OBJECTIVETo evaluate the urodynamic risk factors of upper urinary tract dilatation (UUTD) secondary to spinal cord injury (SCI).

METHODSNinety-six SCI patients of Tangshan earthquake were divided into 2 groups by ultrasonography: 16 SCI patients (group A) with UUTD and 80 SCI patients (group B) without UUTD received urodynamic test. Responses were evaluated using single and multiple analysis after examination.

RESULTSThe incidence of male was significantly higher than that of female. Residual urine volume, maximum cystometric capacity, detrusor leak point pressure and the incidence of bladder low compliance in group A were significantly higher than those in group B. There were no significant differences in age, the incidence of detrusor hyperreflexia, relative safe bladder capacity, the incidence of detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia, maximum flow rate and maximum urethral closure pressure between 2 groups. Bladder low compliance was cardinal risk factors according to Logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONAn early urodynamic examination and treatment for SCI patients are important to prevent from bladder low compliance and upper urinary tract damage.

Aged ; Dilatation, Pathologic ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; complications ; Urodynamics ; Urologic Diseases ; etiology ; physiopathology

The diameter and collapsibility of the inferior vena cava (IVC) should be interpreted in consideration with other clinical and echocardiographic parameters before drawing definitive diagnostic conclusions. We report a case of a 46-year-old female with isolated IVC dilation and diminished inspiratory collapse without other abnormalities, and provide a brief review of the literature.
Atrial Function, Right ; Atrial Pressure ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Dilatation, Pathologic ; Echocardiography, Doppler, Color ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Phlebography/methods ; Respiratory Mechanics ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vena Cava, Inferior/*pathology/physiopathology/radiography/ultrasonography

BACKGROUND/AIMS: DA-9701, a standardized extract of Pharbitis Semen and Corydalis Tuber, is a new prokinetic agent that exhibits an analgesic effect on the abdomen. We investigated whether DA-9701 affects visceral pain induced by colorectal distension (CRD) in rats. METHODS: A total of 21 rats were divided into three groups: group A (no CRD+no drug), group B (CRD+no drug), and group C (CRD+DA-9701). Expression of pain-related factors, substance P (SP), c-fos, and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and spinal cord was determined by immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting. RESULTS: The proportions of neurons in the DRG and spinal cord expressing SP, c-fos, and p-ERK were higher in group B than in group A. In the group C, the proportion of neurons in the DRG and spinal cord expressing p-ERK was lower than that in group B. Western blot results for p-ERK in the spinal cord indicated a higher level of expression in group B than in group A and a lower level of expression in group C than in group B. CONCLUSIONS: DA-9701 may decrease visceral pain via the downregulation of p-ERK in the DRG and spinal cord.
Analgesics/*pharmacology ; Animals ; Colon ; Dilatation, Pathologic/physiopathology ; Down-Regulation ; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/drug effects/*metabolism ; Ganglia, Spinal/drug effects/*metabolism ; Male ; Phytotherapy/methods ; Plant Preparations/*pharmacology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rectum ; Spinal Cord/drug effects/*metabolism ; Substance P/metabolism ; Visceral Pain/prevention & control