Analysis of the Liver Effluent as a Marker of Preservation Injury and Early Graft Performance

In liver transplantation, the effluent solution, which represents the washout of residual preservation solution, can be collected before reperfusion to determine the release of the markers of endothelial cell injury and damage to the liver. The enzyme activities detected in the washout solution may allow the development of an index that could be clinically valuable for the prediction of early posttransplant graft function. In the present study, we collected liver effluents from 47 livers at the time of graft rinsing to measure liver enzymes (aminotransferases and lactate dehydrogenase) as well as the serum enzyme levels of the recipients for correlation with early postoperative graft viability (1-month survival). The patients were divided into two groups: death (D) and survival (S). Nonparametric statistical analysis was used with the level of significance set at P < .05. Aminotransferases and lactate dehydrogenase levels higher among the D group (P < .05 for all measurements), leading us to conclude that the effluent represents a good marker of preservation injury and early graft performance.     

Ectopic Placement of Sengstaken-Blakemore Device to Correct Outflow Obstruction in Liver Transplantation: Case Reports

Liver transplantation is a complex procedure that has become the treatment for some end-stage liver diseases. Some technical features are important for the success of the transplantation, including the patency of the vascular anastomoses. In cadaveric whole organ liver transplantation, a large right subphrenic space may contribute to a twist of the inferior vena cava, leading to outflow obstruction, simulating an acute Budd-Chiari syndrome. Some devices can be used to correct this drainage problem. Herein, we have described 2 cases in which the Sengstaken-Blakemore balloon was safely used, in an ectopic position, to fix drainage complications in whole liver orthotopic transplantation.     

Safety profile of morphine following surgery in neonates.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of morphine on duration of mechanical ventilation, apnoea and hypotension among full-term neonates who underwent thoracic or abdominal surgery in a level III neonatal intensive care unit. METHOD: Medical records of 82 infants were reviewed retrospectively and data including patient demographics, clinical diagnosis, type of surgery, postoperative opioid administration, duration of mechanical ventilation, hypotension, apnoea and pain scores (premature infant pain profile (PIPP) score) were collected. RESULT: Sixty-two neonates (76%) received morphine following surgery as a continuous intravenous infusion during the postoperative period. Linear regression analysis showed that morphine dosage and duration were significantly associated with the duration of mechanical ventilation. An increase in morphine infusion rate by 10 microg kg(-1) h(-1) was associated with an increase in the duration of mechanical ventilation by 24 h (P<0.0001) and an increase in morphine duration of 1 hour was associated with a longer duration of mechanical ventilation by 38 min (P<0.0001). Logistic regression analysis showed no association between morphine infusion rate or duration and hypotension. Apnoea was not associated with morphine dosage or duration of infusion in neonates receiving morphine following extubation. Score on the PIPP correlated significantly with morphine infusion rate across time (r=0.47, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Postoperative morphine dose and duration may prolong the duration of mechanical ventilation but there are no significant dose-dependent effects on other parameters including apnoea or hypotension following extubation in term neonates. More research is needed to determine the safety profile of morphine for management of pain in non-ventilated neonates.     

Clinical and pathological features of an Alzheimer's disease patient with the MAPT Delta K280 mutation

We identified a case of Alzheimer's disease with a deletion of the lysine residue at codon 280 (DeltaK280) in exon 10-encoded microtubule-binding repeat domain of the tau gene (MAPT). This mutation was originally identified in a sporadic case of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) with a family history of Parkinson's disease. In the original report, the authors were careful in their assessment of the pathogenicity and suggested one could not be sure whether the mutation was pathogenic or not. The mutation has always presented a conundrum because it is the only known mutation, of assumed pathogenicity, which increases the proportion of 3-repeat tau mRNA in in vitro assays. Here we present the clinical and pathological features of a new case with this mutation and discuss whether the mutation is indeed pathogenic.     

Polymorphisms in exons 1B and 1C of the type I interleukin-1 receptor gene in patients with endometriosis

To study possible correlation between the prevalence of polymorphisms in the type I interleukin-1 receptor gene and pelvic endometriosis. Genotypes of 223 women were analyzed: 109 women with surgically and histologically confirmed endometriosis and 114 healthy women. Distributions of two single-base polymorphisms of the human interleukin-1 receptor type I (IL-1RI) gene were evaluated: PstI, due to a C-->T transition in exon 1B and BsrBI a C-->A transition at position 52 in exon 1C. Polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP) resolved on 3% agarose gels stained with ethidium bromide. Genotypes for PstI polymorphisms did not differ significantly among control and endometriosis (P = 0.058). However, in relation to BsrBI polymorphism, protective risk was observed for the development of endometriosis [OR 0.39-IC 95% (0.2-0.9)]. BsrBI heterozygote genotype (C/A) showed protective effect against endometriosis development.     

Comparison of redox and D29 phage methods for detection of isoniazid and rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Rapid, accurate and inexpensive methods are essential to detect drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis and allow timely application of effective treatment and precautions to prevent transmission. The proportion method, the MTT and Alamar Blue redox methods, and the D29 mycobacteriophage assay, were compared for their ability to detect resistance to isoniazid and rifampicin. When tested against a panel of known M. tuberculosis strains, the redox methods and the D29 assay showed good sensitivity and specificity compared to the proportion method, suggesting that they could be useful alternatives for identifying multidrug resistance in M. tuberculosis.