[Refraction and visual acuity after laser coagulation treatment for retinopathy of prematurity in stage 3+]. / Refraktion und Visus nach Laserbehandlung bei Retinopathia praematurorum (ROP) im Stadium 3+

PURPOSE: Correlations between myopia < or =-4.0 D, birth weight, gestation age at birth, extension of laser photocoagulation and mild posterior pole changes were assessed in eyes of 1-year-old children who underwent laser treatment for stage 3+ retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). In addition the relationship between best-corrected visual acuity (VA) and mild posterior pole alterations was evaluated at 3 years of age. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent argon or diode laser photocoagulation between 1996 and 2000 for ROP 3+ disease were analyzed in this retrospective study. Cycloplegic refraction was determined in 72 eyes of 1-year old patients ( n=39). At 3 years of age cycloplegic refraction was measured in 36 eyes of 19 patients, and visual acuity was determined in 25 eyes of 13 children. RESULTS: Myopia of < or =-4.0 D significantly correlated only with mild posterior pole changes (i.e. clinically significant dragging of the temporal vessels of the retina or macular heterotopia, p=0.001). The correlation was significant between a VA reduction to <0.8 and mild posterior pole alterations ( p=0.014). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of myopia < or =-4,0 D and visual acuity <0.8 appears to be increased even with mild posterior pole changes. Birth weight does not seem to be significant factor in the prevalence of myopia < or =-4.0 D following laser coagulation of stage 3 threshold ROP.

Detection of subcarinal lymph node enlargement on conventional chest radiographs. With special reference to oblique views.

Sixty-nine consecutive cases were collected where subcarinal masses had been detected on conventional chest radiographs, including p.a., lateral and oblique views. The subcarinal masses represented metastases from lung carcinomas, from carcinomas in other organs or lymphomas. The radiologic findings were of 3 types: a) distortion of the mediastinal/lung interface; b) abnormal density of the subcarinal region; and c) deformation of the inferior wall of the left or right main bronchus, with or without simultaneous deformation of the tracheal carina. These changes occurred alone or in combination with each other. In the individual patient the subcarinal masses did not appear equally well on all radiographs obtained in different projections: on average they could be discerned in only 2 (1.86) projections out of the 4 obtained (p.a., lateral, LAO, RAO). There were no false-positive cases in the series.

Adjuvant interferon treatment in human osteosarcoma.

An update of the adjuvant trial on osteosarcoma in Sweden comparing patients receiving natural interferon (IFN) alpha with a high-dose chemotherapy group and a nonadjuvant group is presented. The overall survival for the IFN group is 49%, for the chemotherapy group 54%, and for the nonadjuvant group 35%. Trial evaluation was complicated by group differences with respect to various clinicopathologic features of prognostic significance. The role of IFN in the treatment of osteosarcoma can still not be established.

Does diffuse coronary atherosclerosis affect the relation between coronary stenoses and uptake of thallium-201 after exercise?

It has been proposed that diffuse coronary atherosclerosis influences the myocardial perfusion. We performed a study of 94 young men with previous myocardial infarction in order to find out whether the presence and extent of diffuse coronary atherosclerosis affected the relation between maximal stenosis and myocardial perfusion in areas remote from the infarction. The patients were examined by planar-imaging thallium-201 scintigraphy, following exercise, and coronary angiography within 6 months after myocardial infarction. The maximal distinct stenosis and diffuse coronary atherosclerosis, comprising both plaque size and extent, were semiquantitatively assessed. The correlation coefficients between maximal stenosis within the LAD, RCA, and LCX vascular territories and the corresponding initial uptake of thallium were 0.52 (P = 0.0001), 0.30 (P = 0.04), and 0.46 (P = 0.02), respectively. No change of the correlations was found, except for a slight increase of the r-value from 0.30 to 0.37 in regions corresponding to RCA, after controlling for the diffuse atherosclerosis score in a multiple stepwise regression analysis. These findings indicate no impact of diffuse coronary atherosclerosis on regional myocardial perfusion in areas remote from the infarction.

Key enzymes of myocardial energy metabolism in papillary muscle of patients with mitral valve disease--relation to left ventricular function.

Metabolic adaptations were studied in papillary muscle from 18 patients undergoing open-heart surgery for mitral valve disease. Analyses were made of myoglobin (MG), the enzymes lactate dehydrogenase (LD) with its isoenzymes, glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), phosphofructokinase (PFK), citrate synthase (CS) and creatine kinase (CK) with its isoenzymes MB (CK-MB) and mitochondrial CK (CK-MIT). Myocardial function was assessed with left ventricular angiography. Positive and significant correlations were found between enzymes of oxidative metabolism, i.e. CS on the one hand and MG (r = 0.76), LD1 (r = 0.68), CK-MIT (r = 0.86) and CK-MB (r = 0.65) on the other. Indicators of glycolysis--PFK, GAPDH and LD3--varied independently of CS. LD3% was directly related to GAPDH (r = 0.66). In a sub-group of 12 patients with isolated mitral regurgitation due to myxomatous valve degeneration, LD3% rose (r = 0.72) with increasing myocardial derangement which, however, showed no relationship with any other marker. Thus the capacities of oxidative and glycolytic pathways did not co-vary. Volume load appeared not to affect oxidative capacity, while the anaerobic fraction of glycolysis was increased.

Different cholesterol fractions, LCAT activity and lipid peroxides in the serum of children whose parents had early coronary heart disease.

Children whose parents had early coronary heart disease were investigated for lipid abnormalities. In order to assess high risk parameters and the efficacy of the applied care, serum total cholesterol (TC), total triglyceride (TT), total free cholesterol (FC) high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), high density lipoprotein free cholesterol (HDLFC), lipid peroxide (LP) levels, and lecithin: cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT) activity were measured. Compared to a group of control children, the offspring of high risk subjects had increased TC, FC, and LP levels and decreased HDLC levels. After one year of preventative care all parameters normalized except the high FC level and elevated LCAT activity. The measurement of serum FC and LP levels seems to be a useful method for the determination of true high risk. The LCAT activity may show the efficacy of the dietary treatment.

Does successful interferon treatment of tumor patients require life-long treatment?

Case histories of 5 tumor patients treated with natural leukocyte interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) are presented. One patient with juvenile laryngeal papillomatosis responded well to interferon treatment, but the disease recurred when therapy was withdrawn. Upon reinstitution of treatment, the patient once again responded well. Another patient with myelomatosis also responded well to interferon therapy and in this case, too, the tumor recurred when interferon treatment was withdrawn. Reinstitution of interferon therapy was, however, unsuccessful. One patient with generalized giant cell tumor of bone responded with regression after more than 5 years of interferon treatment. Another patient with pulmonary osteosarcoma metastases, having received irradiation and interferon combination therapy followed by sole interferon treatment, responded well with a lasting stationary radiogram after 6 years of interferon treatment. One patient with malignant glioma, showing signs of tumor growth during the first few months of interferon therapy, eventually responded, and became disease-free after 6 years. The latter 3 patients are continuously receiving interferon therapy although more than 5 years have elapsed since their interferon therapy was initiated. It is suggested that interferon therapy for malignant tumors be given for life (or to progression of disease) in responding patients. Such a concept entails biological implications for interferon therapy in general and for antitumor action of interferons in particular. Other possible clinical schedules should only be constructed within the framework of controlled clinical trials.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor in plasma: risk factor for recurrent myocardial infarction.

Measurements of haemostatic function and metabolic and angiographic indices of risk were included in a prospective cohort study of variables predictive of recurrences within 3 years in 109 unselected men with a first myocardial infarction (MI) before the age of 45. In the course of follow-up, 16 patients had at least one reinfarction (fatal recurrences in 9 and nonfatal in 7) and 1 died suddenly. High plasma concentrations of the fast-acting plasminogen activator inhibitor were independently related to reinfarction along with dyslipoproteinaemia involving VLDL and HDL, poor left ventricular performance, and multiple-vessel coronary artery disease. Besides being independently associated with reinfarction in the present population, high triglyceride levels were possibly connected with a predisposition to thrombosis through a coexisting high level of plasminogen activator inhibitor. The data indicate that reduced fibrinolytic capacity due to increased plasma levels of the plasminogen activator inhibitor predisposes to reinfarction in a complex interplay with atherogenic factors, multiple coronary lesions, and compromised left ventricular function.

Glucose tolerance and insulin response to glucose in nondiabetic young male survivors of myocardial infarction.

Intravenous and oral glucose tolerance, as well as insulin response to glucose ingestion and a glucose infusion test, were investigated in 104 male nondiabetic survivors of myocardial infarction under the age of 45 years and in 100 matched control subjects randomly selected from the general population. Reduced oral glucose tolerance and hyperinsulinemic responses to both oral glucose challenge and to a glucose infusion test were present in a substantial number of the young patients. The very low density lipoprotein triglyceride concentration tended to rise progressively with increasing severity of glucose intolerance in both patients and control subjects. The magnitude of the early insulin response during the glucose infusion test, along with the high density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, correlated inversely and independently with degree and extent of coronary atheromatosis, whereas the low density lipoprotein cholesterol level showed a positive correlation with severity of coronary atheromatosis. The present data argue against the concept of direct atherogenic action of high plasma insulin levels. In contrast, a low and delayed early insulin response might be a marker of enhanced liability to evolution of severe diffuse coronary atheromatosis.

Subacute rupture of the free left ventricular wall following acute myocardial infarction. Report of an atypical case with successful surgical repair.

In previously published cases of subacute or sealed postinfarction rupture of the free left ventricular wall, the patients presented a clinical picture of sudden shock and tamponade. Our patient, a 64-year-old man, suffered renewed chest pain on the fourth postinfarction day and went into cardiogenic shock, which was pharmacologically reversible. There were no bed-side signs of tamponade and the ECG showed the pattern of acute pericarditis, both features in contrast to previously reported cases in the literature. Echocardiography demonstrated localized fluid in the pericardial sac and a puncture revealed non-coagulating blood. The patient was successfully operated on. At surgery a small rupture sealed by blood clots was demonstrated in the infarcted inferior wall of the left ventricle.

Coronary angiography and pathogenesis of coronary artery disease in young male survivors of myocardial infarction.

Coronary angiography was performed 3 to 6 months after myocardial infarction in 107 males below the age of 45 (mean age 39.7 +/- 3.9, range 23-44 years). The coronary angiograms were allocated to various groups according to the presence or absence of obvious atheromatous changes. Metabolic evaluation included determination of cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in the major serum lipoproteins. Marked elevation of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentration was found in patients with angiographic evidence of atheromatosis, in contrast to patients with normal coronary angiograms or with single occlusion and no other abnormalities. Thus, there was a correlation between angiographic appearance of the coronary arteries and disturbances of LDL metabolism. It is proposed that coronary angiography may distinguish between atheromatous and non-atheromatous pathogenesis of myocardial infarction at young age.