Twenty-four hour variations of von Willebrand factor and factor VIII-related antigen in diabetic retinopathy

Factor VIII/von Willebrand factor (vWF) could play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetic microangiopathy. It has been suggested that its biologic activity is controlled by hormonal and metabolic mechanisms. To verify this hypothesis, vWF was monitored over a 24 hr period in 9 insulin treated patients with diabetic retinopathy, together with factor VIII-related antigen (VIII-RAG), plasma glucose, growth hormone (GH) and prolactin. vWF levels oscillated during the 24 hr, the mean values being higher during the day than at night-time, p < 0.01. Compared to a group of normal controls in whom blood samples were taken randomly between 9.00 and 13.00, the levels of vWF were significantly increased at 11.00, p < 0.02, and at 13.00, p < 0.02, but at no other time. VIII-RAG values were also higher during the day than at night-time, p < 0.01. The mean 24 hr levels of vWF correlated with those of VIII-RAG, p < 0.01, with the age of the patients, p < 0.01, and with the duration of disease, p < 0.01. The levels of plasma glucose were higher during the day, while GH and prolactin rose at night-time. No correlations were found between vWF or VIII-RAG and plasma glucose, GH or prolactin, nor between the mean 24 hr levels of all these parameters and ponderal index, daily insulin dose, degree of metabolic control, severity of retinopathy. Insulin treated diabetics with microangiopathy show circadian variations in their plasma concentrations of vWF and VIII-RAG which should be taken into account when measuring these factors for clinical or research purposes.     

New method of dynamic color doppler signal quantification in metastatic lymph nodes compared to direct polarographic measurements of tissue oxygenation

Tumor growth depends on sufficient blood and oxygen supply. Hypoxia stimulates neovascularization and is a known cause for radio- and chemoresistance. The objective of this study was to investigate the use of a novel ultrasound technique for the dynamic assessment of vascularization and oxygenation in metastatic lymph nodes. Twenty-four patients (age 44-78 years) with cervical lymph node metastases of squamous cell head and neck cancer were investigated by color duplex sonography and 17 (age 46-78 years) were investigated additionally with polarography. Sonography was performed after contrast enhancer infusion under defined conditions. Intranodal perfusion data (color hue, colored area) were measured automatically by a novel software technique. This allows an evaluation of blood flow dynamics by calculating perfusion intensity--velocity, perfused area, as well as the novel parameters tissue resistance index (TRI) and tissue pulsatility index (TPI)--for each point of a complete heart cycle. Tumor tissue pO(2) was measured by means of polarographic needle electrodes placed intranodally. The sonographic and polarographic data were correlated using Pearson's test. Sonography demonstrated a statistically significant inverse correlation between hypoxia and perfusion and significant TPI and TRI changes with different N-stages. The percentage of nodal fraction with less than 10 mmHg oxygen saturation was significantly inversely correlated with lymph node perfusion (r = -0.551; p = 0.021). Nodes with a perfusion of less than 0.05 cm/sec flow velocity showed significantly larger hypoxic areas (p = 0.006). Significant differences of TPI and TRI existed between nodes in stage N(1) and N(2)/N(3) (p = 0.028 and 0.048, respectively). This new method of dynamic signal quantification allows a noninvasive and quantitative assessment of tumor and metastatic lymph node perfusion by means of commonly available ultrasound equipment.     

Reproductive impairment of women with unicornuate uterus

The reproductive history of 18 women with a diagnosis of unicornuate uterus is reported. The study was conducted with retrospective analysis, and 7 patients with primary infertility were followed up for 1 to 6 years. Four patients had a cavitary noncommunicating horn, 12 a noncavitary rudimentary horn, and 2 no rudimentary horn. The cause of diagnosis was: primary infertility in 7 cases (39%), recurrent abortion in 6 (33%), obstetric complications in 5 (28%). Out of 7 patients that presented with primary infertility in 5 cases an associated reason was present. Twelve women had a total of 38 pregnancies, 21 (55%) ended in abortion, 3 in premature labour, 14 in term births, with a live birth rate of 39%. Of the 17 births 9 (53%) were in breech and 1 (1.6%), in transverse presentations and 11 (65%) were cesarean sections. Cervical cerclage, based on clinical or radiological indications, has been performed in 4 out 6 cases with recurrent abortion with improvement of reproductive performance in 3. Fetal survival rate passed from 0 to 83%. Reproductive impairment seems to depend equally on the difficulty in conceiving and on the reduced ability to carry a pregnancy to term.     

Feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of a gated SPECT early-imaging protocol: a multicenter study of the Myoview Imaging Optimization Group.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether early (time 1, or T1) myocardial tetrofosmin imaging is feasible and as accurate in detecting coronary artery disease as is standard delayed (time 2, or T2) imaging. METHODS: One hundred twenty patients (100 men and 20 women; mean age +/- SD, 61 +/- 10 y) with anginal symptoms underwent tetrofosmin gated SPECT. Stress/rest T1 imaging was performed at 15 min and T2 at 45 min after injection. Image quality was visually evaluated using a 4-point scale (from 0 = poor to 3 = optimal). Myocardial perfusion analysis was performed on a 20-segment model using quantitative perfusion SPECT software, and reversible ischemia was scored as a summed difference score (SDS). Coronary angiography was performed within 1 mo on all patients, and stenosis of more than 50% of the diameter was considered significant. RESULTS: Overall, quality was scored as optimal or good for 94% of T1 images and 95% of T2 images (P = not statistically significant). Heart, lung, liver, and subdiaphragmatic counts did not differ for stress and rest T1 and T2 imaging. A good linear relationship was seen between T1 and T2 SDS (r = 0.69; P < 0.0001), and Bland-Altman analysis showed good agreement between the 2 conditions. In terms of global diagnostic accuracy, areas under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve were comparable between T1 and T2 (0.80 vs. 0.81, P = not statistically significant). Discrepancies between T1 and T2 SDS were observed in 44% of patients (T1 - T2 SDS > 2). Linear regression analysis showed a good correlation between T1 and T2 SDS (r = 0.67; P < 0.0001), whereas the Bland-Altman method showed a shift in the mean value of the difference of +2.67 +/- 2.73. In patients with a T1 - T2 SDS of more than 2, areas under the receiver-operating-characteristic curves were significantly higher for T1 than for T2 images (0.79 vs. 0.70, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: T1 imaging is feasible and as accurate as T2 imaging in identifying coronary artery disease. However, in a discrete subset of patients, early acquisition strengthens the clinical message of defect reversibility by permitting earlier, more accurate identification of more severe myocardial ischemia.     

Androgenic evaluation of women with late-onset or persistent acne

The authors have studied the androgenic patterns in 29 women with late-onset persistent acne vulgaris. Clinical evaluation of acne, menstrual history and serum determinations of SHBG, total-T, free-T, DHEAS, delta 4A have been carried out. A mild and heterogeneous hyperandrogenism was found in 70% of women, thus, a greater steroid bioavailability for peripheral conversion and/or a direct stimulation of the pilosebaceous unit can be postulated. Androgenic evaluation in women with late-onset or persistent acne vulgaris is useful, mainly for hormonal management.