Spontaneous coronary artery dissection diagnosed by intravascular ultrasound and followed up by cardiac computed tomography

No abstract available.

Trends in Oral Anticoagulation Therapy Among Korean Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: The KORean Atrial Fibrillation Investigation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) such as warfarin provides effective stroke prophylaxis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We conducted a large multicenter survey of Korean patients with AF to determine trends in VKA use. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eligible patients were adults with AF that had been prescribed VKAs. Medical records from a total of 5616 patients {mean age 63.6+/-12.2 years, male 3150 (56.1%)} in 27 hospitals from Jan. 2001 to Oct. 2007 were reviewed. RESULTS: The mean international normalized ratio (INR) was 2.04+/-0.64, and mean dosage of VKA was 3.66+/-1.50 mg. Individuals in their sixties (1852 patients) accounted for about one third of patients studied. As patients grew older, INR increased and VKA dosage decreased. The dosage of VKA in male patients was larger than that in females for all ages. A total of 2146 (42.4%) patients had an INR of 2-3, and less than 40% patients in their sixties had an INR within optimal range. The dosage of oral anticoagulant for optimal INR level was 3.71 mg. CONCLUSION: In this study, less than half of the Korean patients with AF on VKA reached the therapeutic range of INR. Mean dosage of VKA was 3.66+/-1.50 mg, and the dosage of oral anticoagulant for optimal INR level was 3.71 mg, which decreased with age.

Transverse Myelitis in Patient with Behcet's Disease

Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystem disorder presenting recurrent oral and genital ulcerations as well as ocular lesions, involving the nervous system in a subgroup of patients. BD develops at a young age and is frequently presented with an acute or subacute brainstem syndrome or hemiparesis, as well as with other various neurological manifestations, the syndrome is often included in the differential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, stroke of the young adult, and other neurological disorders. Transverse myelitis (TM) is a clinical syndrome in which an immune-mediated process causes neural injury to the spinal cord, resulting in varying degrees of weakness, sensory alterations and autonomic dysfunction. Spinal Neuro-behcet's disease is rare case. We reported a 33-year old man who had been treated for BD for 3 years.

Acute Stent Thrombosis and Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia in a Patient With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Heparin is an essential drug in the treatment of acute coronary syndrome and it is used during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), albeit a serious complication of heparin therapy characterized by thrombocytopenia and high risk for venous and arterial thrombosis, has rarely been previously reported during PCI. We report a case of an acute stent thrombosis due to an unusual cause, HIT during primary PCI, in a patient with acute myocardial infarction.