Bone mineral density and its correlation with clinical and laboratory factors in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and laboratory correlations of bone mineral density (BMD) measurements among a large population of patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD). This cross-sectional, multicenter study was carried out in 292 PD patients with a mean age of 56 ± 16 years and mean duration of PD 3.1 ± 2.1 years. Altogether, 129 female and 163 male patients from 24 centers in Canada, Greece, and Turkey were included in the study. BMD findings, obtained by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and some other major clinical and laboratory indices of bone mineral deposition as well as uremic osteodystrophy were investigated. In the 292 patients included in the study, the mean lumbar spine T-score was −1.04 ± 1.68, the lumbar spine Z-score was −0.31 ± 1.68, the femoral neck T-score was −1.38 ± 1.39, and the femoral neck Z score was −0.66 ± 1.23. According to the WHO criteria based on lumbar spine T-scores, 19.2% of 292 patients were osteoporotic, 36.3% had osteopenia, and 44.4% had lumbar spine T-scores within the normal range. In the femoral neck area, the prevalence of osteoporosis was slightly higher (26%). The prevalence of osteoporosis was 23.3% in female patients and 16.6% in male patients with no statistically significant difference between the sexes. Agreements of lumbar spine and femoral neck T-scores for the diagnosis of osteoporosis were 66.7% and 27.3% and 83.3% for osteopenia and normal BMD values, respectively. Among the clinical and laboratory parameters we investigated in this study, the body mass index (BMI) (P < 0.001), daily urine output, and urea clearance time × dialysis time/volume (Kt/V) (P < 0.05) were statistically significantly positive and Ca × PO₄ had a negative correlation (P < 0.05) with the lumbar spine T scores. Femoral neck T scores were also positively correlated with BMI, daily urine output, and KT/V; and they were negatively correlated with age. Intact parathyroid hormone levels did not correlate with any of the BMD parameters. Femoral neck Z scores were correlated with BMI (P < 0.001), and ionized calcium (P < 0.05) positively and negatively with age, total alkaline phosphatase (P < 0.05), and Ca × P (P < 0.01). The overall prevalence of fractures since the initiation of PD was 10%. Our results indicated that, considering their DEXA-based BMD values, 55% of chronic PD patients have subnormal bone mass—19% within the osteoporotic range and 36% within the osteopenic range. Our findings also indicate that low body weight is the most important risk factor for osteoporosis in chronic PD patients. An insufficient dialysis dose (expressed as KT/V) and older age may also be important risk factors for osteoporosis of PD patients.     

Evaluation of 0.3% Gatifloxacin Hydrochloride in Decontamination of Donor Corneas

PURPOSE:: To evaluate demographic, clinical, and microbiological profile of eye donors and efficacy of 0.3% gatifloxacin hydrochloride in microbial decontamination of donor corneas. METHODS:: About 513 donors and 1,026 corneas received at National Eye Bank of a tertiary care hospital during 1-year period were analyzed prospectively in this randomized clinical trial. The donor eyes were graded and treated with 5% povidone-iodine, 0.4% amikacin sulphate, and 0.3% gatifloxacin hydrochloride. The parameters evaluated were death enucleation time (DET), grading of donor corneas, microbiological profile of culture organisms, and their sensitivity to various antibiotics. RESULTS:: Mean DET was 6.29±5.7 hours. Forty one percent eyes were optical grade corneas and the majority of donors (38.5%) had accidental deaths. Good grade eyes were maximum with DET of <1 hour and were comparable between 0-6 hours and 6-12 hours. About 57.6% (591/1026) eyes were culture positive; most common organisms were Pseudomonas spp (53%) and Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (24%). Culture positivity reduced significantly after treatment with povidone iodine and amikacin (P=0.002, right eye; P=0.004; left eye) and decreased further with use of gatifloxacin (P=0.001). Pseudomonas (93%), Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (96.3%), Staphylococcus aureus (90.5%), enterococci and gram-negative bacilli were sensitive to gatifloxacin. Pseudomonas spp which were multidrug-resistant were sensitive to polymyxin-B. CONCLUSIONS:: Gatifloxacin hydrochloride in addition to amikacin sulphate is beneficial for donor eye decontamination. Polymyxin-B may be used for multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas spp.     

主动免疫治疗对不明原因习惯性流产患者辅助T细胞因子水平的影响

目的　探讨主动免疫治疗对不明原因习惯性流产 (UHA)患者辅助T细胞 (Th) 1 /Th2型细胞因子水平的影响。方法　采用酶联免疫吸附法 ,检测 30例半年内接受过淋巴细胞主动免疫治疗的UHA患者 (治疗组 ) ,及 2 5例未经治疗的UHA患者 (未治疗组 ) ,外周血单个核细胞 (PBMC)经滋养细胞抗原刺激产生的Th1型细胞因子白细胞介素 (IL) 2、γ干扰素 (IFN γ)及Th2型细胞因子产生IL 4、IL 1 0水平。并选取 1 5例正常非妊娠妇女作为对照 (对照组 )。结果　 (1 )在最佳诱导时间内 ,治疗组IL 2、IFN γ的水平分别为 (1 0 8± 37)ng/L、(1 1 0± 52 )ng/L ,明显低于未治疗组的 (2 2 3± 85)ng/L、(32 6±92 )ng/L(P值均 <0 .0 5) ;IL 4、IL 1 0水平分别为 (50± 1 1 )ng/L、(1 4 0± 37)ng/L ,明显高于未治疗组的(2 3± 1 1 )ng/L、(52± 2 8)ng/L(P值均 <0 .0 5)。未治疗组IL 2、IFN γ水平明显高于对照组的 (92± 32 )ng/L、(1 0 2± 35)ng/L(P值均 <0 .0 5) ;IL 4、IL 1 0水平低于对照组的 (62± 2 1 )ng/L、(1 50± 42 )ng/L(P值均 <0 .0 5)。治疗组与对照组各细胞因子水平比较 ,差异均无显著性 (P值均 >0 .0 5)。 (2 )治疗组30例患者治疗后半年内妊娠 2 6例 ,其中 8例自然流产 ,IL 2、IFN γ水平明显高于 1 8例妊娠     

人卵巢上皮性癌顺铂耐药细胞系3AO/cDDP模型的建立及耐药机理的实验研究

目的：模拟临床卵巢上皮性癌化疗的用药特点建立顺铂耐药细胞系3AO／CDDP,检测LRP、MRP、P－gp、GSTπ和TopeⅡ表达。方法：以临床卵巢上皮性癌化疗用药的最低剂量换算终浓度,采用大剂量顺铂（10μg／ml）反复间歇24h暴露法建立顺铂耐药细胞系;用FCM法检测LRP、MRP、P－gp、GSTπ和TopoⅡ表达。结果：历时4．5个月建成顺铂耐药株3AO／cDDP,耐药性稳定,耐药指数1．62,与临床耐药倍数相近。3AO／cDDP细胞MRP、P－gp表达与3AO相比无明显变化（P＞0．05）,LPR、GSTπ表达明显升高（P＜0．005及P＜0．05）,Tope-Ⅱ含量明显降低（P＜0．05）。结论：3A0／cDDP是模拟临床用药特点建立的、研究顺铂耐药的理想模型;顺铂耐药与LRP、GSTπ表达升高及TopoⅡ含量降低有关,与MRP、P-gp无关。     

Intravitreal penetration of cefepime after systemic administration to humans

PURPOSE: To investigate the penetration of cefepime (a fourth-generation cephalosporin) into the vitreous after single-dose intravenous administration to human subjects. METHODS: Thirty phakic patients about to undergo vitreous surgery received 1 g (group 1, 15 patients) or 2 g cefepime (group 2, 15 patients) in a single intravenous injection before surgery. The indications for vitreous surgery were retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (24 patients), retinal detachment associated with giant retinal tear (4 patients), macular hole (1 patient) and intraocular foreign body (1 patient). Samples of vitreous and serum were obtained at 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 12 h after injection. Three patients were used for each sampling time and for 1 g and 2 g of cefepime. Samples were assayed for cefepime concentrations with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: All the patients had detectable cefepime in their vitreous and serum measurable by HPLC. The level of cefepime in the vitreous peaked at 2 h and reached a minimum at 12 h after intravenous injection in both groups. A mean peak vitreous level of cefepime was 1.91 +/- 0.13 microg/ml in group 1 and 2.86 +/- 0.37 microg/ml in group 2. The level of cefepime in the vitreous at 12 h after injection was 0.89 +/- 0.14 microg/ml in group 1 and 0.97 +/- 0.30 microg/ml in group 2. CONCLUSION: The vitreous level of cefepime after intravenous injection was below the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC(90)) against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but was over the MIC(90) against Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella spp., Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Enterobacter spp.