Tc-99m(V) DMSA imaging. A new approach to studying metastases from breast carcinoma.

Combined Tc-99m MDP skeletal imaging and Tc-99m(V) DMSA whole body scans to detect metastases were performed during the follow-up of 30 patients who underwent surgery for breast carcinoma. Eight patients had normal Tc-99m MDP and Tc-99m(V) DMSA scans and were declared free of metastatic disease, further confirmed by no change in symptomatology over a 1-year follow-up period. Twenty-two patients had positive Tc-99m MDP scans with varied skeletal involvement. Tc-99m(V) DMSA scans showed matched areas of increased radiotracer concentration in bony metastases in 20 of these patients. Tc-99m(V) DMSA concentration was not seen in traumatic vertebral collapse or in coexistent osteoarthritic disease in vertebral metastatic involvement. Interestingly, Tc-99m(V) DMSA showed increased concentration in brain and liver metastases. Pentavalent Tc-99m(V) DMSA appears useful for detecting skeletal and soft-tissue metastases in breast carcinoma, and can improve the specificity of Tc-99m MDP bone scans in screening for bone metastases.     

Management of the metabolic syndrome-nicotinic acid.

Nicotinic acid effectively treats each of the common lipid abnormalities found in the metabolic syndrome, and much progress has recently been made in understanding its mechanisms of action.Early concern that nicotinic acid can precipitate or worsen diabetes has been eased with recent trials, which demonstrated its safety and effectiveness in insulin-resistant states. Furthermore, nicotinic acid prevents cardiovascular disease and death in persons with a high prevalence of risk factors for the metabolic syndrome. When used by an experienced physician and taken by a motivated patient, nicotinic acid can be safe and effective in treating the dyslipidemia of the metabolic syndrome.     

Geographic contiguity and genetic affinity among five ethnic populations of Manipur,India: further molecular studies based on VNTR and STR loci

BACKGROUND: Apart from traditional markers studied among a few numerically small, geographically defined surveys among Mongoloid populations in northeastern parts of India, very little is known about their genomic diversity at the molecular level. PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to investigate how best the variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) and short tandem repeat (STR) loci together can detect the patterns of the genetic affinity among five geographically contiguous, linguistically and socio-culturally diverse Mongoloid-affiliated populations of Manipur in northeastern regions of India. SUBJECT AND METHODS: Blood samples were collected from unrelated and randomly selected volunteers of five ethnic populations (Meitei, Kuki, Naga, Hmar and Manipuri Muslim) from different parts of the state. Allelic variation in four minisatellite loci (D1S7, D4S139, D5S110 and D17S79) and three STR loci (vWA, FESFPS and F13AO1) was studied. RESULTS: Average heterozygosity values among the five groups for the minisatellite range from 68% to 94%, while the hypervariable three STR loci were between 60% and 88%. In the populations, all the studied loci were highly polymorphic, with almost no departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The gene differentiation for the VNTR loci was lower and moderate (G(st) = 0.030) in comparison with microsatellites (G(st) = 0.043). The neighbour-joining method of clustering based on both type of molecular markers reveals a close cluster for the tribal groups of Kuki, Naga and Hmar, while Manipur Muslim stand distinct in both the trees. The clustering pattern obtained from the combined DNA marker loci matches more closely the pattern from STR loci than that obtained from VNTR loci. CONCLUSIONS: The results reinforce that using both VNTR and STR loci in detecting regional genetic affinity among the populations is more effective than using VNTR or STR independently, and also confirm the results obtained from the serological and electrophoretic data. However, the clustering pattern obtained from combined DNA markers is more in conformity with the pattern obtained by STR loci rather than with VNTR loci. Despite linguistic, geographical and cultural barriers, the populations show genetic affinity among the four populations except in the case of the migrant Manipur Muslim group.     

Maturational changes in heart rate and heart rate variability in low birth weight infants

To provide insight into the maturation of neural mechanisms responsible for variability in heart rate during quiet and active sleep, 6-hour continuous electrocardiographic recordings and simultaneous minute-by-minute behavioral activity state assignments were performed in 61 healthy, growing low birth weight infants. The infants weighed 795-1600 g at birth and ranged between 31-38 weeks in postconceptional age. During this age interval there was a decrease in heart rate during quiet sleep and an increase in both time domain and frequency domain measures of the variability in cardiac interbeat intervals. In quiet sleep, global variability, measured as SD of R-R intervals, increased in relation to age, as did higher frequency variability, measured as the square root of the mean of squared successive differences in R-R intervals. Developmental changes in the 0.5-2.0 Hz spectral power band of RR-interval variability, another measure of high frequency variability, paralleled the changes seen in the time domain measure. Evaluation of patterns of changes in the magnitude and direction of successive interbeat intervals provided evidence that the incidence of sustained accelerations or decelerations increased whereas the incidence of no change in consecutive RR-intervals decreased as infants matured. Among the various measures of heart rate variability, the incidence of sustained change and no change in successive interbeat intervals were most closely related to postconceptional age in both sleep states. The overall decrease in heart rate, increase in heart rate variability, and increase in the pattern of changes in interbeat interval with postconceptional age are consistent with the maturation of the autonomic cardio-regulatory activity from 31-38 weeks age.     

Genetic structure and affinity among eight ethnic populations of Eastern India: based on 22 polymorphic DNA loci.

The nature and extent of genetic variation at 22 polymorphic DNA loci, belonging to three distinct classes, especially, 12 STR loci (D3S1358, vWA, FGA, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, HPRTB, F13B, LPL), four VNTR loci (D1S7, D4S139, D5S110, D17S79), and six coding loci (HLDQA1, LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8, GC) were investigated among eight population groups of West Bengal and Manipur regions of India. Of these, two groups from West Bengal belong to Caucasoid and six (one in WB and five in Manipur) belong to Mongoloid stock. Both STR and the expressed loci show wide diversity among the eight populations. For example, Manipur Muslims show differences in allele frequency when compared to four other regional populations. Similarly, Garo, one of the Mongoloid populations of West Bengal, differ in allele frequency from their counterparts in the Manipur region. Departure from Hardy-Weinberg expectations was observed at certain loci in a few populations (e.g., D21S1137 in Kayastha and Brahmin, HUM F13B in Meitei). Heterozygosity values were higher for Caucasoid than Mongoloid groups. The overall gene differentiation (GST) for STR loci is higher (5.3%) than for those at the expressed region (4.6%). The clustering pattern of the eight populations differs with respect to different classes of genetic markers used. The dendrograms based on six coding loci (HLDQA1, LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8, GC) differs from those based on STR and VNTR markers. Caucasoid and Mongoloid groups form different clusters and Manipur Muslims are distinct from others. The clustering pattern corresponded with the spatial and ethnic affiliations of the populations. Using different classes of DNA loci at the coding and noncoding region will help to better understand the influence of population structure variables on the genetic structure of populations.     

RENAL TRANSPLANTATION – AN EARLY EXPERIENCE

Renal transplant (RT) is now a therapy of choice for end stage renal disease (ESRD). The Nephrology Unit, Asvini started functioning in Dec 90 and to date 1298 sittings of hemodialysis have been given to 45 patients. Of these, 35 were in ESRD and 11 patients underwent renal transplantation at this hospital during the period Jan 91 – Dec 93. One patient expired after 18 months of transplantation due to infection. Early experience in screening patients for RT, use of immunosuppression, management of rejection episodes and protocol are presented with special emphasis on its relevance to the Armed Forces.KEY WORDS: Transplantation, Renal Failure, Immunosuppression, Rejection     

Pre-emptive analgesia with epidural morphine or morphine and bupivacaine

Studies of preemptive analgesia in humans have shown conflicting results. The study design, patient population and the duration of assessment of postoperative pain are important in the evaluation of preemptive analgesia. We carried out a prospective, randomized, double-blind controlled study in 80 patients of physical status ASA 1-3 undergoing upper abdominal and thoracic surgery. Patients received two epidural injections, one 20 minutes before induction and the other at the end of surgery. Study solution was either morphine (50 micrograms/kg), with or without 0.1% bupivacaine in 10 ml of normal saline, or normal saline alone. The study groups (Pre M, Pre MB) were given either morphine or morphine-bupivacaine before induction and saline at the end of surgery. The control groups (Post M, Post MB) were given saline before induction and morphine or morphine-bupivacaine at the end of surgery. Postoperative pain was assessed with a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) during coughing and deep breathing at six-hourly intervals for five days. Epidural morphine was given if the VAS exceeded 4. Pre MB compared to Post MB had a significantly increased interval between the analgesic top-ups (P < 0.01) and decreased total postoperative morphine requirements (P < 0.0001) and number of top-ups (P < 0.001). Pre M and Post M were comparable. Pre MB compared to Pre M had significantly decreased total postoperative morphine requirements (P < 0.0001) and number of top-ups (P < 0.0001). Epidural morphine plus bupivacaine is effective as a preemptive analgesic. Morphine plus bupivacaine has better efficacy than morphine given alone before the induction of anaesthesia.