Intake of carp meat from two aquaculture production systems aimed at secondary prevention of ischemic heart disease - a follow-up study.

Our previous study showed that a diet enriched with 400 g of carp per week improved plasma lipids in subjects after aortocoronary bypass (CABG). The aim of the present study is to determine whether the different carp farming systems have an impact on the effects of carp meat in secondary cardiovascular prevention. We examined 3 groups of patients after CABG over a 4-week period of spa treatment (108 persons, 73 males, 35 females, age over 60 years). We found no differences in baseline values of blood pressure or plasma lipids. The patients were given a standard spa diet (controls; N=36) or a diet enriched of 400 g of carp meat per week, enriched omega 3 (N=37) or cereal carp (N=35). Plasma lipid parameters were examined at start and after 4 weeks in a routine laboratory setting. Group consuming omega-3 carp showed the largest decline in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and an increase in HDL cholesterol (all p<0.01). We found that carp meat from the two production systems showed significantly different effects on plasma lipids. Further trials should be performed to clarify the exact causes of the differences.

[Enterovirus sequencing as a new approach to the laboratory diagnosis for clinical and epidemiological purposes]. / Sekvenace enteroviru jako nový prístup k laboratorní diagnostice pro klinické i epidemiologické úcely.

OBJECTIVE: Introducing enterovirus sequencing as an advanced approach to classify the viruses isolated according to the novel nomenclature and to characterize isolates in detail. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy-five specimens collected from 64 patients in two hospitals, Liberec Regional Hospital, and Plzen University Hospital, were analyzed. The study patients' age ranged from four to 54 years, with a median of 15 years in males and 16 years in females. In most patients, the reasons for admission were intense headache, fever, vomiting, tiredness, meningeal symptoms, intestinal symptoms (in two patients), and skin symptoms (in one patient). The specimens collected were rectal and throat swabs, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and stool specimens. Molecular detection and typing were performed using the RT-PCR method. A segment of the 5´non-coding RNA was selected for typing. Specimens were amplified using single-step PCR with external primers and with the same primers extended to include M13 sequences (Generi-Biotech). The LASERGENE software (DIASTAR) was used in sequence editing, alignment, and quality check. The sequences obtained were checked against the central GenBank sequence database using the BLAST algorithm. RESULTS: The identification of the study isolates resulted in 61 ECHO viruses 30, three coxsackie viruses B1, one coxsackie virus B3, one coxsackie virus A9, one enterovirus 86, one enterovirus 71, Two ECHO viruses 13/coxsackie virus B5, one ECHO virus 7/30/coxsackie virus B4, one coxsackie virus B4/enterovirus B, one enterovirus 87/ECHO virus 30/enterovirus B, and one ECHO virus 3. All viruses isolated, except enterovirus 71 classified into group A, were of group B. CONCLUSION: The enteroviruses were identified unambigously, although the sequencing only targeted a short, conserved segment that showed considerable variability. The sequencing was an effective alternative to enterovirus identification by the neutralisation test and allowed for detailed characterization of the isolates. The predominance of ECHO 30 as the cause of aseptic meningitis is in accordance with the literature data.

PET with 18F-DOPA in the imaging of parathyroid adenoma in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. A pilot study.

UNLABELLED: Preoperative localization of parathyroid adenomas (PA) can shorten operation time and improve curative rate; it becomes especially important in minimally invasive surgical techniques. AIM of this study was to investigate whether positron emission tomography (PET) with 3-,4-dihydroxy-6- (18) F-fluorophenylalanine ( (18) F-DOPA), which showed very promising results in other neuroendocrine tumours, also helps to localize PA. PATIENTS, METHODS: Eight patients with proven primary hyperparathyroidism were studied preoperatively with PET. Seven also underwent scintigraphy with (99m) Tc-MIBI and ultrasonography of the neck. All patients were operated and the histological finding was used as a gold standard. RESULTS: All eight patients had a histologically proven PA. None of the PA showed any detectable uptake of (18) F-DOPA. However, ultrasonography detected 5/7 PA, scintigraphy detected 3/7 PA. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that PET with (18) F-DOPA is not useful in the detection of PA in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.

Guidelines on radioiodine therapy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma: impact on clinical practice.

AIM: For the examination of the impact on clinical practice of the guidelines for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), treatment data from the ongoing Multicenter Study Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma (MSDS) were analyzed. PATIENTS, METHODS: Patients were randomized to adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (RTx) or no RTx in addition to standard therapy in TNM stages pT4 pN0/1/x M0/x (UICC, 5th ed. 1997). All patients were to receive the same treatment regimen consisting of thyroidectomy, ablative radioiodine therapy (RIT), and a diagnostic 131I whole-body scintigraphy (WBS) 3-4 months after RIT. RESULTS: Of 339 eligible patients enrolled between January 2000 and March 2004, 273 could be analyzed. Guideline recommendations by the German Society for Nuclear Medicine from 1999 and 1992 were complied with within 28% and 82% with regard to the interval between surgery and RIT (4 vs. 4-6 weeks), in 33% and 84% with regard to 131I activity for RIT (1-3 vs. 1-4 GBq; +/- 10%), and in 16% and 60% with regard to 131I activity for WBS (100-300 vs. 100-400 MBq; +/- 10%). CONCLUSIONS: The 1999 guideline revision appears to have had little impact on clinical practice. Further follow-up will reveal if guideline compliance had an effect on outcomes.

[Procedure guidelines for dynamic renal scintigraphy]. / Verfahrensanweisung zur dynamischen Nierenfunktionsszintigraphie.

This procedure guideline describes the procedures for dynamic renal scintigraphy with (99m)Tc-MAG3, (123)I-hippuran and (99m)Tc-DTPA. Common clinical applications as well as a detailed description of the procedure are given. It also includes explanations and hints concerning the analysis, evaluation, interpretation, and presentation of the findings.

[Assessment of left ventricular function and volume by myocardial perfusion scintigraphy--comparison of two algorithms]. / Myokardperfusionsszintigraphie zur Bestimmung der linksventrikulären Funktion und Herzvolumina--zwei Auswerteverfahren im Vergleich.

AIM: Left ventricular volume and function can be computed from gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging using Emory Cardiac Toolbox (ECT) or Gated SPECT Quantification (GS-Quant). The aim of this study was to compare both programs with respect to their practical application, stability and precision on heart-models as well as in clinical use. METHODS: The volumes of five cardiac models were calculated by ECT and GS-Quant. 48 patients (13 female, 35 male) underwent a one day stress-rest protocol and gated SPECT. From these 96 gated SPECT images, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), end-diastolic volume (EDV) and end-systolic volume (ESV) were estimated by ECT and GS-Quant. For 42 patients LVEF was also determined by echocardiography. RESULTS: For the cardiac models the computed volumes showed high correlation with the model-volumes as well as high correlation between ECT and GS-Quant (r > or = 0.99). Both programs underestimated the volume by approximately 20-30% independent of the ventricle-size. Calculating LVEF, EDV and ESV, GS-Quant and ECT correlated well to each other and to the LVEF estimated by echocardiography (r > or = 0.86). LVEF values determined with ECT were about 10% higher than values determined with GS-Quant or echocardiography. The incorrect surfaces calculated by the automatic algorithm of GS-Quant for three examinations could not be corrected manually. 34 of the ECT studies were optimized by the operator. CONCLUSION: GS-Quant and ECT are two reliable programs in estimating LVEF. Both seem to underestimate the cardiac volume. In practical application GS-Quant was faster and easier to use. ECT allows the user to define the contour of the ventricle and thus is less susceptible to artifacts.