"Filarial dance sign" real-time ultrasound diagnosis of filarial oophoritis

Filariasis is a parasitic disease caused by Filarial nematodes (Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori) that commonly causes lymphatic obstruction resulting in edema and increase in the size of the affected organ. Filariasis is diagnosed by identifying microfilariae on Giemsa stain. The immunochromatographic card test is diagnostic. Ultrasound is the imaging modality of choice for detecting adult filarial worms/microfilaria in the lymphatic system, which are responsible for the classic "filarial dance sign" caused by twirling movements of the microfilariae. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 44:500-501, 2016.

The Changing Face of Femoral Artery False Aneurysms

OBJECTIVES

To review the aetiology and method of treatment of all femoral artery false aneurysms from a single centre during the last 9 years.

DESIGN

Retrospective case-note study.

METHODS

All patients with a diagnosis of false aneurysm were identified from the hospital data-base between January 1995 and September 2003. A manual search of the case-notes was performed, and data collected on the location, cause and method of repair of the false aneurysm. For all patients with a diagnosis of femoral artery false aneurysm, the patients' medical and drug history and admission time attributable to the false aneurysm were recorded.

RESULTS

One hundred and seven patients were identified. Seventy-nine had false aneurysms of the femoral artery. The majority (40.5%) were caused by coronary angiography, the second commonest cause being breakdown of previous graft anastomosis (29.1%). Over time, the method of treatment became increasingly radiological (most commonly ultrasound-guided thrombin injection), resulting in a significantly reduced hospital admission time (P=0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of femoral artery false aneurysms appears to be increasing. This is largely a result of an increase in the number of cardiac interventional and diagnostic procedures performed. The introduction of ultrasound-guided thrombin-injection has reduced the inpatient stay of patients with femoral false aneurysms.

Perception of exercise induced asthma by children and their parents

BACKGROUND

Exercise induced asthma (EIA) plays an important role in clinical evaluation. There has been little previous work validating EIA as reported directly by children and indirectly by their parents.

AIMS

(1) To determine the strength of the association between children's symptoms of EIA and their physiological response to exercise in a laboratory setting. (2) To compare parents' perception of EIA with that of their children. (3) To seek factors influencing the perception of EIA.

METHODS

Forty three asthmatic children and their parents answered a questionnaire, which included measures of symptom perception in EIA using visual analogue (VAS) and Likert scales. The children underwent a standardised treadmill exercise challenge, using spirometry to measure the physiological outcome, after which they and their parents independently completed the symptom scores. Twenty four subjects agreed to return for a second visit, in order to assess repeatability.

RESULTS

The VAS and Likert scales were highly correlated. Children's symptom perception as measured by change in VAS scores related weakly to change in FEV(1) after exercise, and was unaffected by confounding factors such as age, gender, medication, and habitual exercise. Parents' perception of symptoms was unrelated to any physiological measure. There was no significant relation between parent and child VAS scores after exercise, and there was poor agreement between the Likert scale scores after exercise. The repeatability of the perception of change in FEV(1) after exercise was poor for both parents and children.

CONCLUSION

Physicians should obtain reports of EIA from children rather than parents, but be aware of their limited accuracy and repeatability.