养组达到目标营养剂量的时间短于鼻胃管喂养组,两组比较差异具有统计学意义（P＜0．05）;喂养后4周后2组患者总蛋白、血清前白蛋白、转铁蛋白量均有改善,且鼻肠管组改善结果显著优于鼻胃管组（P＜0．05）;鼻肠管组喂养相关并发症发生率显著低于鼻胃管组（P＜0．05）。结论老年ICU机械通气患者进行鼻肠管喂养并采取有效护理措施,更易达到目标营养剂量,且发生腹胀、误吸等并发症的概率较低。     

Statistical parametric mapping of (99m)Tc-ECD SPECT in idiopathic Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy with predominant parkinsonian features: correlation with clinical parameters.

Statistical parametric mapping was performed to investigate differences in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) between patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD), patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA), and healthy volunteers. In addition, a voxel-based covariance analysis was performed with disease-specific parameters and clinical patient data such as disease duration, medication, and clinical subscores. METHODS: For this purpose, (99m)Tc-ethylcysteine dimer (ECD) SPECT was performed on 81 IPD patients (50 men, 31 women; age, 62.6 +/- 10.2 y), 15 MSA patients (9 men, 6 women; age, 61.5 +/- 9.2 y), and 44 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers (27 men, 17 women; age, 59.2 +/- 11.9 y). RESULTS: Significant hypoperfusion was observed in IPD compared with healthy subjects in a symmetric subcortical-cortical network including the basal ganglia, thalami, prefrontal and lateral frontal cortex, and parietooccipital cortex (voxel P value P(height) < 0.001, corrected for multiple comparisons). For MSA, only symmetric hypoperfusion was seen in the putamen and thalamus with respect to healthy subjects and to IPD (P(height) < 0.01, corrected). Prolonged disease duration or higher Hoehn and Yahr stage results in hypoperfusion of the posterior associative cortex. There is a negative correlation between perfusion of the caudate heads and limbic system and the standardized dosage of dopamine agonists in the patients with PD, whereas for MSA a bilateral decrease in putamen activity was noted (P(height) < 0.001, uncorrected). Cognitive performance was positively correlated with limbic perfusion and inversely correlated with posterior associative cortical areas, but not with prefrontal regions. CONCLUSION: Voxel-based analysis of (99m)Tc-ECD perfusion SPECT shows detailed differences between IPD and MSA, which may be of use in the differentiation of both disease entities, and is able to elucidate cerebral perfusion correlates of disease severity, dopamine agonist medication, and cognitive performance.     

Monitoring of the neonate undergoing MR imaging: technical considerations. Work in progress

Instrument monitoring of vital signs in neonates undergoing magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can be difficult because of the unique environmental restrictions imposed by the imager. The authors present their experience with monitoring more than 50 newborn infants and discuss the interaction of monitoring devices with the MR imager. Several MR-compatible monitors allow continuous evaluation of body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and auscultation of heart sounds and respiration in mechanically ventilated infants. Signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio measurements taken during imaging of the head of an infant with these monitors in place did not differ appreciably from the ratio obtained during imaging without monitors. Tip angles should be optimized to account for widely varying head size among neonates, since adverse monitoring effects are significantly compounded by improper tip angle adjustment.