Therapeutic angiogenesis for myocardial ischemia revisited: basic biological concepts and focus on latest clinical trials.

Therapeutic angiogenesis is based on the premise that the development of new blood vessels can be augmented by exogenous administration of the appropriate growth factors. Over the last years, successful preclinical studies and promising results of early clinical trials have created great excitement about the potential of therapeutic angiogenesis for patients with advanced ischemic heart disease. The authors provide an overview of the biology of angiogenesis, the basic characteristics of angiogenic factors, and the different routes of their delivery. They discuss experimental studies in animal models of myocardial ischemia and outline available clinical studies on therapeutic angiogenesis for myocardial ischemia. Related safety issues are also addressed followed by a critical perspective about the future of proangiogenic therapies for ischemic cardiovascular disorders. Despite the established proof of concept and reasonable safety, however, results of the latest trials on therapeutic angiogenesis for myocardial ischemia have provided inconsistent results and the definite means of inducing clinically useful therapeutic angiogenesis remain elusive. More studies are required to gain further insights into the biology of angiogenesis and address pharmacological limitations of current approaches of angiogenic therapy. The authors hope and envisage that in the not-too-distant future, these investigative efforts will lead to important new strategies for treatment of myocardial ischemic syndromes. Means of non-invasive individualized pharmacological therapeutic neovascularization may be the next major advance in the treatment of ischaemic heart disease.

Cigarette smoking among university students in Greece: a comparison between medical and other students.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to investigate the smoking habits of medical and other students and to explore the most important factors associated with students' smoking. METHODS: University students were surveyed in late spring 2006 regarding their smoking status and additional health- and behavior-related characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 1205 (269 medical and 936 nonmedical) students participated in the study. Of these 47% reported being current smokers (35% among medical students), and 30% of the smokers had already started smoking at the age of 16 years. Smokers reported a significantly higher prevalence of cough and respiratory infections and a decrease in physical fitness. The most important factor associated with smoking prevalence was friendship with smokers and maternal smoking. A better knowledge of harmful effects showed a strong association with nonsmokers. Although nonmedical students exhibited a greater possibility to be a smoker, awareness of harmful effects among medical students was not as significant as factor against smoking compared with among nonmedical students. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that smoking prevalence among medical and other students in Greece is extremely high. A lack of effective education against smoking in medical students was evident and this underlines the need to identify the factors to be included in planning effective antismoking programs.

Lung dysfunction following cardiopulmonary bypass.

BACKGROUND: It is well known by now that during open heart surgery many detrimental factors are involved in lung injury. The influence mainly of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), anesthesia, hypothermia, operation itself, as well as medication and transfusion, can cause a diffuse injury in the lungs, which most often leads to a postoperative pulmonary edema and abnormal gas exchange. METHODS: We performed an unrestricted search of Pubmed Medline and EMBASE from 1966 through 2008. Clinical, experimental, basic science, and review papers were included. RESULTS: The hypothesis that a systemic inflammatory reaction takes place after the use of CPB, could explain most of these effects influences in the lung. On the other hand, the release of various pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-á, IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, and endotoxin during CPB can lead to the entrapment of neutrophils in the pulmonary capillaries. Consequently, the following chain of reactions is likely to occur: an endothelial cell swelling, plasma and protein extravasation into the interstitial tissue, release of proteolytic enzymes, congestion of the alveoli with plasma, erythrocytes and inflammatory debris. CONCLUSION: In this review we highlight the possible pathophysiological mechanisms implicated in the observed postoperative lung dysfunction.

Tumoral and non-tumoral trachea stenoses: evaluation with three-dimensional CT and virtual bronchoscopy.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the ability of 3D-CT and virtual bronchoscopy to estimate trachea stenosis in comparison to conventional axial CT and fiberoptic bronchoscopy, with a view to assist thoracic surgeons in depicting the anatomical characteristics of tracheal strictures. METHODS: Spiral CT was performed in 16 patients with suspected tracheal stenoses and in 5 normal subjects. Tracheal stenoses due to an endoluminal neoplasm were detected in 13 patients, whilst post-intubation tracheal stricture was observed in the other 3 patients. Multiplanar reformatting (MPR), volume rendering techniques (VRT) and virtual endoscopy (VE) for trachea evaluation were applied and findings were compared to axial CT and fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The accuracy of the procedure in describing the localization and degree of stenosis was tested by two radiologists in a blinded controlled trial. RESULTS: The imaging modalities tested showed the same stenoses as the ones detected by flexible bronchoscopy and achieved accurate and non-invasive morphological characterization of the strictures, as well as additional information about the extraluminal extent of the disease. No statistically significant difference was observed between the bronchoscopic findings and the results of axial CT estimations (P = 1.0). No statistically significant differences were observed between bronchoscopic findings and the MPR, VRT and VE image evaluations (P = 0.705, 0.414 and 0.414 respectively). CONCLUSION: CT and computed generated images may provide a high fidelity, noninvasive and reproducible evaluation of the trachea compared to bronchoscopy. They may play a role in assessment of airway patency distal to high-grade stenoses, and represent a reliable alternative method for patients not amenable to conventional bronchoscopy.

Klippel-Feil syndrome presenting with bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome.

STUDY DESIGN: This report aims, in the light of the recent literature, to describe the clinical features of bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome in a case of Klippel-Feil syndrome, the results of electrophysiologic evaluation, and the outcome after surgical intervention. OBJECTIVES: Cervical ribs in the context of Klippel-Feil syndrome as the cause of bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome is discussed. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: In Klippel-Feil syndrome, congenital fusion of cervical vertebrae occurs and may also be associated with various anomalies, including musculoskeletal anomalies. The typical neurologic defects in this syndrome are caused by compression of the cervical cord and/or the corresponding roots. METHODS: A 25-year-old woman had experienced, for 3 years, sensory symptoms, mainly numbness and pain, in both arms and episodic color changes of the hands that were aggravated by certain activities. RESULTS: Radiologic examination revealed Klippel-Feil syndrome type I, accompanied by bilateral cervical ribs. Electrophysiologic evaluation demonstrated impairment of nerve conduction, as indicated by F wave changes, after the arms were raised. The patient underwent successful decompression of the neurovascular structures at the thoracic aperture. CONCLUSIONS: It is often difficult to diagnose thoracic outlet syndrome by conventional neurophysiology. Dynamic changes in F waves appear to be a useful finding. In the absence of symptoms of myeloradiculopathy, thoracic outlet syndrome could be the sole manifestation of Klippel-Feil syndrome.

Surgical implications in the current treatment of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

There are currently two different surgical approaches to the abnormal pathway, Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome-the endocardial (ENDO) and epicardial (EPI) techniques. In recent years, ablation of accessory pathways can be achieved by catheter-induced radiofrequency (RF) current. This study was undertaken to assess our results of surgical treatment for WPW syndrome in the current era of catheter ablation. From 1985 to 1993, 51 patients (33 male and 18 female) with WPW syndrome underwent operations for ablation of accessory pathways. Associated anomalies included Ebstein's anomaly, coronary artery disease, and tricuspid atresia. Preoperatively, 6 patients underwent unsuccessful RF catheter ablation. Fifteen (29%) patients were operated with the ENDO technique and 36 (71%) with the EPI technique. There was no early death in either group. In the immediate postoperative period 40 (78%) patients were in sinus rhythm. The electrophysiological studies revealed successful ablation of the pathway in 50 (98%) patients. On complete late follow-up (mean, 36 months) all patients were back to preoperative levels of activity. Our experience indicates that excellent results can be achieved with each of these two techniques. The left free wall accessory pathways may be ablated in a more reproducible way with the ENDO approach. The concept that surgical ablation of accessory pathways may prevent further atrial fibrillation is supported by the low incidence in this series. Operations for WPW syndrome may become indicated for RF ablation failure, when additional procedures are required. In these cases the surgical skill should be available, and this is a skill that should not be lost.