Peritoneal dialysis patient survival: a comparison between a Swedish and a Korean centre.

BACKGROUND: Dialysis patient mortality remains high, and this high mortality may be due to many factors. In peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, old age, co-morbid diseases, malnutrition, low residual renal function (RRF) and a high peritoneal transport rate have been shown to influence survival, but the relative importance of these factors may differ between different patient populations. Besides, centre practice patterns may differ between centres and may influence patient survival. In addition, the literature suggests that dialysis patient survival may be better in Asian than in Caucasian patients. METHODS: The influence of centre and patient characteristics on patient survival was investigated in 132 Korean and 106 Swedish incident PD patients, who underwent initial biochemical measurements and assessment of adequacy of dialysis, nutritional status, RRF and peritoneal transport characteristics. RESULTS: At the start of PD, Korean patients had a higher prevalence of diabetes, peritoneal Kt/V(urea), peritoneal creatinine clearance and peritoneal fluid removal, and lower body mass index, RRF and dialysate to plasma creatinine concentration ratio (D/P Cr) compared with Swedish patients. Significantly more patients from Korea were placed on temporary haemodialysis before PD (100 out of 132) when compared with Swedish patients (21 out of 106). During the follow-up, there was a significantly higher rate of transfer to other units in Korea and a significantly higher rate of kidney transplantation in Sweden. On Kaplan-Meier analysis, overall patient survival did not differ and relative risk for death was also not different between the two centres even after adjustment for age, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, RRF and D/P Cr. On Cox proportional hazards multivariate analysis, age, diabetes, RRF and D/P Cr were found to be independent predictors of mortality in the combined cohort of patients. While age, diabetes and D/P Cr were independent predictors of mortality in Korean patients, age and RRF independently predicted mortality in Swedish patients. CONCLUSION: Although there were significant differences in centre and patient characteristics, we were unable to confirm a survival advantage for Korean over Swedish PD patients. The results of this study suggest that the reported difference in survival between Asian and Caucasian dialysis patients may have been due, in part, to differences in centre and patient characteristics rather than to race as such. The genetic influence on patient characteristics remains, however, to be elucidated.     

Voiding patterns in men and women with lower urinary tract symptoms combined with nocturia

AIM: We evaluated differences between men and women with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) combined with nocturia. METHODS: A total of 71 age-matched female-male pairs (median 58, range 20-81 years) who had moderate to severe LUTS and nocturia of more than once per night were enrolled in this study. RESULTS: In the younger group (<50 years), the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) results of the sexes were not significantly different. However, although total I-PSS results in the elderly group (> or =50 years) were not significantly different, quality of life index scores for women were higher (P = 0.002). On frequency-volume (FV) charts, mean total daytime voided volume (DVV) was significantly higher in younger men than in younger women (P = 0.017), but the mean nocturnal polyuria index (NPi) for women was higher than that for men (P = 0.047). However, maximum DVV (P = 0.009), mean DVV (P < 0.0001), total DVV (P < 0.0001), and mean nocturnal urine volume (P = 0.009) were significantly higher in elderly men than in elderly women. However, numbers of daytime voids were not different. CONCLUSION: Elderly women with LUTS have lower functional bladder capacities than elderly men, as suggested by their smaller mean voided volumes. However, no significant differences were observed between numbers of daytime voids, which was probably due to the smaller total daytime voided volumes of elderly women. In addition, although NPi for younger women and nocturnal urine volume for elderly men was higher, no other differences were observed in terms of other night-time parameters.     

Pituitary abscess in a pregnant woman.

Pituitary abscess is a rare and potentially lethal condition. Pituitary abscess in a pregnant woman has not been previously described. A 38-year-old pregnant woman (34 weeks gestation) with a pituitary mass complained of a progressive headache and sudden visual impairment. She was afebrile and had no inflammatory symptoms on admission. On MRI, the preoperative diagnosis was pituitary adenoma with sphenoid sinusitis. She underwent an uncomplicated transsphenoidal procedure for removal of the pituitary mass. The next day, labor commenced and a healthy preterm baby was delivered. Pathologic examination of the intrasellar mass showed polymorphonuclear cells, debris and no tumor cells. The sellar contents were cultured and Streptococcus viridans was grown. To our knowledge this is the first case of pituitary abscess reported during pregnancy. Although the patient was pregnant, the transsphenoidal approach was safe for the mother and the fetus. Surgical drainage and antibiotic therapy are required for the definitive treatment of this condition.     

Chlamydial infection of subcutaneous conjunctival transplants in guinea pigs

The development and testing of candidate vaccines for trachoma are constrained because only humans and nonhuman primates are susceptible to conjunctival infection with Chlamydia trachomatis. Guinea pig inclusion conjunctivitis (GPIC), an analogous disease of guinea pigs, provides a useful, less expensive model to study ocular chlamydial infections. GPIC is caused by a Chlamydia psittaci strain whose external constituents are very similar to those of C. trachomatis. To develop a better model for studying GPIC immunity, conjunctival pockets were established under the abdominal skin of guinea pigs by subcutaneous implantation. Up to six implants could be produced in each animal. The success rate of implantation was 79.0% (n = 148). These pockets were then infected with GPIC. The organism was recovered from the autografts indicating local replication, and tests for serum antibody by microimmunofluorescence showed production of GPIC-specific antibody of IgG and IgM classes after infection. There was minimal antibody response after moderate inoculating doses to the implants, and the titers increased more slowly than after eye infection with GPIC; with higher concentration of the inoculum, however, the antibody response increased to the same levels as with the ocular challenge but more slowly. Inoculation of pockets with GPIC also produced acute inflammatory changes in infected autografts (n = 101). Histologic examination of infected grafts showed chlamydial inclusions in epithelial cells and significant infiltration with lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear cells. Subcutaneous autografts may provide a useful model for chronologic studies of chlamydial infection. The delayed immunologic response, however, suggests that these pockets of implanted epithelium do not have full access to the immune system.     

Transforming Growth Factor-β1 Induces Apoptosis through Down-Regulation of c-mycGene and Overexpression of p27Protein in Cervical Carcinoma

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is known to be a potent growth inhibitor for many cell types, including most epithelial cells. In skin keratinocytes, TGF-β1 has been shown to inhibit growth and to rapidly reduce c-mycexpression. However, the molecular mechanism of TGF-β1 action on cell growth of cervical carcinoma has not yet been elucidated. We thus assessed the effect of TGF-β1 on the growth of cervical carcinoma cell lines. Two cervical squamous carcinoma cell lines, CUMC-3 and CUMC-6, were incubated with varying concentrations of TGF-β1, and growth inhibition was evaluated with tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay. After culture in TGF-β1 for 24 h, inhibition of growth was detected in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations of 0.1–10 ng/ml in both cell lines. This effect of TGF-β1 on cultured carcinoma cells was associated with apoptotic process including oligonucleosomal ladder DNA and apoptotic body formations. Northern blot analysis revealed c-mycmRNA expression was suppressed by 10 ng/ml of TGF-β1 following 3 h of treatment in both cell lines. Western blot analysis showed that the level of p27^Kip1protein was increased after TGF-β1 treatment in both cell lines. These results suggest that the mechanisms by which TGF-β1 inhibits the growth of cervical carcinoma are complex and may include effects on down-regulation of c-mycgene, and overexpression of p27^Kip1protein.     

扩大的椎板间开窗治疗腰椎间盘突出伴侧隐窝狭窄（附140例报告）

本组采用的扩大的椎板开窗术治疗腰椎间盘突出合并侧隐窝狭窄140例。结果全部优良，与适应症严格选择和手术损伤小有关。强调切除卡压神经根的侧隐窝后壁外侧，即上关节突的冠状面．不失其脊椎三柱系统的三角结构。俯卧位头低足高，可减少硬膜囊张力避免负损伤。切除棘突下椎板时，用神经拉勾代替神经剥离器易于分离黄韧带，用90度的椎板咬骨钳斜向棘突方向，可满意地切除该部份椎板黄韧带，并可刮切椎板内层。神经根周围滴入醋酸炎舒松A2-3ml，术后疼痛锐减。减压窗口置盖明胶海绵有其争议，作者实践体会放置害处不大，要求病人有“护腰”意识。     

Localization of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow using new stimulator for the inching test.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of the TenElectrodes, a new stimulator for inching test, in the diagnosis and localization of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE). METHODS: Sixty-two ulnar nerves in 40 control subjects and 24 ulnar nerves in 23 patients with typical symptoms and signs of UNE were studied. The inching test of ulnar motor nerve using TenElectrodes was done along 8 cm across the elbow in the extended position. RESULTS: In the inching test of the control group, the mean segmental latency difference was 0.19+/-0.08 ms. Maximal latency difference over a 1 cm segment did not exceed 0.40 ms in any of the controls but exceeded 0.5 ms or more in all clinical UNE patients. In all UNE patients, the lesion sites were identified by the inching test using TenElectrodes: the retroepicondylar groove (54.2%), the humeroulnar arcade (29.2%), and dual compression (16.6%). CONCLUSIONS: TenElectrodes is a useful stimulator for the inching test in the diagnosis of UNE. The precise localization of compression was possible in all patients with UNE and the most common site was the retroepicondylar groove.     

Changes in heart rate and rhythm after intramuscular succinylcholine with or without atropine in anesthetized children

The effects of intramuscular injections of succinylcholine with or without atropine on heart rate and rhythm were studied in 50 unpremedicated children 6-18 months of age. All had anesthesia induced with N2O-O2 and halothane 2% by face mask. Sixty seconds later, one of four study drugs or drug combinations was injected into the deltoid muscle of patients in groups 1-4. Following injection, halothane concentration was reduced to 1%, and ventilation was controlled. Patients given atropine only (0.02 mg/kg), succinylcholine only (4 mg/kg), or a combination of both (4 mg/kg succinylcholine plus 0.02 mg/kg atropine) showed transient increases in heart rate to 106 +/- 7.5%, 113 +/- 11.8%, and 109 +/- 10.1% (mean +/- SD) of control, followed by a decrease to 78 +/- 6.7%, 79 +/- 9.4%, and 80 +/- 10.5%, respectively, in 2-3 min after injection. Patients given a combination of succinylcholine (4 mg/kg) plus a higher dose of atropine (0.03 mg/kg) also had a transient increase in heart rate to 107 +/- 7.5%, followed by a decrease to 82 +/- 11.8% 2 min after injection. However, this group differed from the other three groups in presenting a second, prolonged increase in heart rate to 115 +/- 9.0% of preinjection levels. Patients in group 5 (controls) received no injections. Their heart rate decreased to 76 +/- 10.78% of preinduction level within 90 sec of induction, and remained unchanged thereafter. We conclude that succinylcholine (4 mg/kg) can be used intramuscularly with or without atropine (0.02 mg/kg) in lightly anesthetized young children without producing severe bradycardia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)