[Minimal Invasive Surgery of Adrenal Tumors]. / Minimalinvasive Operation von Nebennierentumoren.

Minimal invasive surgical methods are gold standard at the resection of adrenal tumors. Special medical care units provide laparoscopical and retroperitoneoscopical techniques. This review gives an overview about indication of minimal invasive adrenalectomy, technical implementation, perioperative management and generic surgery-associated complications.

Reduction (TELMAR) as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension--a prospective, randomised, double-blind comparison of telmisartan with metoprolol over a period of six months rationale and study design.

The Telmisartan Effectiveness on Left ventricular MAss Reduction (TELMAR) trial will assess the effect of the angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor blocker, telmisartan, on left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) compared with the b-blocker, metoprolol, at similar antihypertensive doses. The rationale is that antihypertensives reduce LVH, a cardiac adaptation to pressure overload, principally by pressure-related effects. Ang II plays a key role in pressure-independent mechanisms causing LVH, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors induce more pronounced LVH regression than some other antihypertensives. Blocking Ang II Type 1 receptors may be more effective than ACE inhibition in reducing LVH. TELMAR is a prospective, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group trial. A total of 140 patients (age 18 80 years) with uncontrolled essential hypertension (mean daytime systolic blood pressure [SBP] >140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure [DBP] >90 mmHg and/or night-time SBP >120 mmHg or DBP >70 mmHg, measured by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring [ABPM]) and left ventricular mass index related to height (LVMI) >0.8 g/cm for females, >1.1 g/cm for males (defined by magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) will be randomised to once-daily telmisartan or metoprolol. The telmisartan dose will be 40 mg for the first two weeks, 80 mg for 5.5 months and 40 mg for the last two weeks. Metoprolol will be given at a dose of 47.5 mg for two weeks, 95 mg for 5.5 months and 47.5 mg for two weeks. Concomitant add-on medication with hydrochlorothiazide and amlodipine will be allowed. The primary endpoint is the percentage change in LVMI at treatment end versus baseline, using MRI. Secondary variables include blood pressure changes and response rates assessed by ABPM and manual cuff sphygmomanometry, and end-systolic wall stress, systolic left ventricular function (LVF) and diastolic LVF determined by MRI. A separate study was performed prior to the main trial to define the normal range of MRI data in an age-matched population.

Increased expression of renal neutral endopeptidase in severe heart failure.

The enzyme neutral endopeptidase (NEP; EC 3.4.24.11) cleaves several vasoactive peptides such as the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). ANP is a hormone of cardiac origin with diuretic and natriuretic actions. Despite elevated circulating levels of ANP, congestive heart failure (CHF) is characterized by progressive sodium and water retention. In order to elucidate the loss of natriuretic and diuretic properties of ANP in CHF we analyzed activity, protein concentrations, mRNA and immunostaining of NEP in kidneys of different models of severe CHF in the rat.CHF was induced by either aortocaval shunt, aortic banding or myocardial infarction in the rat. All models were defined by increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and decreased contractility. The diminished effectiveness of ANP was reflected by reduced cGMP/ANP ratio in animals with shunt or infarction. Renal NEP activity was increased in rats with aortocaval shunt (203 +/- 7%, p < 0.001), aortic banding (184 +/- 11%, p < 0.001) and infarction (149 +/- 10%, p < 0.005). Western blot analysis revealed a significant increase in renal NEP protein content in two models of CHF (shunt: 214 +/- 57%, p < 0.05; infarction: 310 +/- 53 %, p < 0.01). The elevated protein expression was paralleled by a threefold increase in renal NEP-mRNA level in the infarction model. The increased renal NEP protein expression and activity may lead to enhanced degradation of ANP and may contribute to the decreased renal response to ANP in heart failure. Thus, the capacity to counteract sodium and water retention, would be diminished. The increased renal NEP activity may therefore be a hitherto unknown factor in the progression of CHF.