Incidence of analgesic nephropathy among patients undergoing renal replacement therapy in Czech republic and Slovak republic

BACKGROUND.: The occurrence of analgesic nephropathy (AN) among renal replacementtherapy patients in former Czechoslovakia is not known. Previoussurveys were not based on representative samples and lackeduniform criteria for diagnosing the disease. METHODS.: Incidence of AN in former Czechoslovakia was investigated inpatients commencing renal replacement therapy in 24 (1/3 ofall) dialysis centres from 1 January to 31 December 1992. Patientsshowing an unclear renal diagnosis (n=149) were investigatedwith an interview and renal imaging techniques. The diagnosisof AN was withheld or rejected on the base of recently publisheddiagnostic criteria demonstrating that a decreased renal massof both kidneys combined with bumpy contours and/or papillarycalcifications had a high performance for diagnosing AN (NephrolDial Transplant 1992; 7: 479–486). RESULTS.: Based on the renal imaging criteria, AN was diagnosed in 30of 328 registered patients, resulting in an AN incidence of9.1% while the EDTA data only mentioned an incidence of 4.8%(period 1986–1989). The products most commonly abusedwere analgesic mixtures containing two analgesic substancescombined with caffeine and/or codeine. CONCLUSIONS.: AN was found to be a common disease in the Czech and SlovakRepublics. The disease was diagnosed using reliable renal imagingcriteria.     

Impact of the environment on reproductive health

The WHO workshop on the impact of the environment on reproductive health is summarized. Topics include the nature of environmental factors affecting reproductive health, environmental factors blamed for declining sperm quantity and quality, the effects of natural and man-made disasters on reproductive health, chemical pollutants, how the environment damages reproductive health, and research needs for better research methodologies and surveillance data. Recommendations are made to: 1) promote international research collaboration with an emphasis on consistency of methodological approaches for assessing developmental and reproductive toxicity, on development of improved surveillance systems and data bases, an strengthening international disaster alert and evaluation systems; 2) promote research capabilities for multidisciplinary studies, for interactive studies of the environment and cellular processes, and for expansion of training and education; and 3) take action on priority problems of exposure to chemical, physical, and biological agents, of exposure to pesticides among specific populations, and of inadequate screening methods for identification of environmental chemicals. The costs of environmental injury to reproduction include subfertility, intrauterine growth retardation, spontaneous abortion, and various birth defects. Developed country's primary threats are from chemical pollution, radiation, and stress. There is a large gap in knowledge. Caution is urged in understanding the direct relationship between environmental causes and infertility. Sexual health is difficult to assess and research is suggested. Exposure to excessive vitamin A and toxic chemicals are cited as agents probably having serious effects on malformations. Sperm quality has declined over the decades; there is speculation about the potential causes. The effects of radiation such as at Chernobyl are described. Toxic chemical exposure such as in Bhopal, India killed thousands. Neurological damage is reported for fetuses and infants exposed to methyl mercury. There is the beginning of evidence that complications of pregnancy may be related to pollution levels surrounding industrial plants. Reproductive health is affected through chromosome damage and cell destruction, prenatal death, altered growth, fetal abnormalities, postnatal death, functional learning deficits, and premature aging.     

High-dose immunoglobulin therapy for Guillain−Barré syndrome in Japanese children

BACKGROUND: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute acquired demyelinating polyneuropathy, presumed to be immune-mediated. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been used to treat GBS and was found to be effective. However, a well-controlled study of pediatric GBS has not been conducted in Japan. Therefore, to evaluate the efficacy of IVIg in the treatment of GBS, an open-labeled study was performed in pediatric patients. METHODS: Participants in the study were required to be younger than 15 years old, and diagnosed as having moderate or severe GBS. IVIg (400 mg/kg per day) was administered to patients for five consecutive days. Predefined outcome measures were defined on a seven-point scale of motor function (Hughes' functional grade [FG]). RESULTS: Eleven patients were treated with IVIg. The median time taken to improve by one grade on the FG scale was 10.0 days after initial treatment. Two weeks after initial treatment, 72.7% of patients treated with IVIg improved by one or more grades, and 36.4% improved by two or more grades, measured on the FG scale. After 4 weeks an improvement by one or more grades was observed in 81.8% of patients, and two or more grades in 63.6% of patients. These improvement rates were markedly greater than would occur with the natural course of GBS1. Adverse events (subjective symptoms or abnormal laboratory findings) were observed in four patients, although all were temporary and mild. CONCLUSIONS: The authors conclude that IVIg is a safe and effective treatment for childhood GBS, which shortens the time to recovery.     

干预CD86协同刺激信号在诱导母胎界面Th2型免疫偏倚中的作用

目的 :探讨干预CD86协同刺激信号在诱导母胎界面局部形成Th2型免疫偏倚中的作用。方法 :将正常妊娠模型 (CBA×BALB/c)和自然流产模型 (CBA×DBA/ 2 )CBA孕鼠均分为两组 ,于孕第 4、6、8天 ,对照组腹腔注射大鼠IgG ,实验组腹腔注射大鼠抗小鼠CD86mAb ;孕第 9天 ,ELISA测定母胎界面组织培养上清中Th1型 (IFN γ、TNF α) /Th2型(IL 4、IL 10 )细胞因子表达水平 ,并计算IL 4 /IFN γ、IL 10 /IFN γ比值 ;孕第 12天比较两种模型各组的胚胎吸收率。结果 :正常妊娠模型中 ,干预CD86协同刺激信号对母胎界面原有的Th2型免疫偏离及妊娠预后均无显著影响。自然流产模型中 ,干预CD86协同刺激信号能够诱导母胎界面局部形成Th2型免疫偏倚并显著改善其妊娠预后。结论 :于孕早期 ,干预CD86协同刺激信号能够改善母胎界面局部细胞因子微环境 ,形成维持正常妊娠所需的Th2型免疫偏倚 ,诱导母胎免疫耐受     

四种小儿动脉导管未闭堵闭术的临床应用:附127例报告

本文采用四种不同的介入治疗方法堵闭动脉导管共127例,成功率海绵塞法为92％(23/25例),双面伞器法为98.6％(66/67例),钮扣式补片法为100％(26/26例),弹簧圈器法为100％(9/9例)。海绵塞法和弹簧圈器无残余分流;术后6个月双面伞器法残余分流为7％(5/67例),钮扣式补片法为15％(4/26例)。钮扣式补片法和弹簧圈器法无并发症,海绵塞法为24％(6/25例),双面伞器法为4％(3/67例)。我们认为,钮扣式补片法及弹簧圈器法在小儿动脉导管未闭的介入治疗中具有较大的应用价值。     

喉癌患者血清可溶性白细胞介素-2受体和肿瘤坏死因子水平的研究

应用单克隆、多克隆双抗体夹心ELISA检测了35例喉鳞癌患者的血清可溶性白细胞介素2受体(sIL-2R)和肿瘤坏死因子(7NF-α)水平。结果显示:喉癌患者sIL-2R水平较良性组或正常人显著升高(P<0.001),与喉癌临床分期、临床分型及淋巴结转移密切相关;喉癌患者7NF-α水平只有Ⅳ期显著高于良性组或正常人(P<0.05).提示:血清sIL-2R水平检测可作为喉癌诊断的一项辅助指标,并有助于了解喉癌的临床进程及生物学行为(如淋巴结转移等);TNF-α在介导喉癌的恶病质方面起重要作用。本文还探讨了血清sIL-2R水平在喉癌中升高的机理。     

颞骨内微型面神经鞘瘤病理研究

目的探讨颞骨内微型面神经鞘瘤的原发部位和病理行为。方法用光镜对８１５人（１５２６侧）颞骨连续切片进行面神经颞骨内全程组织病理学观察。结果发现未诊断的无症状微型ＡｎｔｏｎｉＡ型面神经鞘瘤１５人（１７耳），占１．８４％。依其病理行为特征分为外生性（１３耳，起自面神经管裂处神经束膜，并向管外生长）和内生性（４耳，起自面神经主干）两种类型。肿瘤起自迷路段者２耳，水平段１２耳，第二膝段１耳，垂直段２耳。结论将颞骨内面神经鞘瘤分为内生性和外生性两种类型有重要的病理和临床意义，有助于手术目的的确定和手术方法的设计     

PSA screening for prostate cancer: The current controversy - a viewpoint

Prostate cancer is an important health problem. Randomized trialshave not yet proven whether or not screening with prostate-specificantigen measurements reduces morbidity or mortality. The potentialfor overtreatment of prostate cancers not destined to causefuture mortality, the uncertainty about the benefits of aggressivetreatment of screen-detected cancers, and the relatively highcosts of prostate cancer screening programs are all areas ofconcern. A shared approach to decisions about screening individualpatients pending better evidence is one strategy for cliniciansto consider in dealing with this controversial problem. mass screening, prostatic neoplasia, prostate-specific antigen