Delayed gastric emptying rate in Type 1 diabetics with cardiac autonomic neuropathy.

Gastroparesis is a frequent complication of longstanding diabetes and has been attributed to vagal nerve dysfunction, occurring as part of a generalized autonomic neuropathy. We wanted to clarify the relationship between delayed gastric emptying (GE) and cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in type 1 diabetics. Using a standardized ultrasound technique, GE was studied in 20 type 1 diabetic patients with poor glycaemic control despite good compliance and 10 normal healthy volunteers (Group 1). Measurements of GE were done on condition that the fasting blood glucose was 3.5-9.0 mmol/l. Diabetic patients were classified into two groups according to the absence (Group 2) or presence (Group 3) of CAN, using the deep breathing test (E:I ratio) to evaluate parasympathetic vagal nerve function. Age-related reference values were used to evaluate the indices of CAN. The supine resting heart rate was also checked, and the patients were asked for symptoms of gastroparesis. The three groups were similar in terms of sex and smoking habits, and there was no significant difference regarding the age and body mass index (BMI). The mean duration of diabetes and the glycaemic control (HbA1c) was insignificant between patients in Groups 2 and 3. Diabetic patients in Group 3 showed lower gastric emptying rates (GER) than the healthy volunteers in Group 1 (median GER 16% vs. 63%, P<.01) and the patients in Group 2 (median GER 16% vs. 54%, P<.01). No significant difference in GER could be seen between patients in Group 2 and subjects in Group 1 (median GER 54% vs. 63%, P=.08). Assuming that GER<45% indicated a delayed GE, 8 of 10 patients in Group 3 had delayed GE compared to only 3 of 10 patients in Group 2. There were disagreements between symptoms of gastroparesis and delayed GE. We conclude that there is a significant lower GER in type 1 diabetic patients with CAN than in those without, unrelated to symptoms of gastroparesis.

Measurement of gastric emptying by standardized real-time ultrasonography in healthy subjects and diabetic patients.

The aim of this study was to simplify and standardize a reproducible, well-tolerated and clinically applicable method for the assessment of gastric emptying rate by real-time ultrasonography. A total of 33 subjects were examined, including 19 healthy subjects and 14 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and clinically suspected delayed gastric emptying. Measurements of the gastric antrum were taken in the supine position and in relation to internal landmarks to obtain a standardized cross-sectional image producing the area of a selected slice of the antrum. Diabetic patients were examined on the condition that the fasting blood glucose level was 3.5 to 9.0 mmol/l. Gastric emptying rate was estimated and expressed as the percentage reduction in antral cross-sectional area from 15 to 90 min after the ingestion of a standardized semisolid breakfast meal (300 g rice pudding, 330 kcal). Interobserver and intraobserver measurement errors were assessed, as was the significance of age and sex on gastric emptying. In comparison to healthy subjects, diabetic patients showed significantly wider median values of the 90 min postprandial antral area, but only a mild tendency toward greater dilation of the gastric antrum prior to and 15 min after meal ingestion. The median value of gastric emptying rate in these diabetic patients was estimated at 29%, which was less than half of that in the healthy subjects (63%). Statistically the difference was highly significant. Interpersonal variability of gastric emptying rate and antral areas was large for both groups. Measurements of gastric emptying rate gave highly reproducible results on separate days and from different observers (interobserver systematic measurement error 0.3% and random measurement error 10.9%; intraobserver systematic measurement error 3.6% and random measurement error 9.5%). No difference in gastric emptying rate was found related to age or sex. We conclude that the use of standardized real-time ultrasonography to determine gastric antral cross-sectional area in a single section of the stomach is a valid method for estimating gastric emptying rate.

Patency of the plantar arch as a prognostic indicator in patients with critical leg ischaemia; a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To find out if patency of the plantar arch on the preoperative angiogram was an accurate indicator of prognosis of vascular intervention, of leg salvage and of survival in patients with critical ischaemia of the leg. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University Hospital. SUBJECTS: 302 patients who underwent femoral angiography for critical ischaemia of the leg in 1985-1986. INTERVENTIONS: Examination of aortofemoral angiograms and scoring of the radiological changes according to a suggested scoring system. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Correlation of scores with outcome. RESULTS: Patients with patent plantar arches had a significantly higher cumulative patency after vascular intervention (logrank chi 2 4.2, p < 0.05), leg salvage (logrank chi 2 11.9, p < 0.01) and significantly longer survival (logrank chi 2 7.8 p < 0.01) than patients with partly or completely occluded plantar arches. CONCLUSION: It is important to see the plantar arch on the preoperative angiogram. The scoring system is valuable in predicting patency after vascular intervention, leg salvage and survival.

Thromboprophylaxis in patients with hip fractures: a prospective, randomized, comparative study between Org 10172 and dextran 70.

A prospective, randomized, assessor-blind trial has been undertaken to compare the thromboprophylactic effect and safety of the heparinoid Org 10172 (a mixture of low molecular-weight sulfated glycosaminoglycuronides) and dextran 70 in patients operated on for hip fracture. Prestudy biostatistical calculations led to the need for 260 patients. Three hundred eight patients were randomized and 19 were excluded after randomization, the majority because of postponed surgery. Analyses were made on the 289 patients on an intention-to-treat basis, as well as on the 247 patients given correct prophylaxis. Diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis was based on bilateral ascending phlebography on postoperative days 10 through 12. The frequency of deep vein thrombosis on an intention-to-treat basis was 10% in the Org 10172 group and 30% in the dextran 70 group and, on the basis of correct prophylaxis, 12% and 31%, respectively, both differences being significant (p less than 0.001). Two-month mortality rates were equal in the groups. Three fatal pulmonary emboli were seen in the dextran group. Significantly more patients in the dextran group received postoperative transfusions; no other differences in various hemorrhagic parameters were seen. Thus it can be concluded that Org 10172 has a significantly better thromboprophylactic effect than does dextran in patients with hip fractures without significant side effects.

The use of fibrinogen uptake test in screening for deep vein thrombosis in patients with hip fracture.

255 hip fracture patients were studied by 125I-fibrinogen uptake test and bilateral phlebography. We found the sensitivity of fibrinogen scanning to be 44% for the non-operated limb and 50% for the calves. The predictive value of a negative result was found to be 92% and 93% respectively. We conclude that the use of fibrinogen uptake test as single diagnosticum is not valid and can only be recommended in combination with phlebography when studying patient where the frequency of DVT is expected to be low.

Thromboprophylaxis in hip arthroplasty. Dextran with graded compression or preoperative dextran compared in 150 patients.

Totally, 150 patients, subjected to total hip arthroplasty, were randomly allocated into three prophylactic groups with either conventional dextran alone or with additional graded compression stockings or with additional preoperative administration of dextran. The overall frequency of deep venous thrombosis (DVT), as studied by radioactive fibrinogen uptake test and ascending phlebography of the operated on thigh was in the conventional dextran group 46 percent, the additional stockinged group 30 percent, and in the additional preoperative dextran group 52 percent. In the stockinged group, there was a lower frequency of DVT in the nonoperated on leg as well as, on an average, about 350 mL less peroperative bleeding as compared with the other two groups. No adverse reaction occurred from dextran administration. Increased and prolonged postoperative administration of dextran decrease the number of femoral DVTs.

Acute renal failure in rats. Interaction between contrast media and temporary renal arterial occlusion.

It was demonstrated in rats that renal injury which follows transient renal hypoxia is potentiated by the contrast media metrizoate, ioxaglate, iopamidol and iohexol. Intravenous injection of 1 g I/kg of all four media alone to 82 rats caused no significant increase in serum urea 1, 3 and 7 days later. The percentage increase of serum urea is given in median values and interquartile range (in parentheses). Bilateral renal arterial occlusion alone for 40 minutes in 42 rats increased serum urea one day later by 40 per cent (20-130). Intravenous injection of the media followed in one hour by bilateral renal arterial occlusion for 40 minutes in 104 rats caused serum urea to increase one day later by 130 per cent (70-350) after metrizoate, by 220 per cent (50-380) after ioxaglate, by 290 per cent (60-420) after iopamidol and by 160 per cent (50-330) after iohexol. There were no significant differences between the potentiating effects of the various media on ischemic renal failure.

Interactive effects on renal function between renal ischemia and intravascular contrast media.

This review deals with some recent animal and clinical investigations that show that small amounts of intravascular contrast media (CM) that remain in the body at the time of surgery and are the residual from a preoperative roentgen examination may increase (potentiate) the renal injury resulting from temporary intraoperative renal artery occlusion. Such interaction (potentiation) may occur in each of the following clinical situations: (1) aortorenal reconstructive surgery after angiography; (2) kidney harvesting after cerebral angiography in cadaver donors; and (3) percutaneous dilatation of a stenotic renal artery that includes a sequence of CM injections and balloon inflations that occlude the renal artery. It is concluded that such a potentiation may be decreased by prolonging the time interval between CM injection and the subsequent temporary renal arterial occlusion because such a prolongation decreases the amount of CM that remains in the kidney at time of occlusion.

Does cerebral angiography of cadaveric kidney donors interfere with graft function?

Cerebral angiography is used to diagnose brain death of cadaver kidney donors. Clinical and animal data suggest that angiographic contrast media may potentiate the noxious effect of renal ischemia. In order to find out if cerebral angiography of cadaveric kidney donors prior to nephrectomy interferes with function or survival of the renal grafts, two groups of cadaveric donors were compared. One group had been exposed to contrast medium from cerebral angiography in median 18 hours before nephrectomy and the other had not. There was no difference in graft survival and function between the two groups. In a previous investigation angiography was performed two hours before explantation and in that investigation there was a shorter graft survival in the angiography group than in a control group. A delay of 12 hours is suggested between cerebral angiography and explanation, to decrease the combined harmful effects of contrast media and ischemia on renal grafts.

Acute renal failure in rats. Interaction between a contrast medium and renal arterial occlusion.

Acute renal failure is a serious complication of reconstructive aortoiliac surgery. The question was raised whether its etiology includes interaction between preoperative angiographic contrast medium and intra-operative clamping of the renal arteries. Renal arteries of 180 rats were bilaterally clamped 10 to 120 min and serum urea was determined from 3 h to 7 days later. In 35 rats 40 min clamping alone produced an increase in urea reaching a maximum 1 day later (median increase 70%). In 3 groups of 12 rats intravenous injection of the contrast medium metrizoate alone in doses 1, 2 and 3 g I/kg body-weight produced no significant increase in urea. Intravenous injection of the same doses to 3 groups of 10 rats each followed 1 h later by renal arterial occlusion for 40 min produced median urea increases one day later of 110, 130 and 170 per cent, respectively, in the 3 groups. The increase was higher than that produced by contrast medium alone (p less than 0.01) or by renal artery clamping alone (p less than 0.05) indicating a potentiation of transient renal failure by the combination of contrast medium and renal arterial clamping.

Late mortality and morbidity after arterial reconstruction: the influence of arteriosclerosis in popliteal artery trifurcation.

Mortality and the incidence of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular lesion have been retrospectively analyzed in patients who have survived 30 days after lower limb vascular reconstruction. These events have been related to the extent of arteriosclerotic lesions in the trifurcation of the popliteal artery (trifurcational disease, TFD) in 368 patients treated consecutively. One hundred fifty-five patients underwent aortoiliac reconstruction, 229 had femorodistal bypass, and 16 underwent both procedures. The median follow-up period was 4.4 years. The mortality rate in male and female patients was increased compared with the expected mortality. This increase was found both in patients with and without TFD. In patients having TFD the mortality was 2.0 times higher than in patients who did not have TFD (p less than 0.001). The difference in the mortality rate persisted after correction for the influence of age, sex, and diabetes mellitus. The higher mortality rate in patients who had TFD was most marked early in the postoperative period and was mainly caused by myocardial infarction. The incidence of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular events was significantly increased in patients who had TFD compared with those who did not, particularly in the early postoperative period.

Arteriosclerosis in popliteal artery trifurcation as a predictor for myocardial infarction after arterial reconstructive operation.

The frequency of myocardial infarction and mortality within 30 days after lower limb vascular reconstruction, in relation to the extent of atherosclerotic lesions in the trifurcation of the popliteal artery, have been retrospectively analyzed in 158 consecutive patients reconstructed in the aortoiliac region and 239 consecutive patients undergoing femorodistal bypass. Among the patients without trifurcational disease (TFD) none had myocardial infarction develop postoperatively, as compared with four of the 50 patients with TFD in the aortoiliac series (p less than 0.05) and 18 of the 174 patients with TFD in the femorodistal series (p less than 0.05). In nine instances, the cause of death was myocardial infarction. The strong correlation between postoperative myocardial infarction and the presence of TFD, may be due to a direct correlation between coronary artery disease and TFD. The finding is of practical importance in the selection of treatment for patients with circulatory disorders of the lower limbs. The finding facilitates the preoperative identification of patients liable to have myocardial infarction develop. Indications for operation can be made more stringent and optimal intraoperative and postoperative monitoring can be instituted.

Renal failure as a complication to aortoiliac and iliac reconstructive surgery.

A retrospective analysis has been undertaken of 17 patients among 221 who developed renal failure after aortic and/or iliac reconstructions because of occlusive disease (incidence 8%). In two renal artery occlusion was causing anuria, in the others tubular necrosis was considered to be responsible. This complication is multifactorial and factors of importance may be: operative trauma, haemorrhagic and other postoperative complications with reoperations, age and preoperative angiography. The patients with postoperative renal failure were older, the preoperative serum creatinine slightly higher, operation time longer and intraoperative haemorrhage greater than in patients without postoperative renal failure. Renal insufficiency after aorto-iliac reconstruction is a symptom with poor prognosis, the mortality being significantly higher (35%) than among the 204 patients without renal failure (2.0%). No simple dominating risk factor has been found in this material.

Hemangioma of the lunate (Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome). Case report.

An intraosseous hemangioma of the lunate was diagnosed as the cause of wrist complaints. At angiography considerable arteriovenous shunting within the bone was shown. Replacement of the lunate by a SILASTIC implant relieved the pain. The intraosseous hemangioma, however, appeared to be only a part of more wide-spread disease which fulfilled the criteria for a Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome.