Ischemic mitral regurgitation in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Echocardiographic evaluation of mitral regurgitation (MR) during the evolution of patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 104 patients (73 males and 31 females), aged between 38-85, diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (based on clinical, ECG and enzymatic evidences), in order to assess the MR (clinically--a new systolic murmur, and by echocardiography--the severity of MR). Echocardiography was performed upon admission and at 10-30 and 180 days after the onset of acute MI. The evaluation of MR was based on the following parameters: jet area, jet area indexed to left atrium, regurgitated volume, left atrial and left ventricular size, the evaluation of mitral valve apparatus in order to eliminate other possible causes of MR. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: MR was found in 35 patients from 104 diagnosed with acute MI, as follows: severe in 20 patients (jet area > 8 square cm, jet area indexed to left atrium > 40%, regurgitated volume > 30 mL) and mild in 15 patients (jet area < 4 square cm, jet area indexed to left atrium < 20%, regurgitant volume < 30 mL). In 30 patients MR was produced by the dilatation of mitral annulus (because of the evolution to ischemic dilatative cardiomyopathy), 5 patients developed left ventricular aneurysm; in 3 patients, MR was produced by chordae rupture and in 2 patients we diagnosed an ischemic prolapse of posterior mitral leaflet. In evolution all the patients developed symptoms and signs of heart failure, and 2 patients were referred to surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The appearance of MR in the evolution of MI is an important sign of bad prognosis by its contribution to the appearance and/or to the worsening course of heart failure. Mechanisms of this MR are very complex based on the alteration of left ventricular geometry. Echocardiography plays an essential role in the early diagnosis of MR, estimating its severity, the mechanisms and also the prognosis.

Barriers of antiaggregant treatment.

UNLABELLED: In the present study we aimed to evaluate side effects of antiplatelet therapy in order to establish correlations with medication type, doses and association with other therapies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the study we prospectively evaluated a cohort of patients who received antiplatelet therapy for different pathologies. We included patients with acute coronary syndromes, valvular disease complicated with supraventricular arrhythmias (especially atrial fibrillation), carotidal critical stenosis, neurologic disease (ischemic or thrombotic), and peripheral artery disease. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS: The study included 125 patients (85 males and 40 females), aged between 45 and 85, and admitted in the 1st Cardiology Department, St Spiridon Hospital, between January 2012 and December 2013, who received antiplatelet therapy for different pathologies. All the patients included in the study received platelet antiaggregant therapy with Clopidogrel in association or not with Aspirin or low weight molecular heparin. Side effects reported (possibly correlated with antiplatelet therapy) were: macroscopic hematuria (7 cases), cutaneous ecchymosis (7 cases), purpuric lesions (9 cases), gingival bleeding (12 cases), upper gastrointestinal bleeding (6 cases), and hemoptysis (2 cases). CONCLUSIONS: Hemorrhagic events under the treatment with antiplatelet agents are rare in comparison with the large number of patients treated. Clinical manifestations are very different depending on the drug and also on the drug-associations used. Hemorrhagic accidents may sometimes be very serious, determining the specific therapeutic measures.

The incidence of supraventricular arrhythmias in patients with essential arterial hypertension--clinical and evolutive correlations.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The analysis of supraventricular rhythm disorders encountered in hypertensive patients and the establishment of correlations with other associated risk factors, duration of hypertension, the evolution and prognosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included a group of 110 patients, 80 men and 30 women, aged between 40 and 85, admitted in the 1st Cardiology Clinic during 2010-2013, diagnosed with essential arterial hypertension second and third degree. For the detection of arrhythmic events surface 12-lead ECG and 24-hour Holter monitoring were used. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Supraventricular arrhythmias encountered in the patients of the group were: ESA (mostly isolated, but also doublets, atrial bigeminy), atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, sinus tachycardia, sinus bradycardia. Some arrhythmias may be an expression of the excessive activation of the sympathetic nervous system or on the contrary, vagal predominance, (ex. sinus bradycardia). Part of the arrhythmias occurring in hypertensive patients are hypertensive heart disease expressions, others are due to associated risk factors (smoking, alcohol) and even medication administered. In some cases, rhythm disturbances disappear with the normalization of the blood pressure; however, most of the times, the specific combination of anti-arrhythmic medication with antihypertensive medication is required. CONCLUSIONS: Supraventricular arrhythmias are frequently found in hypertensive patients, especially in those with long-term, uncontrolled hypertension, with impact on the evolution, prognosis and therapeutic management.

Acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema--etiological spectrum and precipitating factors.

AIM: The analysis of the predisposing and precipitating factors encountered in the anamnesis of the patients hospitalized with acute pulmonary oedema, in order to establish some correlations with the evolution and prognosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 50 patients, 32 males and 18 females, admitted to the Cardiology I Clinic between 2009 and 2013, diagnosed with acute pulmonary oedema upon admission. The following aspects were investigated: cardiovascular antecedents, prodromal elements of the current episode of acute pulmonary oedema (APE), risk factors and associated co morbidities, previous treatments followed at home as well as the triggering factors of the acute episode. RESULTS: The main pathology on which the acute pulmonary oedema (APE) episode occurred was represented by: arterial high blood pressure (HBP), dilated cardiomyopathy, ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, pre-existing atrial rhythm disorders. The analysis of the factors that precipitated the acute pulmonary oedema episode revealed the following possible triggering conditions: inadequate physical effort on the background of treatment discontinuation, high sodium diet, a prolonged ischemic episode due to inadequate physical effort, rhythm disorder with rapid ventricular response (atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter). In some cases, the risk factors were cumulated. CONCLUSIONS: Acute pulmonary oedema represents a major emergency that requires immediate admission to hospital and rapid treatment in the emergency department concurrent with the identification of the triggering and precipitating factors.

Cardiac tumors.

Cardiac tumors are a group of rare disorders with a frequency that varies in population studies between 0.0017% and 0.33%. There are primary cardiac tumors with an incidence of 5% of all cardiac tumors and secondary tumors (metastases of the heart) in 95% of cases. Symptoms are nonspecific and can mimic many other heart diseases. This fact makes the diagnosis of cardiac tumors very difficult. Approximately 75% of the primary cardiac tumors are benign; the most frequent histological type encountered is myxoma in 50% of cases, followed by cardiac fibromas, lipomas, rhabdomyomas, hemangiomas, teratomas, papillary fibroelastomas, pericardial cysts or cystic tumor of the atrioventricular node region. Secondary cardiac tumors (metastases) are 20 times more common than primary cardiac tumors. Paraclinical methods (especially imaging evaluation) are always necessary for the complete diagnosis: transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiograms are the gold standard investigations in the diagnosis of the cardiac tumors; CT scans together with MRIs are complementary diagnostic methods that are useful when the diagnosis is uncertain. In the majority of cases surgical treatment is recommended.

Hyponatremia--risk factor in patients with chronic heart failure--clinical, evolutive and therapeutic implications.

UNLABELLED: Patients with heart failure are, by definition, hemodynamically unstable. This condition may be accentuated by medication (digitalis, diuretics, antiarrhythmics), so that they become more sensitive to electrolyte disturbances. Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder, particularly common in the intensive care unit. AIM: The evaluation of the incidence of hyponatremia in patients diagnosed with chronic heart failure in order to establish a correlation with the evolution, prognosis and therapeutic implications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively 120 patients diagnosed with chronic heart failure NYHA II-IV classes, admitted in the Cardiology Clinic between 2009 and 2013. We analyzed electrolytic disturbances which occurred during different strategies of therapy. RESULTS: 120 patients with heart failure were admitted in the Cardiology Clinic between 2009 and 2013, 92 males and 28 females. Diagnosis was established by classical criteria. Evaluation was very complex and included: complete clinical examination, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, chest ray examination and biochemical analyses especially hepatic, renal function and electrolyte status. CONCLUSIONS: The data obtained showed that electrolyte disturbances are frequent in patients with chronic heart failure, irrespective of NYHA class. Hyponatremia is usually associated with diuretic therapy and may play a very important role in the subsequent development of life-threatening complications. Patients with heart failure who develop hyponatremia during their evolution had a worse prognosis.

Is there a cardiovascular risk in inflammatory bowel diseases?

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are characterized by an increased thrombembolic risk, given the powerful relation between inflammation and thrombosis. Multiple studies showed that patients with IBD have an up to 3-fold higher risk for developing venous thrombembolic (VTE) complications compared to general population, this risk being more increased in the hospitalized IBD flares. Thus, latest consensus recommendations indicate prophylaxis for VTE in hospitalized patients with active IBD but with no clear indications for the management of IBD outpatients. Regarding atherothrombotic risk (myocardial infarction or stroke), up-to-date data are inconclusive. IBD is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in patients without clinical manifestations of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). However, the results of major studies assessing the hypothesis that IBD is strongly associated with atherosclerotic macrovascular events prove to be divergent even if they show positive correlations with CVD especially on different subgroup analysis. These facts should lead in the future to more prospective studies with control groups that have the same cardiovascular risk profile as in IBD populations in order to admit definitively that patients with IBD are exposed to an increased cardiovascular risk.

A randomized controlled double-blind investigation of the effects of vitamin D dietary supplementation in subjects with atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Subjects with atopic dermatitis (AD) have defects in antimicrobial peptide (AMP) production possibly contributing to an increased risk of infections. In laboratory models, vitamin D can alter innate immunity by increasing AMP production. OBJECTIVE: To determine if AD severity correlates with baseline vitamin D levels, and to test whether supplementation with oral vitamin D alters AMP production in AD skin. METHODS: This was a multi-centre, placebo-controlled, double-blind study in 30 subjects with AD, 30 non-atopic subjects, and 16 subjects with psoriasis. Subjects were randomized to receive either 4000 IU of cholecalciferol or placebo for 21 days. At baseline and day 21, levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), cathelicidin, HBD-3, IL-13, and Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) and Rajka-Langeland scores were obtained. RESULTS: At baseline, 20% of AD subjects had serum 25OHD below 20 ng/mL. Low serum 25OHD correlated with increased Fitzpatrick Skin Type and elevated BMI, but not AD severity. After 21 days of oral cholecalciferol, mean serum 25OHD increased, but there was no significant change in skin cathelicidin, HBD-3, IL-13 or EASI scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrated that darker skin types and elevated BMI are important risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in subjects with AD, and highlighted the possibility that seasonality and locale may be potent contributors to cathelicidin induction through their effect on steady state 25OHD levels. Given the molecular links between vitamin D and immune function, further study of vitamin D supplementation in subjects with AD is warranted.

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells and erectile dysfunction: possibility of nutritional intervention?

To provide an overview of molecular and cellular processes involved in erectile dysfunction (ED) with emphasis on circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) and discuss possible nutraceutical means of intervention. A review of literature on Pubmed related to EPC and ED was conducted. Patients with ED appear to possess a reduced number of circulating EPC, which is associated with poor endothelial function possibly as a result of underlying low-grade inflammation. Several studies support the possibility of improving erectile function by inhibition of inflammation as well as administration of various stem cell types. One particularly interesting approach is nutraceutical supplementation to increase circulating EPC, as demonstrated in the product Stem-Kine. Interventions aimed at increasing circulating EPC may have potential in treatment of vascular ED.

Acute scurvy during treatment with interleukin-2.

The association of vitamin C deficiency with nutritional factors is commonly recognized. However, an acute form of scurvy can occur in patients with an acute systemic inflammatory response, which is produced by sepsis, medications, cancer or acute inflammation. The frequency of acute hypovitaminosis C in hospitalized patients is higher than previously recognized. We report the occurrence of acute signs and symptoms of scurvy (perifollicular petechiae, erythema, gingivitis and bleeding) in a patient hospitalized for treatment of metastatic renal-cell carcinoma with high-dose interleukin-2. Concomitantly, serum vitamin C levels decreased to below normal. Better diets and longer lifespan may result a lower frequency of acute scurvy and a higher frequency of scurvy associated with systemic inflammatory responses. Therefore, increased awareness of this condition can lead to early recognition of the cutaneous signs of acute scurvy in hospitalized patients with acute illnesses or in receipt of biological agents, and prevent subsequent morbidity such as bleeding, anaemia, impaired immune defences, oedema or neurological symptoms.

Effect of treatment with a colloidal oatmeal lotion on the acneform eruption induced by epidermal growth factor receptor and multiple tyrosine-kinase inhibitors.

Current treatment modalities for epidermal growth factor (EGFR)-positive cancers have recently included the use of antibodies and small-molecule tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKI). A significant limiting step in the use of these agents is dermatological toxicity, frequently in the form of an acneiform eruption. Present management modalities for this toxicity are largely ineffective. Colloidal oatmeal lotion demonstrates multiple anti-inflammatory properties with known effects on arachidonic acid, cytosolic phospholipase A2 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha pathways, along with an excellent side-effect profile. Treatment with colloidal oatmeal was applied to 11 patients with a rash induced by cetuximab, erlotinib, panitumumab and sorafenib. Of the 10 assessable patients, 6 had complete response and 4 partial response, giving a response rate of 100% with no associated toxicities. Treatment with colloidal oatmeal lotion is efficient in controlling the rash associated with EGFR and multiple TKI, and allows continuation of the antineoplastic treatment.

Metastatic solid-pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas: clinico-biological correlates and management.

Solid-pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas is a rare neoplasm of young women, currently categorised in the World Health Organization classification under exocrine pancreatic tumours. Increased awareness of this condition correlated recently with an apparent rise in incidence as well as recognition of more aggressive clinical courses. We describe two patients with solid-pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas. A smaller, localised tumour in an unusually young white man was surgically excised with no evidence of recurrence after 2 years. The other case also had an uncommon presentation, with an aggressive course resulting in vascular encasement of the superior mesenteric bundle and aorta, and local involvement of the mesenteric lymph nodes. A literature review was carried out, and the main clinico-pathological features and strategies of treatment of solid-pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas are presented. Pathological, genetic and molecular features distinguish solid-pseudopapillary tumours from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, neuroendocrine differentiation can be found focally in occasional cases of solid-pseudopapillary tumour. Patients with localised disease are usually cured by surgery. Prolonged survival can be seen in the presence of distant metastasis, if such lesions are resected surgically. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are used in rare cases when resection is not possible. No current chemotherapy regimens are considered standard in the treatment of this tumour. A rational chemotherapy protocol for such a rare tumour needs to consider its origin and clinical behaviour. However, the indolent clinical progression of solid-pseudopapillary tumours is similar to that of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour.

Unusual cutaneous involvement during plasma cell leukaemia phase in a multiple myeloma patient after treatment with thalidomide: a case report and review of the literature.

We report the case of a 54-year-old African-American male with IgG multiple myeloma (MM) with disease resistant to multiple chemotherapy regimens and immunomodulatory treatment with thalidomide. In spite of achieving a partial remission of short duration, his disease accelerated to peripheral plasmacytosis and subsequent development of cutaneous plasmacytomas. The malignant plasma cells derived from the dermal lesions were CD45+, CD38+, CD138+ and matched the immunophenotype of the plasmacytes during the leukaemic phase. Occurrence of extramedullary lesions in the setting of MM treated with thalidomide is of concern, although currently there are very few reports describing this association. We discuss the possible relationship between the patient's unusual disease course and the administered chemo- and immunotherapy. The significance of the changes in adhesion molecules, especially CD138 and CD56, relevant to the development of cutaneous plasmacytomas is discussed.

Steroid-responsive inclusion body myositis associated with endometrial cancer.

Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is an uncommon chronic inflammatory myopathy. Although the association between other myopathies and cancer has been well established, the relationship between IBM and neoplasia is not completely understood. Unlike polymyositis (PM) or dermatomyositis (DM), IBM rarely responds to immunosuppressive treatment and the response is seldom long-lasting. We describe a case of IBM associated with endometrial carcinoma that also demonstrated a unique response to steroids alone which persisted despite cancer relapse. The factors that are associated with a response of IBM to steroids are discussed. An atypical, steroid-responsive form of the disease is delineated.

Chemotherapy-induced scleroderma: a pleiomorphic syndrome.

A scleroderma-like disease has recently been described in association with taxanes. We present the first case of diffuse scleroderma occurring in a woman treated with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide for breast cancer. The clinical pattern of skin involvement and histological alterations were identical to those found in the classical form of scleroderma. Skin involvement progressed to affect 80% of total body area, and subsequently remained unchanged despite progression of the underlying cancer, making a paraneoplastic aetiology of the scleroderma unlikely. Specific chemotherapeutic agents might be directly responsible for the clinical manifestations and the parameters of progression. Analysis of all similar case reports defines the particular features and clinical course of this phenomenon.