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Risk factors for early cytologic abnormalities after loop electrosurgical excision procedure.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate risk factors for early cytologic abnormalities and recurrent cervical dysplasia after loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed of all pathology records for LEEPs performed at our institution from January 1996 through July 1998. Follow-up cytology from 2 through 12 months after LEEP was reviewed. Patients with abnormal cytology were referred for further colposcopic evaluation. Statistical analysis using chi2 test for trend, proportional hazards model test, Fisher exact tests, and life table analysis were performed to identify risk factors for early cytologic abnormalities after LEEP and to determine relative risk of recurrent dysplasia. RESULTS: A total of 298 women underwent LEEP during the study period, and 29% of these had cytologic abnormalities after LEEP. Grade of dysplasia, ectocervical marginal status, endocervical marginal status, and glandular involvement with dysplasia were not found to be independent risk factors for early cytologic abnormalities. However, when risk factors were analyzed cumulatively, the abnormal cytology rate increased from 24% with no risk factors to 67% with three risk factors present (P =.037). Of patients with abnormal cytology after LEEP, 40% developed subsequent dysplasia, and the mean time to diagnosis was approximately 6 months. The relative risk of subsequent dysplasia ranged from a 20% increase to twice the risk if post-LEEP cytology was low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, respectively. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, consideration should be given for early colposcopic examination of patients who have evidence of marginal involvement or endocervical glandular involvement with dysplasia. These patients are at increased risk for abnormal cytology and recurrent dysplasia. This initial visit should occur at 6 months, as the mean time to recurrence of dysplasia was 6.5 months.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

Abnormalities of chromosomes 8, 11, 14, and X in T-prolymphocytic leukemia studied by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Twenty-one patients with T-prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) were studied by FISH to characterize abnormalities of chromosomes 8, 11, 14, and X. A higher percentage of abnormalities of these chromosomes was detected by FISH than by cytogenetics. Seventy-one percent had inv(14) (q11q32)/t(14;14)(q11;q32). Four patients had abnormalities involving Xq28 (MTCP-1 locus) resulting from t(X;14)(q28;q11) or t(X;7)(q28;q35). These abnormalities have also been described in persistent expanding pre-malignant T-cell clones in patients with ataxia telangiectasia (AT). We have previously reported that in T-PLL and AT developing T-cell leukemia, the above abnormalities occur with additional abnormalities, mainly trisomy for 8q resulting predominantly from an i(8)(q10) and an increased expression of MYC. In this series, 81% of cases had chromosome 8 abnormalities including i(8)(q10)[43%]/t(8;8)(p12;q11)[14%], + 8[14%], and 8p + [14%]. The use of probes for MYC (8q24) and chromosome 8 centromere on metaphase chromosomes revealed that cases with i(8)(q10) were dicentric and t(8;8) monocentric. These abnormalities are not only associated with increase in dosage of 8q and the MYC gene, but also involved 8p. 8p is known to have several suppressor genes associated with solid tumors. Our findings suggest that the possible loss of a tumor suppressor gene plus the increased dosage of the q arm and/or the high expression of TCL-1/MTCP-1, which results from inv(14)/t(14;14), allows the malignant phenotype to emerge.

Adult↗

Cytogenetic abnormalities during clinical, immunophenotypic, and molecular remission in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The significance of random cytogenetic abnormalities detected in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) during remission is unknown. We studied 10 of 72 consecutive ALL patients who developed cytogenetic abnormalities during clinical remission to determine their effect on remission status. The cytogenetic abnormalities occurred at a median of 14.5 months (range 5-72) from the initial diagnosis. Five abnormalities were designated as clonal (monosomy 21 in three metaphases and 64 approximately 69,XXY in three metaphases from one patient at different times, and del(20)(q12q13) in three metaphases, add(13)(q34) in two metaphases, and ?del(19)(p11) in two metaphases from three different patients). Seven abnormalities were previously described: del(5)(q12), del(5)(q33), -7, del(11)(q23), +12, and +13 each in one metaphase, and del(20)(q12q13) in three metaphases). The remaining cytogenetic abnormalities were nonclonal and random. Flow cytometry and analysis of IgH and TcR gene rearrangements showed that all evaluable patients were in immunophenotypic and molecular remission, respectively. Eight patients remain in clinical and molecular remission a median of 9 months (range 7-18) after detecting the cytogenetic abnormality, and the leukemia in two patients has relapsed. During remission, cytogenetic abnormalities may not be a harbinger of leukemia relapse in pediatric ALL; therefore, a wait-and-see approach is prudent.

Aneuploidy↗

A retrospective study of clozapine and electroencephalographic abnormalities in schizophrenic patients.

This study investigated the incidence and nature of clozapine-associated electroencephalographic (EEG) abnormalities and the relationship between EEG abnormality and clozapine dosage in Korean schizophrenic patients. Fifty schizophrenic patients with normal baseline EEG and with additional EEG record examined during clozapine treatment more than once were included. Thirty-one patients (62%) showed abnormal EEGs after clozapine treatment, and two of them had seizures. The majority of EEG abnormalities presented as nonspecific slow waves (SW). Spikes (or spike and wave complexes; SP) and frontal intermittent rhythmic delta activity (FIRDA) were relatively rarely observed. The probability of EEG abnormality was linearly dependent on the daily dose of clozapine and patient's age. Our results can be summarized as follows: (1) a substantial proportion of Korean patients treated with clozapine develops EEG abnormalities, and its incidence is comparable to the published results in Caucasian patients; (2) EEG abnormalities occurred in a dose-dependent manner; and (3) the occurrence of EEG abnormalities did not necessarily lead to future seizure development, except in a small number of cases.

Adult↗

The distribution of PIG-A gene abnormalities in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria granulocytes and cultured erythroblasts.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an acquired hemolytic anemia that is characterized by a deficiency of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane proteins due to phosphatidylinositol glycan-class A (PIG-A) gene abnormalities in various lineages of peripheral blood cells and hematopoietic precursors. The purpose of our study was to clarify the distribution of PIG-A gene abnormalities among various cell lineages during differentiation and maturation in PNH patients. The expression of CD16b or CD59 in peripheral blood granulocytes or cultured erythroblasts from three Japanese PNH patients was analyzed using flow cytometry. PIG-A gene abnormalities in both cell types, including glycophorin A(+) bone marrow erythroblasts, were examined using nucleotide sequence analysis. The expression study of PIG-A genes from each patient was also performed using JY-5 cells.Flow cytometry revealed that the erythroblasts consisted of negative, intermediate, and positive populations in Cases 1 and 3 and negative and intermediate populations in Case 2. The granulocytes consisted of negative and positive populations in all three cases. DNA sequence analysis indicated that all the PNH cases had two or three types of PIG-A gene abnormalities, and that a predominant clone with an abnormal PIG-A gene was different in granulocytes and erythroblasts from Cases 2 and 3. Expression studies showed that all the mutations from the patients were responsible for the null phenotype.PIG-A gene abnormalities result in deficiencies of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins in PNH erythroblasts and granulocytes. The distribution of predominant PNH clones with PIG-A gene abnormalities is often heterogeneous between the cell types, suggesting that a clonal selection of PIG-A gene abnormalities occurs independently among various cell lineages during differentiation and maturation.

Adult↗

Computerized classification of interstitial lung abnormalities on chest radiographs with normalized radiographic index and normalized fractal dimension.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of two kinds of physical measures, the normalized radiographic index (R) and the normalized fractal dimension (F), for computerized classification of interstitial lung abnormalities on chest radiographs. METHODS AND MATERIAL: The values of R were obtained as the normalized percent area of extracted opacities in selected regions of interest (ROIs). The values of F were calculated with a box-counting algorithm and then normalized. To extract linear opacities on chest radiographs selectively, we processed ROIs by four-directional Laplacian-Gaussian filtering and binarization (4LG/B), linear opacity judgment (LOJ), and linear opacity subtraction (LOS). We used the ROIs of 50 mild and 50 severe interstitial lung abnormalities. In both groups, all cases were divided into H (n=21, honeycombing opacities were found to be dominant) and Non-H (n=79, abnormal opacities were found, but these were excluded from H). We obtained three types of normalized physical measures of R and F in one ROI from 4LG/B, LOJ, and LOS images, and the combined indices, R(COM) and F(COM) were calculated. RESULTS: The values of F(LOJ) could differentiate H from Non-H in the mild-and the severe-abnormality group. However, all Rs could not differentiate H from Non-H in the severe-abnormality group. The combined indices of both R and F could differentiate H from Non-H in the mild-abnormality group; however, these could not differentiate H from Non-H in the severe-abnormality group. CONCLUSION: The values of F(LOJ) seem to be useful in the classification of interstitial lung abnormalities on chest radiographs.

Fractals↗

Occurrence and transmission of localized repolarization abnormalities in vitro.

Abnormal delay of repolarization leading to prolonged reduction of membrane potential could lead to arrhythmias. Transmission of this type of abnormality from an "abnormal" to a "normal" segment of Purkinje fiber was studied as follows: In a double compartment bath one segment was superfused with unmodified Tyrode's solution and the other with solutions known to induce abnormal prolongation of action potential duration (manifest by prolonged step-like delays in repolarization, or "secondary plateaus" and "early afterdepolarization," that is, activations arising as a consequence of the prolonged depolarized membrane potential). Transmission of abnormalities varied. Complete transmission of secondary plateaus and early afterdepolarizations led to action potentials configurationally similar throughout the fiber. Selective transmission of early afterdepolarization led to the occurrence of new premature action potentials in the normal segment. Cycle length prolongation favored both the occurrence and the transmission of abnormalities. After addition of lidocaine or high potassium ion solutions to the normal segment, shortening of action potential duration occurred and was transmitted from normal to abnormal segment. In this way, reversal of abnormality throughout the fiber occurred via an intervention applied selectively to the normal segment. Observations in this study may be relevant to arrhythmias and their treatment.

Action Potentials↗

Cardiac and skeletal muscle abnormalities in cardiomyopathy: comparison of patients with ventricular tachycardia or congestive heart failure.

Results of cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle biopsies were compared in 22 patients with cardiomyopathy; 11 patients presented with symptoms secondary to ventricular tachycardia (Group 1) and 11 had symptoms of severe congestive heart failure (Group 2). No patient had structural or ischemic cardiac disease. In Group 1 patients, hemodynamic abnormalities were subtle, but invasive study demonstrated dilated cardiomyopathy in two patients and restrictive cardiomyopathy in nine. In Group 2, eight patients had dilated cardiomyopathy and three had restrictive cardiomyopathy. Cardiac biopsy results were abnormal in all 22 patients and the abnormalities were similar for the two groups. Cardiac histologic study revealed a spectrum of abnormalities including fibrosis, dilated sarcoplasmic reticulum, increased numbers of intercalated discs and mitochondrial abnormalities. Histologic abnormalities of skeletal muscle were similar in each group, consisting of endomysial fibrosis and increased lipid deposits. Slightly more than half of the Group 1 and Group 2 patients also had a low concentration of skeletal muscle long chain acylcarnitine. These data demonstrate that abnormalities of both cardiac and skeletal muscle are common in patients with cardiomyopathy; abnormalities are similar whether initial symptoms are due to ventricular tachycardia or congestive heart failure. It is suggested that these patients with cardiomyopathy may have a generalized myopathy.

Adolescent↗

Exercise-induced abnormal blood pressure responses are related to subendocardial ischemia in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVES: We examined by thallium-201 scintigraphy whether exercise-induced abnormal blood pressure response (BPR) is related to myocardial ischemia. BACKGROUND: Hemodynamic instabilities during exercise in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are considered to be caused by abnormal reflex control of vascular resistance. METHODS: In 105 patients with HCM, exercise thallium scintigraphy was performed by means of a multistage, symptom-limited bicycle ergometer exercise test. RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients had normal BPR (> or = 25 mm Hg from baseline to peak exercise), and 17 had abnormal BPR (<25 mm Hg). Clinical characteristics including age, the prevalence of obstruction, New York Heart Association functional class and echocardiographic measurements were similar between the two groups. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was significantly higher in patients with abnormal BPR than in those with normal BPR (18+/-8 vs. 14+/-5 mm Hg, p < 0.05). Exercise-induced perfusion abnormalities including fixed and reversible perfusion defects, and left ventricular cavity dilatation (LVCD) were identified in 72 (69%) of 105 study patients. Left ventricular cavity dilatation indicates subendocardial hypoperfusion and is a marker of diffuse subendocardial ischemia. The prevalence of fixed or reversible perfusion defects was similar between the two groups. Patients with abnormal BPR had the higher prevalence of LVCD as compared to those with normal BPR (47.1 vs. 10%, p < 0.0002). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that LVCD was independently associated with abnormal BPR (odds ratio 3.76, 95% confidence interval 1.61 to 8.76). CONCLUSIONS: Exercise-induced abnormal BPRs in patients with HCM are related to subendocardial ischemia during exercise.

Adolescent↗

Significance of resting wall motion abnormalities in 2-dimensional echocardiography in patients without previous myocardial infarction referred for pharmacologic stress testing.

BACKGROUND: Resting wall motion abnormalities (WMA) in 2-dimensional echocardiography may be encountered in patients without previous myocardial infarction or known coronary artery disease (CAD) who are referred for stress testing. However, the functional significance of these abnormalities has not been evaluated by an independent technique. The goals of this study were to assess the value of resting WMA in the prediction of an ischemic response during dobutamine stress testing independent of other clinical characteristics in patients without known CAD, and to evaluate whether the presence of resting WMA is related to the presence or extent of myocardial perfusion abnormalities during dobutamine stress testing. METHODS: We studied 116 patients (mean age 57 +/- 13 years, 50 men) without known CAD or a history of myocardial infarction by dobutamine-atropine (dobutamine: </=40 microg/kg/min; atropine: </=1 mg) stress echocardiography and simultaneous stress and rest technetium sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography imaging. Ischemia was defined as new or worsening wall motion abnormalities and reversible perfusion defects, respectively. RESULTS: Resting WMA were detected in 24 patients (21%). Patients with resting WMA had a higher prevalence of abnormal perfusion (75% vs 25%, P <.001) and a higher prevalence of ischemia by single-photon emission computed tomography (50% vs 24%, P <.05) and by echocardiography (42% vs 9%, P <.001) compared with patients without resting WMA, respectively. Stress and rest perfusion defect scores were significantly higher in patients with than in those without rest WMA (3.25 +/- 2.67 vs 0.88 +/- 1.77, P <.0001; and 1.46 +/- 1.69 vs 0.21 +/- 0.70, P <.0001; respectively). Independent predictors of the occurrence of ischemia by echocardiography were the presence of resting WMA (P <.01, chi(2) = 6.7), ST-segment depression (P <.005, chi(2) = 11.3), and angina during the test (P <. 05, chi(2) = 5.3) by using multivariate analysis of clinical and stress test variables. The presence of resting WMA was the only independent predictor of an abnormal perfusion (P <.0001, chi(2) = 20). CONCLUSION: The presence of resting WMA in patients without known CAD or a previous myocardial infarction who were referred for pharmacologic stress testing is highly predictive of abnormal myocardial perfusion. Resting WMA are powerful independent predictors of an ischemic response during dobutamine stress testing and identify a population with a higher prevalence and extent of myocardial perfusion abnormalities.

Atropine↗

High frequency of EEG and MRI brain abnormalities in panic disorder.

The frequency and quality of brain abnormalities in panic disorder (PD) were assessed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The use of electroencephalography (EEG) to detect PD patients with a high probability of morphologic brain abnormalities was also explored. Consecutive PD patients (n = 120) were screened with routine EEG examinations and were divided into the following subgroups on the basis of their EEG findings: patients with non-epileptic EEG abnormalities (EEG-A group, n = 28), matched patients with normal EEG results (EEG-N group, n = 28) and matched healthy controls (n = 28). PD patients showed a higher than expected rate of non-epileptic EEG abnormalities (29.2%; 35 of 120). EEG screening was effective in identifying patients with a high probability of morphologic brain abnormalities. MRI abnormalities were found in 60.7% of the EEG-A patients, 17.9% of the EEG-N patients, and only 3.6% of the controls. A high frequency of septo-hippocampal abnormalities was found. Further research should focus on attempts to subtype PD on the basis of neuroanatomic and functional brain abnormalities.

Adult↗

Detection of human papillomavirus in cervical biopsies of summer camp ROTC cadets with abnormal papanicolaou smears.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections may be the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) among adolescents and young adults. A strong association exists for certain "high-risk" HPV-type cervical infections and subsequent evolution of cervical cancer and its precursor lesions. The objective of this study was to detect HPV in cervical biopsies of reserve officer training corps (ROTC) cadets attending a regional summer camp who had abnormal screening Papanicolaou (Pap) smears and to better define the spectrum of HPV oncogenic risk types for this population. It was hypothesized that HPV would be detected in the majority of cervical biopsies in keeping with the evolving concept of cervical cancer and its precursors as an STD and the central role of HPV in its development. DESIGN: On arrival for summer military camp training, college women cadets underwent physical examinations that included pelvic examinations for Pap smears. Study participants completed confidential questionnaires after informed consent was obtained. Subjects, who had abnormal Pap smears as defined by reports of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) or low- or high-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesions (LGSIL or HGSIL), underwent colposcopic evaluations with cervical biopsies. Subsequently, biopsies were processed for detection of HPV-specific DNA by gel electrophoresis, chemiluminescent oligonucleotide probing, and DNA-RNA hybridization methods after polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. PARTICIPANTS: All female summer camp enrollees presented to the Madigan Army Medical Center Gynecology Clinic for complete physicals before the onset of the training program and were solicited for study inclusion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All colposcopic biopsy specimens were evaluated for the presence of HPV DNA and subtyped if positive. RESULTS: Representing 42 states, 95% (332) of eligible subjects participated. Mean age was 21.9 years. Racial composition included 70% white, 16% black, 4% Hispanic, 4% Asian, and 6% "other." Eighty-five percent had a history of hetero-sexual activity, with 17.7 years as the mean age at onset. Of the subjects, 12.6% reported a previous diagnosis of a sexually transmitted disease, and 7.8% (26 of 332) had abnormal Pap smears. Of these, colposcopic biopsy results were available for 25 of the 26 abnormal Pap smears. Ninety-six percent (24 of 25) of the colpobiopsies had detectable HPV. Eighty-eight percent (22 of 25) of the subjects with abnormal Pap smears had concurrent abnormal biopsy results. All of these had detectable HPV, confirmed by three different methods, and 29% had dual HPV infection. Sixty percent had "intermediate" or "high-risk" types identified by specific genotyping, 8% had "low-risk" types, and 28% had nontypable HPV. CONCLUSIONS: The data confirm that abnormal Pap smears in this young adult college population are almost always associated with HPV infection, a significant proportion of it being other than low-risk types. The prognostic significance of type-specific cervical HPV infection still needs to be better defined in relation to potential cofactors and host immune response. However, clinicians who provide primary gynecologic care to adolescents and young adults should be aware of the high correlation between abnormal Pap smears and HPV cervical infection and should follow up the patient with the potential risk in mind.

Adolescent↗

Abnormal head posture associated with high hyperopia.

BACKGROUND: An abnormal head posture may be adopted for ocular or nonocular reasons. The most common ocular reasons are to maintain binocularity and to obtain the best possible visual acuity. Patients with undercorrected or overcorrected refractive errors have been reported to adopt a variety of head positions, thought to be an attempt to obtain the best possible visual acuity. METHODS: Five patients with symmetric high hyperopia (at least + 5.00 D) and an abnormal head posture are presented. RESULTS: All five patients demonstrated an abnormal head posture of chin down for fixation without the spectacle correction in place. This abnormal head posture was eliminated by occlusion of either eye and also by wearing of the refractive correction. No patient demonstrated significant strabismus. CONCLUSION: An abnormal head posture when not wearing spectacle correction can occur in children who have high hyperopia and insignificant strabismus. This may be a mechanism by which the best visual acuity is obtained (indicated by the disappearance of the abnormal head posture on wearing of the glasses) and also to maintain binocularity (indicated by the disappearance of the abnormal head posture under monocular testing conditions). The presence of a chin-down abnormal head posture should alert the examiner to the possible presence of high hyperopia and therefore the necessity for a cycloplegic refraction.

Child↗

Nucleolar precursor body distribution in pronuclei is correlated to chromosomal abnormalities in embryos.

In-vitro generated human embryos have low implantation rates and high chromosomal abnormalities. Embryos are mostly selected on the basis of microscopic morphological examination. The relationship between pronuclear morphology and chromosomal abnormalities was investigated in this study. Zygotes were scored according to pronuclear morphology on day 1. Excess embryos that were not transferred or cryopreserved on day 3 were fixed. Chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y were analysed by fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH). A total of 125 embryos were analysed; 58 (46%) were abnormal, 32 (26%) were mosaic and 35 (28%) were normal. Results were analysed according to different pronuclear morphology. Zygotes with polarized pattern had a significantly lower incidence of chromosome abnormality than those with a non-polarized pattern. The presence of cytoplasmic halo, the size of each pronucleus and the number of nucleolar precursor body had no significant effect on chromosomal abnormalities. In conclusion, embryos generated from zygotes with polarized pattern have fewer chromosomal abnormalities compared with other patterns. A simple microscopic examination during fertilization confirmation would be useful to select embryos with fewer chromosomal abnormalities, preferably in combination with other observations shown to correlate with chromosomal abnormalities.

Adult↗

Chromosomal abnormalities in a series of 6,733 human oocytes in preimplantation diagnosis for age-related aneuploidies.

Most chromosomal abnormalities originate from female meiosis and contribute significantly to pregnancy failures, particularly in women of advanced maternal age. A total of 8,382 oocytes were obtained in 1,297 IVF cycles from patients of advanced maternal age (mean 38.5 years). Following a standard IVF protocol, oocytes were tested following removal and fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of the first (PB1) and second polar bodies (PB2), using probes specific for chromosomes 13, 16, 18, 21 and 22 (Vysis). FISH results were available in 67,33 (80.3%) oocytes tested, 3,509 (52.1%) of which were aneuploid, with the remaining 3,224 (47.9%) normal oocytes available for transfer. In all, 41.7% of oocytes had meiosis I errors, compared to 35.1% with meiosis II errors. Abnormalities in meiosis I were represented by extra chromatids in 15.4%, missing chromatids in 48.1%, missing chromosomes in 5.9%, extra chromosomes in 0.5%, and complex abnormalities in 30.1%. The proportions of abnormal oocytes with missing or extra chromatids in meiosis II were 36.6 and 41.2% respectively, with the remaining oocytes having complex abnormalities, involving missing or extra chromatids of different chromosomes (22.1%) following meiosis II. Overall, 41.8% oocytes had meiosis I, 30.7% meiosis II, and 27.6% both meiotic division errors. A total of 45.1% of the abnormal oocytes had complex errors, involving the same chromosome in both meiotic divisions (21.5%), or different chromosomes (78.5%), of which 74.8% were with abnormalities of two, and 25.2% with abnormalities of three chromosomes studied. Of 3,224 detected aneuploidy-free zygotes, 2,587 were transferred in 1,100 treatment cycles (2.35 embryos per transfer), resulting in 241 (21.9%) clinical pregnancies and 176 healthy children born, suggesting a positive clinical outcome following aneuploidy testing of oocytes in a group of IVF patients of average age 38.5 years.

Adult↗

Contralateral auditory brainstem response abnormalities in acoustic neuroma.

Contralateral Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) findings in a series of 79 patients with unilateral acoustic neuroma are presented. Sixty-four patients (81 per cent) had a normal contralateral ABR, thirteen (16.4 per cent) had latency abnormalities contralaterally and in two patients (2.6 per cent) no consistent responses could be recorded despite good hearing. Abnormalities in the contralateral ABR were analysed and five patients had abnormal III-V interwave intervals, in seven patients the I-III intervals were abnormal and in one patient, only the fifth wave was present and of abnormal latency. The tumour size was assessed by computed axial tomography (CT) and the relationship between tumour size and contralateral ABR findings established. Large tumours (greater than 2.5 cm.) were associated with contralateral ABR abnormalities in 25.6 per cent of the patients, medium tumours (1.0-2.5 cm.) with ABR abnormalities in 14 per cent and there were no abnormalities in the small group (intracanalicular). The implications for interpretation of ABR recordings contralateral to an acoustic neuroma are discussed in relation to brainstem compression and its effect on the wave generator sites.

Brain Stem↗

The association between cigarette smoking and low-grade cervical abnormalities in reproductive-age women.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between smoking and the occurrence of low-grade cervical cytological abnormalities. METHODS: We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study of smoking and other exposures in reproductive-age women with normal and abnormal cytology results (Class 1-4 Pap tests). Participants (n = 2,448) were enrollees of the Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, a health maintenance organization (HMO) in Washington state, USA. Non-pregnant women were selected monthly from the HMO's cytology database during 1995-6, with over-sampling of women with low-grade abnormalities. All participants completed a structured telephone-administered survey. RESULTS: Of the 2,448 participants, 19% (n = 465) had Class 2 Pap results, and 5% (n = 117) had Class 3-4 results. Forty percent of the sample (n = 975) reported ever smoking. Women reporting current/recent smoking (n = 514, 21%) had an increased likelihood of cervical abnormalities (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI 1.1-1.8). Women who had never smoked but who reported recent passive smoking exposure also had a greater likelihood of abnormal test results (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-2.0). Prior smoking was not associated with cytology status. CONCLUSIONS: Our results, examining low-grade cervical abnormalities, are compatible with those from studies of more severe cervical lesions, lending added support to the hypothesis that smoking predisposes to development of a spectrum of cervical abnormalities. Thus, even cytologic screening visits represent an opportunity to counsel women smokers about their health risks, particularly the more proximal risks of cervical abnormalities and cancer.

Adolescent↗

Lipoprotein abnormalities are highly prevalent in pediatric heart transplant recipients.

The role of hyperlipidemia in graft coronary artery disease (GCAD) is controversial although hyper-triglyceridemia is an independent risk factor. Recent studies show that 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) inhibitors decrease the incidence of GCAD in adults. The incidence of GCAD in pediatric patients is lower than in adults; it is not clear whether age-related differences in lipid metabolism account for some of this protection. This study was performed to: characterize the lipoprotein profile in children after heart transplantation; demonstrate that total cholesterol (TC) is a poor marker for underlying lipoprotein abnormalities; and to compare lipid abnormalities in patients who had been converted from cyclosporin A (CsA) to tacrolimus. Seventy-one determinations of fasting lipoprotein profiles were performed in a cohort of 28 children. Each child had at least two determinations on separate occasions. TC, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and serum triglyceride (TG) levels were categorized as abnormal if greater than the 75th percentile for age and gender. A high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level less than the 25th percentile was considered abnormal. Immunosuppression included CsA or tacrolimus, azathioprine, and prednisone. We found that 90% of the patients studied had abnormalities of either TG or HDL. In contrast, LDL tended to be normal when adjusted for age and gender. TC was a poor indicator of any underlying abnormality in TG, LDL, or HDL. In patients converted to tacrolimus, no significant differences were found in the levels of TG, LDL or HDL compared with each patient's respective values while receiving CsA. Hence, lipoprotein abnormalities among pediatric heart transplant recipients are highly prevalent. TC is a poor screening tool in the evaluation for lipid abnormalities. Lipoprotein profiles remain statistically unchanged after conversion from CsA to tacrolimus.

Adolescent↗