Real-world outcomes of endovascular treatment in a non-selected population with peripheral artery disease - prospective study with 2-year follow-up.

Background: The study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in lower-extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients. Patients and methods: A multi-centre, observational study was performed with 32 German and Austrian centres contributing data to the PTA registry. Data of 1,781 patients with lower-leg and pelvic PAD who were suitable for endovascular PTA treatment were contributed from participating centres. Data from 1,533 patients are reported here (1,055 male and 478 female). This study did not have exclusion criteria. Quality of life (QOL) questionnaire (EQ-5D) scores, Rutherford classification, mortality, patency rate and details of major adverse cardiovascular events were collected at 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month follow ups. Results: PTA with/without stenting achieved 90.3 %, 86.5 %, 82.7 %, and 71.9 % technical success (recanalisation achieving ≥ 70 % patency, no evidence of embolisation, recoiling or dissection) in iliac, femoral, popliteal, and below-the-knee arteries, respectively. Procedural/postprocedural complications occurred in 142 (9.3 %, 1 death) and 74 (4.8 %) patients. QOL, mobility, self-care, activity, and pain/discomfort scores improved (p < 0.01), anxiety/depression was insignificantly improved. During follow-up, 409 (26.7 %) patients were hospitalised for PAD, 281 (18.3 %) required reintervention, and 145 (9.5 %) died or needed amputation (n = 49; 3.2 %). Multivariate analysis demonstrated poorer outcomes in patients with comorbidities. Conclusions: PTA with/without stenting is effective, safe, and widely applicable, with few complications. It improves QOL, but not anxiety/depression.

Expression of lymphocyte activation markers of preterm neonates is associated with perinatal complications.

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate activation of T lymphocytes plays an important role in perinatal complications. However, data on T lymphocyte activation markers of preterm infants is scarce. We investigated the association between gender, gestational and postnatal age, preeclampsia (PE), premature rupture of membranes (PROM) as well as prenatal steroid treatment (PS) and the frequency of activated T lymphocyte subsets (HLA-DR+, CD69+, CD25+, CD62L+) and major T lymphocyte subpopulations (CD4, CD8, Th1, Th2, naïve, memory) in peripheral blood during the first postnatal week in preterm infants. RESULTS: Cord blood and peripheral blood samples were collected from 43 preterm infants on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th days of life. We assessed the frequency of the above T lymphocyte subsets using flow cytometry. The 'mixed effect model' was used to analyze the effects of clinical parameters on T lymphocyte markers. The frequency of CD25+ T lymphocytes was higher in PROM. The frequency of CD4+ and CD8+ cells and the CD4+/CD8+ cell ratio was decreased in PE. The frequency of CD62L+ T lymphocytes was higher in male compared with female infants. PS did not affect the frequency of the investigated markers. CD4+ CD25+ cells had a lower frequency at birth than on day 7. Th2 lymphocytes had a lower frequency on postnatal days 1 and 3 when compared to day 7. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations indicate that alterations affecting the expression of T lymphocyte activation markers are associated with the above factors and may play a role in the development of perinatal complications.

Skin conductance in neonates suffering from abstinence syndrome and unexposed newborns.

UNLABELLED: The aims of this study were to compare the skin conductance (SC) of newborns with opiate-induced neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) to that of unexposed newborns and to evaluate the potential of SC readings to detect distress in the context of NAS objectively. The SC of 12 newborns with NAS and 12 unexposed newborns was measured at nine specific times during their first 6 weeks of life. The number of SC fluctuations per second (NSCF/s), the amplitude of SC fluctuation, and the mean level of SC were recorded and analyzed. The SC of newborns treated for symptoms of NAS differed significantly from the SC of unexposed newborns with regard to the NSCF/s (p = 0.04). With the mean level of SC, we observed an interaction between groups over time (p value for interaction = 0.02). With increasing postnatal age, we observed higher values in all three SC parameters. CONCLUSION: The NSCF/s and the mean level of SC appear to be suitable to reflect the distress of newborns suffering from NAS. As it is known that the sensitivity of SC increases with the level of stress experienced, its potential to indicate elevated stress levels in infants with NAS should be investigated in future studies evaluating different therapy regimens. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Skin conductance is a result of the filling of palmar and plantar sweat glands innervated by the sympathetic nervous system • Skin conductance can be used as a measure of stress and pain in newborns What is New: • Skin conductance of newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) differs significantly from the SC of non-substance-exposed newborns during the first 6 weeks of life • Skin conductance appears to reflect the increased distress of infants with NAS.

Morbidity and treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality but there are few studies available about atrial fibrillation, the most frequent arrhythmia in CKD, and the applied treatment. Based on the prospective German Competence NETwork on Atrial Fibrillation, data of 3138 patients with atrial fibrillation were analyzed and categorized by their estimated glomerular filtration rate (stages 1-3 and 4 plus 5). With advanced CKD, significantly more patients suffered from a more severe form of atrial fibrillation. Despite significantly higher CHADS2 scores in advanced CKD, oral anticoagulation was not prescribed more frequently while antiarrhythmic drugs and catheter ablations were used significantly less often, in contrast to more pacemaker implantations. However, in multivariate hierarchical logistic regression analyses of in-hospital treatments and complications, only hemorrhages and pacemaker implantations turned out to be independently and significantly associated with higher CKD stages. This nationwide study shows that patients with CKD and atrial fibrillation suffer from a markedly higher comorbidity. Thus, while CKD patients have received cardioversions, ablations, antiarrhythmic, or anticoagulation drugs significantly less often in their history, current treatments were not different if adjusted for multiple comorbidities. This might indicate an improvement in the often reported therapeutic nihilism in CKD.

Magnetically guided capsule versus conventional gastroscopy for upper abdominal complaints: a prospective blinded study.

OBJECTIVES: Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is mostly performed under sedation and has a low yield of relevant gastric lesions in patients without alarm symptoms. Simpler screening tests such as capsule endoscopy could be helpful, but gastric visualization is insufficient with the current passive capsules. A magnetically guided gastric capsule was prospectively evaluated in patients with routine indications for gastroscopy. METHODS: A total of 189 symptomatic patients (105 male; mean age 53 y) from 2 French centers subsequently and blindly underwent capsule and conventional gastroscopy by 9 and 6 examiners, respectively. The final gold standard was unblinded conventional gastroscopy with biopsy under propofol sedation. Main outcome was accuracy (sensitivity/specificity) of capsule gastroscopy for diagnosis of major gastric lesions, defined as those lesions requiring conventional gastroscopy for biopsy or removal. RESULTS: Twenty-three major lesions were found in 21 patients. Capsule accuracy was 90.5% [95% confidence interval (CI), 85.4%-94.3%] with a specificity of 94.1% (95% CI, 89.3%-97.1%) and a sensitivity of 61.9% (95% CI, 38%-82%). Accuracy did not correlate with lesion location, gastric luminal visibility, examiner case volume, or examination time. Of the remaining 168 patients, 94% had minor and mostly multiple lesions; the capsule made a correct diagnosis in 88.1% (95% CI, 82.2%-92.6%), with gastric visibility and lesion location in the proximal stomach having significant influence. All patients preferred capsule gastroscopy. CONCLUSIONS: In a prospective and strictly blinded study, magnetically guided capsule gastroscopy was shown to be feasible in clinical practice and was clearly preferred by patients. Improvements in capsule technology may render this technique a future alternative to gastroscopy.

Use of vitamin K antagonists for secondary stroke prevention depends on the treating healthcare provider in Germany - results from the German AFNET registry.

BACKGROUND: Anticoagulation using vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) significantly reduces the risk of recurrent stroke in stroke patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and is recommended by guidelines. METHODS: The German Competence NETwork on Atrial Fibrillation established a nationwide prospective registry including 9,574 AF patients, providing the opportunity to analyse AF management according to German healthcare providers. RESULTS: On enrolment, 896 (9.4 %) patients reported a prior ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack. Stroke patients were significantly older, more likely to be female, had a higher rate of cardiovascular risk factors, and more frequently received anticoagulation (almost exclusively VKA) than patients without prior stroke history. Following enrolment, 76.4 % of all stroke patients without VKA contraindications received anticoagulation, which inversely associated with age (OR 0.95 per year; 95 % CI 0.92-0.97). General practitioners/internists (OR 0.40; 95 % CI 0.21-0.77) and physicians working in regional hospitals (OR 0.47; 95 % CI 0.29-0.77) prescribed anticoagulation for secondary stroke prevention less frequently than physicians working at university hospitals (reference) and office-based cardiologists (OR 1.40; 95 % CI 0.76-2.60). The impact of the treating healthcare provider was less evident in registry patients without prior stroke. CONCLUSIONS: In the AFNET registry, anticoagulation for secondary stroke prevention was prescribed in roughly three-quarters of AF patients, a significantly higher rate than in primary prevention. We identified two factors associated with withholding oral anticoagulation in stroke survivors, namely higher age and-most prominently-treatment by a general practitioner/internist or physicians working at regional hospitals.

A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism near the CYP17A1 Gene Is Associated with Left Ventricular Mass in Hypertensive Patients under Pharmacotherapy.

Cytochrome P450 17A1 (CYP17A1) catalyses the formation and metabolism of steroid hormones. They are involved in blood pressure (BP) regulation and in the pathogenesis of left ventricular hypertrophy. Therefore, altered function of CYP17A1 due to genetic variants may influence BP and left ventricular mass. Notably, genome wide association studies supported the role of this enzyme in BP control. Against this background, we investigated associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in or nearby the CYP17A1 gene with BP and left ventricular mass in patients with arterial hypertension and associated cardiovascular organ damage treated according to guidelines. Patients (n = 1007, mean age 58.0 ± 9.8 years, 83% men) with arterial hypertension and cardiac left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 40% were enrolled in the study. Cardiac parameters of left ventricular mass, geometry and function were determined by echocardiography. The cohort comprised patients with coronary heart disease (n = 823; 81.7%) and myocardial infarction (n = 545; 54.1%) with a mean LVEF of 59.9% ± 9.3%. The mean left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was 52.1 ± 21.2 g/m2.7 and 485 (48.2%) patients had left ventricular hypertrophy. There was no significant association of any investigated SNP (rs619824, rs743572, rs1004467, rs11191548, rs17115100) with mean 24 h systolic or diastolic BP. However, carriers of the rs11191548 C allele demonstrated a 7% increase in LVMI (95% CI: 1%-12%, p = 0.017) compared to non-carriers. The CYP17A1 polymorphism rs11191548 demonstrated a significant association with LVMI in patients with arterial hypertension and preserved LVEF. Thus, CYP17A1 may contribute to cardiac hypertrophy in this clinical condition.

Endoscopic versus histological characterisation of polyps during screening colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND: As screening colonoscopy becomes more widespread, the costs for histopathological assessment of resected polyps are rising correspondingly. Reference centres have published highly accurate results for endoscopic polyp classification. Therefore, it has been proposed that, for smaller polyps, the differential diagnosis that guides follow-up recommendations could be based on endoscopy alone. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to prospectively assess whether the high accuracy for endoscopic polyp diagnosis as reported by reference centres can be reproduced in routine screening colonoscopy. DESIGN: Ten experienced private practice endoscopists had initial training in pit patterns. Then they assessed all polyps detected during 1069 screening colonoscopies. Patients (46% men; mean age 63 years) were randomly assigned to colonoscopy with conventional or latest generation HDTV instruments. The main outcome measure was diagnostic accuracy of in vivo polyp assessment (adenomatous vs hyperplastic). Secondary outcome measures were differences between endoscopes and reliability of image-based follow-up recommendations; a blinded post hoc analysis of polyp photographs was also performed. RESULTS: 675 polyps were assessed (461 adenomatous, 214 hyperplastic). Accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of in vivo diagnoses were 76.6%, 78.1% and 73.4%; size of adenomas and endoscope withdrawal time significantly influenced accuracy. Image-based recommendations for post-polypectomy surveillance were correct in only 69.5% of cases. Post hoc analysis of polyp photographs did not improve accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: In everyday practice, endoscopic classification of polyp type is not accurate enough to abandon histopathological assessment and use of latest generation colonoscopes does not improve this. Image-based surveillance recommendations after polypectomy would consequently not meet guideline requirements. TRIALREGNO: NCT01297712.

Psychological outcome, fatigue, and quality of life after infection with shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: From May through July 2011 in northern Germany, there was a large outbreak of hemolytic uremic syndrome and bloody diarrhea, which was related to infections from Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104 (STEC). We investigated the depression, posttraumatic symptoms, fatigue, and health-related quality of life among patients within the first 6 months after STEC infection and aimed to identify factors associated with poor outcome. METHODS: In a cohort study, we performed baseline assessments of 389 patients (69% female) 3 months after STEC infection (82 ± 36 days) and follow-up assessments of 308 of the patients 6 months afterward (199 ± 17 days). Data were collected at 13 hospitals in northern Germany. Patients completed validated self-report scales and a diagnostic interview. RESULTS: At baseline, hemolytic uremic syndrome was diagnosed in 31% of the patients. Six months after the infection, mean self-reported severity of depression and posttraumatic symptoms and fatigue were significantly greater than in the general population, and the mean score from the mental component of health-related quality of life survey was significantly lower than average. Posttraumatic stress disorder had recently developed in 3% of patients (95% confidence interval, 1%-5%), and 43% of patients had clinically relevant fatigue (95% confidence interval, 41%-45%). The most important baseline factors associated with poor psychological health 6 months after STEC infection were previous traumatic events, neuroticism, and low social support (all P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Six months after the major outbreak of STEC infection in northern Germany, a substantial number of patients had poor psychological health, persistent fatigue, and impaired quality of life. For future outbreaks, patients' premorbid risk factors should be considered, which might minimize the long-term effects of infections on mental health.

German multicenter real-world registry of stenting for superficial femoral artery disease: clinical results and predictive factors for revascularization.

PURPOSE: To investigate nitinol stent treatment of superficial femoral artery (SFA) lesions and the impact of different risk factors on the need for clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) in a large, real-world population of claudicants. METHODS: Patients presenting with symptomatic SFA stenosis >70% were consecutively enrolled in the 13-center MARIS prospective registry (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01067885). There was no restriction on lesion length, thus leading to the inclusion of a real-world as well as high-risk patient cohort. The 998 participating patients (657 men; mean age 67.4±9.2 years) had 1050 lesions treated with the same nitinol stent type. The mean lesion length was 9.5±9.6 cm (range 0.5-44; median 8.0); more than a third of the lesions (450, 42.9%) were total occlusions. The primary endpoint was the need for clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 12 months. RESULTS: Acute technical success was achieved in 1042 (99.2%) lesions. Restenosis occurred in 187 (23.7%) and reocclusion in 79 (10.0%) lesions at 12 months. The primary endpoint of TLR at 12 months was reached by 136 (17.2%) patients. The periprocedural complication rate was 5.4%. Independent predictors of TLR were female gender [odds ratio (OR) 0.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.3 to 0.7, p<0.001] and lesion length >20 cm vs. 10 cm (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.1 to 6.6, p=0.029) and 10-20 cm vs. 10 cm (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.0 to 4.1, p=0.047). CONCLUSION: Stent implantation in the SFA is safe and associated with favorable acute and midterm results in a real-world setting. Lesion length and female gender were identified as independent risk factors for TLR.

Acupuncture in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis: a randomized trial.

UNLABELLED: Chinese translation BACKGROUND: Acupuncture is frequently used to treat seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) despite limited scientific evidence. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of acupuncture in patients with SAR. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled multicenter trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00610584) SETTING: 46 specialized physicians in 6 hospital clinics and 32 private outpatient clinics. PATIENTS: 422 persons with SAR and IgE sensitization to birch and grass pollen. INTERVENTION: Acupuncture plus rescue medication (RM) (cetirizine) (n = 212), sham acupuncture plus RM (n = 102), or RM alone (n = 108). Twelve treatments were provided over 8 weeks in the first year. MEASUREMENTS: Changes in the Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) overall score and the RM score (RMS) from baseline to weeks 7 and 8 and week 16 in the first year and week 8 in the second year after randomization, with predefined noninferiority margins of -0.5 point (RQLQ) and -1.5 points (RMS). RESULTS: Compared with sham acupuncture and with RM, acupuncture was associated with improvement in RQLQ score (sham vs. acupuncture mean difference, 0.5 point [97.5% CI, 0.2 to 0.8 point; P < 0.001]; RM vs. acupuncture mean difference, 0.7 point [97.5% CI, 0.4 to 1.0 point; P < 0.001]) and RMS (sham vs. acupuncture mean difference, 1.1 points [97.5% CI, 0.4 to 1.9 points; P < 0.001]; RM vs. acupuncture mean difference, 1.5 points [97.5% CI, 0.8 to 2.2 points; P < 0.001]). There were no differences after 16 weeks in the first year. After the 8-week follow-up phase in the second year, small improvements favoring real acupuncture over the sham procedure were noted (RQLQ mean difference, 0.3 point [95% CI, 0.03 to 0.6 point; P = 0.032]; RMS mean difference, 1.0 point [95% CI, 0.2 to 1.9 points; P = 0.018]). LIMITATION: The study was not powered to detect rare adverse events, and the RQLQ and RMS values were low at baseline. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture led to statistically significant improvements in disease-specific quality of life and antihistamine use measures after 8 weeks of treatment compared with sham acupuncture and with RM alone, but the improvements may not be clinically significant.

Short-term versus long-term antiarrhythmic drug treatment after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (Flec-SL): a prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded endpoint assessment trial.

BACKGROUND: Antiarrhythmic drugs prolong the atrial action potential and refractory period, and thereby prevent recurrent atrial fibrillation after cardioversion. The atrial action potential normalises after 2-4 weeks of sinus rhythm, suggesting that antiarrhythmic drugs might not be needed beyond that period. Therefore, we investigated whether short-term antiarrhythmic drug treatment after cardioversion is non-inferior to long-term treatment. METHODS: We enrolled patients in a prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded endpoint assessment trial between May 4, 2007, and March 12, 2010, at 44 centres in Germany. Eligible patients were adults with persistent atrial fibrillation undergoing planned cardioversion. After successful cardioversion, patients were randomly assigned in permuted blocks of six per centre to: no antiarrhythmic drug treatment (control); treatment with flecainide (200-300 mg per day) for 4 weeks (short-term treatment); or flecainide for 6 months (long-term treatment). The primary endpoint was time to persistent atrial fibrillation or death. Patients and clinicians were unmasked to group assignment and treatment. The primary outcome was assessed in a core laboratory, members of which were masked to treatment group. Patients were monitored for 6 months by daily telemetric electrocardiograph (ECG) and centrally adjudicated Holter ECG recordings whenever atrial fibrillation was noted in two consecutive ECGs. Analyses were per protocol. This trial is registered, number ISRCTN62728742. FINDINGS: After assay sensitivity was established with 4-week follow-up data from 242 patients showing that flecainide was superior to no treatment (Kaplan-Meier survival 70·2%vs 52·5%; p=0·0160), the trial continued to compare short-term versus long-term treatment. The primary outcome occurred in 120 (46%) of 261 patients receiving short-term treatment and in 103 (39%) of 263 patients receiving long-term treatment (event-free survival 48·4% [95% CI 41·9-55·0] vs 56·4% [49·1-63·6]; Kaplan-Meier estimate of difference 7·9% [-1·9 to 17·7]; p=0·2081 for non-inferiority; margin prespecified at 12%). In a post-hoc landmark analysis of patients who had not reached the primary endpoint in the first month, long-term treatment was superior to short-term treatment (Kaplan-Meier estimate of difference 14·3% [5·1-23·6]; hazard ratio 0·31 [0·18-0·56]; p=0·0001). INTERPRETATION: Short-term antiarrhythmic drug treatment after cardioversion is less effective than is long-term treatment, but can prevent most recurrences of atrial fibrillation. FUNDING: The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, 3M Medica, and MEDA Pharmaceuticals.

Drug-coated balloon angioplasty after directional atherectomy improves outcome in restenotic femoropopliteal arteries.

BACKGROUND: Restenosis remains an unresolved problem despite different treatment modalities and new stent technology in femoropopliteal arteries. No standard therapy has proven to provide acceptable outcome data for this entity. Directional atherectomy alone did not result in satisfactory long-term patency rates. The outcome might be improved in conjunction with drug-coated balloon angioplasty. METHODS: In this retrospective study, restenotic lesions of the femoropopliteal arteries were treated with directed atherectomy in 89 lesions of consecutive patients (58% male; mean age, 69 ± 11 years). All patients received adjunctive treatment with conventional balloon percutaneous angioplasty (PTA; n = 60) or drug-coated balloon angioplasty (DCB; n = 29). RESULTS: Lesion location was in the stent (DCB [n = 27] vs PTA [n = 36]) and in native restenotic vessels (DCB [n = 2] vs PTA [n = 25]). The 1-year Kaplan-Meier freedom from restenosis estimates (95% confidence intervals) in the DCB and PTA groups were 84.7% (70.9%-98.5%) and 43.8% (30.5%-57.1%), respectively. In a multivariable Cox model for restenosis, DCB treatment had a hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of 0.28 (0.12-0.66; P = .0036) compared with the PTA group. In the multivariable model for procedural success, the effect of treatment did not differ between PTA and DCB (P = .134). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of directed atherectomy with adjunctive DCB is associated with a better event-free survival at 12 months of follow-up compared with PTA after directed atherectomy.

Supra- and infratentorial pediatric ependymomas differ significantly in NeuN, p75 and GFAP expression.

Ependymomas comprise 8 % of all intracranial tumors in children <15 years. Recent studies revealed that some supratentorial ependymomas express neuronal antigens and that high expression of neurofilament protein light polypeptide (NEFL) correlates with better clinical outcome. We retrospectively analyzed an expanded panel of proteins in 6 supratentorial, 15 posterior fossa and 4 spinal pediatric ependymomas by immunohistochemistry. Expression of high and low affinity neurotrophin receptors TrkA (NTRK1) and p75 (NGFR), pan-neuronal markers NeuN (RBFOX3) and synaptophysin, radial glial marker SOX9, adhesion molecules CD56 (NCAM) and CD44, junctional protein connexin 43 (GJA1), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), epithelial membrane antigen and proliferation associated antigen Ki-67 were evaluated in a semi-quantitative or quantitative (Ki-67 and NeuN-index) fashion. We found p75 and NeuN to be expressed at significantly higher levels in supratentorial versus infratentorial tumors and GFAP to be expressed at significantly higher levels in infratentorial lesions. In conclusion, immunohistochemical expression of p75, NeuN and GFAP differed in ependymomas depending on tumor topography supporting the view of divergent cells of origin. However, because of the small sample size the results are of preliminary nature and replication in a larger cohort would be desirable.

Severe aortic arch calcification depicted on chest radiography strongly suggests coronary artery calcification.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between aortic arch calcifications (AAC) on chest radiography and coronary artery calcium (CAC) score determined by CT. METHODS: A total of 128 patients (75 men; 69.3 ± 14.7 years) who underwent chest radiography and CAC scoring at CT were included in this retrospective analysis. The extent of AAC on chest radiography was evaluated independently by two blinded observers using a semi-quantitative four-point scale (0-3). Intra- and interobserver agreement was assessed by weighted ĸ statistics. Amount of AAC determined on radiography was correlated with CAC and ROC analyses performed to characterise the diagnostic performance of AAC grading. RESULTS: Excellent intraobserver (ĸ = 0.82) and good interobserver (ĸ = 0.75) agreement of AAC grading was noted. Moderate agreement (ĸ = 0.46, 95 % CI 0.36-0.56) with a linear trend (P < 0.0001) between AAC grades and CAC scores was found. Cut-off between AAC grades 0-2 and 3 had a sensitivity of 38.6 %, specificity of 96.4 %, PPV of 85.0 %, NPV of 75.0 % and accuracy of 76.6 % for the correct identification of CAC scores greater than 400. CONCLUSION: Semi-quantitative AAC grading on chest radiography is reliable and positively associated with CAC scoring. We propose to report the extent of AAC in comprehensive radiological reports as "not present", "moderate" or "severe", as severe AAC strongly suggests coronary artery calcification. KEY POINTS: • Semi-quantitative aortic arch calcification (AAC) grading on plain chest radiography appears reliable. • AAC grading is positively associated with CT coronary artery calcium scoring. • AAC grading has a high specificity for ruling out CAC scores greater than 400. • We propose the reporting of the extent of AAC grade in chest X-ray (CXR) reports.

Association of linear ¹8F-sodium fluoride accumulation in femoral arteries as a measure of diffuse calcification with cardiovascular risk factors: a PET/CT study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to correlate linear (18)F-sodium fluoride accumulation in the femoral arteries as a measure of diffuse mineral deposition in medial elastocalcinosis with cardiovascular risk factors (RFs) and calcified plaque burden (CPB). METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, 409 patients were examined by (18)F-sodium fluoride positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Tracer accumulation was analyzed both qualitatively and semiquantitatively by measuring the target-to-background ratio, and compared with cardiovascular RFs and CPB. Linear (18)F-sodium fluoride accumulation was observed in 159 (38.9%) patients and correlated significantly with age (P < .0001), hypertension (P < .0001), hypercholesterolemia (P = .0003), diabetes (P = .0003), history of smoking (P = .0007), prior cardiovascular events (P = .03), and CPB (P < .0001). The prevalence of linear tracer uptake increased as the number of cardiovascular RFs increased (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Linear (18)F-sodium fluoride uptake in the femoral arteries (1) provides a measure of diffuse mineral deposition, (2) demonstrates a highly significant correlation with cardiovascular RFs and CPB, and (3) is found to accumulate more frequently in patients with a high-risk profile for cardiovascular events. (18)F-sodium fluoride PET/CT may become a unique tool for in vivo visualization and quantification of ongoing calcification in large arteries.

The influence of prone positioning on the accuracy of calibrated and uncalibrated pulse contour-derived cardiac index measurements.

BACKGROUND: Patients with lung failure who undergo prone positioning often receive extended hemodynamic monitoring. We investigated the influence of modified prone positioning (135°) on the accuracy of pulse contour-derived calibrated cardiac index (CIPC) and uncalibrated cardiac index (CIVIG) in this patient population with transpulmonary thermodilution (TPTD) as reference technique. METHODS: We studied 16 critically ill and mechanically ventilated patients (11 men, 5 women, aged 20-71 years) with acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Patients were monitored by TPTD with an integrated calibrated pulse contour technique (PiCCO®) and by uncalibrated pulse contour analysis (FloTrac/Vigileo™). Before prone positioning, cardiac index (given in L·min(-1)·m(-2)) was measured by TPTD (CITPTD) and CIPC was calibrated. After positioning, CIPC and CIVIG were read from the monitor and CITPTD was measured. After 8 to 10 hours, prone positioning was completed and measurements were performed analogously. Bland-Altman analysis based on a random-effects model was used to calculate limits of agreement (LOA) and percentage errors. Polar plots were used for trend analysis. RESULTS: Supine CITPTD was 3.3 ± 0.9 (mean ± SD) and CIVIG was 3.1 ± 0.8. After proning, CIPC was 3.5 ± 0.8, CIVIG 3.3 ± 0.8, and CITPTD 3.6 ± 0.8. Before repositioning, CITPTD was 3.5 ± 0.7 and CIVIG 3.3 ± 1.0. After repositioning, CITPTD was 3.1 ± 0.7, CIPC 3.3 ± 0.7, and CIVIG 2.9 ± 0.6. Mean bias pooled for proning and repositioning was -0.1 (LOA -0.7 to 0.6) for CIPC (percentage error 19%) and 0.3 (LOA -1.3 to 1.9) for CIVIG (percentage error 48%). Changes in CI were too small for trending analysis. CONCLUSION: Although calibrated CI measurements are only marginally influenced by prone positioning, according to the criteria of Critchley and Critchley, uncalibrated CI values show a degree of error, too high to be considered clinically acceptable.

Lymphocyte subsets in pediatric migraine.

Aseptic inflammation due to activated immune cells has been implicated in the pathomechanism of migraine. We measured the prevalence of regulatory T cells (Tregs), along with that of CD4(+)/CD8(+) lymphocytes and their Th1/Th2 commitment in pediatric migraine. Children and adolescents suffering from migraine without aura, migraine with aura and hemiplegic migraine ictally (n = 53, 27, and 20, respectively), also interictally (n = 33) were recruited and compared to 24 healthy children. Our results indicated comparable prevalence of Tregs, CD4(+) and Th1/Th2 committed cells. CD8(+) prevalence was lower, and CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio was higher in ictal phase irrespective of the subtype of migraine. No association between CD8(+) prevalence and gender, body weight, disease onset and attack duration in migraine subtypes was found. CD8(+) prevalence was normal in patients in interictal phase. These results suggest the absence of major systemic alteration of adaptive immunity in children and adolescents suffering from migraine; however, a transient decrease of CD8(+) prevalence during the ictal phase was detected irrespective of the subtype of migraine.

Effects of early corticosteroid treatment on magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography findings in giant cell arteritis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the impact of initial corticosteroid treatment on high-resolution MRI and colour-coded duplex sonography (CCDS) findings in patients with GCA (temporal). METHODS: Sensitivity and specificity of CCDS and high-resolution contrast-enhanced MRI studies of 59 patients with suspected GCA were retrospectively analysed. Patients were grouped according to the duration of steroid treatment before imaging: 0-1 day, 2-4 days and >4 days. In 41 patients, imaging results were compared with findings of temporal artery biopsy (TAB). RESULTS: Sixty-one per cent (36/59) of patients were diagnosed with GCA. TAB findings were positive in 59% (24/41). The compared results of TAB sensitivity of CCDS and MRI under steroid treatment of 0-1 day were 92% and 90%, 2-4 days 80% and 78% and >4 days 50% and 80%, respectively. The compared results of the final clinical diagnosis sensitivity of CCDS and MRI under steroid treatment of 0-1 day was 88% and 85%, 2-4 days 50% and 64% and >4 days 50% and 56%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Sensitivity of a first-time CCDS or an MRI for detection of GCA rapidly decreases under corticosteroid treatment. Therefore imaging of patients with suspected GCA should be performed as soon as possible, preferably within the first days of treatment.

Diagnostic performance of whole-body MRI for the detection of persistent or relapsing disease in multiple myeloma after stem cell transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the diagnostic performance of whole-body MRI (WBMRI) with haematological parameters for detecting persistent or relapsing disease in patients with multiple myeloma after stem cell transplantation. METHODS: Sixty-six WBMRI acquisitions were performed in 33 patients with multiple myeloma at two time points after stem cell transplantation. Extent of disease and inter-test dynamics of intra- and extramedullary myeloma manifestations were compared (kappa statistics) with Uniform Response Criteria, comprising haematological parameters. RESULTS: Using data from 66 sequential WBMRI acquisitions in 33 patients, 10 patients (30.3 %) were classified as having progressive disease and 23 (69.7 %) as being in remission. Eight (80 %) of the ten patients with progressive disease revealed intramedullary lesions, and two patients (20 %) had intra- and extramedullary lesions. WBMRI and laboratory tests were concordant in 26/33 (78.8 %) patients. We found an agreement of 51.2 %, 95 % confidence interval 19.8 %-82.6 %, between results from WBMRI and haematological parameters. WBMRI had a sensitivity of 63.6 %, specificity of 86.4 %, PPV of 70.0 %, NPV of 82.6 % and accuracy of 78.8 % for detection of remission. CONCLUSIONS: WBMRI allows the detection and exact localisation of intra- and extramedullary myeloma manifestations after stem cell transplantation, but shows only moderate agreement with routinely performed laboratory tests for determination of remission.