Carbon dioxide recruitment threshold as a predictor of successful weaning in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: A pilot study

Abstract Several methods have been used to predict successful weaning and extubation among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The objective of this study is to determine whether carbon dioxide recruitment threshold (PCO₂RT) can be used as adjunct to conventional weaning parameters to predict early weaning and successful extubation. Twelve COPD patients who were ready to be extubated based on conventional weaning parameters were divided into group A ( n = 7) and group B ( n = 5). Group A were those patients with better weaning parameters and hence a higher probability of successful extubation as compared to group B. Carbon dioxide apnoeic threshold (PCO₂AT) was obtained by hyperventilating the patient using an increment of two breaths per min until apnoea occurs. At this point, the PCO₂AT or the PaCO₂ during said apnoeic period was recorded. A dead space of 150 cc is then added to the circuit until the patient starts to breathe as evidenced by the sensitivity trigger indicator. The PCO₂ obtained at this period is termed PCO₂RT. After weaning for 30 min on a T-tube, another arterial blood gas is determined and this is called the PCO₂SB or the CO₂ level after 30 min on spontaneous breathing. If the PCO₂SB-PCO₂RT difference is high with a sensitivity of 85.71% and specificity of 100% vs sensitivity of 57.14% and specificity of 60% using the conventional weaning parameters. Thus an increase in PCO₂SB at 30 min T-tube is indicative of impending respiratory pump failure and that other causes of failure to wean must be investigated.     

Asymptomatic autoimmune chronic active hepatitis in a male adolescent

We report a 12-year-old boy presenting with smooth muscle antibody-positive auto-immune chronic active hepatitis. Suspicion of the diagnosis arose after a routine blood test which revealed abnormal liver function tests. In spite of the presence of cirrhosis and patchy necrosis on liver biopsy, our patient never showed any clinical feature of impaired liver function. This observation demonstrates that auto-immune hepatitis may exist for a long time before clinical symptoms appear and probably explains why some cases of auto-immune hepatitis finally present as fulminant liver failure.     

环形电刀切除术治疗慢性宫颈炎的临床研究

目的 探讨环形电刀切除术治疗慢性宫颈炎的临床价值。方法 回顾性分析经环形电刀切除术治疗的慢性宫颈炎病人1632例，其中958例行宫颈炎性病灶消融术，511例行宫颈环切术。163例行宫颈锥切术。比较不同术式的术中出血量、手术时间、疗效以及手术并发症发生情况。结果 环形电刀切除术对各种类型慢性宫颈炎的总治愈率达95．8％，总有效率为100％，各术组间治疗效果无明显差异。手术时间及术中、术后出血量最大的为宫颈锥切组，其次是宫颈环切组，再次为病灶消融术组。术后有4．4％的患者出血量超过月经量。需再次止血。结论 环形电刀切除术是治疗慢性宫颈炎的一种安全而有效的方法，适当的操作方法可减少并发症的发生。宫颈病灶消融术效果好而并发症更少。     

Accumulation of cyanide and thiocyanate in haemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Cyanide is a toxic agent, and its detoxification product, thiocyanate, may be a major pathogenetic substance in uraemia. Recent studies examining the myeloperoxidase(MPO)/thiocyanate system have suggested a link between thiocyanate and atherosclerosis. However, inaccuracies in conventional assays for cyanide and thiocyanate have limited the understanding of their metabolism in haemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: We used high-performance liquid chromatography to measure cyanide in erythrocytes and thiocyanate in plasma in 43 HD patients and in a group of 46 healthy controls that included 15 current smokers. To clarify the metabolic conversion of cyanide to thiocyanate in uraemic patients, we also measured cysteine and sulfate. We then used stepwise regression analysis to analyse factors that determine erythrocyte cyanide and plasma thiocyanate. RESULTS: Mean cyanide and thiocyanate were significantly greater in HD patients than in non-smoking controls. However, cyanide was far below lethal concentrations in dialysis patients. Thiocyanate was six to seven times greater in HD patients than in non-smoking controls, and decreases in thiocyanate following dialysis were only 19.3+/-3.5%. Multiple regression analysis showed a positive correlation between cyanide and thiocyanate in controls, but a negative correlation in HD patients. In patients, an inverse relationship between thiocyanate and BUN was also observed. CONCLUSIONS: The elevation of thiocyanate in patients undergoing dialysis probably is secondary to both limited efficiency of HD and deranged metabolism of cyanide and thiocyanate. Because thiocyanate is a preferred substrate for MPO, it may play a role in uraemic complications including cardiovascular events.     

Comparison of histopathological characteristics of allograft biopsy between responder and non-responder to antiproteinuric effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI)

Abstract:  Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) has become recognized as agents that have renoprotective effects in the treatment of progressive renal diseases including post-transplant kidneys. Previously we demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of ACEI treatment on the hypertensive proteinuric post-transplant patients ( N  = 10) who had been followed up for 12 months. However, not all patients show good response in urinary protein reduction. We aimed to analyse the histopathological factor(s) affecting the responsiveness of proteinuria to ACEI treatment. Fourteen post-transplant patients with proteinuria who were treated with ACEI and underwent allograft biopsy were analysed. Eight patients showed 50% or more reduction in proteinuria (responder). The other 6 patients showed less (< 50%) reduction in proteinuria (non-responder). There was no difference in clinical characteristics (BP, renal function, donor age, recipient body mass index), dietary sodium or protein intake, and diuretic use between the two groups. As a histopathological characteristic, glomerular size in responder group was significantly larger than that in non-responder group. This suggests that the large glomerular size at least partly contributes to the responsiveness in urinary protein reduction to ACEI treatment in kidney allograft recipients with proteinuria.     

ENDOSCOPIC PANCREATIC STENTING IN CHRONIC PANCREATITIS WITH DUCTAL DILATION PROXIMAL TO A STRICTURE: A SAFE and EFFECTIVE PROTOCOL

After removal of intraductal stones, a 10‐Fr or 7‐Fr pancreatic stent was placed in 16 patients with upstream ductal dilation proximal to a stricture of the main pancreatic duct. Stents were removed after a mean duration of 52.5 days. Nine patients underwent repeated stenting. About one year after removal of the initial stent, when the remaining upstream ductal dilation was found on follow‐up pancreatograms, the next stent was replaced. Repeated stenting improved outflow of pancreatic juice more effectively than one‐time stenting. Correlation between long‐term pain relief without recurrence of intraductal stones and reduction of duct diameter was also shown. Stent occlusion was observed in 14 of 30 stents. Stent occlusion was frequently associated with recurrence of pancreatitis and intraductal stones, and was also associated with morphologic changes in the pancreatic ductal system. Although there were no significant differences between stent patency of the initial stents and that of the next stents, stent patency of 10‐Fr stents was superior to that of 7‐Fr stents. 10‐Fr stents should be removed within 8 weeks and 7‐Fr stents should be removed within 4 weeks for the prevention of stent occlusion. Repeated stenting with short‐term stenting is therefore considered a safe and effective protocol of endoscopic pancreatic stenting.     

慢性阻塞性肺疾病前驱性呼吸衰竭患者呼吸驱动的改变

目的探讨慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)和COPD前驱性呼吸衰竭(前驱呼衰)患者中枢呼吸驱动的改变;评价界定COPD前驱性呼吸衰竭的临床意义.方法试验对象为COPD前驱性呼吸衰竭、COPD尚未达前驱性呼吸衰竭的患者和健康对照者各30名.所有受试者均进行如下参数的测定:动脉血气分析;常规肺功能,主要以第1秒用力呼气容积(FEV1)占预计值的百分比(FEV1%)来评价;中枢呼吸驱动水平,以0.1 s口腔阻断压(P0.1)、校正中枢呼吸驱动(以每分通气量来校正,即P0.1/MV)和吸气阻抗P0.1/VT/Ti)等来评价.结果P0.1和P0.1/MV在COPD前驱呼衰组明显高于正常对照组和未达前驱呼衰组,P0.1/VT/Ti在COPD前驱呼衰组和未达前驱呼衰组明显高于正常对照组(P=0.002);P0.1,P0.1/MV,P0.1/VT/Ti与PaO2,FEV1%呈显著负相关(rs=-0.769,-0.495,-0.543;-0.747,-0.480,-0.526,P均＜0.01);与PaCO2呈显著正相关(rs=0.270,0.312,0.369,P分别为＜0.05,＜0.01,＜0.01).结论COPD前驱呼衰患者呼吸储备能力减低,呼吸效率下降;P0.1,P0.1/MV,P0.1/VT/Ti等参数在推断患者神经-肌力输出水平与呼吸衰竭发生阈值方面具有较大的意义.当COPD进展至前驱呼衰阶段,从血气分析、肺功能检查到呼吸驱动水平都发生了显著的改变,从而提示界定此阶段具有一定的临床意义.     

慢性肾功能衰竭病人高同型半胱氨酸血症及其影响因素

目的 :研究慢性肾衰 (CRF)病人血浆同型半胱氨酸 (Hcy)水平及其影响因素。方法 :采用荧光偏振免疫分析法测定 16 0例CRF病人血浆总同型半胱氨酸 (tHcy)水平 ,同时用离子夺获分析法和微离子酶免疫分析法分别检测血浆叶酸(FA)和维生素B12 (VB12 )浓度。结果 :CRF病人血浆tHcy水平 (2 2 6 9± 12 16 ) μmol/ )明显高于正常对照组 (7 97±2 6 5 ) μmol/L ,CRF病人高同型半胱氨酸血症的发生率为 82 5 0 % ,其中血液透析组血浆tHcy水平 (2 4 13± 12 6 8μmol/L ,n =73)明显高于持续性非卧床腹膜透析 (CAPD)组 (16 4 3± 5 5 8μmol/L ,n =19)和非透析治疗组 (19 79± 10 5 7)μmol/L ,(n =6 8) ,但血浆FA和VB12 与正常对照组均无明显差别 (P >0 0 5 )。CRF病人血浆tHcy水平与血浆FA浓度均呈负相关关系 ,未经透析的CRF病人血浆tHcy水平与内生肌酐清除率和血浆FA水平呈负相关 ;透析治疗组血浆tHcy水平与血浆FA浓度呈负相关。血透 4h使血浆tHcy下降约 4 0 0 % ,透析后 2 0h回复到透析前水平的 76 0 %～86 0 % ,但在采用血仿膜和聚砜膜透析的病人之间 ,血浆tHcy水平无明显差异。结论 :CRF病人普遍存在高同型半胱氨酸血症 ,但没有明显的FA和VB12 缺乏 ,CRF时肾脏损害削弱了对Hcy的代谢或清除能力 ,     

关木通引起慢性间质性肾炎7例报告

目的　观察关木通所致慢性肾损伤的临床和病理改变特点。方法　本组 7例中 ,男 5例 ,女 2例。 3例服关木通汤药 ,4例服含关木通成药。分析服用时间、累积总量与肾损害首发症状及症状出现时间、肾功能和肾病理改变的关系。结果　汤药组 :服药时间平均 3 3 3个月 ,累积总量平均 82 9 3 g ,首发症状为乏力 3例 ,夜尿增多 2例 ,平均时间为 8 3个月 ,Cr平均 40 2 μmol/L。肾病理 :3例均为重度寡细胞性肾间质纤维化 ,肾小管广泛萎缩。成药组 :服药时间平均 7 5个月 ,累积总量平均 13 6g ,乏力 3例 ,夜尿增多 1例 ,恶心呕吐、头痛头晕 1例 ,平均18 8个月 ,Cr 3 62 8μmol/L。肾病理为重度寡细胞性间质纤维化和灶状纤维化各 2例 ,肾小管灶状萎缩 3例 ,广泛萎缩 1例。结论　汤药组关木通积累大 ,发病时间早 ,肾病理改变重。提示关木通所致肾损其临床表现、病理改变与服用关木通时间、剂量相关。     

灌肠灵治疗慢性结、直肠炎68例临床观察

目的 :观察灌肠灵治疗慢性结、直肠炎的临床疗效。方法 :对 136例符合慢性结、直肠炎诊断标准的患者 ,随机分为灌肠灵治疗组与对照组各 6 8例。两组治疗均为保留灌肠 ,每日 1次 ,10d为 1疗程 ,共 2疗程。结果 :治疗组优于对照组 ,总有效率为 91.1%与 72 .1% ,P <0 .0 5。结论 :灌肠灵治疗慢性结、直肠炎是目前疗效较好的一种理想方法