Morphological Changes of the Ovarian Vein in Pelvic Venous Disorders.

OBJECTIVE: The management of pelvic venous disorders (PeVD) remains controversial. Open surgical and endovascular methods are currently used for treatment, but there are few data in the literature on the morphology and histology of the ectatic ovarian vein (OV). This study aimed to explore the histomorphological changes in a dilated OV in patients with PeVD and compare it with a normal OV obtained post-mortem and a normal great saphenous vein (GSV). METHODS: Histology of the OV was studied in 16 patients who underwent surgery for PeVD, 10 control cadavers from whom fragments of the OV without visible gross changes were taken at autopsy, and nine control patients in whom the GSV was resected to be used for coronary artery bypass. RESULTS: The OV wall in patients with PeVD consisted of three layers: intima, media, and adventitia. The OV looked very similar to the GSV wall because of a clearly developed layer of smooth muscle fibres. The thickness of the normal OV was significantly different to the OV wall in PeVD (475.3 µm, IQR 370.7, 607.6 vs. 776.3 µm, IQR 668.9, 879.6, p < .001) and did not differ significantly from the thickness of a normal GSV wall (784.3 µm, IQR 722.2, 898.2). The intima-media complex of the OV was significantly thinner than the GSV in PeVD (118.9 µm, IQR 75.6, 159.6 vs. 415 µm, IQR 399.5, 520.0, р < .001); however, the adventitia of the OV was significantly thicker than in normal OV and GSV (599.6 µm, IQR 444.3, 749.7 vs. 373.5 µm, IQR 323.8, 482.0 vs. 308.4 µm, IQR 275.9, 338.2, p < .001). CONCLUSION: Dilatation of the OV in patients with PeVD was accompanied by a significant increase in the overall thickness of the vein wall, which brings it closer in structure to the GSV. This implies that the OV may be used safely for transposition into the inferior vena cava or iliac vein.

Feasibility of coronary CT angiography for guidance of CABG.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical safety and effectiveness of coronary revascularization in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) based exclusively on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) results. METHODS: 53 patients (62.3 ± 7.1 years) underwent CCTA before a CABG surgery without prior invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Primary endpoints were all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The secondary endpoint was quality of life (QoL) assessed with the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). All were collected one year after the surgery. RESULTS: CCTA revealed multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) in 52 patients. Indication for bypass surgery was made exclusively based on CCTA results. 136 distal anastomoses were performed. Assessment at 1 year (13.3 ± 1.4 months) was completed in 98.1% of the patients. MACE and mortality rates were 0%. The MLHFQ total score was 21.8 ± 8.7, and active lifestyle was maintained in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this proof of concept prospective pilot study, we observed that non-invasive coronary angiography may provide adequate anatomic detail to guide CABG surgery. Further study of this concept is warranted.

Individual Histologic Lesions and Composite Scores in Implant Biopsies Affect Short-Term and Long-Term Kidney Allograft Function.

OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to evaluate which histologic lesions in a donor kidney were associated with graft function up to 5 years and with its dynamics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the association between acute and chronic individual histologic lesions and composite scores in preimplant and postreperfusion biopsies from deceased-donor (n = 101) and living-donor (n = 29) kidneys with initial graft function and function at discharge, at 6 months, and at 5 years and slopes of estimated glomerular filtration rate from discharge to 6 months and from 6 months to 5 years. RESULTS: A high frequency of chronic and acute histologic lesions in donor kidneys is characteristic of our population of donors with high cardiovascular risk. Glomerulitis in preimplant biopsies predicted delayed graft function. Arteriolar hyalinosis predicted impaired initial graft function. Arteriolar hyalinosis and arteriosclerosis both predicted lower estimated glomerular filtration rate at discharge and ≥ 25% drop in function after 6 months. Glomerulosclerosis affected the estimated glomerular filtration rate at discharge and at 6 months; percentage of changed glomeruli predicted lower function at discharge and at 5 years. Glomerular thrombi in preimplant and postreperfusion biopsies predicted negative slope in estimated glomerular filtration rate from discharge to 6 months and a ≥ 25% drop in function after 6 months, respectively. Fibrinoid necrosis in glomeruli in preimplant biopsies predicted decline in function of ≥ 5 mL/min/1.73m² every year after 6 months. Chronic and total preimplant and posttransplant Banff scores predicted lower estimated glomerular filtration rate at discharge and at 6 months, with ≥ 25% drop in function after 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative biopsies are important in identifying patients at risk for worse graft function, especially concerning absence of gain of function early after transplant and loss of function late after transplant.

High urinary interleukin-2 in late post-transplant period portends a risk of decline in kidney allograft function: a preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: Predictive factors for the rate of decline in kidney allograft function beyond the first post-transplant year have not been thoroughly studied. We aimed to determine whether a single measurement of serum and urinary interleukin 2, interleukin 8 and interleukin 10 at 1-15 years after kidney transplantation could predict a decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over a 2-year period. RESULTS: Greater serum concentrations of interleukin 8 and interleukin 10 in 30 recipients of kidney allograft at enrollment were associated with lower eGFR after 1 year (beta = - 0.616, p = 0.002 and beta = - 0.393, p = 0.035, respectively), whereas serum concentrations of interleukin 8 also demonstrated significant association with eGFR after 2 years of follow-up (beta = - 0.594, p = 0.003). Higher urinary interleukin 2 concentrations were associated with lower eGFR at baseline (rho = - 0.368, p = 0.049) and after the first (beta = - 0.481, p = 0.008) and the second year (beta = - 0.502, p = 0.006) of follow-up. Higher urinary interleukin 2 concentrations predicted certain decline in eGFR of ≥ 25% from baseline after 1 year of follow-up in logistic regression: odds ratio = 2.94, confidence interval 1.06-8.18, p = 0.038. When combined with time after transplantation, urinary interleukin 2 demonstrated good accuracy in predicting rapid decline in eGFR by > -5 mL/min/1.73 m2/year (area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve: 0.855, confidence interval 0.687-1.000, and p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that urinary interleukin 2 in the late period after kidney transplantation has promise in identifying patients who are at risk for progressive loss of graft function in a short-time perspective and need closer monitoring.

Peritransplant Soluble CD30 as a Risk Factor for Slow Kidney Allograft Function, Early Acute Rejection, Worse Long-Term Allograft Function, and Patients' Survival.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine whether serum soluble CD30 (sCD30) could identify recipients at high risk for unfavorable early and late kidney transplant outcomes. METHODS: Serum sCD30 was measured on the day of kidney transplantation and on the 4th day posttransplant. We assessed the value of these measurements in predicting delayed graft function, slow graft function (SGF), acute rejection (AR), pyelonephritis, decline of allograft function after 6 months, and graft and patient survival during 5 years of follow-up in 45 recipients. RESULTS: We found the association between low pretransplant serum levels of sCD30 and SGF. The absence of significant decrease of sCD30 on the 4th day posttransplant was characteristic for SGF, early AR (the 8th day-6 months), late AR (>6 months), and early pyelonephritis (the 8th day-2 months). Lower pretransplant and posttransplant sCD30 predicted worse allograft function at 6 months and 2 years, respectively. Higher pretransplant sCD30 was associated with higher frequency of early AR, and worse patients' survival, but only in the recipients of deceased-donor graft. Pretransplant sCD30 also allowed to differentiate patients with early pyelonephritis and early AR. CONCLUSIONS: Peritransplant sCD30 is useful in identifying patients at risk for unfavorable early and late transplant outcomes.