Scimitar syndrome with bicuspid aortic valve. A case report of cross-sectional non- invasive imaging allowing a complete anatomical and functional assessment.

Scimitar syndrome is a variant of partial anomalous pulmonary venous return with an aberrant vein, the Scimitar vein, draining the right lung to the inferior vena cava instead of the left atrium, resulting in a left-to-right shunt. The classic frontal radiographic finding, designated as "the scimitar sign", is of a scimitar (a Turkish sword) shaped density along the right cardiac border. The diagnosis can be made by echocardiography, and cardiac catheterisation remains the gold standard to assess the left-to-right shunt. However, the place of multimodal cardiac imaging by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging is increasing. We report the case of a 26 year-old man presenting with chest pain during a brief panic attack, in whom scimitar syndrome was associated with a bicuspid aortic valve, a clinical association rarely reported in the literature. CT and MRI cardiac imaging was as accurate as echocardiography and hemodynamics, particularly for shunt quantification.

Breast cancer risk in relation to most prevalent IgE specific antibodies: a case control study in Greece.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore the debatable role of allergy in breast cancer (BC) by using country-specific biological markers, namely levels of the most prevalent allergen-specific immunoglobulin E in Greece. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Blood samples and clinical information were collected over a 30-month period from 103 women with histologically-confirmed BC and 103 controls from two university hospitals in Athens. Allergen-specific IgE, against the 12 prevailing allergens in Greece were determined; thereafter, a score comprising the sum of the individual values for this battery of serological IgE determinations was created. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were undertaken using case-control status as the outcome and IgE-scores as the predictor variable, controlling for socio-demographic, gynecological and lifestyle confounders. RESULTS: The serum IgE score seemed to be positively related to BC (OR: approximately 1.73; CI: 0.95-3.14; p-value: 0.07). A positive correlation between serological evidence and allergic history among controls was also found (p-value: 0.06). CONCLUSION: This investigation suggests an IgE-mediated allergic response among women with BC in comparison to their controls. The finding needs confirmation by immuno-epidemiological investigation to clarify the directionality of this association and whether laboratory-ascertained atopy can be considered as a risk-marker of susceptibility in the development of BC.

[Medical treatment of acute heart failure]. / Traitement médical de l'insuffisance cardiaque aiguë décompensée.

Medical treatment of acute decompensated heart failure has little changed in the last years, except with the advent of non-invasive ventilation. Doppler-echocardiography and BNP dosing have simplified the diagnostic approach and limited the need for invasion evaluation. Vasodilators remain probably underused whereas some doubts have emergency regarding the safety of positive inotropes. Analysis of the hemodynamic profile is mandatory for an optimal management of these patients. The next decade will be that of morbimortality trials in this common form of heart failure with severe prognosis.