Prevalence of dialysis-related amyloidosis in diabetic patients. Diabetes Amyloid Study Group.

It has recently been shown that beta 2-microglobulin isolated from amyloid deposits in dialysis patients is modified by advanced glycation (AGE). In this context it appeared of interest to examine in a cross-sectional multicentre study whether dialysis-related amyloidosis, as evaluated by X-ray assessment of cysts in the metacarpal bones, was different in diabetic patients on maintenance haemodialysis for more than 5 years time compared with matched non-diabetic controls. We evaluated the hand skeleton of 75 diabetic patients (9 type I, 66 type II; 35 male, 40 female; median age 64 years, range 31-86; median duration of dialysis 7 years, range 5-17). They were compared with 150 patients without diabetes mellitus who were matched for age, gender and duration of dialysis. Hand X-rays were centrally evaluated by one radiologist unaware of the underlying clinical diagnosis. The overall frequency of amyloid cysts was 9/75 (12%) in diabetic patients (95% confidence interval 4.6-19.3%) and 28/150 (19%) in matched controls (95% confidence interval 12.4-24.9%). The results indicate that diabetes mellitus does not confer an increased risk of dialysis-related amyloid cysts. The results are of interest with respect to the mechanism of amyloid formation.

[Rheumatoid factor activity, age at manifestation and roentgenologic progression of rheumatoid arthritis--a retrospective study]. / Rheumafaktoraktivität, Manifestationsalter und röntgenologische Progredienz der rheumatoiden Arthritis (RA)--eine retrospektive Studie.

The outcome of RF-activity (measured by hemagglutination in the modification of Podliachouk-Harboe) was investigated in 95 patients with RA. In 52 of these patients the radiological progression (modification of Larsen index for hands and feet) in correlation to the outcome of RF was assessed. The results can be summarized in the following way: 1. Elderly RA patients show a significant elevation of RF titer. 2. There is a statistically insignificant correlation between age of RA manifestation and RF level. 3. The investigation of individual RF outcome shows that 54% of the patients have a relatively constant RF level, 15% tend to a decrease of the level of RF activity. Increased RF activity could only be demonstrated in 31% of the patients in the follow-up. 4. We more often observed a decrease of RF activity in RA cases with a disease manifestation < 30 y. We found no significant decrease in the follow-up in cases with manifestation > 60 y. 5. RA patients with a high level of RF activity (HAR > 1:512) have a significantly higher radiological progression index than cases with a low RF activity (HAR < 1:512).

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3): an efficient and safe phosphate binder in haemodialysis patients? A 3-year study.

In an uncontrolled study, 22 dialysis patients (46 +/- 14 years, duration of dialysis 20 +/- 11 months) were treated with CaCO3 over a period of up to 3 years to lower their serum phosphate. The use of 4.5-9 g CaCO3 daily over a period of 9 months led to a reduction of mean serum phosphate from 2.51 to 1.51 mmol/l in 77% of patients, with a simultaneous increase in mean calcium concentration from 2.23 to 2.47 mmol/l, and an improved control of secondary hyperparathyroidism by reduction in mPTH from 1552 to 1032 pg/ml and in APH activity from 6.25 to 4.55 mumol/s/l. In long-term CaCO3 treatment of up to 3 years, however, a constant effective phosphate reduction could not be achieved. There was a progression (77%) of pre-existing microcalcification and a new appearance (42%) of microcalcification in vessels and soft-tissue areas of the hand. The percentage of patients with soft-tissue calcification increased from 43 to 67% during a treatment period of 3 years. We conclude that CaCO3 alone is not suitable on a long-term basis for phosphate reduction in dialysis patients.

Beta 2-microglobulin serum concentration and associated amyloidosis in dialysis patients.

Using radioimmunological estimation of beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2M), significantly greater serum values were found in 36 dialysis patients (44.4 +/- 20.3 mg/l) in comparison to healthy probands (1.5 +/- 0.2 mg/l). A significant relation to the duration of dialysis, diuresis and serum aluminium and ferritin was found. The used dialysers MLW 1.3/1.8 m2 (regenerated cellulose membrane) did not eliminate beta 2M from the blood. Significantly greater beta 2M concentrations were observed in patients suffering from arthralgia and bone pain, but not in radiologically verified arthropathy and destructive spondylarthropathy. Post-mortem examinations of 13 patients on haemodialysis treatment for between 10 and 90 months revealed synovial beta 2M-derived (AB-)amyloid deposits in four patients at different joints, but not in radiologically suspect areas. The results suggest that independent of serum beta 2M, beta 2M-derived amyloidosis may occur in elderly patients on dialysis for less than 5 years. Several cases were completely asymptomatic.

[Destructive spondylarthropathy in dialysis patients]. / Destruierende Spondylarthropathie bei Dialysepatienten.

Back pain and a cervicobrachial syndrome, as well as progressive sensory and motor deficits as far as symptoms of paraplegia, developed in two dialysis patients two and five years after the start of dialysis. One was a 60-year-old woman with pyelonephritis, the other a 55-year-old man with glomerulonephritis. There were typical radiological signs of destructive spondylarthropathy (narrowed intervertebral spaces and slippage of the vertebral bodies). The female patient required several operations (spondylothesis and orthothesis) and both patients received daily 10,000 IU vitamin D and 3-4 g calcium carbonate. In the woman the destructive process no longer progressed one year after onset of symptoms, but she still required many analgesics. She died three months later of circulatory failure. The man died four weeks after the onset of symptoms from purulent meningitis. At autopsy only renal fibrous ostitis was still demonstrable. Amyloidosis resulting from an increase in beta 2-microglobulin level were excluded by both histological and immunohistochemical examinations.

[Use of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) as phosphate binder in dialysis patients in long-term follow-up over 3 years]. / Untersuchungen zum Einsatz von Calciumcarbonat (CaCO3) als Phosphatbinder bei Dialysepatienten im Langzeitverlauf über 3 Jahre.

In 26 dialysis patients (age 46 +/- 47.8 years, dialysis 20.1 +/- 57 months) calcium carbonate was introduced to phosphate reduction for 3 years. The use of CaCO3 (4.4-9 g/d) for 9 months did reduce the phosphate level from 2.51 to 1.51 mmol/l in 77% of the patients and increase the calcium from 2.23 to 2.47 mmol/l. The long-term use use up to 3 years did'nt reduce the phosphate level effectively (mean value 2.24 mmol/l). In 77% of the patients a progression and in 42% new calcifications could be observed. The percentage of patients with soft tissue calcification within the 3-year CaCO3 therapy was increased from 43% to 67%. Therefore, CaCO3 alone in unsuitable for long-term use as phosphate binder in dialysis patients.

[Clinical significance of beta 2 microglobulin determination in dialysis patients]. / Klinische Bedeutung der beta 2-Mikroglobulin-Bestimmung (beta 2-M) bei Dialysepatienten.

In radioimmunological estimation of beta 2-microglobulin significant higher serum values were found in 36 dialysis patients (44.4 +/- 20.3 mg/l) in comparison with healthy probands (1.5 +/- 0.2 mg/l). A significant relation to the duration of dialysis, rest diuresis and serum level of aluminium was found. Significant higher concentrations were observed in patients suffering from pain in the shoulder-limb-region and with ostealgia in other regions, but not in radiological verified destructive arthropathy and spondylarthropathy. The used dialyzers MLW 1.3/1.8 m2 did not eliminate the beta 2-microglobulin from the blood.

[Possibilities of early diagnosis of left-heart insufficiency in acute myocardial infarction]. / Möglichkeiten der Früherkennung der Linksherzinsuffizienz beim akuten Myokardinfarkt.

In 84 patients with an acute myocardial infarction clinical signs, measurement of the pressure of the pulmonary arteries and radiogramme of the thorax were used and compared for the estimation of the left heart insufficiency-particularly of an increase of a preload. The value of a standardized course series of radiogrammes of the thorax as a non-invasive investigation method in contrast to the invasive method of the pressure measurement of the pulmonary arteries was discussed. Advantages and disadvantages of the two methods were critically shown, since only in about 60% a correspondence was to be recognized.

[The contribution of defecography in megacolon diagnosis (author's transl)]. / Der Beitrag der Defäkographie in der Magakolondiagnostik.

The method of defecography first described by Burhenne proved to be best suited in systematic examination to detect the different types of impaired evacuation in the area of the sphincters. Pre-and postoperative results of 116 examinations in 86 children are presented.

[X-ray diagnostic procedures in cases involving craniocerebral trauma]. / Röntgendiagnostische Massnahmen beim schädel-Hirn-Trauma (SHT).

A well working team of examinators is one of the main presummations of getting an optimal diagnostic and treatment of head injuries (examinators of different branches of medicine). The first thing to do is exclude an intracranial bleeding (correct interpretation of clinical and roentgenological findings with an application of a suitable method in time). The cerebral angiography is one of the most effective methods of haemotoma diagnostic. The results using computed tomography can be compared with. Both methods complement themselves. The ultra-sound-diagnostic is useful to exclude haematomas (80 per cent accuracy of fire).