Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in semen and urethral specimens from male members of infertile couples in Tunisia.

The sequelae to infection with Chlamydia trachomatis in women are an established cause of tubal infertility. However, little is known about chlamydial infection and male infertility. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of asymptomatic C. trachomatis infections in urethral and semen specimens from the male members of infertile couples by means of four different methods: the direct fluorescence antibodies assay, cell culture, the Roche Cobas Amplicor polymerase chain reaction, and the presence of chlamydial local IgA antibodies by the recombinant antibody-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. One or more chlamydial infection markers were detected in 42 (45.7%) of the 92 examined urethral and semen specimens from the male partners of infertile couples. C. trachomatis was detected in 23.9% (22/92) of urethral specimens and in 35.9% (33/92) of semen specimens. Although there was a significant correlation between the detection of one or more chlamydial infection markers in urethral and semen specimens (p = 0.01), no significant correlation was found between the detection of C. trachomatis DNA in these samples. Furthermore, no significant association was found between the presence of chlamydial local IgA antibodies and the detection of C. trachomatis. The discrepancies in positive results found between some techniques for the detection of C. trachomatis in urethral and semen specimens might be explained by variations in the sensitivities and specificities of the tests carried out and the use of specimens from different anatomical locations. Our findings suggest that C. trachomatis seems to be widespread among the male partners of infertile couples in Tunisia. The detection of C. trachomatis in urethral or semen specimens can serve as a marker for the presence of this organism in the genital tract, which is not necessarily the cause of male infertility. The study of the correlation between the detection of chlamydial infection markers and the parameters of male fertility seems to be necessary in order to determine the direct link between chlamydial infection and male infertility and to choose the most efficient technique and most suitable specimen with which to diagnose C. trachomatis-associated male infertility.     

The management of stage I--II Hodgkin's disease with irradiation alone or combined modality therapy: the Stanford experience

At Stanford University, between 1968 and 1978, 230 patients with pathologic stage I--II Hodgkin's disease were treated on prospective clinical trials with either irradiation alone or irradiation followed by 6 cycles of adjuvant combination chemotherapy. The actuarial survival at 10 yr was 84% for patients in either treatment group. Freedom from relapse at 10 yr was 77% among patients treated with irradiation alone and 84% after treatment with combined modality therapy [p(Gehan) = 0.09]. Freedom from second relapse at 10 yr was 89% and 94%, respectively [p(Gehan) = 0.56]. Several prognostic factors were evaluated in order to identify patients at high risk for relapse or with poor ultimate survival after initial treatment with irradiation alone. Systemic symptoms, histologic subtype, age, and limited extranodal involvement (E-lesions) did not affect the prognosis of patients and failed to identify patients whose survival could be improved by the routine use of combined modality therapy. Patients with large mediastinal masses (mediastinal mass ratio greater than or equal to 1/3) had a significantly poorer freedom from relapse when treated with irradiation alone than when treated initially with combined modality therapy [45% versus 81% at 10 yr, p(Gehan) = 0.03). The 10-yr survival of these patients, however, was not significantly different (84% versus 74%). The implications of these observations on the management of patient with early stage Hodgkin's disease are discussed.     

冠心病中医体质类型、客观化及临床应用研究进展

冠心病的发生、发展与中医体质存在密切关系.冠心病患者在遗传物质的差异、生长地域环境的不同等影响因素下表现出中医体质类型的差异性.诸多体质学研究发现冠心病患者以偏颇体质、兼夹体质为主.中医体质研究从宏观角度反映冠心病患者的疾病特质,中医体质分布规律的研究对冠心病的认识具有重要意义,本文就近10年来冠心病中医体质类型分布、...     

吡柔比星(THP)膀胱灌注预防腺性膀胱炎术后复发的疗效观察

目的 评价吡柔比星(THP)膀胱灌注预防腺性膀胱炎术后复发的疗效。方法 对30例腺性膀胱炎患者行经尿道汽化电切术,术后定期应用THP(40mg/50ml)膀胱内灌注化疗。结果 30例患者随访5～20个月,平均14.5个月,3例复发(10％)。未见有全身性药物不良反应,仅2例血白细胞降至3000个/ml。结论THP膀胱灌注预防腺性膀胱炎术后复发疗效满意,病人耐受性好,副作用小。     

Obstructive sleep apnea: diagnosis with ultrafast CT

Patients with sleep-disordered breathing often have physiologic and anatomic abnormalities of the upper airway that are demonstrable while awake. An ultrafast computed tomographic (CT) scanner was used to measure the oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal cross-sectional areas of 11 patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Twenty-four healthy volunteers served as control subjects. The percentage of change in cross-sectional area during quiet tidal breathing was used as a measure of airway compliance. Compared with weight-matched control subjects, patients with obstructive sleep apnea had smaller oropharyngeal airways (40.4 vs 177.8 mm2) (P less than .001) and smaller nasopharyngeal airways (31.3 vs 134.2 mm2) (P less than .001). In addition, their oropharyngeal airways were significantly more compliant (75% vs 27%) (P less than .001). Patients with obstructive sleep apnea are characterized by a small, collapsible oropharyngeal airway and by nasopharyngeal airway narrowing. These abnormalities can cause sleep-disordered breathing. Ultrafast CT scanning allows rapid, noninvasive assessment of airway variables.     

卡托普利对高血压冠状动脉壁肥厚和储备力下降的预防作用

目的研究卡托普利对高血压冠状动脉壁肥厚和储备力下降的预防作用。方法４ｗ大鼠设３组：分别为自发性高血压大鼠（ＳＨＲ）组、ＳＨＲ口服卡托普利组（ＳＨＲ＋Ｃ）和正常血压大鼠（ＷＫＹ）组,饲养１２ｗ。结果ＳＨＲ＋Ｃ组较ＳＨＲ组,收缩压、冠状动脉壁横截面积、横截面积与内径比及中层血管平滑肌细胞宽度显著下降,最大冠状动脉流量增加,与ＷＫＹ组无显著差异。结论卡托普利能完全预防ＳＨＲ冠状动脉壁肥厚和储备力下降。     

A longitudinal study of otitis media with effusion among 2- to 5-year-old African-American children in child care

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively document the prevalence of otitis media with effusion (OME) in 86 African-American children between ages 2 and 5 years. STUDY DESIGN: Eighty-six children in center-based child care whose ear status had been followed from infancy continued to be observed. Middle ear status was assessed by pneumatic otoscopy and tympanometry biweekly. RESULTS: The prevalence of OME decreased as children became older. The mean proportion of examinations demonstrating bilateral OME (BOME) ranged from 12% between 24 to 30 months to 4% between 54 to 60 months of age. The mean proportion of exams revealing bilateral normal ears increased from 77% at 24 to 30 months to 88% at 54 to 60 months of age. Although 60 children had experienced BOME that lasted 4 months or longer in the 6- to 24-month age period, only 8 of these children experienced at least 4 months of continuous BOME between 24 to 60 months. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of time with BOME decreased progressively with increasing age in this population. Only 8 of 60 children who had experienced more than 4 consecutive months of BOME before 2 years of age continued to manifest persistent effusion or experience recurrences of prolonged BOME after 2 years of age.