Coronary sinus flow is reduced in methamphetamine abusers: a transthoracic echocardiographic study.

To compare the coronary sinus flow among healthy participants, methamphetamine abusers without chest pain and those with chest pain. One hundred and eight methamphetamine abusers: 53 ones without chest pain, 55 ones with chest pain, free of ascertained coronary artery disease, were enrolled in this study. A control group of 50 age-matched male healthy participants was studied for comparison. Standard 2D, flow and tissue Doppler echo with measurements of cardiac morphologic and functional indicators, coronary sinus flow, and inferior vena cava (IVC) ultrasound with measurements of the IVC dimensions and their collapsibility index were performed, respectively. Compared to healthy participants, methamphetamine abusers had higher blood pressure, greater left ventricular mass index and more impaired diastolic function, with preserved cardiac sizes, systolic function and right atrial pressure. Methamphetamine abusers with chest pain had faster heart rate than those without chest pain and healthy participants. Coronary sinus flow was significantly less in methamphetamine abusers than in healthy participants (P < 0.05), and was extremely lower in those with chest pain than in healthy participants (about one-fourth) (P < 0.01). The area under the curve (AUC) of coronary sinus flow was 0.913 (0.864-0.962), and the cutoff value with 221.65 mL/min had sensitivity of 83.4%, specificity of 87.2% and accuracy of 85.2% for differentiating methamphetamine abusers from healthy participants. While the AUC of coronary sinus flow was 0.996 (0.989-1.003), and the cutoff value with 172.59 mL/min had sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 93.3% and accuracy of 96.5% for predicting methamphetamine abusers with chest pain. Coronary sinus flow is significant reduced in methamphetamine abusers, which is maybe a good indicator for indentifying methamphetamine abusers from normal population, and for predicting methamphetamine abusers with chest pain.

The safety and feasibility of diagnostic acoustic radiation force impulse elastography used for eyes. A preliminary in vivo study.

AIMS: To assess the safety and feasibility of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in the eyes of rats. Material and methods: One hundred and twenty-six SD rats were divided into 7 groups. Group 1 was the control group and Group 2 to Group 7 were investigated by ARFI elastography using increased powers of 5%, 10%, 20%, 50%, and 100% and repetitions of 5 or 10. The changes of ocular architecture structures and functions were examined by phthalmoscopic, histopathologic, and light reflex examination, and the expression level of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α was determined in days 1, 3, and 7 after ARFI elastography, respectively. RESULTS: A satisfactory ARFI elastography was obtained in all SD rats. The shear wave velocity (SWV) values of soft tissues behind the eyeball were significantly greater than those of the eyes (1.89±0.95 vs. 0.84±0.36 m/s, p<0.05). The SWV values of eyes and the soft tissues behind the eyeball did not differ among any groups at any time-point (p>0.05). The SD rats of each group showed good light perception, pupillary light reflex, and avoidance reaction induced by the sudden bright light from the dark environment at any time. In each group, ocular architecture structures were well preserved, and with a normal expression level of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic ARFI elastography is a safe and feasible ultrasonic imaging mode and may potentially be applied for human eyes in its present form.