Structural ultrasound of joints and tendons in healthy children: development of normative data.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a well accessible technique to assess disease activity in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Knowledge of reference values of joint structures is indispensable to differentiate between physiological and pathological finding. The aim of this study was to assess the structural sonographic features of joints and tendons in healthy children from several age groups (0.2-18 year), and develop a set of normative data. METHODS: Greyscale ultrasound was performed in 500 healthy children (age 0.2-18 years) according to a predefined scanning protocol (Additional file 1) including the shoulder, elbow, wrist, second metacarpophalangeal joint, hip, knee, ankle, and first metatarsophalangeal joint). Demographic data and values of cartilage thickness, tendon diameters, and the degree of capsular distention measured by bone-capsular distance (BCD) were collected. Differences according to the sex were assessed by unpaired t-test. Single and multiple regression analyses were performed between the ultrasound outcomes and covariates such as age, height, weight and body mass index. Growth charts and tables were developed with respect to age. Nonparametric quantile regression was applied using the R-packages quantreg and quantregGrowth. RESULTS: A total of 195 male and 305 female volunteers were included between the age of 0 and 18 years (mean age 8.9; range: 0.2-17.9 years). Cartilage diminished markedly as children aged, and cartilage of the boys was significantly thicker compared to the girls in all joints (p < 0.001). In addition, cartilage became thinner as children's height and weight increased (beta regression coefficients between - 0.27 and - 0.01, p < 0.0001). Capsular distention (i.e., BCD > 0 mm) was uncommon in the ankle, wrist and MCP2 (resp. in 3, 6, and 3% of cases). It was more common in the suprapatellar and parapatellar knee, MTP1 and posterior recess of the elbow (resp. in 34, 32, 46, and 39% of cases). In the hip, some capsular distention was always present. Age was found to be the best predictor for BCD (beta regression coefficients between 0.05 and 0.13, p < 0.0001). Height was, in addition to age, a good predictor of tendon diameter (beta regression coefficients between 0.03 and 0.14, p < 0.0001). Growth curves and tables for each variable were developed. CONCLUSIONS: Reference values of sonographic cartilage thickness, BCD and diameters of tendons at several joints were established from 500 healthy children, aged between 0.2 and 18 years. Growth charts and tables were developed to distinguish normal findings from pathology in children with complaints suspicious of arthritis.

Therapeutic decision-making in endoscopically unmanageable nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

The purpose of this study was to identify endoscopic and clinical parameters influencing the decision-making in salvage of endoscopically unmanageable, nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (UGIH) and to report the outcome of selected therapy. We retrospectively retrieved all cases of surgery and arteriography for arrest of endoscopically unmanageable UGIH. Only patients with overt bleeding on endoscopy within the previous 24 h were included. Patients with preceding nonendoscopic hemostatic interventions, portal hypertension, malignancy, and transpapillar bleeding were excluded. Potential clinical and endoscopic predictors of allocation to either surgery or arteriography were tested using statistical models. Outcome and survival were regressed on the choice of rescue and clinical variables. Forty-six arteriographed and 51 operated patients met the inclusion criteria. Univariate analysis revealed a higher number of patients with a coagulation disorder in the catheterization group (41.4%, versus 20.4% in the laparotomy group; p = 0.044). With multivariate analysis, the identification of a bleeding peptic ulcer at endoscopy significantly steered decision-making toward surgical rescue (OR = 5.2; p = 0.021). Taking into account reinterventions, hemostasis was achieved in nearly 90% of cases in both groups. Overall therapy failure (no survivors), rebleeding within 3 days (OR = 3.7; p = 0.042), and corticosteroid use (OR = 5.2; p = 0.017) had a significant negative impact on survival. The odds of dying were not different for embolotherapy or surgery. In conclusion, decision-making was endoscopy-based, with bleeding peptic ulcer significantly directing the choice of rescue toward surgery. Unsuccessful hemostasis and corticosteroid use, but not the choice of rescue, negatively affected outcome.

Detachable balloon embolization of an aneurysmal gastroduodenal arterioportal fistula.

Extrahepatic arteriovenous fistulas involving the gastroduodenal artery and the portal venous system are rare and almost always a late complication of gastric surgery. Secondary portal hypertension and mesenteric ischemia may provoke abdominal pain, upper and lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage, diarrhea, and weight loss. Until recently, surgical excision has been the therapy of choice with excellent results. The authors report a case of gastroduodenal arterioportal fistula with a rare large interpositioned aneurysm in a cardiopulmonary-compromised patient who was considered a non-surgical candidate. The gastroduodenal arterioportal fistula was occluded endovascularly by means of a detachable balloon. A survey of the literature of this rare type of arterioportal fistula is included.