The Effect of Low Molecular Weight Heparin in Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: Changes in Radial Uterine Artery Blood Flow and Peripheral Blood NK Cell Fraction.

Immunological alteration has been suggested as a cause of unexplained early recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). Natural killers (NKs) have been reported to play a role in vascular remodeling of decidual vessels. We aimed to find out if there is a relationship between peripheral blood NKs (pbNKs) and uterine radial artery (uRA) blood flow, and if low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is effective in improving uRA blood flow in RPL cases and pregnancy outcome.

Prospective study of the ability of serial measurements of serum chromogranin A and gastrin to detect changes in tumor burden in patients with gastrinomas.

Background: Assessment of tumor burden changes is essential for the management of patients with neuroendocrine gastrointestinal (GI) tumors. Chromogranin A (CgA) is a tumor marker for such tumors; however, to the authors' knowledge, there is little information on whether serial assessments can assess changes in tumor burden. In this prospective study of patients with gastrinomas, serial changes in serum CgA levels were compared with changes in levels of the specific tumor marker gastrin to determine whether they reflected changes in tumor burden.

Prospective study of the antitumor efficacy of long-term octreotide treatment in patients with progressive metastatic gastrinoma.

Background: Malignant pancreatic endocrine tumors (PETs) have a poor prognosis and existing antitumor treatments are unsatisfactory. Recent studies have shown somatostatin analogues to have antitumor growth effects in patients with malignant PETs; however, to the authors' knowledge, little information exists regarding their efficacy or effect on survival in patients with progressive malignant gastrinoma, the most common symptomatic malignant PET. The purpose of the current study was to study prospectively the efficacy, safety, and effect on survival of long-term treatment with octreotide in consecutive patients with progressive malignant gastrinoma.

Complications of gallstone disease: Mirizzi syndrome, cholecystocholedochal fistula, and gallstone ileus.

Gallstone is a common disease with a 10% prevalence in the United States and Western Europe. However, it is only symptomatic in 20-30% of patients, with biliary pain "colic" being the most common symptom. Complications of asymptomatic gallstone disease are generally rare, with an incidence of <1 %/yr.