Six months of recombinant human GH therapy in patients with ischemic cardiac failure does not influence left ventricular function and mass

Beneficial effects of recombinant human GH on cardiac function have been reported in humans with GH deficiency and in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. No randomized controlled trial has been performed on the effects of recombinant human GH on cardiac function in patients with ischemic cardiac failure. We therefore randomly assigned 22 patients with ischemic cardiac failure (left ventricular ejection fraction, <40%; 19 men and 3 women; mean age, 64 yr) to receive 6 months of unblinded therapy with recombinant human GH (2.0 IU/d) or no treatment. Primary end points were left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular mass. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume, left ventricular end-systolic volume, and myocardial perfusion, both at rest and during exercise, were assessed as well. Cardiac imaging techniques were electrocardiographically gated single photon emission computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. In addition, biochemical and biometric measurements were performed. Nineteen patients completed the study (10 controls and 9 GH-treated subjects). IGF-I and IGF-binding protein-3 increased significantly after recombinant human GH treatment (+24% and +58%, respectively) compared with control values (-14% and +5%; P < 0.05). Left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end-diastolic volume, left ventricular end-systolic volume, left ventricular mass, and myocardial perfusion were not influenced by recombinant human GH therapy. We conclude that 6 months of recombinant human GH treatment in patients with ischemic cardiac failure had no beneficial effect on left ventricular function and mass.     

Structured reporting in radiologic education – Potential of different PI-RADS versions in prostate MRI controlled by in-bore MR-guided biopsies

Objectives:To evaluate the efficiency of structured reporting in radiologic education – based on the example of different PI-RADS score versions for multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) of the prostate.Methods:MpMRI of 688 prostate lesions in 180 patients were retrospectively reviewed by an experienced radiologist and by a student using PI-RADS V1 and V2. Data sets were reviewed for changes according to PI-RADS V2.1. The results were correlated with results obtained by MR-guided biopsy. Diagnostic potency was evaluated by ROC analysis. Sensitivity, specificity and correct-graded samples were evaluated for different cutpoints. The agreement between radiologist and student was determined for the aggregation of the PI-RADS score in three categories. The student’s time needed for evaluation was measured.Results:The area under curve of the ROC analysis was 0.782/0.788 (V1/V2) for the student and 0.841/0.833 (V1/V2) for the radiologist. The agreement between student and radiologist showed a Cohen‘s weighted κ coefficient of 0.495 for V1 and 0.518 for V2. Median student’s time needed for score assessment was 4:34 min for PI-RADSv1 and 2:00 min for PI-RADSv2 (p < 0.001). Re-evaluation for V2.1 changed the category in 1.4% of all ratings.Conclusion:The capacity of prostate cancer detection using PI-RADS V1 and V2 is dependent on the reader‘s experience. The results from the two observers indicate that structured reporting using PI-RADS and, controlled by histopathology, can be a valuable and quantifiable tool in students‘ or residents’ education. Herein, V2 was superior to V1 in terms of inter-observer agreement and time efficacy.Advances in knowledge:Structured reporting can be a valuable and quantifiable tool in radiologic education. Structured reporting using PI-RADS can be used by a student with good performance. PI-RADS V2 is superior to V1 in terms of inter-observer agreement and time efficacy.     

The cholinomimetic agent carbachol induces headache in healthy subjects

The parasympathetic nervous system is likely to be involved in migraine pathogenesis. We hypothesized that the cholinomimetic agonist carbachol would induce headache and vasodilation of cephalic and radial arteries. Carbachol (3 µg/kg) or placebo was randomly infused into 12 healthy subjects in a double-blind crossover study. Headache was scored on a verbal rating scale from 0–10. Velocity in the middle cerebral artery (V_MCA) and diameter of the superficial temporal artery (STA) and radial artery (RA) were recorded. Nine participants developed headache after carbachol compared with three after placebo. The area under the curve for headache was increased after carbachol compared with placebo both during infusion (0–30 min) ( P  = 0.042) and in the postinfusion period (30–90 min) ( P  = 0.027). Carbachol infusion caused a drop in V_MCA ( P  = 0.003) and an increase in STA diameter ( P  = 0.006), but no increase in the RA diameter ( P  = 0.200). In conclusion, the study demonstrated that carbachol caused headache and dilation of cephalic arteries in healthy subjects.     

The development of an intervention programme to reduce whole-body vibration exposure at work induced by a change in behaviour: a study protocol

Background  

Whole body vibration (WBV) exposure at work is common and studies found evidence that this exposure might cause low back pain (LBP). A recent review concluded there is a lack of evidence of effective strategies to reduce WBV exposure. Most research in this field is focussed on the technical implications, although changing behaviour towards WBV exposure might be promising as well. Therefore, we developed an intervention programme to reduce WBV exposure in a population of drivers with the emphasis on a change in behaviour of driver and employer. The hypothesis is that an effective reduction in WBV exposure, in time, will lead to a reduction in LBP as WBV exposure is a proxy for an increased risk of LBP.     

贴报-P2临床毒理学、药理学和疗效研究

5-Flourouracil（5-FU） is one of well known anti-cancer drugs, but its toxicity in normal lymphocytes remains a major problem in chemotherapy. The eastern traditional drug, Bupleuri radix（BR）, has been used for the treatment of liver diseases and contains series of triterpene saponins.     

Corrected tetralogy of Fallot: delayed enhancement in right ventricular outflow tract

PURPOSE: To evaluate retrospectively the presence of fibrosis and largest diameter of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) by using delayed enhancement magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in patients who had undergone initial correction for tetralogy of Fallot. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR imaging was performed in 24 consecutive patients (16 male, eight female; mean age, 25 years; age range, 13-47 years) with corrected tetralogy of Fallot. The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee, and informed consent was not required. Fifteen minutes after injection of 0.2 mmol/kg gadopentetate dimeglumine, an inversion-recovery turbo field-echo sequence was applied for detection of delayed enhancement. Right ventricular volumes, ejection fraction, and anterior-posterior diameter of the RVOT were calculated. Mann-Whitney nonparametric testing was used to compare measurements of ventricular volume, function, and anterior-posterior diameter of the RVOT in the presence or absence of delayed enhancement. Correlation was tested with Pearson coefficient. RESULTS: Delayed enhancement was seen in 17 patients in the RVOT. During initial surgery, transannular patching was performed in 13 (76%) of 17 patients, RVOT patching in one (6%) of 17 patients, and the Brock procedure in two (12%) of 17 patients. In one patient, the type of initial RVOT repair was unknown. Patients with delayed enhancement in the RVOT, as compared with those without delayed enhancement in the RVOT, had increased RVOT diameter (32 mm +/- 7 [standard deviation] vs 22 mm +/- 3, P < .01), decreased right ventricular ejection fraction (43% +/- 6.3 vs 54% +/- 10, P < .001), and increased end-diastolic volume (175 mL/m2 +/- 42 vs 118 mL/m2 +/- 34, P < .01). The diameter of the RVOT correlated with increased right ventricular end-systolic volume (R = 0.86) and was inversely related to ejection fraction (R = -0.65). CONCLUSION: Delayed enhancement occurs frequently in patients after correction for tetralogy of Fallot. Delayed enhancement in the RVOT was associated with RVOT dilatation, which adversely affects right ventricular hemodynamics.     

Dependency of magnetocardiographically determined fetal cardiac time intervals on gestational age,gender and postnatal biometrics in healthy pregnancies

Background  

Magnetocardiography enables the precise determination of fetal cardiac time intervals (CTI) as early as the second trimester of pregnancy. It has been shown that fetal CTI change in course of gestation. The aim of this work was to investigate the dependency of fetal CTI on gestational age, gender and postnatal biometric data in a substantial sample of subjects during normal pregnancy.     

Another case of West Nile fever in the Netherlands: a man with encephalitis following a trip to Canada

Shortly after his return to the Netherlands from a trip to Ontario, a part of Canada where infection with West-Nile virus has been reported, a 69-year-old man became increasingly confused and generally unwell, accompanied by fever. The clinical picture was compatible with viral encephalitis and this was supported by EEG findings and the results of the cerebrospinal-fluid examination. MRI of the brain did not contribute to the diagnosis. The patient was treated with aciclovir because herpes simplex encephalitis was suspected, and he recovered from his illness within a few days. The EEG normalised as well. The most important remaining symptom was diminished short-term memory function. After the patient was discharged, rising antibody titres against West-Nile virus were found in two consecutive sera; there were no antibodies to other encephalitis-causing viruses (such as Q fever virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus). This case report concerns the second imported case of West-Nile fever in the Netherlands and the first one with encephalitis.