Role of Mid Thigh Cross Sectional Area by Computed Tomography (MMTCSACT), C-Reactive Protein to Assess Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) In Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILDs)

Objective: Early detection of peripheral neuropathy is extremely important as leprosy is one of the treatable causes of peripheral neuropathy. The study was undertaken to assess the role of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in ulnar neuropathy in leprosy patients. Methods: This was a case–control study including 38 patients (72 nerves) and 5 controls (10 nerves) done between January 2017 and June 2019. Skin biopsy proven cases of leprosy, having symptoms of ulnar neuropathy (proven on nerve conduction study) were included. MRI was performed on a 3 T MR system. Mean cross-sectional area, fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of ulnar nerve at cubital tunnel were calculated. Additional ancillary findings and appearance of base sequences were evaluated. Results: Ulnar nerve showed thickening with altered T2W signal in all the affected nerves, having an average cross-sectional area of 0.26 cm2. Low FA with mean of 0.397 ± 0.19 and high ADC with mean of 1.28 ± 0.427 x 10 −3 mm2/s of ulnar nerve in retrocondylar groove was obtained. In the control group, mean cross-sectional area was 0.71cm2 with mean FA and ADC of 0.53 ± 0.088 and 1.03 ± 0.24 x 10 −3 mm2/s respectively. Statistically no significant difference was seen in diseased and control group. Cut-off to detect neuropathy for FA and ADC is 0.4835 and 1.1020 × 10 −3 mm2/s respectively. Conclusion: DTI though is challenging in peripheral nerves, however, is proving to be a powerful complementary tool for assessment of peripheral neuropathy. Our study validates its utility in infective neuropathies. Advances in knowledge: 1. DTI is a potential complementary tool for detection of peripheral neuropathies and can be incorporated in standard MR neurography protocol. 2. In leprosy-related ulnar neuropathy, altered signal intensity with thickening or abscess of the nerve is appreciated along with locoregional nodes and secondary denervation changes along with reduction of FA and rise in ADC value. 3. Best cut-offs obtained in our study for FA and ADC are 0.4835 and 1.1020 × 10 −3 mm2/s respectively.

Download Full-text

The role of education in the association between self-rated health and levels of C-reactive protein: a cross-sectional study in rural areas of China

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027659 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. e027659 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Raoping Tu ◽

Kuan-Yu Pan ◽

Guoxi Cai ◽

Taro Yamamoto ◽

Hui-Xin Wang

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Protein A ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Linear Regression Models ◽

Sectional Study ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Self Rated Health

ObjectivesThis study aims to examine the association between self-rated health (SRH) and levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) among adults aged 45 to 101 years old in rural areas of China, and to explore the role of education in the association.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingThe study population was derived from two databases in China: Nanping project (NP) and the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).ParticipantsThere were 646 participants from a rural area of Nanping (NP) and 8555 rural participants from a national representative sample of China (CHARLS).MethodsCRP was measured using a high sensitivity sandwich enzyme immunoassay in the NP and immunoturbidimetric assay in the CHARLS. SRH was assessed by SRH questionnaires and categorised into good and poor. Education was measured by the maximum years of schooling and dichotomised into illiterate and literate. Multivariate linear regression models were used to study the associations.ResultsCompared to people with good SRH, those with poor SRH had higher levels of CRP in NP (β=0.16, 95% CI −0.02 to 0.34) and in CHARLS (β=0.07, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.11) after adjusting for potential confounders. Similar findings were observed in the pooled population (β=0.08, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.12), especially in men (β=0.13, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.20) and in literate people (β=0.12, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.18).ConclusionPoor SRH may be a predicator of elevated levels of CRP among middle-aged and older people in rural areas, especially in men and literate people.

Download Full-text

Role of superoxide anion in regulating pressor and vascular hypertrophic response to angiotensin II

AJP Heart and Circulatory Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpheart.00914.2001 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 282 (5) ◽

pp. H1697-H1702 ◽

Cited By ~ 72

Author(s):

Hui Di Wang ◽

Douglas G. Johns ◽

Shanqin Xu ◽

Richard A. Cohen

Keyword(s):

Superoxide Anion ◽

Pressor Response ◽

Cross Sectional Area ◽

Ang Ii ◽

Sectional Area ◽

Wild Type ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hypertrophic Response

Our purpose was to address the role of NAPDH oxidase-derived superoxide anion in the vascular response to ANG II. Blood pressure, aortic superoxide anion, 3-nitrotyrosine, and medial cross-sectional area were compared in wild-type mice and in mice that overexpress human superoxide dismutase (hSOD). The pressor response to ANG II was significantly less in hSOD mice. Superoxide anion levels were increased twofold in ANG II-treated wild-type mice but not in hSOD mice. 3-Nitrotyrosine increased in aortic endothelium and adventitia in wild-type but not hSOD mice. In contrast, aortic medial cross-sectional area increased 50% with ANG II in hSOD mice, comparable to wild-type mice. The lower pressor response to ANG II in the mice expressing hSOD is consistent with a pressor role of superoxide anion in wild-type mice, most likely because it reacts with nitric oxide. Despite preventing the increase in superoxide anion and 3-nitrotyrosine, the aortic hypertrophic response to ANG II in vivo was unaffected by hSOD.

Download Full-text

Quantitative computed tomography measurement of cross-sectional area of small pulmonary vessels in asthmatic patients

Chinese Medical Journal ◽

10.1097/cm9.0000000000000367 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 132 (16) ◽

pp. 1903-1908

Author(s):

Juan Wang ◽

Mei-Jiao Li ◽

Chun Chang

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Quantitative Computed Tomography ◽

Cross Sectional Area ◽

Sectional Area ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Pulmonary Vessels ◽

Asthmatic Patients

Download Full-text

Predictors of All-Cause Mortality after Endovascular Aneurysm Repair: Assessing the Role of Psoas Muscle Cross-Sectional Area

Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology ◽

10.1016/j.jvir.2019.04.032 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (12) ◽

pp. 1972-1979 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Timothy C. Huber ◽

Nicole Keefe ◽

James Patrie ◽

Margaret C. Tracci ◽

Daniel Sheeran ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Endovascular Aneurysm Repair ◽

Psoas Muscle ◽

Cross Sectional Area ◽

Sectional Area ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Aneurysm Repair ◽

Muscle Cross Sectional Area

Download Full-text

A clinical prediction rule to identify difficult intubation in children with Robin sequence requiring mandibular distraction osteogenesis based on craniofacial CT measures

BMC Anesthesiology ◽

10.1186/s12871-019-0889-1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zhe Mao ◽

Na Zhang ◽

Yingqiu Cui

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Retrospective Study ◽

Difficult Intubation ◽

Prediction Rule ◽

Clinical Prediction Rule ◽

Cross Sectional Area ◽

Sectional Area ◽

Clinical Prediction ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis

Abstract Background Airway management is challenging in children with Robin sequence (RS) requiring mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO). We derived and validated a prediction rule to identify difficult intubation before MDO for children with RS based on craniofacial computed tomography (CT) images. Method This was a retrospective study of 69 children with RS requiring MDO from November 2016 to June 2018. Multiple CT imaging parameters and baseline characteristic (sex, age, gestational age, body mass index [BMI]) were compared between children with normal and difficult intubation according to Cormack−Lehane classification. A clinical prediction rule was established to identify difficult intubation using group differences in CT parameters (eleven distances, six angles, one section cross-sectional area, and three segment volumes) and clinicodemographic characteristics. Predictive accuracy was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results The overall incidence of difficult intubation was 56.52%, and there was no significant difference in sex ratio, age, weight, height, BMI, or gestational age between groups. The distance between the root of the tongue and posterior pharyngeal wall was significantly shorter, the bilateral mandibular angle shallower, and the cross-sectional area at the epiglottis tip smaller in the difficult intubation group. A clinical prediction rule based on airway cross-sectional area at the tip of the epiglottis was established. Area > 36.97 mm2 predicted difficult intubation while area < 36.97 mm2 predicted normal intubation with 100% sensitivity, 62.5% specificity, 78.6% positive predictive value, and 100% negative predictive value (area under the ROC curve = 0.8125). Conclusion Computed tomography measures can objectively evaluate upper airway morphology in patients with RS for prediction of difficult intubation. If validated in a larger series, the measures identified could be incorporated into airway assessment tools to guide treatment decisions. This was a retrospective study and was granted permission to access and use these medical records by the ethics committee of Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center. Trials registration Registration No. ChiCTR1800018252, NaZhang, Sept 7 2018.

Download Full-text