Postoperative speech impairment and cranial nerve deficits after secondary surgery of posterior fossa tumours in childhood: a prospective European multicentre study.

PURPOSE: Brain tumours constitute 25% of childhood neoplasms, and half of them are in the posterior fossa. Surgery is a fundamental component of therapy, because gross total resection is associated with a higher progression-free survival. Patients with residual tumour, progression of residual tumour or disease recurrence commonly require secondary surgery. We prospectively investigated the risk of postoperative speech impairment (POSI) and cranial nerve dysfunction (CND) following primary and secondary resection for posterior cranial fossa tumours. METHODS: In the Nordic-European study of the cerebellar mutism syndrome, we prospectively included children undergoing posterior fossa tumour resection or open biopsy in one of the 26 participating European centres. Neurological status was assessed preoperatively, and surgical details were noted post-operatively. Patients were followed up 2 weeks, 2 months and 1 year postoperatively. Here, we analyse the risk of postoperative speech impairment (POSI), defined as either mutism or reduced speech, and cranial nerve dysfunction (CND) following secondary, as compared to primary, surgery. RESULTS: We analysed 426 children undergoing primary and 78 undergoing secondary surgery between 2014 and 2020. The incidence of POSI was significantly lower after secondary (12%) compared with primary (28%, p = 0.0084) surgery. In a multivariate analysis adjusting for tumour histology, the odds ratio for developing POSI after secondary surgery was 0.23, compared with primary surgery (95% confidence interval: 0.08-0.65, p = 0.006). The frequency of postoperative CND did not differ significantly after primary vs. secondary surgery (p = 0.21). CONCLUSION: Children have a lower risk of POSI after secondary than after primary surgery for posterior fossa tumours but remain at significant risk of both POSI and CND. The present findings should be taken in account when weighing risks and benefits of secondary surgery for posterior fossa tumours.

Serum procalcitonin concentrations in transplant patients with acute rejection and bacterial infections.

Procalcitonin (PCT) represents a new marker of systemic inflammatory reactions of the body to infections. PCT is selectively induced by severe bacterial infections leading to sepsis or multiorgan dysfunction syndrome. The aim of our study was to test PCT as a postoperative infection marker in heart and kidney transplant patients compared with healthy subjects and patients with localized lung-inflammatory processes without a manifest systemic response. PCT concentrations were measured by an immunoluminometric assay (ILMA) in a total of 419 serum samples. Normal serum levels were in the range of 0.08-0.6 ng/ml. Operative trauma associated with heart (not kidney) transplantation induced a transient increase in PCT levels to 7-10 ng/ml with a decline to normal levels within 2-3 days in most patients. Severe bacterial infections dramatically augmented serum PCT concentrations reaching values of 46-297 ng/ml in the most critical periods. Good response to antibiotic therapy was associated with a decline in serum PCT concentrations. Acute rejection or cytomegalovirus infections did not significantly increase the serum PCT levels. Localized pulmonary infections showed either no, or only a limited increase, in the serum PCT levels (max. 7 ng/ml). We conclude from our data that PCT can be used as a sensitive marker to differentiate systemic bacterial infections from other complications in organ transplantation.

Occurrence and potential importance of angiotensin-converting enzyme in semen of boars.

The activities of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and leucinaminopeptidase (LAP) are positively correlated with corresponding concentrations of sperm cells in semen of boars kept under normal conditions. The spermatozoa bound ACE activity, in general, does not reflect differences in the quality of semen (bull and boars). On the other hand, the ACE activity directly bound on the sperm cells is significantly elevated, if 'exogenic noxes' (by feeding or keeping) influence the fertility of boars in a drastic manner. These results are discussed with regard to the differential diagnostic importance for estimating the semen quality and to the causal relations between increased enzyme binding and injury of sperm cells.

Postnatal increase of procalcitonin in premature newborns is enhanced by chorioamnionitis and neonatal sepsis.

BACKGROUND: To determine the influence of chorioamnionitis and neonatal sepsis on procalcitonin (PCT) levels in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants within the first week of life. DESIGN: PCT serum levels were measured in cord blood 1 h after delivery and on day 3 and day 7 of life. Chorioamnionitis and neonatal sepsis within the first week were monitored. RESULTS: Chorioamnionitis was present in eight of 37 patients (21.6%). PCT on day 3 was increased in both the "No chorioamnionitis" (2.54 ng mL(-1), SEM 0.51) and "Chorioamnionitis" (6.96 ng mL(-1), SEM 2.93) groups of VLBW infants compared with the 1st hour values (0.45 and 0.58 ng mL(-1) SEM 0.07 and 0.11, respectively, P < 0.001) of the same patients. The postnatal gain was higher in the "Chorioamnionitis" group (P < 0.01). Neonatal sepsis was diagnosed (after exclusion) in 12 of 32 patients (37.5%). Mean values of maximum PCT in patients with and without sepsis were 8.41 ng mL(-1) (SEM 1.87) and 3.02 ng mL(-1) (SEM 1.38), respectively (P < 0.05). Sensitivity to sepsis of PCT, ratio of immature to total neutrophils (I : T), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were 75%, 50% and 25%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In the group of VLBW infants the PCT level within 72 h of delivery was markedly increased in patients with chorioamnionitis. Compared with I : T and CRP, PCT appears to be a more sensitive marker of neonatal sepsis.

Qualitative and quantitative detection of urinary human complement factor H-related protein (BTA stat and BTA TRAK) and fragments of cytokeratins 8, 18 (UBC rapid and UBC IRMA) as markers for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of BTA stat, BTA TRAK, UBC Rapid, UBC IRMA and voided urinary cytology in the detection of bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). METHODS: The study included 78 patients with TCC of the bladder (group A), 62 patients with a history of bladder TCC without tumor recurrence at the time of examination (B, control group), 20 patients with other malignancy of the urinary tract (C), 38 patients with non-malignant urinary tract diseases (D), 10 patients with urinary tract infection (E) and 10 healthy volunteers (F). Except in group F, voided urine was collected before cystoscopy or cystectomy. RESULTS: The specificity and sensitivity in bladder cancer detection were 87.1 and 74.4%, respectively with BTA stat, 79.3 and 48.7%, respectively with UBC Rapid, 100 and 33.3%, respectively with cytology, 72.6 and 75.6%, respectively with BTA TRAK, 64.5 and 70.5%, respectively with UBC IRMA. CONCLUSIONS: The BTA stat and BTATRAK tests are superior to UBC Rapid, UBC IRMA and urinary cytology in detection of bladder TCC. In daily practice however cytology remains the best adjunct to cystoscopy because of its high sensitivity in Tis and 100% specificity. Cystoscopy cannot be replaced by any of evaluated methods.