Lung and heart volumes by three-dimensional ultrasound in normal fetuses at 12-32 weeks' gestation.

OBJECTIVE: To establish reference intervals for the fetal right, left and total lung volumes and heart volume between 12 and 32 weeks of gestation. METHODS: Fetal lung and heart volumes were measured using three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound in 650 normal singleton pregnancies at 12-32 weeks. The VOCAL (Virtual Organ Computer-aided AnaLysis) technique was used to obtain a sequence of six sections of each lung and the heart around a fixed axis, each after a 30 degrees rotation from the previous one. The rotation axis for the lungs extended from the apex to the upper limit of the diaphragm dome, and the rotation axis for the heart extended from its apex to its connection to the great vessels. The contour of each of these organs was drawn manually in the six different rotation planes to obtain the 3D volume measurement. In 60 cases the fetal lungs and heart volumes were measured by the same sonographer twice and also by a second sonographer once in order to compare the measurements and calculate intra- and interobserver agreement. RESULTS: The total lung volume and heart volume increased with gestation, from respective mean values of 1.6 and 0.6 mL at 12 weeks to 10.9 and 4.3 mL at 20 weeks and 49.3 and 26.6 mL at 32 weeks. The right to left lung volume ratio did not change significantly with gestation (median, 0.7), whereas the heart to total lung volume ratio increased with gestation from about 0.3 at 12 weeks to 0.5 at 32 weeks. In the Bland-Altman plot, the difference between paired measurements by two sonographers was, in 95% of the cases, less than 0.05, 0.5 and 1.9 mL for each lung at 12-13, 19-22 and 29-32 weeks, respectively, and the corresponding values for the heart volumes were 0.04, 0.4 and 2.3 mL. CONCLUSIONS: In normal fetuses the lung and heart volumes increase between 12 and 32 weeks of gestation. The extent to which in pathological pregnancies possible deviations in these measurements from normal prove to be useful in the prediction of outcome remains to be determined.     

Renal Allograft Biopsies with Borderline Changes: Predictive Factors of Clinical Outcome

The clinical outcome and appropriate management for patients showing 'borderline changes' on allograft biopsy after renal transplantation is still controversial. In an attempt to identify predictive factors of clinical outcome of patients with such lesions, we reviewed the clinical course of 91 patients with borderline changes. Multivariate analysis revealed significant and independent effects of histological stage (i + t < or = or > 2) and time to borderline changes (< or = or > 3 months after transplant) on serum creatinine levels at 1 year from borderline changes episodes (respectively, p = 0.04 and p = 0.02) and only a significant effect of time to borderline changes on serum creatinine levels at 2 years (p = 0.005). Renal function at 1 year and 2 years as 5- and 8-year graft survival were not significantly different in the group of patients treated with antirejection therapy (T group, n = 49) compared with the untreated group (UT group, n = 42). This study strongly suggests that borderline changes with histological score (i + t) > 2 and late episodes of borderline changes should be considered to be of poor prognosis.     

Light emitting diodes for auramine O fluorescence microscopic screening of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

We describe the simple adaptation of a standard fluorescent microscope for illumination using a 'Royal Blue' Luxeon light emitting diode (LED) and demonstrate that this form of illumination is suitable for the detection of auramine O stained Mycobacterium spp. The low cost, low power consumption, safety and reliability of LEDs makes them attractive alternatives to mercury vapour lamps.     

Analysis of the EEG dynamics of epileptic activity in gelastic seizures using decomposition in independent components.

OBJECTIVE: Gelastic seizures are a frequent and well established manifestation of the epilepsy associated with hypothalamic hamartomas. The scalp EEG recordings very seldom demonstrate clear spike activity and the information about the ictal epilepsy dynamics is limited. In this work, we try to isolate epileptic rhythms in gelastic seizures and study their generators. METHODS: We extracted rhythmic activity from EEG scalp recordings of gelastic seizures using decomposition in independent components (ICA) in three patients, two with hypothalamic hamartomas and one with no hypothalamic lesion. Time analysis of these rhythms and inverse source analysis was done to recover their foci of origin and temporal dynamics. RESULTS: In the two patients with hypothalamic hamartomas consistent ictal delta (2-3 Hz) rhythms were present, with subcortical generators in both and a superficial one in a single patient. The latter pattern was observed in the patient with no hypothalamic hamartoma visible in MRI. The deep generators activated earlier than the superficial ones, suggesting a consistent sub-cortical origin of the rhythmical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Our data is compatible with early and brief epileptic generators in deep sub-cortical regions and more superficial ones activating later. SIGNIFICANCE: Gelastic seizures express rhythms on scalp EEG compatible with epileptic activity originating in sub-cortical generators and secondarily involving cortical ones.     

Spinal fluid dynamics during thoracic- and thoracoabdominal aortic surgery.

AIM: The intention was to investigate cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP) and volume of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drained during and after thoracic- and thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair. The findings were related to the occurrence of postoperative neurologic deficits. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients (12 with thoracic and 17 with thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm) were operated without shunting or extracorporeal circulation. For monitoring of CSFP an intrathecal catheter was placed in all patients. The volume of CSF withdrawn intraoperatively, on the day of operation as well as on the 1st and 2nd postoperative day was recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients had no postoperative neurologic sequelae. One patient had postoperative paraplegia while 2 had paraparesis. The three patients with neurologic sequelae had higher CSFP intraoperatively than those without neurologic symptoms (P=0.04). Median CSFP during aortic cross-clamping was 19 mmHg and 10 mmHg and the median volumes of CSF drained on the day of operation 210 and 85 mL in the two groups, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between CSFP and central venous pressure. CONCLUSIONS: A higher intraoperative CSFP was observed in patients with neurologic sequelae following thoracic- and thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair. Further, there was a tendency of higher volumes of CSF drained in this group of patients. Although, the series is too small to allow firm conclusions, it supports the view that CSFP monitoring and drainage is beneficial during thoracic- and thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair.     

Meta-analysis of drop-out rates in randomised clinical trials, comparing typical and atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess antipsychotic medication in the treatment of schizophrenia, based on trial drop-out rates. METHOD: The studies included were randomised controlled trials that compared any of the four clinically best-established atypical antipsychotics (quetiapine, olanzapine, risperidone or clozapine) against either of two typical antipsychotics regarded as the gold standard (haloperidol or chlorpromazine). RESULTS: Meta-analysis indicated less risk of all-cause patient withdrawal from atypical medication trials where dosage was flexible, in both the short, relative risk (RR) 0.70 (95% CI 0.64-0.76), P<0.00001, and long term, RR 0.72 (0.65-0.80), P<0.00001. Similar results were observed for withdrawal due to adverse events, RR: 0.54 (0.41-0.72), P<0.0001. Nevertheless, the favourable effects of atypical medication disappeared in trials relying on fixed dosage. CONCLUSIONS: We detected a significant positive effect in terms of the outcome of treatment discontinuation for atypical versus typical medication, though only where the use of flexible rather than fixed doses (closer to an experimental control situation) was possible.     

HLA markers in familial Lichen Sclerosus

Background: Lichen sclerosus (LS) has been identified with increased frequency in families,often associated with HLA markers, mainly DQ7. A genetic co‐etiology seems likely in this setting. Moreover, there is an association of LS with autoimmune disorders, such as the presence of anti‐thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies (anti‐TPO), a hallmark of autoimmune thyroid diseases. Patients and Methods: In 3 families affected by LS, we verified their HLA markers, and identified previously undiagnosed cases of LS and autoimmune disorders. 30 individuals were examined with history, skin biopsy, HLA class I and II typing by PCR‐SSP, and measurement of anti‐TPO, free thyroxine and thyroidstimulating hormones (TSH) levels. Results: There were 8 cases of LS, 50 % of them anti‐TPO+. Autoimmune disorders were found in 40 % (total) and in 87.5 % of those affected. Most common HLA markers were B*15, B*57, CW*03, CW*07, CW*18, DRB1*04, DRB1*07, DRB4*. The three latter have been previously associated with LS. Conclusion: New cases of LS and autoimmune disorders can be detected in first degree relatives of patients with LS. The presence of anti‐TPO antibodies strongly suggests autoimmune thyroiditis. There is intra‐familial association between the haplotype HLA‐B*15 ‐DRB1*04 ‐DRB4* and anti‐TPO,emphasizing their link with thyroiditis. New familial approaches might help to make clear the pathogenesis of LS and its association with autoimmune diseases.     

p53 expression and disease outcome of breast cancer patients undergoing primary chemotherapy with anthracycline-containing regimens

Primary chemotherapy administered to breast cancer patientsis the best model to identify baseline features able to predictwhich patients may be most likely to benefit or not from a cytotoxicregimen. In the March issue of Annals of Oncology two papersevaluated the predictive role of immunohistochemical p53 expressionon