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C Hasse

Publications and source records attributed to C Hasse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[The farmost unknown disease of postoperative permanent hypoparathyroidism--feasibility and validation of an innovative questionnaire instrument].

Aim of our study has been the systematic evaluation concerning the still farmost unknown disease of postoperative, permanent hypoparathyroidism. For this we designed a specific questionnaire as measuring instrument--it was evaluated by experts and validated by 3 control groups--to examine then a patient group (n = 20) with symptomatic postoperative, permanent hypoparathyroidism. The application of the questionnaire was very feasible, the reliability of measuring scales according to Cronbach's alpha > or = 0.70. The validity of content and construct validity fully existed (Pearson's correlation coefficient r > or = - 0.27; p < 0,05). The farmost frequent clinical complaints were peripheral cold sensations (65 %), pains in joints (55 %), sensation of heaviness and weakness in extremities (55 %) and paresthesias (45 %). Most frequent clinical symptoms were brittle nails (40 %) and diarrhoea (35 %). Sum and distress level scores for classification of illness severity were determined. In conclusion our questionnaire is a valid instrument and from a clinical point of view easy to apply, reasonable and very feasible in practical use. It represents a novel, optimum instrument to determine disease condition and illness severity of hypoparathyroid patients and makes it possible to gain further information of this up to now less systematically analysed disease.

Adult↗

[Haemorrhoidectomy: conventional excision versus resection with the circular stapler. Prospective, randomized study].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to compare two surgical methods of treating for haemorrhoids that aim at closure of the wound: resection with a circular stapler and a conventional, closed haemorrhoidectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 80 patients (41 males, mean age 47,1 years) with haemorrhoids stage 3 were randomized and treated with stapler haemorrhoidectomy (test group; n = 40) or had an haemorrhoidectomy according to Fansler and Anderson (control group; n = 40). Following a standardized study protocol we compared postoperative results on the operating day and one week, six weeks, six months and one year afterwards uni- and multivariate analysis and we also calculated the costs. RESULTS: The stapler haemorrhoidectomy proved to be the method causing significantly reduced pain in the early postoperative period so that the patients needed less pain relief. They were able to return to work earlier. One year after stapler haemorrhoidectomy there were three episodes of postoperative bleedings that required intervention, one in the control group. Six patients still had haemorrhoids stage 3, six patients over the age of 65 had persistent anal incontinence (I degrees according to Parks) with proven sphincter dysfunction and disturbances in voiding their bowel with resulting deterioration of quality of life, significantly more frequent than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Stapler haemorrhoidectomy cures stage 3 haemorrhoids on a long term basis in 84.2 % of patients, costing less than all alternative treatments. In some cases, it can be associated with postoperative complications.

Adult↗

[Lateral, partial sphincter myotomy as therapy of chronic anal fissue. Long-term outcome of an epidemiological cohort study].

AIM: We observed a relatively high rate of severe forms of anal incontinence in patients who had undergone lateral, partial, internal, open sphincterotomy for chronic fissure in ano years ago in our clinic. An explicit investigation of pre- and postoperative data for a representative patient group was undertaken to find out whether this incidental finding proved to be meaningful. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The perioperative data from 523 patients who underwent sphincterotomy (Parks) between 1986 and 1997 were analyzed by uni- and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Of 209 patients included in the study, 94.7% could be considered healed after operation. Up until the 12th postoperative week, 14.8% of patients were incontinent in stage I and II (Parks). This increased up to 21% at the time of follow-up, mainly in stage II and III, which significantly differed from a healthy control group. CONCLUSION: Lateral sphincterotomy leads in most cases to quick healing of the chronic fissure in ano with a low recurrence rate. The added effect of degenerative changes was observed to be linked, however, with a higher long-term rate of anal incontinence.

Adult↗

Functional parameters before and after parathyroidectomy: a prospective, randomized long-term trial on different rat strains.

For clinical controls before and after parathyroidectomy and for evaluation of the function of transplants of parathyroid tissue, it is necessary to establish standard values of relevant laboratory parameters for donor and recipient animals as well as for different types of nutrition. Since no such data are yet available, it was the purpose to define such standards. In a prospective randomized trial on 400 rats of the Dark Agouti (DA) and Lewis strain, different functional laboratory parameters such as total calcium, intact parathyroid hormone, phosphate, 1.25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and alkaline phosphatase were measured under a standard and low calcium diet over a period of 40 weeks. Two hundred of these animals underwent a parathyroidectomy four weeks after the beginning of the study and specimens were evaluated histologically. For all eight different study groups normal values could be defined within tight limits for parameters which describe the function of the parathyroid gland or elements of calcium metabolism under different conditions. The optimal conditions for a transplantation model of parathyroid glands were established. Lewis-rats were identified as the ideal donor and DA rats as the better recipient animals. These data can serve as reference values for future studies on transplantation of the parathyroid without immunosuppression.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Flow cytometric determination of RBC survival in autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

BACKGROUND: In cases of warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (WAIHA), crossmatch incompatible RBCs are most often used for transfusion. The determination of the in vivo survival of transfused and autologous RBCs in WAIHA is helpful in the assessment of the efficacy of transfusion and other therapeutic interventions. CASE REPORT: A 38-year-old man presented with acute WAIHA, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia. Steroids and IVIG therapy were ineffective, and the patient received RBCS: Because of increasing hemolysis and persisting thrombocytopenia, splenectomy was performed, resulting in partial remission. Further improvement was achieved by immunosuppressive therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS AND RESULTS: Survival of transfused and autologous RBCs was determined, using a flow cytometric method based on the determination of different blood group antigens of patient and donor RBCS: The survival of autologous and transfused RBCs before splenectomy was determined on two consecutive days. The life span of autologous RBCs remained rather stable at 69 and 64 hours on Days 10 and 11, respectively, whereas the life span of transfused RBCs decreased from 186 hours to 25 hours. After splenectomy, the life span of transfused RBCs almost normalized: 43 days at postsplenectomy Day 3 and 87 days at postsplenectomy Day 69. CONCLUSION: Flow cytometry was successfully used to determine changing hemolytic activity during the clinical course of WAIHA. Additionally, the survival of transfused RBCs could be measured, which may be helpful to judge for the compatibility of allogeneic RBCS: Thus, we were able to show the therapeutic inefficacy of steroids and immunoglobulins, and quick improvement after splenectomy.

Adult↗

White blood cells and cortisol after sleep deprivation and recovery sleep in humans.

Sleep deprivation (SD) has enriched our treatment programme for major depression. SD has been demonstrated to modify different host defence activities. There is some evidence that there are reciprocal relationships between immune function and increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis activity in depression. We therefore investigated the number of leukocytes, granulocytes, monocytes, lymphocytes, B cells, T cells, helper T cells, cytotoxic T cells, NK cells and salivary cortisol in 10 healthy men before and after total SD (TSD) as well as after recovery sleep. Blood samples were drawn on 3 consecutive days at 7 am, 1 pm and 7 pm, respectively. Comparison of the 7 am values by contrast analysis yielded significant differences for granulocytes (p = 0.044) and NK cells (p = 0.001) after SD and recovery sleep. NK cells decreased and granulocytes increased after SD and after recovery sleep. Significant differences between single points in time across the day were found for granulocytes (p = 0.022), monocytes (p = 0.031), T cells (p = 0.005), helper T cells (p = 0.004), cytotoxic T cells (p = 0.005) and NK cells (p = 0.017). No significant difference could be detected for leukocytes, lymphocytes and B cells counts. These results favour the thesis that SD and recovery sleep lead to changes in the distribution of peripheral leukocytes, especially in a reduction of NK cells after SD and recovery sleep. The cortisol rhythm was affected neither by SD nor recovery sleep.

Adult↗

Parathyroid xenotransplantation without immunosuppression in experimental hypoparathyroidism: long-term in vivo function following microencapsulation with a clinically suitable alginate.

Permanent hypoparathyroidism is one of the most difficult of all endocrine disorders to treat medically. Because this deficiency syndrome rarely is a life-threatening condition, systemic immunosuppression for recipients of transgenic transplants is not justified. An alternative would be protecting the tissue to be transplanted from the immunologic response (immunoisolation) by coating it with a semipermeable membrane- microencapsulation. Unfortunately, prior to the first clinical use, further analysis of the coating substance (alginate) demonstrated that it has potential cancerogenic properties. Using a purified amitogenic alginate suitable for clinical use, we accomplished allotransplantation in a long-term animal model and reported the first clinical cases without postoperative immunosuppression recently. In view of the potential clinical use, we investigated the ability of the microencapsulation technology with the novel amitogenic alginate in experimental hypoparathyroidism (80 parathyroidectomized rats) to enable transgenic transplantation across the highest immunologic barrier (xenotransplantation: human to rat) to ensure intact transplant function without immunosuppression. In a controlled, long-term animal study, the effect of microencapsulation on xenotransplanted human parathyroid tissue was evaluated over a period of 30 weeks (microencapsulated and naked hyperplastic parathyroid tissue, respectively). Functionally, human parathyroid tissue was able to replace that of rats. More than 6 months after xenotransplantation 32 of 40 animals that had received microencapsulated transplants were normocalcemic. In contrast, serum calcium concentrations dropped to postparathyroidectomy levels within 3 weeks in the animals that had received naked tissue only. Correspondingly, normocalcemic animals showed vital parathyroid tissue inside the microcapsules, which were surrounded by a small rim of fibroblasts. When combining microencapsulation with an improved tissue culture method, xenotransplantation of human parathyroid tissue and maintenance of its physiologic function is reproducibly achieved over the highest transplantation barrier. Using the amitogenic alginate may be a crucial step toward the first clinical use of this technique for parathyroid xenotransplantation without immunosuppression.

Alginates↗

A RET double mutation in the germline of a kindred with FMTC.

Activating germline mutations of the RET proto-oncogene are found in more than 90% of families with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2a (MEN 2a) and familial medullary thyroid carcinoma (FMTC). The majority of patients with these hereditary tumors carry germline mutations that result in the substitution of one of five cysteine residues in exon 10 and 11. Different mutations in exons 13, 14 and 15 affecting non-cysteine residues have also been described but are considered to be rare. We now for the first time report a double mutation of the RET proto-oncogene occurring in the germline of a kindred with FMTC. Both mutations occur within the tyrosine kinase domain in exon 14 and lead to the substitution of valine 804 by methionine and arginine 844 by leucine. Since the double mutated allele cosegregated with the disease and was not identified in 200 unrelated normal probands, we conclude that they represent mutations that predispose the individual to the development of FMTC with a mild phenotype.

Adolescent↗

How asymptomatic is asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism?

We observed several cases of patients who believed they were free of symptoms or signs of primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) preoperatively. reported a change of complaints following parathyroidectomy (PTX). We, therefore, decided to examine a larger group of patients to discover if these findings were incidental or of more general significance. The role of PTX in these patients with asymptomatic pHPT remains controversial. In 1991 criteria were defined at a NIH-consensus conference, according to which patients qualify for either operative therapy or long term medical surveillance. Until now, it was generally believed that the majority of asymptomatic patients would never develop symptoms. In a epidemiological cohort-study, the perioperative data of 582 consecutive patients with pHPT, including 116 asymptomatic patients (20.9%), who underwent parathyroidectomy between 1987 and 1998 were evaluated by uni- and multivariate analysis. At a median of 72 months postoperatively, all patients underwent a planned follow-up which included a standardised, validated questionnaire, physical examination and laboratory investigations. Eighty-six patients who were asymptomatic preoperatively were available for follow-up. Only eight (9.3%) were definitely asymptomatic, 4.6% of the entire, representative cohort. Postoperative improvement was reported in 81.4% of the "asymptomatic" patients. Multivariate analysis did not reveal a single or a set of preoperative measurements, that would allow to predict the retrospectively definitely asymptomatic patient. PTX resulted in normocalcaemia in 98.8% of preoperatively asymptomatic patients, with an operative morbidity of 1.2% and no mortality. Many apparently asymptomatic patients with pHPT will only realise that they did in fact have preoperative symptoms in retrospect, following PTX. This study suggests that using an up-to-date definition of asymptomatic pHPT, there are only a small number of truly asymptomatic patients and that these cannot be predicted preoperatively, as their symptoms may become apparent only after PTX. "Asymptomatic" patients with pHPT may share the same objective and subjective benefits from PTX as symptomatic patients. They should be operated as soon as the diagnosis is established.

Calcium↗

Hydrogel-based non-autologous cell and tissue therapy.

Many diseases are closely tied to deficient or subnormal metabolic and secretory cell functions. Milder forms of these diseases can be managed by a variety of treatments. However, it is often extremely difficult or even impossible to imitate the moment-to-moment fine regulation and the complex roles of the hormone, factor or enzyme that is not sufficiently produced by the body. Immunoisolated transplantation is one of the most promising approaches to overcome the limitations of current treatments. Non-autologous (transformed) cell lines and allogeneic and xenogeneic cells/tissues that release the therapeutic substances are enclosed in immunoprotective microcapsules. The microcapsules avoid a lifetime of immunosuppressive therapy while excluding an immune response in the host. Research in this direction has shown the feasibility of microcapsules based on hydrogels (particularly of alginate) for transplantation of non-autologous cells and tissue fragments. Numerous technical accomplishments of the immunoisolation method have recently made possible the first successful long-term clinical applications. However, realizing the potential of immunoisolated therapy requires the use of several factors that have received limited attention in the past but are important for the formulation of hydrogel-based immunoisolation systems that are highly versatile, potentially economical and can gain medical approval.

Alginates↗

[Validation of a diagnostic scoring system (Ohmann score) in acute appendicitis].

A diagnostic scoring system, recently published by Ohmann et al. in this journal, was validated by analyzing the clinicopathological data of a consecutive series of 2,359 patients, admitted for suspicion of acute appendicitis. The results of the scoring system were compared to the results of clinical evaluation by junior (provisional) and senior surgeons (final clinical diagnosis). To assess the diagnostic ability of the score, the accuracy and positive predictive value were defined as the major diagnostic performance parameters; the rate of theoretical negative laparotomies and that of diagnostic errors served as the major procedural performance parameters. Of 2,359 patients admitted for suspected acute appendicitis, 662 were proven to have acute appendicitis by histology, for a prevalence of 28%. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the provisional clinical diagnosis were 0.50, 0.94, 0.77, 0.83, and 0.82; 0.93, for the score 0.63, 0.93, 0.77, 0.86 and 0.84, and for the final clinical diagnosis 0.90, 0.94, 0.85, 0.96, and 0.93, respectively. Of the main diagnostic performance parameter, the accuracy of the score was significantly better than that of provisional clinical diagnosis (P < 0.05, chi 2 test). The score yielded a rate of negative appendecomies and laparotomies of 14.3 and 12.3%. With respect to the rate of overlooked cases of acute apendicitis, the score demonstrated a superior performance, with only 6 cases missed (0.9%). However, the number of patients with acute appendicitis, including those with perforated disease, who were not identified by the score, was almost four times that of the final clinical diagnosis (245 vs 63). With regard to the main procedural performance parameter, the score resulted in a significantly smaller number of diagnostic errors than the provisional clinical investigator (P < 0.05, chi 2 test). The results of this study indicate that the diagnostic scoring system might be helpful when experienced investigators or additional diagnostic modalities such as ultrasonography are not available. It may therefore be of value in the preclinical evaluation of patients with suspected acute appendicitis and may be instrumental as a quality control tool and in clinical guidelines.

Acute Disease↗

Amitogenic alginates: key to first clinical application of microencapsulation technology.

Microencapsulation refers to a technique of immunoisolation by coating single cells or tissue with a semipermeable membrane. By combining microencapsulation with a specific tissue culturing method, iso-, allo-, and xenotransplantation of parathyroid tissue has been achieved without immunosuppression in a long-term animal model. Prior to its clinical use, continued analyses of the alginate, used as a coating substance, determined its mitogenic properties. Purification of the commercially available alginate was achieved using patented electrophoretic procedures, resulting in an amitogenic alginate suitable for use in humans. However, this alginate exhibited entirely different physical properties. We have recently shown that isotransplanted parathyroid tissue remains vital and functioning in vivo over long periods of time using the novel amitogenic alginate. It is essential to document, whether the alginate is able to maintain immunoisolation. We have therefore assessed its in vivo function compared to the mitogenic alginate in a transgenic animal model. Altogether 600 parathyroid glands from 300 Lewis rats (donor animals) were excised and subjected to tissue culture. Thereafter they were allotransplanted to 30 parathyroidectomized Dark-Auita rats, microencapsulated with the amitogenic or the mitogenic alginate or naked, with 10 recipient animals in each group. Total serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels were monitored continuously at weekly intervals for 30 weeks. After 26 weeks the transplant beds were excised and subjected to histologic examination. More than 6 months after allotransplantation 9 of 10 animals that had received amitogenic transplants, compared to 7 of 10 animals in the group with mitogenic microcapsules were normocalcemic. Animals that had received naked parathyroid tissue were hypocalcemic as soon as 2 weeks after allotransplantation. Correspondingly, normocalcemic animals showed vital parathyroid tissue inside the microcapsules, which were surrounded by a significantly smaller rim of fibroblasts when amitogenic alginate had been used. In addition to confirming physiologic long-term function, we were able to document for the first time that immunoisolation can also be achieved with the novel amitogenic alginate, which is suitable for clinical use.

Alginates↗

Hepatic-portal venous gas in acute colonic diverticulitis.

The diagnosis and assessment of severity of acute colonic diverticulitis may be difficult. A case is presented, in which the delayed diagnosis of diverticulitis resulted in the development of a diverticular mesocolic abscess complicated by hepatic-portal venous gas (HPVG). The utility of ultrasound as a rapid, noninvasive tool to diagnose this distinctly rare condition is outlined. The literature on HPVG associated with acute colonic diverticulitis is reviewed, and the therapeutic options are discussed.

Abscess↗

Effect of repeated immobilization on serotonin metabolism in different rat brain areas and on serum corticosterone.

The effect of daily repeated 10 min immobilization on the serotoninergic neurotransmission and serum corticosterone levels was studied. Male Lewis rats were immobilized for a 10 min period daily once or on 5 consecutive days. Serotoninergic neurotransmission was followed using differential in vivo pulse voltammetry with carbon fibre electrodes measuring extracellular 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels. Recordings were performed in brain areas involved in the control of behaviour, mood, and stress response such as the frontal cortex, the hippocampal CA-3 and dentate gyrus, the striatum, and the raphe nuclei dorsalis (NRD) and medialis (MRN). The first immobilization resulted in an increase of the extracellular 5-HIAA levels in all areas under study, except the striatum where no reaction was observed. The major effect was recorded in the frontal cortex, showing an increase of about 400% as compared to control, which lasted for 3h after the end of the immobilization period. Beginning on day 2 in all areas, except the striatum, a consecutive habituation to the stressor seemed to occur, since the stress-induced increase in the voltammetric signal was found to be reduced after consecutive immobilization. Serum corticosterone levels were measured directly after a single and after 5 daily immobilization periods. After single immobilization the serum corticosterone level was found to be about 270 ng/ml. After the 5th immobilization about 300 ng/ml were detected. These differences were not found to be significant. In summary, our data indicate that the serotonin metabolism shows habituation in nearly all brain areas after repeated immobilization, though the corticosterone level at the end of the immobilization period was comparable after single and repeated immobilization.

Animals↗

Influence of ultrasound on clinical decision making in acute appendicitis: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of ultrasound (US) as part of an algorithm to establish the indication for laparotomy in patients with suspected acute appendicitis. DESIGN: Prospective investigation. SETTING: University department of surgery, Germany. SUBJECTS: 669 unselected patients admitted with suspected acute appendicitis. INTERVENTIONS: Clinicopathological and procedural diagnoses of the algorithm were evaluated by correlating clinical and US findings with the results of laparotomy in 171 patients of whom 143 had acute appendicitis (prevalence 21%), and clinical as well as follow up data in the remainder. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The major clinicopathological variables were accuracy and positive predictive value; the rate of negative laparotomies and that of bad diagnostic errors served as the main procedural variables. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the clinical diagnosis were 0.503, 0.950, and 0.855, respectively (positive predictive value: PPV 0.734, negative predictive value: NPV 0.875), those of ultrasound: 0.797, 0.967, and 0.931 (PPV 0.870, NPV 0.946); and 0.853, 0.927, and 0.940 at the end of the algorithm (PPV 0.762, NPV 0.958). However, the algorithm would have resulted in a significant increase in the rate of unnecessary laparotomies (from 13% to 16%). A revised clinical algorithm gave an overall diagnostic accuracy of 0.940 (p < 0.001) together with a low rate of negative laparotomies (11%, p < 0.01) and a significantly reduced number of diagnostic errors (from 71 to 21, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography enabled us to diagnose acute appendicitis in more patients more often and more quickly than clinical evaluation alone, suggesting that US may produce a better outcome. The revised clinical algorithm may be helpful in the study of US in patients with suspected acute appendicitis in prospective randomised controlled clinical trials.

Acute Disease↗

[Effect of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis on hemodynamic stability during surgery: detection of complex interaction in a simulated clinical randomized animal study].

In a clinic modelling randomised trial (CMRT) in three groups of 10 land-race pietren pigs each it could be shown that the influence of prophylactic antibiotic administration on intraoperative hemodynamic stability and histamine release is only evident, if by stepwise addition of complicating factors the overall complexity of the experimental setting is increased. Different antibiotic regimen for prophylaxis significantly affected the incidence of cardiovascular instabilities only after relevant blood loss, restoration of circulation and subsequent submaximal induction of anaphylactoid reactions by the histamine liberator Polymyxin B. In conclusion, preclinical testing of therapeutic agents in complex clinic modelling randomised trials should be mandatory to avoid the possible hazards of misconducted clinical trials.

Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination↗

[Heterologous transplantation of human parathyroid glands after microencapsulation with clinically suitable alginate : long-term function without immunosuppression in the animal model].

The role of parathyroid transplantation for the therapy of permanent hypoparathyroidism is undisputed. Because the parathyroid hormone deficiency syndromee rarely every is a vital thread to patients affected, systemic immunosuppression for transplant recipients is not justified. A technique of microencapsulation was modified for transplantation of parathyroid tissue. Using a core substance suitable for clinical use (amitogenic alginate), we accomplished allotransplantation of functioning parathyroid tissue in the long-term animal model and, very recently, reported first clinical cases without postoperative immunosuppression. In a controlled animal model of totally parathyroidectomized rats (PTX, two groups of n = 40), we investigated the ability of microencapsulation with the amitogenic alginate to enable transplantation across the highest immunological barrier (xenotransplantation: human-rat); to ensure intact transplant function and to protect from rejection. Rat parathyroid hormone (PTHRA i.S.) and serum calcium levels served as parameters of completeness of PTX; intact human PTH (PTHRA i.S.) and serum calcium levels of recipient animals were used to assess graft function. Also, tissue integrity within explanted capsules was assessed by histology. Cultured and microencapsulated parathyroid tissue resumes and maintains function in vivo, even if transplanted across the highest immunological barrier. Functionally, PTHHU i.S. replaced (PTHRA i.S.) in PTX animals entirely and restored normocalcemia. These results suggest, that xeno-transplantation of the parathyroids can be achieved without postoperative immuno-suppression in a long term animal model. These data also imply the possibility of clinical heterotransplantation of parathyroid glands.

Alginates↗