Predictive Performance of Ultrasound-Determined Non-Alcoholic Fatty Pancreas Disease Severity for Intermediate and High Risk of Coronary Heart Disease

PURPOSE@#To evaluate non-alcoholic fatty pancreas disease severity on ultrasound (US-determined NAFPD) as a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) and to evaluate its predictive value for intermediate/high CHD risk compared with US-determined non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (US-determined NAFLD) severity.@*MATERIALS AND METHODS@#A retrospective analysis of 544 young adults, aged 18–40 years, was performed. NAFPD and NAFLD were classified as absent, mild, moderate, and severe. CHD risk was calculated using the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). Correlation, multivariate logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to compare the predictive performance.@*RESULTS@#FRS increased with increasing US-determined NAFPD severity (r = 0.624, p < 0.001), with a concomitant increase in the odds ratio for intermediate/high CHD risk. There was no difference between the predictive performance of US-determined NAFLD and NAFPD severities for intermediate/high CHD risk (p = 0.17). The combination of US-determined NAFPD and NAFLD severities significantly improved the differentiation between intermediate and high CHD risk (predictive value, 0.807; p < 0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#US-determined NAFPD severity was well-correlated with FRS and associated with the prevalence of intermediate/high CHD risk. The combination of US-determined NAFPD and NAFLD severities may be useful for predicting CHD risk.

Acromegaly with Normal Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Levels and Congestive Heart Failure as the First Clinical Manifestation

The leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with acromegaly is cardiovascular complications. Myocardial exposure to excessive growth hormone can cause ventricular hypertrophy, hypertension, arrhythmia, and diastolic dysfunction. However, congestive heart failure as a result of systolic dysfunction is observed only rarely in patients with acromegaly. Most cases of acromegaly exhibit high levels of serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Acromegaly with normal IGF-1 levels is rare and difficult to diagnose. Here, we report a rare case of an acromegalic patient whose first clinical manifestation was severe congestive heart failure, despite normal IGF-1 levels. We diagnosed acromegaly using a glucose-loading growth hormone suppression test. Cardiac function and myocardial hypertrophy improved 6 months after transsphenoidal resection of a pituitary adenoma.

The Value of Assessing Myocardial Deformation at Recovery after Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether performing an assessment of myocardial deformation using speckle tracking imaging during the recovery period after dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) allows detection of significant coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with chest discomfort. METHODS: DSE and coronary angiography were performed in 44 patients with chest discomfort. The mean global longitudinal peak systolic strain (GLS) was measured at rest, at low stress (dobutamine infusion rate of 10 microg/kg/min) and at recovery (5 min after cessation of dobutamine infusion) of DSE using automated function imaging with apical views. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) was also performed in patients with intermediate coronary stenosis. CAD was defined as having a > or = 70% diameter stenosis on coronary angiography or as having a FFR < 0.8. Patients were divided two groups based on the absence or presence of CAD [CAD (-) group vs. CAD (+) group]. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the clinical characteristics and results of conventional echocardiography between the two groups. GLS at recovery was lower in the CAD (+) group than in the CAD (-) group (-18.0 +/- 3.4% vs. -21.0 +/- 1.9%, p = 0.003). The optimal cutoff of GLS at recovery for detection of CAD was -19% (sensitivity of 70.6%, specificity of 83.3%). CONCLUSION: Assessment of GLS at recovery of DSE is a reliable and objective method for detection of CAD. This finding may suggest that systolic myocardial stunning remains even after recovery of wall motion abnormalities in patients with CAD.

A Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults Patient Manifesting Severe Musculoskeletal Complications

Patients with diabetes have many different kinds of complications involving multiple organs, but those involving the musculoskeletal system are relatively uncommon. Diabetic muscle infarction (DMI) is a rare, painful, and potentially serious condition in patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. A 35-year-old man diagnosed with type 2 diabetes eight years ago, visited with severe muscle pain in the right anteromedial thigh without any event of trauma. He had been treated with metformin, but his glycemic control was very poor with a glycated hemoglobin of 14.5%. Evaluation of his painful thigh lesion did not reveal any evidence of infection or vasculitis, but the magnetic resonance imaging and bone scan showed findings of DMI at vastus medialis muscle and an insufficiency fracture at the right medial tibial condyle. He was diagnosed with retinopathy, neuropathy and microalbuminuria but not macrovascular complications. We also diagnosed his diabetes as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) based on his low C-peptide level, positive anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibody and early onset diabetes. Instead of antibiotics, bed rest, analgesics and strict blood glucose control with multiple daily insulin injections led to symptom improvement. This is an unusual case of a young man with LADA experiencing severe musculoskeletal complication of DMI and insufficiency fracture. If a poorly controlled diabetic patient appears to have unaccounted soft tissue pain, musculoskeletal complications such as DMI associated with hyperglycemia should be considered.

Epidural Hemorrhage Following Lumbar Epidural Block in LBP Patient without Coagulopathy: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

A 61-year old woman without the history of unusual bleeding diasthesis underwent epidural blockade for the relief of lower back pain (LBP). One hour after the epidural block, patient complained of progressive lower back pain and developed depressed dorsiflexion (Grade 0) of great toe in both feet. Diagnosis utilizing magnetic resonance imaging, showed epidural hemorrhage extending from T6 to S1. A neurosurgery consult obtained, and emergent decompressive laminectomy with hematoma evacuation was performed. Operation was successful and patient recovered satisfactory without any sequelae.

The Effects of Remifentanil to Prevent the Hemodynamic Changes to Mouth Gag Insertion in Tonsillectomy

BACKGROUND: The insertion of a mouth gag causes acute hemodynamic changes such as hypertension and tachycardia. Several adjuvant drugs have been used to attenuate such responses. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of remifentanil in preventing the hemodynamic changes associated with the insertion of mouth gag after a remifentanil injection. METHODS: Thirty children, ASA1 or 2, who were scheduled for elective surgery, were divided randomly into two groups; group I (placebo; normal saline 0.05 ml/kg, n = 15), and group II (remifentanil 0.05microg/kg, n = 15). After inducing general anesthesia with thiopental sodium (5 mg/kg) and rocuronium (0.06 mg/kg), anesthesia was maintained by the inhalation of sevoflurane 2 vol% in N2O/O2 (50/50) via an endotracheal tube. The patients in group I and II received normal saline 0.05 ml/kg, and remifentanil 0.05microg/kg 1 minute before inserting the mouth gag, respectively. The patients' blood pressure heart rate were measured before and after inserting mouth gag. RESULTS: The hemodynamic changes in group I were minimal after inserting the mouth gag compared with group II. CONCLUSIONS: Remifentanil is effective in attenuating the increase in blood pressure and heart rate after inserting a mouth gag.