Origination angle of renal artery has no role in renal artery pattern.

INTRODUCTION: Renal artery (RA) anatomy plays a critical role in selecting donors. During the present study, we sought to evaluate the physiological role of RA origination angle for the presence of an accessory RA or its early branching. METHODS: During the present cross-sectional study (August 2005-October 2007), 143 candidates for kidney donation underwent RA angiography by 64 multidetector computed tomographic angiography. We assessed the RA diameter, distance to first branching, presence of accessory RA, and early branching, as well as the origination angle of RA from aorta in coronal plane (alpha angle). RESULTS: The male-to-female ratio was 96:47 with an overall mean age of 27.42 +/- 4.55 years. The alpha angle, sine, cosine of the alpha angle and the deviation factor were not significantly different between kidneys with versus without an accessory artery or between the RA with versus without an early branching. Only the RA diameter (P = .047) and the distance of RA to the branching (P < .001) in kidneys with an accessory RA were significantly lower and higher than those without an accessory RA, respectively. Also the distance of the RA to the branching was significantly less in kidneys with an early branching (P < .001). The RA diameter directly correlated with the RA origination angle (r = .191, P = .001), while there was no correlation between the distance to RA branching and the RA origination angle (r = -.060, P = .311). CONCLUSION: The origination angle of the RA from aorta has no role in the early branching or accessory RA development. There was a direct correlation between the RA diameter and the RA origination angle.

Study on bone age in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease and its relation with cyanosis and pulmonary artery pressure.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the growth failure in children with Congenital Heart Diseases (CHD) associated with the Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) and cyanosis. Growth parameters including weight, height and head circumference of 120 cases with congenital heart defects aged 6 months to 14 years were compared with standard growth curves (50th percentile) between November 2007 and November, 2008. Of all, sixty five (54.1%) were male and 55 (45.8%) were female. The patients were classified into four groups based on the presence or absence of PH and cyanosis. The gap between chronological age and bone age (BA) for all subjects was determined. Growth disturbance in weight, height and head circumference was detected in 80 (66.7%), 79 (65.8%) and 41 (34.2%) of the patients, respectively. Bone age delay was seen in fifty five percent of the cases. Generally, delay in all parameters was more seen in acyanotic patients with pulmonary hypertension. In subjects with cyanosis whether in addition to PH or not, bone age was significantly retarded. Etiology of growth failure in children with CHD is multifactorial. Further studies are required to assess the role of different factors in this field.

Anatomical differences in the right and left renal arterial patterns.

The aim of this study was to determine the pattern and character of the renal arteries in patients referred for preoperative or diagnostic evaluation of the renal or abdominal arteries by multi-detector computed tomography and, by comparing the arterial anatomy of the right and left kidneys, to evaluate the effect of differences in their anatomical position on the characteristics of the arteries. During a cross-sectional study from August 2005 to October 2007, 117 patients underwent contrast-enhanced 64-slice multi-detector computed tomography renal angiography in Tabriz Imam Khomeini Hospital (Parsian Centre). The number of arteries, the number of branches and the presence of accessory arteries and early branching were assessed in the renal arteries on both sides. In all, the data for 117 patients data were analysed, 76 (65%) of whom were male and 41 (35%) female. The mean of age of the patients was 39.26 +/- +/- 17.03 years. The mean diameters of the aorta and renal artery were 2.62 +/- +/- 1.55 mm and 0.62 +/- 0.11 mm respectively and the distance to branching was 3.39 +/- 1.59 mm. There was no significant difference in diameter between the left and right renal arteries or in the distance to branching (0.62 +/- 0.11 vs. 0.61 +/- 0.12 mm; p = 0.35; 3.24 +/- 1.2 vs. 3.56 +/- 1.77 mm; p = 0.11). An accessory artery was presented in 58 kidneys and this significantly more often occurred on the right side than on the left side: 38 of 117 (32.47%) right kidneys vs. 20 of 117 (17.09%) left kidneys (p = 0.01). There was early branching in 42 subjects (35.89%). In a comparison of early branching of the arteries of the right and left kidneys, no significant difference was found, despite the higher incidence of branching on the right side. The diameters of the right and left renal arteries and the distances to branching did not differ. Apart from width, there was no difference in kidney size. An accessory artery occurred more frequently in the right renal artery than in the left.

Relationship between direct agglutination test and splenic aspirate smear parasite load in visceral leishmaniasis at Baringo District, Kenya.

Direct agglutination test was carried out in Baringo District on 100 persons presenting with signs and symptoms suggestive of visceral leishmaniasis. Splenic aspirate smears and cultures were done on these 100 persons in order to parasitologically confirm the findings of the direct agglutination test. It was found that the direct agglutination test positively detected all 79 (79%) patients parasitologically confirmed to have visceral leishmaniasis. Irrespective of the splenic aspirate smear parasite rate, whether 1+ or 6+ on a logarithmic scale, direct agglutination test was positive. There were 21% false positives, two of whom had Schistosoma mansoni in their stools. It was not immediately known about the cause of the other false positives. It was concluded that the direct agglutination test is a good provisional serodiagnostic test for visceral leishmaniasis and should be considered for wider field application.