Islet Xenotransplantation: Are We Really Ready for Clinical Trials?

Four clinical trials of porcine islet transplantation have been reported, and there are verbal reports that clinical trials on much larger scales are continuing in centers in China and Russia. The four reported trials are briefly reviewed and, in the light of the present status of experimental islet xenotransplantation, consideration is given to whether such trials are currently justified. The Ethics Committee of the International Xenotransplantation Association has (1) emphasized the need for encouraging studies in non-human primates before clinical trials should be undertaken, (2) mandatory monitoring for the transfer of porcine microorganisms, and (3) careful regulation and oversight by recognized bodies. Other aspects of the topic, such as the need for informed consent, are briefly discussed. We conclude that, at the present time, more data documenting convincing efficacy, focused on clinically applicable immunosuppressive regimens, are needed to justify the initiation of closely monitored clinical trials. A clinical trial may then be justified even though the potential risk to the patients, and possibly for society, will not be zero.     

Notification of rheumatic fever in South Africa -- evidence for underreporting by health care professionals and administrators.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether under-reporting of rheumatic fever occurs at hospital, municipal, provincial and national levels of the South African health system. BACKGROUND: Information on the incidence of rheumatic fever (RF) and the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is required for the prevention of valvular heart disease in developing countries. In South Africa, RF was made a notifiable condition in 1989. It has recently been suggested that the reporting of RF cases may be incomplete, possibly because of underreporting by health care professionals and deficient administration of the disease notification system in South Africa. METHOD AND RESULTS: We assessed whether underreporting of RF cases occurs by comparing the numbers of RF cases reported per year at hospital, municipal, provincial and national levels from 1990 to 2004. There was a fall in the number of RF cases reported per year at national and provincial level over the 15 years of observation. A detailed analysis of the number of RF cases reported at hospital, municipal and provincial level for a 5-year period showed that more cases were diagnosed in one hospital (serving a smaller population) than were captured at municipal and provincial level (serving a larger population), suggesting underreporting by health care professionals. There were discrepancies in the number of cases reported at municipal, provincial and national level, suggesting poor administration of the notification system. CONCLUSION: There appears to be underreporting of RF cases by health care professionals, and poor administration of the RF notification system. Health care professionals need to be educated about the statutory requirement to notify all RF cases in South Africa. An effective national disease notification system is required.     

Mechanismen der arteriellen Restenose und Therapieansätze zur Prävention

Both vascular surgery and endovascular interventions traumatise the arterial wall, especially the endothelium. The vessel responds with neointimal hyperplasia and/or constrictive remodelling, and this is still the limiting factor in curative interventions. Stent placement prevents constrictive remodelling but is the main trigger for in-stent restenosis. Hyperproliferation of neointimal tissue is the main response to arterial thrombosis, local inflammation or medio-intimal injury such as occurs, for example, after balloon dilatation in the region of arterial anastomoses or of a thrombectomy (Fogarty-manoeuvre). At present, research on prevention of restenosis is focused on inhibiting neointimal hyperproliferation by using drug-eluting stents, and especially sirolimus- or paclitaxel-eluting stents. In addition, further experimental research work is in progress, with the aim of esablishing new treatment regimens and solving the problem of neointimal formation, thrombosis and constrictive remodelling. These include both local and systemic pharmacological therapy, brachy- and laser therapy, and many genetic treatment options, some of which are currently the subjects of experimental studies and early-stage clinical trials. Gene therapy seems like a promising way of preventing restenosis, but has not yet been tested in clinical trials. In the near future, selective, simultaneous, and perhaps even polyphasic regulation for gene silencing of two or more genes involved in the development of restenosis could improve the long-term patency rate.     

Ultrasound imaging of the lower urinary tract after successful tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes in the mobility of the whole urethra, in the proximal urethra (funneling) and in the thickness of the urinary bladder wall, after a successful tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure. METHODS: This prospective longitudinal study included 52 women with urodynamically confirmed stress urinary incontinence who had undergone a successful TVT procedure. Ultrasound examination was performed before the TVT procedure and at a median of 3 (range, 3-6) months after surgery. For all women, the changes to the urethra and urinary bladder induced by surgery were examined. For three mobility groups (low, intermediate and high urethral mobility before surgery) we compared the changes induced by the operation and the typical position and mobility of the tape. RESULTS: The position of the urethra at rest was not influenced by surgery. The operation significantly decreased the mobility of all parts of the urethra during Valsalva. The absolute changes of the vector of the urethral movement differed according to the mobility group (average decrease, 6 mm; decrease for women with low, intermediate and high mobility, respectively, 2-3 mm, 4-6 mm and 9 mm). The change in relative mobility was the same in all groups. The operation decreased funneling (width and depth) during maximal Valsalva. After surgery there was an increase in the thickness of the bladder wall (by 0.64 and 0.73 mm, respectively, at the anterior part and trigone). CONCLUSIONS: A successful TVT procedure did not influence the position of the urethra at rest but significantly decreased the mobility of the urethra during Valsalva and also decreased funneling at maximal Valsalva.     

Incidence of asthma and net change in symptoms in relation to changes in obesity.

The incidence of asthma has been reported to be associated with obesity. An alternative analysis, of net change in prevalence, does not require exclusion of those with asthma at baseline. Follow-up data were obtained from 9,552 participants in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey and the Swiss cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung Disease in Adults. Incidence of asthma was analysed by proportional hazards regression, and net changes in symptoms and asthma status by generalised estimating equations, by obesity group. Incidence and net change in ever having had asthma were greater in females than in males, and in participants who remained obese compared with those who were never obese (hazard ratio 2.00, 95% confidence interval 1.25-3.20; excess net change 2.8%, 0.4-5.3% per 10 yrs). The effect of being obese on net change in diagnosed asthma was greater in females than in males, but for net change in wheeze without a cold it was greater in males. The present results are consistent with asthma being more frequently diagnosed in females, especially obese females. These findings may help to explain the reports of a stronger association between asthma and obesity in females than in males.     

Preservation of Bile Ductules Mitigates Bile Duct Loss

The finer branches of the biliary tree (FBBT) contain a regenerative compartment. We hypothesized that preservation of the FBBT together with its microvasculature will lead to recovery of biliary damage and prolonged preservation of bile ductules during the development of chronic liver allograft rejection. The interlobular bile ducts, portal bile ductules and extraportal biliary cells with and without microvessels were studied in sequential biopsies in five patients who fulfilled the Banff criteria of early chronic rejection (CR) (imminence group). Biopsies of CR patients (n = 12) served as controls. Biopsies were double immunostained with CD34 (microvessels) and cytokeratin 7 (biliary structures). Proliferation and proangiogenic activity were assessed with Ki67 and VEGF-A immunostaining. Severe damage of bile ducts in the imminence group did not progress to significant bile duct loss. This was associated with a high proliferative activity in all biliary structures and preservation of the microvascular compartment. VEGF-A expression was increased in all but the reperfusion biopsies. In conclusion, both regenerative activity of the FBBT and an intact microvascular compartment are associated with less damage of the biliary tree and could therefore be prerequisites for biliary regeneration.