ASO Visual Abstract: Prediction of Pathologic Complete Response in Breast Cancer Patients Comparing Magnetic Resonance Imaging with Ultrasound in the Neoadjuvant Setting

Annals of Surgical Oncology -     

Ocular pulse amplitude in patients with Graves' disease: a preliminary study

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ocular pulse amplitude changes in patients with Graves' disease. METHODS: The pulse amplitudes of 31 patients with Graves' disease were measured with the OBF-Tonograph (OBF Labs UK). All patients were in the euthyroid phase of the disease. 17 patients (Group I) had no ocular involvement or only mild lid retraction. 14 patients (Group II) had either proptosis and/or extraocular muscle involvement. Only the worst involved eye of each patient was included into the study. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups among the parameters which might influence the pulse amplitude measurement. The pulse amplitude was statistically significantly lower in Group II than in Group I (2.34+/-0.79 and 3.22+/-0.94 mmHg respectively, p<0.013). CONCLUSION: Pulse amplitude measurements may be an important discrimination and classification parameter for patients with ophthalmic Graves' disease.     

Lipid peroxidation and antioxidants in preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE: To determine the changes in plasma levels of lipid peroxide, vitamin E and vitamin C in women with preeclampsia and to investigate their relationship with diastolic blood pressure. STUDY DESIGN: Cross sectional study consisting of 22 preeclamptic and 21 healthy pregnant women. Fasting venous blood samples were collected during the antepartum period and plasma levels of malondialdehyde, alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid were measured. RESULTS: In the preeclamptic group malondialdehyde, a lipid peroxidation product, was significantly increased, while vitamins E and C were significantly decreased compared to healthy pregnant women. A strong correlation was detected between malondialdehyde and antioxidant factors (vitamins E and C) with blood pressure. CONCLUSION: Our findings are consistent with previous studies suggesting that lipid peroxidation is an important factor in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. In preeclampsia, antioxidant nutrients are excessively utilised to counteract the cellular changes mediated by free radicals.     

Plasma malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, sE-selectin, fibronectin, endothelin-1 and nitric oxide levels in women with preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin), fibronectin, endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) levels in women with preeclampsia and to find out the relations of diastolic blood pressure with these variables. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a case-control study consisting of randomly selected 34 healthy pregnant women and 35 patients diagnosed as preeclampsia. Lipoperoxidation was ascertained by the formation of MDA. SOD activity was determined by the method of Sun et al. Plasma concentration of NO was estimated using colorimetric assay. Plasma ET-1 and sE-selectin were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A nephelometric method for fibronectin quantitation was used. RESULTS: The mean plasma level of MDA was significantly higher and SOD was significantly lower in preeclamptic pregnancies (P<0.001). Plasma concentrations of fibronectin, sE-selectin and ET-1 were significantly increased, whereas NO was significantly decreased in women with preeclampsia than normotensive women (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Increased plasma levels of MDA, fibronectin, sE-selectin, ET-1, and decreased plasma levels of NO and SOD in preeclamptic patients suggest that poorly perfused fetoplacental unit is the origin of oxygen free radicals and lipid peroxides.     

Plasma and placental levels of interleukin-10, transforming growth factor-beta1, and epithelial-cadherin in preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the plasma and placental levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10), transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), and epithelial-cadherin (E-cadherin) in normotensive and preeclamptic pregnancies. METHODS: The study population consisted of 33 women with normotensive pregnancy and 35 women with preeclampsia. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected before labor (35.3 +/- 1.1 and 34.2 +/- 3.4 weeks' gestation for normotensive and preeclamptic pregnancies, respectively), and placental tissues were obtained after delivery. Maternal plasma and placental homogenate IL-10, TGF-beta1, and E-cadherin levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The mean plasma and placental levels of IL-10, TGF-beta1, and E-cadherin were significantly higher in preeclamptic than normotensive patients (P <.001). The plasma and placental levels of IL-10, TGF-beta1, and E-cadherin significantly increased with the increments in diastolic blood pressure (P <.001). CONCLUSION: IL-10, TGF-beta1, and E-cadherin may be involved in the pathologic process of preeclampsia. The pathophysiologic changes associated with preeclampsia may stem in part from the overproduction of these placental mediators.     

Choroidal effusion and shallowing of the anterior chamber after adjunctive therapy with latanoprost in a trabeculectomized patient with angle closure glaucoma

Purpose: Choroidal effusion and anterior chamber loss can occur in atrabeculectomized eye either spontaneously or following aqueous suppressantdrug use. Methods: A 50 year-old women with complaints of pain in theleft eye (LE) was diagnosed as angle closure glaucoma. She was treated medicallyand underwent bilateral laser iridotomy. Because of high intraocular pressure it wasdecided to perform trabeculectomy. During the follow up period, the bleb becameflat and after 3 months the IOP was again 24 mmHg with timolol maleate 0.5% anddorzolamide twice a day. Latanoprost was added to the therapy of the LE. Results:12 days later the patient returned with pain and vision loss in her LE. The anteriorchamber was diffusely narrow and ophthalmoscopy showed massive choroidal effusion.Conclusion: The possible mechanisms of this complication were discussed.     

乳腺癌患者生活质量对照研究

评估乳腺癌患者的生活质量。方法应用综合生活质量问卷与乳腺癌患者症状问卷，在入院后一周内及术后４５天，两次评定了４５名Ⅱ期乳腺癌患者与４５名健康对照者的生活质量。结果乳腺癌患者的生活质量在躯体，心理、社会功能方面显著差于对照者；根治术后４５天，患者的“精神紧张度”、“负性情绪”，“婚姻与家庭关系”有所改善，但“自尊”、“体象”、“躯体功能”、“工作能力”等方面较术前更差。结论乳腺癌患者生活质量受疾病与治疗手段的影响，有必要开展有针对性的心理社会干预。