Preliminary report of altered insulin secretion pattern in monochorionic twin pregnancies complicated with selective intrauterine growth restriction

Objective

Fetuses with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) have adaptive hormonal changes including changes in insulin, which may increase their future risks for developing diabetes mellitus. This study compared cord blood insulin concentrations in IUGR and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) fetuses in a monochorionic (MC) twin model.

What influences early hypothyroidism after radioiodine treatment for Graves' hyperthyroidism?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the factors influencing the occurrence of early hypothyroidism after radioiodine treatment of Graves' hyperthyroidism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Of 147 patients with Graves' disease (GD) treated with radioactive I-131 (RAI) in our thyroid clinic between July 2003 and December 2004, 84 were followed at 2 and 4 to 5 months after treatment. The age range was 12 to 75 years and the dosage range in these patients was 7.4 to 29.9 mCi. Twenty-four were males and 60 were females. Factors possibly contributing to post-RAI hypothyroidism are: dosage of I-131, age, gender, size of the gland, initial serum free T4, free T3, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, pretreatment with antithyroid drugs, radioactive iodine uptake, and duration of disease. RESULTS: All patients had low TSH, elevated FT4, and elevated radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) at 4 and/or 24 hours. Of the 84 patients followed, 46% of the males and 62% of the females became hypothyroid at 4 to 5 months (57% of the total). Twenty-one patients remained hyperthyroid and 14 patients became euthyroid. Multivariate analysis of these 84 patients showed no statistically significant single contributing factor for the development of early hypothyroidism. CONCLUSION: The early onset of hypothyroidism after RAI in GD is very common (57%) and unpredictable. Thus, after RAI treatment, all patients must be closely monitored for the development of this disorder.     

A model of periodontitis in the rat: effect of lipopolysaccharide on bone resorption, osteoclast activity, and local peptidergic innervation

OBJECTIVE: To establish and characterise a rat model of periodontitis that reiterates the features of human disease. METHODS: Periodontal inflammation was induced by a single injection of 10 microg liposaccharide (LPS) (Salmonella typhimurium) in 1 microl saline into rat mandibular gingiva at the buccomesial aspect of the second molar. Animals were killed after 3, 7 and 10 days, mandibles dissected and sectioned for histological and immunocytochemical analysis. RESULTS: LPS injection resulted in a significant gingival and periodontal inflammation with inflammatory infiltrate, apical migration of the junctional epithelium, interdental bone loss, and activation of osteoclasts at the site of injection 7 and 10 days after injection. At 10 days post injection, there was a significant trend for bone loss on both sides of the mandible. Periodontal inflammation was associated with alteration in the levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity in nerve terminals innervating the inflamed gingival papilla. CONCLUSION: Intragingival injection of LPS in the rat provides an easily induced reproducible experimental model of periodontal inflammation that reiterates features of human disease.     

Prophylactic treatment for preeclampsia in high-risk teenage primigravidae with nitric oxide donors: a pilot study

Objectives: Preeclampsia is associated with significant morbidity and mortality especially in high-risk groups. Impairment of endogenous nitric oxide has been shown to be associated with the disease and prophylactic therapy may ameliorate this condition and improve pregnancy outcome. This study valuated nitric oxide donors prophylactic treatment for preeclampsia in high-risk teenage primigravidae.

Methods: The study included three hundred primigravidae aged?≤?20 years with singleton pregnancy. Abdominal pulsed color Doppler ultrasound was done at 24 weeks gestation and pregnancies with uterine artery diastolic notch were randomly allocated to a control group received placebo vaginal tablets and a study group received isosorbid mononitrate 20?mg tablet once daily applied vaginally until delivery.

Outcomes: Incidence of preeclampsia and maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcome in both groups.

Results: The study group had significant lower incidence of preeclampsia, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction and of neonatal admission to the intensive care (p?<?0.05).

Conclusions: Nitric oxide donors prophylactic treatment for preeclampsia in high-risk teenage pregnancies decrease the incidence of preeclampsia and improve maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes. Further studies on larger sample size are required to confirm these results.     

Predictors of airway and parenchymal lung abnormalities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Aim of the workTo investigate the frequency and types of pulmonary involvement using high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and to identify different disease parameters as predictors of lung involvement.Patients and MethodsOne hundred RA patients were recruited from El-Maadi Armed Forces Rheumatology clinic. Spirometry, plain X-ray chest, and HRCT were performed. Disease activity score (DAS28) and Larsen score were assessed.ResultsThey were 77 females and 23 males with a mean age of 55.7 ± 11.4 years and disease duration of 14.9 ± 6.8 years. Extra-articular manifestations included pleura-pulmonary involvement (33%), eye dryness (30%) and skin nodules (13%). PFTs showed abnormalities in 38%. X-ray chest abnormalities were found in 12 patients as follows: pleural effusion (3%), atelectasis in (6%), pulmonary nodules (2%) and hyperinflated chest (3%). Abnormal HRCT findings were found in 68% of the patients: ground glass opacity (GGO) in 36 (52.9%), air trapping in 26 (38.2%), thickened septal/non-septal lines in 21 (30.9%), nodules in 17 (25%), Caplan’s syndrome in 8 (11.8%) and bronchial wall thickening in 8 (11.8%) while 3 (4.4%) showed honey combing and bronchiectasis. Passive smoking, chronic cough, Larsen score and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) titre were significant predictors of lung involvement as detected by HRCT.ConclusionHRCT of the chest was found to be a more sensitive measure than spirometry to diagnose pulmonary abnormalities. Passive smoking, chronic cough, disease severity and high anti-CCP titre were significant independent predictors of lung involvement as detected by PFT and HRCT among rheumatoid patients.