Safety and possible anti-inflammatory effect of paclitaxel associated with LDL-like nanoparticles (LDE) in patients with chronic coronary artery disease: a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study.

Introduction: Studies in cholesterol-fed rabbits showed that anti-proliferative chemotherapeutic agents such as paclitaxel associated with solid lipid nanoparticles (LDE) have marked anti-atherosclerotic effects. In addition, association with LDE nearly abolishes paclitaxel toxicity. We investigated whether treatment with LDE-paclitaxel changes plaque progression by coronary CT angiography and is safe in patients with chronic coronary artery disease. Methods: We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study in patients with multi-vessel chronic coronary artery disease. Patients were randomized to receive IV infusions of LDE-paclitaxel (paclitaxel dose: 175 mg/m2 body surface) or LDE alone (placebo group), administered every 3 weeks for 18 weeks. All participants received guideline-directed medical therapy. Clinical and laboratory safety evaluations were made at baseline and every 3 weeks until the end of the study. Analysis of inflammatory biomarkers and coronary CTA was also performed at baseline and 4 weeks after treatment. Results: Forty patients aged 65.6 ± 8 years, 20 in LDE-paclitaxel and 20 in placebo group were enrolled. Among those, 58% had diabetes, 50% had myocardial infarction, and 91% were in use of statin and aspirin. Baseline demographics, risk factors, and laboratory results were not different between groups. In all patients, no clinical or laboratory toxicities were observed. From the baseline to the end of follow-up, there was a non-significant trend toward a decrease in IL-6 levels and hsCRP in the LDE-paclitaxel group (-16% and -28%, respectively), not observed in placebo. Regarding plaque progression analysis, variation in plaque parameter values was wide, and no difference between groups was observed. Conclusion: In patients with multivessel chronic coronary artery disease and optimized medical therapy, LDE-paclitaxel was safe and showed clues of potential benefits in reducing inflammatory biomarkers. Clinical Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04148833, identifier (NCT04148833).

Sinus Node Artery Occlusion During Cardiac Denervation Procedures.

Cardioneural ablation is a novel treatment for functional bradycardia. However, the risk of acute complications is still unknown. The aim of this case report is to describe acute occlusion of the sinus node artery after cardiac denervation procedures in 2 patients and to encourage measures to prevent it, such as evaluating the aortic angulation in older patients before the procedure and by monitoring signs of sinus failure during ablation in patients with electroanatomical maps showing a constricted aspect of the right atrium. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Comparison between hemosiderin and Technetium-99 in sentinel lymph node biopsy in human breast cancer.

PURPOSE: To assess the safety and potential equivalence of the use of hemosiderin compared to the Technetium-99 in sentinel lymph node biopsy in human breast cancer. METHODS: Non-random sample of 14 volunteer women diagnosed with breast cancer with primary tumors (T1/T2) and clinically tumor-free axilla were submitted to the identification of sentinel lymph node using hemosiderin obtained from autologous blood injected in the periareolar region 24h before surgery on an outpatient basis. Patients received preoperative subareolar intradermal injection of Technetium-99 in the immediate preoperative period. Patients were submitted to sentinel lymph node biopsy, with incision in the axillary fold guided by Gamma-Probe, dissection by planes until the identification of the point of maximum uptake of Technetium-99, identifying the marked nodes and their colors. All surgical specimens were sent for pathological and immunohistochemical study. RESULTS: The results showed no evidence of side effects and/or allergic and non-allergic reactions in patients submitted to SLNB with hemosiderin. The SLN identification rate per patient was 100%. SLNB identification rate per patient with hemosiderin was the same as that of Technetium, with a concordance rate of 100% between the methods. CONCLUSION: Hemosiderin is a safe dye that is equivalent to Technetium in breast sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Comparison between hemosiderin and Technetium-99 in sentinel lymph node biopsy in human breast cancer

PURPOSE: To assess the safety and potential equivalence of the use of hemosiderin compared to the Technetium-99 in sentinel lymph node biopsy in human breast cancer. METHODS: Non-random sample of 14 volunteer women diagnosed with breast cancer with primary tumors (T1/T2) and clinically tumor-free axilla were submitted to the identification of sentinel lymph node using hemosiderin obtained from autologous blood injected in the periareolar region 24h before surgery on an outpatient basis. Patients received preoperative subareolar intradermal injection of Technetium-99 in the immediate preoperative period. Patients were submitted to sentinel lymph node biopsy, with incision in the axillary fold guided by Gamma-Probe, dissection by planes until the identification of the point of maximum uptake of Technetium-99, identifying the marked nodes and their colors. All surgical specimens were sent for pathological and immunohistochemical study. RESULTS: The results showed no evidence of side effects and/or allergic and non-allergic reactions in patients submitted to SLNB with hemosiderin. The SLN identification rate per patient was 100%. SLNB identification rate per patient with hemosiderin was the same as that of Technetium, with a concordance rate of 100% between the methods. CONCLUSION: Hemosiderin is a safe dye that is equivalent to Technetium in breast sentinel lymph node biopsy.