Quality of life in women with endometriosis: a cross-sectional survey

Quality of Life Research - The aim of the study was to assess QoL and identify and analyse its determinants in women with endometriosis. The study was performed in 2019 in health centres in Lublin...     

Right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt versus modified Blalock-Taussig shunt in the Norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome - influence on early and late haemodynamic status.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess changes in early and late haemodynamic status after the Norwood procedure (NP), caused by the implementation of right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt (RV-PA). METHODS: A consecutive series of 68 children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome underwent NP: Group 1 (n=31) with the application of a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt and Group 2 (n=37) with RV-PA. Haemodynamic data from the early postoperative period (72 h after the operation) and cardiac catheterisation data, as well as blood tests before the hemi-Fontan procedure (HF) were analysed. Univariate (chi(2) test, Mann-Whitney's and Student's t-tests) and multiple regression analysis were carried out. RESULTS: In Group 1, circulatory collapse requiring resuscitation occurred in 15 (48.4%) children, within 72 h after the procedure. The resuscitation was unsuccessful in nine (29%) cases. The operative mortality (30 days) was 35%. In Group 2, two (5%) children died within the early and two (5%) within the late postoperative period. The postoperative course in the remaining children from Group 2 was uneventful. In Group 2 there was a significantly higher mean diastolic pressure after NP (P<0.05). The arterial pulse pressure after NP was significantly lower in Group 2 (P<0.05). Before HF, the application of RV-PA was associated with a lower Qp:Qs ratio (P=0.020), lower aortic pulse pressure (P=0.004) and lower aortic oxygen saturation (P=0.039). CONCLUSIONS: A stable haemodynamic status due to independent coronary perfusion, higher diastolic and lower pulse pressure is the most advantageous effect of RV-PA, resulting in a lower mortality and morbidity after NP. A lower Qp:Qs ratio eliminates the danger of the ventricular volume overload and ensures good conditions for the development of the pulmonary circulation before HF.     

Three-dimensional presentation of the Fourier amplitude and phase: a fast display method for gated cardiac blood-pool SPECT.

The routine clinical use of gated SPECT is inhibited by sophisticated, time-consuming processing techniques. The present paper describes a new technique for the simultaneous three-dimensional presentation of the amplitude and phase of the first Fourier harmonics, with the aim of obtaining detailed information about the ventricular motion in a relatively short time, from each angle of view of three-dimensional space. The method is simple and robust, and processing is automatic. It does not need carefully elaborated techniques for surface determination, because the cardiac surface is merely used as a reference skeleton onto which the functional information of amplitude and phase is mapped. The Fourier analysis before reconstruction results in running times shorter than 15 min and may further open the way for the routine use of gated SPECT.     

IL-6 and IL-10 promoter gene polymorphisms do not associate with the susceptibility for multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy characterised by bone marrow infiltration and the presence of a monoclonal protein in serum and/or urine. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been identified as one of the most important cytokines that contributes to myeloma cell survival and proliferation. Recent investigations suggest involvement of another cytokine, IL-10, in the activation of MM cells. The present study aimed to determine whether there is an association between the polymorphic features located within the promoter regions of IL-6 and IL-10 genes and progression the disease. IL-6 (-174 G/C) and IL-10 (-1082 A/G, -819 C/T, -592 A/C) promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were determined by PCR-SSP technique using commercial primers. Our single centre results were compared with the data from literature and combined in cumulative analysis employing the Mantel-Haenszel method. In univariate analysis, only IL-10 ACC genotype tended to prevail in our (Polish) group of patients. None of IL-6 genotypes or IL-10 (-1082) alleles was found to associate with MM disease either in our single centre or in cumulative study. Among patients who died within 36 months of diagnosis, a significant prevalence (P < 0.05) of IL-6 heterozygous cases as opposed to IL-6 homozygotes was observed. IL-6 and IL-10 promoter gene polymorphisms were not found to associate with the susceptibility to the development of MM. However, the IL-6 polymorphic features appeared as factors that might affect the survival of MM patients. The latter observation warrants further study.     

Inhibitory action of Ca2+ on spontaneous transmitter release at motor nerve terminals in a high K+ solution

The inhibitory effect of a high external Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_o) on spontaneous transmitter release in a high K⁺ solution (Gage and Quastel 1966; Birks et al. 1968) was studied at the frog neuromuscular junction, based on the hypothesis that an increased intracellular free Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_i) in the nerve terminal plays a key role in the depression. Three procedures were employed to increase [Ca²⁺]_i; increasing [Ca²⁺]_o, application of caffeine and tetanic nerve stimulation. All of these procedures increased m.e.p.p. frequency in normal Ringer. However, as the basic m.e.p.p. frequency was increased by raising the external K⁺ concentration (7–15 mM), their facilitatory effects on m.e.p.p. frequency decreased, disappeared and eventually reversed to depressant actions. Since a rise in the external K⁺ concentration would increase the steady state level of [Ca²⁺]_i, it is suggested that when the [Ca²⁺]_i is preset at a high level, manipulations so as to further increase [Ca²⁺]_i depress spontaneous release of transmitter. Possible mechanisms for this inhibition was discussed in relation to a question whether or not the rate of spontaneous transmitter release is a monotonic function of [Ca²⁺]_i.     

CTLA-4 (CD152) gene polymorphism at position 49 in exon 1 in Graves' disease in a Polish population of the Lower Silesian region

INTRODUCTION: Graves' disease ((GD)is an autoimmune disease believed to be caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. The gene encoding cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4)is one of the candidate genes for conferring susceptibility to thyroid autoimmunity. he aim of the study was to investigate the association between the exon 1 CTLA-4 gene polymorphism A(49)G and susceptibility to GD and Graves ' ophthalmopathy (GO)as well as its severity in a Polish population of the Lower Silesia region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the A(49)G exon 1 CTLA-4 gene polymorphism in 99 unrelated Polish patients with GD, of whom 50 had clinically evident GO (NOSPECS class III and higher), and 154 matched healthy subjects from the Lower Silesia region. Genomic DNA was isolated from whole frozen blood using the NucleoSpin Blood kit. A/G transition was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction followed by labeling with the SnaPshot kit of PE Applied Biosystems and detected using an ABI PRISM 310 capillary genetic analyzer. RESULTS: The distribution of CTLA-4 exon 1 A(49)G enotype, allele, and phenotypic frequencies did not differ between patients with GD and healthy subjects. There was a significantly lower frequency of the AA genotype in the group of patients with clinically evident GO than in patients without severe GO (22% vs. 43%; p=0.02, OR=2.6). CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that the AA genotype in patients with GD is associated with a lower risk of GO severity.     

10 years survival of patient with lung cancer and cerebral metastasis

The authors describe the case of survival for the period of 10 years after brain metastasis surgery and removal of the left lung upper lobe due to adeno-squamous cells carcinoma. Surgery did not generate any complications. Within 8 years after the surgery the radiological examination showed infiltrations resembling changes typical for tuberculosis. Microbiological analysis showed a culture of Mycobacterium kansasi leading to diagnosis of mycobacteriosis. Hence the antituberculous treatment was extended to 12 months to be interrupted due to liver damage. Two years later the patient experienced incident of haemoptysis. Detailed examination and assessment of the respiratory tract condition revealed COPD without features of renewal of the neoplastic process or infection by Mycobacterium tuberculosis or mycobacterium other than tuberculosis. This case demonstrates that aggressive surgical approaches to lung cancer with solitary cerebral metastasis significantly improve patient survival and justifies its widespread use.