Does catheter choice during embryo transfer alter the pregnancy rate?

Background

Although every step in the in vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedure is important, the impact of embryo transfer (ET) on pregnancy rate (PR) is significant. Of all the crucial aspects of ET the type of catheter used and the technique of transfer on the PR has drawn the maximum attention and controversy. We aimed to compare the outcome of two different ET catheters on the PR.

Method

A prospective analysis comparing the classical Frydman (Laboratoire CCD, France) and the soft Cook (Cook Medical, Indiana, USA) ET catheters was performed. Primary end-point was clinical pregnancy rate (CPR); secondary end-points were rates of difficult transfer. A total of 1,446 ETs were performed in women undergoing IVF treatment, of which 723 cycles were randomised to the Cook catheter and 723 to the Frydman catheter.

Results

It was observed that, although the Cook catheter was related to a slightly higher PR, the overall comparison failed to indicate a significant difference in CPR. It was also seen that the ease of transfer did not significantly affect the PRs.

Conclusion

Individual variables during ET may not contribute significantly to the success of an IVF programme; however, a holistic approach encompassing all the factors is quintessential to improve the PR.     

Cardiovascular Disease and Therapeutic Drug-Related Cardiovascular Consequences in HIV-Infected Patients

The incidence of cardiovascular disease is greatly increased in the HIV-infected population compared with people of the same age without HIV. Cardiovascular manifestations of HIV/AIDS include, but are not limited to, accelerated atherosclerosis, pulmonary arterial hypertension, vasculitis, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, pericardial diseases, malignancy (myocardial Kaposi sarcoma and B-cell immunoblastic lymphoma), and endocarditis. Drug effects and interactions that challenge the cardiovascular system are even more prevalent in this population, and careful review and surveillance of medication effects is crucial as is careful selection of highly active antiretroviral therapy. A focused assessment and understanding of disease prevalence and presentation is needed as symptoms may be non-specific and cardiovascular physical examination findings indeterminate due to co-morbid conditions in the patient population now living with chronic HIV infection.     

A multifaceted evaluation of imatinib-induced cardiotoxicity in the rat

Cardiotoxicity was an unanticipated side effect elicited by the clinical use of imatinib (Imb). This toxicity has been examined in only a limited number of experimental studies. The present study sought, by a variety of approaches, to identify important characteristics of Imb-induced cardiac alterations. Male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) received oral doses of 10, 30, or 50 mg/kg Imb or water daily for 10 d. Cardiac lesions, detected at all doses, were characterized by cytoplasmic vacuolization and myofibrillar loss. In a second experiment, cardiac lesions were found in Sprague Dawley (SD) and SHR rats given 50 or 100 mg/kg Imb for 14 d. Mean cardiac lesion scores and serum levels of cardiac troponin I were higher in SHRs than in SD rats. Imb induced myocyte death by necrosis, autophagy, and apoptosis. Dose-related increases in cardiac expression were observed for several genes associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress response, protein folding, and vascular development and remodeling. Imb caused alterations in isolated myocytes (myofibrillar loss, highly disrupted and disorganized sarcomeric α-actinin, apoptosis, and increased lactate dehydrogenase release) at low concentrations (5 mM). The authors conclude that Imb exerts cardiotoxic effects that are manifest through a complex pattern of cellular alterations, the severity of which can be influenced by arterial blood pressure.     

Baseline serum cardiac troponin I concentrations in Sprague-Dawley, spontaneous hypertensive, Wistar, Wistar-Kyoto, and Fisher rats as determined with an ultrasensitive immunoassay

Cardiac troponins have proved to be reliable blood biomarkers for identifying a variety of myocardial alterations in humans and animals. Recently, an ultrasensitive cTnI assay (Erenna IA) has been used to demonstrate increases in baseline cTnI resulting from drug-induced myocardial injury in rats, dogs, and monkeys, as well as to document baseline cTnI ranges in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The present study was initiated to use the Erenna cTnI assay to further document baseline cTnI concentrations in normal control animals from multiple strains, including SD, Spontaneous Hypertensive (SHR), Wistar, Wistar-Kyoto (WKY), and Fisher strains. Baseline cTnI concentrations were quantified in all rats tested, and males had higher mean cTnI concentrations than females of the same strain. SHR males had the highest mean cTnI concentrations and the largest cTnI variability. Interestingly, cTnI concentrations increased in castrated SHR compared with unaltered male SHR, whereas cTnI concentrations decreased in ovariectomized SHR compared with unaltered female SHR. These results show significant differences in cTnI concentrations between strains, sexes, and noncardiac surgical alterations in control animals, and identify these as potential contributing factors to cTnI baseline variability that should be taken into account when using ultrasensitive cTnI as a biomarker to assess preclinical cardiotoxicity.     

Liver transplantation in Indian Armed Forces—initial experience

Background

This study retrospectively analyses the initial experience of liver transplantation (LT) in the Indian Armed Forces.

Methods

Fifty-three patients underwent LT at Army Hospital (R&R) Delhi Cantt. between March 2007 and March 2011. Of these 35 patients underwent deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) and living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) was carried out in 18 patients. The surgical techniques, complications and mortality were analysed.

Results

A high consent rate of 35.9% for organ donation was achieved by the Armed Forces Organ Retrieval and Transplantation Authority (AORTA). Biliary complications occurred in five patients (9.4%). However, most of them could be managed by endoscopic interventions. Hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) occurred in five patients (9.4%). Of these, two DDLT grafts were revascularised following HAT, by creating extra-anatomic arterial conduits with excellent outcome. The overall mortality was 18.8% (n = 10). There was no significant difference in the overall complications or mortality in patients undergoing DDLT or LDLT.

Conclusion

The overall survival and morbidity in this study is comparable to those from other centres. Urgent revascularisation of grafts following HAT should be attempted as it can salvage grafts with satisfactory outcome. There is a reduction in the incidence of biliary complications with refinements in surgical techniques.     

蛇床子素对豚鼠离体回肠和结肠带的作用

以豚鼠离体回肠和结肠带为标本,观察蛇床子素(Ost)的作用与Ca~(2+)的关系。结果表明:Ost和钙拮抗剂Ver产生剂量依赖性抑制乙酰胆碱(ACh)、组胺及KCl所致回肠条或结肠带的收缩;非竞争性拮抗CaCl_2累积量—效曲线,pD_2分别为4.41±0.15,7.0±0.2。Ost 100μmol/L和Ver 1μmol/L均能对抗小剂量Ca~(2+)所致结肠带收缩,但被加入较大量Ca~(2+)所取消。Ost和Ver均能抑制ACh诱导的依内钙性收缩,不影响依外钙性收缩。结果提示Ost具有钙拮抗作用,其作用方式与Ver类似。