Inflammation is an important predictor of increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but the mechanisms behind the chronic activation of the immune system are not clearly understood. CKD patients develop fluid overload, which has been proposed to be a stimulus for inflammatory activation due to the translocation of macromolecules from the gut. We hypothesize that fluid overload is associated with signs of systemic inflammation and endotoxaemia in stages 1-5 CKD patients. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the associations between renal function, fluid status [evaluated by the inferior vena cava diameter (IVCD) and the collapsibility index (CI)], systemic inflammation [plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen and albumin] and endotoxaemia (through the Limulus amebocyte lysate enzymatic assay) in a group of CKD patients in our out-patient clinic. The population consisted of 74 (mean of 57; range 23-83 years of age; 47% males) CKD patients with glomerular filtration rate (based on the mean of urea and creatinine clearances) of 34 ml/min. Both albumin (Rho = 0.25; P = 0.05) and fibrinogen (Rho= - 0.48; P < 0.0001) were significantly correlated to glomerular filtration rate (GFR). According to the IVCD, 84% of the patients were fluid overloaded, while 83% were considered overloaded by the CI. Signs of endotoxaemia were detected in all patients. Endotoxin levels were higher in patients with signs of fluid overload (0.85 +/- 0.11ng/l) when compared with patients with normal values of IVCD (0.61 +/- 0.05 ng/l; P < 0.05). Endotoxin levels correlated to both IVCD (Rho=0.33, P < 0.005) and CI (Rho = -0.25, P < 0.05). There was no correlation between endotoxin levels and GFR, CRP or fibrinogen. In summary, although most CKD patients presented signs of fluid overload that was associated with endotoxaemia, there was no association between endotoxaemia and systemic inflammation, suggesting the endotoxaemia may not be the main determinant of the inflammatory status in this group of patients.

Both physical examination (PE) and intra-access pressure (IAP) measurements have been used in the identification of stenosis in an arteriovenous access. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of PE and IAP in the diagnosis of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) stenosis. A total of 84 patients were enrolled in the study (54% men, mean age of 50.7 +/- 12.7 years and mean AVF patency of 24.9 +/- 7.8 months, 52% radiocephalic). Abnormalities of pulse and thrill were used as the diagnostic tools for the detection of stenosis using the physical examination. For IAP, stenosis was suspected when the ratio between IAP at the arterial puncture site and the mean blood pressure was <0.13 or >0.43. The diagnosis of stenosis was confirmed by Doppler ultrasound (DU). Sensitivity (S), specificity (SP), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (PNV), and accuracy were calculated for the two early detection tests. According to DU, 50 (59%) AVF were considered positive for the presence of stenosis. Fifty-six (66%) AVF were considered positive for the presence of stenosis by PE and 34 (40%) by IAP. S, SP, PPV, and NPV for PE and IAP were 96%, 76%, 86%, and 93% and 60%, 88%, 88%, and 60%, respectively. The accuracy for PE and IAP was 88% and 71%, respectively. PE proved to be an accurate method for the diagnosis of stenosis and should be part of all surveillance protocols of stenosis detection in AVF.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Accelerated atherosclerosis has become a major problem in rheumatic inflammatory disease. RESULTADOS: A ECIM média em pacientes com ES foi de 0,72 ± 0,21 mm, enquanto nos controles foi de 0,57 ± 0,13 mm (P = 0,0007). Não se encontrou associação com VHS, PCR, BASDAI e dados clínicos. Em análise univariada, maior ECIM foi encontrado nos indivíduos com maior duração de doença (P = 0,014; R Pearson = 0,40; 95% intervalo de confiança, IC = 0,06 to 0,65), aumento nos triglicerídeos (P = 0,02; R Spearman = 0,37; 95% IC = 0,03 to 0,64) e maior idade (P = 0,0014; R Pearson 0,51; 95% IC = 0,21 to 0,72). CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes com ES têm maior grau de aterosclerose subclínica do que controles, dando suporte às evidências clínicas de aumento de risco cardiovascular em pacientes com doenças reumáticas.

The metallic commissurotome (MC) technique is a cheaper alternative to the Inoue balloon (IB) technique for percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV). There are no randomized trials comparing these techniques with longer follow-up of the patients. The objective of this study was to compare the immediate results and short- and medium-term follow-up of PMV using either the IB or the MC technique. Fifty patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis were randomly assigned to PMV using the IB (n = 27) or the MC (n = 23) technique. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding baseline clinical, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic data. Clinical and echocardiographic follow-up were done 6 months and 3 years after the procedure. The success rate was 100% in the IB group and 91.3% in the MC group (P = 0.15); two patients in the latter group developed mitral regurgitation grade 3/4, requiring elective surgery. The mean final mitral valve area was bigger in the MC group (2.17 +/- 0.13 vs. 2.00 +/- 0.36 cm2; P = 0.04), but after 6-month and 3-year follow-up, this difference was no longer significant (2.06 +/- 0.27 vs. 1.98 +/- 0.38 cm2, P = 0.22, and 1.86 +/- 0.32 vs. 1.87 +/- 0.34 cm2, P = 0.89, respectively). This finding suggests valve stretching as an important mechanism of valve dilation with the MC. Three patients in the MC group and two patients in the IB group (P = 0.65) developed mitral valve restenosis; one of them underwent repeat PMV and the other four, all asymptomatic, were clinically followed. PMV performed either with the IB or the MC technique is effective and provides excellent short- and medium-term outcomes regardless of the technique employed.

1,7 cm² no acompanhamento foi o único preditor independente de onda P normal após VMP (p = 0,02). CONCLUSÃO: Alterações ECG sugestivas de SAE regridem na maioria dos pacientes com estenose mitral e RS submetidos a VMP com sucesso. Uma AVM > 1,7 cm² no controle tardio é preditor independente para essa normalização.]]>