Predictive factors for high mortality in hypernatremic patients.

Hypernatremia (serum sodium level of > 145 mEq/L) is associated with high mortality. This study reports an analysis of mortality in 116 patients with hypernatremia from two large university-affiliated teaching hospitals. The purpose was to identify factors predictive of high mortality in hypernatremic patients. Medical records were reviewed to obtain the following data: serum sodium (Na+) levels; systolic (S) and diastolic (D) blood pressure (BP) at the time of admission and throughout the hospital course; status of cognitive function; and type of fluid administered. The patients were divided into two groups: expired and survived. Seventy-seven of 116 patients (66%) expired, while 39 patients (34%) survived and were discharged from the hospital. The mean age and gender for patients who died (70.9 +/- 15.4 years, 90% men) were not different from those who survived (66.4 +/- 17.3 years, 87% men). For the serum Na+ levels recorded at three different times (early, peak, and late), mean late serum Na+ level during hospital course was significantly higher in patients who died than in those who survived (151.2 +/- 9.2 v 143.1 +/- 8.0 mEq/L, respectively; P < .001). Mean admission serum Na+ level (154.9 +/- 5.5 v 155.1 +/- 7.7 mEq/L, respectively) and mean peak serum Na+ level (157.5 +/- 6.5 v 156.8 +/- 9.4 mEq/L, respectively) were not different between the two groups. Both SBP and DBP at the time of admission (P < .05) and throughout the hospital course (P < .001) were significantly lower in the patients who died than in those who survived. The cognitive abnormalities consisting of confusion, obtundation, and speech abnormality were significantly (P < .05) higher in the expired patients than in those who survived. Normal (isotonic) saline was used significantly more frequently (P < .00001) in patients who expired than in those who survived. Thus, this study suggests that a persistently elevated serum Na+ level (possibly caused by prolonged infusion of normal saline) in association with protracted hypotension portends a dismal prognosis in hospitalized hypernatremic patients.

Acquired cystic disease of kidney associated with renal cell carcinoma in chronic dialysis patients.

We describe 2 cases of acquired cystic disease of the kidney (ACDK) associated with renal cell carcinoma in patients treated with long-term hemodialysis. Both patients have had dialysis for five and eight years, respectively. Renal cell carcinomas of these patients are small, averaging 2 cm in diameter. They are clear cell type. Atypical epithelial hyperplasia arising from cystic areas can be seen intermingling with carcinoma. This confirms that atypical epithelial hyperplasia is a precursor of renal cell carcinoma. Although the incidence of renal cell carcinoma arising in ACDK is on the rise, the issue of how to manage patients with ACDK remained unsettled and required further study.

Erythrocyte deformation in ischemic acute tubular necrosis and amelioration by splenectomy in the dog.

Bilateral renal artery occlusion (RAO) for 120 minutes in dogs results in acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and peritubular capillary (PTC) congestion with rapidly deteriorating renal function. We have shown that prior splenectomy minimizes RAO-induced renal functional and histopathologic changes. The purpose of this study was to examine whether this renal protection is due to prevention of red blood cell echinocyte formation and resultant renal PTC congestion. Echinocytes (burr cells) are poorly deformable, impart high viscosity to the blood, and may hinder reperfusion by increasing resistance to renal capillary blood flow. Splenectomized (SPLX) or sham-SPLX dogs were treated with bilateral RAO for 120 minutes. After RAO, renal function and renal blood flow were monitored, and peripheral blood red blood cells were examined at 1 hour and at 24-hour intervals for 96 hours. Renal biopsies were taken 1 hour after RAO and the kidneys removed 96 hours after RAO. The RBCs and renal tissues were studied using scanning electron microscopy. Renal function was assessed by endogenous creatinine clearance. Sham-SPLX animals showed a marked and sustained decrease in creatinine clearance, consistently elevated serum creatinine levels and fractional excretion of sodium, and diffuse ATN and PTC congestion with echinocytes. These animals had a peak in circulating echinocytes 1 hour after RAO (p less than 0.05), which showed an excellent negative correlation with creatinine clearance (r = -0.999; p less than 0.001). On the contrary, SPLX animals had essentially no change in serum creatinine or fractional excretion of sodium, minimal tubular changes, no PTC congestion, and no rise in circulating echinocytes during the 96-hour observation. In vitro treatment of the postischemic red blood cells from sham animals with adenosine-inosine or fresh postischemic plasma from the SPLX animals showed almost complete reversal to discocytes (normal red blood cells), whereas in vitro treatment of postischemic red blood cells from the SPLX animals with fresh postischemic plasma from the sham animals resulted in a marked echinocytic response. We conclude that 1) a marked echinocyte response in the immediate postischemic period is an important mechanism in initiating ischemic ATN, 2) an echinocyte inducing factor may reside in the plasma of spleen-intact animals, and 3) mitigation of ATN and PTC congestion by splenectomy is, at least in part, consequential to attenuated echinocytic response in the immediate postischemic period.

An electron microscopy study of urinary sediment: relationship between myeloid body excretion and gentamicin nephrotoxicity in the rat.

We studied renal function, urinary enzymes, urinary sediment, and renal histopathology in Fischer 344 rats that were treated with one dose of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) alone, HgCl2 followed by gentamicin, gentamicin alone, or gentamicin, followed by HgCl2. HgCl2 was administered intraperitoneally at 1 mg/kg body weight. Gentamicin was injected subcutaneously at 40 mg/kg body weight. Renal function was assessed by creatinine clearance. Urinary sediment was examined using transmission electron microscopy; particular attention was given to the numbers by myeloid bodies in the urinary sediment. Renal tissue was assessed using light microscopy for acute tubular necrosis (ATN). In either HgCl2- or saline-treated rats urinary sediment showed no myeloid bodies, and renal morphology was essentially normal. The rats given HgCl2 48 h prior to initiation of gentamicin therapy showed significant decrease of myeloid bodies excretion. This was accompanied by significantly less impairment of renal function, mild renal lesion, and no necrotic tubule cells in urinary sediment. The rats treated with either gentamicin alone or gentamicin followed by HgCl2 developed significant impairment of renal function in association with marked elevation of the urinary enzymes, and variable extent of ATN. In both of these groups, urinary sediment showed a profusion of free myeloid bodies and many necrotic renal tubule cells. The urinary sediment findings, however, did not aid in distinguishing between these two treatment groups. From these data we conclude that (1) a tentative relationship exists between the concentration of the urinary myeloid bodies and severity of gentamicin nephrotoxicity; (2) prior treatment with compound(s) analogous to HgCl2 which could minimize urinary excretion of the myeloid bodies might be useful in the mitigation of gentamicin nephrotoxicity.

Neoplastic obstruction of the trachea complicating pseudobulbar palsy.

We have reported a case of pseudobulbar palsy with airflow obstruction initially attributed to chronic aspiration and chronic airflow obstruction caused by cigarette smoking. The finding of stridor led to a detailed evaluation of the obstruction. Flow-volume loops, fiberoptic bronchoscopy, CT scan of the upper thorax, and fine-needle biopsy of a lesion of the trachea were required to make the diagnosis of non-small-cell carcinoma involving the trachea.

Carcinoma of the lung and coexistent active pulmonary tuberculosis: diverse morphologic and radiographic presentations.

Five patients with coexistent carcinoma of the lung and active tuberculosis within the same pulmonary lesion were studied. These cases represent five distinctly varying radiographic presentations and point out the extreme diversity of the morphological pictures of this particular disease combination. Physicians who regularly deal with patients who might present with either entity alone are cautioned to be alert to the possibility that these two diseases may be present simultaneously within single, specific pulmonary lesions.

Fatal delayed hemolytic transfusion reaction due to anti-c + E.

A 72-year-old man with a peptic ulcer received seven units of apparently compatible red blood cells. Six days after the last unit, he had a hemolytic transfusion reaction manifested by high fever, marked fall in hematocrit, hemoglobinemia, hemoglobinuria, severe bilirubinemia and oliguria. He went on to become uremic, hyperkalemic, anuric and died five days later. Serologic studies showed that the donor and recipient bloods were completely compatible prior to the transfusions and that unexpected antibodies were not detected. The anamnestic response from donor antigens was precipitous even after a latent period of six days.

Protein deprivation in primates. X. Test performance of juveniles born of deprived mothers.

Forty juvenile rhesus monkeys whose mothers were fed semisynthetic diets containing 13.4, 6.7, or 3.35% protein during pregnancy were tested as juveniles on four tests of perceptual-discrimination learning. All juveniles were well fed since birth. No significant differences in proficiency due to diet could be detected. It is concluded that thanks to the mother's proficient adaptation to the diet the fetus is well protected, and not deprived.

Protein deprivation in primates: XII. food preferences of juvenile rhesus monkeys.

21 male and 18 female juvenile rhesus monkeys whose mothers' prenatal diets varied according to protein content (either 1-, 2-, or 4-gm protein/kg body weight/day) were given a food-preference task. 20 monkeys were between 3 and 4 yr. old; 19 were between 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 yr. old. For each trial small pieces of the same type food were placed in 8 equally spaced wells about the circumference of a circular tray held outside each monkey's cage. Responsiveness to the 21 natural foods (assorted cheeses, meats, vegetables, nuts, cereals, fruits, and candies) offered 3 times on 3 different occasions was measured by recording number of pieces taken, number eaten, and elapsed time for taking all 8 pieces. All 3 measures were highly correlated. All diet groups exhibited the same general order of preference, males taking and eating more food pieces faster than females. Order of preference was significantly different for old versus young juveniles, with older juveniles' preferences more similar to those of adult female monkeys given the same task. The most notable differences in eating behavior were that younger juveniles played with their food and were less finicky about what they ate. Results suggest that food preferences of juvenile monkeys are not altered as a consequence of their mothers' prenatal protein deprivation.