Does sequential balloon expulsion test improve the screening of defecation disorders?

BACKGROUND: A defecation disorder (DD) is a difficulty in evacuation documented by physiological exams. However, this physiological evaluation can be cumbersome, inaccessible and costly. Three "low-cost" tools to evaluate DD-a clinical DD score, the balloon expulsion test (BET) and a digital rectal examination (DRE) score were evaluated as separate or combined tests for DD screening. METHODS: This prospective study occurred between January 2015 and March 2019 in the Gastroenterology Department of a tertiary hospital. Besides the gold standard physiological tests, constipated patients answered the clinical DD score and were evaluated by DRE and BET [standard and variable volume (VV)]. RESULTS: From 98 constipated patients, 35 (38.9%) were diagnosed with DD according to Rome IV criteria, mainly female (n = 30, 86%) with a median age of 60 years old. The clinical DD score revealed an AUC of 0.417 (SE = 0.07, p = 0.191). The DRE score displayed an AUC of 0.56 (SE = 0.063, p = 0.301). The standard BET displayed a sensitivity of 86%, specificity of 58%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 57% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 86%. The sequential VVBET followed by standard BET improved the BET performance regarding the evaluation of DD, with a sensitivity of 86%, specificity of 67%, PPV of 63% and NPV of 87%. The sequential BET had an OR 8.942, p > 0.001, CI 3.18-25.14, revealing to be the most significant predictor for DD screening. CONCLUSION: The sequential BET is a low cost, well-performing DD screening tool, appropriate to the Primary Care Setting.

Assessment of fetomaternal hemorrhage by Kleihauer-Betke test, flow cytometry and α-fetoprotein after invasive obstetric procedures.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the passage of fetal red blood cells to the maternal circulation, after invasive obstetric procedures, through the Kleihauer-Betke test, flow cytometry and by measurement of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein level. METHODS: This prospective descriptive study with patients submitted to amniocentesis, cordocentesis, chorionic villus sampling (CVS), amnioreduction and ventriculoamniotic shunt was performed for karyotype analysis, treatment of hydrocephalus and polyhydramnios and to assess fetal lung maturity. Maternal blood samples were collected before and 60 minutes after the invasive obstetric procedure to search for fetal erythrocytes using the Kleihauer-Betke test, flow cytometry and serum alpha-fetoprotein measurement. RESULTS: Ten invasive obstetric procedures were performed. The mean age of the patients was 29.2 years and the mean gestational age was 29.6 weeks. The procedures were: five amniocenteses, two cordocenteses, one CVS, one ventriculo-amniotic shunt and one amnioreduction with cephalocentesis. The indications for the procedures were: karyotype analysis in five patients, fetal lung maturity assessment in two patients, amnioreduction in one patient, fetal hydrocephalus shunt in one patient and polyhydramnios related to hydranencephaly in one patient. Regarding the path of puncture, three procedures were accomplished through the placenta and seven apart from it. All punctures were successful at the first attempt. There was no significant increase of fetal erythrocyte quantity in maternal blood samples using the Kleihauer-Betke test. After cordocentesis, a significant increase of fetal erythrocytes was detected by flow cytometry and serum alpha-fetoprotein measurement. CONCLUSION: Invasive obstetric procedures during prenatal care are safe when performed by experienced professionals using adequate techniques, with minimal chance of passage of fetal erythrocytes from the fetal compartment.

Variations of the origin of the artery of the sinoatrial node in normal human hearts.

The artery of the sino-atrial node was studied in 100 normal human hearts after injection of each coronary artery with coloured gelatine containing a radiopaque substance. The hearts belonged to 69 males and 31 females, being 64 Caucasians and 36 non-Caucasians (Negroes and Mulattoes) whose age ranged from 7 to 80 years. Since the individuals had committed suicide or were victims of accidents, their hearts, after pathologists' evaluation, were considered normal. The sinoatrial node of the normal human heart is supplied by the right coronary artery more frequently (58% +/- 4.9% of the cases) than by the left (42% +/- 4.9). The right anterior medial atrial artery, originating from the right coronary at the level of the medial third of the right anterior quadrant of the atrial dome, is most frequently (50% +/- 5) responsible for the blood supply of the sinoatrial node. Among the branches of the left coronary artery, the left anterior medial atrial artery, originating at the level of the medial third of the left. anterior quadrant of the atrial cupola, was the most frequent blood supplier (25% +/- 4.3) of the sinoatrial node. The origin of the artery of the sinoatrial node from the proximal portion or trunk of the left coronary artery was less frequent (12% +/- 3.2) than the origin from the circumflex artery (30% +/- 4.5). Neither sex nor race influenced the variations of the origin of the sino-atrial node.