Push enteroscopy in the investigation of small-intestinal disease

We report our experience with small-bowel push enteroscopy in 50 patients. The indications for push enteroscopy were: anaemia/occult gastrointestinal bleeding (22 patients); overt gastrointestinal bleeding (17 patients); abnormal small-bowel radiology (8 patients) and miscellaneous (3 patients). In those with undiagnosed gastrointestinal bleeding/anaemia, abnormalities were detected in 24/39 patients (62%): small bowel arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) were detected in 19 (49%), and five (13%) had lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Seventeen patients had heater-probe ablation therapy of vascular lesions: nine patients had small-intestinal lesions, four patients gastric lesions, and four patients combined gastric and small- intestinal lesions. In those with abnormal small-bowel radiology, abnormalities were detected in 6/8 patients. We conclude that (i) push enteroscopy can establish a diagnosis in a high proportion of patients with gastrointestinal bleeding; (ii) heater-probe ablation therapy of vascular lesions can be performed routinely at the time of enteroscopy; (iii) a significant proportion of patients (9/50) referred for enteroscopy with undiagnosed gastrointestinal bleeding have lesions in the stomach/proximal duodenum missed at diagnostic endoscopy. Push enteroscopy is a valuable diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedure.      

急性心肌梗死后外周血单个核细胞表面CD147与基质金属蛋白酶-9 mRNA表达的相关性

目的：基质金属蛋白酶在急性心肌梗死后的心室重构中起着重要作用，但其调节机制目前尚未明确。实验拟通过动物模型的建立及体外细胞培养，观察急性心肌梗死后单个核细胞表面CD147与心肌成纤维细胞基质金属蛋白酶-9 mRNA表达的关系。 方法：实验于2006—08／2007-06在河北省人民医院临床实验中心完成。实验材料：SD大鼠及SD仔鼠（出生1～3d）购自河北医科大学试验动物中心。实验过程中对动物处置符合动物伦理学标准。实验方法：①将30只大鼠随机分为急性心肌梗死组（n=15）和假手术组（n=15），假手术组只过线不结扎。流式细胞分析法检测大鼠术后24h外周血单个核细胞表面CD147表达。②选择SD仔鼠制备心肌成纤维细胞。将单个核细胞与心肌成纤维细胞以细胞数0．5：1，1：1，2：1混合培养24h后，半定量反转录一聚合酶联反应法检测基质金属蛋白酶-9 mRNA表达。当单核细胞与心肌成纤维细胞2：1混合时，加入CD147单克隆抗体1，2，4μL/L，培养24h后检测基质金属蛋白酶-9 mRNA表达。 结果：①急性心肌梗死后外周血单个核细胞表面CD147表达明显增加。②单个核细胞与心肌成纤维细胞混合培养，随着单个核细胞比例的增加，心肌成纤维细胞基质金属蛋白酶-9 mRNA表达增加。③在单个核细胞与心肌成纤维细胞2：1混合培养体系中，随着加入CD147单克隆抗体浓度的增加，基质金属蛋白酶-9 mRNA生成减少。 结论：急性心肌梗死后单个核细胞表面CD147表达明显增加，对心肌成纤维细胞基质金属蛋白酶-9生成起上游调节作用。     

Impact of an infection consultation service for bacteraemia on clinical management and use of resources

Since 1993, the infection consultation service for bacteraemia has seen 310 patients in the Medical and Surgical Directorates at Ninewells Hospital and Kings Cross Hospital. A random sample of 100 was audited. Case-notes were incomplete for five patients, leaving 95 fully-audited patients. Clinical outcome measures were death from infection, and readmission within 2 weeks of discharge. Initial treatment was inconsistent with antibiotic policy in 46 patients (48%). Antibiotic treatment was changed in 37 (80%) of these patients: increased in intensity in 19 (41%) and decreased in 18 (39%). Changes were also made in 30 (61%) of the 49 patients whose initial treatment was consistent with sepsis policy-increased in seven (14%) and decreased in 23 (47%). Median daily antibiotic costs were lowered in patients whose initial treatment was consistent with sepsis policy (pounds 10.10 vs. pounds 7.28, p = 0.0274). However, in the other patients, savings were balanced by increases (p = 0.7696). Consultation required one consultant session per week (3.5 h) and the audit required an additional 16 consultant sessions. Seven patients died, but only one death was directly related to infection. Six patients were readmitted to hospital within 2 weeks, in three due to recurrence of infection. Changes to treatment were recommended in the majority of patients, regardless of whether initial treatment complied with the sepsis policy. The service primarily redistributed resources rather than reducing costs. A fully audited service requires considerable consultant time, but we believe such time is well spent.      

How much would the safety of blood transfusion be improved by including p24 antigen in the battery of tests?

BACKGROUND: Because p24 antigen may be detectable during seroconversion, before antibodies, some of the infected blood undetected by antibody screening could be identified through antigen screening. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The potential benefit of antigen screening was evaluated in a simulation model incorporating present knowledge of the time sequence from antigen exposure to antibody development during seroconversion and the incidence of seroconversion among repeat donors. The model was designed so that the results were consistent with the observed rate of antibody-positive blood donations and the CIs of surveys that did not find any antibody-negative/antigen- positive donated blood. RESULTS: In the United States in 1990, the number of expected, undetected, contaminated blood components was estimated at 68; of these 8 to 17 could have been identified by antigen screening, depending on the hypothesis explored. (In 1992, 20 undetected, contaminated blood components were expected according to this model, of which 2 to 5 could have been identified by antigen screening.) In France, the comparable figures were 1 to 4 of 13 in 1990 and 1 to 2 of 7 in 1992. CONCLUSION: The projected benefit must be weighted against possible negative consequences, including 1) an increase in recently infected persons seeking p24 antigen screening at blood banks (assuming this test is not incorporated into screening in non-blood bank settings) and 2) the need for additional quality assurance procedures to avoid operational flaws associated with the increase in the donor screening test battery. In any case, the best way of increasing the safety of blood is improvement in the selection of donors, which can diminish the residual risk of transmission of any viruses.     

Ranolazine and Microvascular Angina by PET in the Emergency Department: Results From a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is a common but underdiagnosed cause of chest pain. Literature is scant regarding effective treatments. We explored the effect of ranolazine on coronary flow reserve (CFR) among symptomatic patients with CMD.

Polycystic Kidney Disease Re-evaluated: A Population-based Study

A genetic register of all known cases of autosomal dominantpolycystic kidney disease occurring in South and Mid-Wales hasbeen established. In a population of 2.1 million, 209 familieswith affected members were identified, 303 of whom are currentlyalive, 70 on renal replacement therapy. An additional 551 caseswould be predicted amongst family members at 50 per cent and25 per cent risk, giving an apparent prevalence of 1:2459 inthe general population. Five possible new mutations were seenwhere adults with phenotypic autosomal dominant polycystic kidneydisease had both parents alive, age > 55 years with no cystsvisible on ultrasound. The take-on rate for renal replacementtherapy increased during 1970–79 but has apparently reacheda plateau of 4.8 cases per million population per year overthe last 8 years, despite a rapidly increasing acceptance ofuraemic patients as a whole (72/10⁶/year in 1988–89).Considerably more patients with autosomal dominant polycystickidney disease aged over 50 years were started on treatmentin 1980–89 than in 1970–79, but the survival overallimproved with time. All cases of autosomal dominant polycystickidney disease reaching end-stage renal disease are now beingtreated, but the apparent clinical prevalence of this conditionin our region is less than half the supposed gene frequency,suggesting that undiagnosed cases have a benign prognosis.     

Oral cyclophosphamide versus chlorambucil in the treatment of patients with membranous nephropathy and renal insufficiency

We treated patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (iMGN) and renal insufficiency, using: (i) (n = 15) monthly cycles of steroids (1 g methyl-prednisolone i.v. on three consecutive days, followed by oral prednisone 0.5 mg/kg/day months 1, 3 and 5) and chlorambucil (0.15 mg/kg/day months 2, 4 and 6); or (ii) (n = 17) oral cyclophosphamide (1.5-2.0 mg/kg/day for 1 year) and steroids in a comparable dose. The groups were comparable in age, renal function and levels of proteinuria. During the 6 months preceding treatment, serum creatinine levels increased from 148 +/- 50 to 219 +/- 73 mumol/l in the chlorambucil group and from 164 +/- 86 to 274 +/- 126 mumol/l in the cyclophosphamide group. Median (range) follow-ups were: chlorambucil 38 months (8-71); cyclophosphamide 26 months (5-68) (NS). Renal function improved in both groups, but the improvement was short-lived in the chlorambucil group; 12 months after starting treatment, mean serum creatinine was 6.3 mumol/l lower in the chlorambucil group and 121 mumol/l lower in the cyclophosphamide group (p < 0.01). Four chlorambucil-treated patients developed ESRD, and five needed a second course of therapy, whereas only one cyclophosphamide-treated patient developed ESRD (p < 0.05). Remissions of proteinuria occurred more frequently after cyclophosphamide treatment (15/17 vs. 5/15; p < 0.01). Side-effects necessitated interruption of treatment in six patients on cyclophosphamide and in 11 on chlorambucil (p < 0.05). In our patients, oral cyclophosphamide was better tolerated than oral chlorambucil. The suggested greater efficacy of the oral cyclophosphamide regimen needs to be ascertained by longer follow-up.      

Mycobacterial Infections After Renal Transplantation

Mycobacterial infections occurred in 11 of 633 (1.7 per cent)recipients of successful renal transplants. There were no casesof tuberculosis in patients receiving chemoprophylaxis, butamongst those who did not receive prophylaxis disease occurredin six of the 27 (22 per cent) high-risk patients. The majorcause of morbidity during treatment was renal allograft rejection,largely due to reduction in immunosuppressive drug therapy.