Teresa Massardo

Changes in Regional Cerebral Blood Flow Are Associated With Endothelial Dysfunction Markers in Cocaine-dependent Patients Under Recent Abstinence

Objectives:Cocaine is a known risk factor for several vascular ischemic events. The underlying mechanisms leading to the complications are not fully understood, although thrombus formation and accelerated atherosclerosis are prominent findings. Evidence of endothelial dysfunction (ED), a key phenomenon in the pathogenesis of atherogenesis, has been demonstrated in cocaine-dependent individuals. Abnormal regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) is a common finding among chronic cocaine users. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether brain perfusion changes were associated with ED markers in cocaine-dependent individuals. Methods:Circulating endothelial cells (CECs), soluble intercellular cell adhesion molecule, and the chemokine regulated on activation normal T cells expressed and secreted were measured in 27 DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Fourth Edition) cocaine-dependents patients. Regional cerebral blood flow was assessed using single-photon emission computed tomography at baseline (after recent cocaine consumption) and after 4 weeks of strict abstinence under standard benzodiazepine or antipsychotic therapy. We used statistical parametric mapping analysis to evaluate the covariates. Results:Endothelial cell damage/activation markers were significantly higher in cocaine-dependent individuals after recent consumption and were reduced after 1-month abstinence (P < 0.05). Global rCBF exhibited no significant difference between baseline and after abstinence. When regional perfusion was analyzed in association with ED covariates, significant differences were observed in bilateral cortical areas, including the limbic lobes. Conclusions:We demonstrated an association between systemic ED markers and rCBF in cocaine-dependent patients. These findings suggest that vascular injury may play a role in the pathogenesis of abnormal rCBF.

Endogenous thyroid-stimulating hormone and radioactive iodine uptake in normal subjects.

In 105 normal volunteers, 52 male and 53 female, mean age 45 (range, 20-68), serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) (1.46 ± 0.7; range, 0.43-3.87 microUI/mL) and 24-hour thyroid radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) (16.15% ± 4.78% range, 6.45%-30.08%) were measured. Additionally, TSH was 1.18 ± 0.5 microUI/mL for 20 to 29 year-olds and 1.59 ± 0.9 microUI/mL for 60 to 68 year old (P = 0.037). RAIU was 18.30 ± 4.5 for 20 to 29-year-olds and 14.92 ± 3.1 for 60 to 68 year-olds (P = 0.009). TSH trends positively and RAIU at 24 hours correlates negatively with aging of the pituitary axis.

Depressive Disorders and Thyroid Function

A. Veronica Araya1, Teresa Massardo2, Jenny Fiedler3, Luis Risco4, Juan C. Quintana5 and Claudio Liberman1 1Endocrinology Section, Clinical Hospital of the University of Chile 2Nuclear Medicine Section, Clinical Hospital of the University of Chile 3Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile 4Psychiatric Clinic of the Clinical Hospital of the University of Chile 5Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile Chile

Actualización de protocolos de cardiología nuclear para evaluación y manejo de enfermedad coronaria: Sociedad Chilena de Cardiología y Cirugía Cardiovascular

Resumen: Se revisan los protocolos de cardiologia nuclear actuales, con enfasis en los estudios tomograficos de foton unico (“SPECT”) de perfusion miocardica principalmente en evaluacion de enfermedad corona-ria (EC). Las indicaciones y protocolos mas utilizados son detallados, asi como la actualizacion bibliografica pertinente, tanto al uso clinico como al control de ca-lidad e interpretacion de los estudios. Palabras clave: SPECT, perfusion miocardica, enfermedad coronaria. Articulo de revision Departamento de Imagenes Cardiovasculares No Invasivas.Sociedad Chilena de Cardiologia y Cirugia Cardiovascular. *Becario Programa de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital Clinico Universidad de Chile Correspondencia: Teresa Massardo M.D.Seccion Medicina Nuclear, Hospital Clinico Universidad de ChileSantos Dumont 999-1E, Independencia, Santiago, Chile.Zip Code: 6531063Fono Fax (562) 7770569 E-mail: tmassardo@redclinicauchile.cl Introduccion : Se revisan los protocolos de cardiologia nuclear, que han sido ya publicados en esta revista en los anos 1996 y 2004, con enfasis en los estudios tomograficos de fo-ton unico SPECT de perfusion miocardica en evaluacion de enfermedad coronaria (EC)