Nutrition project in a remote Australian aboriginal community.

Much of the ill health of Australian indigenous populations can be attributed to diet-related diseases. This community nutrition project is part of a wider renal screening and prevention program based in the Umoona aboriginal community in Coober Pedy in South Australia's far north. The nutrition project facilitates the capacity of the Umoona aboriginal community to identify and redress nutrition-related issues considered important in improving their overall health status. Project nutritionists developed and implemented a specialized nutrition training program with the Umoona aboriginal health workers. The nutritionists were responsive to requests from community groups to provide nutrition expertise and support in program development. Individual nutrition counseling for adults and children taking part in renal health screening was also provided. The aboriginal health workers reported increased nutritional knowledge and confidence in addressing nutrition-related issues within the community after nutrition training. Individual consultations and partnerships formed with community groups have increased awareness and prompted action to address the importance of nutrition in renal disease and overall health in the Umoona community.     

A prospective comparison of duplex sonography vs angiography of the vertebral arteries

A prospective blind comparison was completed between duplex sonography and angiography of the vertebral arteries. Thirty-two vertebral arteries were studied for direction of flow, degree of origin plaque or stenosis, Doppler characteristics, and vessel size. The vertebral arteries were reliably identified by imaging their course from the subclavian artery into the transverse foramina and by identifying a Doppler signal similar in waveform to the internal carotid artery. With Doppler, a 90% accuracy was obtained for direction of blood flow. Nonvisualization of origins was primarily due to vessel depth and/or tortuosity. In 12 vessel origins that were well seen with both techniques, angiography and sonography agreed in two-thirds of the cases. In four cases, origin plaque was underestimated with duplex imaging. Interestingly, no Doppler frequency or velocity elevation was identified distal to significant stenoses. One false-positive diagnosis of occlusion occurred with sonography, in which a 99% origin stenosis resulted in no detectable Doppler signal. By comparing sonography with angiography, sonography was shown to be 80% accurate in determining vertebral artery size. Our preliminary results indicate that duplex scanning is a reasonably accurate screening technique for size, patency, and direction of blood flow in the vertebral arteries. Duplex evaluation of the vertebral artery origin was limited by vessel depth, tortuosity, and calcifications.     

Detection of coronary artery calcifications predicting coronary heart disease: comparison of fluoroscopy and spiral CT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical relevance of coronary artery calcifications detected by spiral CT, congruence with fluoroscopy (FS) and coronary angiography, and comparison with studies reporting on application of double-helical CT and ultrafast CT. Forty patients underwent spiral CT (2-mm slice thickness, table feed 3 mm/s), coronary angiography, and FS (performed in the usual manner). Stenosis and calcifications were evaluated semiquantitatively. Nineteen patients suffering from a stenosis ≥ 75 % were verified at coronary angiography. All had coronary artery calcification on spiral CT. Fluoroscopy did not detect 8 of 19 patients with a stenosis ≥ 75 % (1 vessel: n = 1; 2 vessels: n = 3; 3 vessels: n = 4). In spiral CT sensitivity was 100 % and specificity was 33 % (FS: 58 and 48 %). Positive predictive value was 83 % for spiral CT (FS: 50 %), and negative predictive value was 100 % (FS: 56 %). A significant linear increase in the calcification score was found for increasing maximal stenosis (p < 0.005). Spiral CT is more sensitive than FS in the recognition of hemodynamic relevant stenoses using the detection of coronary artery calcifications. Statistical parameters are comparable to ultrafast-CT. Spiral CT is a suitable non-invasive diagnostic technique in coronary heart disease. Coronary calcifications found incidentally in symptomatic patients at chest CT should be reported to the referring physician for further cardiological workup. Received 14 July 1997; Revision received 29 December 1997; Accepted 5 January 1998     

Splanchnic oxygen transport, hepatic function and gastrointestinal barrier after normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass

BACKGROUND: The effect of non-pulsatile, normothermic cardiopulmonary-bypass (CPB) on the splanchnic blood-flow and oxygen-transport, the hepatic function and the gastrointestinal barrier were observed in a prospective observational study in 31 adults undergoing cardiac valve replacement surgery. METHODS: The splanchnic (i.e. hepatic) blood-flow (HBF) was measured by the constant infusion of indocyanine-green (ICG) using a hepatic-venous catheter. Liver function was examined by calculation of lactate uptake, ICG extraction and the monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) test. A day before and after surgery the gastrioduodenal and intestinal permeability was measured by determination of sucrose and lactulose/mannitol excretion. RESULTS: Splanchnic blood flow and oxygen delivery did not decrease during and after surgery while splanchnic oxygen consumption (P < 0.0125) and arterial lactate concentrations increased. The splanchnic lactate uptake paralleled the lactate concentration. After but not during CPB an increase of systemic oxygen consumption was observed. The MEGX test values decreased on the first day after surgery. The ICG extraction was attenuated during the operation. The gastroduodenal and the intestinal permeability increased significantly postoperatively (P < 0.002, respectively, P < 0.001). There was no correlation between these findings and the duration of CPB. There was a significant correlation of the intestinal permeability but not of the gastroduodenal permeability between the prior and after surgery values (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Increased oxygen consumption during CPB may indicate an inflammatory reaction due to the pump beginning in the splanchnic area or a redistribution of the splanchinc blood flow during the CPB. Normothermic CPB does not lead to a significant or prolonged reduction of liver function. Normothermic CPB causes an increase of gastrointestinal permeability. The intestinal barrier function prior to surgery was accountable for the degree of loss of intestinal barrier function following surgery.     

The role of micro-inflammation in the pathogenesis of uraemic pruritus in haemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Uraemic pruritus (UP) is still one of the most vexing and disabling symptoms in chronic renal failure. The pathogenesis of UP is obscure and effective therapeutic strategies are elusive. Deduced from partial successful treatment modalities, there is evidence that an alteration of the immune system with a pro-inflammatory pattern along with a deranged T-helper-cell differentiation may be involved in the pathogenesis of UP. We, therefore, investigated whether UP is related to an augmented Th1-differentiation as measured by determination of intracytoplasmatic (i.c.) cytokines and expression of chemokine receptors. Additionally, pro-inflammatory cytokines were determined in serum. METHODS: In a multicentre study, 171 patients on haemodialysis (HD) were screened for UP. Finally, 13 HD patients with and 13 HD patients without UP, as well as 15 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated and the proportion of Th1- and Th2-cells was determined by flow cytometry. The expression of chemokine receptors on CD4 cells (CXCR3 preferentially on Th1 and CCR4 on Th2) and i.c. cytokines (IFNgamma for Th1 and IL4 for Th2) were measured after in vitro stimulation. Serum cytokine levels (IL6 and TNFalpha) and CRP were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared to HD patients without UP, those complaining of UP showed a significantly enhanced proportion of Th1-cells as measured by both techniques. Additionally, serum CRP and IL6 levels were significantly higher in HD patients with UP, compared to HD patients without UP. CONCLUSIONS: These results point to a central role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of UP in HD patients.     

Sonographie von Hals und oberem Mediastinum

Sonography of the neck and superior mediastinum is a very instructive method of investigation. However, the topographical anatomy of the region makes major demands on the investigator. In many diseases in this area, ultrasonography may be used as the first and also only imaging method (thyroid, salivary glands, lymph nodes). Pathological findings are detected with high sensitivity. The dynamic investigation with palpation, compression and observation of deglutition is especially helpful in appraising the consistency, displace-ability and topographical identification of structures. The specificity can be substantially improved by use of color Doppler sonography and ultrasound-guided biopsy. The pharyngeal and retropharyngeal space, the base of the brain and the posterior mediastinum are difficult to access by sonography. The investigator must therefore arrange for supplementary imaging procedures such as CT, MRI or thyroid scintigraphy in unclear cases, e.g. in diagnosis and staging of tumors. Mediastinal space occupations are most frequent in the anterior upper mediastinum. They can be appraised almost as reliably by transthoracic sonography as by computer tomography.     

In vivo dissociation kinetics of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate: relationship to muscarinic receptor concentration and in vitro kinetics

The in vivo washout kinetics of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]QNB) varies significantly in various structures in the rat brain. The slowest washout rates are from the hippocampus, corpus striatum, and cortex, intermediate rates are exhibited from the thalamus and colliculi, while the fastest washout rate is from the cerebellum. We have also demonstrated a difference in the in vitro dissociation rates (k-1) of [3H]QNB from various structures. The k-1 for the hippocampus, corpus striatum and cortex, is two-fold slower than that observed in the thalamus, colliculi, and cerebellum. The differences in the in vitro dissociation kinetics are not, however, sufficient to explain the differences in the in vivo washout kinetics. We have developed a theoretical formulation which describes conditions under which the washout kinetics are a function of the concentration of receptor in a structure. Furthermore, we present a graphical method in which a plot of the reciprocal of the observed washout rate constant, 1/k(obs), vs receptor concentration is linear. Analysis of the washout kinetics of [3H]QNB from various structures of the CNS of rat were well described by this theory when the differences in in vitro k-1 are included.     

Reversible inhibition of human placental microsomal aromatase by CGS 18320B and other non-steroidal compounds

The effect of bis-(p-cyanophenyl)imidazo-1-yl-methane hemisuccinate (CGS 18320B) and other non-steroidal compounds on the aromatization of androstenedione by human placental microsomal aromatase was studied. CGS 18320B exhibited competitive inhibition with an apparent Ki of 0.16 nM, a 90 and 3800-fold increase in affinity compared to 4-hydroxyandrostenedione and amino-glutethimide, respectively. The inhibition is not time-dependent, indicating that the active site interaction is reversible. CGS 18230B showed a two-fold increased affinity as compared to 4-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydroimidazo[1,5a]pyridin-5-yl)benzonitrile (CGS 16949A) and cis-1-[(4-[(1-imidazoyl)methyl]cyclohexyl)methyl]-imidazole succinate (CGS 14796C) which showed Ki values of 0.35 and 0.39 4M, respectively. 1-[2-[1-(4-carboxyphenyl)-3-ureido]ethyl]-2-(4-pyridyl)-2-imidazoline monohydrochloride (CGP 15720A) showed negligible inhibition.