High N-Terminal proB-Type Natriuretic Peptide Indicates Elevated Risk of Death after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Compared to Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery in Patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction.

Background: Reduced left ventricular function (LVF) is a predictor for stent-thrombosis. In advanced heart failure (characterized by high NT-proBNP) with an activated coagulation system, coronary events clinically perceived as sudden death or death from heart failure may be more common in patients treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) than in patients treated by coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Our study analyses (1) if patients with reduced LVF who require coronary revascularization will have a better survival benefit with CABG or PCI, and (2) if the survival benefit is predicted by NT-proBNP. Methods: This observational retrospective study included patients from the coronary catheter laboratory database of the Medical University of Vienna (CCLD-MUW). Multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to test the hypothesis that there is an interaction in the risk of death between those with lower or elevated NT-proBNP levels and the revascularization procedure (PCI or CABG). The relative risk of PCI compared to CABG as reference was calculated for patients with low and elevated NT-proBNP levels. Results: In the entire study population with 398 patients (340 PCI and 58 CABG) the revascularization procedure had no predictive value. When the revascularization procedure*NTproBNP interaction was forced into the Cox regression model, this term was an independent predictor of death. The relative risk of PCI compared to CABG was similar in patients with lower NT-proBNP-1.01 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.45-2.24), but was significantly increased in patients with elevated NT-proBNP-1.58 (95% CI, 1.07-2.33). Conclusion: Death is associated to the revascularization procedure, but only in those patients with elevated NT-proBNP levels. NT-proBNP is a predicting factor for the revascularization procedure: elevated levels showed an increased risk of death after PCI compared to CABG, whereas lower levels were associated with a similar risk after both revascularization procedures.

Muscle mitochondrial ATP synthesis and glucose transport/phosphorylation in type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Muscular insulin resistance is frequently characterized by blunted increases in glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P) reflecting impaired glucose transport/phosphorylation. These abnormalities likely relate to excessive intramyocellular lipids and mitochondrial dysfunction. We hypothesized that alterations in insulin action and mitochondrial function should be present even in nonobese patients with well-controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS AND FINDINGS: We measured G-6-P, ATP synthetic flux (i.e., synthesis) and lipid contents of skeletal muscle with (31)P/(1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy in ten patients with T2DM and in two control groups: ten sex-, age-, and body mass-matched elderly people; and 11 younger healthy individuals. Although insulin sensitivity was lower in patients with T2DM, muscle lipid contents were comparable and hyperinsulinemia increased G-6-P by 50% (95% confidence interval [CI] 39%-99%) in all groups. Patients with diabetes had 27% lower fasting ATP synthetic flux compared to younger controls (p = 0.031). Insulin stimulation increased ATP synthetic flux only in controls (younger: 26%, 95% CI 13%-42%; older: 11%, 95% CI 2%-25%), but failed to increase even during hyperglycemic hyperinsulinemia in patients with T2DM. Fasting free fatty acids and waist-to-hip ratios explained 44% of basal ATP synthetic flux. Insulin sensitivity explained 30% of insulin-stimulated ATP synthetic flux. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with well-controlled T2DM feature slightly lower flux through muscle ATP synthesis, which occurs independently of glucose transport /phosphorylation and lipid deposition but is determined by lipid availability and insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, the reduction in insulin-stimulated glucose disposal despite normal glucose transport/phosphorylation suggests further abnormalities mainly in glycogen synthesis in these patients.

Long-term results with different bone substitutes used for sinus floor elevation.

One of the surgical procedures preceding implantation is elevation of the base of the maxillary sinus. Numerous bone substituting materials (grafts) may be used for this purpose, including autogenous bone, heterografts, xenogenous bone, and synthetic materials alone or in combination or mixed with growth factors and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) preparations. A study of the frequencies of the failures (graft material resorption or implant loss) after sinus elevations with various graft materials or their combinations was conducted. In the 5-year period from 1996 through 2001, a follow-up investigation of 810 maxillary sinus augmentations was performed, in which the sinus elevations involved the use of autogenous bone, a calcium carbonate-coated polymer, hydroxylapatite of algal origin, calcium carbonate gel produced from coral or beta-tricalcium phosphate alone, autogenous bone mixed with these bone substitutes, or a combination of beta-tricalcium phosphate and platelet-rich plasma. The incidences of graft resorption and implant loss after the augmentations with various bone substitutes were recorded. Total resorption (disappearance) of the bone substitute material was observed in 2.7% of the cases. An essential difference was not experienced between the various bone substitutes from this aspect, with the exception of the gel-state calcium carbonate, where 40% of the grafts were resorbed. In total, 5.46% of the implants were lost; the differences between the various materials were not significant.

[Clinical comparison of graft materials used for sinus elevation]. / Sinus elevatióhoz használt graftanyagok klinikai összehasonlítása.

Augmentation of the base of the maxillary sinus is one of the surgical procedures utilized in preparation for artificial root implantation in the maxilla. The authors intended to survey the causes of the lack of success (graft loss and implant failure) of sinus elevations with various graft materials or their combinations.

[Complication connected with sinus elevations]. / Szövódmények sinus elevatio kapcsán.

Following tooth loss it may be necessary to increase the amount of bone at the maxillary alveolar ridge into which dental implants are to be inserted. Augmentation of the maxillary sinus is performed for this purpose. It may be considered as a routine intervention, but like all surgical methods, it involves certain risks. The authors intended to assess the frequency of complications among the sinus-floor elevations that they have performed.