Factors influencing the variations of ejection fraction during exercise in chronic aortic regurgitation

The influence of left ventricular volume variations and regurgitant fraction variations upon left ventricular ejection fraction, during exercise was examined using equilibrium radionuclide angiography in patients suffering from aortic regurgitation. Ejection fraction (EF), regurgitant fraction (RF), end diastolic volume (EDV) and end systolic volume (ESV) variations from rest to peak exercise were determined in 44 patients suffering from chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) and in 8 healthy volunteers (C). In C, EF increased (+0.10±0.03, P<0.01) and ESV decreased significantly (-23%±12%, P<0.01) RF and EDV did not vary significantly. In AR patients, EF, EDV and ESV did not vary significantly because of important scattering of individual values. Changes in EF and ESV were inversely correlated (r=-0.79, P<0.01) and RF decreased significantly (-0.12±0.10, P<0.01). Volumes and EF changes during exercise occurred in three different ways. In a 1st subgroup of 7 patients, EF increased (+0.09±0.03, P<0.05) in conjunction with a reduction of ESV (-24%±12%, P<0.05) without a significant change in EDV. In a 2nd group of 22 patients. EF decreased (-0.04±0.07, P<0.01) in association with an increase in ESV (+17%±16%, P<0.01) and no change in EDV. In a 3rd subgroup of 15 patients, EF decreased (-0.02±0.06, P<0.01) despite a reduction in ESV (-7%±6%, P<0.01) because of a dramatic EDV decrease (-10%±6%, P<0.05). In this subgroup, changes in EF were inversely correlated with changes in ESV (r=-0.55, P<0.01) and positively related to EDV variations (r=0.42, P=0.02). EDV related to EDV variations (r=0.42, P=0.02). EDV changes were weakly, but significantly, correlated to RF decrease (r=0.39, P<0.05). We conclude that changes in left ventricular ejection fraction during exercise in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation are significantly related in some patients to changes in ventricular loading conditions as well as contractile state. Therefore, a correct interpretation of EF changes during exercise requires the simultaneous determination of changes in LV volumes.Abbreviations EDV end diastolic volume - EF ejection fraction - ESV end systolic volume - LV left ventricle - RV right ventricle     

Ethical aspects of withdrawing/withholding renal replacement therapies on patients in acute renal failure in an intensive care unit

The majority of patients being treated for acute renal failure in intensive care units have multiple medical problems. Accordingly, the withdrawal of renal replacement therapies should be considered as part of a general decision about whether to initiate or continue with treatment per se. Several guidelines on withdrawing and withholding therapy have been produced and some common themes emerge: concerns to avoid euthanasia, potential for benefit, patient consent (shared decision‐making), team consensus/decision‐making, and the provision of appropriate palliative care and resource implications. Each of these is considered in turn, although the word limit for this paper does not permit detailed exposition.     

Revisit on congenital bronchopulmonary vascular malformations: a haphazard branching theory of malinosculations and its clinical classification and implication.

We propose a haphazard branching theory to support the concept of bronchopulmonary malinosculations, and we apply this theory to classify congenital bronchopulmonary vascular malformation (BPVM) based on the anatomical results we have found. Between January 1990 and December 1997, a total of 22 pediatric patients (10 male and 12 female), aged 2 days to 14 years (median, 19.6 months), with congenital BPVM were enrolled in this retrospective study. Study modalities include the clinical features and plain chest films (n = 22) plus at least two of the following: echocardiography (n = 13), barium esophagraphy (n = 2), bronchoscopy (n = 4), contrast bronchography (n = 8), high-resolution direct coronal CT (n = 1) and electron beam or ultrafast CT (n = 1) of the chest, MRI (n = 10), MRA (n = 1), contrast cineangiocardiography (n = 9), surgery (n = 11), or autopsy (n = 2). The salient clinical features were recurrent lung infections in 14 patients, acute respiratory distress in 13, associated cardiovascular malformations in 8, dextroversion in 7, congestive heart failure in 7, dextrocardia in 4, and complex congenital heart diseases in 4. There were abnormal openings (malinosculations) of the pulmonary airway in 20 patients: to an artery in 12, to a vein in 8, and to the lung parenchyma in 9. These 22 patients with congenital BPVM can be classified into bronchial malinosculation (10 cases), arterial malinosculation (2 cases), and bronchoarterial malinosculation (10 cases). Congenital BPVM can be classified in terms of bronchopulmonary malinosculation based upon a haphazard branching theory, in which abnormal communications between two independent systems (primitive foregut system and aortic-pulmonary arch system) occurred coincidentally rather than causally.     

激素替代治疗对绝经后Ⅱ型糖尿病和高血压患者肾脏微血管病变的影响

目的 :探讨激素替代治疗对绝经后Ⅱ型糖尿病和高血压患者肾脏微血管病变的影响。方法 :36例患有Ⅱ型糖尿病和高血压的绝经后妇女随机分为治疗组和安慰剂组各 18例 ,采用双盲法予口服克龄蒙或安慰剂 1片 /日 ,共 4 5个周期 ,测量用药前后各参数值并进行比较及线性相关分析。结果 :治疗组用药前后 2 4小时尿蛋白定量由 ( 0 4 45± 0 0 36 )g降到 ( 0 36 1± 0 0 32 ) g(P <0 0 1) ,内生肌酐清除率由 ( 92 0± 5 2 )ml/min增到 ( 99 1± 4 8)ml/min (P <0 0 5) ,空腹血糖由 ( 7 0 2± 0 4 3)mmol/L降到 ( 6 55± 0 31)mmol/L(P <0 0 5) ,血清总胆固醇由 ( 6 6 6±0 2 8)mmol/L降到 ( 5 71± 0 71)mmol/L(P <0 0 1) ,血压无明显改变。 2 4小时尿蛋白定量和内生肌酐清除率与其他参数间无显著相关性。安慰剂组用药前后各项指标无明显改变。结论 :激素替代治疗对绝经后Ⅱ型糖尿病和高血压患者肾脏微血管病变有改善作用     

Long-term Results of Primary Stent Placement to Treat Infrarenal Aortic Stenosis

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and the long-term results of primary stent placement for localized distal aortic occlusive disease. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From July 1998 to July 2005 17 patients (14 female and 3 men, mean age 57 years (39-80)) were treated for intermittent claudication. Five of these patients underwent additional endovascular treatment of focal iliac lesions. RESULTS: Technical success defined as residual stenosis of less than 50% or a trans-stenotic systolic pressure gradient <10% was achieved in 14 of 17 (82%) patients. Major complications included dissection at the puncture site in one patient and thrombosis of additional iliac stents in another patient. Both of these complications were successfully treated. During a mean follow-up of 27 months (range 1-86), four patients had recurrence of symptoms due to in-stent restenoses (n=2), femoral (n=1) or iliac occlusion (n=1), respectively. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, primary aortic hemodynamic patency was 83% at 3 years. Secondary aortic hemodynamic patency was 100%. The primary clinical patency was 68% at 3 years. CONCLUSION: Primary stent placement for distal aortic stenoses is an alternative to surgical treatment because of its high patency and relatively low complication rates.     

旋转铰链型与单纯铰链型膝关节肿瘤假体置换的临床比较研究

目的 研究膝关节肿瘤保肢手术两种假体置换的术后效果及其比较.方法 随访我院1999年6月2006年3月治疗的72例膝关节肿瘤患者，失访9例，余63例中40例采用单纯铰链型假体置换(A组)，23例采用旋转铰链型假体置换（B组）63例随访时间9月~8年平均3年9个月，按MSTS膝关节评分标准、ambulation scores、关节屈伸度及感染、复发、手术时间进行评估。结果：A组：手术时间2.6625±0.3362h，复发5例，转移死亡3例，感染2例； B组：手术时间2.5722±0.2878h，复发3例，转移死亡2例，感染2例 。B组1例术后发生旋转轴聚乙烯轴套断裂关节脱位，再次手术更换轴套后未再出现并发症，两组无假体松动病例。两组手术时间无统计学意义；去除复发及转移死亡病例后,剩50例, A组32例， MSTS评分平均23.0/30分。 B组18例，MSTS评分平均23.7/30分。两组MSTS评分p>0.05，无统计学意义；ambulation scores各分项总分均p<0.05，有统计学意义．两组关节伸直时为0°或接近0°,屈曲度A组119.3750±17.49°，B组125.0000±15.34°，无统计学意义（p>0.05）。结论： 1. 按ambulation scores标准，在步行舒适度和快速步行方面，旋转型铰链假体置换组与单纯铰链型假体置换比较有统计学意义；2.而MSTS标准则未能体现出两组术后功能方面的统计学意义，因此ambulation scores较MSTS评分更灵敏，更适合对膝关节保肢术后功能评价；3.两组在手术时间、术后临床屈伸功能及并发症方面，如复发、感染，未见显著差别，单纯铰链型不会出现脱位，而可旋转铰链型假体有脱位的可能。     

Fatal thromboembolic complications following assault in a subject with an abdominal aortic aneurysm

A 62-year-old male with no significant medical history developed thromboembolic complications in the lower limbs shortly after an assault which involved punching and kicking to the trunk. Laparotomy revealed intra-abdominal injuries and an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Death from multi-organ failure and sepsis occurred 9 days post-injury. The discussion concentrates on blunt force trauma to the abdominal aorta, specifically on causation, mechanisms of injury and complications.     

复杂主动脉病变的腔内血管外科治疗

目的 探讨复杂主动脉病变的腔内血管外科治疗方法。方法 对21例合并有内脏动脉缺血等复杂的主动脉病变,双球管定位下经锁骨上动脉到股动脉交换导丝以确保真腔内植入带膜支架,对真腔完全被假腔压闭的患者采取真腔内加压推进以通过导丝,用超长带膜支架来封堵大破口治疗夹层合并巨大假性动脉瘤形成,对夹层合并腹主动脉瘤患者采取血管腔内技术联合开腹手术等方法。结果 术后内漏3例,其中2例7 d后停止,1例漏血持续存在。3例主动脉创伤术后完全康复,余18例复杂主动脉夹层术后即时造影示瘘口已被完整覆盖,假腔无血漏入,内脏动脉等恢复真腔供血。18例中6例合并肠管缺血,3例合并肾动脉缺血,3例肠管缺血、肾动脉缺血,2例腹主动脉真腔完全被假腔压迫,以及2例合并下肢缺血术后均逐渐恢复,无脏器及肢体缺血坏死发生。2例合并腹主动脉瘤夹层行支架型人工血管封闭夹层破口后行开腹手术切除腹主动脉瘤、人工血管置换。16例随访5～36个月,平均22.3月,1例内漏持续存在,但假腔未继续加大,其余患者存活良好。结论 对复杂的主动脉病变的治疗,通过对腔内血管外科技术进行改进,并适当结合传统手术方法,使某些过去被认为不能够治疗的复杂主动脉病变可得以成功治疗。     

室间隔夹层瘤的超声诊断(附4例报告)

目的 总结室间隔夹层瘤的超声心动图诊断及临床应用价值。方法1985～2005年超声诊断罕见的室间隔夹层瘤4例。超声主要取左室长轴、四腔心、五腔心、大动脉短轴及非标准切面，观察主动脉窦的形态及结构：如扩张窦瘤的大小、窦壁厚度、窦瘤破口的部位、窦瘤破口与室间隔之间的关系，主动脉窦瘤与室间隔夹层瘤之间交通口的大小，测量形成室间隔夹层瘤的大小及夹层瘤左、右室面的厚度，结合彩色多普勒观察心动周期夹层瘤与主动脉窦瘤血流动态变化，频谱多普勒测量窦瘤与室间隔夹层瘤之间的血流速度。结果4例室间隔夹层瘤均为主动脉右窦破人室间隔基底段，且均行手术治疗证实超声诊断。结论超声心动图对室间隔夹层瘤可直接做出诊断，超声诊断价值在于早发现、早诊断、及早治疗，并可为外科选择手术方式提供重要的有价值的依据。