How successful is the conservative management of pelvi‐ureteric junction obstruction in adults?

OBJECTIVE

To assess the conservative management of pelvi‐ureteric junction obstruction (PUJO), according to severity, accepted in paediatric urology but rarely reported in adults.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A series of 23 patients (median age 58 years, 17 men and six women) with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic PUJO were managed conservatively. The patients’ age, preference and comorbidities were considered. The diagnosis of PUJO was based on intravenous urography and isotopic renography. After stringently reviewing the renograms based on relative renal function (RRF) and output efficiency (OE), 15 patients had an OE consistent with definitive PUJO. One patient had no further imaging due to associated comorbidities. Ten patients had right PUJO, three left and one with bilateral PUJO, with unilateral conservative management. The follow‐up included annual renography and clinical consultation. Laparoscopic pyeloplasty was considered for patients with a >10% loss of RRF and/or <40% RRF during the follow‐up.

RESULTS

Overall, 14 of 15 patients had renograms during the follow‐up. The mean RRF of the affected kidney at diagnosis was 48.6% which marginally decreased to 46.7% after a median (range) follow‐up of 44 (23–75) months. The RRF of 11 patients remained stable and in three decreased significantly (median 11% RRF), requiring pyeloplasty. None of the patients became symptomatic throughout the follow‐up.

CONCLUSION

In asymptomatic adults the conservative management of PUJO appears to be safe during a short‐ to medium‐term follow‐up. We recommend that patients are regularly followed with renography and seen promptly should they become symptomatic. A longer follow‐up is needed in a larger group to confirm these findings.     

Effects of different doses of remifentanil on the end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane required for tracheal intubation in children

We investigated the effects of different doses of remifentanil on the end‐tidal concentration of sevoflurane required for tracheal intubation in children without the use of neuromuscular blocking drugs. One hundred and thirty paediatric patients, aged 3–8 years, were randomly allocated to receive no remifentanil (group control) or remifentanil 0.1 μg.kg^?1.min^?1 (group remi_0.1), 0.2 μg.kg^?1.min^?1 (group remi_0.2), 0.3 μg.kg^?1.min^?1 (group remi_0.3). All patients were anaesthetised using 5% sevoflurane. After loss of eyelash reflex, remifentanil 1 μg.kg^?1 was injected over 1 min followed by an appropriate group‐dependent infusion and the end‐tidal sevoflurane concentration was changed. Predetermined end‐tidal sevoflurane concentrations for each group were determined using the Dixon up‐and‐down method. After the target concentration of sevoflurane was maintained for 5 min, the child’s trachea was intubated. Successful intubation was defined as excellent or good intubating conditions. The end‐tidal concentration (SD) of sevoflurane for successful tracheal intubation in 50% of children (ED₅₀) were 5.16 (0.22)% in control, 3.27 (0.18)%, 1.81 (0.20)% and 1.01 (0.11)%, in remi_0.1, remi_0.2, and remi_0.3 groups, respectively. Using probit analysis, the 95% effective dose (ED₉₅) of sevoflurane were 5.60% (95% CI 5.35–7.66), 3.77% (95% CI 3.45–7.74), 2.18% (95% CI 1.96–3.86), 1.19% (95% CI 1.06–1.82) in control, remi_0.1, remi_0.2, and remi_0.3 groups, respectively.     

Nutrition Support With Glutamine Dipeptide in Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation

Aim

The effect of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) support supplemented with alanyl-glutamine (Ala-Gln) dipeptide was investigated in a randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Methods

Sixty-five patients with the diagnosis of end-stage liver disease or hepatic cellular carcinoma admitted for orthotopic liver transplantation were randomly divided into 3 groups: diet group (n = 21), TPN group (n = 22), and Gln group (n = 22). Patients in the TPN and Gln groups received isocaloric and isonitrogenous TPN for 7 days. Venous heparin blood samples were obtained for assay on days 2 and 9 after surgery; we performed routine pathologic tests.

Results

Compared with the results on day 9 in the TPN group, there was a significant increase in the prognostic nutrition index and in prealbumin among the Gln group. Aspartate aminotransferase improved significantly by Gln treatment compared with traditional TPN support (P < .05). The pathologic results also showed Gln supplementation to reduce hepatic cell injury. A significant decrease in postoperative hospital stay was observed in the Gln group.

Conclusions

Posttransplant TPN support greatly improved protein metabolism and nutritional state of patients. TPN with Ala-Gln helped to improve synthetic function and to reduce the injury to a transplanted liver.     

癌胚抗原相关细胞黏附分子和人胸肾表达趋化因子在婴幼儿血管瘤组织中的表达

目的 检测癌胚抗原相关细胞黏附分子(CEACAM-1)和人胸肾表达趋化因子(CXCL-14)在不同时期婴幼儿血管瘤组织中的表达,并探讨其在血管瘤发生发展过程中的作用和意义.方法 应用免疫组化法和Western免疫印迹检测CEACAM-1和CXCL-14在增生期、消退期和消退完成期婴幼儿血管瘤组织中的表达,利用计算机图像分析技术测量平均吸光度.结果 CEACAM-1在增生期血管瘤组织中不表达或低表达,消退期呈强阳性表达,消退完成期呈阳性表达;各期之间CEACAM-1的表达差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);CXCL-14在增生早期血管瘤组织中不表达或低表达,消退期呈阳性表达,消退完成期呈强阳性表达,各期之间CXCL-14表达差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论 CEACAM-1和CXCL-14可能参与了婴幼儿血管瘤病理变化过程,在该病发生发展过程中起一定的作用.     

颈动脉外翻内膜剥脱术治疗颈动脉硬化狭窄

目的观察颈动脉外翻内膜剥脱术治疗颈动脉狭窄的疗效。方法24例颈动脉硬化狭窄患者,其中18例有慢性或一过性脑缺血症状,6例无症状;术前均行彩色超声、数字减影动脉造影(DSA)或CT和MRA扫描检查,颈动脉狭窄程度65％～95％;在颈丛麻醉下行颈动脉外翻内膜剥脱术,手术要点是于颈动脉分叉处斜形切断颈内动脉,外翻颈内动脉剥除有粥样斑块的内膜,同时从颈总动脉切口剥除颈总动脉和颈外动脉增厚的内膜。结果全组无手术死亡,术后随访3～20个月,临床症状均有不同程度改善,一过性脑缺血症状消失,4例仍有轻度慢性脑缺血症状。术后行脑部多普勒超声检查,22例脑部供血有明显改善。结论颈动脉外翻内膜剥脱术是一种安全、有效和合理的手术方式。     

烧伤后增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞中TRAIL受体的表达及意义

目的检测肿瘤坏死斟子相关凋亡诱导配体（TRAIL）的受体住烧伤后增生期增生性瘢痕成纤维细胞上的表达，并探讨其意义。方法应用RT-PCR和流式细胞术，检测了30例处于增生期的烧伤后增牛性瘢痕成纤维细胞中TRAIL各受体的表达，并以30例正常皮肤成纤维细胞作为对照。结果RT-PCR和流式细胞术的检测结果均显示：与正常对照组相比，增生期瘢痕的成纤维细胞中步匕亡受体DR5的表达显著降低（P〈0．05），诱导受体DcR1的表达显著升高（P〈0．05），其余受体的表达住两组间差异无统计学意义。结论烧伤后增生性瘢痕的形成可能与TRAIL介导的瘢痕内成纤维细胞凋亡受阻有关。     

Gait in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: kinematics and electromyographic analysis

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a progressive growth disease that affects spinal anatomy, mobility, and left-right trunk symmetry. Consequently, AIS can modify human locomotion. Very few studies have investigated a simple activity like walking in a cohort of well-defined untreated patients with scoliosis. The first goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of scoliosis and scoliosis severity on kinematic and electromyographic (EMG) gait variables compared to an able-bodied population. The second goal is to look for any asymmetry in these parameters during walking. Thirteen healthy girls and 41 females with untreated AIS, with left thoracolumbar or lumbar primary structural curves were assessed. AIS patients were divided into three clinical subgroups (group 1 < 20°, group 2 between 20 and 40°, and group 3 > 40°). Gait analysis included synchronous bilateral kinematic and EMG measurements. The subjects walked on a treadmill at 4 km/h (comfortable speed). The tridimensional (3D) shoulder, pelvis, and lower limb motions were measured using 22 reflective markers tracked by four infrared cameras. The EMG timing activity was measured using bipolar surface electrodes on quadratus lumborum, erector spinae, gluteus medius, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius muscles. Statistical comparisons (ANOVA) were performed across groups and sides for kinematic and EMG parameters. The step length was reduced in AIS compared to normal subjects (7% less). Frontal shoulder, pelvis, and hip motion and transversal hip motion were reduced in scoliosis patients (respectively, 21, 27, 28, and 22% less). The EMG recording during walking showed that the quadratus lumborum, erector spinae, gluteus medius, and semitendinosus muscles contracted during a longer part of the stride in scoliotic patients (46% of the stride) compared with normal subjects (35% of the stride). There was no significant difference between scoliosis groups 1, 2, and 3 for any of the kinematic and EMG parameters, meaning that severe scoliosis was not associated with increased differences in gait parameters compared to mild scoliosis. Scoliosis was not associated with any kinematic or EMG left–right asymmetry. In conclusion, scoliosis patients showed significant but slight modifications in gait, even in cases of mild scoliosis. With the naked eye, one could not see any difference from controls, but with powerful gait analysis technology, the pelvic frontal motion (right–left tilting) was reduced, as was the motion in the hips and shoulder. Surprisingly, no asymmetry was noted but the spine seemed dynamically stiffened by the longer contraction time of major spinal and pelvic muscles. Further studies are needed to evaluate the origin and consequences of these observations.     

Low Troponin-I Levels on Admission Are Associated With Worse Prognosis in Patients With Fulminant Myocarditis

Background

The clinical outcomes of patients with fulminant acute myocarditis (FAM) range from death to complete recovery. We sought to identify clinical, biological, and echocardiographic characteristics of prognostic value for this population.

Methods and Results

We prospectively included 185 patients with the diagnosis of acute myocarditis who were admitted to our institution between 2000 and 2007, selecting 15 who displayed FAM, namely, severe congestive heart failure or cardiogenic shock, requiring inotropic and/or mechanical circulatory support. Their mean age was 27.9 ± 12.4 years (range, 12-52) and mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 22 ± 8.4% (range, 10-35). Seven subjects had poor outcomes, defined as death (n = 4), urgent transplantation (x = 2), or persistent left ventricular dysfunction (n = 3). The other 6 individuals experienced complete recovery of ventricular function. Troponin-I values below 1 ng/mL on admission were significantly associated with greater in-hospital (P = .05) and mid-term poor outcomes (P = .001). Additionally, patients with poor outcomes showed significantly lower LVEF (17.6 ± 6.2% vs 28.8 ± 6.9%; P = .006).

Conclusion

Among patients with FAM, normal or minimal elevation of troponin-I and low LVEF on admission were associated with worse in-hospital and mid-term prognosis.     

Maximum principle for optimal control of anticipated forward–backward stochastic differential delayed systems with regime switching

This paper is concerned with a Pontryagin maximum principle for optimal control problem of stochastic system, which is described by an anticipated forward–backward stochastic differential delayed equation and modulated by a continuous‐time finite‐state Markov chain. We establish a necessary maximum principle and sufficient verification theorem for the optimal control by virtue of the duality method and convex analysis. To illustrate the theoretical results, we apply them to a recursive utility investment‐consumption problem, and the optimal consumption rate is derived explicitly. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Central anticholinergic syndrome vs. idiosyncratic reaction triggered by a small IV dose of atropine

A 58‐year‐old male was scheduled to undergo radical gastrectomy for cancer under general anesthesia. The patient developed agitation and irregular breathing after receiving a single dose of atropine (0.5 mg) to treat bradycardia immediately prior to induction of anesthesia. Within 5 min after the atropine injection, the patient became unresponsive with facial flushing and diaphoresis. When a drop in oxygen saturation was observed, a laryngeal mask airway was inserted after administering a small bolus dose of propofol (80 mg) and the patient was ventilated with 100% oxygen. Physostigmine was not administered because of the relatively low dose of atropine and the fact that his symptoms were not totally consistent with central anticholinergic syndrome (CAS). The differential diagnosis at the time also included an acute cardiovascular event and an idiosyncratic reaction to atropine. The patient fully recovered within 80 min from this highly unusual reaction to a single 0.5 mg IV dose of atropine.