Evaluation of serum IgE in peach-allergic patients with systemic reaction by using recombinant Pru p 7 (gibberellin-regulated protein)

Background

Lipid transfer protein (LTP) is a major fruit allergen. It has, however, recently been revealed that the systemic reaction in peach-allergic patients is related not only to LTP (Pru p 3) but also to gibberellin-regulated protein (Pru p 7). We investigated recombinant Pru p 7 (rPru p 7) for its potential use in worldwide standardization for the diagnosis of peach allergy.

Monitoring the progression of the atrial electrical remodeling in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

It is important to clarify how electrical remodeling develops in clinical cases of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), because it has been suggested that this electrophysiological phenomenon promotes an increase in the frequency of PAF. In the present study, the f-f interval during PAF was analyzed from the ambulatory ECG recordings of 21 patients with PAF (total PAF duration >2/24 h with normal atrial size) to monitor the atrial electrophysiological changes. The patients were clinically followed-up for 6 months without any antiarrhythmic drugs. Before and after the follow-up period 24-h Holter monitoring was carried out and the duration of both the PAF and the f-f intervals during the PAF episode were evaluated. In selected cases, the atrial effective refractory period (ERP) was evaluated in an electrophysiologic study before and after the follow-up period. The total PAF duration was prolonged from 187+/-50 to 223+/-79 min (p=0.034) and the f-f interval was shortened from 0.14+/-0.03 to 0.12+/-0.02 ms (p=0.003). There was an inverse relationship between the changes in total PAF duration and f-f interval (p=0.027). The ERP was shortened from 214+/-15 to 194+/-5 ms (n=5, p=0.025) and there was a direct correlation between the changes in ERP and f-f interval (p=0.048). In clinical cases, the prolongation of the PAF was related to the shortening of the f-f interval during the PAF episodes and to the shortening of the atrial ERP. Electrical remodeling plays a role in promoting the development of the atrial fibrillation in patients with PAF.     

Autologous salvaged blood transfusion in spontaneous hemopneumothorax

Spontaneous hemopneumothorax (SHP) is a rare clinical entity, and an emergent operation due to continuous bleeding or hypovolemic shock is at times necessary. Although allogeneic blood transfusions are urgently required for significant blood loss, autologous blood transfusions can also be considered in patients with SHP. We herein report two cases of successful autologous blood transfusions using blood in the pleural space, decreasing or obviating the need for allogeneic blood transfusion.     

Effect of procainamide on the postrepolarization refractoriness in cardiac muscle: evaluation using the block coupling interval in the artificial isthmus model in the canine right atrium

The post-repolarization refractoriness (PRR) is an important factor to determine the conduction block in cardiac muscle. Recently, we proposed the block coupling interval (BCI) as an useful electrophysiological index for evaluating the PRR. In the present study, the effect of procainamide on PRR was evaluated using the BCI and the effective refractory period (ERP). In five beagle dogs, radiofrequency linear ablation was performed on the right atrial surface parallel to the AV groove, forming an artificial isthmus (8-10 mm width and 15-20 mm length). Bipolar recordings were performed in the isthmus at a resolution of 1.2 mm and single extrastimuli with eight basic drive trains were delivered to cause conduction blocks in the isthmus. When a conduction block occurred, the recorded coupling interval at the recording site just proximal to the site of block was defined as BCI. At the site of the block, the ERP and duration of the monophasic action potential (MAP) at each drive cycle length was measured. The PRR was calculated using two different formulas: (1) [ERP-MAP] and (2) [BCI-MAP]. Procainamide was administrated intravenously at a dose of 15 mg/kg after the control study and the whole study protocol was repeated. The site of the block in an individual dog was always the same. BCI, ERP, and MAP were all shortened in accordance with the shortening of the basic drive cycle length, and the BCI was always the longest, ERP the middle, and the MAP was the shortest. The administration of procainamide prolonged each parameter, but the order of BCI > ERP > MAP remained unchanged. The PRR calculated as [BCI-MAP] was prolonged from 15 +/- 10 ms to 29 +/- 8 ms by the administration of procainamide (P = 0.048), but [ERP-MAP] was unchanged (8 +/- 10 ms vs 8 +/- 4 ms). In the conduction block model in the canine right atrium, procainamide prolonged the [BCI-MAP], but did not change the [ERP-MAP]. The procainamide effect of prolonging the PRR might be expressed better by the change in the BCI than the ERP.     

The validity of sentinel lymph node biopsy using dye technique alone in patients with gastric cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigated whether sentinel lymph node biopsy using dye technique alone is useful or not in decision-making for less invasive surgery in patients with gastric cancer. METHODOLOGY: The subjects were 43 patients who had undergone laparotomy for gastric cancer and consented to undergo sentinel lymph node biopsy using patent blue dye. The patients enrolled were 26 males and 17 females, with a mean age of 62.5 years. The tumor sites were upper third of the stomach in 14, middle third in 16, and lower third in 13 patients. The depth of invasion was mucosa in eight, submucosa in 19, muscularis propria in five, subserosa in five, and serosa in six patients. Total gastrectomy was performed in 12, subtotal gastrectomy in 28, and proximal gastrectomy in three patients. RESULTS: The mean number of sentinel lymph node biopsies per surgery was 3.5 +/- 4.1. We were able to perform blue node biopsy in 40 out of 43 patients, but could not find any blue nodes in three patients. Among the 40 patients in whom blue nodes were identified, 29 patients with no metastasis in blue nodes had no evidence of lymph node metastasis (NO). The depth of invasion was not deeper than subserosa in all these patients. Metastasis was observed in one out of the three patients in whom no blue nodes were found. CONCLUSIONS: When the depth of invasion was not deeper than the subserosa and blue nodes were identified, no metastases in either non-blue nodes or blue nodes could be found in the absence of metastatic blue nodes. Therefore, if the depth of invasion is not deeper than the subserosa in gastric cancer, metastatic search in blue nodes seems sufficient and less invasive surgery can be performed safely. Even when the invasion depth is not deeper than the submucosa, the tumor could be metastatic to Group 2 lymph nodes in patients in whom blue node biopsy revealed metastases. When metastasis is found in lymph nodes by intraoperative frozen section diagnosis, less invasive surgery for gastric cancer is not indicated.     

Effect of pilsicainide on atrial electrophysiologic properties in the canine rapid atrial stimulation model.

The heterogeneous process of atrial electrical remodeling (AER) in the canine rapid atrial stimulation model has been previously reported although it has been reported that a sodium channel blocker might suppress the shortening of the atrial effective refractory period (AERP), its effect on long-term electrical remodeling is unknown. In the present study, the effect of pilsicainide on AER was evaluated. The right atrial appendage (RAA) was paced at 400 beats/min for 2 weeks. In the RAA, Bachmann's bundle (BB), the right atrium near the inferior vena cava (IVC) and in the left atrium (LA), AERP, AERP dispersion (AERPd) and the inducibility of atrial fibrillation (AF) were evaluated at several time points of the pacing phase and the recovery phase (1 week). The same protocol was performed during the administration of pilsicainide (4.5 mg/kg per day) and the parameters were compared with the controls. In the control dogs, the AERP was significantly shortened by rapid pacing at all atrial sites studied and the AERP shortening (DeltaAERP) was larger at the RAA and LA sites (p<0.03). However, pilsicainide decreased these DeltaAERPs at all 4 atrial sites. AERPd was increased during the pacing phase whereas it was decreased during the recovery phase in the control dogs. In contrast, this pacing-induced AERPd was attenuated by the administration of pilsicainide. The AF inducibility was highest at the LA site in both groups, and the inducibility was lower in the pilsicainide group than the control group at all atrial sites. During the rapid pacing phase, the ventricular heart rate was significantly lower in the pilsicainide group than the control because of intra-atrial conduction block. In a canine rapid right atrial stimulation model, pilsicainide suppressed the shortening of the AERP at all atrial sites, possibly through the improvement of the hemodynamics as well as the action of the Na - Ca exchanger.     

How to eradicate Helicobacter pylori using amoxicillin and omeprazole in the remnant stomach

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We previously investigated the effects of amoxicillin/omeprazole combined therapy on patients who were Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) positive after gastrectomy for the treatment of gastric cancer, and we determined the difference in amoxicillin dosage between the therapeutic successes and failures. In the present study, assuming that amoxicillin dosage should be determined on the basis of body weight of each patient, we examined whether the eradication of H. pylori would be improved by using this novel dose-selection method. METHODOLOGY: We have previously reported about eradication of H. pylori of remnant stomach as follows. Patients who underwent gastrectomy for the treatment of gastric cancer were enrolled if H. pylori was detected in their remnant stomach after the operation. Of these patients, 22 were treated with amoxicillin at 750 mg/day for 2 weeks and omeprazole at 20 mg/day for 8 weeks. For the evaluation of H. pylori eradication, endoscopic examination and 13C-urea breath test were performed 12 weeks after the initiation of the treatment. The amoxicillin dosage in the therapeutic successes was compared with that in the therapeutic failures, and we found that the dosage was 14.1 +/- 1.5 and 12.5 +/- 1.5 mg/kg/day in the successes and the failures, respectively. Following these results, another 10 H. pylori-positive patients were treated with amoxicillin greater than 16 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks and omeprazole at 20 mg/day for 8 weeks, and H. pylori eradication was evaluated as mentioned above. The efficacy of the drug therapy on H. pylori infection was compared between the two groups that one group (Group A) is treated with amoxicillin 750 mg/day for 2 weeks and omeprazole at 20 mg/day for 8 weeks and the other group (Group B) is treated with 1250 mg/day for 2 weeks and omeprazole at 20 mg/day for 8 weeks. RESULTS: The eradication rate of H. pylori in Group B (84.6%) was higher than that in Group A (42.1%). There was significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: We assumed that the optimal dosage of amoxicillin was over 15.6 mg/kg/day for omeprazole-amoxicillin combined therapy for gastrectomized patients who were H. pylori positive, and the favorable therapeutic effects could be obtained by applying this amoxicillin dosage to the eradication of H. pylori.