Changes of glomerular basement membrane components in Vacor-induced diabetic nephropathy

OBJECTIVES: The thickening of the glomerular basement membrane in rats after Vacor ingestion was examined by electron microscopy. This study was performed to elucidate which biochemical components changed in the glomerular basement membrane after Vacor-induced diabetic glomerulopathy. METHODS: Immunohistochemical analyses of type IV collagen, laminin, fibronectin and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan were performed. A single dose of Vacor (molecular weight 272), 80 mg/kg, was administered to adult male Wistar rats by orogastric canule, and the animals were sacrificed at 0.5, 1, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 56 days after administration. RESULTS: Mild thickening of the glomerular basement membrane was evident 7 days after Vacor administration, and the width of the glomerular basement membrane was more than twice that of normal controls at 28 and 56 days. Significantly increased expressions of type IV collagen, laminin, fibronectin and neutral polysaccharide in the thickened glomerular basement membrane were noted 14 to 56 days after administration, and a mildly increased expression of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan appeared between 3 to 7 days. CONCLUSION: These abnormally increased glomerular basement membrane components might be part of what causes diabetic nephropathy after Vacor administration.

The Effect of Minocycline Sclerosing Therapy on Cystic Thyroid Nodules / 대한내과학회지

OBJECTIVES: We studied the efficacy and safety of repeated aspiration therapy and minocycline sclerotherapy for cystic thyroid nodules in the euthyroid patients and the factors which might appear to influence the outcome of therapy. SUBJECT AND METHODS: 114 patients with predominantly cystic thyroid nodules were studied. All of the patients underwent the first aspiration therapy, and patients with recurrent cystic lesions after the first aspiration treatment underwent repeated aspiration therapy or additive minocycline sclerotherapy. The patients were followed up ultrasonically 1 and 3 months, and every three month thereafter after the treatments. RESULTS: In 106 patients of 114 patients, cumulative success rate of the treatments was 54.6%. Cumulative success rate of only aspiration treatments(n=81) was 45.1%. 83 patients of 114 patients was recurred after the first aspiration therapy. In these patients, Cumulative success rate of repeated aspiration treatments(n=58) was 24.1%, Cumulative success rate of additive minocycline sclerotherapy(n=25) was 88.0%. Treatment modalities and longest diameter of the lesions significantly influenced the outcome of the trea tments. The effect of the larger longest diameter of cystic thyroid nodule would tend to reduce the cummulative success rate, and the cutoff point of the longest diameter was 4.5 cm. There were no significant adverse effects except for transient pain around the injection site in 12 patients (46%). Cytologic study showed 4 (3.5%) of 114 patients to be malignant. CONCLUSION: Minocycline sclerotherapy of cystic thyroid nodules is a useful and tolerable non-operative therapeutic method in patients with recurrent cystic thyroid nodules after repeated aspiration therapy. The size of a cystic thyroid nodule influence the outcome of aspiration therapy but may not inflcence the outcome of minocycline sclerotherapy.