Current guidelines do not sufficiently discriminate venous thromboembolism risk in urology

Purpose

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the leading cause of noncancer death following major cancer surgery. Current thromboprophylaxis guidelines do not address procedure-specific risk of venous thromboembolism for urological patients. This project was created to determine the risk and timing of VTE after major urological surgery and to evaluate if surgical procedure was an independent risk factor for VTE after adjusting for previously established risk factors.

HLAmatchmaker: a molecularly based algorithm for histocompatibility determination. III. Effect of matching at the HLA-A,B amino acid triplet level on kidney transplant survival

BACKGROUND: HLAMatchmaker is a recently developed computer-based algorithm to determine donor-recipient HLA compatibility at the molecular level. Originally designed for highly alloimmunized patients, this algorithm is based on the concept that immunogenic epitopes are represented by amino acid triplets on exposed parts of protein sequences of HLA-A, -B, and -C chains accessible to alloantibodies. Donor HLA compatibility is determined by intralocus and interlocus comparisons of triplets in polymorphic sequence positions. For most patients, HLAMatchmaker can identify certain mismatched HLA antigens that are zero-triplet mismatches to the patient's HLA phenotype and should, therefore, be considered fully histocompatible. The present study was designed to determine how class I HLA matching at the triplet level affects kidney transplant outcome. METHODS: We analyzed two multicenter databases of zero-HLA-DR-mismatched kidneys transplanted from 1987 to 1999. One database consisted of 31,879 primary allografts registered by U.S. transplant centers in the United Network for Organ Sharing database and the other consisted of 15,872 transplants in the Eurotransplant program. RESULTS: HLA-A,B mismatched kidneys that were compatible at the triplet level exhibited almost identical graft survival rates as the zero-HLA-A,B antigen mismatches defined by conventional criteria. This beneficial effect of triplet matching was seen for both nonsensitized and sensitized patients and also for white and nonwhite patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the application of HLAMatchmaker will increase the number of successful transplants, at least in the HLA-DR match combinations.     

New functional imaging modalities for chromaffin tumors, neuroblastomas and ganglioneuromas.

Nuclear medicine modalities use radiolabeled ligands that either follow metabolic pathways or act on cellular receptors. Thus, they permit functional imaging of physiological processes and help to localize sites such as tumors that harbor pathological events. The application of positron emission tomography (PET) ligands to the specific pathways of synthesis, metabolism and inactivation of catecholamines found in chromaffin tumors, neuroblastomas and ganglioneuromas can be used to provide a more thorough localization of these types of tumor. Recent advances have been made in functional imaging to localize pheochromocytomas, paragangliomas, neuroblastomas and ganglioneuromas, including approaches based on PET with [(18)F]fluorodopamine, [(18)F]fluorohydroxyphenylalanine, [(11)C]epinephrine or [(11)C]hydroxyephedrine. Such functional imaging can complement computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging and other scintigraphic techniques to localize these tumors before surgical or medical therapeutic approaches are considered.     

Sigmoid schwannoma： A rare case

Schwannomas are rare tumors derived from the cells of Schwann that form the neural sheath. When located in the gastrointestinal tract, they constitute together with leiomyoma, leiomyoblastoma, and leiomyosarcoma, the gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Peripheral nerve sheath tumors represent 2-6% GIST with most common location, the stomach and the small intestine. Schwannomas of the colon and rectum are extremely rare and radical excision with wide margins is mandatory, due to their tendency to recur locally and become malignant, if left untreated. In the present study, we report a rare case of a sigmoid schwannoma, which was successfully treated in our department and reviewed the literature.     

Hypercalcaemia in Greek patients with tuberculosis before the initiation of anti-tuberculosis treatment

Hypercalcaemia has been known to occur in association with granulomatous diseases. The aim of this study was to ascertain the incidence of hypercalcaemia and determine the prevalence of symptoms associated with it in Greek patients with newly-diagnosed tuberculosis (TB), before the initiation of anti-tuberculosis treatment. We prospectively evaluated all patients with newly-diagnosed TB presenting, either as inpatients or as outpatients, to our hospital, during a 3-year period. We evaluated 88 patients with TB (50 males and 38 females), aged between 23 and 89 years (mean age+/-SD: 46.4+/-19 years), and 65 age- and sex-matched controls with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (36 males and 29 females), aged between 28 and 88 years (mean age+/-SD: 47.2+/-18 years). Among TB patients, 56 had pulmonary TB, 20 had pleural TB without evidence of pulmonary parenchyma involvement, eight had pulmonary and pleural TB, and four had disseminated disease. The mean (+/-SD) albumin-adjusted serum calcium concentration and the mean ionized calcium concentration were significantly higher in the TB group (2.49+/-0.21 mmol l(-1) and 1.27+/-0.02 mmol l(-1) respectively) than in the control group (2.36+/-0.11 mmol l(-1) and 1.19+/-0.02 mmol l(-1), P<0.05). In the TB group no correlation between type of disease and albumin-adjusted or ionized calcium concentration was seen. Hypercalcaemia was detected in 22 patients with TB (25%) but only three showed symptoms associated with it. We conclude that, although hypercalcaemia is a common laboratory finding among Greek patients with TB before anti-TB chemotherapy, it is usually asymtomatic.     

Stellenwert der intrathekalen Schmerztherapie

Intraspinal drug infusion using implantable pumps and catheter systems is a safe and effective therapy for selected pain patients with severe chronic pain. It improves pain relief, reduces drug-related side effects, decreases the need for oral analgesia and enhances quality of life in a segment of chronic pain patients whose pain has not been controlled with more conservative therapies. Intrathecal drug therapy has therefore established its role in the treatment of malignant pain, benign pain and severe spasticity. Careful patient selection and management as well as a multidisciplinary approach are determinants of successful treatment. Current practices for patient selection and management, screening, drug selection, dosing and implantation for intrathecal drug delivery systems are discussed.     

Impact of passive humidification on clinical outcomes of mechanically ventilated patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE: Previous meta-analyses reported advantages of passive (i.e., heat and moisture exchangers, or HMEs) compared with active (i.e., heated humidifiers, or HHs) humidifiers in reducing the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia, but they did not examine the effect of these devices on mortality, length of intensive care unit stay, and duration of mechanical ventilation. In addition, relevant data were recently published. DESIGN: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing HMEs with HHs for the management of mechanically ventilated patients to determine the impact of these devices on clinical outcomes of such patients. METHODS: We searched PubMed and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials as well as reference lists from publications, with no language restrictions. We estimated pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), using a random effects model. RESULTS: Thirteen randomized controlled trials, studying 2,580 patients, were included. There was no difference in incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia among patients managed with HMEs and HHs (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.62-1.16). There was no difference between the compared groups regarding mortality (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.80-1.20), length of intensive care unit stay (weighted mean differences, -0.68 days, 95% CI -3.65 to 2.30), duration of mechanical ventilation (weighted mean differences, 0.11 days, 95% CI -0.90 to 1.12), or episodes of airway occlusion (OR 2.26, 95% CI 0.55-9.28). HMEs were cheaper than HHs in each of the randomized controlled trials. CONCLUSION: The available evidence does not support the preferential performance of either passive or active humidifiers in mechanical ventilation patients in terms of ventilator-associated pneumonia incidence, mortality, or morbidity.