Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty: the treatment of choice for renovascular hypertension due to fibromuscular dysplasia

Twenty-three renal artery stenoses in 21 hypertensive patients, caused by fibromuscular dysplasia, were treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). Follow-up over a period of 1 to 30 months, including angiography, renal vein renin assay, and radionuclide flow studies, was performed in 8 patients, each with one stenosis. Dilatation was initially successful in all cases and was successfully repeated in 1 case. The mean systolic pressure decreased by 61.81 mm Hg and the mean diastolic pressure by 36.28 mm Hg in response to treatment. Thirteen patients were cured, 8 were felt to have better control of blood pressure on medication, and there was no failures. This study demonstrates that PTA is a clinically effective method of treating renovascular hypertension due to fibromuscular dysplasia.     

Congenital hepatic artery aneurysm simulating pancreatic carcinoma

The authors report a case of a hepatic artery aneurysm that simulated a mass in the head of the pancreas. The correct diagnosis was made preoperatively based on several findings: curvilinear calcification within the mass on CT, a well-defined cystic collection on ultrasound, absence of biliary duct dilatation or jaundice, and presence of other aneurysms.     

TRAIL-receptor expression is an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with a primary glioblastoma multiforme

SummaryPurpose In order to improve the survival of patients with a glioblastoma multiforme tumor (GBM), new therapeutic strategies must be developed. The use of a death inducing ligand such as TRAIL (TNF Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand) seems a promising innovative therapy. The aim of this study was to quantify the expression of the death regulating receptors TRAIL-R1, TRAIL-R2 and TRAIL on primary GBM specimens and to correlate this expression with survival.Experimental design Expression of TRAIL and TRAIL-receptors was assessed by immunohistochemistry, both quantitatively (% of positive tumor cells) and semi-quantitatively (staining intensity) within both the perinecrotic and intermediate tumor zones of primary GBM specimens. RT-PCR of GBM tissue was performed to show expression of TRAIL receptor mRNA.Results Immunohistochemistry showed a slight diffuse intracytoplasmic and a stronger membranous staining for TRAIL and TRAIL receptors in tumor cells. Semi-quantitative expression of TRAIL showed a significantly higher expression of TRAIL in the perinecrotic zone than in the intermediate zone of the tumor (P=0.0001). TRAIL-R2 expression was significantly higher expressed than TRAIL-R1 (P=0.005). The antigenic load of TRAIL-R2 was positively correlated with survival (P=0.02). Multivariate analysis of TRAIL-R1 within the study group (n=62) showed that age, gender, staining intensity, antigenic load, % of TRAIL-R1 expression, were not statistically correlated with survival however radiotherapy was significantly correlated (multivariate analysis: age: P=0.15; gender: P=0.64; staining intensity: P=0.17; antigenic load: P=0.056; % of TRAIL-R1 expression: P=0.058; radiotherapy: P=0.0001). Subgroup analysis of patients who had received radiotherapy (n=47) showed a significant association of % of TRAIL-R1 expression and the antigenic load of TRAIL-R1 with survival (multivariate analysis: P=0.036, respectively, P=0.023).Multivariate analysis of TRAIL-R2 staining intensity and antigenic load, within the study group (P=0.004, respectively, P=0.03) and the subgroup (P=0.002, respectively, P=0.004), showed a significant association with survival. RT-PCR analysis detected a negative relation between the amount of TRAIL-R1 mRNA and the WHO grade of astrocytic tumors (P=0.03).Conclusions TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2 expression on tumor cells are independent prognostic factors for survival in patients with a glioblastoma multiforme. Both receptors could be targets for TRAIL therapy. As TRAIL-R2 is more expressed, in comparison with TRAIL-R1, on GBM tumor cells, TRAIL-R2 seems to be of more importance as a target for future TRAIL therapy than TRAIL-R1.     

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma. A clinicopathologic study of a morphologically diverse entity

We analyzed the clinicopathologic features of 13 patients with immunologically confirmed peripheral T-cell lymphoma. The lymphomas were classified into poorly differentiated lymphocytic, mixed cell, and large cell types. Marked morphologic heterogeneity was noted within the mixed cell and large cell categories, and the various subtypes are described. Twelve of the 13 patients received multiagent chemotherapy. Only three of the nine patients with poorly differentiated or mixed cell lymphomas achieved a complete remission, and the median survival for this group was 11 months. In contrast, all three of the treated patients with large cell lymphomas achieved a complete remission, two of whom are alive without disease (14 and 29 months, respectively). Classification of peripheral T-cell lymphomas into lymphocytic, mixed cell, and large cell types, as well as further subclassification within the heterogeneous groups, is suggested so that pathologic features of prognostic significance can be identified.     

上调肝脏HO-1抑制肥大细胞脱颗粒减轻大鼠肝脏缺血再灌注损伤

目的 探索HO-1对肝脏缺血再灌注损伤中肥大细胞脱颗粒的影响。方法 将20只SD大鼠随机分成4组：假手术组（Sham组）,缺血再灌注损伤组（I/RI组）,HO-1诱导剂钴原卟啉组(CoPP组,术前24h给予CoPP,5 mg/kg)及HO-1抑制剂锌原卟啉组(ZnPP组,术前24h给予ZnPP,20 mg/kg)。建立大鼠缺血再灌注损伤模型,各组于再灌注后2h收集标本。RT-PCR检测肝脏组织HO-1 mRNA表达,Western blot检测肝脏组织HO-1蛋白表达;测定血清中ALT、AST水平;肝脏组织甲苯胺蓝染色检测肥大细胞脱颗粒数量,HE染色评价肝脏组织损伤情况。结果 与Sham组相比,I/RI组、CoPP组、ZnPP组大鼠组织HO-1 RNA和蛋白表达增加,血清ALT、AST水平升高,肥大细胞脱颗粒数量增多,肝脏细胞损伤加重。CoPP组与I/RI组相比,HO-1 mRNA和蛋白表达增加,血清ALT、AST水平减低,肥大细胞脱颗粒数量减少,肝细胞损伤减轻。ZnPP组与I/RI组相比,HO-1 mRNA和蛋白表达减少,血清ALT、AST水平升高,肥大细胞脱颗粒数量增多、肝细胞损伤严重。组间比较差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.05)。结论 HO-1过表达能减轻肝脏I/RI,其机制可能与抑制肝脏组织中肥大细胞脱颗粒有关。     

儿童失神性癫痫：乙琥胺优于丙戊酸和拉莫三嗪

儿童失神性癫痫为儿童期癫痫最常见的类型,通常使用乙琥胺、丙戊酸或拉莫三嗪治疗。但这三种常用药,哪种效果最佳且儿童最易耐受仍然未知,本研究对此进行了考察。