Prostatic Artery Embolization—Anatomic Predictors of Technical Outcomes

PurposeTo determine if cone-beam CT and digital subtraction angiography analysis of pelvic arterial anatomy has predictive value for radiation exposure and technical success of prostatic artery embolization (PAE).Materials and MethodsThis prospective, nonrandomized, single-center study included 104 consecutive patients with lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cone-beam CT was performed in 160/208 (76.9%) hemipelves to determine prostatic artery (PA) origin. Classification of pelvic arterial tortuosity was possible in 73/104 (70.2%) patients. Learning curves of 2 interventionalists who performed 86.5% of PAEs were analyzed.ResultsTortuosity of pelvic arteries was classified as mild in 25 (34.2%) patients median age 64 years, moderate in 40 (54.8%) patients median age 69 years, and severe in 8 (11.0%) patients median age 70 years (mild vs moderate, P = .002; mild vs severe, P = .019); median fluoroscopy times were 24, 36, and 46 minutes (P = .008, P = .023); median contrast volumes were 105, 122.5, and 142 mL (P = .029, P = .064); and bilateral PAE rates were 84.0%, 77.5%, and 62.5% (P = .437), respectively. PA origin from superior vesical artery was most frequent (27.5%) and showed higher dose area product (median 402.4 vs 218 Gy ∙ cm², P = .033) and fluoroscopy time (median 42.5 vs 27 min, P = .01) compared with PA origin from obturator artery, which was least frequent. Interventionalist experience revealed significant impact on procedure times (median 159 vs 130 min, P = .006).ConclusionsTortuosity of pelvic arteries was more frequent in older patients and predicted worse technical outcomes of PAE. PA origin from obturator artery was associated with lower dose area product and fluoroscopy time, especially compared with PA origin from superior vesical artery. Interventionalist experience showed significant influence on technical outcome.     

Understanding the Influence of Nanocarrier-Mediated Brain Delivery on Therapeutic Performance Through Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modeling

This study aimed at evaluating how encapsulation in a regular nanocarrier (NC) (providing extended circulation time) or in a brain-targeting NC (providing prolonged circulation time and increased brain uptake) may influence the therapeutic index compared with the unformulated drug and to explore the key parameters affecting therapeutic performance using a model-based approach. Pharmacokinetic (PK) models were built with chosen PK parameters. For a scenario where central effect depends on area under the unbound brain concentration curve and peripheral toxicity relates to peak unbound plasma concentration, dose-effect and drug-side effect curves were constructed, and the therapeutic index was evaluated. Regular NC improved the therapeutic index compared with the unformulated drug due to reduced peripheral toxicity, while brain-targeting NC enhanced the therapeutic index by lowering peripheral toxicity and increasing central effect. Decreasing drug release rate or systemic clearance of NC with drug still encapsulated could increase the therapeutic index. Also, a drug with shorter half-life would therapeutically benefit more from a NC encapsulation. This work provides insights into how a NC for brain delivery should be optimized to maximize the therapeutic performance and is helpful to predict if and to what extent a drug with certain PK properties would obtain therapeutic benefit from nanoencapsulation.     

华细辛和北细辛HPLC特征图谱识别与抗炎靶点及抗炎成分分析

建立华细辛和北细辛HPLC特征图谱并结合聚类分析研究2种来源细辛的识别方法;应用网络药理学方法预测细辛潜在抗炎靶点并寻找潜在抗炎成分。对89批细辛药材(12批华细辛和77批北细辛)的数据进行分析确定了11个特征峰,用对照品、紫外光谱和LC-MS指认了11个特征成分。特征峰面积聚类分析显示华细辛和北细辛被分为2类,且利用特征峰面积比值可实现两者区分,当特征峰9(细辛素)/参照峰S(卡枯醇)峰面积比值大于5时为华细辛,小于2时为北细辛。对119种细辛成分进行网络药理学分析的结果表明细辛抗炎作用可能与COX-2,COX-1,iNOS,MAPK14,LAT4H,NR3C1,PPARG和TNF等8个靶点相关,其中COX-2最为关键,与5种特征成分细辛脂素、芝麻脂素、细辛素、甲基丁香酚和黄樟醚均存在相互作用。此外,细辛脂素、芝麻脂素与iNOS,MAPK14也存在相互作用关系,黄樟醚和细辛素可作用于iNOS,COX-1,LAT4H,甲基丁香酚可作用于COX-1,LAT4H。细辛脂素与芝麻脂素均可作用在COX-2,iNOS和MAPK143个靶点上,提示它们是细辛发挥抗炎作用的活性成分;COX-2分子对接结果和COX-2活性实验结果验证了细辛脂素、芝麻脂素可抑制COX-2活性,为细辛抗炎作用活性成分。基于HPLC特征图谱的华细辛和北细辛识别方法简便易行;预测到的细辛抗炎靶点和抗炎成分为完善细辛质量评价体系奠定了基础。     

基层医院重症监护病房的医院感染特点及其对策

目的分析基层医院重症监护病房(ICU)的医院感染特点,提出相应的防范措施,以有效降低医院感染发生率. 方法以主动监测与系统回顾相结合的方法,对2003年全年入住ICU 383例患者的相关临床资料进行分析评判,并与全院住院患者进行对比. 结果 ICU的医院感染率是28.8%,显著高出同期的医院平均感染率23.6个百分点;因医院感染而导致死亡的占ICU总死亡的36%;ICU医院感染的病原菌以G-菌为主,占50%,而双重感染达78.7%;下呼吸道感染为医院感染的主要部位占61.7%,但多部位多器官感染占29.6%. 结论 ICU医院感染的特点是高发病率、高死亡率、高耐药性;其相关因素有病情重、年龄大、基础疾病多、侵入性诊疗操作多与交叉感染等.     

左心室舒张(充盈)功能的影响因素

本文用X线电影摄影方法评价了49例左室舒张(充盈)功能的影响因素。冠心病(CAD)组23例,高血压病组12例,正常对照组14例。左室充盈功能或顺应性主要受冠脉病变严重程度的影响。冠脉狭窄程度越重,并有陈旧性心肌梗塞、室壁运动异常、EF下降,则充盈功能受损愈明显。血压、年龄因素对舒张充盈功能的影响较小。在CAD组中,心率与1/3充盈分数呈负相关,与正常化高峰充盈率(NPFR)不相关,而EF则与NPFR相关良好。     

各具特色的国外妇幼保健工作

本文通过对国际上几个主要国家的妇幼保健工作的介绍,使人们对不同特色的妇幼保健事业有所了解,他山之石,可以攻玉,希望能够对我国妇幼保健工作的发展提供借鉴。     

体表电位标测微机系统(Ⅰ型)

本系统的107个电极中,103个分布于胸、背部,1个为参考电极,1个为V_3,其余用于肢导。本系统除能绘出2、4、8ms任意间隔的103通道同步的体表等电位图,常规12导联和V_(7 9)心电图,胸、背部位的心电图外,还可记录R峰值等电位图,∑R,Q波等电位图,nQ30、40,极大、极小轨迹图等。     

Comparison of the APACHE III, APACHE II and Glasgow Coma Scale in acute head injury for prediction of mortality and functional outcome

Objectives: This study examines the efficacy of the predicting power for hospital mortality and functional outcome of three different scoring systems for head injury in a neurosurgical intensive care unit (NICU). Design: On the day of admission, data were collected from each patient to compute the Acute Physiology, Age, and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and III, and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores. Hospital mortality was defined as the deaths of patients before discharge from hospital. Early mortality was defined as death before the 14th day after admission. Late mortality was defined as death after the 15th day from admission. Functional outcome was evaluated by Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (Index of ADL). Setting: An 8-bed NICU in a 1270-bed medical center in Taichung Veterans General Hospital. Patients and participants: Two hundred non-selected patients with acute head injury were included in our study in a consecutive period of 2 years. Patients less than 14 years old were not included. Interventions: None. Measurements and results: Sensitivity, specificity and correct prediction outcome were measured by the chi-square method in three scoring systems. The Youden index was also obtained. The best cut-off point in each scoring system was determined by the Youden index. The difference in Youden index was calculated by Z score. A difference was also considered if the probability value was less than 0.05. The area under Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was computed. Then the area under ROC of each scoring system was compared by Z score. There was statistical significance if p was less than 0.05. For prediction of hospital mortality, the best cut-off points are 55 for APACHE III, 17 for APACHE II and 5 for GCS. The correct prediction outcome is 82.4% in APACHE III, 78.4% in APACHE II and 81.9% in the GCS. The Youden index has best cut-off points at 0.68 for APACHE III, 0.59 for APACHE II, and 0.56 for GCS. The area under Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve is 0.90 in the APACHE III, 0.84 in the APACHE II and 0.86 in the GCS. There are no statistical differences among APACHE III and II, and GCS in terms of correct prediction outcome, Youden Index and the area under the ROC curve. Other physiological variables excluding GCS in APACHE III and II (AP III-GCS, AP II-GCS) have less statistical value in the determination of mortality for acute head injury. For the prediction of late mortality, APACHE III and II yield significantly better results in the area under the ROC curve, correct prediction and Youden index than those of GCS. Other physiological variables (AP III-GCS and AP II-GCS) play an important role in the prediction of late mortality in APACHE scores. For prediction of the functional outcome of surviving patients with acute head injury, the APACHE III yields the best results of correct prediction outcome, Youden index and the area under the ROC curve. Conclusion: The APACHE III and II may not replace the role of GCS in cases of acute head injury for hospital or early mortality assessment. But for prediction of the late mortality, the APACHE III and II have better accuracy than GCS. Other physiological variables excluding GCS in the APACHE system play a crucial contribution for late mortality. GCS is simple, less time-consuming and economical for patients with acute head injury for the prediction of hospital and early mortality. The APACHE III provides better prediction for severe morbidity than GCS and APACHE II. Therefore, the APACHE III provides a good assessment not only for hospital and late mortality, but also for functional outcome. Received: 22 May 1995 Accepted: 2 September 1996