Gallium 67 scintigraphy in glomerular disease

To evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of gallium 67 scintigraphy in glomerular disease, 45 patients with various glomerulopathies, excluding lupus nephritis and renal vasculitis, were studied. Persistent renal visualization 48 hours after the gallium injection, a positive scintigram, was graded as + (less than), ++ (equal to), and +++ (greater than) the hepatic uptake. Positive scintigrams were seen in ten of 16 cases of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, six of 11 cases of proliferative glomerulonephritis, and one case of minimal change, and one of two cases of membranous nephropathy; also in three of six cases of sickle glomerulopathy, two cases of diabetic neuropathy, one of two cases of amyloidosis, and one case of mild chronic allograft rejection. The 25 patients with positive scans were younger than the 20 with negative scans (31 +/- 12 v 42 +/- 17 years; P less than 0.01), and exhibited greater proteinuria (8.19 +/- 7.96 v 2.9 +/- 2.3 S/d; P less than 0.01) and lower serum creatinine values (2 +/- 2 v 4.1 +/- 2.8 mg/dL; P less than 0.01). The amount of proteinuria correlated directly with the intensity grade of the gallium image (P less than 0.02), but there was no correlation between the biopsy diagnosis and the outcome of the gallium scan. It was concluded that gallium scintigraphy is not useful in the differential diagnosis of the glomerular diseases under discussion. Younger patients with good renal function and heavy proteinuria are likely to have a positive renal scintigram regardless of the underlying glomerulopathy.     

Weighted concentration of 137Cs equivalent in foodstuffs in Kuwait from June 1986 to December 1988

The weighted monthly concentration of 137Cs equivalent (WMC) for various types of foodstuffs imported from June 1986 to December 1988 are discussed. The data presented are based on total concentration of 137Cs equivalent. The concentration was found below the disqualifying level applied in Kuwait. The radioactive contamination was higher in milk and baby milk relative to other types of foodstuffs. The calculation of Kuwait's disqualifying levels are based on the annual dose equivalent of 1 mSv (100 mrem). The measured WMC for most types of foodstuffs represents a small fraction to the annual dose limit recommended for the general public.     

Primary hyperlipoproteinemias. Clinical, biological and physiopathological aspects

Primary hyperlipoproteinemias are of great interest as for the physician, as for the searcher, because of their atherogenic properties; on the other hand, a new type of hyperlipoprotenemia, namely hyperalphalipoproteinemia, seems to be a protective factor against clinical complications of atherosclerosis. The clinical, biological and pathophysiologic aspects of these diseases are studied both from author's experience and from the literature data.     

Characteristics and Analysis of Risk Factors for Mortality in Infective Endocarditis

Objective: The aim of our study was to establish the etiology of and risk factors for infective endocarditis (IE) and determine the prognostic factors for adverse outcome during hospital admission in a Turkish population. Material and Methods: Between January 2002 and January 2004, the clinical and laboratory features of 112 consecutive adult patients (>18 years) with diagnosis of IE who were referred to the infectious diseases clinics/departments of 17 teaching hospitals in Turkey were evaluated. Cases of IE were defined according to the modified Duke Criteria. Mortality was defined as death occurring within 30 days or during hospital stay period. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to predict the factors related to fatal outcome. Results: A total of 112 consecutive patients presented with 101 definite and 11 probable IE episodes were defined according to the modified Duke Criteria. The mean age was 45.2±19.9. Fifty percent of the patients were male. Ninety (60.4%) of the 112 patients had risk factors for IE and 48 (42.9%) of them had ≥2 risk factors. On the other hand, 49.1% of patients had cardiac risk factors. Blood cultures were positive in 94 (83.9%) cases. Staphylococci were the most common agents (50.0%), followed by streptococci (28.7%) and enterococi (16.0%). Native cardiac valves were detected in 93 (83%) of the episodes of suspected IE. Valvular involvement was present in 103 (92%) patients; the mitral valve, alone or in combination with other valves, was affected in 70 (62.5%) of the patients. Echocardiography detected vegetations in 105 patients (93.8%). The mortality rate was 28.6%. Three factors were independently associated with mortality: haemodialysis OR: 14.5 (95% CI: 1.5–138.2), mobile vegetation OR: 4.8 (95% CI: 1.5–15.4) and mental alteration OR: 4.1 (95% CI: 1.1–15.6). Conclusion: Mortality is still high in IE. Our data indicate that patients with altered mental status, mobile vegetation, or on haemodialysis had poorer prognosis. Atahan Cagatay, Istanbul University Istanbul Medical School, Turkey; Funda Ergin, Baskent University, Medical School, Turkey; Hurrem Bodur, Ankara Numune Hospital, Turkey; Gulsen Ozkaya Sahin, Hacettepe University, Medical School, Turkey; Irfan Sencan, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Duzce Medical School, Turkey; Saban Gurcan, Trakya University, Medical School, Turkey; Elif Doyuk, Osmangazi University, Medical School, Turkey; Bilgiul Mete, Istanbul University Cerrahpasa, Medical School Turkey; Oral Oncul, Gulhane Academy, Medical School, Turkey     

The effects of pentoxifylline on the myocardial inflammation and ischemia-reperfusion injury during cardiopulmonary bypass

BACKGROUND: Pentoxifylline (Ptx) decreases necessity of cell energy and inflammatory reactions via inhibition of 5'-nucleotidase (5'-NT). The aim of this study is to investigate whether the addition of Ptx into the cardioplegic solutions avoids myocardial inflammatory reactions and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury during extracorpereal circulation. METHODS: Between December 1999 and February 2002, we operated 75 patients with the diagnoses of atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), valve disease, and coronary disease. The average age of patients was 42.4 and male-female ratio was 1: 1.5. The patients were divided into two groups, which were the study group (n = 40) and the control group (n = 35). We used cold blood cardioplegia mixed with St. Thomas' Hospital II cardioplegic solution for both of the groups. Ptx was added into the cardioplegic solution (500 mg/L) in the study group. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrotisis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in coronary sinus blood samples during cross-clamp time (X-clamp) and after releasing of it and tissue TNF-alpha in the right atrial appendix biopsy material that was taken after X-clamp were studied to compare the both groups. RESULTS: After releasing X-clamp, results of blood TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 of both groups were statistically significant (p < 0.005). At the pathological examination, we also observed that the amount of tissue TNF-alpha in the control group (66 +/- 17.1) was much higher than the study group (16.6 +/- 5.9, p <0.005). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that Ptx may be added into cardioplegic solution to avoid the myocardial inflammation and I/R injury during open heart surgery.