Fatty infiltration of the liver: evaluation by proton spectroscopic imaging

The reliability of proton spectroscopic imaging in evaluating fatty infiltration of the liver was investigated in 35 subjects (12 healthy volunteers and 23 patients with fatty livers). With this modified spin-echo technique, fatty liver could be separated from normal liver both visually and quantitatively. On the opposed image, normal liver had an intermediate signal intensity, greater than that of muscle, whereas fatty liver had a lower signal intensity, equal to or less than that of muscle. In normal livers, the lipid signal fraction was less than 10%, while in fatty livers it was greater than 10% and usually exceeded 20%. With this technique, nonuniform fatty infiltration of the liver can be differentiated from hepatic metastases, and the technique may prove useful in the differentiation of some hepatic disorders.     

三种抗癫痫药对癫痫患者脑电图的背景影响比较研究

目的 :观察比较苯妥因钠 (PHT)、丙戊酸钠 (SVP)和卡马西平 (CBZ)三种抗癫痫药物在治疗癫痫过程中对脑电图(EEG)的背景影响。方法 :对 76例临床确诊为癫痫、EEG检查有痫样波放电的病人按照用药分成 PHT组 2 6例 ,SVP组 2 7例 ,CBZ组 2 3例 ,动态观察各组在服药期间痫样波放电的频度和 EEG背景的变化。结果 :SVP组对 EEG痫样波放电的抑制率明显优于 PHT和 CBZ,对 EEG背景活动影响最明显的是 CBZ,服用 CBZ两周后α波即开始变慢 ,三周后慢波明显增多 ,这种变化与临床疗效不呈一致。结论 :三种药物对 EEG背景活动影响的程度顺序是 CBZ>PHT>SVP,开始时间是服药后 2周 ,而对痫样波放电的抑制率是 SVP>PHT>CBZ     

Osteosarcoma: use of MR imaging and MR spectroscopy in clinical decision making

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed on 14 patients with histologically proved osteosarcoma (mean age, 14.4 years). There was excellent correlation of intramedullary tumor extent as determined with MR imaging and pathologic examination (r = 99%). This was facilitated by the presence of a chemical shift artifact at the tumor-marrow interface on the T1-weighted images. The correlation between CT and pathologic findings was not as good (r = 84%). In a single patient, however, a 10-cm length of sclerotic bone was incorrectly interpreted as being tumor. If this case is excluded, the correlation between CT and pathologic findings improves significantly (r = 96%). T2-weighted images were optimal in demonstrating soft-tissue bulk and breach of the epiphysis or cortex. Vascular involvement was also readily defined. The T2 value of the tumor soft-tissue component decreased in patients who were deemed to have responded well to therapy. Two patients with very high T2 values after chemotherapy developed wide-spread metastatic disease and died. Phosphorus-31 MR spectroscopy of five patients with osteosarcoma showed elevated levels of phosphomonoesters (PMEs), inorganic phosphate (Pi), and phosphodiesters (PDEs). PME and PDE peak areas decreased in three patients after chemotherapy, while Pi peak areas increased.     

The place of simultaneous pharmacokinetic pharmacodynamic modeling in new drug development: trends and perspectives*

Summary— The potential applications in drug development of pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling are numerous: optimal medication regimen, design of galenic forms, identification of specific effects of metabolites and enantiomers. Nevertheless, this methodology is presently under-used, as appears from an analysis of the literature. We examine this point as well as progress in both non-invasive pharmacodynamic measurement and specific experimental design that could lead to a future extension of PK-PD in toxicology and phase I drug development.     

关节部位Ⅲ度烧伤削痂植皮与切痂植皮的效果比较

目的:Ⅲ度烧伤创面的处理临床上仍然以切痂植皮术治疗为主,由于切痂时切除了并未损伤的皮下脂肪组织,使其愈后外观变化明显。实验拟观察关节部位Ⅲ度烧伤削痂后于脂肪层移植大张自体中厚皮的疗效,并与切痂植皮进行比较。方法:①于2001-01/2007-06南昌大学第一附属医院烧伤科收治的关节Ⅲ度烧伤患者中抽取39例(45个关节)作为削痂组,同时抽取45例(共60个关节)作为切痂组。所有患者对治疗及实验方案均知情同意,且得到医院伦理道德委员会批准。②削痂组削痂植皮,保留正常皮下脂肪等组织。切痂组切痂植皮,切痂平面包括全层皮肤和皮下脂肪组织一并切除直至深筋膜层。削痂或切痂后植大张自体中厚皮。③创面修复后4￣6周观察两组患者的关节外观和关节活动功能;比较两组患者术后2周的植皮成活率和创面修复时间。结果:两组患者均进入结果分析。①两组患者烧伤关节创面修复后与对称的正常关节比较,削痂组外观变化不明显,周径缩小3.6%(P>0.05),功能好,关节活动度减少5.3%(P>0.05);切痂组外观变化明显,周径缩小23.4%(P<0.05),功能较差,关节活动度减少21.9%(P<0.05)。②两组患者术后2周植皮成活率和创面修复时间差异均无显著性意义(P>0.05)。结论:脂肪层移植大张自体中厚皮于Ⅲ度烧伤削痂后关节部位,能够维护肢体的美观,保护关节功能,疗效优于切痂植皮。     

紫杉醇药物涂层支架植入术后患者外周血单核细胞中热休克蛋白70的变化：生物材料临床应用近期效果随访

目的:植入材料、靶血管病变特征、术前状态、炎症因子及急性期蛋白均对急性冠状动脉综合征接受支架材料介入治疗后的效果有影响,为验证紫杉醇涂层支架临床应用后材料及宿主的相关反应,实验观察了接受紫杉醇涂层支架介入治疗的急性冠状动脉综合征患者的外周血热休克蛋白70水平变化,并分析其临床意义。方法:①连续性入选2004-12/2006-03在江苏大学附属人民医院行经皮冠状动脉介入治疗的78例急性冠状动脉综合征患者,全部病例均置入紫杉醇药物涂层支架。采用流式细胞仪测定症状发作平均(34.1±16.2)h的外周血单核细胞热休克蛋白70阳性表达水平。②所有患者随访至术后6个月,出现心源性死亡、再次心肌梗死、再发心绞痛、再次血运重建术和继发心衰等主要心脏不良事件者为近期预后不良组,无上述情况者判定为近期预后良好组,用logistic多元回归法分析术前状态、靶血管病变特征、植入支架的各项参数及外周血热休克蛋白70水平与主要心脏不良事件发生率的关系,并以同期健康体检者20例为正常对照组。结果:68例患者完成随访进入结果分析。①外周血热休克蛋白70水平:急性心肌梗死患者和不稳定型心绞痛患者比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),但均显著高于正常对照组(P<0.05)。②在多变量的logistic回归分析中,外周血热休克蛋白70独立于其危险因素,能预测急性冠状动脉综合征患者经皮冠状动脉介入治疗后近期主要心脏不良事件发生率(OR值为0.904,P<0.05)。结论:回归分析结果提示,应用紫杉醇涂层支架临床治疗近期效果评估中,外周血热休克蛋白70水平高的急性冠状动脉综合征患者近期心脏事件发生率较高,说明外周血热休克蛋白70可能成为判断紫杉醇涂层支架介入治疗后不良事件发生率的独立因素之一。     

A cost-effectiveness analysis of the use of a mechanical barrier system to reduce the risk of mistransfusion

BACKGROUND: A blood component is transfused to a patient other than the intended recipient because of patient and sample identification problems once in about every 24,000 transfusions. An investigation was performed of the cost-effectiveness of a barrier system to prevent mistransfusion of a unit of red cells through this kind of error. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A decision analysis model was constructed that took into account nonfatal and fatal events, costs of patient care, and legal costs. The model was used to determine the cost-effectiveness of the barrier system in terms of cost per year of life saved and lives saved per million transfusions. RESULTS: The barrier system is predicted to save 1.5 lives per million transfusions when used as intended. If the cost-effectiveness calculations are based on an average damage award for a fatality of more than $725,000 and a chance of mistransfusion exceeding 1 in 16,700, use of the system results in reduced healthcare expenditures. If no legal costs are included in the cost-effectiveness calculations, use of the system costs $197,000 per year of life saved. Routine use of the system extends patient life by 1 year per 60,000 units transfused. CONCLUSION: The application of a barrier system to prevent mistransfusion and related morbidity and mortality can be cost-effective. If legal costs are included in the calculations, the use of a barrier system reduces total costs.