Patterns of failure in primary testicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Patterns of failure were analyzed in 30 patients with testicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: 16 had stage IE disease, ten had stage IIE, and four had stage IV. After orchiectomy, two of the 16 patients with stage IE disease received no additional therapy, one received multiagent chemotherapy, and 13 received pelvic and para-aortic radiation. Twelve patients with stage IE disease had progression, and the median time to progression was 12 months. Of the 14 patients with extratesticular involvement (stage IIE or IV), one (stage IV) received no treatment after orchiectomy, three (stage IIE) received para-aortic and pelvic radiation, and ten (seven stage IIE and three stage IV) received multiagent chemotherapy with or without radiation. Eight of the patients with stage IIE or IV disease had progression, and the median time to progression was 11 months. Widespread extranodal progression was observed in 17 of the 20 patients who had progression. The tendency of testicular lymphoma for early systemic progression suggests a need for multiagent chemotherapy in initial management.

Utility of preload alteration in assessment of left ventricular filling pressure by Doppler echocardiography: a simultaneous catheterization and Doppler echocardiographic study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the usefulness of preload alterations in assessing left ventricular filling pressures with transmitral Doppler velocity curves. BACKGROUND: Doppler mitral inflow velocities, used to estimate left ventricular filling pressures noninvasively, are limited in predicting left ventricular filling pressures, especially in patients with normal systolic function and a "pseudonormal" mitral filling pattern. METHODS: Forty-nine patients were studied in the cardiac catheterization laboratory with simultaneous Doppler echocardiography using high fidelity catheters to compare left ventricular diastolic filling pressures (pre-A wave left ventricular pressure) and Doppler mitral inflow at baseline and during reduction of preload during the strain phase of the Valsalva maneuver (n = 27) or sublingual nitroglycerin (n = 36), or both (n = 14). Doppler measurements consisted of E (initial peak velocity), A (velocity at atrial contraction), deceleration time (time from E velocity to deceleration of flow extrapolated to baseline) and absolute A wave velocity (A' [peak A wave velocity minus velocity at onset of atrial contraction]). RESULTS: In patients with high pre-A wave pressure (> or 15 mm Hg), there was a greater change in the E/A' ratio during the Valsalva maneuver than in patients with a normal pre-A wave pressure (-1.22 +/- 1.1 vs. -0.35 +/- 0.17; p = 0.02). A similar change was seen when comparing the change in the E/A' ratio after administration of nitroglycerin in patients with a high versus a normal pre-A wave pressure (0.81 +/- 0.49 vs. 0.18 +/- 0.17; p < 0.001). These differences were present in patients with a normal E/A ratio at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Alterations in preload during assessment of Doppler echocardiographic indexes may be useful in noninvasively assessing left ventricular filling pressures.

Effect of dual-chamber pacing on systolic and diastolic function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Acute Doppler echocardiographic and catheterization hemodynamic study.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate prospectively the acute hemodynamic effect of dual-chamber pacing by using a combined hemodynamic approach of high fidelity pressure and Doppler velocity measurements. BACKGROUND: Dual-chamber pacing has been proposed recently as an alternative in the symptomatic treatment of patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Although early reports documented a decrease in left ventricular outflow tract gradient and symptomatic improvement, questions remain about the hemodynamic effects of dual-chamber pacing on systolic and diastolic function. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy underwent a combined cardiac catheterization and Doppler echocardiographic study during normal sinus rhythm and P-synchronous pacing at various atrioventricular (AV) intervals. High fidelity pressure measurements of left ventricular inflow and left atrial pressures, ascending aortic pressure, thermodilution cardiac output and Doppler mitral flow velocity curves were obtained to evaluate both systolic and diastolic left ventricular function. RESULTS: During AV pacing at the shortest delay of 60 ms, there was a significant decrease in cardiac output (p < 0.05) and peak positive dP/dt (p < 0.05), an increase in mean left atrial pressure (p < 0.05) and a prolongation of tau, the time constant of relaxation (p < 0.05), compared with that during normal sinus rhythm. During pacing at the optimal AV delay (longest AV interval with pre-excitation), there was a similar trend, with deterioration in both systolic and diastolic function variables but of lesser magnitude than that during pacing at the shortest AV intervals. The deterioration in both systolic and diastolic function was present in 21 patients with and 8 without left ventricular outflow obstruction. There was a modest decrease in left ventricular outflow tract gradient from 73.3 +/- 45.0 (mean +/- SD) to 61.3 +/- 40.5 mm Hg (p = 0.03) during dual-chamber pacing at the optimal AV delay compared with that during normal sinus rhythm. CONCLUSIONS: The acute effect of pacing the right atrium and ventricle may be detrimental to both systolic and diastolic function of the left ventricle, particularly at the short AV intervals. Further studies of the long-term effects of dual-chamber pacing in carefully performed randomized studies are needed.

Cardiac iron deposition in idiopathic hemochromatosis: histologic and analytic assessment of 14 hearts from autopsy.

In each heart taken from autopsies of 14 men with idiopathic hemochromatosis, the conduction system, atria and 10 sites in the ventricles were histologically graded for stainable iron. Stainable iron was exclusively sarcoplasmic; none was observed in the interstitium. The histologic grade for the same anatomic site varied among hearts and among different anatomic sites in the same heart. Ten hearts had stainable iron in all ventricular sites; one of the three hearts from patients who had undergone therapeutic phlebotomy had no iron at any site. Seven hearts had iron in the atria but at a lesser grade than that found in the ventricles; six hearts had mild focal iron deposition in the atrioventricular conduction system. None of the 14 hearts had stainable iron in the sinus node. Elemental iron was quantitated by atomic absorption spectroscopy in ventricular specimens contiguous to those studied histologically and also in age-matched control hearts. Elemental iron content was markedly increased in hearts with idiopathic hemochromatosis compared with control hearts (p less than 0.01). The quantity of elemental iron varied greatly, similar to stainable iron, but was highest subepicardially. Among the hearts from the 11 patients without prior phlebotomy, three had no stainable iron in the right ventricular septal subendocardium, suggesting that sampling error may be a problem in the evaluation of hemochromatosis by endomyocardial biopsy. The sarcoplasmic location of the iron indicates that cardiac involvement in idiopathic hemochromatosis represents a storage disease and not an infiltrative process; this finding is consistent with the normal ventricular wall thicknesses observed.

Role of two-dimensional echocardiography in the prediction of in-hospital complications after acute myocardial infarction.

To evaluate prospectively the prognostic value of two-dimensional echocardiography after acute myocardial infarction, two-dimensional echocardiography was performed on 61 consecutive patients who were admitted to the hospital with this condition. A left ventricular wall motion score index was derived from analysis of regional wall motion; an index of 2.0 or more within 12 hours of admission identified patients at high risk for pump failure, malignant ventricular arrhythmia or death. These complications occurred in 24 of 27 patients with an initial wall motion score index of 2.0 or more, but in only 6 of 34 with an initial index of less than 2.0 (p less than 0.0005). Of the 47 patients who were in Killip class I on admission, complications developed in 11 (79%) of the 14 with an initial index of 2.0 or more, but in only 6 (18%) of the 33 with an initial index of less than 2.0. After acute myocardial infarction, early determination of the wall motion score index by two-dimensional echocardiography is useful for identifying patients at high risk for complications and is especially valuable in the subset of patients who initially seem to be in stable condition as judged from clinical variables.

Natural history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the elderly.

The prognosis of patients diagnosed as having hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at advanced age has not been well defined. This study details follow-up information obtained for 95 patients initially diagnosed as having hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at age greater than or equal to 65 years. Seventy-five percent of patients were symptomatic, as defined by the presence of chest pain, dyspnea or syncope, and the mean ventricular septal thickness was 20 mm. The median duration of follow-up study was 4.2 years. The survival rate at 1 and 5 years was 95% and 76%, respectively, which was not significantly different from that an age- and gender-matched control group. Of patients presenting with New York Heart Association functional class I or II dyspnea, only 18% progressed to class III or IV during the follow-up period. However, patients presenting with class III dyspnea had a 1 year mortality rate of 36%, significantly higher than that of control subjects (p less than 0.003). Of the echocardiographic variables, indexed left atrial size was most strongly associated with reduced survival (p less than 0.008). These results suggest that the prognosis of elderly patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is generally favorable. Certain clinical and echocardiographic variables appear to be of use in identifying patients with a less favorable prognosis.

Epicardial vasomotor responses to acetylcholine are not predicted by coronary atherosclerosis as assessed by intracoronary ultrasound.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to use intravascular ultrasound to determine the morphologic appearance of the coronary arteries, relating the absence, presence and extent of atherosclerosis to the response of the coronary arteries to acetylcholine infusion. BACKGROUND: Endothelial function plays a major role in the pathophysiology of myocardial ischemia and angina pectoris. The response of the coronary arteries to selective infusion of acetylcholine has been used to examine endothelial function, with vasoconstriction occurring in the absence of intact endothelial function. Vasoconstriction to acetylcholine infusion in humans without overt coronary artery disease has been attributed to early atherosclerosis not detected by coronary angiography. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients without overt coronary artery disease underwent selective coronary angiography and selective intracoronary infusion of increasing concentrations of acetylcholine (10(-6), 10(-5) and 10(-4) mol/liter), followed by intravascular ultrasound imaging. RESULTS: The response of the coronary arteries to acetylcholine infusion was not dependent on the absence or presence of atherosclerotic plaque, as detected by intravascular ultrasound. The percent change in epicardial coronary artery diameter during acetylcholine infusion versus baseline was -14 +/- 28% (mean +/- SD) in the seven patients with no visible atherosclerosis on intravascular ultrasound versus -9 +/- 20% in the 22 patients with visible atherosclerosis on intravascular ultrasound (p = NS, confidence interval -14% to 25%). There was a greater vasoconstrictive response to acetylcholine infusion in patients with risk factors for coronary artery disease than in those without risk factors (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The vasoreactive response to acetylcholine is not necessarily dependent on ultrasound detection of the presence or absence of atherosclerosis.

A randomized comparison of the nephrotoxicity of iopamidol and diatrizoate in high risk patients undergoing cardiac angiography.

Three hundred seven high risk patients with renal impairment (serum creatinine greater than or equal to 1.5 mg/dl) were randomized in a double-blind manner to either iopamidol (a nonionic, low osmolar radiocontrast agent) or diatrizoate (a conventional radiocontrast agent) at cardiac angiography with subsequent follow-up study of renal function. Baseline clinical and angiographic variables were similar in the iopamidol (n = 155) and diatrizoate (n = 152) groups. Change in renal function after angiography was less pronounced with iopamidol compared with diatrizoate as measured by mean ( +/- SD) increase in 24 h serum creatinine (0.11 +/- 0.2 versus 0.22 +/- 0.26 mg/dl, p less than 0.001), mean maximal increase in serum creatinine (0.2 +/- 0.44 versus 0.38 +/- 0.73 mg/dl, p less than 0.0001) and percent of patients with a maximal increase in serum creatinine greater than 0.5 mg/dl (8% versus 19%, p less than 0.01). Such differences could not be documented in diabetic patients using insulin. There was no significant difference between agents in the number of patients developing clinically severe acute renal dysfunction. It is concluded that iopamidol is less nephrotoxic than diatrizoate in high risk patients at cardiac angiography. However, the difference in nephrotoxicity is small, of no major clinical significance in the majority of high risk patients and could not be documented in insulin-using diabetic patients. Iopamidol may be the preferred agent in certain patients with advanced renal impairment, but further study is warranted.

Noninvasive doppler echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular filling pressures in patients with cardiomyopathies: a simultaneous Doppler echocardiographic and cardiac catheterization study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the relation of the mitral flow velocity curves to left ventricular filling pressures in patients with two different types of myocardial problems: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction. BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that assessment of Doppler-derived mitral flow velocity curves can be used to predict left ventricular filling pressures in specific disease entities. However, it is unclear whether information derived from specific mitral flow velocity curves obtained from one disease entity can be valid in other disease states. METHODS: The study group consisted of 42 patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (group A) and 55 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (group B); both groups underwent simultaneous cardiac catheterization and were studied by Doppler echocardiography. High fidelity measures of left atrial and left ventricular pressures were obtained simultaneously with mitral flow velocity curves. RESULTS: There was a significant relation between the Doppler echocardiographic variables and mean left atrial pressure in group A patients. The left atrial pressure was directly related to the E/A ratio (r = 0.49, p = 0.004) and inversely related to the deceleration time (r = 0.73, p < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of the deceleration time, < 180 m/s, which indicated a mean left atrial pressure > or = 20 mm Hg, were both 100%. In group B patients, there was no significant relation between mean left atrial pressure and deceleration time. CONCLUSIONS: Doppler echocardiographic mitral flow velocity curves are useful in predicting and estimating left ventricular filling pressures in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. However, because of the complexity of the multiple interrelated factors that determine diastolic filling of the left ventricle, these flow velocity curves cannot be used in patients with other disease entities, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Future studies of different disease states are necessary to fully understand the role of Doppler echocardiography in the assessment of diastolic filling.

Dual-chamber pacing for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial.

OBJECTIVES: In a double-blind, randomized, crossover trial we sought to evaluate the effect of dual-chamber pacing in patients with severe symptoms of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. BACKGROUND: Recently, several cohort trials showed that implantation of a dual-chamber pacemaker in patients with severely symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy can relieve symptoms and decrease the severity of the left ventricular outflow tract gradient. However, the outcome of dual-chamber pacing has not been compared with that of standard therapy in a randomized, double-blind trial. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with severely symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy were entered into this trial after baseline studies consisting of Minnesota quality-of-life assessment, two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise tests. Nineteen patients completed the protocol and underwent double-blind randomization to either DDD pacing for 3 months followed by backup AAI pacing for 3 months, or the same study arms in reverse order. RESULTS: Left ventricular outflow tract gradient decreased significantly to 55 +/- 38 mm Hg after DDD pacing compared with the baseline gradient of 76 +/- 61 mm Hg (p < 0.05) and the gradient of 83 +/- 59 mm Hg after AAI pacing (p < 0.05). Quality-of-life score and exercise duration were significantly improved from the baseline state after the DDD arm but were not significantly different between the DDD arm and the backup AAI arm. Peak oxygen consumption did not significantly differ among the three periods. Overall, 63% of patients had symptomatic improvement during the DDD arm, but 42% also had symptomatic improvement during the AAI backup arm. In addition, 31% had no change and 5% had deterioration of symptoms during the DDD pacing arm. CONCLUSIONS: Dual-chamber pacing may relieve symptoms and decrease gradient in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. In some patients, however, symptoms do not change or even become worse with dual-chamber pacing. Subjective symptomatic improvement can also occur from implantation of the pacemaker without its hemodynamic benefit, suggesting the role of a placebo effect. Long-term follow-up of a large number of patients in randomized trials is necessary before dual-chamber pacing can be recommended for all patients with severely symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Treating bulimia with desipramine. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

A controlled study in patients with bulimia demonstrated a significant benefit from desipramine hydrochloride treatment (91% decrease in binge frequency) in contrast to the results from a placebo (19% increase in frequency). When patients originally taking the placebo crossed over to desipramine therapy, their frequency of binges decreased 84%, so that the overall improvement was 87% fewer binges. Global clinical status improved 3.5 scales, Zung depression scores improved 8.0 points, and a bulimia symptom scale improved 14.7 points. Fifteen (68%) of 22 patients attained complete abstinence from binge eating and purging. The presence or absence of previous episodes of anorexia nervosa did not influence the treatment response. One-month follow-up data indicated persistence of the benefit attained.

Clinical follow-up after percutaneous aortic balloon valvuloplasty.

Percutaneous aortic balloon valvuloplasty has been applied in a growing number of patients with severe symptomatic calcific aortic stenosis. Follow-up data from these patients have not been well characterized. In 88 patients (mean age, 80 +/- 8 years) who underwent percutaneous aortic balloon valvuloplasty, the average initial aortic valve area was 0.48 +/- 0.20 cm2, and it increased to 0.74 +/- 0.26 cm2 after dilation. The average duration of follow-up in survivors was 7.8 months. Actuarial survival at 6 and 12 months was 75% and 63%, respectively. Factors associated with subsequent death included more severe impairment from heart failure at baseline, smaller initial aortic valve area, smaller final aortic valve area, low baseline cardiac output, and low ejection fraction. Among the surviving patients, 50% had no cardiac symptoms, and 85% had improved symptoms from congestive heart failure. Percutaneous aortic balloon valvuloplasty is associated with continued increased mortality during follow-up, although symptomatic improvement in survivors is good. Percutaneous aortic balloon valvuloplasty can be considered a palliative approach for severely symptomatic patients at high risk for aortic valve operation or patients with a limited life span due to other medical problems, but it is not indicated in patients at acceptably low risk for aortic valve replacement.

Positive predictive value of clinical suspicion of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Implications for efficient use of abdominal ultrasonography.

Although selective screening for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) by abdominal palpation aimed at detecting AAAs has engendered considerable support, no population-based data pertaining to the positive predictive value (PPV) of the clinical assessment of AAAs in routine clinical practice are available. Therefore, we used the unique resources of the Rochester (Minn) Epidemiology Project and the Mayo Clinic computerized abdominal ultrasonography database to identify all residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota,who underwent ultrasound examination for a clinically suspected AAA between November 1, 1985, and October 31, 1987. Of 116 residents who were suspected of having an AAA on abdominal palpation and were referred for an ultrasound examination for confirmation, 17 patients had a 3.5-cm or greater AAA by ultrasound examination (PPV = 14.7%). The probability of AAA by ultrasound examination (PPV = 14.7%). The probability of AAA documentation by ultrasound examination given clinical suspicion of an AAA was associated with higher body mass index, older age,and presence of other macrovascular disease. In 17 patients aged 70 years or younger, without other macrovascular disease and with body mass index of 24 or less, only 1 had an AAA of 3.5 cm or greater (PPV = 6%), while 10 of 20 patients aged 70 years or older, with macrovascular disease,and with body mass index greater than 24 had an AAA of 3.5 cm or greater (PPV = 50%). These population-based data that highlight the poor PPV of the clinical assessment for AAAs indicate that abdominal palpation aimed at detecting AAAs as part of a periodic health examination may lead to a much higher rate of false-positive results than indicated by previous referral-based data. Further research is needed to identify patient subgroups in whom abdominal palpation for detection of AAAs will be cost-effective with respect to reduction in AAA mortality.

The probability of malignancy in solitary pulmonary nodules. Application to small radiologically indeterminate nodules.

BACKGROUND: A clinical prediction model to identify malignant nodules based on clinical data and radiological characteristics of lung nodules was derived using logistic regression from a random sample of patients (n = 419) and tested on data from a separate group of patients (n = 210). OBJECTIVE: To use multivariate logistic regression to estimate the probability of malignancy in radiologically indeterminate solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs) in a clinically relevant subset of patients with SPNs that measured between 4 and 30 mm in diameter. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study at a multispecialty group practice included 629 patients (320 men, 309 women) with newly discovered (between January 1, 1984, and May 1, 1986) 4- to 30-mm radiologically indeterminate SPNs on chest radiography. Patients with a diagnosis of cancer within 5 years prior to the discovery of the nodule were excluded. Clinical data included age, sex, cigarette-smoking status, and history of extrathoracic malignant neoplasm, asbestos exposure, and chronic interstitial or obstructive lung disease; chest radiological data included the diameter, location, edge characteristics (eg, lobulation, spiculation, and shagginess), and other characteristics (eg, cavitation) of the SPNs. Predictors were identified in a random sample of two thirds of the patients and tested in the remaining one third. RESULTS: Sixty-five percent of the nodules were benign, 23% were malignant, and 12% were indeterminate. Three clinical characteristics (age, cigarette-smoking status, and history of cancer [diagnosis, > or = 5 years ago]) and 3 radiological characteristics (diameter, spiculation, and upper lobe location of the SPNs) were independent predictors of malignancy. The area (+/-SE) under the evaluated receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.8328 +/- 0.0226. CONCLUSION: Three clinical and 3 radiographic characteristics predicted the malignancy in radiologically indeterminate SPNs.

Viral hepatitis. A population-based study in Rochester, Minn, 1971-1980.

The incidence of acute viral hepatitis among Rochester, Minn, residents 1971-1980 was 28.6 per 100,000 person-years (p-y) (age- and sex-adjusted to the 1980 white population in the United States). The adjusted incidence of hepatitis B (12.9 per 100,000 p-y) was somewhat less than for hepatitis non-B (15.6 per 100,000 p-y). Each type was more frequent among young adults, especially males. The incidence of hepatitis was greater among those employed in the health service industry than among nonmedical employees (53.4 vs 20.0 per 100,000 p-y). Medical employees had nearly a fivefold increased incidence of hepatitis B and a twofold increased incidence of hepatitis non-B. Exposure to known hepatitis cases was common, but other possible causative factors were not frequent. In this midwestern community, the incidence of acute viral hepatitis is substantial, with medical employees at significantly increased risk.

Lone atrial fibrillation in elderly persons: a marker for cardiovascular risk.

BACKGROUND: The risk of stroke in persons aged 60 years and younger with lone atrial fibrillation (LAF) is no greater than in the general population. The effect of older age on the risk of stroke in persons with LAF is less well established. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The risk of stroke in persons with LAF and without substantial comorbidities was examined in a population-based study at a single institution in Olmsted County, Minnesota, and compared with that in an age- and sex-matched population. The mean age was 74 years (range, 61-97 years). The median duration of follow-up was 9.6 years until death or last follow-up. RESULTS: Of 55 patients, 26 had 31 cardiovascular events during follow-up, occurring a median of 5.1 years after diagnosis (range, 0.7-18 years). Of 11 cerebrovascular events, 6 were transient ischemic attacks and 5 were strokes. The event rates (percentage per person-year) were 0.9% for stroke, 1.1% for transient cerebral ischemia, and 2.6% for myocardial infarction, for a total cardiovascular event rate of 5.0% per person-year. The corresponding rates for the age- and sex-matched control group were 0.2%, 0%, and 1.1%, for a total of 1.3% per person-year. The incidence of total cardiovascular events was significantly greater (P< .01) in those with LAF, although there was no difference in survival. CONCLUSION: Lone atrial fibrillation occurring after age 60 years is a risk marker for a substantial increase in cardiovascular events that warrants consideration for antithrombotic therapy.

Optimal testing parameters for blood cultures.

The effects of volume of blood, number of consecutive cultures, and incubation time on pathogen recovery were evaluated for 37,568 blood cultures tested with the automated BACTEC 9240 instrument (Becton Dickinson Diagnostic Instrument Systems) at a tertiary care center over the period of 12 June 1996 through 12 October 1997. When the results for this study were compared with previous data published for manual broth-based blood culture systems and patient samples obtained in the 1970s and 1980s, the following were found: (1) the percentage increase in pathogen recovery per milliliter of blood is less, (2) more consecutive blood culture sets over a 24-h period are required to detect bloodstream pathogens, and (3) a shorter duration of incubation is required to diagnose bloodstream infections. Guidelines developed in the 1970s and 1980s for processing and culturing blood may require revision.

Rheumatoid pericarditis: clinical features and survival.

We describe the clinical characteristics and actuarial survival of a consecutive cohort of 41 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and clinical pericarditis who were seen at the Mayo Clinic between 1970 and 1987 and followed up until death or through 1987. The survivors were followed up for a median of 5.1 years. Approximately three-fourths of our patients had acute pericarditis, the remainder having recurrent acute pericarditis, chronic pericarditis with effusion, or chronic constrictive pericarditis. Most patients had symmetrical joint swelling, morning stiffness, subcutaneous nodules, rheumatoid factor, and classic radiographic changes of rheumatoid arthritis. Common extra-articular features included fatigue, loss of weight, and fever. Dyspnea or orthopnea, typical pericardial pain, peripheral edema, tachycardia, tachypnea, a diminished mean blood pressure, a pericardial friction rub, jugular venous distension, rales, radiographic evidence of cardiomegaly and pleural effusions, and abnormal echocardiograms were the most common cardiac manifestations. An elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and anemia were other common laboratory findings. Our cohort demonstrated decreased survival in comparison with an age- and sex-matched North Central white population (from the upper midwestern United States), especially during the first year after diagnosis. Increasing age, the presence of other heart disease, an increasing total number of other extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis, jugular venous distention, and a lower mean blood pressure were associated with decreased survival.

Rheumatoid vasculitis: survival and associated risk factors.

We describe the clinical and laboratory characteristics of 52 patients with rheumatoid vasculitis whose condition was diagnosed at a tertiary care center between 1974 and 1981, and we report their survival and the factors that were associated with decreased survival. The patients with rheumatoid vasculitis had decreased survival in comparison with an age-, sex-, and region-matched general population. Their survival was also decreased in comparison to that of an incidence cohort of community patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In the latter cohort, decreased survival was confined to those patients with classic but not definite rheumatoid arthritis. After partial correction for referral bias, we found no difference in survival between the cohort with rheumatoid vasculitis and the cohort with classic rheumatoid arthritis. We found that the age at diagnosis of rheumatoid vasculitis, the therapeutic decisions before and at diagnosis, and the referral distance were the best predictors of survival. Abnormal urinary sediment and hypergammaglobulinemia also predicted poor survival, but because of a lack of specificity in a small number of clinically abnormal values, we urge a cautious interpretation of their importance.

Short-term outcomes of skull fracture: a population-based study of survival and neurologic complications.

All Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents who experienced brain injury from 1935 through 1979 were identified and their medical records reviewed for survival and neurologic outcome. Minimum inclusion criteria included loss of consciousness or post-traumatic amnesia or neurologic evidence of brain injury or skull fracture. Of 4,660 cases identified, skull fractures were observed in 28%. Over half of brain-injured patients who died did so within 24 hours of trauma; among 1-day survivors, subsequent survival was moderately impaired, especially in older individuals. Mortality was lowest in subjects without a skull fracture and increased with fracture severity. Associated neurologic injuries, complications, and deficits were generally more common in patients with skull fracture than those without and were much more frequent with more severe skull fractures. The types of neurologic deficits differed little between those with and without fractures, except that subjects with complicated skull fractures had higher proportions of special sensory deficits and multiple deficits.