Barium filling for glucagon-resistant spasm on double-contrast barium enema examinations

Severe glucagon-resistant spasm on double-contrast barium enema (DCE) examinations may occasionally lead to a nondiagnostic examination or erroneously suggest colonic disease. In such cases, this glucagon-resistant spasm may be overcome by refilling the colon with single-contrast barium immediately after completion of the DCE examination.     

Myometrial invasion by endometrial carcinoma: sonographic assessment

The depth of myometrial invasion by endometrial carcinoma was evaluated using real-time sonography (US) in 20 patients with histologically proved adenocarcinoma of the endometrium. In 14 of 20 (70%) cases, US-based estimation of the depth of myometrial invasion was within 10% of the actual measurement in the gross specimen. The US-based estimation of tumor invasion was low in seven patients, high in four patients, and agreed with pathologic findings (+/- 5%) in nine patients. In four patients with polypoid intraluminal extension of tumor, a deeply invasive tumor was suspected on US but was not found on pathologic examination. In 12 superficially invasive tumors, the continuity of the demarcating subendometrial halo was intact in nine and incomplete in three. In six patients with deeply invasive tumors, this zone was partially disrupted in four, totally disrupted in one, and intact in one. Errors of estimation of the depth of myometrial invasion on US most frequently occurred when a tumor had a significant intraluminal polypoid extension. Demonstration of a subendometrial halo usually indicated superficial invasion, whereas the absence of a halo was frequently associated with deep invasion.     

Effacement of the fetal cisterna magna in association with myelomeningocele

The cisterna magna is effaced in association with myelomeningocele. The authors retrospectively investigated the size of the fetal cisterna magna as a predictor of fetal myelomeningocele in 67 pregnant women (17-38 menstrual weeks) referred for prenatal sonography because of an elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein level (n = 61) or a suspicion of fetal ventriculomegaly on previously obtained sonograms (n = 6). Twenty fetuses had myelomeningocele, 14 had isolated ventriculomegaly, and 33 were normal. A normal-sized cisterna magna (range, 4-9 mm in depth) was present in all normal fetuses. In 19 of 20 fetuses with myelomeningocele, the views of the posterior fossa were adequate, and in each of these the cisterna magna was effaced (n = 18) or very small (n = 1). The cisterna magna was effaced in five of 13 (38%) fetuses with isolated ventriculomegaly in whom the posterior fossa was adequately imaged. Although effacement of the cisterna magna is a nonspecific finding, the high negative predictive value of this sign is useful during routine screening of the fetal neural axis.     

Demographic characteristics and prevalence of serologic markers among donors who use the confidential unit exclusion process: the Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study

BACKGROUND: Most blood centers utilize a confidential unit exclusion (CUE) process, intended to reduce the risk of transfusion-associated infectious diseases by allowing high-risk donors confidentially to exclude their blood from use for transfusion. The effectiveness of this method remains controversial. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Confirmatory or supplemental test results for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus, human T-lymphotropic virus type I, and hepatitis C virus, as well as hepatitis B surface antigen and syphilis and screening test results for antibodies to hepatitis B core (antigen) and alanine aminotransferase levels were obtained for approximately 1.8 million units donated during 1991 and 1992 at five blood centers within the United States. The prevalences of these infectious disease markers in units that the donors confidentially excluded (CUE+) and units that the donors did not exclude (CUE-) were calculated and examined within demographic subgroups. RESULTS: Units that were CUE+ were 8 to 41 times more likely to be seropositive for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B surface antigen, and syphilis and three to four times more likely to react for antibody to hepatitis B core (antigen) or to have elevated alanine aminotransferase levels than units that were CUE- (p < 0.001). The positive predictive value of CUE (the percentage of CUE+ units that were confirmed seropositive for any marker) was 3.5 percent, and the sensitivity of CUE (the percentage of confirmed-seropositive units that were CUE+) was 2.3 percent. CONCLUSION: The current CUE process has low sensitivity and apparently low positive predictive value, and in many cases, it appeared that donors misunderstood it. Yet, CUE was not a “random process,” as CUE+ units were more likely to be seropositive for any infectious disease marker than CUE- units. This suggests that efforts to improve the CUE system may be warranted. As risk factors for transfusion-transmitted infection become more difficult to identify by history-based screening, however, such efforts may have limited effect.     

Total radical trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP) and exercise

The relationship between physical activity, physical fitness and total radical trapping antioxidant potential (TRAP) was examined in the Northern Ireland Health and Activity Survey. This was a cross-sectional population study (n = 1600) using a two-stage probability sample of the population. TRAP was calculated using the sum of the individual serum antioxidant concentrations (urate, protein thiols, ascorbate, alpha tocopherol and bilirubin) multiplied by their respective stoichiometric values. Physical fitness was determined by estimation of VO2max by extrapolation from submaximal oxygen uptake, and physical activity was recorded by computer-assisted interview. Mean serum TRAP concentrations were significantly higher in males (653 +/- 8.2 mumol/l, mean +/- SEM) compared to females (564 +/- 8.0 mumol/l) (p < 0.0001). Both male and female smokers had significantly lower TRAP values than non-smokers (males p < 0.0001, females p = 0.02). In females, there was a positive relationship of TRAP with age (p < 0.001) and body mass index (p < 0.001) but a negative relationship with physical fitness (p < 0.05). The known beneficial effects of exercise and activity do not appear to be directly mediated through increased antioxidant status.