Uterine Artery Doppler Flow Indices in Pregnant Women During the 11 Weeks + 0 Days and 13 Weeks + 6 Days Gestational Ages: a Study of 168 Patients.

OBJECTIVES: Uterine artery Doppler flow studies during the 11th and 14th week of pregnancy are important in the prediction of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction in pregnant women as well as in the prevention thereof. METHODS: Our study on Doppler flow indices of the uterine arteries involved 168 patients examined in our clinic, with pregnancies ranging from 11 weeks + 0 days to 13 weeks + 6 days. RESULTS: There were 72 patients from 11 weeks + 0 days to 11 weeks + 6 days (42.86%), 43 from 12 weeks + 0 days to 12 weeks + 6 days (25.60%), and 53 from 13 weeks + 0 days to 13 weeks + 6 days (31.55%). The mean values of the Doppler indices were PI 1.75±0.79, 1.88± 0.81, 1.71±0.81, and 1.58±0.72 and RI 0.72±0.14, 0.75±0.14, 0.71±0.14, and 0.70±0.14 for the entire group and for the three intervals, respectively. There were 71 (42.26%), 33 (19.64%, with 18 cases or 54.55% on the right side), and 64 (38.10%) patients with bilateral, unilateral and absent uterine artery notching, respectively. The mean Doppler indices for the three aforementioned groups were 2.18±0.79, 1.63±0.72, and 1.33±0.57 for the PI, and 0.79±0.11, 0.71±0.14, and 0.66±0.14 for the RI, respectively. The indices for the 175 arteries with and 161 without notching, taken separately, in all patients, as well as for the uterine arteries with and without notching in patients with unilateral notching only were 2.16±0.76, 1.30±0.54, 2.08±0.66, and 1.17±0.43 for the PI, and 0.79±0.11, 0.65±0.14, 0.79±0.11, and 0.63±0.12 for the RI, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The mean uterine artery PI and RI decrease from 11 weeks + 0 days-11 weeks + 6 days to 13 weeks + 0 days-13 weeks + 6 days. They also decrease from patients with bilateral uterine artery notching to those without notching. The frequency of uterine artery notching decreases with increasing gestational age. Our results are similar to those in literature.

[Glaucoma--neurodegenerative disease]. / Glaucomul--boala neurodegenerativa.

Glaucoma is a specific optical neuropathy, with local nerve damage and pathogenesis incompletely understood. The progressive death of retinal ganglion cells and optical neural loss suggests the following hypothesis: primary destructive event (ischemia, elevated intraocular pressure and genetic risk factors) and secondary degeneration (apoptosis and excitotoxicity). The concept of neuroprotection is a therapeutical paradigm for preventing and delaying neuronal cell death and maintaining the function of neurons. Other additional concept--neurorescue is used to prevent neuronal death by interrupting the biological cascade of secondary events. Most substances that can be found (glutamate, nitric oxide, a.o) in excess in extra cellular spaces induce damage of retinal ganglion cells, while others (memantine, gingko biloba, nicergoline, flavonoids, ascorbic acid) are used to restore these cells and their axons, i.e., neuroreparation and neuroregeneration in various degrees. This paper is an up-date of numerous studies which demonstrate that open-angle glaucoma is considered to be a neurodegenerative disease connected with alterations of the cardiovascular, central nervous, immune, endocrine, psychological systems and of sleep, requiring the introduction of glaucoma in general medical context.

[Visual evoked potentials (VEP) in the diagnosis and monitoring of ophthalmic diseases]. / Potentialul evocat vizual in diagnosticul si monitorizarea afectiunilor oftalmologice.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: 20 patients were examined (40 eyes) with different ophthalmic affections, age between 57 and 72 years old, 15 female and 5 male. RESULTS: Visual acuity was evaluated between 0.00 and 1.00 with correction. The laboratory exploration reveals changes of the lipidic profile--in 20% cases and the glucidic profile--in 12.50% cases. The inflammatory aspect also has been changed (the erytrocite sedimentation rate, the fibrinogen, reactive C protein)-- cases. The electrophysiological paraclinical exploration concentrated on recording the visual evoked potentials (VEP) of all patients. The record of visual evoked potential (VEP) pointed out in the majority of cases a increase of the P100 wave's latency, as well as modifications of the amplitude and form of the P100 waves, especially at patients examined and diagnosed with glaucoma, intraocular hypertension, ischemical nonarteritic anterior optical neuropaties or preatrophic globe. CONCLUSION: e consider that the record of the VEP - P100 wave, absolutely uninvasive exploration, may constitute an efficient way for the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with ophtalmic affections, even at early stages, orientating the physician in therapeuthical conduct.