The Journal of Bucharest College of Physicians and the Romanian Academy of Medical Sciences

Mihnea Costescu

Mihnea Costescu

The Impact of Vertebroplasty on Sagittal Parameters in Traumatic Thoracic Vertebral Fractures

Objective: It is well-established that vertebroplasty has effects on sagittal parameters due to various pathologies of the spine. Our objective in the study was to reveal the impact of vertebroplasty that was applied to compression fractures due to trauma on sagittal parameters.
Material and Method: Twenty patients were included in the study. Scoliosis radiographs were shot preoperatively and at first month during the postoperative period. Spinopelvic parameters of each patient including pelvic incidence (PI), sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), lumbar lordosis (LL), thoracic kyphosis (TK), thoracolumbar kyphosis (TLK), cervical lordosis (CL), and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were assessed. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) assessments of the patients were performed as well.
Results: Spinopelvic parameter values of the patients were assessed statistically through the analysis of the Paired sample T test before surgery and in the first month during the postoperative period. It was determined that the changes in the PT, SS and LL values of the patients between preoperative and first month postoperative were at the level of p=0.659, p=0.716, p=0.012; and the changes were not significant. It was determined that the changes in the TL, TK, CL, SVA, VAS and ODI values of the patients between preoperative and first month postoperative were at the level of p <0.001and the changes were significant.
Conclusion: Vertebroplasty is an efficient technique for relieving pain in thoracic fractures that have a score of 4 and over, based on the thoracolumbar injury classification score and that are type A, based on the AO Spine thoracolumbar injury classification score. Elimination of pain in the acute period is effective in ameliorating the sagittal parameters of patients.

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The Effect of Timolol on the Iris Vascular Tone in Rats

Vascular tone is generally controlled by both the humoral component and the neuro-vegetative component. Regarding the second one, catecholaminergic sympathetic innervation of blood vessels is almost a rule in the body[1,2].
It is known that the iris is sympathetically inner-vated, both at the level of the iris dilator muscle[1,2] and at the level of iris blood vessels[3]. Cathecolamines are responsible for vasoconstriction and, in some vascular beds, vasodilation. [...]

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Pharmacodynamics of Serotonin. Emphasis on 5HT-3 Antagonists and SSRI Medication (II)

5-HT4 receptors are a G-protein-coupled family of re-ceptors coupled with Gs protein that stimulates the pro-duction of the intracellular signaling molecule cAMP. It has two isoforms (5-HT4S and 5-HT4L), differing in the length and sequence of their C-termini[1]. 5-HT4 are present both in the central nervous system and peripheral tissues
in the brain, are found mostly in basal ganglia and the hippocampus[2]. In the periphery, 5HT4 play an important role in the functioning of gastrointestinal tract, urinary bladder, heart and adrenal gland. Gastrointestinal 5-HT4 receptors potentiate peristalsis, and electrolyte secretion. In the urinary bladder, acti-vation of 5-HT4 receptors modulates cholinergic and purinergic transmission. Stimulation of atrial 5-HT4 receptors produces tachycardia and arrhythmias. In the adrenal gland, activation of 5-HT4 receptors releases cortisol, aldosterone and corticosterone[3]. [...]

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