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Biomedical subjects

D A Piers

Publications and source records attributed to D A Piers.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

The mechanism and diagnostic value of angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibition renography.

The effect of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition on the sensitivity of radionuclide renography in the diagnosis of a unilateral renal artery stenosis was tested both in a conscious dog model and in the human situation. ACE inhibition (10 mg enalaprilic acid, intravenously) markedly improved the sensitivity of [123I]hippuran renography in 10 renovascular hypertensive dogs with a mild to moderate unilateral renal artery stenosis from 50 to 100%. This improved sensitivity was due to an ACE-inhibition-induced delayed tracer handling at the stenotic side without an appreciable change in the renographic curve at the contralateral side. A similar phenomenon was observed in 15 hypertensive patients with an angiographically proved unilateral renal artery stenosis. Both [123I]hippuran and 99mTc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) handling was delayed on the stenotic side after oral enalapril treatment. However, only a moderate increase in sensitivity was observed comparing control renograms to ACE-inhibition renograms: from 87 to 93% for hippuran, and from 60 to 86% for DTPA. Eight of these 15 patients underwent either surgery or angioplasty resulting in a successful correction of the stenosis. Hypertension was more or less cured in five patients. Each of these patients had shown an ACE-inhibition-induced change in the renogram at the stenotic side, suggesting that such a response may predict the curability of the hypertension. However, of the three patients that showed no blood pressure change upon successful revascularization, two showed a positive ACE-inhibition renogram. In conclusion, in an ideal setting as obtained in animal experiments, ACE inhibition improves the sensitivity of renographic studies to 100%. However, its value in the clinical setting needs more standardization.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Effect of positive expiratory pressure breathing in patients with cystic fibrosis.

The effect of positive expiratory pressure breathing, alone and in combination with coughing, was investigated in eight patients with cystic fibrosis. Functional residual capacity and total lung capacity was measured with a body plethysmograph before, during, and immediately after breathing with expiratory pressure of 5 and 15 cm H2O, and after a coughing period. The positive expiratory pressure breathing was carried out five times for two minutes with a two minute interval between each period. Mucus transport was measured in a peripheral lung region and over the whole lung by a radioactive aerosol tracer technique. Clearance measurements were carried out continuously during positive expiratory pressure breathing and during a control period. Two minutes' breathing with an expiratory pressure of 5 and 15 cm H2O caused an increase in mean (SEM) functional residual capacity from 2.6 (0.1) to 3.6 (0.3) and 4.4 (0.5) 1 and an increase in total lung capacity from 5.1 (0.2) to 5.9 (0.3) and 6.9 (0.4) 1. Lung volumes were higher during breathing with an expiratory pressure of 15 cm H2O than with 5 cm H2O; both returned to baseline values immediately after positive expiratory pressure breathing. Spontaneous mucus clearance and mucus clearance by coughing were not influenced by positive expiratory pressure breathing at either expiratory pressure. Thus in patients with cystic fibrosis positive expiratory pressure breathing increases lung volumes in relation to the expiratory pressure imposed; these changes in lung volume did not, however, lead to an improvement of mucus transport.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Technetium-99m-MAG3 clearance as a parameter of effective renal plasma flow in patients with proteinuria and lowered serum albumin levels.

Although the renal clearance of 99mTc-MAG3 is about 60% of the 131I-hippurate clearance, 99mTc-MAG3 clearance may be useful to estimate ERPF. In one study, however, proteinuria seemed to influence the MAG3/hippurate clearance ratio. In order to establish whether proteinuria or serum albumin level has influence on this ratio, a comparison was made between 99mTc-MAG3 clearance and 131I-hippurate clearance in 14 patients. There was a good linear correlation between MAG3 and hippurate clearance, although the standard error of estimate of ERPF from MAG3 was relatively large, which remained unexplained. No correlation was found between proteinuria and MAG3/hippurate clearance ratio nor between serum albumin level, GFR, FF, ERPF and the MAG3/hippurate clearance ratio. We therefore conclude that there is no correlation between proteinuria and albumin level and the MAG3/hippurate ratio. A reasonable estimation of ERPF with MAG3 can be made in patients with proteinuria and lowered serum albumin levels although the estimation may be less accurate.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Soft-tissue uptake of 99mTc-diphosphonate and 99mTc-pyrophosphate in amyloidosis.

This study describes the results of scintigraphy with 99mTc-labeled methylene-diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) and pyrophosphate (99mTc-PYP) as a noninvasive test for the distribution of organ involvement in five different types of amyloidosis. Scintigraphy with 99mTc-labeled phosphates appeared to be a sensitive noninvasive screening test for the extent and the distribution of organ involvement in systemic AA and systemic AL amyloidosis as well as in local bronchial amyloid, local dermal amyloid, and familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy. Echocardiography, however, was more sensitive for demonstrating cardiac involvement in systemic amyloidosis than 99mTc-MDP or 99mTc-PYP scintigraphy. 99mTc-MDP images showed a better contrast than 99mTc-PYP images, although there was no difference in the extent or the intensity of soft-tissue uptake.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Range of atrioventricular conduction disturbances in Lyme borreliosis: a report of four cases and review of other published reports.

Four patients with Lyme borreliosis had atrioventricular conduction disturbances. All four were positive for specific antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi measured by indirect immunofluorescence tests. Biopsy specimens, which were obtained in three patients, showed band-like infiltrates of plasma cells and lymphocytes in the endocardium. There was diffuse infiltration of the interstitium of the myocardium by lymphocytes, plasma cells, and macrophages. In two patients single fibre necrosis was seen in the myocardium. Biopsy specimens of the heart showed spirochetes in all three patients and serial sections stained by the Bosma-Steiner technique showed that they resembled Borrelia burgdorferi. At follow up one patient had persistent complete atrioventricular block, despite treatment with antibiotics and corticosteroid, and a permanent pacemaker was implanted.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Effect of forced expirations on mucus clearance in patients with chronic airflow obstruction: effect of lung recoil pressure.

Spontaneous mucus clearance and the effect of forced expirations and coughing on mucus clearance were investigated in eight patients with chronic airflow obstruction and low elastic recoil pressure (emphysema group: mean FEV1 45% predicted) and in seven patients with chronic airflow obstruction and normal elastic recoil pressure (chronic bronchitis group: mean FEV1 57% predicted). Mucus clearance was measured in a central and a peripheral lung region by a radioactive aerosol tracer technique. Spontaneous mucus clearance from the peripheral lung region was higher in the patients with emphysema than in those with chronic bronchitis. There was no difference in central mucus clearance between the two groups. Mucus clearance from the peripheral lung region increased significantly during forced expirations and coughing in the patients with chronic bronchitis but not in those with emphysema. It is concluded that in patients with chronic airflow obstruction and regular sputum production spontaneous peripheral mucus clearance is greater in those with decreased elastic recoil pressure. Physiotherapy that includes forced expirations and coughing can enhance mucus clearance in such patients when elastic recoil pressure is normal but is unlikely to be effective when elastic recoil pressure is decreased.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Parathyroid localization by 201Tl-99mTc subtraction scintigraphy: results in secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Subtraction scintigraphy with 201Tl and 99mTc for parathyroid localization was performed preoperatively in 13 patients with chronic renal failure and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Twenty of the 37 examined pathological glands were predicted correctly (sensitivity 54%). In 3 patients with recurrent hyperparathyroidism after surgery all pathological glands found at second operation had been detected correctly by subtraction scintigraphy. We conclude that this localization method has a limited value when used prior to first neck exploration in secondary hyperparathyroidism. In persistent hyperparathyroidism after surgery it may play a useful role in localizing missed and ectopic glands.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1990

Comparison of computed tomography and 57Co-bleomycin scintigraphy in staging the mediastinal lymph nodes of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

The value of computed tomography (CT) and of 57Co-bleomycin scintigraphy (57Co-BLM) in staging the mediastinal lymph nodes was compared in 28 patients suffering from non-small-cell lung cancer. The results were assessed against the pathological findings obtained during thoracotomy or mediastinoscopy. CT staging of the mediastinum had a sensitivity of 75%, a specificity of 80%, an accuracy of 79%, a positive predictive index of 60% and a negative predictive index of 89%. 57Co-BLM scintigraphic staging had a sensitivity of 43%, a specificity of 94%, an accuracy of 80%, a positive predictive index of 75% and a negative predictive index of 81%. In this small series these differences were not statistically significant; it thus appears that CT and 57Co-BLM are of equal value in staging the mediastinum. Mediastinoscopy is not contributory in case of a negative CT or 57Co-BLM. A positive CT or 57Co-BLM, however, indicates the need for histological verification of the mediastinal findings.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1989

57Co-bleomycin scintigraphy for the staging of lung cancer.

The value of Cobalt-57 bleomycin (57Co-BLM) scintigraphy in the detection of lymph node metastases in the hilum and mediastinum was investigated in 132 patients with peripherally located lung cancer. In one half of the patients with metastases, these were visualized. Specificity was 98%. These results were better than those obtained with chest radiography and conventional roentgen tomography. 57Co-BLM scintigraphy is routinely used in the staging of patients with lung cancer, obviating the need for mediastinoscopy.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Diagnostic use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in radioisotope evaluation of unilateral renal artery stenosis.

Iodine-123 hippurate renography, [99mTc]diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) renography, and [99mTc]dimercapto succinic acid (DMSA) renal scintigraphy were performed before and during angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition in a group of 15 hypertensive patients with angiographically "significant" unilateral renal artery stenosis. Visual and quantitative evaluation of the three radioisotope methods before ACE inhibition already disclosed abnormalities suggestive of renal artery stenosis in a high percentage (87%, 60%, and 60%, respectively) in this group of patients, but ACE inhibition further improved the diagnostic yield in all three methods (93%, 86%, and 80%). Iodine-123 hippurate renography was at least as useful as [99mTc]DTPA renography in this respect, while [99mTc]DMSA scintigraphy can be used particularly in segmental stenosis. Despite a large drop in blood pressure after ACE inhibition little adverse reactions were seen and overall renal function was fairly well maintained, the exceptions noted in patients with initially a more impaired renal function.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Renal handling of technetium-99m DMSA: evidence for glomerular filtration and peritubular uptake.

The finding of an enhanced excretion of [99mTc]dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) in patients with tubular reabsorption disorders prompted us to investigate the role of filtration in the renal handling of [99mTc]DMSA. Our studies in human serum indicated that binding to serum proteins was approximately 90%. Chromatography of human urine and studies in rats showed that the complex was excreted unaltered into the urine. Renal extraction of [99mTc]DMSA in a human volunteer was 5.8%. Continuous infusion of [99mTc]DMSA in 13 individuals with normal renal function gave the following results (mean +/- s.d.): plasma clearance of [99mTc]DMSA 34 +/- 4 ml/min, urinary clearance of [99mTc]DMSA 12 +/- 3 ml/min. The calculated filtered load of [99mTc]DMSA closely resembled the urinary clearance, whereas the plasma clearance was about three times faster. This indicates that peritubular uptake accounts for approximately 65% and filtration for approximately 35% of the renal handling of [99mTc]DMSA.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Retardation of gastric emptying of solid food by secretin.

The effect of secretin at nearly physiologic plasma concentrations on the gastric emptying rate of solid food was studied in 12 healthy men. A 99mTc colloid-labeled pancake was used as the test meal. The gastric emptying rate was measured during 1 h using a dual-headed gamma-camera, and was expressed as the half-time of the emptying curve. To prevent endogenous secretin release, 400 mg of cimetidine was given before the meal. Subjects were studied under three conditions: (1) during infusion of saline; (2) during continuous infusion of secretin, 6.6 pmol/kg.h; and (3) during three intermittent 10-min periods of secretin infusion, 7.6 pmol/kg.h during each period. Both continuous and intermittent infusion of secretin increased half-emptying time, by 133% and 55%, respectively. The plasma secretin concentration in condition 1 was 0.8 pM; plateau concentration in condition 2 was 9.8 pM; and integrated mean concentration in condition 3 was 4.8 pM. It is concluded that secretin at approximately physiologic plasma concentrations retards gastric emptying of solid food in humans.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

57Co-bleomycin scintigraphy in the detection of brain metastases of lung cancer.

57Co-bleomycin scintigraphy was used to detect brain metastases in 46 patients with proven lung cancer and neurological symptoms that could be caused by brain metastases. Scintigraphy was true positive in 19 patients and true negative in 27. In 44 patients without neurological symptoms 57Co-bleomycin scintigraphy was performed to detect silent brain metastases at the time the diagnosis of lung cancer was established. Scintigraphy was false negative in one of these patients and true negative in 43. It is concluded that 57Co-bleomycin scintigraphy is a reliable method to visualize brain metastases in lung cancer patients with neurological symptoms. In our patients it was not useful to detect silent brain metastases of lung cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗