Objective:Determination of the amount of parenchymal damage in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is crucial to choose the best treatment and management.Aim:Here, the associations between laboratory data and severity of steatosis and fibrosis plus hepatic vessel Doppler indices in NAFLD patients were investigated.Patients and Methods:Fifty patients (20 males and 30 females) with NAFLD criteria were enrolled. Fatty liver was graded by sonography (SGFL) and FibroScan (FGFL). In addition, liver fibrosis was graded through FGLF. Damages to the portal, hepatic, and splenic veins were evaluated by color Doppler/dopplex. Serum liver enzymes and C-reactive protein (CRP) were also measured.Results:Significant association existed between SGFL and FGFL (P = 0.006). Portal vein pulsatility index (PI) and phasicity plus the triphasic and monophasic pattern of hepatic veins significantly associated with fatty liver grade evaluated by sonography. Splenic vein Peak systolic velocity and PI showed significant association with FGFL. Eventually, elevated liver enzymes and CRP significantly correlated with FGLF.Conclusion:We found that the severity of fatty liver is correlated with hepatic and portal veins damages; however, the degree of parenchymal fibrosis was independent to these indices and can be directly evaluated by FGFL. In addition, elevated liver enzymes and CRP correlated with the degree of fibrosis.
Background: Evidence in the last decades has indicated an association between vitamin D and cardiovascular risk factors including blood pressure. The present study aimed to determine whether serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is independently associated with blood pressure in a large population-based study. Methods: The study was based on subjects from PERSIAN Guilan Cohort Study (PGCS), a prospective, population-based cohort study in Guilan, Iran. In 9520 men and women, aged 35-70 years, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted with adjustments for demographic factors (age and gender), anthropometric characteristics (waist circumference and body mass index), lifestyle variables (physical activity, alcohol, and smoking consumption), and renal function (serum creatinine). Results: Fully adjusted linear regression analyses revealed a weak but statistically significant negative association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and systolic blood pressure (β =-0.02, 95% CI= −0.052 to −0.0001, P-value=0.04), whereas vitamin D status was not significantly associated with diastolic blood pressure (β =-0.01, 95% CI= −0.026 to 0.009, P-value=0.3). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status showed no significant association with the presence of hypertension (OR 1.09, 95% CI=0.94 to 1.25 for the lowest (25OHD <12 ng/mL) versus the highest (25OHD ≥20 ng/mL) category). Conclusion: Lower serum vitamin 25 (OH) D levels were associated with higher systolic blood pressure; however, it was not associated with diastolic blood pressure and presence of hypertension.
This study was designed to evaluate ureterovesical jet dynamics in obstructed ureter and to compare it with those of contralateral unobstructed side. Forty-six patients with diagnosis of ureteral stone, based on imaging findings in computed tomography were enrolled in this study. The gray-scale ultrasound exam from both kidneys and urinary bladder was performed. Then, ureterovesical jet characteristics including ureteral jet frequency, duration and peak velocity were assessed by color Doppler and duplex Doppler studies in both obstructed and unobstructed ureters by a radiologist, 15-30 min after oral hydration with 750-1,000 mL of water. When compared with contralateral normal side, the ureterovesical jet in obstructed ureter showed less frequency (0.59 vs. 3.04 jets/min; P < 0.05), shorter duration (1.24 vs. 5.26 s; P < 0.05) and lower peak velocity (5.41 vs. 32.09 cm/s; P < 0.05). The cut-off points of 1.5 jets/min, 2.5 s and 19.5 cm/s for difference of ureteral jet frequency, duration and peak velocity between obstructed and contralateral normal ureters yielded sensitivities of 97.8, 95.6 and 100 % and specificities of 87, 87.9 and 97.8 %, respectively for diagnosis of ureteral obstruction. Given the safety of Doppler study and significant differences in flow dynamics of obstructed versus unobstructed ureters, our findings demonstrated the utility of Doppler ultrasound examination as a useful adjunct to gray-scale ultrasound by improving the accuracy of ultrasound exam in diagnosis of ureteral obstruction.
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