ABSTRACT
Primary intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary artery is a rare and aggressive malignancy that arises from the intimal layer of the pulmonary artery. It typically presents with nonspecific symptoms such as dyspnea, chest pain, and hemoptysis, making early diagnosis challenging. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are useful in identifying the tumor's location and extent. A definitive diagnosis is established by biopsy, either via surgical resection or percutaneous needle biopsy. However, diagnosis can be difficult due to the rarity of the disease and the need for specialized expertise in interpreting pathology specimens. Treatment of primary intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary artery involves surgical resection, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Despite aggressive treatment, the prognosis remains poor, with a median survival of approximately two years. However, early detection and aggressive multimodal therapy can improve outcomes. We hereby report a rare case of primary intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary artery and discuss its pathophysiology, presentation, diagnostic approach, and treatment options.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In 2004, the ACC/AHA released guidelines in the treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) within a time window from the time a patient physically enters the hospital to the time of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This time window is defined as the door-to-balloon time (DTB) and is recommended to be under 90 minutes to improve patient mortality. To add another layer of complexity, patients with varying socioeconomic status and racial differences experience large disparities in health. Our institution provides care for patients in two locations separated by approximately 30 miles within the Detroit metropolitan area. We aimed this study to investigate any differences between DTB times of our two campuses (urban versus suburban population) as well as any differences in the components that comprise DTB times. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data on all patients who presented to either Campus 1 or Campus 2 with a STEMI from 2016 to 17. DTB times, demographical, temporal, and anatomical data were collected and analyzed. Our search included 169 patients who met the full inclusion criteria. RESULTS: The combined average of the overall DTB time for both campuses was 81 minutes, 15 seconds (95% CI: 78:05, 84:25). The average DTB time in Campus 1 was 78 minutes and 41 seconds (95% CI: 73:05, 84:18) versus 82 minutes and 46 seconds (95% CI: 78:55, 86:38) for Campus 2 (p=0.24). There were no statistically significant differences between either campuses within the separate metrics that comprise DTB times. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that we have been able to provide high-quality care to all of our patients presenting with STEMI at either campus, regardless of socioeconomic differences in the populations they serve. Additionally, each campus has demonstrated DTB well below the nationally recommended guidelines.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the 10-year impact of Hurricane Katrina on the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) along with contributing risk factors and any alteration in chronobiology of AMI. METHODS: A single-center, retrospective, comparison study of AMI incidence was performed at Tulane University Health Sciences Center from 2 years before Hurricane Katrina to 10 years after Hurricane Katrina. A 6-year, pre-Katrina and 10-year, post-Katrina cohort were also compared according to pre-specified demographic, clinical, and chronobiological data. RESULTS: AMI incidence increased from 0.7% (150/21,079) to 2.8% (2,341/84,751) post-Katrina (P<0.001). The post-Katrina cohort had higher rates of coronary artery disease (36.4% vs. 47.9%, P=0.01), diabetes mellitus (31.3% vs. 39.9%, P=0.04), hyperlipidemia (45.4% vs. 59.3%, P=0.005), smoking (34.4% vs. 53.8%, P<0.001), drug abuse (10.2% vs. 15.4%, P=0.02), psychiatric illness (6.7% vs. 14.9%, P<0.001), medication non-adherence (7.3% vs. 15.3%, P<0.001), and lack of employment (7.2% vs. 16.4%, P<0.001). The post-Katrina group had increased rates of AMI during nights (29.8% vs. 47.8%, P<0.001) and weekends (16.1% vs. 29.1%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Even 10 years after the storm, Hurricane Katrina continues to be associated with increased incidence of AMI, higher prevalence of traditional cardiovascular and psychosocial risk factors, and an altered chronobiology of AMI toward nights and weekends. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:217-222).
