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Control Group Consisting (control + group_consisting)
Selected AbstractsPulmonary Vein Disconnection Using the LocaLisa Three-Dimensional Nonfluoroscopic Catheter Imaging SystemJOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 7 2003Laurent Macle M.D. Introduction: Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with prolonged fluoroscopy times. We prospectively evaluated the use of the LocaLisa three-dimensional nonfluoroscopic catheter imaging system with the aim of reducing fluoroscopy times during pulmonary vein (PV) disconnection. Methods and Results: Fifty-two patients with AF (47 men and 5 women, mean age 53 ± 9 years) underwent disconnection of all four PVs guided by a circumferential mapping catheter. The LocaLisa navigation system was used for real-time three-dimensional nonfluoroscopic imaging of the circumferential mapping catheter and ablation catheter electrodes in 26 patients. Procedural parameters were compared with those of a control group consisting of 26 patients in whom only standard fluoroscopy was used. PV disconnection was performed similarly in both groups by circumferential ablation around the ostia, with the endpoint of disconnecting left atrium to PV breakthroughs. The cumulative duration of radiofrequency (RF) energy delivery, procedural time, and fluoroscopy time required for PV disconnection were compared. Successful disconnection was achieved in all PVs, without acute complications. There was no significant difference in cumulative RF energy delivery: 34.8 ± 11.4 minutes for the nonfluoroscopic imaging group versus 38.2 ± 10.5 minutes for the control group. The fluoroscopy time required for disconnection of all four PVs was significantly lower in the LocaLisa group than in the control group: 8.4 ± 4.3 minutes versus 23.7 ± 9.7 minutes (P < 0.0001). There also was a significant difference in the mean time taken for PV disconnection: 46.5 ± 12.0 minutes for the nonfluoroscopic imaging group versus 66.3 ± 18.9 minutes for the control group (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: By allowing continuous three-dimensional monitoring of ablation and mapping catheter position and orientation, the LocaLisa nonfluoroscopic imaging system significantly reduces fluoroscopy and PV disconnection times. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 14, pp. 693,697, July 2003) [source] Enhanced B7 Costimulatory Molecule Expression In Inflammatory Human Sural Nerve BiopsiesJOURNAL OF THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, Issue 1 2001R Kiefer Objectives-To define the role of the costimulatory molecules B7-1 and B7-2 in inflammatory disorders of the peripheral nervous system. B7 molecules are essential for effective antigen presentation and may determine the differentiation of T cells into a Th-1 or Th-2 phenotype, thus modulating immune response and disease course. Methods-Forty nine sural nerve biopsies from patients with neuroborreliosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), CIDP variants and hereditary neuropathies, and those with no detectable abnormality were investigated. The expression of B7-1 and B7-2 mRNA and protein was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunocytochemistry. Results-B7-1 mRNA was strongly upregulated in both cases of neuroborreliosis, in two cases of GBS and one case of variant CIDP. Moderate to low levels were detected in the remaining GBS and CIDP biopsies and were rarely found in a noninflammatory control group consisting of hereditary neuropathy and normal nerves. At the immunocytochemical level, strong expression of B7-1 protein was found in both neuroborreliosis cases, and moderate or low expression in six of eight GBS cases and seven of 17 CIDP cases investigated, whereas only one of five non-inflammatory control nerves showed staining, which was very weak. In neuroborreliosis, B7-1 protein was found very pronounced in epineurial infiltrates, whereas in CBS and CIDP, labelling was predominantly endoneurial and localised to putative macrophages. B7-2 mRNA and protein were expressed only at low levels in neuroborreliosis and selected autoimmune neuropathy cases, and were essentially absent from noninflammatory controls. Conclusions-B7 molecules are expressed in the peripheral nervous system and regulated during disease, and their presence in macrophages underlines the putative function of endoneurial macrophages as local antigen presenting cells in the immunopathology of peripheral nerve. B7-1 rather than B7-2 is preferentially upregulated, possibly promoting the induction of a Th-1-type T cell response within the nerve. [source] Can early liver biopsies predict long-term outcome of the graft?LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 1 2003Lydia M. Petrovic MD Background: Chronic rejection (CR) in liver allografts show a rapid onset and progressive course, leading to graft failure within the first year after transplantation. Most cases are preceded by episodes of acute cellular rejection (AR), but histological features predictive for the transition toward CR are not well documented. Method: We assessed the predictive value of centrilobular necrosis, central vein endothelialitis (CVE), central vein fibrosis, and lobular inflammation in the development of CR. One-week and one-month biopsy specimens of 12 patients with CR were compared with those of a control group consisting of 17 patients, who experienced AR without developing CR. The progress of the histological changes was further evaluated in follow-up biopsy specimens of the CR group taken at 2 months and beyond 3 months after transplantation. Result: Centrilobular necrosis, CVE, central vein fibrosis, and lobular inflammation were common features in both groups at 1 week. At 1 month, the incidence declined in the control group. The CR group showed an increased incidence and persistence of these features in the follow-up specimens. The incidence and median grade of severity of CVE was significantly higher in the CR group (p=0.04, and P<0.001). The severity of portal and lobular inflammation was also more pronounced in the CR group (P+0.01 and 0.069). Conversely, in the control group the incidence of the lobular features decreased and the severity of CVE declined significantly (P=0.03). Conclusion: The shift from a predominantly portal-based process toward lobular graft damage represents the early transition of AR to CR, for which a modification of immunosuppression might be necessary to prevent graft loss. [source] ORIGINAL ARTICLE: PTPN22 C1858T Polymorphism in Women with EndometriosisAMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Fabiane M. C. S. Gomes Citation Gomes FMCS, Bianco B, Teles JS, Christofolini DM, de Souza AMB, Guedes AD, Barbosa CP. PTPN22 C1858T polymorphismin women with endometriosis. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010; 63: 227,232 Problem, Endometriosis has been suggested to be an autoimmune disease and recently, an allelic variation of the PTPN22 (C1858T) gene was revealed to be associated with the development of autoimmunity. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of the PTPN22 (C1858T) polymorphism in Brazilian women with endometriosis as compared with controls. Method of study, Case,control study included 140 women with endometriosis and a control group consisting of 180 healthy fertile women without a history of endometriosis and/or autoimmune diseases from the ABC School of Medicine. The PTPN22 (C1858T) polymorphism was studied by restriction fragment length polymorphism polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR). Results, Genotypes CC, CT and TT of PTPN22 polymorphism presented frequencies of 67.9, 30.0 and 2.1% in the women with endometriosis (P = 0.008); 76.2, 19.0 and 4.8% in women with minimal/mild endometriosis (P = 0.173); 61.0, 39.0 and 0.0% in women with moderate/severe endometriosis (P , 0.001) and 82.8, 16.1 and 1.1% in control group. Allele C and T were present in 82.9 and 17.1%; 85.7 and 14.3%; 80.5 and 19.5%; and 90.8 and 9.2% respectively, in women with endometriosis (P = 0.004), women with minimal/mild endometriosis (P = 0.148), women with moderate/severe endometriosis (P = 0.002) and control group. Conclusion, The data suggest that in Brazilian women polymorphism PTPN22 (C1858T) may be an important genetic predisposing factor for endometriosis, especially, in advanced disease. [source] T-Wave Variability Detects Abnormalities in Ventricular Repolarization: A Prospective Study Comparing Healthy Persons and Olympic AthletesANNALS OF NONINVASIVE ELECTROCARDIOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Lara Heinz M.D. Background: Sudden cardiac death in athletes is more common than in the general population. Routine screening procedures are performed to identify competitors at risk. A new Holter-based parameter analyzes variation of the ventricular repolarization (TVar). The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in electrocardiogram (ECG), Echo, and Holter (H) in competitive athletes compared to a healthy control group consisting of medical students (MS). Methods: A total of 40 athletes (19 females, Olympic team, Luxembourg) and 40 MS (22 females) were examined by means of a resting ECG, treadmill exercise (TE), echocardiogram (Echo), as well as H recordings during a routine screening visit. To analyze TVar, a 20-minute H recording at rest (sampling rate 1000 per second) was performed. Moreover, heart rate variability (HRV) as well as HR turbulence (HRT) was computed. Results: No differences in demographic variables were detected. Quantification of HRV detected a significant increase in the vagal component of autonomic cardiac modulation. In contrast, no differences for HRT were found. Echo parameter demonstrated a thicker septal wall without differences of the posterior wall. TVar values were normal in range, but did differ significantly between the two groups. No correlation between TVar and echo as well as Holter parameters was detected. Conclusions: TVar was able to demonstrate significant differences in terms of alterations of ventricular activation. This might indicate an early change of myocardial repolarization representing a substrate for life-threatening arrhythmia. Larger studies on the predictive value of TVar including follow-up are necessary to confirm this preliminary finding. [source] MTHFR C677T polymorphism in chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic adenocarcinomaCELL BIOCHEMISTRY AND FUNCTION, Issue 6 2008Ivan Nisevic Abstract Chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic adenocarcinoma are extensively studied as common and potentially lethal disorders. However, their causes and genetic background in most cases remain unclear. The C677T polymorphism in 5,,10,-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene may modulate the risk of pancreatic disorders. In this study, we tested whether MTHFR C677T polymorphism is associated with chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic adenocarcinoma in the Serbian population. DNA was extracted from blood samples of 51 chronic pancreatitis patients, 21 pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients, and a control group consisting of 50 healthy smokers. The MTHFR C677T polymorphism was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction,restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR,RFLP) technique. Although, no statistically significant differences were observed in the distribution of MTHFR genotype or allele frequencies between patients and control groups, the results showed an increased frequency of homozygotes for MTHFR C677T polymorphism in chronic pancreatitis patients (14%) and a decreased frequency in pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients (5%) in comparison to the control group (8%). We speculate that the MTHFR C677T polymorphism could act as a possible risk factor for chronic pancreatitis and a possible protective factor in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This observation needs further investigation in prospective studies on a larger number of patients, in which the effect of other genetic and environmental factors should also be taken into consideration. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Brief report: validity of Finnish registry-based diagnoses of autism with the ADI-RACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 9 2010KM Lampi Abstract Aims:, The aim of the study was to explore the validity of registry-based diagnoses of autism in Finland using the Autism Diagnostic Interview , Revised (ADI-R). This study was designed for the Finnish Prenatal Study of Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (FIPS-A), an ongoing research project where registry-based diagnoses will be used for epidemiological studies. Methods:, In this small pilot study, a clinical sample of 95 subjects diagnosed with childhood autism or pervasive developmental disorder/pervasive developmental disorder , not otherwise specified (PDD/PDD-NOS) or Asperger,s syndrome according to the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register (FHDR) was gathered nationwide. A small control group consisting of siblings without any registered diagnoses of those being examined was also included in the study. Diagnoses were further re-evaluated by interviewing parents with the ADI-R. Results:, The mean scores of autistic subjects clearly exceeded cut-off limits for autism on all three ADI-R domains and 96% of the subjects with registered diagnosis of childhood autism fulfilled the criteria based on the instrument as well. Conclusion:, These results suggest that the validity of Finnish registry-based diagnoses of childhood autism can be considered good. Our findings lay important groundwork for further population- based studies of the aetiology of autism. [source] | ||||||||||