Antithrombotic regimens for the prevention of major adverse cardiac events in chronic coronary syndrome: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Backgroud: Antithrombotic therapy is the cornerstone of chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) management. However, the best treatment option that optimally balances bleeding risk and efficacy remains undefined. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of antithrombotic options and identify the optimal treatment option for patients with CCS. Methods: We used the MEDLINE, CENTRAL and Embase databases to search for randomized controlled trials with follow-up periods longer than 12 months that compared aspirin (ASA) monotherapy with other antithrombotic therapies in patients with CCS. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were used. Extracted data [hazard ratios (HR)] were pooled using Bayesian fixed-effect models, allowing the estimation of credible intervals (CrI) and posterior probabilities of benefit, harm, and practical equivalence. Confidence in the results was assessed with the Confidence In Network Meta-Analysis (CINeMA) tool. The primary efficacy and safety outcomes were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and primary bleeding, respectively. Secondary outcomes were acute myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, all-cause, and cardiovascular-specific mortality. Results: Five trials with a total of 80,605 patients were included. Mean patient age ranged from 61 to 69 years, while 20.3% to 31.4% were women. The reference treatment was ASA monotherapy. ASA + prasugrel 10 mg and clopidogrel 75 mg monotherapy presented the greatest benefit for MACE [HR 0.52 (95% CrI, 0.39-0.71); and 0.68 (95% CrI, 0.54-0.88)]. There was a probability of 98.8% that ASA + ticagrelor was practically equivalent to ASA monotherapy. Regarding the primary bleeding outcome, clopidogrel 75 mg monotherapy performed best [HR 0.64 (0.42, 0.99)]. There was a probability of 97.4% that ASA + Prasugrel 10 mg increases bleeding (HR > 1.0). Secondary outcome results followed a similar treatment ranking pattern as in primary outcomes. Overall, CINeMA confidence ratings were judged as either low or very low. Conclusions: These results revealed that clopidogrel monotherapy might provide the best risk-benefit balance in treating CCS. However, low CINeMA confidence ratings may preclude more forceful conclusions. Our analysis suggests that current guidelines recommending ASA as first-line therapy for CCS management need to be revised to include additional pharmacological options.

Could Fahr's Syndrome Have More Than One Simultaneous Etiology?

Fahr's syndrome is a rare, genetically dominant, inherited, neurological disorder characterized by abnormal deposits of calcium in the basal ganglia and the cerebral cortex. Symptoms include motor dysfunction, dementia, headache, spastic paralysis, abnormal ocular findings and seizures. Hypoparathyroidism is the most common endocrine disorder related to this syndrome, however, there are other metabolic, infectious and genetic causes. This is a case report of a Fahr's syndrome patient presenting a three-month history of self-limited partial epileptic seizures. His cranial CT had bilateral symmetrical calcifications of the basal ganglia, subcortical tissue and dentate nucleus whereas his laboratory findings were compatible with hypoparathyroidism.

Open Versus Laparoscopic Splenectomies in Children: A Comparative Study Performed at a Public Hospital in Brazil.

Introduction: In pediatric population, the two most common indications for splenectomy include traumatic rupture and hematological diseases such as hereditary spherocytosis, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, sickle cell disease, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Traditionally, splenectomy has been an open procedure; however, since the first laparoscopic splenectomy was reported in 1991, the minimally invasive laparoscopic approach has become increasingly popular. In most public hospitals in Brazil, where vessel sealing devices are not available, most surgeons seem to prefer open splenectomy to guarantee intraoperative safety and improved outcomes. Objectives: To compare outcomes between open and laparoscopic splenectomy in children in a public hospital in Brazil. Materials and Methods: Retrospective study conducted between January 2010 and June 2018. Patients from 0 to 14 years old who underwent open or laparoscopic splenectomy at the University Hospital of Federal University of Paraná were included. Clinical, laboratory, imaging, and surgical data were collected. Results: For 8 years, 35 patients underwent splenectomy. Mean age was 4 years old and 54% were female. Of the 35 subjects, 69% had sickle cell anemia and 23% spherocytosis. The most common indication for surgery was a previous episode of splenic sequestration. The 13 laparoscopic surgeries were performed without harmonic scalpel or other vessel sealing devices. During the laparoscopic procedure, 2 patients experienced intraoperative complications: bleeding and prolonged surgical time due to technical problems with the equipment. Mean operative time was higher in laparoscopy group than in open group (186 minutes versus 66 minutes). Oral feeds began earlier on the laparoscopic group. Postoperatively, there were more complications on the open group, and no reoperations. There was only one fatality, likely secondary to fulminant sepsis, which occurred 34 days after the surgery in a patient who was undergoing prophylactic oral antibiotics therapy. Discussion: Performing laparoscopic splenectomy without harmonic scalpel or other vessel sealing devices is feasible, but it implicates in a significantly higher surgical time. Laparoscopic splenectomy had earlier oral feeds and fewer complications than open surgery.

Invasive lobular carcinomas treated at Hospital de Clínicas of UFPR: incidence, characteristics and clinical outcome / Carcinomas lobulares invasores de mama tratados no Hospital de Clínicas da UFPR: incidência, características e evolução clínica

Objective: The aim of this study is to depict the clinical and epidemiological profile of patients treated for invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) at Hospital das Clínicas of Universidade Federal do Paraná (HC-UFPR) over the course of ten years and to evaluate the variation of ILC dimensions on imaging exams by comparing them to real-size lesions identified in surgical specimens. Methods: Patients undergoing breast surgical procedures at HC-UFPR from 2005 to 2014 were selected. Out of these, 36 were diagnosed with ILC and had their medical files sought after clinical, epidemiological, therapeutic and prognosis characteristics. The variance of tumor sizes in imaging methods and anatomopathological descriptions were also studied. Results: Patients' mean age at diagnosis was 59.6 years. Most of them were classified as clinical stages II (40%) and III (26.7%) by the time they were diagnosed. The majority of tumors were HER2 negative (77.2%) and estrogen-receptor positive (90%). The surgical treatment was radical in 74.2% of the cases. 31.4% of the patients underwent both mammography and ultrasonography screening and 45.7% underwent only one of them. None of the patients were submitted to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Conclusion: Data found about patients with invasive lobular carcinoma at HC-UFPR is in accordance with the medical literature, including incidence rates and tumor characteristics. The variance of tumor sizes in imaging exams and surgical specimen was not statistically significant

Objetivo: O estudo busca caracterizar o perfil clínico epidemiológico referente às pacientes tratadas por carcinoma lobular invasor de mama (CLI) no Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal do Paraná (HC-UFPR) em um período de dez anos e avaliar as variações das dimensões dos CLI nos exames de imagem quando comparadas ao real tamanho das lesões identificadas nas peças de anatomia patológica. Métodos: Foram selecionadas pacientes submetidas a procedimentos cirúrgicos de mama no HC-UFPR entre os anos de 2005 e 2014, dentre as quais 36 apresentaram diagnóstico de CLI. Seus prontuários foram analisados para avaliação de características clínicas, epidemiológicas, terapêuticas e prognósticas. Também foi avaliada a discrepância dos valores de tamanho do tumor em métodos de imagem em relação ao descrito nos laudos anatomopatológicos. Resultados: A s p acientes c om d iagnóstico d e C LI tinham média de idade no diagnóstico de 59,6 anos. O diagnóstico foi feito, em sua maioria, nos estádios clínicos II (40%) e III (26,7%). Houve maior negatividade (77,2%) para HER2 e positividade (90%) para receptor de estrógeno. O tratamento cirúrgico foi radical em 74,2% das pacientes. Em exames de imagem, 31,4% das pacientes realizaram mamografia e ultrassonografia em conjunto, 45,7% fizeram apenas um dos exames e nenhuma realizou ressonância magnética. Conclusão: Observou-se que a casuística de patologias mamárias do HC-UFPR está de acordo com a literatura em relação à incidência e às características próprias dos CLI. A análise da discrepância dos tamanhos dos tumores em exames de imagem em relação às peças cirúrgicas não obteve resultados significativos estatisticamente