Relationship between peripheral diabetic neuropathy and microvascular reactivity in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus -- neuropathy and microcirculation in diabetes.

The aim of the study was to evaluate differences in the relationship between peripheral diabetic neuropathy and microvascular reactivity in type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients. Twenty-eight type 1 and 37 type 2 diabetic patients were included in the study. Control groups consisted of 18 and 25, age and body mass index matched healthy persons. The presence of peripheral neuropathy was estimated by vibration perception threshold higher than 20 V evaluated by biothesiometry. Microvascular reactivity was examined by laser doppler fluxmetry using postocclusive reactive hyperemia and thermal hyperemia. The following variables of vascular reactivity were examined: peak flow after occlusion as a difference between maximal and basal perfusion (PORH (max)), mean velocity increase during postocclusive hyperemia (PORH (max)/t (1)), peak flow during thermal hyperemia (TH (max)) and the mean velocity increase in the perfusion during thermal hyperemia (TH (max)/t (2)). These parameters are expressed in perfusion units (PU) or in perfusion units per second (PU . s (-1)). The microvascular reactivity in type 1 diabetic patients without evidence of peripheral neuropathy was comparable with that in healthy persons and it was significantly higher than in type 1 diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy in all tested parameters (PORH (max): 64 [40; 81] PU vs. 24 [17; 40] PU, p < 0.001, PORH (max)/t (1): 5.41 [2.69; 8.18] PU/s vs. 1.21 [0.69; 2.5] PU/s, p < 0.001, TH (max): 105 [77; 156] PU vs. 56 [46; 85] PU, p < 0.001 and TH (max)/t (2): 2.48 [1.67; 3.33] PU/s vs. 0.87 [0.73; 1.06] PU/s, p < 0.001). On the contrary, no difference in the microvascular reactivity parameters was found between type 2 diabetic patients with and without neuropathy (PORH (max): 48 [30; 60] PU vs. 49 [36; 57] PU, NS, PORH (max)/t (1): 3.46 [2.15; 5.19] PU/s vs. 3.29 [2.45; 4.8] PU/s, NS, TH (max): 95 [78; 156] PU vs. 97 [73; 127] PU, NS and TH (max)/t (2): 1.45 [0.95; 2.84] PU/s vs. 1.37 [1.12; 1.95] PU/s, NS). In both these groups microvascular reactivity was comparable with that estimated in the age and BMI matched healthy persons. An inverse relationship was observed between microvascular reactivity and vibratory perception threshold in type 1 diabetic patients, but it was not true in type 2 diabetic patients. We suppose that the pathogenesis of neuropathy and impaired microvascular reactivity may be differently influenced by metabolic factors in type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients.     

颈肩背轴型反流皮瓣修复儿童颏颈瘢痕挛缩

目的探讨修复儿童颏颈瘢痕挛缩一种实用而较理想的方法.方法以颈横动脉浅支为蒂,利用其与旋肩胛动脉皮支的丰富吻合,反流形成超长的轴型皮瓣,向前旋转修复瘢痕松解后的颈前创面.结果采用本皮瓣修复30例儿童颏颈瘢痕挛缩,其中18例随访2年,颈部活动自如,颌骨发育无明显异常,皮瓣色泽良好,效果令人满意.结论本皮瓣轴型血管恒定,反流灌注动脉压高有保证,供瓣面积充足,供区多可直接拉拢缝合,是修复儿童颏颈瘢痕挛缩的较理想方法.     

Surgical Complications and Long-Term Outcome of Different Biliary Reconstructions in Liver Transplantation for Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis—Choledochoduodenostomy versus Choledochojejunostomy

Choledochojejunostomy (CJS) is commonly used for biliary reconstruction in liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). We alternatively performed choledochoduodenostomy (CDS) and side-to-side choledochodocholedochstomy in a large cohort of patients. Fifty-one patients with PSC, transplanted between 1988 and 2000, were analyzed retrospectively. Biliary reconstruction was CDS in 25 (49%), CJS in 20 (39%) and CC in 6 transplantations (12%). Biliary leaks occurred in the early follow-up (< or =41 days) only in CDS patients (20%). However, in the late follow-up (>4 months), stricturing of anastomosis was found once in CDS (4%) and CJS (5%). Later (>9 months), intrahepatic bile duct strictures were diagnosed in four CDS (16%), one CJS (5%) and one CC (17%) patient(s). In 48% of CDS (12/25), 60% of CJS (12/20) and 17% of CC (1/6) at least one incidence of cholangitis was observed. Overall, biliary complication rates were significantly higher in CDS (40%) than CJS (10%) and CC (17%); of those none in CC and 12% in CDS were anastomosis-related. Graft/patient survival showed no significant differences among groups. Based on our results we consider CJS the standard method for biliary reconstruction in PSC; however, in selected cases where CJS is difficult to accomplish because of previous surgery or for retransplantation, CDS may present an alternative technique.     

Analysis of the strain relatedness of oral Candida albicans in patients with diabetes mellitus using polymerase chain reaction‐fingerprinting

To increase our understanding of Candida pathogenicity, the identification of those strains most frequently associated with infections is of paramount importance. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐based methods are extremely effective in differentiating and determining reproducibility, they require minimum starting material and are rapid and simple to perform. In this study, the genetic relatedness of Candida albicans was assessed for two geographically different patient groups (London, UK and Parma, Italy) affected by diabetes mellitus. C. albicans samples from the oral cavities of non‐diabetic healthy subjects were also examined by PCR fingerprinting to evaluate the possible genetic differences among endogenous strains in individuals with and without diabetes mellitus. PCR fingerprinting, with subsequent phylogenetic analysis of C. albicans isolates from the diabetic patients from London and Italy and from the non‐diabetic subjects, revealed that there were significant differences (P < 0.0001) between C. albicans isolates indicative of the distinct ecological niches that occur in the oral cavities of these patient cohorts. The most diverse group comprised the isolates from the diabetic patients in the UK, possibly reflecting the antifungal treatment that these patients had received. Further studies that include isolates from patient cohorts with systemic diseases other than diabetes mellitus, and from more diverse geographic localities are required to explain the relatedness of C. albicans isolates in the mouth.     

Evaluation of polymerase chain reaction and adenosine deaminase assay for the diagnosis of tuberculous effusions in children.

AIM: To evaluate and compare the utility of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the diagnosis of tuberculous effusions in children. METHODS: PCR, adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) were evaluated in the fluid of 31 tuberculous (20 pleural, 8 ascites and 3 pericardial) and 24 non-tuberculous (10 transudtative ascites, 8 empyema thoracis, 3 malignant pleural and 3 pyopericardium) effusions. RESULTS: Fluid PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis was positive in 74% of tuberculous effusions, whereas it was falsely positive in 13% of the non-tuberculous group. The mean fluid ADA and ALC values were significantly higher in tuberculous effusions than in non-tuberculous effusions (p<0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of PCR, ADA (> or =38 IU/l) and ALC (> or =275/mm3) were 74% and 88%, 81% and 75%, and 90% and 83%, respectively, in diagnosing tuberculous effusions. The sensitivity of PCR, ADA and ALC was 100%, 100% and 88%, respectively, for confirmed tuberculous effusions. When the two tests were combined (either/or positive), the sensitivity increased (90-100%) at the expense of specificity. When both the tests were positive, then the specificity markedly increased (92-96%), but sensitivity of the tests decreased. CONCLUSION: Fluid PCR alone should not be relied on as a single test; rather, combined analysis with either ADA or ALC could be more useful in the diagnosis of tuberculous effusions in children.     

Measurement of kinetic parameters in skeletal muscle by magnetic resonance imaging with an intravascular agent.

The purpose of this work was to investigate the use of an intravascular contrast agent to determine perfusion kinetics in skeletal muscle. A two-compartment kinetic model was used to represent the flux of contrast agent between the intravascular space and extravascular extracellular space (EES). The relationship between the image signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and errors in estimating permeability surface area product (Ktrans), interstitial volume (ve), and plasma volume (vp) for linear and nonlinear curve-fitting methods was estimated from Monte Carlo simulations. Similar results were obtained for both methods. For an image SNR of 60, the estimated errors in these parameters were 10%, 22%, and 17%, respectively. In vivo experiments were conducted in rabbits to examine physiological differences between these parameters in the soleus (SOL) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles in the hind limb. Values for Ktrans were significantly higher in the SOL (3.2+/-0.9 vs. 2.0+/-0.5x10(-3) min-1), as were values for vp (3.4+/-0.8 vs. 2.1+/-0.7%). Differences in ve for the two muscles (8.7+/-2.2 vs. 8.5+/-1.6%) were not found to be significant. These results demonstrate that relevant physiological metrics can be calculated in skeletal muscle using MRI with an intravascular contrast agent.     

培养护生养成阅读药物说明书的习惯

同类药物因原料来源、附加成分和生产厂家不同而商品名称各异，有些名称相似的药物其性能却完全不同。临床实习护生常反映课本讲授的药物知识与临床用药相差甚远，不知如何记住所有的药物。为此，作者在临床教学中培养学生养成阅读药物说明书的习惯，收到良好效果。     

无（外侧）额叶皮质是否更好？额叶病变患者解决洞察力问题

最近提出的关于额叶功能的理论认为前额叶皮质，尤其是其背外侧面在确定适合一项特殊任务的一系列反应中起重要作用，并在选择中使上述反应发生偏差。这些活动事实上是为任何类型的非常规任务而执行，而不考虑内容的差别。本研究旨在通过一项解决“洞察力”问题的测试任务（即火柴杆算术作业），来验证Frith“塑造反应空间”假说的预测效力。从Knoblich等人对健康人不能解决火柴杆问题的解释和Frith关于额叶背外侧皮质作用的理论，作者推导出与直觉相左的预测，即对这些相对复杂的任务，外侧额叶皮质局部损伤的患者可能比1组健康受试者完成得更好。要求35例经CT或MRI扫描证实为单个局部脑损伤的患者（年龄为26—65岁）和23例健康受试者（年龄为34—62岁）完成火柴杆作业。研究结果似乎与理论上的预测相一致，虽然仅有43％的健康受试者能解决最困难的火柴杆问题（“C类”），但是却有82％的额叶外侧损伤患者完成了类似问题（Fisher精确概率检验，P〈0．05）。总之，对Frith和Knoblich等人理论的结合进行了确证。     

氯氮平、氟哌啶醇和氯丙嗪对慢性精神分裂症患者糖、脂代谢及体质量的影响

目的 探讨氯氮平、氟哌啶醇和氯丙嗪对慢性精神分裂症患者的糖、脂代谢和体质量的影响。方法 对服用氯氮平（89例，氯氮平组），服用氟哌啶醇（87例，氟哌啶醇组）及服用氯丙嗪（83例，氯丙嗪组）治疗的慢性精神分裂症患者于治疗前后的不同时间进行血糖、胰岛素、血脂及体质量测定，并做相关因素分析。结果 氯氮平组治疗第90天和第180天空腹血糖异常（空腹血浆血糖〉7.0mmo/L）的发生率分别为8％及24％，氟哌啶醇组分别为1％和2％，氯丙嗪组分别为1％及4％。治疗第90天氯氮平组和氯丙嗪组的空腹及餐后2h血糖浓度均较治疗前升高，治疗第180天的血糖浓度高于第90天，氟哌啶醇组各时点的变化则不明显；差异均有统计学意义（P均〈0．01）。治疗第90天，氯氮平组的体质量平均高于治疗前5．5％，氯丙嗪组高于治疗前4．8％；治疗第180天两组分别高于治疗前9．1％和7．4％；氟哌啶醇组则无明显变化；三组间的差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。三组患者治疗第180天的胰岛素浓度均高于治疗前，差异均有统计学意义（P均〈0．01），但三组间的差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。氯氮平组和氯丙嗪组的胆固醇和甘油三酯浓度均高于治疗前，差异均有统计学意义（P均〈0．01），氟哌啶醇组则无明显变化。治疗第180天氯氮平组和氯丙嗪组患者血糖、胰岛素、血脂浓度与体质量均有一定相关性（r=0．23-0．39）；氯氮平组的血糖、体质量、血脂代谢还与血药浓度呈显著性相关（r=0．28-0．62），差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．05或〈0．01）。结论 氯氮平和氯丙嗪治疗影响慢性精神分裂症患者的糖、脂代谢及体质量。