Myocardial Perfusion and Coronary Physiology Assessment of Microvascular Dysfunction in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation-Rationale and Design.

The prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) is 30-68%. Nevertheless, there is still not enough evidence to use invasive assessment of lesion severity, because the hemodynamic milieu of AS may impact the fractional flow reserve (FFR) and non-hyperemic indices. Therefore, the aim of the study is two-fold. First, to measure acute and long-term changes of FFR, index of microvascular resistance (IMR), and coronary flow reserve (CFR) in patients undergoing TAVI procedure. Second, to compare the diagnostic accuracy of intracoronary indices with myocardial perfusion measured by cadmium-zinc-telluride single-photon emission tomography (CZT-SPECT) and find cut-off values defining significant stenosis. We plan to enroll 40 patients eligible for TAVI with intermediate stenosis (30-70%) in the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. In each patient FFR, CFR, and IMR will be measured in addition to myocardial blood flow calculated by CZT-SPECT before and either immediately after TAVI (acute cohort) or in 6 months (late cohort) after the procedure. FFR, CFR, and IMR will be matched with the results of myocardial perfusion measured by CZT-SPECT in the area of LAD. As a result, cut-off values of FFR, CFR, and IMR defining the decreased blood flow will be found.

[Detection of HIV antibodies among prisoners from penitentiary units within the district penal institutions in Cracow]. / Badania przeciwcial HIV u wiezniów w jednostkach penitencjarnych podleglych Okregowemu Zarzadowi Zakladów Karnych w Krakowie.

The reports on the high percentage of HIV infected persons in West European prisons brought about similar investigations in Kraków. 2794 prisoners and a control group of 241 people were examined. The authors used a questionnaire and detected HIV antibodies. The number of seropositive prisoners was not essential. The value of structure factor was 0.15% for prisoners, and in the control group it was 0%. The value of the test u = 0.64, statistical differences were not significant - p greater than 0.05.

Serum magnesium in Greenland Eskimos.

Serum magnesium in Greenland Eskimos living in Greenland is significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than in Greenlanders and Danes living in Denmark. Danes living in Greenland show intermediate values. The higher serum magnesium may be due to a high intake of nutrients from fish and sea mammals. A more complete intestinal absorption of magnesium caused by a low dietary calcium should also be considered. The high serum magnesium may contribute to the rare occurrence of urinary calculi in Greenlanders.