Sarah A. Twichell¹, Corinna J. Rea¹, Patrice Melvin², Andrew J. Capraro¹, Joshua C. Mandel¹, Michael A. Ferguson¹, Daniel J. Nigrin¹, Kenneth D. Mandl¹, Dionne Graham², Justin P. Zachariah³

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 484-490, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12469

Abstract Background: Recognition of high blood pressure (BP) in children is poor, partly due to the need to compute age-sex-height referenced percentiles. This study examined the change in abnormal BP recognition before versus after the introduction of an electronic health record (EHR) app designed to calculate BP percentiles with a training lecture.
Methods and results: Clinical data were extracted on all ambulatory, non-urgent encounters for children 3–18 years old seen in primary care, endocrinology, cardiology, or nephrology clinics at an urban, academic hospital in the year before and the year after app introduction. Outpatients with at least 1… More >

Nicola Maschietto¹, Luca Semplicini², Giulio Ceolotto², Arianna Cattelan², Helen Poser³, Ilaria Iacopetti³, Gabriele Gerardi³, Giulia Maria De Benedictis³, Tommaso Pilla³, Daniele Bernardini³, Luca Aresu⁴, Stefania Rizzo⁵, Cristina Basso⁵, Andrea Semplicini², Ornella Milanesi¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.1, pp. 74-83, 2017

Abstract Background: Stent implantation is the treatment of choice for adolescents and adults with aortic coarctation (CoAo). Despite excellent short-term results, 20%–40% of the patients develop arterial hypertension later in life, which was attributed to inappropriate response of the aortic baroreceptors to increased stiffness of the ascending aorta (ASAO), either congenital or induced by CoAo repair. In particular, it has been hypothesized that stent itself may cause or sustain hypertension. Therefore, we aimed to study the hemodynamic and structural impact following stent implantation in the normal aorta of a growing animal.
Methods: Eight female sheep completed the study… More >

Ryan S. Hsi¹, Christopher J. Welty¹, Mathew D. Sorensen¹, Aashiyana F. Koreishi², Hunter Wessells¹

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.20, No.1, pp. 6646-6648, 2013

Abstract We report the first known case of concurrent partial cystectomy and cesarean delivery in a pregnant female with bladder pheochromocytoma. A 28-year-old G4P2 female presented at 28 weeks gestation with labile blood pressures requiring three antihypertensive medications. Urinary catecholamines were elevated, and a subsequent MRI showed a 2.6 cm x 3.2 cm bladder wall mass. She underwent combined cesarian section and partial cystectomy at 37 weeks. Fluid resuscitation and vasopressors were required in the immediate postoperative period. While bladder pheochromocytoma with pregnancy is a rare occurrence, concurrent delivery and removal of the bladder tumor can More >

Wei Huang^∗,†, Yi Wah Mak^*, Peter C. Y. Chen^‡§

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.8, No.2, pp. 91-104, 2011, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2011.008.091

Abstract A molecular configuration tensor Pij was introduced to analyze the distribution of fibrous proteins in vascular cells for studying cells and tissues biomechanics. We have used this technique to study the biomechanics of vascular remodeling in response to the changes of blood pressure and flow. In this paper, the remodeling of the geometrical arrangement of F-actin fibers in the smooth muscle cells in rat's pulmonary arteries in hypoxic hypertension was studied. The rats were exposed to a hypoxia condition of 10% for 0, 2, 12, and 24 hr at sea level. Remodeling of blood vessels… More >

Franklin Lee, David S. Aaronson, Sarah Blaschko, Phil Barbosa, Alex K. Wu, Michael Eisenberg, Bradley A. Erickson, Jack W. McAninch

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.17, No.3, pp. 5232-5235, 2010

Abstract Objectives: To report two cases of secondary pulmonary hypertension resulting from microsphere extravasation following selective arterial embolization of renal angiomyolipoma, its diagnosis, and management.
Methods: We reviewed the cases of two patients at the University of California, San Francisco, treated with selective arterial embolization for management of their angiomyolipoma (AML) using Tris-Acryl Gelatin Microspheres.
Results: Both patients were women, ages 51 and 77. Indications for treatment were the following: Patient 1 was treated for a large asymptomatic AML. Patient 2 was treated for a symptomatic, bleeding AML. Both patients developed progressive hypoxia following selective arterial embolization using Tris-Acryl More >

Niki Brenner^*, Robert Kopetschke^*, Manfred Ventz, Christian J. Strasburger, Marcus Quinkler, Helga Gerl

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.15, No.1, pp. 3924-3927, 2008

Abstract Ectopic secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is an infrequent cause of Cushing´s syndrome. We report a case of ectopic ACTH syndrome caused by a pheochromocytoma. A 53-year-old female with clinical features of Cushing´s syndrome presented with serious recurrent hypertensive crisis. Endocrinological investigation confirmed the diagnosis of ectopic ACTH production and revealed markedly elevated urinary catecholamines leading to the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. Abdominal computerized tomography (CT) scan showed a 3.5 cm left adrenal mass and a nodular hypertrophic right adrenal gland. Bilateral selective adrenal vein catheterization suggested bilateral pheochromocytoma. After treatment with phenoxybenzamine, bilateral adrenalectomy was More >

Ahmed S. Safwat, Nabil K. Bissada

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.14, No.6, pp. 3757-3760, 2007

Abstract Objective: Pheochromocytoma of the urinary bladder is rare. Herein, we report our experience with pheochromocytoma of the urinary bladder in three patients.
Materials and methods: Records of three consecutive patients diagnosed with bladder pheochromocytoma were reviewed. Patients' age, sex, presentation, associated conditions, diagnostic and imaging modalities utilized, management and follow up were recorded.
Results: The three patients included one child and two adults. An 11-year-old female presented with hematuria and bladder mass. Transurethral biopsy was non-diagnostic and she underwent partial cystectomy with eventual diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. Of the two adults, one was a 35-year-old female with history… More >

Thomas Makris, Georgios Stavroulakis, Demetrios Papadopoulos, Ioannis Paizis, Panagiota Krespi, Caterina Tsoukala, Antonios Hatzizacharias, Vasilios Votteas

European Cytokine Network, Vol.17, No.2, pp. 137-141, 2006

Abstract White coat hypertension (WCH) or isolated clinic hypertension is generally accepted to be a benign condition, although some reports have suggested that it may be associated with an increased cardiovascular event rate or other cardiovascular alterations. It has been previously shown that essential hypertension (EH) is associated with abnormalities in haemostatic/fibrinolytic balance and endothelial function. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of WCH on fibrinolytic balance and endothelial function by measuring plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), tissue plasminogen activator antigen (tPA), fibrinogen, and thrombomodulin. These markers were determined in More >

ALICIA VIVIANA LAPIERRE, MARIA ELENA ARCE, JOSÉ RAUL LOPEZ, GLADYS MARÍA CIUFFO.

BIOCELL, Vol.30, No.3, pp. 447-455, 2006, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2006.30.447

Abstract Essential hypertension is considered a multifactorial trait resulting from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. The angiotensin II type 1 receptor mediates the vasoconstrictor and growthpromoting effects of Ang II. The A¹¹⁶⁶C polymorphism of the AT₁ receptor gene may be associated with cardiovascular phenotypes, such as high arterial blood pressure, aortic stiffness, and increased cardiovascular risk. We investigated the association between this A¹¹⁶⁶C polymorphism and hypertension in hypertense and normotense subjects from San Luis (Argentina) by mismatch PCR-RFLP analysis. Hypertense patients exhibited significant increases in lipid related values and body mass index. The frequency of occurrence… More >

Norma Risler, Claudia Castro, Montserrat Cruzado, Susana González, Roberto Miatello

BIOCELL, Vol.27, No.2, pp. 189-196, 2003, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2003.27.189

Abstract Remodeling of large and small arteries contributes to the development and complications of hypertension. Artery structural changes in chronic sustained hypertension include vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) proliferation and extracellular matrix (ECM) modifications. Extracellular constituents such as proteoglycans (PGs), may modulate vascular stiffness and VSMC growth and differentiation. We examined the effect of growth factors on secreted and membrane-bound PGs synthesis by cultured aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) from 12- to 14- week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and age-matched Wistar rats. After stimulation with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB), 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) or 0.1%… More >