Noninvasive Intracranial Cerebral Flow Velocity Evaluation in the Emergency Department by Emergency Physicians

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is an accepted modality for the evaluation of cerebral blood flow velocities. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of bedside TCD measurement in the emergency department (ED) with critically ill, intubated patients. METHODS: A prospective convenience sample of patients presenting to a university hospital over a two-month period underwent TCD evaluation of the middle cerebral artery. Intubated patients with head trauma and any patient requiring tracheal intubation were eligible. A 2-MHz Doppler probe was positioned over the temporal bone to acquire blood flow velocities. An emergency medicine resident and research assistant obtained measurements. Continuous TCD tracings were recorded on a video cassette recorder tape for quality assurance review and data collection. Vital signs and therapeutic interventions were also recorded. Flow velocities were measured in cm/s; the peak Resistance Index (RI) was calculated for each patient. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients were enrolled in the study. Adequate tracings were obtained in 25 patients (83%) without a disruption of resuscitation. Tracings could not be obtained in five patients; they were listed as TCD failures. However, in two of these patients, adequate flow velocity tracings were obtained after resuscitation. Four patients were evaluated during tracheal intubation. One patient was monitored successfully during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The median time required for data acquisition was 1.9 minutes. The mean highest RI for those who expired was 0.84. For those who survived, the mean highest RI was 0.52. The difference of 0.32 was statistically significant (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Noninvasive blood flow velocity monitoring of the middle cerebral artery using TCD is feasible in the ED when performed at the bedside on intubated patients with traumatic brain injury and others during tracheal intubation and resuscitation.     

糖尿病肾内动脉血流动力学改变的研究

目的：观察糖尿病肾病不同时期肾内分级动脉血流动力学的改变。方法：用脉冲多普勒方法分别测量正常对照组、糖尿病正常蛋白尿阶段，隐匿性肾病．临床糖尿病肾病肾功能代偿期及糖尿病肾病肾功失代偿期各组肾内分级动脉Vmax、Vmin、TAMX、PI、RI血流参数．并与对照组比较。结果：糖尿病不同时期Vmax均增高．与正常对照组有显著性差异；Vmin随着病程的发展．逐渐减低；PI、RI随病情的进展逐渐增高．尤以糖尿病肾病肾功能代偿期及肾病肾功失代偿期明显。结论：多普勒超声是一种简便、直观、快速非创伤性检查糖尿病血流动力学改变的方法．通过对肾内分级动脉血流参数的观察．尤其是PI、RI的变化，判断糖尿病肾损害的程度。     

112例脑动脉系统微栓子监测的临床研究

目的　研究脑动脉系统微栓子 (MES)的产生机制及其相关因素。方法　将 112例 MES监测的临床资料进行总结分析。结果　本组微栓子检出率为 33.93% ,且全部见于有明显脑卒中症状者 ;脑梗死 MES检出率为35 .87%且以原发性大面积梗死为主 ;MES阳性与病程有明显相关 ,病程 <72 h易检出微栓子 ,阳性率为 4 7.72 % ;颅内血管狭窄是微栓子产生的主要原因 ;颈动脉异常与正常组微栓子出现率无明显差异 ,但发现本组病例中微栓子出现以左侧为主 ,与颈动脉病变部位一致率为 5 5 .5 5 % ;确定微栓子来源于有病变的颅外颈动脉 2例 ,来源于有病变的颅内颈动脉系 5例 ,来源于同时伴有颅内外血管病变 12例 ,表明颅内外动脉同时伴有病变时微栓子检出率增高 ;MES的阳性率与血液成分无相关性 ,但在血液成分异常组中血粘度增高以及血小板聚集降低 MES阳性率明显增高。结论　脑动脉系统中监测到微栓子说明患者有活动的栓子来源 ,易发生或复发脑梗死 ,TCD能正确的监测、判断脑循环中微栓子 ,确定其发生率、性质、来源以及与疾病的联系     

Changes in the levels of neuropeptide Y-LI in the external jugular vein in connection with vasoconstriction following subarachnoid haemorrhage in man

Summary NPY is a putative neurotransmitter mainly co-localized with noradrenaline in sympathetic fibers which innervate the cerebral vasculature. The origin of most of the perivascular NPY fibers seems to be in the superior cervical ganglion. To investigate involvement of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) mechanisms in subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), twenty patients with SAH were investigated. NPY-LI (-like immunoreactivity) levels in the external jugular vein were assessed using radioimmunoassay in blood samples collected postoperatively (or after SAH in non-surgical patients) on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9. These levels were compared with the clinical course and blood flow velocity changes monitored with ultrasonic Doppler equipment from both middle cerebral arteries (MCA) and both internal carotid arteries (ICA).Compared to NPY-LI levels in 14 controls (mean 116±3 pmol/ l), increased levels (up to 253 pmol/l) and a close relationship between velocities and NPY-LI levels were found in a subpopulation of the SAH patients. When comparing the mean haemodynamic index (V MCA/ipsilateral V ICA) and mean NPY-LI levels in each of the 20 patients, a correlation of r=0.75, p=0.0001 was found. Increased NPY-LI were found (131±8 pmol/l) when simultaneous Doppler velocity recordings showed vasoconstriction (Haemodynamic index >5) compared with samples taken when the haemodynamic index was <5, p<0.05. When MCA velocity exceeded 120 cm/sec, increased levels were found (129±9 pmol/l) compared with the conditions when MCA velocity was less than 120 cm/sec (113±5 pmol/ l), p=0.06. The results indicate a possible NPY involvement in cerebral vasoconstriction after SAH.     

The Prospective Assessment of Autonomic Nerve Function by Pupillometry in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

The study aimed to compare the longitudinal assessment of autonomic nerve function by computerized infrared pupillometry and standard cardiovascular tests in adolescents with diabetes. Adolescents (n = 150) were assessed at two time points (T1 and T2). The median time interval between assessments was 1.5 (range 0.9–3) years. At T1 the median age was 14.5 (range 8.3–19.5) years and the median duration was 6.5 (range 1.1–16) years. The pupillary variables assessed included the resting pupil diameter, the maximum constriction velocity, and the reflex amplitude of constriction. Heart rate reflexes were assessed in response to deep breathing, the Valsalva manoeuvre, and on standing from a lying position (30/15 ratio). Between visits there was a significant decrease in maximum constriction velocity (6.0 mm s^?1 vs 6.3 mm s^?1, p = 0.0001) and resting pupil diameter (6.2 mm vs 6.3 mm, p = 0.001). At reassessment pupillary abnormalities increased from 32 (21 %) to 45 (30%), with 17 (54 %) of the initial abnormalities persisting. Adolescents with abnormally slow maximum constriction velocity compared to those with normal maximum constriction velocity had a higher glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1c%) at T2 (p = 0.02) and between assessments (p = 0.01). Cardiovascular test abnormalities did not increase between visits and the persistence of initial abnormalities was low (21 %). In summary, pupillometry appears a more sensitive test of autonomic nerve dysfunction in adolescents with diabetes than assessment of cardiovascular reflexes.     

The Doppler guide wire: clinical applications in neuroendovascular treatment

The application of Doppler-tipped guide wires to measure blood flow velocity in coronary and peripheral arteries has been described previously as a valuable means of functional assessment in interventional cardiological procedures. In animal studies intravascular Doppler has been used in the cerebrovascular system, and this appears to be an important field of application for this new technique. We used intravascular haemodynamic monitoring by the Doppler guide wire during neuroendovascular procedures in patients with different cerebrovascular diseases and evaluated the clinical feasibility of the method. We found it a safe technique which complements morphological angiographic information with valuable functional data. Further studies may be expected to demonstrate the relation of flow parameters to clinical outcome. Received: 16 January 1996 Accepted: 30 January 1996     

A study of blood supply of liver tumors using duplex Doppler ultrasound and color Doppler flow imaging

Summary With the use of duplex Doppler ultrasound and color Doppler flow imaging(CDFI), the characteristics of blood supply in neoplasma were studied in 51 cases of 60 liver tumors, and compared with the results of surgery, pathological examination and hepatic anerial angiography. The result showed that: 1. Doppler blood flow signals could be detected in all hepatic carcinomas, and in 10 cases of 18 hemangiomas, significant difference was observed (P<0.001); 2. Doppler blood flow spectra showed pulsatile pattern in 41 of 42 hepatic carcinomas, and in 6 of 10 hemangiomas (P<0.01); and 3. the peak flow velocity was obviously lower in hemangioma group than in hepatic carcinoma group (20.34±23.93 vs 64.74±30.18 cm,P<0.001). The characteristics of CDFI show that hemangiomas and hepatocellular carcinomas are different. It can, therefore, be concluded that the blood supply of hepatic carcinomas mainly comes from hepatic arterial system, and is of value in duplex Doppler ultrasound and CDFI.     

Blood flow acceleration in the carotid and brachial arteries of healthy volunteers: respective contributions of cardiac performance and local resistance

Summary— The influence of local resistance and cardiac performance on peripheral blood acceleration was investigated in 14 healthy male volunteers. Steady and pulsatile flow was studied in the brachial and in the common carotid arteries, ie, two territories that exhibit marked differences in resistive characteristics. Instantaneous blood velocity (V), mean blood velocity (V_m) and artery diameter (D) were evaluated at rest by an ultrasonic range-gated pulsed Doppler flowmeter using a double transducer probe, thus allowing the calculation of mean blood flow (Q). Mean local resistance (R) was obtained by dividing the mean arterial pressure by Q. The peak value of the local acceleration of the blood was obtained by computer-assisted calculation of the first derivative of instantaneous blood velocity (G_max = +dV/dt_max). Peak aortic blood acceleration (GAo) was simultaneously measured from the suprasternal notch using a pulsed Doppler velocity meter. In the brachial and the common carotid arteries, G_max was of a similar magnitude (551 ±30 and 555 ± 44 cm/s², respectively) despite major differences in the respective D, V_m, Q and R values. In neither artery was there a relationship between G_max and either resting Q or R. At the brachial artery level, G_max was positively related to GAo ( r = 0.79, P = 0.0008). At the common carotid artery level, there was a weak, although non significant relationship between G_max and GAo ( P = 0.08). Our results indicate that the local acceleration of peripheral blood flow in the brachial artery is related rather to upstream central impulse than to downstream hemodynamics, and suggest some regional differences in the hemodynamic determinants of the local acceleration of peripheral blood flow.     

Normal intracortical excitability in developmental stuttering.

Persistent developmental stuttering (PDS) shares clinical features with task-specific dystonias. In these dystonias, intracortical inhibition is abnormally weak. We therefore sought to determine intracortical inhibition and intracortical facilitation in PDS. In 18 subjects with PDS since childhood (mean age, 39.4 [SD 13.0] years) and 18 speech-fluent controls (43.6 [14.3] years), we investigated resting and active motor thresholds as well as intracortical inhibition and facilitation of the optimal representation of the abductor digiti minimi of the dominant hand using transcranial magnetic stimulation. In PDS, the resting and active motor thresholds were increased, whereas intracortical inhibition and facilitation were normal. Normal intracortical excitability makes a pathophysiological analogy between focal dystonia and PDS less likely. The enhanced motor threshold suggests reduced motor cortical neuronal membrane excitability in PDS.