BACKGROUND: The intravenous infusion of atrial (ANP) and brain (BNP) natriuretic peptides have been shown to increase urinary albumin excretion in type 1 diabetes. AIMS: To measure plasma ANP and BNP concentrations in patients with type 1 diabetes and to examine the parameters associated with elevated plasma concentrations. Methods We measured plasma ANP and BNP concentrations, UAER, HbA1C systolic blood pressure, and left ventricular mass index. Plasma ANP and BNP were also measured in non-diabetic control subjects for comparison. RESULTS: Using multivariate regression analysis plasma ANP correlated positively with HbA1C (1.9 + 0.47, p = 0.0002), UAER (0.37 + 0.05, p = 0.00001), SBP (1.26 + 0.5, p = 0.01) and LVMI (00.46 + 0.25, p = 0.07). BNP was positively related with LVMI (0.95 + 0.4, p = 0.02), and UAER (0.56 + 0.08, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma concentrations of ANP and BNP are elevated in some patients with type 1 diabetes. Plasma ANP concentrations are closely related to UAER and elevated plasma concentrations are associated with poor glycaemic control and systemic hypertension. Plasma BNP concentration is related to LVMI.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Screening donor blood for malaria by polymerase chain reaction.

In countries where malaria is endemic, its transmission is a hazard of blood transfusion. The microscopical and immunological methods in current use for malaria diagnosis are unsatisfactory for low levels of parasitaemia in blood donations. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be 100-fold more sensitive than thick blood film examination when appropriate primers are used and can detect and distinguish Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax in a single tube. A study of 1506 blood donations in Ho Chi Minh City (3 of which were positive) suggests that PCR can provide an effective screen for P. falciparum under local conditions. Studies in a region of Viet Nam where malaria is common showed that PCR detects many more cases of low-level parasitaemia (19/30) than thick blood films (4/30).

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The Lancet maketh the man? Sir Dominic John Corrigan (1802--80).

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Cardiology↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Establishing an approach for patients with recent coronary occlusion: identification of viable myocardium.

BACKGROUND: Revascularization of occluded coronary arteries after myocardial infarction (MI) may restore flow to viable myocardium and improve ventricular function. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the potential utility of thallium-201 viability imaging for the prediction of recovery of regional ventricular function in patients undergoing revascularization of total or subtotal occlusion of infarct-related arteries (TIMI 0-2 flow) during the convalescent period after MI. METHODS: Twenty-three patients were identified < 6 weeks after MI and underwent Tl-201 viability imaging (rest imaging, n = 16; stress/reinjection imaging, n = 7) and radionuclide angiography. Patients were revascularized with percutaneous transluminal coronary artery in 10, stent in 10, and bypass in 3. Follow-up radionuclide angiography at 3 months was used to assess recovery of regional wall motion. RESULTS: Among 41 abnormal wall motion segments in the infarct territories, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for Tl-201 imaging in the prediction of recovery of regional function were 89% (25/28), 54% (7/13), and 78% (32/41), respectively. When 8 segments supplied by vessels with restenosis to >70% were excluded, specificity improved to 70%. Wall motion scores improved in those with adequate revascularization (1.6+/-1.4 vs 2.7+/-1.6; P < .001) but not in those with restenosis or occlusion (1.8+/-1.0 vs 2.0+/-1.6; P = NS). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with an occluded artery after MI, Tl-201 viability imaging can detect recoverable myocardium with reasonable accuracy and may help select which patients will most benefit from revascularization.

Adult↗