Does large scale evaluation of WHO 's ultrasonographic staging system of schistosomal periportal fibrosis in Ethiopia?
With further improvement, the WHO's ultrasonographic diagnostic criteria can be used in health institutions and community surveys. Image pattern based assessment is simple and more reproducible than PBWT based assessment of periportal thickening/fibrosis. The latter is, however, more useful in clarifying the status of an individual with doubtful image pattern, and in monitoring post-treatment outcome of periportal thickening/fibrosis. Considering the comparability of PBWT-for-height standards, setting one international standard of PBWT-for-height is more practical than developing local standards for each endemic area.
Patients with septic shock with higher plasma ACTH values presented a subnormal response to the HDCST. The number of patients who failed to the HDCST was higher as plasma ACTH increased.