IntroductionHigh blood pressure (BP) leads to target organ damage. It is suggested that regression of early organ lesions is possible on condition of BP normalization. The study objective was to assess whether permanent reduction of BP to the recommended values modifies renal vascular response to acute angiotensin II inhibition in the Doppler captopril test (DCT) in patients with essential hypertension (EH).Material and methodsTwenty-nine persons (58 kidneys) were found eligible for the study: 18 patients with EH and 11 healthy volunteers constituting the control group. Glomerular filtration rate estimation (eGFR), 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) and DCT with evaluation of renal resistive index change (ΔRI) were performed before and after a 6-month period of intensive antihypertensive therapy (IAT). Additional ABPM was performed at the end of IAT.ResultsThe mean IAT period was 8.5 ±2.4 months. The mean 24-h values of systolic and diastolic BP in the EH group were significantly lower in the IAT period than at the beginning and at the end of the study. Significantly lower systolic and diastolic BP (p < 0.05) and improvement of renal function (eGFR 121 ±38 vs. 139 ±40 ml/min, p < 0.001) were found after IAT as compared to initial values. Before IAT, ΔRI was significantly lower in the EH group as compared to the controls, but no such differences were found after IAT.ConclusionsIn EH patients, intensive BP lowering to the recommended values was associated with improvement of renal function and normalisation of renal vascular response to acute angiotensin II inhibition.
Despite considerable progress made in the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma, the majority of the patients treated with BRAF and mitogen-activated protein inhibitors (BRAFi and MEKi) experience a disease progression due to acquired resistance. Currently, ongoing studies explore the possibility to overcome or reverse this process. Our multicenter retrospective analysis included 51 patients with metastatic BRAF-mutated melanoma who had previously progressed on BRAFi/MEKi than had progressed on immunotherapy (anti-progression disease-1 or anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4) and next were rechallenged with BRAFi/MEKi. Median age at BRAFi/MEKi rechallenge was 56 (range: 31–82 y/o). Median overall survival from the start of the first BRAFi/MEKi therapy and from rechallenge BRAFi/MEKi treatment was 29.7 and 9.3 months, respectively, whereas median progression-free survival was 10.5 and 5.9 months, respectively. Six-month, annual, and 2-year overall survival rates on both treatments were: 98% and 55%, 92% and 29%, and 69% and 2%, respectively. A response rate to treatment was higher in the group receiving BRAFi/MEKi for the first time as compared with the group receiving BRAFi/MEKi rechallenge and was overall response rate 72% and 27%; disease control rate 92% and 63%. Time interval between the end of the first BRAFi/MEKi treatment and the beginning of BRAFi/MEKi rechallenge did not influence median overall survival or progression-free survival. A lower toxicity rate was noted with BRAFi/MEKi rechallenge. BRAFi/MEKi rechallenge treatment remains clinically important and is associated with the lower toxicity. BRAFi/MEKi rechallenge efficacy is higher in patients who are in good performance status, with normal lactate dehydrogenase, and without brain metastases.
IntroductionRenovascular hypertension (RVH) is caused by renal ischaemia associated with haemodynamically significant renal artery stenosis (RAS). The choice of optimal treatment of atherosclerotic RAS is still controversial. Increase in the renal resistive index (RI) value after captopril administration is considered to indicate preserved renal autoregulation. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of medical therapy of RVH on renal autoregulation efficiency in patients with atherosclerotic RAS.Material and methods19 persons (38 kidneys) in 2 groups: 1) study: with RVH and stenosis of 1 renal artery – 8 patients; 2) control: – 11 healthy volunteers. Doppler captopril test with RI measurements and estimation of creatinine clearance (CCr) were performed in both groups at baseline, and after a period of controlled medical therapy (CMT) only in the study group. ABPM was evaluated in controls at baseline, and in the study group at the end of CMT.ResultsIn the study group the mean period of CMT was 8.3 ±2.7 months, the number of antihypertensive drugs was 4.1 ±1.0, and mean 24-hour blood pressure was 138/74 mmHg. Mean CCr was stable during the study. Significant increase of RI after captopril was found only in controls. At baseline, in the group of kidneys with a non-stenotic renal artery, significant lowering of RI was observed, and ΔRI differed significantly from controls. After CMT, ΔRI increased in non-stenotic kidneys in comparison to the baseline, and did not differ from controls.ConclusionsAdequate medical therapy of RVH preserved renal function and improved renal autoregulation efficiency in non-stenotic kidneys.
IntroductionSentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a standard procedure in the therapeutic management of patients with non-advanced breast cancer.AimTo analyse the utility of ultrasound scan (USS) examination in the process of patient qualification for SLNB and to estimate the optimal time to perform USS in the clinical preoperational assessment of axillary lymph nodes.Material and methodsA prospective analysis of 702 patients with invasive breast cancer treated with SLNB between 7.03.2012 and 27.05.2013 was performed. The patients were divided into three groups: I (USS < 8 weeks before SLNB), II (USS > 8 weeks before SLNB and another one on the day before SLNB) and III (USS > 8 weeks before SLNB without perioperative USS). In these patients the percentage of metastases in the sentinel lymph node and the clinical factors influencing the diagnostic value of preoperative ultrasound scan were assessed.ResultsMetastatic lesions in sentinel lymph nodes were found in 154 (21.9%) patients. The highest percentage of metastases was noted in patients operated on in the second and third month from the beginning of preoperative diagnostics. None of the factors tested (size of the original tumour, histological malignancy grading, kind of preoperative diagnostics, Ki-67 value, biological type of the tumour, age) had a statistically significant influence on the diagnostic value of perioperative USS examination in the analysed time span.ConclusionsThe lowest percentage of metastases in the sentinel lymph node was noted in the patients qualified for SLNB who had the ultrasound performed directly before the surgical procedure (not more than 4 weeks before the surgery).
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