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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Ultrasound is a standard technique to detect lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid cancer. Cystic changes and microcalcifications are the most specific features of metastasis, but with low sensitivity. This prospective study compared the diagnostic accuracy of a predictive model for sonographic evaluation of lymph nodes relative to the radiologist's standard assessment in detecting papillary thyroid cancer metastasis in patients after thyroidectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cervical lymph node sonographic images were reported by a radiologist (R method) per standard practice. The same images were independently evaluated by another radiologist using a sonographic predictive model (M method). A test was considered positive for metastasis if the R or M method suggested lymph node biopsy. The result of lymph node biopsy or surgical pathology was used as the reference standard. We estimated relative true-positive fraction and relative false-positive fraction using log-linear models for correlated binary data for the M method compared with the R method. RESULTS: A total of 237 lymph nodes in 103 patients were evaluated. Our analysis of relative true-positive fraction and relative false-positive fraction included 54 nodes with pathologic results in which at least 1 method (R or M) was positive. The M method had a higher relative true-positive fraction of 1.46 (95% CI, 1.12-1.91; P = .006) and a lower relative false-positive fraction of 0.58 (95% CI, 0.36-0.92; P = .02) compared with the R method. CONCLUSIONS: The sonographic predictive model outperformed the standard assessment to detect lymph node metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid cancer and may reduce unnecessary biopsies.

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Heart failure and atrial fibrillation are the main problems in general cardiology. Our therapeutic reflections summarize new ideas in the treatment of theses pathologies but we will not forget importance of PCI. All these therapies have proven now the clinical benefit but also reduction in more morbidity and mortality. Cardiac resynchronisation therapy has shown promising results. The art of medicine to develop will be to better identify the patients benefiting from this therapy. Interventional cardiology is focusing on the acute coronary syndrome. Not only rapid intervention but also the stent technology allow significant modification of endothelial tissue reaction and therefore improve the general benefit for the patient.

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Evaluation of: Argaud L, Gateau-Roesch O, Raisky O et al.: Postconditioning inhibits mitochondrial permeability transition. Circulation 111, 194-197 (2005). The concept of preconditioning refers to the observation that short episodes of ischemia render the myocardium more resistant to damage due to subsequent prolonged ischemia and reperfusion. Recently, it was reported that a reduction of the myocardial infarct size could be obtained by brief intervals of ischemia applied not before, but immediately after, an episode of sustained ischemia; this phenomenon is known as postconditioning. The current experimental study conducted in rabbit hearts confirms that postconditioning can significantly reduce the extent of infarction. By demonstrating that mitochondria exposed to postconditioning display an increased resistance to ischemia/reperfusion injury and that postconditioning delays the calcium-induced opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pores, this study suggests that mitochondrial permeability transition is an important mediator of cardioprotection. The accumulation of experimental animal data suggesting that postconditioning could markedly limit irreversible myocardial injury caused by ischemia/reperfusion in humans leads to consideration of the applicability of such strategies in daily cardiology practice.

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About a quarter of the adult population is known to have a patent foramen ovale, rarely accompanied by the presence of an interatrial septal aneurysm. A patent foramen ovale is found in more than 40% of patients younger than 60 years who had a cryptogenic ischemic stroke. Clinical and echocardiographic parameters allow the identification of patients at high risk of recurrence after a first cryptogenic stroke even if treated with Aspirin. A multidisciplinary approach allow the selected patients to benefit of a correction of their cardiac anomaly with promising long term results.

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OBJECTIVE: During normovolaemic haemodilution arterial O(2)-content decreases exponentially. Nevertheless, tissue oxygenation is first maintained initially by increased organ perfusion and O(2)-extraction. As soon as these compensatory mechanisms are exhausted, myocardial ischaemia and tissue hypoxia occur at an individual 'critical' haematocrit (Hct) value. This study was conducted in order to assess whether tissue hypoxia at the critical Hct is reversed by hyperoxic ventilation with 100% O(2). METHOD: Eighteen anaesthetized pigs were ventilated with room air and were hemodiluted by 1:1 exchange of blood with 6% pentastarch to their individual critical Hct (onset of myocardial ischaemia; significant ECG changes). At the critical Hct, hyperoxic ventilation was initiated. In nine complete datasets, global O(2) delivery and consumption, local tissue O(2) partial pressure (tpO(2)) (MDO-Electrode, Eschweiler, Kiel, Germany) and organ blood flow (microsphere method) in skeletal muscle were analyzed at baseline, after haemodilution to the critical Hct and after 15 min of hyperoxic ventilation. RESULTS: At the critical Hct (7.2+/-1.2%), tpO(2) was reduced from 23+/-3 to 10+/-2 Torr with 50% of all values in the hypoxic range (<10 Torr, all P<0.05). During hyperoxic ventilation, contribution of physically dissolved O(2) to the O(2) delivery and O(2) consumption increased by 400 and 563% (P<0.05) and instantly restored tpO(2) to 18+/-2 Torr, (hypoxic values 25%, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Hyperoxic ventilation reversed tissue hypoxia at the critical Hct due to preferential utilization of plasma O(2) and allowed temporary preservation of tissue oxygenation. During haemodilution, hyperoxic ventilation might offer an effective bridge until red cells are ready for transfusion.

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BACKGROUND: Normovolemic hemodilution is an effective strategy to limit perioperative homologous blood transfusions. The reduction of hematocrit related to hemodilution results in reduced arterial oxygen content, which initially is compensated for by an increase in cardiac output and oxygen extraction ratio. To increase the efficacy of hemodilution, a low hematocrit should be aimed for; however, this implies the risk of myocardial ischemia and tissue hypoxia. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether hemodilution can be extended to lower hematocrit values by the use of a hemoglobin-based artificial oxygen carrier solution. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, controlled. SETTING: Animal laboratory of a university hospital. SUBJECTS: Twelve anesthetized, mechanically ventilated pigs. INTERVENTIONS: Isovolemic hemodilution was performed with either 10% diaspirin crosslinked hemoglobin (DCLHb Baxter Healthcare, Boulder, CO; n = 6) or 8% human albumin solution (HSA, oncotically matched to DCLHb, Baxter Healthcare; n = 6) to a hematocrit of 15%, 8%, 4%, 2%, and 1%. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In both groups, measurements were performed at baseline at the previously mentioned preset hematocrit values and at the onset of myocardial ischemia characterized by critical hematocrit (significant ST-segment depression >0.1 mV and/or arrhythmia). To determine peripheral tissue oxygenation and myocardial perfusion and function, the following variables were evaluated: total body oxygen transport variables, tissue oxygen partial pressure (tPo2, MDO-Electrode, Eschweiler Kiel, Germany) on the surface of the skeletal muscle, coronary perfusion pressure, left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic pressure, global and regional myocardial contractility (maximal change in pressure over time, LV segmental shortening, microsonometry method), LV myocardial blood flow (fluorescent microsphere technique), LV oxygen delivery, and the ratio between LV subendocardial and subepicardial myocardial perfusion. In the HSA group, critical hematocrit was found at 6.1 (1.8)% (hemoglobin, 2 g x dL(-1)), whereas all DCLHb-treated animals survived hemodilution until hematocrit 1.2 (0.2)% (hemoglobin, 4.7 g x dL(-1)) was achieved without signs of hemodynamic instability. Although arterial oxygen content was higher in the DCLHb group at 1.2% hematocrit than in the HSA group at critical hematocrit (i.e., hematocrit, 6.1%; hemoglobin, 2 g.dL-1) neither oxygen delivery and oxygen uptake nor median tPo2 and hypoxic tPo2 values on the skeletal muscle were different between groups. In contrast, subendocardial ischemia was absent in DCLHb-diluted animals until 1.2% hematocrit was achieved. This was attributable to a higher coronary perfusion pressure (65 (22) mm Hg vs. 19 (8) mm Hg; p <.05), higher subendocardial perfusion (4.1 (2.6) mL.min-1.g-1 vs. 1.2 (0.4) mL x min(-1) x g(-1)), and subendocardial oxygen delivery (5.7 (2) mL x min(-1) x g(-1), p <.05) in DCLHb-diluted animals, resulting in superior myocardial contractility reflected by maximal change in pressure over time (3829 (1914) vs. 1678 (730); p <.05) and higher regional myocardial contractility (11 (8)% vs. 6 (2)%; p <.05). An increased LV end-diastolic pressure reflected LV myocardial pump failure in HSA-diluted animals but was unchanged in DCLHb-diluted animals. In the DCLHb group, systemic vascular resistance index remained at baseline values throughout the protocol, whereas coronary vascular resistance decreased. In contrast, both variables decreased in HSA-diluted animals. CONCLUSION: DCLHb as a diluent allowed for hemodilution beyond the hematocrit value, determined "critical" after hemodilution with HSA (6.1% (1.8)%). Even at 1.2% hematocrit (hemoglobin, 4.7 g x dL(-1)) myocardial perfusion and function were maintained, although at the expense of peripheral tissue oxygenation. This discrepancy in regional oxygenation might be caused by a redistribution of blood flow favoring the heart, which is related to a disproportionate decrease of coronary vascular resistance index during hemodilution with DCLHb.

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An arteriovenous aneurysm of the fifth intercostal artery on the left, communicating with the left subclavian vein, is described. This has not been observed previously. It occurred in a 50-year old woman with multiple arterial aneurysms and stenosing aortic sclerosis.

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Plasma glucose, free fatty acid, ketone, and triglyceride concentrations were measured at frequent intervals after the administration of alloxan to rats. Hepatic triglyceride levels were determined in the same animals. During the second 24-hr period after alloxan administration, severe ketoacidosis developed and triglyceride concentrations in the liver became markedly elevated. This finding was incompatible with the thesis that enhanced ketogenesis under circumstances of increased free fatty acid delivery to the liver requires diminished triglyceride synthesis. Plasma insulin and glucagon concentrations were determined at each time point. Initial changes in plasma glucose, ketones, free fatty acids, and triglycerides were accompanied by a fall in insulin concentrations, but no change occurred in glucagon levels. However, concentrations of the latter hormone increased dramatically in the second 24 hr after alloxan treatment and probably contributed to the development of the extreme hyperglycemia observed during this time period.

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