Evaluation of the accuracy of panoramic radiograph in the definition of maxillary sinus septa

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of panoramic radiography in identification of maxillary sinus septa. Out of 68 sinuses were radiographically examined using both panoramic and computerized tomographic radiographs (CT scan). Using CT scan, 24 (35.9%) out of 68 cases maxillae showed at least one septum, 22 sinuses (32.3%) showed one septum, whereas two sinuses (2.9%) exhibited two septa. Panoramic radiograph led to a false diagnosis regarding the presence or absence of sinus septa in 18 of 68 sinuses (26.5%). On the other hand, they gave negative diagnosis of sinus septa in 12 of 24 septa (50%). There was fully agreement between the two methods (positive septa) only in 12 of 24 septa (50%). We cannot depend on panoramic radiograph for the detection of sinus septa because it can lead to false or negative results.     

Atherosclerosis in patients with end-stage renal failure prior to initiation of hemodialysis

BACKGROUND: In dialysis patients cardiovascular mortality is 10 to 20 times higher than in general population. It remains uncertain whether atherosclerosis of dialysis patients is effectively accelerated because many of dialysis patients have more or less marked vascular lesions already at the start of dialysis treatment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Using B-mode ultrasonography (ATL HDI 3000), we compared intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque occurrence (indicators of atherosclerosis) in the common carotid arteries (CC), in the area of bifurcation (CB) and in the proximal part of internal carotid arteries (CI) in 28 hemodialysis patients (14 men and 14 women; mean age 49.4 years; mean duration of HD treatment 66.6 months) with that in 28 age-sex matched patients prior to initiation of hemodialysis. We also investigated possible differences in atherosclerotic risk factors in both groups. RESULTS: The IMT values of CC (0.71 vs. 0.70 mm; p = 0.937), CB (0.81 vs. 0.77 mm; p = 0,423) and CI (0.72 vs. 0.71 mm; p = 0.935) were not significantly different in dialysis patients and patients starting dialysis treatment. We also found no difference in plaque occurrence (61% vs. 54%; p = 0.787) and in atherosclerotic risk factors (hypertension, smoking, lipids) between both groups. CONCLUSIONS: In our study we found no difference in atherosclerotic lesions in carotid arteries between dialysis patients and patients with end-stage renal failure starting dialysis treatment. Patients with chronic renal failure are at high risk for cardiovascular diseases so we should intervene earlier and more actively long before dialysis treatment in order to reduce the atherosclerotic risk factors.     

Spectrophotometric determination of urinary iodine by the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction subsequent to dry alkaline ashing. Results from the Czech Republic in the period 1994-2002.

The Czech Republic is an iodine-deficient area. Insufficient iodine intake was reduced by enriching cooking salt with iodine in the range 20-34 mg I/kg. An important indicator for tracking changes in iodine nutrition over time is accurate information about urinary iodine concentrations in the population. In this paper we describe and characterize our method used for the determination of iodine in biological material, which is based on alkaline ashing of urine specimens preceding Sandell-Kolthoff reaction using brucine as a colorimetric marker. The losses of radioiodine added during sample preparation have not exceeded 0.001%. The detection limit is 2.6 microg I/L and the limit of quantification is 11.7 microg I/L, with intra-assay precision of 4% and inter-assay precision of 4.9%. During the period 1994-2002, the urinary iodine concentration was determined in 29,612 samples in the Institute of Endocrinology. The mean basal urinary iodine concentrations+/-SD were 115+/-69 microg I/L. Of the samples, 0.7% were in severe (<20 microg I/L), 9.6% in moderate (20-49 microg I/L), 40.1% in mild (50-99 microg I/L), 35.6% in adequate (100-200 microg I/L), and 14.0% in more than adequate (>200 microg I/L) subsets of iodine nutrition. A statistically significant (p<0.00001) difference was found between mean male (127 microg I/L) and female (112 microg I/L) urinary iodine, and an inversely proportional trend also exists in the age-related data.     

Relationship of dehydroepiandrosterone and its 7-hydroxylated metabolites to thyroid parameters and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in healthy subjects.

The concentrations of four immunomodulatory steroids, namely dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), its sulfate and its 7-hydroxylated metabolites, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and major laboratory parameters of thyroid function were determined in sera from 104 healthy females and 48 males, screened for iodine deficiency in one region of the Czech Republic. The mutual relationships of the laboratory parameters were investigated by using four statistical approaches: correlation analysis, principal component analysis, canonical correlation and linear model relationship. In addition to expected correlations among thyroid parameters and substrate-product relationships among the steroids, several new relationships were revealed: The only thyroid parameter tightly correlating with SHBG was free triiodothyronine. The latter hormone was also associated with one of the 7-OH-DHEA epimers, namely with 7beta-OH-DHEA. Thyroid hormones are known to possess thermogenic properties, as does another 7-oxygenated DHEA metabolite, 7-oxo-DHEA, the major metabolite of which is 7beta-OH-DHEA. It may indicate a link between the two thermogenic factors. The results should serve for further investigation of changes in the thyroid hormone concentrations, together with SHBG and dehydroepiandrosterone metabolites, under various pathological situations.     

Gray matter morphology and the level of functioning in one-year follow-up of first-episode schizophrenia patients

Schizophrenia is a condition with a highly variable course that is hard to predict. The aim of the present study was to investigate if local gray matter volume (GMV) can differentiate poor (PF) and good (GF) functioning patients using voxel-wise analysis in a group of first-episode schizophrenia subjects (FES).     

Prefrontal but not temporal grey matter changes in males with first-episode schizophrenia

INTRODUCTION: Changes of brain morphology are now considered as a part of the pathology of schizophrenia. Voxel-based morphometry may be used to study regional changes of the grey matter in the whole brain. It is advantageous to study first-episode patients to prevent the influence of many possible biasing factors when trying to identify primary pathological processes underlying the manifestation of the illness. OBJECTIVE: To investigate regional grey matter changes in the first-episode schizophrenia patients. METHODS: Optimized voxel-based morphometry was used to detect changes in grey matter volume in 22 patients with first-episode schizophrenia compared with 18 healthy volunteers of comparable age, gender and handedness. RESULTS: The first-episode schizophrenia group had significantly reduced grey matter volume in the prefrontal cortex (inferior and middle prefrontal gyrus, cingulate gyrus). We identified no differences in the temporal cortex. CONCLUSION: Our data support the theoretical assumption that prefrontal dysfunction underlines the primary pathology and clinical manifestation of schizophrenia. We are inclined to explain the differences in the pattern of morphological changes reported in other first-episode studies--especially the lack of changes in the temporal cortex--by heterogeneity of schizophrenia, potential progression and antipsychotic medication effect.     

Neurological soft signs and their relationship to 1-year outcome in first-episode schizophrenia

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between the severity of neurological soft signs at onset and at the 1-year follow-up of patients with schizophrenia, and to investigate temporal stability of neurological soft signs within 1year from the onset of the first episode schizophrenia. METHODS: The study included 92 first-episode male schizophrenic patients. Neurological soft signs were assessed on the Neurological Evaluation Scale (NES) during index hospitalization and at a 1-year follow-up. The patients were divided into remitters and non-remitters according to their psychiatric status assessed at the 1-year follow-up, using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). RESULTS: A trend for a lower score for the NES item "others" in late remitters versus non-remitters at baseline was found during index hospitalization. At the 1-year follow-up, the overall severity of the neurological soft signs was statistically significantly higher in non-remitters than in remitters. Within 1year after index hospitalization, a significant reduction of neurological soft signs, with the exception of sensory integration, occurred in remitters. Within 1year after index hospitalization, the non-remitters reported a significant reduction of the overall NES score. CONCLUSION: These findings in a population of patients with first episode schizophrenia are in accord with the findings of previous studies which found an association between neurological soft signs, treatment response and outcome. This association may characterize a subgroup of patients with a poor course of illness and outcome. Neurological soft signs might be regarded as one of the indicators of treatment outcome in patients suffering from their first episode of schizophrenia.