OBJECTIVE: This article investigated the changes of some biochemical markers and cardiac function in chronic heart failure (CHF), and provided the basis for the diagnosis of CHF. METHODS: New Zealand rabbit CHF model was established using adriamycin (ADR). Twenty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into model group (=15) and control group (=5), injected with ADR and saline solution the ear vein respectively, 2 times a week, lasting for 8 weeks. After that, myocardial enzymes, carotid artery pressure, echocardiogram (ECG) and phonocardiogram (PCG) of all New Zealand rabbits were detected and recorded. RESULTS: Compared with control group, all parameters of the model group were changed significantly (<0.05). CONCLUSIONS CHF leads to myocardial damage in New Zealand rabbits, decreased systolic and diastolic function, cardiac reserve index can be used to assess cardiac function.
Animals ; Biomarkers ; analysis ; Blood Pressure ; Carotid Arteries ; physiopathology ; Chronic Disease ; Doxorubicin ; Electrocardiography ; Heart Failure ; chemically induced ; physiopathology ; Myocardium ; enzymology ; Phonocardiography ; Rabbits ; Random Allocation

In this study, we characterized cerebral blood flow changes by assessment of blood flow parameters in neck arteries using carotid duplex ultrasonography and predictive factors for these hemodynamic changes. Hemodynamic variables were measured before and during hemodialysis in 81 patients with an arteriovenous access in their arm. Hemodialysis produced significant lowering in peak systolic velocity and flow volume of neck arteries and calculated total cerebral blood flow (1,221.9 ± 344.9 [before hemodialysis] vs. 1,085.8 ± 319.2 [during hemodialysis], P < 0.001). Effects were greater in vessels on the same side as the arteriovenous access and these changes were influenced by arteriovenous access flow during hemodialysis, both in the CCA (r = -0.277, P = 0.015) and the VA (r = -0.239, P = 0.034). The change of total cerebral blood flow during hemodialysis was independently related with age, presence of diabetes, and systemic blood pressure.
Aged ; Carotid Arteries/diagnostic imaging ; Cerebrovascular Circulation/*physiology ; Dizziness/etiology ; Female ; Hemodynamics/*physiology ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/*physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Renal Dialysis ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex

In this study, we characterized cerebral blood flow changes by assessment of blood flow parameters in neck arteries using carotid duplex ultrasonography and predictive factors for these hemodynamic changes. Hemodynamic variables were measured before and during hemodialysis in 81 patients with an arteriovenous access in their arm. Hemodialysis produced significant lowering in peak systolic velocity and flow volume of neck arteries and calculated total cerebral blood flow (1,221.9 ± 344.9 [before hemodialysis] vs. 1,085.8 ± 319.2 [during hemodialysis], P < 0.001). Effects were greater in vessels on the same side as the arteriovenous access and these changes were influenced by arteriovenous access flow during hemodialysis, both in the CCA (r = -0.277, P = 0.015) and the VA (r = -0.239, P = 0.034). The change of total cerebral blood flow during hemodialysis was independently related with age, presence of diabetes, and systemic blood pressure.
Aged ; Carotid Arteries/diagnostic imaging ; Cerebrovascular Circulation/*physiology ; Dizziness/etiology ; Female ; Hemodynamics/*physiology ; Humans ; Kidney Failure, Chronic/*physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Renal Dialysis ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex

ObjectiveTo investigate the application value of Toshiba 320-row dynamic volumetric CT angiography in the diagnosis of venous erectile dysfunction (VED).

METHODSWe enrolled in this study 33 patients diagnosed with ED by audiovisual sexual stimulation screening in the outpatient department. Penile erection was induced in the patients by injection of 2 mg phentolamine plus 30 mg papaverine into the corpus cavernosum, followed by that of contrast agent of iobitridol through the vein and corpus cavernosum successively. Then 320-row dynamic volumetric CT angiography was performed and the images of the corpus cavernosum in the arterial and venous phases were collected and processed.

RESULTSDifferent degrees of abnormal venous drainage were observed in 29 of the patients, including 7 cases (24.1%) of back deep venous leakage, 6 cases (20.7%) of foot venous leakage, 3 cases (10.3%) of dorsal superficial venous leakage, 1 case (3.5%) of intervertebral venous leakage, 2 cases (6.9%) of cavernous venous leakage, and 10 cases (34.5%) of mixed venous leakage. Ten of the patients underwent surgery, dorsal deep penile vein ligation in 2 cases, dorsal deep vein embedding plus foot vein ligation in 4, and foot vein ligation in the other 4. Eight of the patients were followed up for 3－12 months post-operatively, during which 2 achieved obvious erectile improvement, while the other 6 gained normal penile erection.

CONCLUSIONSToshiba 320-row dynamic volumetric CT angiography is a reliable method for the diagnosis of VED, which displays the precise location of venous leakage for clinical treatment, with the advantages of clearer images, lower doses of contrast agent and radiation, and faster examination than X-ray penile angiography.

Adult ; Arteries ; diagnostic imaging ; Computed Tomography Angiography ; Contrast Media ; Drug Combinations ; Erectile Dysfunction ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Injections ; Iohexol ; analogs & derivatives ; Ligation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Papaverine ; administration & dosage ; Penile Erection ; Penis ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Phentolamine ; administration & dosage ; Veins ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery

BACKGROUNDThe offspring of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are prone to macrosomia. However, birth weight is difficult to be correctly estimated by ultrasound because of fetal asymmetric growth characteristics. This study aimed to investigate the correlations between fetal hemodynamics, fetal growth indices in late pregnancy, and birth weight in GDM.

METHODSA total of 147 women with GDM and 124 normal controls (NC) were enrolled in this study. Fetal hemodynamic indices, including the systolic/diastolic ratio (S/D), resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI) of umbilical artery (UA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), and renal artery (RA), were collected. Fetal growth indices, including biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC), and femur length, were also measured by ultrasound. Birth weight, newborn gender, and maternal clinical data were collected.

RESULTSThe independent samples t-test showed that BPD, HC, and AC were larger in GDM than in NC (P < 0.05). Fetal hemodynamic indices of the UA and MCA were lower (P < 0.05), but those of the RA were higher (P < 0.001) in GDM than in NC. Birth weight was higher in GDM than in NC (P < 0.001). Pearson's correlation analysis showed that hemodynamic indices of the UA were negatively correlated with birth weight, BPD, HC, and AC in both groups (P < 0.05). MCA (S/D, PI, and RI) was negatively correlated with birth weight, HC, and AC in GDM (r = -0.164, -0.206, -0.200, -0.226, -0.189, -0.179, -0.196, -0.177, and - 0.172, respectively, P< 0.05), but there were no correlations in NC (P > 0.05). RA (S/D, PI, and RI) was positively correlated with birth weight in GDM (r = 0.168, 0.207, and 0.184, respectively, P< 0.05), but there were no correlations in NC (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFetal hemodynamic indices in late pregnancy might be helpful for estimating newborn birth weight in women with GDM.

Adult ; Birth Weight ; physiology ; Cerebral Arteries ; physiology ; Diabetes, Gestational ; physiopathology ; Female ; Fetal Development ; physiology ; Hemodynamics ; physiology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Renal Artery ; physiology ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal ; Umbilical Arteries ; physiology

A 16-year-old Chinese male patient presented with constipation lasting five days, colicky abdominal pain, lethargy, weakness and body aches. He was able to pass flatus. Abdominal radiography showed a distended stomach causing inferior displacement of the transverse colon. Computed tomography revealed a dilated oesophagus, stomach and duodenum up to its third portion, with a short aortomesenteric distance and narrow angle. There was also consolidation in the lungs bilaterally. Based on the constellation of clinical and imaging findings, a diagnosis of superior mesenteric artery syndrome complicated by aspiration pneumonia was made. The patient was subsequently started on intravenous hydration, nasogastric tube aspiration and antibiotics. Following stabilisation of his acute condition, a nasojejunal feeding tube was inserted and a feeding plan was implemented to promote weight gain. The clinical presentation, differentials, diagnosis and treatment of superior mesenteric artery syndrome are discussed.
Adolescent ; Aged ; Child ; China ; Duodenum ; diagnostic imaging ; Enteral Nutrition ; Fluoroscopy ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Mesenteric Arteries ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Pneumonia, Aspiration ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography, Abdominal ; Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome ; diagnostic imaging ; Syndrome ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vomiting ; diagnostic imaging

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical value of three-dimensional pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (3D pCASL) perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) enhanced perfusion MRI in the diagnosis of transient ischemic attack (TIA).

METHODSThirty-nine consecutive patients with suspected TIA underwent multi-modal MRI scans including DSC, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and 3D pCASL (post-labeling delay, PLD=1.5 s and 2.5 s) within 24 h of symptom onset. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) from ASL and the time to the maximum of tissue residual function (Tmax) map from DSC were calculated using AW workstation. DWI and MRA were applied to detect acute cerebral infarction and intracranial artery stenosis. Two neuroradilogists who were blinded to the patients' clinical data assessed the presence of perfusion deficit, ischemic lesion and the lesion sites both from 1.5 s, 2.5 s PLD ASL-CBF and DSC-Tmax independently, and then graded them. The differences in the ranking grades between 1.5 s, 2.5 s PLD ASL and DSC were analyzed, and the frequency of lesion detection was compared between ASL-CBF, Tmax and MRA combining DWI method.

RESULTSNo significant differences was found in hypoperfusion grades detected by 3D pCASL (including PLD1.5 s and 2.5 s) CBF and Tmax maps, while significant differences were detected between 1.5 s PLD ASL-CBF and MRA combining DWI method; ASL with PLD 1.5 s CBF detected ischemic lesions and lesion site significantly more frequently than MRA combining DWI method.

CONCLUSIONs Three dimensional pCASL is a non-invasive perfusion method free of radiation exposure, and short PLD ASL is more sensitive than long PLD ASL for detecting ischemic lesions and lesion sites.

Arteries ; physiopathology ; Brain ; physiopathology ; Brain Infarction ; diagnosis ; Brain Ischemia ; diagnosis ; Cerebrovascular Circulation ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Perfusion ; Perfusion Imaging ; Spin Labels

By studying the relationship between fingertip temperature changes and arterial function during vascular reactivity test, we established a new non-invasive method for detecting vascular function, in order to provide an assistance for early diagnosis and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. We customized three modules respectively for blood occlusion, measurement of finger temperature and blood oxygen acquisition, and then we established the hardware of data acquisition system. And the software was programmed with Labview. Healthy subjects [group A, n = 24, (44.6 ± 9.0) years] and subjects with cardiovascular diseases [group B, n = 33, (57.2 ± 9.9) years)] were chosen for the study. Subject's finger temperature, blood oxygen and occlusion pressure of block side during and after unilateral arm brachial artery occlusion were recorded, as well as some other regular physiological indexes. By time-domain analysis, we extracted 12 parameters from fingertip temperature signal, including the initial temperature (Ti), temperature rebound (TR), the time of the temperature recovering to initial status (RIt) and other parameters from the finger temperature signal. We in the experiment also measured other regular physiological body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastiolic blood pressure (DBP) and so on. Results showed that 8 parameters difference between the two group of data were significant. based on the statistical results. A discriminant function of vascular function status was established afterwards. We found in the study that the changes of finger temperature during unilateral arms brachial artery occlusion and open were closely related to vascular function. We hope that the method presented in this article could lay a foundation of early detection of vascular function.
Adult ; Aged ; Arteries ; physiopathology ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; diagnosis ; Fingers ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Skin Temperature

Ischemic neurological injury is the most feared complication of spinal deformity surgery.In recent years, more attention has been paid to ischemic neurological injury during spinal deformity surgery including causes, risk factors, and prevention. The direct and indirect causes of ischemic neurological injury contains ligature of the segmental arteries, perioperative bleeding and excessive stretching or shortening of the spinal cord.Those patients at greatest risk for paraplegia following diagnosis of thoracic kyphosis or kyphoscoliosis, unilateral vessel ligation, perioperative hypotension, and extensive anterior and posterior surgery. Keeping reasonable mean arterial pressure and multimodal intraoperative monitoring may effectively prevent ischemic neurologic injury during surgery for spinal deformity.
Arteries ; Humans ; Ischemia ; physiopathology ; Kyphosis ; surgery ; Ligation ; Monitoring, Intraoperative ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; Paraplegia ; Risk Factors ; Scoliosis ; surgery ; Spinal Cord Injuries

OBJECTIVETo investigate the difference in the vulnerability of carotid atherosclerotic plaques in patients with unilateral and bilateral intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH).

METHODSA retrospective analysis was conducted among 44 patients with unilateral IPH (30 cases) or bilateral IPH (14 cases) in the carotid plaques detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in our hospital between December, 2009 and December, 2012. The age, maximum wall thickness and incidence of fibrous cap rupture were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSCompared with those with unilateral IPH, the patients with bilateral IPHs had a significantly younger age (66.6∓9.4 years vs 73.7∓9.0 years, P=0.027), a significantly greater maximum plaque thickness (6.3∓1.9 mm vs 5.0∓1.3 mm, P=0.035) and a higher incidence of ulcers (50% vs 13.3%, P=0.025). Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between bilateral IPHs and the occurrence of ulcer with an odd ratio (OR) of 6.5 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5-28.7, P=0.014). After adjustment for gender in Model 1, bilateral IPHs were still significantly associated with presence of ulcer (OR=5.7, 95%CI: 1.1-29.2, P=0.036). But after adjustment for age (P=0.131) or maximum plaque thickness (P=0.139) in model 2, no significant correlation was found between bilateral IPHs and the presence of ulcer.

CONCLUSIONCompared with patients with unilateral IPH, those with bilateral IPHs are at a younger age and have a greater plaque burden and a higher incidence of fibrous cap rupture, suggesting a greater vulnerability of the carotid plaques in patients with bilateral IPHs.

Aged ; Carotid Arteries ; diagnostic imaging ; Carotid Stenosis ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Fibrosis ; Hemorrhage ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; diagnostic imaging ; Retrospective Studies