Vascular Dilatation (vascular + dilatation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


The inflammatory response in drug-induced acute urticaria: ultrastructural study of the dermal microvascular unit

JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 9 2006
PR Criado
Abstract Background, Drug exposure is one of the main aetiologies of urticaria and represents the second most common cause in acute urticarias. Studies involving the ultrastructural aspects of urticaria are relatively rare in the literature. Most of the articles published report on skin biopsies of experimentally induced urticaria, and acute urticaria has been studied even less from a morphological point of view. Objectives, The aims of this study were to observe ultrastructural cell characteristics in five patients with drug-induced acute urticaria and possible aspects of the inflammatory skin response. Methods, Clinical manifestations, light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were evaluated. Results, With light microscopy, a mild perivascular lymphocyte-monocyte infiltrate was observed with few neutrophils and dermal oedema in skin biopsies of five patients. With electron microscopy, a mild vascular dilatation was observed, with platelets in the lumen and several lymphocytes and dendritic cells close to the superficial dermal vessels. Some mast cells appeared normal, whereas others were granule-depleted. In some areas, mast cells, lymphocytes and satellite dendritic cells were closely associated, as well as some macrophages. A significant number of plasma cells, eosinophils and polymorphonuclear neutrophils were not observed; however, the presence of lymphocytes and macrophages was significant. The epidermis and the dermal-epidermal junction were preserved, except for a discrete oedema in keratinocytes. Conclusions, The ultrastructural aspect of drug-induced acute urticaria is similar to that observed in urticaria caused by Urtica dioica, intradermal histamine and cold urticaria. The presence of the cellular triad with mast cells, dendritic (or satellite) cells and lymphocytes suggests a functional interaction of these cells. These findings support the possible existence of mechanisms in the dermis that may participate in protective and/or injurious vasocentric immune reactions. [source]


Pulmonary gas exchange abnormalities in liver transplant candidates

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 9 2002
Rosmawati Mohamed
Abnormal diffusing capacity is the commonest pulmonary dysfunction in liver transplant candidates, but severe hypoxemia secondary to hepatopulmonary syndrome and significant pulmonary hypertension are pulmonary vascular manifestations of cirrhosis that may affect the perioperative course. We prospectively assessed the extent of pulmonary dysfunction in patients referred for liver transplantation. A total of 57 consecutive patients with chronic liver disease were evaluated. All patients had a chest radiograph, standing arterial blood gas on room air, pulmonary function testing, and Doppler echocardiogram. Those patients with arterial hypoxaemia (PaO2 < 10 kPa) also underwent 99mTc-macroaggregated albumin lung scan, and nine patients had agitated normal saline injection during echocardiography to define further the existence of pulmonary vascular dilatation. Reduced diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide less than 75% of the predicted value was found in 29 of 57 (51%) patients. Although elevated alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference was detected in 35% (20/57) of the patients, only four (7%) patients had hypoxemia. We were unable to find evidence of intrapulmonary vascular dilatation either on the lung scan or saline-enhanced echocardiography in any of these patients. Reduction in diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide was noted in 75% (18/24) of patients who were transplanted for primary biliary cirrhosis and was accompanied by widened alveolar-arterial oxygen tension in 10 out of 18 (56%) of patients. This study shows that in liver transplant candidates, diffusion impairment and widened alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference were frequently detected, especially in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. [source]


Fetal hydrops associated with spontaneous premature closure of ductus arteriosus

PATHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 9 2006
Takeshi Kondo
A 36-year-old woman presenting with fetal growth restriction in the 25th week of gestation was referred to Kobe University Hospital where hydrops fetalis was detected. A stillborn fetus, 2012 g in weight and 40 cm in height, was delivered in the 33rd week of gestation. The mother had no past history of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use during the pregnancy. The male fetus showed maceration without macroscopic anomalies, but it was markedly edematous with bilateral pleural effusion and massive ascites. The autopsy revealed an enlarged heart and aortic coarctation in the region of the ductus arteriosus. A mild form of aortic coarctation and premature closure of the ductus arteriosus with fibrous thickening of the wall were observed. The lungs were atelectatic with vascular dilatation and congestion. This is the first documented case of hydrops fetalis caused by spontaneous premature closure of the ductus arteriosus concomitant with aortic coarctation. The findings suggest that some form of idiopathic, or spontaneous, closure of the ductus arteriosus can be one of the causes of chronic fetal heart failure, coarctation of the aorta, and fetal hydrops. [source]


Hepatopulmonary syndrome associated with autoimmune liver cirrhosis

RESPIROLOGY, Issue 2 2001
Nobukazu Takada
A 46-year-old woman presented for evaluation of liver dysfunction and dyspnoea. Laboratory examination showed high levels of ,-globulin, immunoglobulin (Ig)G, and antinuclear antibodies. Laparoscopy demonstrated hepatic cirrhosis. Despite normal spirometry, hypoxaemia (which was worse in standing position) and a low diffusing capacity were present. The shunt ratio calculated using arterial blood gas was 6.4%, but was 40% when measured using 99mTc-macroaggregated albumin scanning. The discrepancy between the ratios indicated that hypoxaemia was caused by intrapulmonary vascular dilatation. The patient was diagnosed with hepatopulmonary syndrome associated with autoimmune liver cirrhosis. [source]


Long-term study of vascular perfusion effects following arteriovenous sheathotomy for branch retinal vein occlusion

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 3 2010
Mahiul M. K. Muqit
Abstract. Purpose:, To evaluate the perfusion effects and long-term visual outcome of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) combined with arteriovenous sheathotomy (AVS) with or without triamcinolone for nonischaemic branch retinal vein occlusion (NI-BRVO). Methods:, Prospective, interventional case series of eight patients with NI-BRVO and haemorrhagic macular oedema. Patients underwent PPV and AVS (n = 5), or PPV, AVS and intravitreal triamcinolone (IVT, n = 3). A masked grading technique assessed fundus photographs and fluorescein angiography (FFA) following surgery. Scanning laser ophthalmoscopy/optical coherence tomography (SLO/OCT) evaluated macular oedema and outer retinal architecture. Main outcomes examined included visual acuity (VA), retinal reperfusion, collateral vessel regression, vascular dilatation, cystoid macular oedema (CMO), and ocular neovascularization. Results:, Seven of eight patients underwent uncomplicated surgery, with increased intraretinal perfusion and reduced engorgement of distal retinal veins. The mean pre-logMAR VA was 0.8 (SD 0.17) and did not improve significantly after surgery (post-logMAR 0.6, SD 0.38; p = 0.11, paired t -test). SLO/OCT showed persistent CMO in four patients, and subfoveal thinning of the photoreceptor layer. Collateral vessels disappeared at the blockage site post-AVS in 7/8 eyes, and this was associated with improved retinal perfusion. Six of eight patients developed epiretinal membrane. No patients developed ocular neovascularization. The average follow-up was 34.5 months. Conclusions:, PPV with AVS is a safe procedure, and adjunctive IVT had no additional effects on vascular perfusion. Successful decompressive surgery was followed by disappearance of collateral vessels at the BRVO blockage site and was a clinical marker for intravascular reperfusion. Long-term epiretinal gliosis and subfoveal photoreceptor atrophy limited functional and visual recovery. [source]


New local hyperthermia using dextran magnetite complex (DM) for oral cavity: experimental study in normal hamster tongue

ORAL DISEASES, Issue 3 2001
S Wada
The possibility of dextran magnetite complex (DM) as a new hyperthermic material was examined in this study. DM suspension of 56 mg ml ,1 iron concentration was locally injected into the normal tongue of golden hamster. DM injected tongues were heated by 500 kHz alternating current (AC) magnetic field and its serial changes in temperature were recorded at 30-s intervals. The temperature of DM injected tongue was maintained at about 43.0,45.0°C for 30 min by changing the AC magnetic field intensity. While temperature elevations of the contralateral tongue and the rectum were only of minor degree. In experiment on the extent of heating area, there was correlation between volume of black stain area and amount of the injected DM suspension (Y =,18.1 + 1.94X, r= 0.931, P < 0.0001, n= 9). Histological examination after heating revealed brown uniform DM accumulation in the connective tissue between fibers of the tongue muscle. Except for vascular dilatations, no tissue damage was seen in the heated tongue. Thus, DM which has the possibility of selective and uniform heating in local hyperthermia might be useful for oral cancer therapy. [source]