Oral contraceptives and plasma lipids

The effects of 2 types of oral contraceptives (OCs) on plasma lipids in 45 healthy women were studied. The women received 1 mg lynestrenol plus .1 mg mestranol (Days 5-27), 4 mg megesterol acetate plus .05 mg ethinyl estradiol (Days 5-26), or .05 mg megesterol acetate daily for 3 months. Blood samples were collected prior to medication and subsequently in each of 3 consecutive cycles during medication between Days 23 and 26. The only change observed was a significant rise (p .05) in beta lipoproteins with a corresponding decline in alpha lipoproteins in the group receiving lynestrenol plus mestranol. It is concluded that if the desired efficacy and minimum clinical side effects can be obtained, either progestogens alone or progestogens with a small dose of estrogen should be the choice of medication.     

Paclitaxel for AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma

Treatment options are limited for patients with advanced acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related Kaposi's sarcoma (AIDS-KS). The management of early stage cutaneous AIDS-KS has been revolutionized by the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy and for most patients highly active antiretroviral therapy alone will control early stage AIDS-KS. However, patients with advanced stage Kaposi's sarcoma with visceral disease, tumor-associated edema or extensive oral disease require systemic chemotherapy in addition to antiretrovirals. The standard first-line therapy for these affected individuals is a liposomal anthracycline, and response rates of around 70% are usually achieved. For patients with refractory or recurrent AIDS-KS, treatment algorithms are less well defined. The use of paclitaxel in these circumstances is reviewed.     

Extra articular arthroscopic release in post-traumatic stiff knees: a prospective study of endoscopic quadriceps and patellar release

Knee stiffness due to mismanaged trauma is still common in underdeveloped countries. Many patients with distal femoral fractures, patellar injuries or other local trauma present with intra-articular and extra-articular adhesions between the quadriceps and anterior femur. Nineteen knees with post trauma stiffness due to combined intra- and extra- articular aetiology were taken up for arthroscopic aided release after failing an aggressive physiotherapy protocol. Ultrasound was used to identify the extra-articular adhesions. The intra-articular part of the release was done by a standard protocol involving the release of all infrapatellar, suprapatellar and gutter adhesions, and then the extra-articular proximal adhesions were released by using special long periosteal elevators and arthroscopic scissors. We were able to release the adhesions as high as 9 inches above the patella, and in one case bony ankylosis between the patella and the femur was arthroscopically osteotomised (after 11 years of stiffness). Delay before surgery averaged 2.7 years (6 months-11.3 years). Mean active flexion at one year follow-up improved from 27.3 degrees to 119.3 degrees (average increase: 92 degrees). Mean preoperative extension lag reduced from 6 degrees to 1 degrees postoperatively. No CPM machine was available, and patients had to undergo daily manual and assisted therapy, with appropriate analgesia. Overall patient satisfaction was excellent; one patient developed a supracondylar fracture (infected old fracture with bone loss and severe contracture) and was retrospectively a wrong case selection. Arthroscopic aided quadriceps adhesion release is a good option in cases of neglected trauma; results are excellent even without sophisticated CPM machines, and the periosteal elevators needed are cheap and indigenous.     

Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada magnetic resonance imaging index for assessment of spinal inflammation in ankylosing spondylitis

OBJECTIVE: To develop a feasible magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based scoring system for spinal inflammation in patients with spondylarthropathy that requires minimal scan time, does not require contrast enhancement, evaluates the extent of lesions in 3 dimensional planes, and limits the number of vertebral levels that are scored because MRI demonstrates characteristic inflammatory lesions in the spine of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) prior to the development of typical features on plain radiographic. METHODS: Our scoring method was based entirely on the assessment of increased signal denoting bone marrow edema on T2-weighted STIR sequences. Blinded MRI films were assessed in random order at 2 sites by 3 blinded readers at each of the 2 sites (the Universities of Alberta and Toronto). Intra- and interreader reliability was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient. The 24-week response of patients with AS randomized to infliximab:placebo (8:3) was assessed by effect size and standardized response mean. RESULTS: An initial analysis of all discovertebral units (DVUs) in the spine of 11 patients demonstrated a mean of 3.2 (95% confidence interval 3.2, 5.2) affected units, while limiting the scoring to a maximum of 6 units captured most of the affected units. We scanned 11 patients with AS with clinically active disease and 20 additional patients randomized to a 24-week trial of either infliximab or placebo. Intraobserver reproducibility for the 6-DVU STIR score ranged from 0.93 to 0.98 (P < 0.0001). Interobserver reproducibility of scores by readers from both sites was 0.79 (P < 0.0001) for status score and 0.82 (P < 0.0001) for change score. Analysis of pretreatment and posttreatment scores for all 20 patients randomized to infliximab/placebo showed a large degree of responsiveness (standardized response mean = 0.87). Reproducibility and responsiveness were only slightly improved by using contrast enhancement with gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid. CONCLUSION: The Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada MRI index is a feasible, reproducible, and responsive index for measuring spinal inflammation in AS.     

Sustained, spontaneous disappearance of serum HCV-RNA under immunosuppression after liver transplantation for HCV cirrhosis

Immunosuppression is a main determinant for the increased Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) replication after liver transplantation and the accelerated course of recurrent HCV liver disease. We present two patients both with diabetes, renal dysfunction with proteinuria converted to sirolimus therapy, who cleared serum HCV RNA without antiviral treatment. This is a potentially important observation that should stimulate study into factors that may help viral clearance from blood.     

A randomised double-blind comparison of epidural fentanyl versus fentanyl and bupivicaine for pain relief in the second stage of labour

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness of two different methods for epidural analgesia in the second stage of labour-fentanyl alone versus the usual mixture of bupivicaine and fentanyl. DESIGN: A double-blind, randomised, controlled trial. SETTING: An English maternity hospital. SAMPLE: Eighty nulliparous women in the second stage of labour. METHODS: After successful institution of epidural analgesia with a continuous infusion of bupivicaine/fentanyl mixture in the first stage of labour, the patients were randomised at full dilatation to receive either continuation of the same solution or a change to a fentanyl-only solution given at the same rate. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mode of delivery, duration of the second stage and quality of analgesia. RESULTS: There was no difference in the number of instrumental deliveries (30%vs 27.5%) or the duration of the second stage (141 vs 147 minutes) between the bupivicaine/fentanyl and fentanyl groups, respectively. The bupivicaine/fentanyl group demonstrated a lower need for rescue epidural analgesia (1 vs 6, RR 0.2, 95% CI 0.02-1.3) and significantly fewer high pain scores (11 vs 20, RR 0.6, 95% CI 0.3-1.0). CONCLUSION: Second stage epidural analgesia with fentanyl did not alter delivery outcomes or labour duration but resulted in poorer analgesia.     

Diagnosis and management of gastro-oesophageal reflux in preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units

Aim: There is relatively little published information regarding gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) in preterm infants, therefore the aim of this study was to elucidate the incidence of GOR and management regimes employed for this condition in major neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Methods: A standard questionnaire was sent to consultants in 77 level II (or secondary) and III (or tertiary) NICUs. Results: Seventy-eight percent of consultants responded. Of babies born in these units, 40% were less than 34 wk gestational age and the estimated incidence of GOR in this group was 22%. GOR was diagnosed on a clinical basis alone in 42% of units, 8% used clinical features and/or investigations, and 50% used clinical features plus investigations and/or therapeutic trials. Intra-oesophageal pH monitoring was available in 93% of units but used regularly in only 32% of suspected cases. Common treatment strategies for diagnosed GOR included non-drug options—body positioning (98%) and placement on a slope (96%); and drugs—H ₂ -receptor antagonists (100%), feed thickeners (98%), antacids (96%), prokinetic agents (79%), proton-pump inhibitors (65%) and dopamine-receptor antagonists (53%). However, the frequency with which all of these treatments were used varied widely between units. Surgery was required in only 1% of cases.

Conclusions: GOR is perceived to be a common condition in preterm infants but the lack of published evidence relating to the management of GOR in preterm infants is reflected in the wide variation in diagnostic and treatment strategies used in major NICUs. It is clear that randomized, controlled trials to evaluate appropriate and effective treatments are needed.     

The influence of pulmonary artery morphology on the results of operations for major aortopulmonary collateral arteries and complex congenital heart defects

OBJECTIVE: Congenital heart defects with major aortopulmonary collateral arteries show marked variability in the size and distribution of native pulmonary arteries. We sought to classify the size and distribution of native pulmonary arteries and to determine their influence on surgical outcome. METHODS: Between 1989 and 2002, 164 patients underwent surgical intervention for congenital heart defects with major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (median age, 10 months). Three patterns of native pulmonary arteries were identified: intrapericardial native pulmonary arteries present (group I); confluent intrapulmonary native pulmonary arteries without intrapericardial native pulmonary arteries (group II); and nonconfluent intrapulmonary native pulmonary arteries (group III). Thirty-seven (23%) patients had single-stage and 76 (47%) patients had multistage complete repair. Thirty (18%) patients await septation, and 8 (5.0%) patients are not septatable. Follow-up is 98% complete (median follow-up, 5.8 years). RESULTS: In the 164 patients there were 15 (9.1%) early and 12 (7.3%) late deaths. Early mortality after complete repair was 4.4% (n = 5). Actuarial survival was 90% +/- 3% and 85% +/- 4% at 1 and 10 years, respectively. Actuarial freedom from surgical or catheter reintervention in septated patients was 77% +/- 4% and 45% +/- 8% at 1 and 10 years, respectively. On multivariate analysis, the morphology of the native pulmonary arteries was the only factor that influenced actuarial survival after complete repair (P =.04). Group III had the highest risk of death after septation (P =.008). Group II fared better than group III after the initial operation (P <.05). CONCLUSIONS: Current classifications of congenital heart defects with major aortopulmonary collateral arteries are based on the presence or absence of intrapericardial pulmonary arteries. We have identified a subgroup without intrapericardial native pulmonary arteries but with confluent intrapulmonary native pulmonary arteries. This group has a better outcome than those with nonconfluent intrapulmonary native pulmonary arteries.