Statins are associated with a reduced infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm growth.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of statins on aneurysm growth in a group of consecutive patients under surveillance for infrarenal aortic aneurysms (AAA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients (59 statin users, 91 non-users) under surveillance between January 2002 and August 2005 with a follow-up for aneurysm growth of at least 12 months and a minimum of three diameter evaluations were retrospectively included in the analysis. Multiple regression analysis, weighted with the number of observations, was performed to test the influence of statins on AAA growth rate. RESULTS: During a median period of 3.1 (1.1-13.1) years the overall mean aneurysm growth rate was 2.95+/-2.8 mm/year. Statin users had a 1.16 mm/year lower AAA growth rate compared to non-users (95% CI 0.33-1.99 mm/year). Increased age was associated with a slower growth (-0.09 mm/year per year, p = 0.003). Female gender (+1.82 mm/year, p = 0.008) and aneurysm diameter (+0.06 mm/year per mm, p = 0.049) were associated with increased AAA growth. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, chronic lung disease, or other cardiovascular risk factors were not independently associated with AAA growth. CONCLUSIONS: Statins appear to be associated with attenuation of AAA growth, irrespective of other known factors influencing aneurysm growth.     

Modern wound dressings: Making and properties. II. Wound dressings containing immobilized proteolytic enzymes (a review)

Published data devoted to making and characterization of the properties of polymeric wound dressings with proteolytic action are reviewed. These data are indicative of individual dependence of the physicochemical properties, activity, and stability of each particular enzyme on the type of polymer matrix and the method of immobilization. In order to obtain wound dressings, which are active in physiological medium and retain their activity upon sterilization, it is necessary to optimize the composition and characteristics of a polymer matrix and the enzyme included into its structure. __________ Translated from Khimiko-Farmatsevticheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 40, No. 8, pp. 24–28, August, 2006.     

A Survey of Plants Used as Wild Vegetables in Four Districts of Botswana

A survey of plants used as wild vegetables was conducted in four districts of Botswana in August and September 2005. The objective was to determine which wild plants were used as vegetables in the study area, and to document their cooking and preservation methods. Fourteen species representing seven families were mentioned as wild vegetables. In addition, six species from four families had other uses in traditional medicine. The implications of the documented processing methods on the retention of nutrients in the vegetables are discussed.     

BCR-ABL activity and its response to drugs can be determined in CD34+ CML stem cells by CrkL phosphorylation status using flow cytometry.

In chronic myeloid leukaemia, CD34(+) stem/progenitor cells appear resistant to imatinib mesylate (IM) in vitro and in vivo. To investigate the underlying mechanism(s) of IM resistance, it is essential to quantify Bcr-Abl kinase status at the stem cell level. We developed a flow cytometry method to measure CrkL phosphorylation (P-CrkL) in samples with <10(4) cells. The method was first validated in wild-type (K562) and mutant (BAF3) BCR-ABL(+) as well as BCR-ABL(-) (HL60) cell lines. In response to increasing IM concentration, there was a linear reduction in P-CrkL, which was Bcr-Abl specific and correlated with known resistance. The results were comparable to those from Western blotting. The method also proved to be reproducible with small samples of normal and Ph(+) CD34(+) cells and was able to discriminate between Ph(-), sensitive and resistant Ph(+) cells. This assay should now enable investigators to unravel the mechanism(s) of IM resistance in stem cells.     

Pre-eclampsia is associated with sleep-disordered breathing and endothelial dysfunction.

Pre-eclamptic toxaemia (PET) may be associated with both endothelial dysfunction (ED) and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). It was hypothesised that females with PET would demonstrate both SDB and ED, and that a correlation between these two would suggest a potential causative association. A total of 17 females with PET and 25 matched females with uncomplicated pregnancy were studied. They underwent a nocturnal ambulatory sleep study (using Watch_PAT100) and noninvasive evaluation of endothelial function utilising the reactive hyperaemia test (using Endo_PAT 2000). A higher ratio of post- to pre-occlusion pulse-wave amplitude (endothelial function index (EFI)) indicated better endothelial function. Females with PET had a significantly higher respiratory disturbance index (RDI) and lower EFI than controls (18.4+/-8.4 versus 8.3+/-1.3.h(-1), and 1.5+/-0.1 versus 1.8+/-0.1, respectively). Blood pressure significantly correlated with RDI and with EFI. EFI tended to correlate with RDI. In conclusion, these results suggest that both sleep-disordered breathing and endothelial dysfunction are more likely to occur in females with pre-eclamptic toxaemia than in females with uncomplicated pregnancies. The current authors speculate that respiratory disturbances contribute to the functional abnormality of the blood vessels seen in females with pre-eclamptic toxaemia, although causality cannot be determined based on this study.     

Computed tomography and pulmonary function abnormalities in sickle cell disease.

The aim of this study was to determine whether patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) in steady state had pulmonary abnormalities seen on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and whether any abnormalities correlated with contemporaneously diagnosed lung function abnormalities. A subsidiary question was whether the results of a noninvasive measure of haemolysis (end-tidal carbon monoxide (ETCO) levels) correlated with pulmonary function abnormalities. Thirty three patients with SCD, median (range) age 36 yrs (17-67 yrs) were examined. The degree of lobar volume loss and ground-glass opacification and prominence of central vessels on HRCT were quantitatively assessed. Pulmonary function was assessed by measurements of lung volumes, spirometry, gas transfer and oxygen saturation. ETCO levels were measured using an end-tidal CO monitor. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity and total lung capacity significantly correlated with HRCT findings, particularly lobar volume loss. ETCO levels significantly negatively correlated with FEV1, vital capacity measured using a plethysmograph, specific airway conductance and arterial oxygen saturation measured by pulse oxymetry. In conclusion, the present results suggest that high-resolution computed tomography noninvasive assessment of haemolysis might be useful to identify sickle cell disease patients with respiratory function impairment.     

Quantifying physical activity in daily life with questionnaires and motion sensors in COPD.

Accurate assessment of the amount and intensity of physical activity in daily life is considered very important due to the close relationship between physical activity level, health, disability and mortality. For this reason, assessment of physical activity in daily life has gained interest in recent years, especially in sedentary populations, such as patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The present article aims to compare and discuss the two kinds of instruments more commonly used to quantify the amount of physical activity performed by COPD patients in daily life: subjective methods (questionnaires, diaries) and motion sensors (electronic or mechanical methods). Their characteristics are summarised and evidence of their validity, reliability and sensitivity is discussed, when available. Subjective methods have practical value mainly in providing the patients' view on their performance in activities of daily living and functional status. However, care must be taken when using subjective methods to accurately quantify the amount of daily physical activity performed. More accurate information is likely to be available with motion sensors rather than questionnaires. The selection of which motion sensor to use for quantification of physical activity in daily life should depend mainly on the purpose of its use.