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Biomedical subjects

R Voigt

Publications and source records attributed to R Voigt.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

SCA17 caused by homozygous repeat expansion in TBP due to partial isodisomy 6.

An expanded polyglutamine domain in the TATA-binding protein (TBP) has been described in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (SCA17) characterized by cerebellar ataxia associated with dementia. TBP is a general transcription initiation factor that regulates the expression of most eukaryotic genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II. SCA17, as an autosomal dominantly inherited progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is caused by heterozygous expansion of a CAG repeat coding for glutamine. Alleles with 27 to a maximum of 44 glutamine residues were found as the normal range, whereas expansions above 45 repeat units were considered pathological. Here, we present a patient with a very severe phenotype with a late onset but rapidly progressing ataxia associated with dementia and homozygous 47 glutamine residues caused by an apparent partial isodisomy 6. This extraordinary case has important implications for the insights of TBP and SCA17. The expanded polyglutamine domain in both TBP copies is not correlated with embryonic death indicating that the normal function of the protein is not disrupted by this kind of mutation but may account for the dementia seen in this patient.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

[Pseudoaneurysm--a rare complication of internal jugular vein cannulation: two case reports in liver transplant patients].

Internal jugular vein catheterization is nowadays a routine procedure in clinical practice. Arterial puncture is the most common complication of internal jugular vein catheterization. Two cases of pseudoaneurysm formation as a complication of accidental arterial puncture in liver transplant patients with coagulopathy are presented. Punctures of the common carotid artery, thyrocervical trunk, respectively were the source for these lesions. Coagulopathy is seen as an essential factor in the formation of pseudoaneurysm. Especially in patients with coagulopathy the threshold for ultrasound guidance should be low. Under these circumstances using the external jugular vein seems to be more prudent as it eliminates the risk for arterial punctures. We illuminate the genesis, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and therapy of pseudoaneurysm. Recommendations for risk reduction are given.

Aneurysm, False↗
PubMed2001

Long-term combination of interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin for hepatitis C recurrence in liver transplant patients.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, tolerability and efficacy of long-term combination therapy with interferon-alfa 2b (IFNalpha-2b) and ribavirin (Rb) for recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation. Fifteen patients with histologically confirmed hepatitis C after liver transplantation were treated. After a basic course of 12 months (IFNalpha-2b 3 MU/3 times a week; Rb 3 x 200 mg/day), patients achieving clearance of viremia underwent maintenance therapy with ribavirin (3 x 200 mg/day). Patients without virological response continuously received combination therapy. Levels of HCV RNA, aminotransferases and bilirubin were followed. Therapy led to a significant decline of transaminases and bilirubin in all patients (p < 0.05). Sixty-four per cent of patients had clearance of viremia after 12 months. Sustained virolo gical response was 88%. In patients without virological response, continuation of combination therapy prevented another biochemical relapse of hepatitis. Treatment was accompanied by severe hematological side-effects, requiring medical support in a majority of patients. In two patients (13.5%), therapy finally had to be withdrawn because of major hematological disorders. These results indicate that long-term combination therapy with IFNalpha-2b and Rb is effective in the treatment of recurrent hepatitis C and in preventing further relapse of disease after liver transplantation, but side-effects may require cessation of therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Ultrasound imaging of the lower urinary system in women after Burch colposuspension.

OBJECTIVE: Most of the relevant surgical procedures employed in the management of genuine stress urinary incontinence (GSI) involve the technique of bladder neck elevation. The appropriate level of suspension is an important (but frequently overlooked) consideration as the clinical consequences of over-correction of the posterior angle are voiding dysfunction and urgency symptoms. The aim of our study was to compare ultrasound characteristics in women with GSI with those of women before and after Burch colposuspension. The findings of our study should have implications for GSI management. DESIGN: Prospective randomized clinical study at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. METHODS: Seventy women with previously untreated GSI (preoperative group) and 52 women (42 of whom had been in the preoperative group) who were studied 3-12 months after receiving Burch colposuspension (postoperative group) took part in the study. The standard transperineal and introital ultrasound scans were performed. The mobility of the bladder neck was assessed transperineally with a curved array probe after instillation of 300 mL of saline. The bladder was then evacuated and the thickness of the urinary bladder wall in the sagittal plane in defined regions (base, vertex and anterior wall) was measured. RESULTS: We found significant differences in bladder neck position, mobility, and in bladder wall thickness. Where symptoms of urgency occurred, the average bladder wall thickness was > 5 mm, the gamma angle < 40 degrees, and lower bladder neck mobility was evident. CONCLUSION: These findings supported our hypothesis that signs of urgency follow over-elevation of the bladder neck. These results helped us significantly to refine our GSI management.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed2001

Hepatitis B vaccination in sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics: a survey of STD programs.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus infection causes substantial morbidity and mortality in the United States. Sexual activity is the most commonly reported risk factor among persons with acute hepatitis B, yet hepatitis B vaccine coverage among adolescents and adults with high-risk sexual practices is low. Sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics are potentially efficient settings for vaccine administration to persons with high-risk sexual practices; however, little is known about hepatitis B vaccination activities in these settings. GOAL: To gain information about policies and activities for vaccinating against hepatitis B in STD clinic settings. STUDY DESIGN: In April 1997, a questionnaire was sent to managers of 65 federally funded STD programs in state and local health departments. A similar survey was sent to 89 STD clinic managers in November 1997. RESULTS: The response rate among program managers was 97% (63/65). Forty-eight percent considered hepatitis B prevention a program responsibility; 21% had developed and distributed written policies to prevent hepatitis B through vaccination; and 27% had developed policies to encourage hepatitis B education activities. The response rate among clinic managers was 82% (73/89). Forty-five percent reported that their STD clinics had implemented policies recommending hepatitis B vaccination and health education activities. Program managers and clinic managers reported that lack of funding to cover the cost of the vaccine, and lack of resources to provide prevaccination counseling, administer vaccine, and track clients for vaccine series completion were the primary barriers to the implementation of hepatitis B vaccination programs. CONCLUSIONS: To enhance hepatitis B vaccination in STD clinics, existing funding sources must be accessed more effectively. Supplemental funding mechanisms for the cost of vaccine and resources for implementing vaccination programs also need to be identified. Additionally, STD clinics and programs should continue to propose and implement hepatitis B vaccination policies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Sensory processing of water currents by fishes.

Water currents are extremely important in the aquatic environment and play a very significant role in the lives of fishes. Sensory processing of water currents involves a number of sensory modalities including the inner ear, vision, tactile sense and the mechanosensory lateral line. The inner ear will detect whole-body accelerations generated by changes in flow, or by turbulence, whereas visual and tactile inputs will signal translational movement with respect to an external visual or tactile reference frame. The superficial neuromasts of the mechanosensory lateral line detect flow over the surface of the body and have the appropriate anatomical distribution and physiological properties to signal the strength and the direction of flow and, hence, contribute to the detection of regional differences in flow over different parts of the body.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Effectiveness and cost-benefit of enhancements to a syphilis screening and treatment program at a county jail.

BACKGROUND: High rates of syphilis are found in inmates of county jails. Treatment of this infected transient population necessitated the development of a rapid protocol. GOAL: To evaluate a rapid screening and treatment protocol for syphilis in a county jail. STUDY DESIGN: Over a 2-year period 18,442 inmates were screened for syphilis with a nontreponemal test and record search for treatment history. Confirmatory test results were reviewed following treatment. Cost was defined as deflated marginal outlays. Benefit was calculated as the discounted expected cost of treatment of congenital, late, and neurosyphilis. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of the protocol were 99.6%, 80.8%, and 79.3%, respectively. Of 257 confirmed cases, 183 were offered treatment in jail. The percentage of short-term inmates treated increased following implementation. The cost-benefit ratio was 9.14:1. CONCLUSIONS: The protocol was highly effective in patient identification and treatment delivery, and cost-effective as well.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMed2000

Responses of anterior lateral line afferent neurones to water flow.

The mechanoreceptive lateral line system detects hydrodynamic stimuli and plays an important role in a number of types of fish behaviour, including orientation to water currents. The lateral line is composed of hair cell receptor organs called neuromasts that occur as superficial neuromasts on the surface of the skin or canal neuromasts located in subepidermal canals. Both are innervated by primary afferents of the lateral line nerves. Although there have been extensive studies of the response properties of lateral line afferents to vibrating sources, their response to water flow has not been reported. In this study, we recorded extracellularly from anterior lateral line afferents in the New Zealand long-fin eel Anguilla dieffenbachii while stimulating the eel with unidirectional water flows at 0.5-4 cm s(-)(1). Of the afferents, 80 % were flow-sensitive to varying degrees, the response magnitude increasing with flow rate. Flow-sensitive fibres gave non-adapting tonic responses, indicating that these fibres detect absolute flow velocity. Further studies are needed to confirm whether flow-sensitive and flow-insensitive fibres correlate with superficial and canal neuromasts, respectively.

Anguilla↗
PubMed2000

Differentiated therapy with prostaglandin E1 (alprostadil) after orthotopic liver transplantation: the usefulness of procalcitonin (PCT) and hepatic artery resistive index (RI) for the evaluation of early graft function and clinical course.

Increasing demand for donor organs has led to new pharmacological concepts for reducing ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R) of the graft after liver transplantation to prevent primary non-functioning of the organ. Prostaglandins have proved to be cytoprotective in several experimental models of ischemia and transplantation. The prophylactic administration after orthotopic liver transplantation is still a subject of controversial discussion. The aim of our study was the evaluation of the post-transplant hepatic artery resistive index (RI) measured by color Doppler imaging, in combination with postoperative elevation of transaminases, as parameters indicating the need for a differentiated systemic therapy with prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) (alprostadil). In addition, the value of serum procalcitonin (PCT) as a postoperative parameter for the extent of I/R is investigated. In the case of post-transplant elevated hepatic artery RI (RI > 0.75), the administration of PGE1 led to a significant reduction of transaminases (p < 0.05) and a decline of the RI. In addition, postoperative PCT levels could be reduced significantly by PGE1 application. These results suggest that determination of RI is feasible for indicating a need for therapy with PGE1. Its targeted application reduces hepatocellular damage due to I/R after liver transplantation.

Alprostadil↗
PubMed2000

[Suspension of the lower third of the urethra in ambulatory practice--minimally invasive treatment of urinary stress incontinence--technique and initial experience].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the article is the presentation of a new, mini-invasive method for the treatment of urethral incompetence in women--TVT (tension-free vaginal tape). DESIGN AND SETTING: The design was a prospective comparison of the first 10 patients at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the 1st Medical Faculty and General Faculty Hospital in Prague where urethral incompetence = genuine stress incontinence regardless of their history was diagnosed consecutively. METHODS: We present the technique of the operation, examination procedure including the application of dynamic magnetic resonance before and after operation at rest and under Valsalva, the subjective and objective outcome in the analyzed group. We compare also the parameters of urethrovesical junction mobility in the MR image and discuss their importance for the new continence mechanism in the TVT method. RESULTS: All patients are 10-18 months after the operation continent. The functional morphology of the lower urinary tract and of the pelvic floor on the MR image after TVT did not reveal any relevant changes in bladder neck dynamic mobility. CONCLUSION: The experience of other authors concerning possible complications, postoperative care and results are evaluated; they are without exception positive.

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures↗
PubMed1999

A placebo-controlled, multicentre study comparing the tolerability and efficacy of propiverine and oxybutynin in patients with urgency and urge incontinence.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the tolerability and efficacy of propiverine and oxybutynin in patients with urgency and urge incontinence in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 366 patients (149 on propiverine, 145 oxybutynin and 72 placebo, ratio 2:2:1) with urgency and urge incontinence were recruited in 32 study centres. Propiverine (group 1, 15 mg three times daily), oxybutynin (group 2, 5 mg twice daily) or placebo (group 3) were administered for 4 weeks, using the double-dummy technique. The dosages were selected specifically to compare the tolerability profile of propiverine with the commonly used therapeutic dosage of oxybutynin. Tolerability was assessed by directly questioning the patients about adverse events at four visits (V-1 before and V0 after a 1-week 'washout' period, V1 after 1 week and V4 after 4 weeks of treatment) during a 5-week surveillance period, and by tolerability ratings of the physicians. Efficacy was assessed using urodynamics at V0 and V4, evaluating the cystometric bladder capacity at maximal and first desire to void, and postvoid residual urine, according to the criteria of the International Continence Society. Additionally, a voiding protocol, overall assessment of clinical symptomatology and efficacy ratings by the physicians were documented. RESULTS: A remarkably high percentage of adverse events was reported in the washout period (VO: 13%, 16% and 18% in groups 1-3, respectively). At V4, the clinically most relevant symptom (dry mouth) occurred in 53% of patients in group 1, in 67% of group 2 and in 28% of group 3. Furthermore, dry mouth was less severe in group 1 than group 2. In contrast to groups 2 and 3, only patients in group 1 showed increasing tolerability during the treatment (from V1 to V4). These tolerability results were further supported by the overall tolerability assessment ('very good' or 'good' tolerability in 67% of group 1, in 59% of group 2 and in 83% of group 3). The urodynamic assessment of efficacy (comparing V0 and V4) showed a statistically significant increase in the mean (sd) maximal cystometric bladder capacity in group 1, being 222 (77) mL at V0 and 311 (125) mL at V4, an increase of 89 (108) mL, and in group 2, at 226 (75) mL and 322 (123) mL, an increase of 96 (106) mL, compared with group 3, at 211 (77) mL and 263 (93) mL, an increase of only 52 (92) mL. The cystometric bladder capacity at first desire to void also increased in group 1 (93 to 160 mL) and group 2 (89 to 160 mL), whereas in group 3 there were only minor changes (93 to 120 mL). Changes in the residual urine volume within and between the treatment groups were minimal and clinically irrelevant. The overall assessment of efficacy showed significant differences between the drugs when compared with placebo. CONCLUSION: Propiverine is a safe and effective drug in the treatment of urgency and urge incontinence; it is as effective as oxybutynin, but the incidence of dry mouth and its severity is less with propiverine than with oxybutynin. The availability of alternative pharmacotherapeutics such as propiverine should reduce the therapeutic failure rate and improves the success rate in the treatment of patients suffering from urgency and urge incontinence.

Benzilates↗
PubMed1999

[Ultrasound imaging of the lower urinary tract in post-menopausal women with urinary stress or combined type of incontinence before and after intravaginal administration of estriol].

The finding that climacteric symptoms are caused mainly by a decline of the oestrogen level and that their development can practically always be prevented by long-term local or general oestrogen treatment was a great asset to the treatment of this problem. Oestriol, a less effective natural oestrogen, has a favourable effect on urogenital tissues without stimulating the endometrium [2]. The objective of the present investigation was to analyze ultrasonographic parameters of the lower urinary tract in women after the menopause with the stress or mixed type of urinary incontinence before and after two-month local oestriol treatment (Ovestin). The trial comprised 40 women with confirmed stress (GSI) or the mixed type of urinary incontinence. The group with GSI comprised 124 patients and the group suffering from the mixed type of incontinence comprised 26 women. The type of incontinence was assessed by urogynaecological examination. This was followed by transperineal and introital ultrasound examination of patients in a supine position by means of an Acuson 128 XP10 apparatus using a convex probe with a frequency of 5 MHz and a vaginal probe with a frequency of 7.0 MHz. Assessment of the position and mobility of the urethrovesical junction was implemented by the transperineal route using a convex probe and filling the bladder with 300 ml. After urination followed assessment of the urethral sphincter by the introital route in a vertical plane whereby the authors followed the anterior and posterior surface of the rhabdosphincter, and in a horizontal plane its left and right surface (10). The authors assessed also in both planes the maximal thickness of the sphincter. In the vertical plane and in a proximal position in relation to the urethra they evaluated the vascular supply qunatitatively (minimal-1 to very abundant-4) and also the arterial flow-the pulsatile index PI was investigated as well as the resistance index RI. In the vertical plane 1 cm from the urethrovesical junction the authors assessed the thickness of the urethral mucosa; at the same level they evaluated the thickness of the urinary bladder wall; the anterior wall, the vertex and the area of the trigone. They assessed also the thickness of pelvic floor muscles. The assessments were made before and after two-month intravaginal oestriol administration (Ovestin crm)-two weeks 0.5 mg/day and then 0.5 mg twice a week. After treatment no statistically significant differences in thickness and areas of the urethral sphincter were found nor in the thickness of the pelvic floor muscles before and after oestriol administration. Statistically significant differences were recorded in the mobility of the urethrovesical junction and there was a significant increase in the thickness of the urethral mucosa and a more abundant vascularization was recorded during the quantitative evaluation and evaluation of PI. In women with the mixed type of incontinence after oestrogen treatment a decline in the thickness of the urinary bladder was found. Ultrasound examination of the lower urinary tract before and after oestriol treatment (Ovestin crm) is a useful supplement of common examination methods and it confirms its favourable therapeutic effect when administered by the intravaginal route.

Administration, Intravaginal↗
PubMed1998

[Hormone therapy and urogynecology].

The female genital and urinary systems exists in close anatomical and functional proximity, disorders of one resulting in dysfunction of the other. The investigation and management of lower urinary tract disorders must take this important relationship into consideration, as neither can be viewed in isolation. The value of estrogen replacement therapy as a treatment of urinary incontinence is controversial and until today there is a little substantial evidence to conclude that estrogen therapy alone is of value in the treatment of this symptom. This conflicting evidence concerning the therapeutic benefit of estrogen therapy in stress urinary incontinence seems to be outweighed with other advantages of estrogen replacement therapy. Clear evidence exists to suggest that recurrent urinary tract infections can be prevented or even treated by the use of estrogen therapy. Systemic estrogen replacement appears to relieve the symptoms of urgency, urge incontinence, frequency, nycturia and dysuria, and low-dose topical estrogen is effective in the management of atrophic vaginitis. Even with postulating the HRT to be of enormous therapeutic value to postmenopausal women in urogynecology it may stay only a mean of support of other causal methods of treatment of dysfunction of lower urinary tract.

Estrogen Replacement Therapy↗