Unveiling Disparities: Exploring Differential Attainment in Postgraduate Training Within Clinical Oncology.

AIMS: Differential attainment (DA) in post graduate medical training is a recognised challenge and refers to unexplained variation across groups when split by several protected characteristics. The Royal College of Radiology is committed to fostering diversity, inclusivity, and equality with the goal of narrowing existing gaps and improving training outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a mixed methods study aiming to understand the causes of DA with view to helping the RCR develop strategies to address this. A cross-sectional survey was completed by 140 clinical oncology trainees in September 2022. Trainees and trainers (17 and 6 respectively) from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, took part in focus group and interviews from August to December 2022. Quantitative and qualitative data merged and interpreted. RESULT: Results showed international medical graduates and trainees from ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely to encounter challenges. The qualitative findings were used to identify three themes through which these problems could be framed. The trainee as a "space invader," the hidden curriculum of clinical oncology training and the process of navigating and tacking the training journey. CONCLUSION: Differential attainment is the product of a complex interplay between the trainee, trainer, and the training environment. Therefore, interventions must be tailored to different people and contexts. At a national level, the RCR can adopt general policies to promote this such as mentorship programmes, protected time for supervision and cultural competency training. Efficacy of proposed interventions for trial and their impact on DA should be evaluated to drive evidence-based changes.

[stent thrombosis : A won battle ? (data from the France PCI registry)]. / Thrombose de stent : une bataille gagnée ? (Données du registre France PCI).

GOAL: The aim of the study is to assess the incidence, risk factors and prognosis of definite stent thrombosis (ST) at 1 year in the France PCI multicenter prospective registry. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Only patients who underwent coronary angioplasty with at least one stent implantation between 1st January 2014 and 31 December 2019 were included. The population was separated into 2 groups: the "ST" group with stent thrombosis and the "control" group without stent thrombosis. RESULTS: 35,435 patients were included. 256 patients (0.72%) presented a ST at 1 year. The rate of ST decreased significantly in acute coronary syndrome (1.5% in 2014 vs. 0.73% in 2019; p = 0.05) but not in chronic coronary syndrome (0.46% in 2014 vs 0.40%; p = 0.98). The risk factors are young age (65.8 years vs 68.2; p = 0.002), clinical context (35.27% vs 16.68%; p = 0.0001), diabetes (35.2 % vs 26.4%; p = 0.002), renal failure (11.7% vs 8%; p = 0.009) and history of coronary angioplasty (28.63% vs 21.86%; p = 0.009) and peripheral arterial disease (14.5% vs 10.1%; p = 0.021), LV dysfunction (37% vs 27.5%; p = 0.003), mean length (39.6 mm vs 31, 7mm; p <0.0001) and the mean number of stents per procedure (1.9 vs 1.6; p <0.0001), a TIMI flow ≤1 pre procedure (21.5% vs 12.4%; p <0.0001) and an intrastent restenosis (11% vs 6%; p <0.0001). The 1-year mortality of the ST group was significantly higher than that of the control group (19.14% vs 5.82%; p <0.0001). CONCLUSION: Since 2014, the incidence of ST at 1 year has been decreasing but remains stuck at a floor level of 0.54% in 2019. The battle for ST seems to have been partly won and its risk factors well identified, but its mortality is still high.

Randomised clinical trial: Effect of administering platelet-rich fibrin to autologous fat tissue in injection laryngoplasty for vocal cord paralysis.

The vocal cord in humans is essential in producing voice used in communication and interaction between us. Vocal cord paralysis causes dysphonia, which interferes with communication, causing disruptions towards social activity and daily activities. One of the managements for vocal cord paralysis is medialization and augmentation of the vocal cord through injection laryngoplasty. Autologous fat is one of the best fillers used in this procedure, but it is highly absorbable and can be reabsorbed very quickly when injected into body tissues. Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) is a biomaterial consisting of growth factors that are thought to improve fat tissue viability by increasing adipogenesis and angiogenesis. Improvement in fat viability will improve clinical outcomes after the laryngoplasty procedure, potentially reducing the number of repeated injections needed to achieve a satisfactory resolution to vocal cord paralysis. The study evaluates a combination of PRF and autologous microlobular fat compared with autologous microlobular fat alone on laryngoplasty. This single-blinded randomised control trial recruit a total of 18 patients, which are then randomised into the treatment and control groups. The evaluation was done via computerized acoustic analysis/Multidimensional Voice Program (MDVP) parameters and maximum phonation time. The MDVP results and maximum phonation time in both groups showed clinical improvement after the operation with no statistically significant differences.

[COVID-19 and STEMI]. / COVID-19 et SCA ST.

The COVID-19 pandemic had an unexpected impact on cardiovascular emergencies, particularly STEMI. The France PCI registry and other studies around the world have highlighted a significant decrease in myocardial infarctions arriving at hospital. This decrease is mainly related to patients' fear of coming to the hospital and being contaminated. Although the STEMI revascularisation time targets (<120min) are often difficult to achieve in normal times, they were almost impossible to achieve in periods of lockdown because of the many obstacles. Longer delays and longer total ischemic time have led to excess mortality, especially in the regions most affected by the epidemic. Recommendations for the management of STEMI during the COVID-19 period have thus been issued by the scientific societies. STEMI in patients with COVID-19 often have an uncommon clinical presentation, and the absence of coronary obstruction on angiography is frequent. Their prognosis is very poor. Only public information campaigns and an organisation adapted to the management of coronary emergencies during epidemics can try to limit their effects and avoid aggravating an already fragile health situation in the future.

[Left main PCI: Current treatment]. / Angioplastie du tronc commun : mise au point.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of left main coronary artery has become a strong alternative to coronary artery bypass surgery in selected patients. The treatment decision must be validated by the Heart Team. Several PCI techniques of distal left main PCI have been described but the KISSS (Keep it simple, swift and safe) principle recommended by the European Bifurcation Club must be kept in mind. Provisional stenting is the first-line technique. A two-stent strategy may be needed in the presence of≥2.5mm side branch diameter and significant ostial stenosis as well as in presumably difficult rewiring. In all cases, POT (Proximal Optimisation Technique) is mandatory. Intracoronary imaging can be of great help in perfecting the result or even to improve outcomes.

[Non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome: CRAC register experience]. / SCA sans sus ST chez le nonagénaire : expérience du CRAC.

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical, angiographic, therapeutic and prognostic characteristics of nonagenarians presenting with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome with those of patients under 90 years of age. METHODS: We used the CRAC register database including 6 catheterization laboratories in the Center Val-de-Loire region. Only patients with positive-troponin non-ST elevation ACS included in the registry from 2014 to 2017 were selected for epidemiological and procedural data. Regarding antiplatelet therapy, hospital and one-year follow-up data, only patients in the 2014-2015 period were analyzed. RESULTS: From January 1st, 2014 to December 31st, 2017, 5.964 patients with a positive-troponin non-ST ACS, including 133 nonagenarians (2.2%) were included in the CRAC registry. Arterial hypertension and the history of coronary angioplasty were more common among nonagenarians. They present more multivessel and left main disease. The use of the bare metal stent was predominant in 2014-2015 and then became marginal in 2016-2017. Clopidogrel was the most widely used anti platelet and more than one in two nonagenarians remain on dual therapy after 12 months. One-year stroke and hospital and one-year mortality were higher in this age group. CONCLUSIONS: Nonagenarians with a positive-troponin non-ST elevation ACS have more severe coronary artery disease and a poorer prognosis than those younger than 90 years of age.

The CRAC cohort model: A computerized low cost registry of interventional cardiology with daily update and long-term follow-up.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the reliability and low cost of a computerized interventional cardiology (IC) registry to prospectively and systematically collect high-quality data for all consecutive coronary patients referred for coronary angiogram or/and coronary angioplasty. BACKGROUND: Rigorous clinical practice assessment is a key factor to improve prognosis in IC. A prospective and permanent registry could achieve this goal but, presumably, at high cost and low level of data quality. One multicentric IC registry (CRAC registry), fully integrated to usual coronary activity report software, started in the centre Val-de-Loire (CVL) French region in 2014. METHODS: Quality assessment of CRAC registry was conducted on five IC CathLab of the CVL region, from January 1st to December 31st 2014. Quality of collected data was evaluated by measuring procedure exhaustivity (comparing with data from hospital information system), data completeness (quality controls) and data consistency (by checking complete medical charts as gold standard). Cost per procedure (global registry operating cost/number of collected procedures) was also estimated. RESULTS: CRAC model provided a high-quality level with 98.2% procedure completeness, 99.6% data completeness and 89% data consistency. The operating cost per procedure was €14.70 ($16.51) for data collection and quality control, including ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) preadmission information and one-year follow-up after angioplasty. CONCLUSIONS: This integrated computerized IC registry led to the construction of an exhaustive, reliable and costless database, including all coronary patients entering in participating IC centers in the CVL region. This solution will be developed in other French regions, setting up a national IC database for coronary patients in 2020: France PCI.

Recovery of Voice After Reconstruction of the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve and Adjuvant Nimodipine.

BACKGROUND: Transection injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) has been associated with permanent vocal fold palsy, and treatment has been limited to voice therapy or local treatment of vocal folds. Microsurgical repair has been reported to induce a better function. The calcium channel antagonist nimodipine improves functional recovery after experimental nerve injury and also after cranial nerve injury in patients. This study aims to present voice outcome in patients who underwent repair of the RLN and received nimodipine during regeneration. METHODS: From 2002-2016, 19 patients were admitted to our center with complete unilateral injury to the RLN and underwent microsurgical repair of the RLN. After nerve repair, patients received nimodipine for 2-3 months. Laryngoscopy was performed repeatedly up to 14 months postoperatively. The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) was administered, and patients' maximum phonation time (MPT) was recorded during the follow-up. RESULTS: All patients recovered well after surgery, and nimodipine was well tolerated with no dropouts. None of the patients suffered from atrophy of the vocal fold, and some patients even showed a small ab/adduction of the vocal fold on the repaired side with laryngoscopy. During long-term follow-up (>3 years), VHI and MPT normalized, indicating a nearly complete recovery from unilateral RLN injury. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort study, we report the results of the first 19 consecutive cases at our center subjected to reconstruction of the RLN and adjuvant nimodipine treatment. The outcome of the current strategy is encouraging and should be considered after iatrogenic RLN transection injuries.

[Stent thrombosis: what's up in 2017?] / Thrombose de stent : quoi de neuf en 2017 ?

Stent thrombosis (ST) is still a dreadful and threatening complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with a high risk of morbi-mortality. Nevertheless, it becomes exceptional (0.6% at 1 year and 0.15%/year later) thanks to improvement of stents and use of new P2Y12 inhibitors. Endo-coronary imaging and especially Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) change radically its understanding with revealing quiet systematic morphologic endoluminal abnormalities (97% of the cases). OCT becomes an essential tool in practice (ESC recommendation class IIa) and allows a therapeutic strategy optimization. Its prevention is based on mechanical causes correction and a personalized adaptation of anti-platelet treatment.

Hemodynamic analysis of edge stenosis in peripheral artery stent grafts.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to characterize the hemodynamics of peripheral artery stent grafts to guide intelligent stent redesign. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two surgically explanted porcine arteries were mounted in an ex vivo system with subsequent deployment of an Xpert self-expanding nitinol stent or Viabahn stent graft. The arteries were casted with radiopaque resin, and the cast then scanned using micro-computed tomography at 8µm isotropic voxel resolution. The arterial lumen was segmented and a computational mesh grid surface generated. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was subsequently performed using COMSOL Multiphysics 5.1. RESULTS: CFD analysis demonstrated low endothelial shear stress (ESS) involving 9.4 and 63.6% surface area of the central stent graft and bare metal stent, respectively. Recirculation zones were identified adjacent to the bare metal stent struts, while none were identified in the central stent graft. However, the stent graft demonstrated malapposition of the proximal stent graft edge with low velocity flow between the PTFE lining and arterial wall, which was associated with longitudinally and radially oriented recirculation zones and low ESS. CONCLUSION: Computational hemodynamic analysis demonstrates that peripheral artery stent grafts have a superior central hemodynamic profile compared to bare metal stents. Stents grafts, however, suffer from malapposition at the proximal stent edge which is likely a major contributor to edge stenosis.

[Prevalence and factors related to therapeutic adherence among black African outpatients with stable coronary artery disease in a cardiology department of Dakar in Senegal]. / Prévalence et facteurs liés à l'observance thérapeutique chez des patients noirs africains coronariens stables, suivis en ambulatoire en service de cardiologie de Dakar au Sénégal.

INTRODUCTION: The management of coronary artery disease has made important progress. Adherence to therapeutic measures is a great challenge for improving the long-term prognosis. In this work, we evaluate factors related to therapeutic adherence in black African patients with stable coronary artery disease. METHODOLOGY: We conducted a survey over three months (February-May 2008) in three cardiology departments in Dakar. We studied the regularity of drug intake, the adherence to the dietary advices and the appointments for consultation as well as the factors related to adherence. Good adherence was defined by a compliance rate greater or equal to 80% and a compliance rate less than 40% defined poor adherence. RESULTS: We included 105 patients (61 men) with a mean age of 60.67±11.29 years. Good compliance was noted in 56.2% of cases for drug treatment, 42% for dietary advices and 65% for appointments for consultation. A history of acute coronary events (P=0.04), a good knowledge of the disease (P=0.03) and a healthcare (P=0.02) were the factors related to a good adherence to drug treatment, whereas ischemic cardiomyopathy was a factor for poor adherence (P=0.002). Knowledge of coronary disease was the only factor correlated with good adherence to lifestyle (P=0.014). CONCLUSION: Therapeutic adherence remains unsatisfactory in Black African patients with stable coronary artery disease, hence the importance of patient education to reach a good adherence for therapeutic, because better adherence improves long-term prognosis of coronary artery disease.

[Pulmonary embolism mimicking acute anterior myocardial infarction: diagnostic trap]. / Embolie pulmonaire simulant un infarctus aigu du myocarde antéroseptal : le piège diagnostique.

Pulmonary embolism remains the major malingerer of acute chest disease. The clinical and electrocardiographic manifestations may deviate to a diagnosis of myocardial infarction. We report a case of bilateral pulmonary embolism in a patient of 50 years. The electrocardiogram showed ST elevation in anteroseptal and lateral leads. The diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction was selected and a fibrinolysis achieved. Getting out under beta-blocker therapy, antiplatelet, statin and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors after 10 days hospitalization, the patient was readmitted one month later for a massive pulmonary embolism. Coronary angiography performed after the second hospitalization was normal.

[Screening of silent myocardial ischaemia by dobutamine stress echocardiography among type 2 diabetics at high cardiovascular risk in Senegal]. / Dépistage de l'ischémie myocardique par l'échocardiographie de stress à la dobutamine chez le diabétique de type 2 à haut risque cardiovasculaire au Sénégal.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease witch may develop insidiously. Several non-invasive methods are used to detect silent myocardial ischaemia, especially in diabetic patients at high cardiovascular risk. We project to screen, by dobutamine stress echocardiography, silent myocardial ischaemia in type 2 diabetics in Senegal. METHODOLOGY: We randomly recruited in hospital in Senegal type 2 diabetics aged at least 40 years and a dobutamine stress echocardiography was performed in those selected according to the French Society of Cardiology and the French Language Association for the Study of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases. RESULTS: Dobutamine stress echocardiography was performed in 79 diabetics at high cardiovascular risk, including 56 women. The average age was 58.8±11.8 years. The exam was positive in 67.1% of cases (53/79), with a predominance of motion abnormalities in anterior territory (83%). Cardiovascular risk factors associated with positivity of test were microalbuminuria (p=0.0001), inactivity (p=0.0001), dyslipidemia (p=0.0002), arterial hypertension (p=0.001), smoking (0.003) and male sex (p=0.004). CONCLUSION: In Africa, dobutamine stress echocardiography has the advantage of its accessibility and its feasibility. Early detection of silent myocardial ischaemia in diabetics at high risk could optimize their care.

Extremes of glycemic control (HbA1c) increase hospitalization risk in diabetic hemodialysis patients in the USA.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Because the relation between glycemic control and clinical outcomes found in the general diabetic population has not been established in diabetic hemodialysis patients, we evaluated the association between glycemic control and hospitalization risk. METHODS: We performed a primary retrospective data analysis on 23,829 hemodialysis patients with diabetes mellitus. Hemoglobin A(1c) at baseline and hospitalization events over the subsequent 12 months were analyzed and logistic regression models constructed for unadjusted, case mix-adjusted and case mix plus lab- adjusted data. Models were also constructed for cardiovascular, vascular access and sepsis hospitalizations. RESULTS: Eighty percent had type 2 DM, 5% type 1 and 14% not specified. The groups had similar mean HbA(1c) levels, 6.8 +/- 1.6%. Among all patients, the mean HbA(1c) values were >7% in 35%. The odds ratio of hospitalizations grouped by baseline HbA(1c) was significant at extremes of <5% and >11%. Similar relationships were evident for the subset of type 2 DM and in the analysis for hospitalizations due to sepsis. CONCLUSION: Extremely high and low HbA(1c) values are associated with hospitalization risk in diabetic hemodialysis patients. Prospective studies are needed to determine whether meeting recommended HbA(1c) targets might improve outcomes without posing additional risks in this population.

Adiponectin and infarction size in subjects with and without cerebrovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether hypo-adiponectinemia is present in ischemic stroke patients. METHODS: This comparative study was carried out in the Biochemistry Department, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan in 2008. In this study, plasma adiponectin concentration was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in subjects with and without ischemic cerebrovascular disease (CVD). RESULTS: A total of 80 subjects were studied (40 patients with CVD, and 40 without CVD as controls). The mean plasma level of adiponectin of the 40 patients with ischemic CVD was significantly lower than that of the 40 subjects without CVD (4.36+/-0.21 ug/mL versus 6.97+/-0.241 ug/mL; p=0.000). Decreasing concentrations of adiponectin were negatively correlated with infarction size in ischemic CVD patients. CONCLUSION: These data show that there are significantly lower levels of plasma adiponectin in patients with ischemic CVD. Moreover, adiponectin is negatively correlated with infarction size in these patients suggesting the possible role of adiponectin in cerebrovascular disease.

Growth and mitogenic effects of arylphorin in vivo and in vitro.

In insects, developmental responses are organ- and tissue-specific. In previous studies of insect midgut cells in primary tissue cultures, growth-promoting and differentiation factors were identified from the growth media, hemolymph, and fat body. Recently, it was determined that the mitogenic effect of a Manduca sexta fat body extract on midgut stem cells of Heliothis virescens was due to the presence of monomeric alpha-arylphorin. Here we report that in primary midgut cell cultures, this same arylphorin stimulates stem cell proliferation in the lepidopterans M. sexta and Spodoptera littoralis, and in the beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Studies using S. littoralis cells confirm that the mitogenic effect is due to free alpha-arylphorin subunits. In addition, feeding artificial diets containing arylphorin increased the growth rates of several insect species. When tested against continuous cell lines, including some with midgut and fat body origins, arylphorin had no effect; however, a cell line derived from Lymantria dispar fat body grew more rapidly in medium containing a chymotryptic digest of arylphorin.

Circadian variations of rectal cell proliferation in patients affected by advanced colorectal cancer.

The circadian rhythm of the rectal cell proliferation was studied in five patients affected by advanced colon cancer. Biopsies were taken from apparently normal mucosa at 10 cm from the anal verge, every 6 h in a 24-h period. Fragments were incubated for 1 h in a culture medium containing bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd). As compared with the mean 24 h values, the percentage of BrdUrd-labelled cells in the crypts (Labelling Index, LI) was lower in the specimens collected at 10.00 PM (P = 0.02) The LI in such biopsies was also lower than the LI observed at the baseline time, 10.00 AM (P = 0.001) The results suggest that the rectal cell proliferation in patients with advanced colon cancer fluctuates during the day. The study of the rhythmicity of the intestinal cells may be useful to modulate the infusion of antiproliferative agents to prevent damage of the normal colorectal mucosa.

Plasma F2-isoprostane levels are elevated in chronic hemodialysis patients.

AIMS: Cardiovascular mortality has been reported to be 10- to 20-fold higher in chronic dialysis patients than in the age-matched general population. It has been suggested that increased oxidant stress and resulting vascular wall injury due to uremia and the hemodialysis procedure may be one of the mechanisms predisposing to these cardiovascular complications. Further, hemodialysis membrane bioincompatibility can contribute to increased oxidative stress and prevalence of inflammation. MATERIALS: We studied 18 chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients (age 62.8 +/- 14.7 years, 39% male, 61% African-American, 44% insulin-dependent diabetic, 61% smokers, 61% with documented coronary artery disease) during hemodialysis with 2 membranes with different flux and complement activating properties. METHODS: We have measured free and phospholipid-bound F2-isoprostane (F2-IsoP) levels, a sensitive marker of oxidative stress, in CHD patients and compared them to levels in healthy subjects. We have also examined the acute effects of the hemodialysis procedure using both biocompatible and bioincompatible membranes on F2-IsoP levels. RESULTS: The results indicated that, compared to controls, both free (96.2 +/- 48.8 pg/ml versus 37.6 +/- 17.2 pg/ml) and bound F2-IsoP (220.4 +/- 154.8 pg/ml versus 146.8 +/- 58.4 pg/ml) levels were significantly higher (p < 0.05 for both). There was a statistically significant decrease in free F2-IsoP concentrations at 15 and 30 minutes of HD, which rebounded to baseline levels at the completion of the procedure. There were no significant differences in F2-IsoP concentrations between the 2 study dialyzers at any time point. Age, smoking status, diabetes mellitus and presence of cardiovascular disease were also not correlated with F2-IsoP levels in this patient population. There was a significant association between predialysis F2-IsoP and C-reactive protein concentrations. CONCLUSION: Using a sensitive and specific assay for the measurement of F2-IsoP, we demonstrated that CHD patients are under increased oxidative stress. During a single hemodialysis treatment, the hemodialysis membrane appears to have no discernable effect on oxidative stress status. Measurement of F2-isoprostanes may be a useful biomarker of oxidative stress status as well as in developing new therapeutic strategies to ameliorate inflammatory and oxidative injury in this patient population.

Cancer surveillance in ulcerative colitis: critical analysis of long-term prospective programme.

BACKGROUND: Patients with longstanding ulcerative colitis are at increased risk of colorectal cancer. In the literature, no agreement has yet been reached regarding prevention strategies. Our report sums up a prospective study started in 1980. METHODS: A total of 65 patients affected by ulcerative colitis for more than seven years were admitted to a regular colonoscopic and biopsy follow-up programme. RESULTS: Some 20 years after the beginning of the study, 23 (35.3%) patients have been operated upon, 2 patients have died but not from cancer 29 (44.66%) patients have abandoned the programme. Only 11 (16.9%) patients have remained under colonoscopic surveillance. CONCLUSION: These results cast some doubts on the significance of such a programme and on its long-term feasibility.

Recombinant human growth hormone in patients with acute renal failure.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to determine the impact of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on metabolic and nutritional parameters in malnourished patients with acute renal failure. DESIGN: The design is an open-labeled pilot trial examining the effects of rhGH administration in a small group of highly catabolic, malnourished patients with acute renal failure. Each patient served as his or her own control. SETTING: An intensive care unit in a tertiary care medical institution. PATIENTS: Five patients with established acute renal failure in a critical care unit. Entry criteria included clinical evidence of malnutrition: a serum albumin level of <3.2 g/dL, a prealbumin level of < or = 20 mg/dL, and an insulin-like growth factor IGF 1 level <200 ng/mL. The study consisted of 3 periods: phase I, 3 day baseline; phase II, 6 day treatment; and phase III, 3 day washout. During the entire study, blood and urine samples were obtained daily to calculate normalized protein catabolic rate, total nitrogen appearance rate (TNA), and nitrogen balance. Additional data were collected to measure metabolic and inflammatory parameters. INTERVENTION: The intervention consisted of administering 100 microg/kg/d of rhGH for 6 days. RESULTS: There were significant changes in TNA, normalized protein catabolic rate, and nitrogen balance during the 3 study phases. TNA decreased from 43.3 +/- 24.4 g/d in phase I, to 25.2 +/- 16.5 g/d during phase II (P <.001). There was a further decrease in TNA to 16.2 +/- 8.3 g/d during phase III (P <.001 v phase I). Nitrogen balance improved from - 31.8 +/- 21.4 g/d during phase I, to - 12.9 +/- 10.3 g/d during phase II (P <.001), and further improved to - 4.1 +/- 4.0 g/d in phase III (P <.001 v phase I). Significant changes were also noted in levels of blood urea nitrogen, phosphorous, serum growth hormone, IGF-1, and serum leptin levels after growth hormone administration. A statistically significant increase in serum albumin was noted in phase III (3.1 g/dL) versus phase I (2.7 +/- 0.7 g/dL). CONCLUSIONS: Administration of rhGH to critically ill patients with acute renal failure resulted in improvements in negative nitrogen balance and a significant decrease in total nitrogen appearance rate. These changes corresponded to increases in serum growth hormone, IGF-1, IGF-1 binding protein 3, and leptin levels after growth hormone administration.