Forearm oxygen consumption and forearm blood flow in healthy children and adolescents measured by near infrared spectroscopy.

UNLABELLED: The assessment of forearm oxygen consumption (VO(2)) and forearm blood flow (FBF) by means of near infrared spectroscopy has become widespread in adults, whereas in children and adolescents no data are available. The aim of the present study was to analyze VO(2) and FBF in healthy children and adolescents. METHODS: In a prospective cohort study, 20 male and 20 female healthy children and adolescents were investigated. The measurements of VO(2) and FBF were performed by means of near infrared spectroscopy in combination with the venous occlusion method. RESULTS: Mean VO(2) was 0.08 +/- 0.04 ml 100 g(-1) min(-1) in male and 0.09 +/- 0.05 ml 100 g(-1) min(-1) in female subjects. Mean FBF was 1.95 +/- 1.25 ml 100 g(-1) min(-1) in male and 1.82 +/- 0.98 ml 100 g(-1) min(-1) in female subjects. No significant difference was found between male and female subjects. A significant negative correlation of VO(2) and FBF to age was observed in both groups. CONCLUSION: In the present study we were able to show that VO(2) and FBF decreased with increasing age in children and adolescents without significant differences between male and female subjects.

[Sonographically guided percutaneous fine needle puncture of space occupying processes of the abdomen and retroperitoneum]. / Sonographisch gesteuerte perkutane Feinnadelpunktion raumfordernder prozesse des Abdomens und Retroperitoneums.

In the past four years percutaneous ultrasonically guided fine needle aspiration biopsies of space occupying lesions of the abdomen and retroperitoneum wee performed on 180 patients. There were 71 aspirations of cystic and 169 aspirations of solid lesions. Amongst the latter pancreas was first with 67 followed by the liver with 58, the kidney with 31 and other organs of the abdomen with 13 aspirations. No diagnostic material was obtained in 27 percent of aspirations of the pancreas and in 18 percent of kidney aspirations. The cytological diagnoses were right positive in 88 percent and false negative in 12 percent. There was no false positive result. 5 pseudocysts of the pancreas wee aspirated therapeutically, in one case 8 times subsequently. The only complication of all aspirations was a pancreatitis which healed under conservative treatment. There were 4 therapeutic aspirations of kidney cysts. 860 ml urine was drained from the largest cyst. We conclude that percutaneous ultrasonically guided fine needle aspiration biopsy is an easy, safe and painless method of diagnosis of space occupying lesions of the abdomen and retroperitoneum. The same applies to therapeutic aspirations of cysts of the pancreas and kidney.

[Accuracy of sonography in the diagnosis of diffuse liver parenchymal diseases--comparison of sonography and liver histology]. / Treffsicherheit der Sonographie bei der Diagnose diffuser Leberparenchymerkrankungen--Vergleich zwischen Sonographie und Leberhistologie.

A prospective study has been carried out on 127 patients to test the accuracy of sonography in the diagnosis of diffuse liver diseases compared with histology based on percutaneous liver biopsy. Using sonographic criteria - size, margin, surface, elasticity, echo structure and sonic conductivity of the liver, hepatic veins and portal vein - and measuring the size of the gallbladder and the spleen, the following sonographic diagnoses were made: normal liver, fatty liver, fatty liver fibrosis, alcoholic hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, cirrhosis. Sonographic diagnosis predicted histological diagnosis in case of normal liver in 56%, fatty liver 70%, alcoholic hepatitis 92%, chronic active hepatitis 63%, cirrhosis 79%. The specificity of sonography was 95%, the overall sensitivity was 82%: e.g. fatty liver 84%, chronic active hepatitis 93% and cirrhosis 79%. We conclude that sonography is an ideal screening method for detecting diffuse liver diseases. In cases of fatty liver and of cirrhosis it can spare the patient further invasive investigation. Furthermore, this method is suitable for evaluating the course of diffuse diseases of the liver, especially of toxic-nutritive liver damage and also of chronic active hepatitis.