Abnormal Digital Pressure Measurements in Diabetic Neuropathic Foot Ulceration

The diabetic neuropathic ulcer is typically slow to heal and recurrent. Macrovascular insufficiency is usually excluded as foot pulses are present and ankle:brachial pressure ratios are not decreased. These assessments cannot however exclude more distal vascular disease. Digital pressure measurements enable a reliable assessment of the distal peripheral vascular status to be made. The aim of this study was therefore to use toe pressures to assess the contribution of distal ischaemia in the pathogenesis of the neuropathic ulcer. Sixteen diabetic patients with recurrent neuropathic foot ulceration had their toe pressures compared to 10 neuropathic patients without a history of foot ulceration, 10 diabetic control subjects, and 11 normal subjects. Four non-diabetic patients with neuropathy and foot ulceration were also assessed. All subjects had ankle:brachial pressure indices ≧ 1. Toe pressure was assessed using laser Doppler flowmetry to record the return of skin blood flow. The toe:brachial pressure index (TBI) was then calculated. The diabetic patients with a history of recurrent neuropathic ulceration, had the lowest mean TBI, 0.63 ± 0.14 (SD), compared to the non-ulcerated diabetic neuropathy patients, the diabetic control subjects, and the normal subjects. 0.84 ± 0.11, 0.82 ± 0.1, and 0.81 ± 0.07, p < 0.01, respectively. Three of the four non-diabetic patients with neuropathic foot ulceration also had an abnormally low TBI. Reduced toe pressure measurements are thus found to be associated with neuropathic foot ulceration. The contribution of distal ischaemia in the pathogenesis of the diabetic neuropathic foot ulcer needs to be evaluated. One hundred and eight non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients who had been tested for autonomic dysfunction in 1984/85 were re-evaluated 5 years later. Autonomic function was assessed by means of four cardiovascular tests (heart rate variation during deep breathing and standing, and blood pressure variation after standing and sustained handgrip). Eighteen subjects were lost to follow-up; in the 90 patients who completed the study, both the deep breathing and the handgrip test significantly worsened (respectively from 13.7 ± 7.8 to 11.6 ± 6.3 beats min^?1 p < 0.01, and from 16.9 ± 8.2 to 12.7 ± 7.1 mmHg, p < 0.001), whereas both the 30:15 ratio and the variation of blood pressure on standing did not change. The impairment of a comprehensive evaluation score (from 2.5 ± 1.7 to 3.0 ± 1.5; p < 0.05) also confirmed the gradual deterioration of autonomic function over the study period.     

Hyperreactio luteinalis in a normal pregnancy: Sonographic and MRI findings

A case of hyperreactio luteinalis in an otherwise normal pregnancy is reported. Ascites was present, but no peritoneal implants or adenopathy were seen. Findings that would have suggested the correct diagnosis are the symmetrical and bilateral pattern of the mass, as well as the rather uniform size of the loculi, which were 1 to 3 cm in diameter.     

Synovial haemangioma of the knee: a frequently misdiagnosed lesion

Objective The objective of this study was to assess the contribution of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the diagnosis and surgical planning of five cases of synovial haemangioma of the knee.Patients and Methods The clinical, radiological and arthroscopic features of five pathologically proven synovial haemangiomas of the knee were retrospectively reviewed.Results A diagnostic delay, on average of 8 years, had occurred in four of the cases. Plain films were unremarkable, except for one case with arthropathy mimicking haemophilia, Arteriography, performed in three patients, was normal in one. CT, performed in three patients, showed the lesion, but the extent of the latter was better demonstrated with MR imaging. Synovial haemangiomas had a high signal intensity on T2-weighted images, without any extensive mass effect. Fibrofatty septa within the lesion were observed in three cases and muscular and/or fatty invasion in two. Arthroscopy allowed diagnosis of the lesion in two cases, but showed only non-specific synovitis in another two.Conclusion This study emphasizes the valuable contribution of MR imaging in the diagnosis and surgical planning of synovial haemangiomas.     

心房颤动治疗的未来发展方向——混合消融

心房颤动是临床常见的心律失常,已有研究证明其与严重不良心脑血管事件(心力衰竭、脑卒中和心肌梗死)有关,目前全球心房颤动的患病人数超过了3 300万,预计未来40年内其患病率将增加1倍以上。多年来,医学相关人员在探究心房颤动的病理生理机制及开创改进其治疗方法等方面付出了大量努力。目前心房颤动的治疗管理仍是临床医学上的一个难题,尽管心房颤动治疗的手术消融和导管消融技术已逐渐趋于成熟,但对于心房颤动最佳的治疗方式、消融能量的选择尚无统一定论。导管消融通常需要多次手术且成功率低,而手术消融术后不良事件发生率较高。近年来,鉴于心脏外科医生和电生理学家之间的密切合作,结合导管及微创手术消融诞生了一种治疗心房颤动的新型策略——混合消融模式。混合消融克服了导管消融和微创手术消融的缺点,减少了不良结局,在治疗持续性心房颤动,尤其是长期持续性心房颤动上取得了可观的成效。本文主要通过回顾心房颤动消融的研究进展,对比分析目前混合消融模式治疗心房颤动的现有研究成果,归纳总结这种新型心房颤动治疗策略的优势与挑战,以期为临床心房颤动的治疗提供更多选择。     

达格列净对2型糖尿病合并慢性心力衰竭患者微小RNA-423-5p的调控作用及心功能的影响研究

背景 糖尿病合并心力衰竭的患者数量庞大,达格列净作为新型降糖药物,目前已被指南推荐用于心力衰竭的治疗,但其改善心功能的作用机制还未完全明确。目的 研究达格列净对2型糖尿病（T2DM）合并慢性心力衰竭（CHF）患者血浆微小RNA-423-5p(miRNA-423-5p)表达的影响及其与心功能之间的相关性。方法 纳入2021-04-01至2021-11-30就诊于解放军第九六〇医院的T2DM合并CHF患者50例为研究对象,分为达格列净组（n=25）和对照组（n=25）,达格列净组给予达格列净10 mg/d,对照组给予其他降糖药物,余治疗原则相同,治疗6个月。另纳入同一时期于本院健康体检的心功能正常者为健康人群组（n=25）。通过数字病历系统收集患者的基本资料,包括年龄、性别、吸烟史、高血压史、血压水平、体质指数（BMI）、血脂、血糖、肌酐（Cr）、氨基末端脑钠肽前体（NT-proBNP）、丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶（AST）、纽约心脏病协会（NYHA）心功能分级、心脏彩超、合并用药情况,并留取血液标本进行miRNA-423-5p的检测。治疗4周进行门诊随访,收集患者心功...     

纳米颗粒和外泌体靶向载药系统诊治动脉粥样硬化的机遇与挑战

动脉粥样硬化是一种慢性炎症性疾病,粥样斑块慢性聚集并沉积于大中型动脉内膜,导致严重的狭窄和血运障碍,引发组织器官缺血缺氧。纳米药物相对于传统药物在动脉粥样硬化治疗中因其具有独特的优势而广泛受到关注。本文重点综述几种纳米靶向颗粒（系统）和外泌体靶向载药系统在抗动脉粥样硬化研究中的应用,简述代表性纳米材料的合成过程,对其靶向性进行分析,并概述纳米药物的益处和内在挑战。尽管面临着一些需要解决和完善的挑战,但是纳米颗粒和外泌体靶向载药治疗的前景广阔,并有望将其推广应用于临床实践中。     

Reciprocal interactions between α2-adrenoceptor agonist and neuropeptide Y binding sites in the nucleus tractus solitarius of the rat

Summary Interactions between a ₂-adrenoreceptor agonist and neuropeptide Y (NPY) binding sites have been studied in the rat medulla oblongata (MO) using biochemical binding techniques as well as quantitative autoradiography. Tritiated para-amino clonidine (³H-PAC; ₂-adrenoceptor agonist), idazoxan (³H-IDA; ₂-adrenoceptor antagonist) and iodinated neuropeptide Y (¹²⁵I-NPY) were used as radioligands. (1) Neuropeptide Y (NPY; 10^–8M) but not bovine pancreatic polypeptide (BPP) nor peptide YY (PYY 10nM) increased the K_D value of³H-PAC binding sites. However, intraventricular administration of a high dose of NPY (1.25nmol) did not change the³H-PAC binding characteristics in MO membrane preparations of these animals. (2) GTP 10^–4 lowered the affinity of³H-PAC binding. NPY (10 nM) had no additional effect, nor did NPYinfluence the GTP induced shift in potency of clonidine to displace³H-IDA from its binding sites. (3) In the autoradiographical experiments NPY (10nM) significantly reduced³H-PAC binding (2nM) in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) area by 35%. (4) When clonidine, either given centrally in vivo (3.75nmol) or in vitro (10 nM) the binding of¹²⁵I-NPY was reduced (34 and 24%, respectively) in the NTS. When the monoamine receptors were irreversibly blocked in vivo by N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ, 10 g i.e. 24h)¹²⁵I-NPY (0.5 nM) binding was increased by 137% in the NTS. This effect of EEDQ was prevented by pretreatment with the ₂-adrenoreceptor antagonist idazoxan.These results provide support for a direct intramembrane interaction between the ₂-receptor and the NPY receptor within the NTS and may be of importance in central cardiovascular regulation.     

Cardiovascular effects of endothelin 1 in pithed spontaneously hypertensive rats: evaluation of its mechanism(s) of action

Summary The present experiments were carried out to investigate the cardiovascular effects of endothelin 1 (ET) in pithed spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats and to evaluate its mechanism of action. The results show that ET (0.1 – 3 nmol/kg i.v.) is a powerful vasoconstrictor agent in the pithed rat. However, at a dose of 3 nmol/kg i.v. all the pithed animals died following a gradual decrease in mean arterial blood pressure and pulse pressure and changes in the form of the electrocardiogram (ECG). The predominant feature of the change in the ECG was a progressive decrease in the amplitude of the T wave resulting in a depression of the curve representing repolarization. Investigations in isolated perfused SH rat hearts showed that ET powerfully reduces coronary flow concentration-dependently (IC₅₀ 2.1 ±0.3 nM) an effect associated with sinus bradycardia and a decrease in coronary pressure amplitude. No overt ECG changes were seen. Control experiments with mechanical flow restriction suggest that bradycardia is a consequence of reduced coronary flow and that the ECG changes observed in vivo can be explained on the basis of coronary insufficiency and resulting myocardial hypoxia. Vasoconstrictor responses to angiotensin II (0.4 g/kg i.v.), phenylephrine (8 g/kg i.v.) and ET (0.5 nmol/kg i.v.) were antagonised by around 70% by isradipine (0.03 mg/kg i.a.). The results suggest that endothelin-induced vasoconstriction may involve receptor operated channel activation and opening of voltage sensitive Ca²⁺ channels.Send offprint requests to A. K. Mir at the above address     

Interaction between clonidine and physostigmine in normal rats and in rats after sinoaortic denervation

Summary Clonidine (3–30 g · kg^–1, i.v.) induced a fall in mean arterial pressure in rats after sinoaortic denervation but not in sham-operated animals. Moreover, sinoaortic denervation reduced the bradycardic action of this antihypertensive drug. Pressor and tachycardic response to physostigmine (60 g · kg^–1, i.v.) were greater in denervated than in sham-operated rats. The increase of mean arterial pressure was 26.2 ± 2.2 mm Hg in sham-operated rats (n = 12) and 53.8 ± 2.0 mm Hg in denervated rats (n = 12, P < 0.005).Pretreatment with 3 g · kg^–1 (i. v.) of clonidine did not alter the pressor response to physostigmine (60 g · kg^–1) in either of the two groups; 10 and 30 g · kg^–1 of clonidine reduced the physostigmine-induced increase of mean arterial pressure in sham-operated rats but enhanced the pressor response in denervated animals. Furthermore, an ineffective dose of physostigmine (30 g - kg^–1 i.v.) induced a pressor response after pretreatment with clonidine (10 gg · kg^–1) in denervated rats.Clonidine (10 g · kg^–1) did not affect the pressor effect of 1,1 dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium iodide (DMPP: 50 g · kg^–1 i.v.) or phenylephrine (4 g · kg ^–1, i.v.) in either group.The anticholinergic effect of clonidine in sham-operated rats may be explained by an inhibitory action on the release of acetylcholine in several brain structures but the facilitatory effect of clonidine observed in denervated animals is not clear. The results did not suggest a peripheral involvement in this facilitatory effect. Send offprint requests to M. A. Enero at the above address     

Role of histamine receptor in mesencephalic nucleus dorsalis raphe in cardiovascular regulation

Summary The effects of microinjection of histamine and its antagonists into mesencephalic nucleus dorsalis raphe, were investigated on mean arterial pressure and heart rate in cats to elucidate the nature and role of histaminergic receptors in cardiovascular regulation. Microinjection of histamine (5 and 10 g) into nucleus dorsalis raphe elicited both inhibitory and excitatory cardiovascular responses respectively. On the other hand, microinjection of H₂-receptor blocker, cimetidine (10 g) resulted in hypertension and tachycardia while H₁-receptor antagonist, mepyramine (10 g) microinjection evoked hypotension and bradycardia. Furthermore, local pretreatment with cimetidine and mepyramine blocked the inhibitory and excitatory cardiovascular responses of graded doses of histamine microinjection. These H₁ and H₂ receptors are localized in nucleus dorsalis raphe since microinjection of histamine into adjoining neural structures did not evoke any cardiovascular change. Furthermore, both the inhibitory and excitatory cardiovascular responses to histamine microinjection could not be observed in animals with spinal cord transection and in animals pretreated with p-chlorophenylalanine while they could be observed in bilateral cervical vagotomized animals. Thus, it appears that these cardiovascular responses to microinjection of histamine into nucleus dorsalis raphe, are due to modulation of serotonergic bulbospinal influence on sympathetic preganglionic neurones in the spinal cord. Moreover, the excitatory cardiovascular responses of high dose of histamine (10 g) seem to result from a local release of noradrenaline since they were blocked by prior microinjection of guanethidine and piperoxan into nucleus dorsalis raphe. A release of noradrenaline in turn, modulates the activity of the neurones of the nucleus by acting on adrenoceptors and thereby alters the activity of sympathetic preganglionic neurones. These adrenoceptors appear to be of ₁ type (Saxena et al. 1985, 1987) since phenylephrine microinjection evoked excitatory cardiovascular responses could be blocked by piperoxan. Send offprint requests to K. K. Tangri at the above address