Frequency and cause of cardiac troponin T elevation in chronic hemodialysis patients from study of cardiovascular magnetic resonance

Cardiac troponin T level predicts a gradient risk for death in patients using hemodialysis. We used cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) to determine whether an asymptomatic increase of troponin T in patients using hemodialysis is associated with subclinical myocardial infarction (MI). Twenty-six patients using long-term hemodialysis (49 +/- 12 years of age, 19 men, 8 diabetics) with left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction >40% and no known coronary artery disease were selected based on a low-risk troponin T level /=0.07 ng/ml (median 0.15, interquartile range 0.09 to 0.19, n = 13). All underwent CMR imaging for LV mass and for MI by late gadolinium enhancement. Between high- and low-risk patients using hemodialysis, there were no differences in age, gender, ethnicity, or diabetes mellitus. Of the high-risk patients, 3 (23%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5 to 54) had MI by late gadolinium enhancement versus 0 (0%, 95% CI 0 to 25) low-risk patients (p = 0.22). A diffuse, midwall late gadolinium enhancement pattern was seen in 1 high-risk patient (8%) versus 0 low-risk patient (0%, 95% CI 0 to 25, p = 0.97). Height-adjusted LV mass and LV hypertrophy were not significantly different between high-risk (62 +/- 26 g/m(2.7), LV hypertrophy, n = 7, 54%) and low-risk (54 +/- 20 g/m(2.7), LV hypertrophy, n = 5, 39%) patients (p = 0.37 for LV mass, p = 0.69 for LV hypertrophy). In conclusion, MI detected by CMR is present in few patients on hemodialysis with high troponin T levels and absent in the setting of very low troponin T levels, suggesting that additional myocardial pathologies cause increased troponin T in patients using hemodialysis.     

Total Parathyroidectomy Without Autotransplantation for Secondary Hyperparathyroidism

Background  To treat secondary hyperparathyroidism with subtotal parathyroidectomy or total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation might cause the disease to recur because of growth of the parathyroid remnant or the autografts. The aim of the present study was to determinate an alternative surgical treatment for secondary hyperparathyroidism. Methods  Of 94 uremic patients, 44 (median age: 50.5 years; 33 women/11 men) were assigned to group A, patients who were not expected to receive kidney transplantation for various reasons and had total parathyroidectomy without autotransplantation; 50 (median age 46 years; 33 women/17 men) were assigned to group B, patients who had either total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation or subtotal total parathyroidectomy with preservation of parathyroid tissue in situ. Parameters measured included demographics, perioperative and follow-up biochemistry tests, operative time, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, patients’ compliance with the postoperative calcium and 1,25 dihydroxy-viatmin D supplementation regimen, symptom relief, and presence of recurrence. Results  Mean operative times were 103 and 122 min (P = 0.007); postoperative complication rates were 18.2% and 12.0% (P = 0.563); mean hospital stays were 6 and 9 days (P = 0.259); adequate patient compliance with the postoperative calcium and 1,25 dihydroxy-viatmin D regimens were 84.1% and 78.0%, respectively (P = 0.6); symptom relief rates were 88.6% and 80.0% (P = 0.277). Recurrence rates over 60 months in group A and group B were 4.5% and 18.0%, resectively (P = 0.028 by Kaplan-Meier analysis). Conclusions  Because of the lower recurrent rate and shorter operative time, total parathyroidectomy without autotransplantation may be an option for treating patients with symptomatic secondary hyperparathyroidism who are not expected to receive kidney transplantation.     

Infected congenital splenic cyst associated with duodenal duplication cyst and malrotation--a case report

Congenital splenic cyst is a rare entity. A potential complication of this anomaly is infection. We report on an 18-month-old boy who had Salmonella enterocolitis and 2 weeks later was found to have an infected splenic cyst. At surgery, a duodenal duplication cyst and malrotation of the gut were incidentally found. Infected splenic cysts usually occur in older children or adults. To the best of our knowledge, congenital splenic cyst has not previously been reported in association with other malformations.     

Music during bronchoscopic examination: the physiological effects. A randomized trial

BACKGROUND: Patients scheduled for bronchoscopic procedures are often anxious and frightened. Reduction in the state of anxiety during an invasive procedure may prevent some possible complications. Music has been proposed as a safe nonpharmacological antianxiety intervention. OBJECTIVE: We followed up physiological indicators of anxiety (blood pressure, heart rate) during bronchoscopic examination to determine the effect of music on the level of anxiety. METHODS: Two hundred adult patients were included in the study. Blood pressure, heart rate, procedures performed during bronchoscopy and duration of examination were monitored. Patients' overall feelings during the procedure were rated from 0 (without unpleasant feelings) to 10 (unbearable). All patients used the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). RESULTS: Two hundred adult patients referred for bronchoscopy were included in the study: 93 patients received music during the procedure and 107 served as control. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of age, sex, indications for bronchoscopy, procedures performed during bronchoscopy, duration of the examination and patients' subjective perception of the procedure. The mean hart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly lower in the music group compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the application of music reduces anxiety during bronchoscopic examination as physiological indicators of anxiety, the mean heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, were significantly lower in the music group.     

Toward standardization of cardiac troponin I measurements part II: assessing commutability of candidate reference materials and harmonization of cardiac troponin I assays

BACKGROUND: Cardiac tropoin I (cTnI) measurements show an approximately 20- to 40-fold difference between assays, and better standardization and harmonization are needed. Toward this goal, the AACC cTnI Standardization Committee collaborated with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in an earlier study to select 2 candidate reference materials (cRMs). METHODS: Two troponin cRMs, a troponin C-troponin I-troponin T (CIT) complex from human heart tissue and a CIT complex from recombinant technology, were supplied to NIST for assessment of composition and purity, and cTnI value assignment. These cRMs and 6 cTnI-positive human serum pools were shipped to manufacturers of 15 cTnI assays. Commutability of the materials was examined by determining the numerical relationship for the cRM preparations between each manufacturer-specified field method and each of the other 14 field methods. These relationships were then compared with the corresponding numerical relationships for the human serum pools. Harmonization of methods was accomplished by determining regression parameters relative to the analytical system yielding values closest to the median for each serum pool. These regression parameters were used to recalculate pool values to harmonize the assays. Interassay CVs before and after harmonization were determined. RESULTS: Characterization of the CIT and CI cRMs showed that these materials were of specified composition. The proportion of cTnI methods that demonstrated commutability for the CIT cRM was 45%; for the CI cRM, 39% of methods demonstrated commutability. Interassay cTnI variability for the field methods ranged from 82% to 97%, median 88%. After harmonization, variability of the serum pools for the cTnI methods was decreased to between 9.0% and 23%, median 15.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of methods demonstrating commutability was too low for use as a common calibrator for the cTnI field methods. However a simple strategy using serum pools can improve harmonization of field cTnI methods by more than 5-fold. The CIT cRM was selected by the AACC cTnI standardization committee, and a new lot has been classified as the cTnI certified reference material Standard Reference Material 2921 by NIST.