A randomized, parallel study of the safety and efficacy of 45 mg primaquine versus 75 mg bulaquine as gametocytocidal agents in adults with blood schizonticide-responsive uncomplicated falciparum malaria [ISCRTN50134587]

Background  

The WHO recommends that adults with uncomplicated P. falciparum successfully treated with a blood schizonticide receive a single dose of primaquine (PQ) 45 mg as a gametocytocidal agent. An earlier pilot study suggested that 75 mg of bulaquine (BQ), of which PQ is a major metabolite, may be a useful alternate to PQ.     

利福昔明：有效维持肝性脑病缓解

肝性脑病是的一种慢性消耗性的肝硬化并发症。利福昔明（rifaximin）,一种口服的抗生素,治疗急性肝性脑病的疗效已有报道,但其预防此病疗效未知。     

Catheter-directed thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy of a thrombosed persistent sciatic vein in a patient with Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome

The authors report a case of a thrombosed persistent sciatic vein in a patient with Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome diagnosed at magnetic resonance (MR) venography and its treatment with endovascular interventional techniques.     

Renal insufficiency: usefulness of gadodiamide-enhanced renal angiography to supplement CO2-enhanced renal angiography for diagnosis and percutaneous treatment

PURPOSE: To determine whether gadodiamide is a safe and useful angiographic contrast agent for help in diagnosis and percutaneous treatment of renal artery stenosis in patients with renal insufficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diagnostic renal angiography and percutaneous renal interventions were performed by using gadodiamide (total dose, 0.3 mmol/kg) and CO2 as intraarterial contrast agents in 25 procedures in 24 patients with renal insufficiency. Serum creatinine levels were obtained within 24 hours before and at 24 and 48 hours after the procedure. Increases in serum creatinine of more than 44 mumol/L were considered clinically important. Gadodiamide-enhanced angiograms were compared with CO2-enhanced angiograms. RESULTS: In 23 (92%) of 25 procedures, there was no increase in serum creatinine level at 48 hours. One patient with acute and chronic rejection of a renal transplant and one with evidence of cholesterol embolization had a clinically important increase in serum creatinine level at 48 hours. No marked increase in creatinine level was observed in patients with relatively low baseline levels (n = 19). Gadodiamide-enhanced angiograms appeared to be better than CO2-enhanced angiograms for help in identifying renal artery occlusions, visualizing renal vessels incompletely filled with CO2, and determining the progress of intervention. CONCLUSION: Gadodiamide appears to be a safe and useful intraarterial contrast agent in patients with renal insufficiency and can be used to supplement or confirm CO2-enhanced angiographic findings.     

Magnetic resonance urography for the assessment of potential renal donors: comparison of the RARE technique with a low-dose gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance urography technique in the absence of pharmacological and mechanical intervention

The aim of this study was to determine whether magnetic resonance urography without pharmacological (diuretic) stimulation and mechanical compression allows conclusive evaluation of the urinary system in potential renal donors. In 28 consecutive patients magnetic resonance urography (MRU) was performed on a 1.5-T system. Two techniques, rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) and a gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced 3D fast low angle shot (FLASH) sequence were compared in the absence of adjunctive measures. Two reviewers assessed image quality, presence of artifacts and completeness of visualization of the collecting systems and ureters. Among the 53 MR urograms, there was no difference in image quality and presence of artifacts between RARE and Gd-MRU. Despite high image quality, visualization of the urinary collecting system was insufficient. Continuous visualization from the collecting system to the distal ureter was demonstrated bilaterally in only 14% of the RARE and 26% of Gd-enhanced MR urograms, respectively. Overall, Gd-enhanced MRU was superior to the RARE technique in displaying the segments of the urinary collecting system, but this difference was not found to be statistically significant. Neither the RARE technique nor the gadolinium-enhanced MRU technique is accurate enough to allow the evaluation of the collecting system and ureters in potential renal donors in the absence of pharmacological intervention and compression.     

Renal angioplasty and stent placement with distal protection: preliminary experience with the FilterWire EX

Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty and stent placement with use of a coronary protection device was performed in a total of four patients with hypertension (n = 4) and/or renal insufficiency (n = 3) referred for revascularization of five renal arteries. Renal revascularization was successful in all five renal arteries (100%), but renal revascularization under protection by the FilterWire EX was achieved in only three of five renal arteries (60%). In one of these three, only a suboptimal seal was achieved between the vessel wall and the filter basket. Nevertheless, use of the device was safe and fibrin and/or cholesterol fragments were retrieved from three renal arteries. The FilterWire EX needs to be modified for the renal circulation to achieve the full theoretical advantages of these systems in this vascular bed.