Rush University Medical Center

About: Rush University Medical Center is a healthcare organization based out in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Dementia. The organization has 13915 authors who have published 29027 publications receiving 1379216 citations. The organization is also known as: Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center.

Clinicopathological findings following intraventricular glial-derived neurotrophic factor treatment in a patient with Parkinson's disease.

Abstract: As part of a safety and tolerability study, a 65-year-old man with Parkinson's disease (PD) received monthly intracerebroventricular injections of glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). His parkinsonism continued to worsen following intracerebroventricular GDNF treatment. Side effects included nausea, loss of appetite, tingling, L'hermitte's sign, intermittent hallucinations, depression, and inappropriate sexual conduct. There was no evidence of significant regeneration of nigrostriatal neurons or intraparenchymal diffusion of the intracerebroventricular GDNF to relevant brain regions. Alternative GDNF delivery systems should be explored.

Cerebral infarctions and the likelihood of dementia from Alzheimer disease pathology.

Abstract: Background: Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. The effect of cerebral infarctions on the likelihood of dementia from AD pathology is not well understood. Methods: The study included 153 deceased Catholic clergy who participated in the Religious Orders Study. Annual evaluations, including 19 tests of cognitive function, were performed to determine a diagnosis of dementia and level of cognitive abilities proximate to death. At autopsy, neuritic and diffuse plaques and neurofibrillary tangles were counted and combined into a standardized summary measure of AD pathology. Number, volume, side, and distribution of old macroscopic infarctions were recorded. Analyses included logistic and linear regression, adjusting for age, sex, and education. Results: The AD pathology score ranged from 0 to 2.93 units, and 54 persons had infarctions. There was no relationship between AD pathology and infarctions ( r = 0.04, p = 0.56). Each unit of AD pathology increased the odds of dementia by 4.40-fold (95% CI = 2.33 to 8.32), and this was essentially unchanged after accounting for infarctions. The presence of one or more infarctions independently increased the odds of dementia by 2.80-fold (95% CI = 1.26 to 6.21). There was no interaction between AD pathology and infarctions to further increase the likelihood of dementia ( p = 0.39). The number, size, and distribution of infarctions added to the odds of dementia but also did not show an interaction with AD pathology. Similar results were found in analyses with global cognitive function and five different cognitive systems. Conclusion: Cerebral infarctions independently contribute to the likelihood of dementia but do not interact with AD pathology to increase the likelihood of dementia beyond their additive effect.

Timing of Complications in Percutaneous Renal Biopsy

Abstract: Percutaneous renal biopsy (PRB) is a safe and effective tool in the diagnosis and management of renal disease; however, the optimal timing of observation after biopsy is not clearly established. With the use of real-time ultrasound guidance, PRB of native kidneys was performed in 750 adult patients at an academic institution by an attending nephrologist or fellow between June 1983 and June 2002. All patients were observed for 23 to 24 h after biopsy for the presence, severity, and timing of complications. Biopsy-related complications occurred in 98 (13%) patients; minor complications occurred in 50 (6.6%) patients, and major complications occurred in 48 (6.4%) patients. One (0.1%) patient died as a result of the biopsy. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression found only serum creatinine at baseline predictive of a complication. Patients with a serum creatinine > or = 5.0 mg/dl were 2.3 times as likely to have a complication (odds ratio, 2.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 4.1; P or = 33% of complications.

Clinical review: Myocardial depression in sepsis and septic shock

Abstract: Myocardial dysfunction frequently accompanies severe sepsis and septic shock. Whereas myocardial depression was previously considered a preterminal event, it is now clear that cardiac dysfunction as evidenced by biventricular dilatation and reduced ejection fraction is present in most patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. Myocardial depression exists despite a fluid resuscitation-dependent hyperdynamic state that typically persists in septic shock patients until death or recovery. Cardiac function usually recovers within 7–10 days in survivors. Myocardial dysfunction does not appear to be due to myocardial hypoperfusion but due to circulating depressant factors, including the cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha and IL-1β. At a cellular level, reduced myocardial contractility seems to be induced by both nitric oxide-dependent and nitric oxide-independent mechanisms. The present paper reviews both the clinical manifestations and the molecular/cellular mechanisms of sepsis-induced myocardial depression.