Royal Victoria Infirmary. Newcastle upon Tyne Radio-fibrinogen catabolism study is a sensitive way of assessing active participation of fibrin in the pathogenesis of renal disease. In general in oliguric patients accelerated fibrinogen catabolic rates are reflected by an increase of serum fibrin products. To evaluate further the role of intravascular coagulation and to assess the potential of h...

The kidney transplantation is considered to be the best therapy for terminal kidney disease, nowadays. Numerous studies have shown that pregnancy may be successful and may result in a delivery of a healthy baby after the kidney transplantation. Pregnant women who are the recipients of a kidney transplant have increased chances of developing hypertension, preeclampsia, as well as going into prem...

OBJECTIVE Fixed pulmonary hypertension is a contraindication for cardiac transplantation because of the increased risk of donor heart failure. We sought to determine whether left ventricular assist devices improve fixed pulmonary hypertension in cardiac transplant candidates to enable safe cardiac transplantation. METHODS Thirty-five consecutive cardiac transplant candidates (age 56 +/- 6 yea...

Splenic artery aneurysms (SAA)* are found in 0.1% of the cases in large autopsy series (1) and in 0.8% of un selected abdominal aortograms (2). The incidence of SAA is higher in patients with portal hypertension, in whom it is reported to occur in 8.8% to 50% of cases (3, 4). Rupture of SAA carries a high mortality rate. Rupture of SAA in liver transplant recipients has been reported (4,5). To ...

OBJECTIVES We sought to evaluate the frequency of cardiovascular risk factors in a cohort of patients 10 years after a liver transplant, and to assess their 10-year risk of fatal cardiovascular disease using Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) charts. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between January 1990 and June 1996, one hundred eighty-nine adults underwent a first liver transplant in our cent...

BACKGROUND Elderly patients (ages 70 yr and older) are among the fastest-growing group starting renal-replacement therapy in the United States. The outcomes of elderly patients who receive a kidney transplant have not been well studied compared with those of their peers on the waiting list. METHODS Using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, we analyzed data from 5667 elderly rena...

Orthotopic heart transplantation is contraindicated in patients with pulmonary hypertension and an elevated pulmonary vascular resistance. In an attempt to make otherwise unacceptable patients possible candidates for heart transplantation, amrinone was administered intravenously to 27 individuals with a transpulmonary gradient and pulmonary vascular resistance in the abnormal range. Twenty-four...

Michael J. Krowka, MD Professor of Medicine Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN Pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) that occurs as a consequence of portal hypertension is termed portopulmonary hypertension (POPH) and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Among liver transplant (LT) candidates, reported incidence rates of POPH range from 4...