Post-biopsy arteriovenous fistulas of the native kidneys diagnosed by Doppler US

Two patients with arteriovenous fistulas of the native kidney occurring after needle biopsy were evaluated using duplex and color Doppler ultrasonography. The first patient had a fistula with associated pseudoaneurysm: color Doppler showed the lesion as a small rounded area with whirling flow; spectral analysis allowed recognition of both the afferent artery with low impedance flow and the draining vein with pulsatile, arterialized flow. The second patient had a normal color Doppler study; however, spectral analysis demonstrated signals with low vascular impedance from an intra-parenchymal artery at the lower pole, and a jet of turbulent flow. Following disappearance of clinical findings, such Doppler abnormalities were no longer detectable. When a iatrogenic arteriovenous fistula is considered on clinical grounds, both color and Doppler spectral analysis of waveforms from intra-parenchymal vessels should be performed. Possibly, further advances in color Doppler technology will permit the use of this examination as the first imaging procedure in these clinical situations.Correspondence to: L. E. Derchi     

DIFFERENCES IN ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT RELAXATION IN VARIOUS ARTERIES FROM WATANABE HERITABLE HYPERLIPIDAEMIC RABBITS WITH INCREASING AGE

1. Endothelium-dependent relaxation in response to acetylcholine (ACh) and the calcium ionophore A 23187 was examined in aorta, coronary, basilar and renal arteries isolated from Watanabe heritable hyperlipidaemic (WHHL) rabbits of 2, 6 and 12 months of age, with normolipidaemic heterozygous WHHL rabbits as controls. 2. In the rings of WHHL rabbit aortae and coronary arteries preconstricted with vasoconstrictors, endothelium-dependent relaxation in response to ACh was attenuated with age compared to the heterozygous WHHL rabbits. A significant negative correlation was found between the total cholesterol content and the relaxation response to ACh in the aortae or coronary arteries from 6 and 12 month old WHHL rabbits. 3. In the rings of basilar arteries, endothelium-dependent relaxations to ACh were not modified with age. Similarly, in the rings of renal arteries, the relaxation response to ACh was not changed with age, but in the 6 and 12 month preparations, after the age of 6 months, a contraction following the relaxation appeared at higher concentrations of ACh (10^?7 to 10^?6 mol/L). The contraction was endothelium-dependent and inhibited by indomethacin. 4. A 23187-induced endothelium-dependent relaxations were also markedly attenuated in the aorta and significantly in the coronary artery with age. 5. Endothelium-independent relaxation to sodium nitroprusside was not changed in all arteries from WHHL rabbits of different ages. 6. These findings indicate that in the aorta and coronary artery of the WHHL rabbit, the endothelium-dependent relaxation to ACh and A 23187 becomes impaired with increasing age (i.e., with the progression of cholesterol deposition in the arterial wall) but is preserved in the basilar and renal artery.     

Phase II evaluation of merbarone in renal cell carcinoma

Summary The Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) studied the response rate and toxicity of merbarone (1,000 mg/m² IV continuous infusion days 1–5, q 21 days) in patients with advanced metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Among 36 eligible patients, there was one partial response for a response rate of 3% (95% C.I. 0.1–15%). There were no mixed responses. There were no treatment related deaths or adverse drug reactions. Significant anemia, diarrhea, and hypercalcemia were observed. Mild to moderate degrees of malaise/fatigue/lethargy, dizziness/vertigo, hyperglycemia, creatinine increase, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, pedal edema, dyspnea, and granulocytopenia were noted. Merbarone does not have significant activity as a single agent in advanced renal cell carcinoma.     

Renal disease in POEMS syndrome: report on a case and review of the literature

POEMS syndrome is a multisystem disorder associated with plasmacell dyscrasias. This report describes a patient with POEMS-associatedrenal disease and reviews the literature on biopsy-proven renalinvolvement in POEMS syndrome. Our patient had glomerulonephritiswith membranoproliferative features on light-microscopy withoutcharacteristic findings on immunofluorescence, and with ultra-structural evidence of glomerular microangiopathy. Ultrastructuralevidence of microangiopathy was also found in vasa nervorum.In 20 other cases of POEMS- associated renal disease, 16 hadglomerular disease. Light-microscopy showed membranoproliferative-likeglomerulopathy in 14 patients and glomerular microan giopathyin two. Ultrastructural evidence of microangi opathy was presentin all 15 patients in whom electron- microscopy was done. Thus,in most patients with POEMS-associated glomerular disease acharacteristic lesion is present with evidence of endothelialinjury. As endothelial damage is also found in endoneural vessels,generalized endothelial injury may play a role in non-renalmanifestations of POEMS syndrome. In previous reviews manifestationsof the POEMS syndrome were similar for patients with or withoutmyeloma. Among patients with biopsy-proven glomerular disease,however, myeloma patients are underrepres ented. Whether thisrepresents a sampling error or has true pathophysiological significanceremains to be established.     

Infectious scleritis: Report of four cases

While systemic autoimmune diseases are the main possibilities in the differential diagnosis of scleritis, other less common etiologies such as infections must also be considered. The authors report four cases of infectious scleritis to review predisposing factors, clinical characteristics, methods of diagnostic approach, and response to therapy. Two patients had primary scleritis and two patients had secondary scleritis following extension of primary corneal infection (corneoscleritis). Diagnoses included three local infections (one each withStaphylococcus. Acanthamoeba, and herpes simplex) and one systemic infection (Lyme disease). Stains, cultures, or immunologic studies from scleral, conjunctival, and/or corneal tissues, and serologic tests were used to make the diagnosis. Medical therapy, including antimicrobial agents, was instituted in all patients, and surgical procedures were additionally required in two patients (scleral grafting in one and two penetrating keratoplasties in another); the patient who required two penetrating keratoplasties had corneoscleritis and underwent eventual enucleation. Infectious agents should be considered in the differential diagnosis of scleritis.     

Carbohydrate metabolism in children receiving growth hormone for 5 years

Carbohydrate metabolism was evaluated by fasting and postprandial glucose, insulin, and hemoglobin (Hb)A_1c levels in children with chronic renal insufficiency and various other growth disorders treated with growth hormone. Mean fasting and postprandial glucose remained unchanged throughout the 5-year study period in all four study groups. Median fasting insulin levels rose from lownormal levels into the normal range after 5 years of growth hormone. Average fasting insulin level after 5 years was 10 mU/l. Median postprandial insulin values also rose, yet remained within the normal range at the 5-year mark. Mean Hb A_1c levels remained within low to middle end of the normal range in the patients with growth hormone deficiency, Turner syndrome, and idiopathic short stature. Mean Hb A_1c levels at the 5 years were slightly elevated to 6.3% for the patients with chronic renal insufficiency.     

VASOCONSTRICTION IN THE RENAL VASCULAR BED DURING EXERCISE: STUDIES IN CONTROL AND HEART FAILURE RABBITS

1. The effects of graded treadmill exercise on renal blood flow (RBF) were examined in seven rabbits, in which congestive heart failure (CHF) was produced by the administration of doxorubicin, 1 mg/kg, twice weekly for 8 weeks, and in seven controls. A third group of five rabbits underwent doxorubicin treatment with the addition of surgical section of the left renal sympathetic nerve. 2. During submaximal exercise, there was a small reduction in RBF in controls, which was greatly exaggerated in CHF. 3. In both control and heart failure rabbits, there was a precipitous fall in RBF as exercise fatigue developed. 4. Renal sympathectomy ablated these changes in RBF during exercise. 5. It is concluded that in heart failure there is an exaggerated, sympathetically mediated, diversion of blood flow away from the kidney. The onset of exercise fatigue in both normal and heart failure rabbits is accompanied by a marked intensification of this process.     

重组人红细胞生成素治疗肾性贫血的临床分析

目的　观察重组人红细胞生成素 (RhEPO)对肾性贫血的治疗作用。方法　根据使用EPO剂量的不同将 39例慢性肾衰竭并血液透析病人分成 4组 ,观察治疗后 2、4、12个月时与治疗前 (0月 )相比红细胞数 (RBC)、红细胞比积 (Hct)及血红蛋白含量 (Hb)的变化。结果　 2 4例使用EPO10 0 - 15 0IU/ (kg·w) (6 0 0 0IU/w - 90 0 0IU/w) ,治疗后RBC、Hct、Hb较治疗前有显著升高 (P≤ 0 .0 0 1) ;5例使用EPO5 0IU/ (kg·w) (30 0 0IU/w) +间断输血患者 ,其RBC、Hct、Hb升高不显著 ;10例不用EPO而单纯输血患者 ,其RBC、Hct、Hb无明显变化 (P >0 .0 5 )。结论　EPO能较好地纠正肾性贫血 ;单纯输血不能治疗肾性贫血     

System for prostate brachytherapy and biopsy in a standard 1.5 T MRI scanner.

A technique for transperineal high-dose-rate (HDR) prostate brachytherapy and needle biopsy in a standard 1.5 T MRI scanner is demonstrated. In each of eight procedures (in four patients with intermediate to high risk localized prostate cancer), four MRI-guided transperineal prostate biopsies were obtained followed by placement of 14-15 hollow transperineal catheters for HDR brachytherapy. Mean needle-placement accuracy was 2.1 mm, 95% of needle-placement errors were less than 4.0 mm, and the maximum needle-placement error was 4.4 mm. In addition to guiding the placement of biopsy needles and brachytherapy catheters, MR images were also used for brachytherapy treatment planning and optimization. Because 1.5 T MR images are directly acquired during the interventional procedure, dependence on deformable registration is reduced and online image quality is maximized.     

1 108例终末期肾脏疾病血液透析病人原发疾病构成及相关因素分析

目的 回顾性研究终末期肾脏疾病（end stage renal disease，ESRD）血液透析病人原发疾病构成及其相关因素。方法 收集ESRD血液透析病人1108例，分析其原发疾病构成、年龄、性别、透析治疗持续时间、转归、生存率和死亡原因。结果 301例病人透析时间超过3个月，其中43．9％仍在进行血液透析治疗，最长者已存活13年；13．0％病人已行肾脏移植；19．9％转至外院治疗；7．3％改为腹膜透析；1．3％因经济困难放弃治疗；14．6％病人死亡。ESRD维持性血液透析病人1年生存率为93．53％，3年生存率为68．92％。5年生存率62．51％。死亡原因为心血管事件占54．5％，脑血管意外占20．5％。结论 本组病人以中、老年为主，男性多见。ESRD血液透析病人主要原发疾病为慢性肾小球肾炎，主要死亡原因为心血管事件和脑血管意外。