Predictive value of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance: new and old parameters in the natural history of repaired Tetralogy of Fallot.

BACKGROUND: Patients with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF) often develop pulmonary regurgitation (PR) and right ventricle (RV) dysfunction, experiencing increased mortality and morbidity rates in adulthood. Pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) timing to address PR is controversial. Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) is the gold standard for morpho-functional evaluation of complex cardiopathies. This study aims to identify CMR parameters predictive of adverse outcomes to help defining the best therapeutic management of rTOF patients. METHODS: 130 rTOF patients who underwent CMR (2006-2019) were enrolled in this retrospective single-center study. CMR, clinical, ECG and exercise data were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified clinical and CMR parameters predictive of adverse outcomes both individually (e.g., death, arrhythmias, heart failure (HF), pharmacological therapy, QRS ≥ 160ms) and as composite outcome. RESULTS: Univariate analysis confirmed RV volumes and RV ejection fraction corrected for PR as adverse outcome predictors and identified interesting correlations: pulmonary artery bifurcation geometry and abnormal interventricular septum (IVS) motion with arrhythmias (p < .001; p = .037), HF (p = .049; p = .005), composite outcome (p = .039; p = .009); right atrium (RA) dimensions with the composite outcome and the outcomes individually (p < .001). The best predictive models by multivariate analysis included sex (male), RV and RA dilation for QRS ≥ 160ms, time form repair to CMR, age at TOF repair and IVS fibrosis for pharmacological therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Besides RV volumes, new adverse prognostic factors could guide rTOF therapeutic management: pulmonary arteries morphology, abnormal IVS motion, RV dysfunction, RA dilation. Perspective multicentric evaluation is needed to specify their effective role.

Silicon as an attenuator of the toxic effects of aluminum in Schinus terebinthifolius plants.

Aluminum (Al) is highly toxic to plants, since it causes stress and inhibits plant growth. Silicon (Si) is known to mitigate the stress caused by Al in several plant species. Thus, the current study aims to investigate the soothing effects of Si on morphophysiological and photosynthetic variables, and the attributes associated with oxidative stress in Schinus terebinthifolius plants exposed to Al. Treatments have followed a completely randomized design, with three repetitions based on the following Al/Si combinations (in mM): Treatment 1: 0 Al + 0 Si; Treatment 2: 0 Al + 2.5 Si; Treatment 3: 1.85 Al + 0 Si; Treatment 4: 1.85 Al + 2.5 Si; Treatment 5: 3.71 Al + 0 Si; Treatment 6: 3.71 Al + 2.5 Si. Each sampling unit consisted of a tray with 15 plants, totaling forty-five per treatment. Shoot and root morphological variables, photosynthetic variables, photosynthetic pigments, hydrogen peroxide concentration, lipid peroxidation (MDA), guaiacol peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes, and non-enzymatic antioxidant such as Ascorbic acid (AsA) and non-protein thiol (NPSH) concentration were assessed. Root growth inhibition followed by changes in root morphological variables have negatively affected root and shoot biomass production in plants only subjected to Al. However, adding 2.5 mM Si to the treatment has mitigated the toxic effects caused by 1.85 mM of aluminum on S. terebinthifolius plants.

[Clinical indications for the use of cardiac MRI. By the SIRM Study Group on Cardiac Imaging]. / Indicazioni cliniche per l'utilizzo della cardio RM. A cura del Gruppo di lavoro della Sezione di Cardio-Radiologia della SIRM.

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is considered an useful method in the evaluation of many cardiac disorders. Based on our experience and available literature, we wrote a document as a guiding tool in the clinical use of CMR. Synthetically we describe different cardiac disorders and express for each one a classification, I to IV, depending on the significance of diagnostic information expected.

Clinical indications for cardiac computed tomography. From the Working Group of the Cardiac Radiology Section of the Italian Society of Medical Radiology (SIRM).

Cardiac computed tomography (CCT) has grown as a useful means in different clinical contexts. Technological development has progressively extended the indications for CCT while reducing the required radiation dose. Even today there is little documentation from the main international scientific societies describing the proper use and clinical indications of CCT; in particular, there are no complete guidelines. This document reflects the position of the Working Group of the Cardiac Radiology Section of the Italian Society of Radiology concerning the indications for CCT.

Genetic and phylogenetic analyses of capsid protein gene in feline calicivirus isolates from Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil.

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is an important pathogen that affects domestic cats, inducing acute oral and upper respiratory tract clinical signs. The aim of this study was to analyze the variability of the capsid protein in different FCV isolates from southern Brazil. The sequencing analyses of thirteen Brazilian FCV samples, phylogenetic analyses and assessments of ten previously published sequences were conducted by examining the open reading frame 2 (ORF2, regions B-F). Comparisons of the predicted amino acid sequences of the ORF2 in Brazilian FCV isolates with those of the FCV-F9 strain indicated that the main differences are located within the regions C and hypervariable E (HVR_E). Epitopes that were mapped to the regions D, 5'HVR_E and conserved E also presented with some variability when compared to the strain F9. This is the first study describing sequence analyses and the phylogenetic relationships among FCV isolates from Brazil. The results presented here may expand upon current knowledge regarding aspects of FCV biology, epidemiology and genetic diversity and provide insights into improving the efficacies of current FCV vaccines.

A unique antibody gene signature is prevalent in the central nervous system of patients with multiple sclerosis.

B cells isolated from the CSF of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a unique accumulation of somatic hypermutation within the B cell receptor, termed the antibody gene signature (AGS). The focus of this study was to investigate whether the AGS could also be detected in MS brain tissue. Genetic analysis of B cells isolated from post-mortem CNS tissue samples from four MS brains demonstrated that signature enriched B cells are present at the site of tissue injury as well as in the circulating CSF.

Endovascular approach for acute aortic syndrome.

Acute aortic syndrome (AAS) refers to the spectrum of aortic emergencies that include aortic dissection, intramural hematoma and penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer. These aortic pathologies may lead to aortic rupture and a timely treatment is crucial to obtain clinical success and benefit on survival. Endovascular strategies have gained wide acceptance in the management of AAS and currently represent the new minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgery. In particular in acute complicated aortic dissection endovascular therapy demonstrated a better survival and limited complications with respect to open surgery. Aim of the present study was to provide an overview of AAS and to assess the current role of endovascular aortic repair in its treatment.

Anti-myelin antibodies modulate clinical expression of childhood multiple sclerosis.

Anti-myelin basic protein (MBP) antibodies in pediatric-onset MS and controls were characterized. Serum samples were obtained from 94 children with MS and 106 controls. Paired CSF and serum were obtained from 25 children with MS at time of their initial episode of acute demyelinating syndrome (ADS). Complementary assays were applied across samples to evaluate the presence, and the physical binding properties, of anti-MBP antibodies. While the prevalence and titers of serum anti-MBP antibodies against both immature and mature forms of MBP were similar in children with MS and in controls, binding characteristics and formal Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) studies indicated surprisingly high binding affinities of all pediatric anti-MBP antibodies. Serum levels of anti-MBP antibodies correlated significantly with their CSF levels, and their presence in children with MS was associated with significantly increased risk of an acute disseminated encephalomyelitis-like initial clinical presentation. While antibodies to both immature and mature forms of MBP can be present as part of the normal pediatric humoral repertoire, these anti-myelin antibodies are of surprisingly high affinity, can access the CNS during inflammation, and have the capacity to modulate disease expression. Our findings identify an immune mechanism that could contribute to the observed heterogeneity in spectrum of clinical presentations in early-onset MS.

Optimal management of traumatic aortic injury.

BACKGROUND: The best time to intervene in traumatic aortic injuries has long been a matter of debate. While emergency surgery is characterized by high morbidity and mortality, initial medical management of uncomplicated aortic injury and subsequent delayed surgery resulted in better outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS: From analysis of medical literature of the last 10 years, major paradigm shift in management of traumatic injuries includes the use of different imaging methods for diagnosis, with a almost complete elimination of aortography and transesophageal echocardiography in favour of CT scan, and a significant change in method of definitive repair, shifting from exclusively open techniques in 1997 to predominantly endovascular repairs in 2007. At present several reports in literature provide data on comparative results of endovascular therapy with respect open surgery, supporting the use of stent-graft in traumatic injuries, both in acute and chronic cases. The authors' personal experience comprises 58 patients treated with endovascular stent-graft repair, with no mortality or treatment failure even during 11 years follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: For many years traumatic aortic injury has been considered a highly lethal lesion and a potential cause of death in blunt chest trauma. Because of the lower invasivity endovascular repair can be applied in traumatic aortic injury with very low risk and limited impact on trauma destabilization. Long term follow-up seems indicate a substantial durability of the procedure.

Evolving concepts in the treatment of traumatic aortic injury. A review article.

Traumatic aortic injury (TAI) has long been considered a surgical emergency, despite the high mortality and morbidity rates in traumatized patients submitted to open surgery. Initial medical management until stabilization of associated traumatic lesions has long been a matter of debate because of the inherent risk of rupture in some of these cases. Endovascular techniques in the management of polytraumatized patients provides an additional low-invasive treatment option. Because of its lower invasiveness, without thoracotomy or the use of heparin, endovascular repair can be performed in acute patients, without the risk of destabilizing pulmonary, head or abdominal traumatic lesions. Following the publication of early small series and case reports, endovascular repair has become a widely accepted method for treating both acute and chronic traumatic lesions. Our series comprised 51 TAI patients submitted to endovascular aneurysm repair from July 1997 to December 2006, of which 24 had chronic post-traumatic aneurysms and 27 were treated in the acute or subacute phase after the traumatic event. No mortality occurred; aneurysm sealing was consistently good. Major complications included a cerebellar stroke in 1 patient due to occlusion of the left subclavian artery. No failure of aortic procedure, mortality or complications were observed during the follow-up period. Should long-term follow-up in larger series show substantial durability of the graft material, endovascular treatment will become the management of choice for TAIs.

Role and effectiveness of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in the diagnosis, preoperative evaluation and follow-up of patients with congenital heart diseases.

The substantial advances in the medical and surgical treatment of congenital heart diseases have dramatically improved patients' life expectancy, as well as increased the number of those needing lifelong monitoring to identify complications and residual defects. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an ideal imaging modality for the follow-up of these young patients owing to its noninvasiveness, high reproducibility and morphological and functional accuracy. This paper describes the most appropriate MRI techniques and sequences for the study of cardiovascular heart diseases on the basis of an analysis of MRI studies carried out between January 2003 and June 2006 on 274 patients affected by all of the main congenital cardiovascular malformations, as well as a review of the literature. The advantages of MRI with respect to other imaging techniques, the problems encountered and the main clinical applications and indications of MRI, with special reference to the most common disease entities, are then discussed to define the role, the utility and the future perspectives of this imaging technique in the study of congenital heart diseases.

Clinical value of multidetector CT coronary angiography as a preoperative screening test before non-coronary cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Myocardial scintigraphy and/or conventional angiography (CA) are often performed before cardiac surgery in an attempt to identify unsuspected coronary artery disease which might result in significant cardiac morbidity and mortality. Multidetector CT coronary angiography (MDCTCA) has a recognised high negative predictive value and may provide a non-invasive alternative in this subset of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of MDCTCA as a preoperative screening test in candidates for non-coronary cardiac surgery. METHODS: 132 patients underwent MDCTCA (Somatom Sensation 16 Cardiac, Siemens) in the assessment of the cardiac risk profile before surgery. Coronary arteries were screened for > or = 50% stenosis. Patients without significant stenosis (Group 1) underwent surgery without any adjunctive screening tests while all patients with coronary lesions > or = 50% at MDCTCA (Group 2) underwent CA. RESULTS: 16 patients (12.1%) were excluded due to poor image quality. 72 patients without significant coronary stenosis at MDCTCA were submitted to surgery. 30 out of 36 patients with significant (> or = 50%) coronary stenosis at MDCTCA and CA underwent adjunctive bypass surgery or coronary angioplasty. In 8 patients, MDCTCA overestimated the severity of the coronary lesions (> 50% MDCTCA, < 50% CA). No severe cardiovascular perioperative events such as myocardial ischaemia, myocardial infarction or cardiac failure occurred in any patient in Group 1. CONCLUSIONS: MDCTCA seems to be effective as a preoperative screening test prior to non-coronary cardiac surgery. In this era of cost containment and optimal care of patients, MDCTCA is able to provide coronary vessel and ventricular function evaluation and may become the method of choice for the assessment of a cardiovascular risk profile prior to major surgery.

Anti-GD2-like IgM autoreactivity in multiple sclerosis patients.

Seric IgM autoreactivity in 100 multiple sclerosis (MS) and 106 control (70 of whom had other neurological diseases) patients was assessed either by immunohistochemistry on normal human CNS tissue or to GD2, GD1a, GD3 by ELISA and thin layer chromatography (TLC) techniques. By double immunohistochemistry, we found that 44% of the total MS population showed seric IgM reactivity to oligodendrocytes and myelin, this finding being particularly frequent in patients with secondary progressive MS. In the non-MS cohort, positive signals were seen only in one patient. In all cases, extraction of lipids from CNS sections abolished the immunoreactivity. Among the gangliosides investigated by ELISA, anti-GD2-like IgM autoantibodies were detected in the serum of 30% of MS patients, a subgroup of whom (below 10%) reacted also with GD1a and/or GD3. More than 85% of MS cases with anti-GD2-like IgM immunoreactivity by ELISA showed also IgM antioligodendrocyte/myelin staining by immunohistochemistry. However, no immunostaining in MS sera was observed when gangliosides were resolved by TLC. A positive correlation with neurological disability was observed, as the Expanded Disability Status Scale of MS patients with anti-GD2-like IgM autoreactivity by ELISA was significantly worse than seronegative MS cases. The results of the present study enforce the role of glycolipids as potential autoantigens and of IgM autoantibodies in MS pathogenesis.

Interventional techniques in the treatment of aortic dissection.

Acute aortic dissection continues to be one of the most catastrophic cardiovascular events. While there is a general consensus on immediate surgical repair when the ascending aorta is involved, the optimal treatment strategy for type B aortic dissection (B-AD) remains controversial. Recently, endovascular treatment with percutaneous stent-graft implantation, originally used for aortic aneurysm exclusion, has acquired an important role in the treatment of B-AD. Imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and angiography have a fundamental role in the search for the anatomic details necessary to tailor the stent graft and in evaluating the most suitable anatomy for stent graft. Transesophageal echocardiography is fundamental during the procedure to monitor the correct release of the stent graft and evaluate the result of the procedure expressed by immediate thrombosis out of the stent-graft. Again, imaging techniques, more notably CT, have a fundamental role in the postoperative followup after stent-graft placement. The risk of endoleaks may compromise the result of endovascular repair and increase the risk of aortic rupture. Several reports and a few trials attesting to technical feasibility and safety of stent-graft implantation procedures for B-AD have been reported so far. Also, a randomised trial comparing type B aortic stent-graft placement with medical therapy is currently underway. According to the investigators, new therapeutic indications are likely to emerge also in uncomplicated B-AD.

Initial screening transferrin saturation values, serum ferritin concentrations, and HFE genotypes in Native Americans and whites in the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening Study.

We compared initial screening transferrin saturation (TfSat) and serum ferritin (SF) phenotypes and HFE C282Y and H63D genotypes of 645 Native American and 43,453 white Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening Study participants who did not report a previous diagnosis of hemochromatosis or iron overload. Elevated measurements were defined as TfSat >50% in men and >45% in women and SF >300 ng/ml in men and >200 ng/ml in women. Mean TfSat was 31% in Native American men and 32% in white men (p = 0.0337) and 25% in Native American women and 27% in white women (p < 0.0001). Mean SF was 153 microg/l in Native American and 151 microg/l in white men (p = 0.8256); mean SF was 55 microg/l in Native American women and 63 microg/l in white women (p = 0.0015). The C282Y allele frequency was 0.0340 in Native Americans and 0.0683 in whites (p < 0.0001). The H63D allele frequency was 0.1150 in Native Americans and 0.1532 in whites (p = 0.0001). We conclude that the screening TfSat and SF phenotypes of Native Americans are similar to those of whites. The allele frequencies of HFE C282Y and H63D are significantly lower in Native Americans than in whites.

Non-invasive evaluation of the myocardial substrate of cardiac amyloidosis by gadolinium cardiac magnetic resonance.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and distribution of gadolinium (Gd) enhancement at cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in patients with cardiac amyloidosis (CA) and to look for associations with clinical, morphological, and functional features. PATIENTS AND DESIGN: 21 patients with definitely diagnosed CA (nine with immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis and 12 transthyretin related) underwent Gd-CMR. RESULTS: Gd enhancement was detected in 16 of 21 (76%) patients. Sixty six of 357 (18%) segments were enhanced, more often at the mid ventricular level. Transmural extension of enhancement within each patient significantly correlated with left ventricular (LV) end systolic volume (r = 0.58). The number of enhanced segments correlated with LV end diastolic volume (r = 0.76), end systolic volume (r = 0.6), and left atrial size (r = 0.56). Segments with > 50% extensive transmural enhancement more often were severely hypokinetic or akinetic (p = 0.001). Patients with > 2 enhanced segments had significantly lower 12 lead QRS voltage and Sokolow-Lyon index. No relation was apparent with any other clinical, morphological, functional, or histological characteristics. CONCLUSION: Gd enhancement is common but not universally present in CA, probably due to expansion of infiltrated interstitium. The segmental and transmural distribution of the enhancement is highly variable, and mid-ventricular regions are more often involved. Enhancement appears to be associated with impaired segmental and global contractility and a larger atrium.

Multidetector CT: a new gold standard in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism? State of the art and diagnostic algorithms.

PURPOSE: From the early 90s, spiral CT technology has considerably changed the diagnostic capability of Pulmonary Embolism (PE), giving a direct vision of intravascular thrombi. Further technological progress has strengthened its diagnostic impact leading to an essential role in clinical practice. The advent of Multi-Detector CT (MDCT) has subsequently increased the reliability of this technique to the point of undermining the role of pulmonary angiography as the gold standard and occupying a central position in diagnostic algorithms. The aim of this paper is to appraise this evolution by means of a meta-analysis of the relevant literature from 1995 to 2004. RESULTS: The review of the literature showed the sensitivity and specificity of CT to have increased from 37-94% and 81-100% (single-detector CT) to 87-94% and 94-100% (4-channel multidetector CT), especially thanks to the possibility of depicting subsegmental clots, with an interobserver agreement of 0.63-0.94 (k). CONCLUSIONS: CT is one of the most reliable and effective methods in the diagnosis is PE, with the advantage of being extremely fast and providing alternative diagnoses. Recent improvements in MDCT technology confers the highest value of diagnostic accuracy with respect to other imaging modalities such as scintigraphy, angiography, MRI, D-dimer assay and Doppler US.

Quality of life in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: results of a Southwest Oncology Group randomized trial.

PURPOSE: The main purpose of this paper is to present the results of a randomized trial comparing the effects of two chemotherapy regimens on the Quality of life (QOL) of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Trials in advanced stage disease represent an important treatment context for QOL assessment. A second purpose of this paper is to examine methods for handling the level of missing data commonly observed in the advanced stage disease context. METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive cisplatin plus vinorelbine or carboplatin plus paclitaxel. The QOL of 222 patients was assessed with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung (FACT-L) prior to randomization; follow-up assessments occurred at 13 and 25 weeks. Three methods were used to analyze the QOL data: (1) cross-sectional analysis of four patient categories (improved, stable, missing, and declined) based on changes in the FACT-L score, (2) a mixed linear model, and (3) a pattern mixture model. The longitudinal analyses addressed two potential data biases. RESULTS: Questionnaire submission rates were 91% at baseline, 68% at 13 weeks, and 47% at 25 weeks. The cross-sectional and mixed linear model analyses did not show significant differences by treatment arm in patient-reported QOL. The pattern mixture model analysis, more appropriate given non-ignorable missing data, also found no statistically significant effect of treatment on patient QOL. CONCLUSION: We present a sensitivity analysis approach with multiple methods for analyzing treatment effects on patient QOL in the presence of substantial, non-ignorable missing data in an advanced stage disease clinical trial. We conclude that the two treatment arms did not differ statistically in their effects on patient QOL over a 25-week treatment period.