Carotid near-occlusion frequently has high peak systolic velocity on Doppler ultrasound

Purpose

Carotid near-occlusion is a tight atherosclerotic stenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA) resulting in decrease in diameter of the vessel lumen distal to the stenosis. Near-occlusions can be classified as with or without full collapse, and may have high peak systolic velocity (PSV) across the stenosis, mimicking conventional > 50% carotid artery stenosis. We aimed to determine how frequently near-occlusions have high PSV in the stenosis and determine how accurately carotid Doppler ultrasound can distinguish high-velocity near-occlusion from conventional stenosis.

Methods

Included patients had near-occlusion or conventional stenosis with carotid ultrasound and CT angiogram (CTA) performed within 30 days of each other. CTA examinations were analyzed by two blinded expert readers. Velocities in the internal and common carotid arteries were recorded. Mean velocity, pulsatility index, and ratios were calculated, giving 12 Doppler parameters for analysis.

Results

Of 136 patients, 82 had conventional stenosis and 54 had near-occlusion on CTA. Of near-occlusions, 40 (74%) had high PSV (≥ 125 cm/s) across the stenosis. Ten Doppler parameters significantly differed between conventional stenosis and high-velocity near-occlusion groups. However, no parameter was highly sensitive and specific to separate the groups.

Conclusion

Near-occlusions frequently have high PSV across the stenosis, particularly those without full collapse. Carotid Doppler ultrasound does not seem able to distinguish conventional stenosis from high-velocity near-occlusion. These findings question the use of ultrasound alone for preoperative imaging evaluation.

     

Kenyan patients’ attitudes regarding doctor ethnicity and doctor-patient ethnic discordance

Objective

This study explored Kenyan patients’ perspectives on the role of ethnicity in the doctor-patient relationship.

Methods

221 participants completed questionnaires on ethnicity in doctor-patient relationships; eight focus groups were held with low- and middle-income urban and rural women.

Results

About half of participants expressed no preference for doctor ethnicity. Participants rated demographic factors as less important than factors related to the doctor's qualifications, communication skills, and cost of service. Those who did indicate a preference were more likely to prefer Indian doctors for eye problems and Europeans for major surgery, cancer, and heart problems. With less severe medical issues participants were more likely to prefer a doctor who was ethnically concordant with them. Reasons for this centered around communication issues. In contrast, several focus group participants did not want to be treated by doctors from their own ethnic group because of concerns about confidentiality.

Conclusion

Additional research is needed on negative implications of patient-provider concordance.

Practice implications

Medical service providers must be aware of concerns about ethnic concordance. Alternatively medical centers that deal with sensitive medical information need to consider hiring staff who are not of the majority ethnic group in their region.     

Effectiveness of haemophilus influenzae type B conjugate vaccine for prevention of meningitis in Senegal

A total of 24 cases of hospitalized, laboratory-confirmed Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) meningitis were identified through a regional pediatric bacterial meningitis surveillance system. Each case was matched by age and residence to 4 neighborhood controls. The adjusted vaccine effectiveness for ≥ 2 doses was 95.8% (95% confidence interval, 67.9%-99.4%). Hib vaccine appears to be highly effective in preventing Hib meningitis in Senegal.     

Enquête ethnobotanique à propos de plantes médicinales congolaises présumées anti-ulcéreuses

An ethnobotanical survey of traditional practitioners was carried out close to Brazzaville, Congo, from 10 July to 31 August 2004. Twenty-one plants used in the traditional treatment of gastroduodenal ulcers were inventoried. Two of them, Ceiba pentandra (Bombacaceae) and Helichrysum mechowianum (Asteraceae), were selected for chemical screening.     

鼻咽癌放射治疗后肿瘤残留与疗效的临床分析

目的分析鼻咽癌放射治疗后肿瘤残留对生存率的影响。方法回顾性分析304例经病理证实并接受根治性放射治疗的鼻咽癌患者鼻咽部及颈部肿瘤残留情况,记录残留灶的大小。108例有残留者中单纯鼻咽残留26例,单纯颈部残留68例,两者均有残留14例。结果鼻咽癌放射治疗后有残留者较无残留者的1、3、5、10年生存率低。单纯鼻咽残留者生存率最高,单纯颈部残留者其次,两者均有残留者最低。颈部残留灶越大,生存率越低。有残留者的局部复发率增高。结论鼻咽癌放射治疗后有残留者的生存率下降,尤其是颈淋巴结及鼻咽均有残留者。放射治疗后肿瘤残留可作为判断预后的一个指标。     

Estimating prevalence of diabetes in a Congolese town was feasible

Objectives

To study prevalence, determinants, and complications at diagnosis of diabetes and intermediate hyperglycemia (IH) in Kisantu, a semirural town in Bas-Congo province, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Study Design and Setting

A large-scale analytical cross-sectional population-based survey was performed in 2007 in Kisantu. After extensive sensitization, the study sample was collected using a modified World Health Organization (WHO) STEPwise strategy, taking subsequently a random sample of streets, households within streets, and inhabitants aged 20 years and older within households. After informed consent, subjects were invited to fixed sites for interview, anthropometry, clinical examination (blood pressure, monofilament, and ophthalmology), and biochemical tests (fasting capillary glucose, serum creatinine, and albuminuria). Fasting glycemia was repeated or 2-hour postload glycemia was measured the next day in subjects with an initial glycemia of 126-199 mg/dL (7.0-11.1 mmol/L) or 100-125 mg/dL (5.6-6.9 mmol/L), respectively. Hence, prevalence of diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, and impaired glucose tolerance according to both 2006 WHO/International Diabetes Federation and 2003 American Diabetes Association criteria could be evaluated. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used for statistical analyses.

Results

Response rate was 93.7% (1,898 of 2,025). Complete data were available in 1,866 (92.1%) subjects.

Conclusion

Estimating the prevalence of diabetes and IH in a small Congolese town was proven to be feasible.     

酚妥拉明治疗室间隔缺损合并肺动脉高压的临床意义

目的　探讨酚妥拉明对治疗室间隔缺损合并重度肺动脉高压的临床意义。　方法　 33例室间隔缺损合并重度肺动脉高压患者应用彩色多普勒超声心动图检测静脉注射酚妥拉明后肺动脉收缩压 (PASP)的变化。根据静脉注射酚妥拉明后肺动脉收缩压下降程度不同分为 A组和 B组。 A组 :2 1例 ,肺动脉收缩压下降≥ 2 .6 7k Pa(2 0mm Hg) ;B组 :12例 ,肺动脉收缩压下降 <2 .6 7k Pa(2 0 mm Hg)。比较两组术后低心排血量综合征、心律失常、死亡例数等。　结果　两组肺动脉收缩压均下降 ,A组肺动脉收缩压下降明显 ,其手术疗效好于 B组。A组术后发生低心排血量综合征和心律失常较 B组低 (P<0 .0 5 )。　结论　酚妥拉明试验对室间隔缺损合并重度肺动脉高压手术治疗及预后的评估具有指导作用     

Endoplasmic reticulum stress disrupts placental morphogenesis: implications for human intrauterine growth restriction

We recently reported the first evidence of placental endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the pathophysiology of human intrauterine growth restriction. Here, we used a mouse model to investigate potential underlying mechanisms. Eif2s1^tm1RjK mice, in which Ser51 of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 subunit alpha (eIF2α) is mutated, display a 30% increase in basal translation. In Eif2s1^tm1RjK placentas, we observed increased ER stress and anomalous accumulation of glycoproteins in the endocrine junctional zone (Jz), but not in the labyrinthine zone where physiological exchange occurs. Placental and fetal weights were reduced by 15% (97 mg to 82 mg, p < 0.001) and 20% (1009 mg to 798 mg, p < 0.001), respectively. To investigate whether ER stress affects bioactivity of secreted proteins, mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) were derived from Eif2s1^tm1RjK mutants. These MEFs exhibited ER stress, grew 50% slower, and showed reduced Akt–mTOR signalling compared to wild‐type cells. Conditioned medium (CM) derived from Eif2s1^tm1RjK MEFs failed to maintain trophoblast stem cells in a progenitor state, but the effect could be rescued by exogenous application of FGF4 and heparin. In addition, ER stress promoted accumulation of pro‐Igf2 with altered glycosylation in the CM without affecting cellular levels, indicating that the protein failed to be processed after release. Igf2 is the major growth factor for placental development; indeed, activity in the Pdk1–Akt–mTOR pathways was decreased in Eif2s1^tm1RjK placentas, indicating loss of Igf2 signalling. Furthermore, we observed premature differentiation of trophoblast progenitors at E9.5 in mutant placentas, consistent with the in vitro results and with the disproportionate development of the labyrinth and Jz seen in placentas at E18.5. Similar disproportion has been reported in the Igf2‐null mouse. These results demonstrate that ER stress adversely affects placental development, and that modulation of post‐translational processing, and hence bioactivity, of secreted growth factors contributes to this effect. Placental dysmorphogenesis potentially affects fetal growth through reduced exchange capacity. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hospital surveillance of childhood bacterial meningitis in Senegal and the introduction of Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine

Bacterial meningitis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children living in low-resource settings. Pediatric bacterial meningitis cases < 5 years of age were identified through a regional hospital surveillance system for 3 years after introduction of routine immunization with Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine in Senegal in July 2005. Cases from the national pediatric hospital were also tracked from 2002 to 2008. The regional surveillance system recorded 1,711 suspected pediatric bacterial meningitis cases. Of 214 laboratory-confirmed cases, 108 (50%) were caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, 42 (20%) to Hib, and 13 (6%) to Neisseria meningitidis. There was a 98% reduction in the number of hospitalized Hib meningitis cases from Dakar Region in 2008 compared with 2002. The surveillance system provides important information to the Ministry of Health as they consider self-funding Hib vaccine and introducing pneumococcal vaccine.