The efficacy of fluconazole in treating prosthetic valve endocarditis caused byCandida glabrata: Report of a case

A case of active prosthetic valve infective endocarditis (PVE) due toCandida glabrata was successfully treated by the systemic administration of fluconazole. A 66-year-old Japanese man with infective endocarditis of unknown etiology underwent aortic and mitral valve replacement to treat severe aortic and mitral regurgitation associated with multiple organ failure. Postsurgical cultures of arterial blood were repeatedly positive forC. glabrata, and therefore fluconazole was administered either intravenously or orally at a dose of 400 mg/day for 46 days. During that time the signs of inflammation including fever such as an elevated white blood cell count and the presence of C-reactive protein (CRP) all improved while the blood cultures became negative. Fluconazole is thus considered to be effective in treating PVE caused byC. glabrata. When administering this treatment, it is also important to monitor the patient's renal and liver function.     

A new respiratory valve system for measuring oxygen uptake during swimming

We describe a new respiratory valve system with minimal dead space, which allows measurement of ventilation and oxygen uptake during swimming. The device offers considerable advantages in efficiency and accuracy over current equipment, and can be used in conjunction either with a miniaturized telemetry system for oxygen uptake measurement or with a conventional system. The valve has a low airflow resistance, a small dead space (15 ml), and an electrically operating, closed-circuit pump to remove excess water from the expiratory tube. The external form and the buoyancy of the valve have been hydrostatically and hydrodynamically designed to reduce drag and to ensure a correct mass in the water. To obtain this result a very sophisticated material, carbon fibre, has been utilized. Our studies showed that this respiratory system is ideal for obtaining valid and reliable values of oxygen uptake during swimming, even at high speed and in endurance swimming tests.     

Frequency Doubling Technology perimetry and standard automated perimetry in migraine

The literature suggests that visual field defects may be more common in people who experience migraine. The Humphrey frequency doubling (FDT) visual field instrument selectively examines the magnocellular visual pathway, but has not previously been used to investigate visual function in migraine. In a masked controlled study we compared Humphrey FDT and Humphrey Swedish Interactive Threshold Algorithm fields of 25 migraine sufferers with 25 age- and gender-matched controls. Although both mean deviation and pattern standard deviation were a little worse in the migraine group, these differences did not reach statistical significance. There were no inter-eye visual field differences in the migraine group compared with controls. Comparing the mean of all the contrast thresholds in each hemisphere, there were no more inter-hemifield visual field differences in the migraine group compared with controls. There was no significant difference between the migraine and control groups in intra-ocular pressures. The visual field parameters were not correlated with the interval since the last migraine headache, the severity of migraine headache, the duration of migraine headache or the number of migraine headaches per annum. In our data, there was no evidence of visual field deficits, a magnocellular deficit, or indications of glaucomatous pathology.     

Transesophageal Echocardiographic Analysis of the Systolic Pattern of the Anterior Mitral Leaflet in Patients with Flat Chest

Transesophageal echocardiography was conducted to determine the systolic pattern of the anterior mitral leaflet in patients with flat chest, and to differentiate it from that associated with mitral valve prolapse. The fronto-sagittal index (an index of chest flattening) was determined in 50 subjects using chest radiographs, and was used to classify them into a flat chest group (index < 0.38, n = 28) and a normal chest group (index ≥ 0.38, n = 22). We then used transesophageal echocardiography to examine the anterior leaflet in these subjects. A significant positive correlation was observed between the fronto-sagittal index and the short-to long-axis diameter ratio of the left ventricle in all patients. These parameters, and the left atrial dimension were lower in the flat than the normal chest group. The clear zone area of the anterior leaflet during mid-to late-systole was significantly larger in the flat chest group. However, no intergroup differences existed in the rough zone area of the anterior leaflet or in the middle scallop area of the posterior leaflet. Mitral regurgitation was observed in 20 and 12 subjects in the flat and normal chest groups, respectively. The maximum mitral regurgitant area did not differ between the two groups. The clear zone area of the anterior leaflet increased significantly following inhalation of amyl nitrite in 22 subjects of both groups, but the other areas did not increase. The mitral regurgitant area decreased or disappeared after amyl nitrite at a similar rate in each group. Thus, the decrease in the antero-posterior dimension of the thorax in subjects with flat chest affects the systolic pattern of the clear zone of the anterior leaflet more than that of the rough zone of the anterior leaflet or the posterior leaflet. This systolic pattern in such patients differs from that associated with mitral valve prolapse.     

Ocular perfusion pressures in different types of glaucoma

Summary It is widely accepted that a disturbed blood supply of the optic disc may cause (in addition with an increased intraocular pressure) optic nerve fibre damage. Therefore we measured ocular perfusion pressures in 79 healthy subjects. In 18 patients with low tension glaucoma, in 27 patients suffering from ocular hypertension and in 49 glaucoma (OAG) patients. For measuring perfusion pressures we used the technique of oculooscillo-dynamography (OODG) as described by Ulrich. Additionally we measured intraocular pressure and systemic blood pressure. In OODG the IOP is simultaneously increased in both eyes by application of a suction cup. After increase of the IOP the negative pressure in the suction cup is slowly and linearly decreased. During this decrease the pulse-depending oscillations of each eye are recorded on a strip-chart-recorder. By means of this method retinal and ciliary perfusion pressures can be separated. As a result we could show that mean arterial blood pressure and systolic retinal perfusion pressure were comparable and not statistically significantly different between the groups examined. The systolic ocular perfusion pressures in patients with low tension glaucoma showed a highly statistically significant reduction compared with the other groups. Between healthy subjects, OAG-patients and patients suffering from ocular hypertension there was no difference in systolic ciliary perfusion pressure detectable.     

主动脉瓣机械瓣置换术后交替脉

报道４例因主动脉瓣关闭不全行主动脉瓣置换术后的患者在术后早期出现脉搏交替现象，此时心电图为整齐的窦性心律，所记录的脉搏图形高低交替，如扪诊桡动脉时则会发现桡动脉搏数为心电图示心率的一半。患者术后均顺利恢复，显示这一现象为一过性的、良性的过程。推测这一现象出现的原因可能是术后早期主动脉瓣不再有回流，因而巨大的左室腔充盈不足，加之左室收缩力尚低，不能在每次收缩时都能射出同等量的血流所致     

Extrapolating global visual field indices from local parameters in the nasal region

The local mean and the average difference of four pairs of test locations within the 26° visual field, situated above and below the horizontal nasal meridian, were used to predict the global field indices MD and CLV of the Gl glaucoma program. Out of 539 examinations (194 eyes suspected of having glaucoma), the local indices NDIFF (describing asymmetrical behavior around the nasal horizontal meridian), ND0 (the mean defect in the nasal region), and the global indices MD and CLV were calculated. Seven hundred fifty-five examinations (446 normal eyes) served as a control group. First and second examinations of 146 glaucoma suspect eyes were used to calculate the retest reliability scores for the indices in question. When analyzing the glaucoma suspects, the local index NDIFF, together with the local mean defect, ND0, yielded highly reliable estimates of the global indices MD and CLV, with a retest correlation r = 0.86 for NDIFF, and r = 0.96 for ND0. The covariance of NDIFF with CLV was r = 0.67, while the co-variance of MD with ND0 was r = 0.95.The ranges of the local indices ND0 and NDIFF were each classified into normal range and range of suspected pathology, in analogy to the normal and pathological ranges of the global field indices. Equivalence of the local indices with the corresponding ranges of MD and CLV was investigated and the results are shown. The establishment of local indices may prove to be a powerful tool in early detection of glaucomatous damage.     

Visualisation of the mandibular canal by different radiographic techniques

6 mandibles were radiographically examined bilaterally to visualise the mandibular canal. 5 imaging techniques were used: periapical radiography, panoramic radiography, hypocycloidal tomography, spiral tomography and computed tomography (CT). Panoramic radiographs were obtained with 2 different X-ray machines. The CT-examinations comprised direct images and standard reconstructions based on axial slices. The specimens were subsequently sectioned for contact radiography. The visibility of the mandibular canal was estimated by 3 observers at special reference points on all radiographs and classified as clearly visible, questionable visibility or not visible. The contact radiographs served as the "gold standard". The inter-observer and the intra-observer agreement were assessed by calculating the overall agreement and the x value. Direct coronal computed tomography, as well as spiral and hypocycloidal tomography, gave better visualisation of the mandibular canal than periapical and panoramic radiography.     

The long-tube single plate Molteno implant for the treatment of recalcitrant glaucoma

One hundred cases of recalcitrant glaucoma were operated with a long tube single-plate Molteno implant (LSMI). At the median follow-up of 15 months an intraocular pressure of 19 mm Hg was obtained in 64 of the 87 eyes (73%) which have a minimum follow-up of 6 months (secondary non-neovascular glaucomas=19; congenital glaucomas=26; secondary neovascular glaucomas=12). The interval probability (percentage±standard error) of obtaining a successful result (IOP19 mmHg) was 79% (±13) at twelve months from surgery, and 53% (±24) at the eighteen month interval. The least favorable results were obtained in the secondary non-neovascular glaucomas. Complications observed included choroidal detachment (24%), tube exposure (4%), tube-endothelium contact (6%), plus band keratopathy, fibrous ingrowth, traction retinal detachment and corneal ulcers.Seventeen cases needed repeate surgery for the management of complications. In order to decrease the post-operative hypotony, we have been using a tourniquet suture around the tube at the time of implantation to occlude it temporarily and limit the outflow.