Bacteriological patterns and antibiotic sensitivities in calculus cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND: Calculus cholecystitis with its complications dominates the diseases of the biliary tract. There is an inherent difficulty in identifying patients having infected gall bladders who may have the risk of wound infection or gram negative septicaemia after cholecystectomy. This study was conducted to ascertain the bacteriological patterns and antibiotic sensitivities of bile in calculus cholecystitis patients presenting at a tertiary care hospital and formulate guidelines for prophylactic antibiotic therapy. METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted in Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi from 20th Dec 2006 to 19th Sep 2008. A total number of 150 patients presenting at CMH Rawalpindi for elective cholecystectomy were included in the study. Prophylactic antibiotics were given after the induction of anaesthesia, 5 ml of bile was aspirated from their intact gall bladder was subjected to bacteriological examination at Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. A pro forma was designed to record all the information regarding isolated bacteria and their sensitivities to various antibiotics. Data was analyzed using SPSS-11. RESULTS: Growth of bacteria was seen in 57 (38%) cases and no growth was seen in 93 (62%). Most common organism cultured was: Pseudomonas aeruginosa followed by Escherichia coli (E. Coli) and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The most effective antibiotic was Imipenem followed by Piperacillin- Tazobactum combination and Amikacin. CONCLUSIONS: Imipenem, Piperacillin-Tazobactum combination and Amikacin should be used for prophylaxis in cases of cholelithiasis undergoing elective cholecystectomy.

Multidrug resistant pneumonia treated with aerosolized amikacin in a patient with acute renal insufficiency.

Multidrug resistant pneumonia is an entity, which is difficult to treat, and in a patient with acute renal insufficiency, it leaves a physician with a handful of antibiotics to be considered. Aerosolized administration of antibiotics is one option that can be contemplated for a patient with acute renal insufficiency to avoid the nephrotoxic effect of the antibiotics.

Light Chain Myeloma Precipitating Cryoglobulinemic Vasculitis.

Multiple Myeloma (MM) is characterized by monoclonal immunoglobulin production leading to widespread skeletal destruction and renal dysfunction. Light chain multiple myeloma (LCMM) affects 15% of individuals with MM and has an overall poor prognosis. Cutaneous manifestations are uncommon and it is rarely complicated by Type I Cryoglobulinemia (CG). Here we present an atypical case of κ-predominant LCMM complicated by Type I CG in an 80-year-old man who presented with a progressive non-blanching necrotic rash and ulcers involving his face, distal extremities, and oropharynx of two months duration prior to his admission at our facility. On admission to our facility, workup showed an overabundance of κ-light chains, elevated free κ/λ ratio, cryoglobulins, and an acute kidney injury. Marrow biopsy demonstrated 60% plasma cells with κ-light chain predominance. Cutaneous manifestations such as acral cyanosis and distal gangrene in LCMM indicate late stages of the disease, and such findings should raise suspicion for additional comorbid pathologies, including cryoglobulinemia, which could help direct earlier initiation of treatment.

Use of octreotide in the treatment of refractory orthostatic intolerance.

There have been reports on the use of octreotide in patients with orthostatic hypotension, postural tachycardia syndrome, and orthostatic syncope. However, there are little if any data on the use of octreotide in patients who have failed multiple other medications. This study was a retrospective chart analysis and was approved by our Institutional Review Board. A total of 12 patients were identified for inclusion in this study. The diagnosis of orthostatic intolerance was based on patient history, physical examination, and response to Head Up Tilt Table testing. These patients had failed multiple medications and were ultimately treated with octreotide. In a retrospective chart review, we collected data, including demographic information, presenting symptoms, laboratory data, tilt-table response, standing heart rate, standing blood pressure before and after treatment (wherever available), and treatment outcomes. Twelve patients aged 33 ± 18 years, eight (66.7%) females, were found to have symptoms of refractory orthostatic intolerance and failed multiple regimens of medication and were ultimately treated with octreotide administration. Five patients (41.7%) had demonstrated a postural tachycardia syndrome pattern, five (41.7%) a neurocardiogenic, and two (16.6%) a dysautonomic response on a Head Up Tilt Table. Symptoms of syncope and orthostatic palpitations improved in six (50%) of the patients. Standing heart rate was significantly reduced after octreotide administration (80 ± 8 versus 108 ± 13; P < 0.05). The standing systolic blood pressure was increased after octreotide administration (107 ± 26 versus 116 ± 22). Three patients (25%) reported complete elimination of syncope, whereas another three had reduction in the frequency of their syncope. However, symptoms of fatigue improved only in two (29%) of the seven patients. Octreotide may improve symptoms in some patients with refractory orthostatic intolerance.

Use of methylphenidate in the treatment of patients suffering from refractory postural tachycardia syndrome.

Methylphenidate has been shown to be an effective therapy in patients with refractory neurocardiogenic syncope. However, the role of methylphenidate in patients suffering from postural orthostatic tachycardia (POTS) has not been reported. The study was approved by the institutional review board. A retrospective nonrandomized analysis was preformed on 24 patients evaluated at our autonomic center for POTS from 2003 to 2010. The diagnosis of POTS was based on patient history, physical examination, and response to head up tilt table testing. The mean follow-up period was 9 ± 3 months. The patients were included in the current study if they had a diagnosis of POTS with severe symptoms of orthostatic intolerance and were refractory to the commonly used medications. All of these patients were started on methylphenidate and the response to therapy was considered successful if it provided symptomatic relief. Twenty-four patients (age 28 ± 12, 20 women) met inclusion criterion for this study. The response to treatment was assed subjectively in each patient and was collected in a retrospective fashion from patient charts and physician communications. Four patients reported side effects in the form of nausea and 2 ultimately had to discontinue the treatment. Another 4 patients had a follow-up of less than 6 months. Thus, only 18 patients who received methylphenidate completed the follow-up of 6 months. Out of these 18 patients, 14 (77%) patients reported marked improvement in their symptoms. Nine out of 12 patients who had recurrent episodes of syncope reported no syncope at 6 months of follow-up. Fourteen (77%) patients reported marked improvement in their symptoms of fatigue and presyncope. Four patients continue to have symptoms of orthostatic intolerance and 3 continued to have recurrent episodes of syncope. Methylphenidate may be beneficial in patients with otherwise refractory postural tachycardia syndrome.

Erythropoietin in the treatment of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

Erythropoietin has been reported to improve symptoms of orthostatic intolerance in patients suffering from orthostatic hypotension. Previous reports on the use of erythropoietin in patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia (POTS) have included only a very small number of patients. In the current study, we report on the use of erythropoietin in patients with refractory POTS. The study was approved by the institutional review board. A retrospective nonrandomized analysis was performed on 39 patients evaluated at our autonomic center for POTS from 2003 to 2010. The diagnosis of POTS was based on patient history, physical examination, and response to head-up tilt-table testing. The mean follow-up period was 6 months. The patients were included in the current study if they had a diagnosis of POTS with severe symptoms of orthostatic intolerance and were refractory to the commonly used medications. All these patients were started on erythropoietin, and the response to therapy was considered successful if it provided symptomatic relief. We screened 200 patients with POTS and found 39 patients (age 33 ± 12, 37 females) to be eligible for inclusion in the current study. The response to the treatment was assessed subjectively in each patient and was obtained in a retrospective fashion from patient charts and physician communications. Eight (21%) patients demonstrated no improvement in symptoms after administration of erythropoietin. Three (8%) patients showed an improvement in symptoms of orthostatic intolerance of <3 months. Twenty-seven (71%) patients demonstrated sustained improvement in their symptoms of orthostatic intolerance at the mean follow-up of 6 months. Erythropoietin significantly improved sitting diastolic blood pressure but had no effect on other hemodynamic parameters. In a select group of POTS patients who are refractory to commonly used medications, erythropoietin may help improve symptoms of orthostatic intolerance.

A case report of complete remission of pulmonary metastases from epithelioid sarcoma to navelbine chemotherapy.

Management of soft tissue sarcomas can be very challenging because they have a high rate of metastasis, especially to the lungs, and respond very poorly to the currently available chemotherapeutic drugs. We present a case of epithelioid sarcoma in which complete remission of pulmonary metastases was observed after treatment with a single agent, navelbine, a vinca alkaloid, and a potential therapeutic agent. The patient has been persistently free of metastases for 4 years since treatment with navelbine. Further studies are warranted to establish the role of navelbine for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma and their metastases.

Use of drug-eluting stents for chronic total occlusions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting outcomes after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in chronic total occlusions (CTOs). METHODS: A review of publications and online databases in January 2010 retrieved 17 published studies that reported outcomes after DES implantation in CTOs: eight uncontrolled studies, seven nonrandomized comparative studies with bare-metal stents (BMS), one post-hoc analysis of a randomized trial, and one randomized trial. Data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis models. RESULTS: All published studies evaluated sirolimus- or paclitaxel-eluting stents. All studies reporting comparative angiographic outcomes revealed less binary angiographic restenosis with DES implantation compared to BMS (odds ratio: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.26). Over a mean follow-up period of 18.9±16.5 months, the cumulative incidence of death, myocardial infarction, or stent thrombosis was similar between DES and BMS in all studies. Target lesion revascularization (odds ratio: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.26) and target vessel revascularization (odds ratio 0.18, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.31) at 6-12 months were consistently lower among DES-treated patients. Similar patterns of safety and efficacy event rates were also observed in studies reporting>12 month outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with BMS, treatment of chronic total coronary occlusions with DES is associated with significant reductions in angiographic and clinical restenosis with similar safety. The consistency and magnitude of treatment effect across both individual trials and the pooled analysis establish DES as the preferred therapy for percutaneous revascularization of CTOs.

Preliminary observations suggesting that treatment with modafinil improves fatigue in patients with orthostatic intolerance.

Many patients who suffer from orthostatic intolerance (OI) may also have severe fatigue and extreme exercise intolerance. In some of these patients, fatigue may be so severe that they are unable to maintain employment. In some, even the activities of the daily living may be compromised. We report on the use of modafinil in a subgroup of patients who failed therapy with commonly used medication for fatigue in patients with OI. The study was approved by the institutional review board. A retrospective nonrandomized analysis was preformed on 60 patients evaluated at our autonomic center for OI from 2003 to 2010. The diagnosis of OI was based on patient history, physical examination, and reponse to head up tilt table testing. All these patients had fatigue as their predominant symptom. Multiple trials of stimulants including methylphenidate, amphetamine, or dextroamphetamine failed to provide symptomatic relief of fatigue in these patients. Each patient received modafinil (100-200 mg daily). The mean follow-up period was 9 ± 3 months. A treatment was considered successful if it provided symptomatic relief from fatigue for the patient. Sixty patients, age 29 ± 15, 52 women were included in the analysis. Migraine (57%) and joint hypermobility syndrome (33%) were common comorbidities. Out of 60 patients, 40 patients reported initial improvement with initiation of modafinil therapy. Twenty patients reported no change in their symptoms of fatigue. Of the 40 patients who showed initial improvement in their symptoms 4 had eventual recurrence of fatigue after 3 months of modafinil therapy. Thirty-six patients continued to demonstrate symptom relief from fatigue for more than 6 months. In a selective group of patients of OI, modafinil may improve fatigue.

Pyridostigmine in the treatment of postural orthostatic tachycardia: a single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: The long-term efficacy of pyridostigmine, a reversible acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor, in the treatment of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) patients remains unclear. We report our retrospective, single-center, long-term experience regarding the efficacy and adverse effect profile of pyridostigmine in the treatment of POTS patients. METHODS: This retrospective study included an extensive review of electronic charts and data collection in regards to patient demographics, orthostatic parameters, side-effect profile, subjective response to therapy, as well as laboratory studies recorded at each follow-up visit to our institution's Syncope and Autonomic Disorders Center. The response to pyridostigmine therapy was considered successful if patient had both symptom relief in addition to an objective response in orthostatic hemodynamic parameters (heart rate [HR] and blood pressure). Three hundred patients with POTS were screened for evaluation in this study. Of these 300, 203 patients with POTS who received pyridostigmine therapy were reviewed. Of these 203 patients, 168 were able to tolerate the medication after careful dose titration. The mean follow-up duration in this group of patients was 12 ± 3 (9-15) months. Pyridostigmine improved symptoms of orthostatic intolerance in 88 of 203 (43%) of total patients or 88 of 172 (51%) who were able to tolerate the drug. The symptoms that improved the most included fatigue (55%), palpitations (60%), presyncope (60%), and syncope (48%). Symptom reduction correlated with a statistically significant improvement in upright HR and diastolic blood pressure after treatment with pyridostigmine as compared to their baseline hemodynamic parameters (standing HR 94 ± 19 vs 82 ± 16, P < 0.003, standing diastolic blood pressure 71 ± 11 vs 74 ± 12, P < 0.02). Gastrointestinal problems were the most common adverse effects (n = 39, 19%) reported. The overall efficacy of pyridostigmine in our study was seen in 42% of total patients or 52% of patients who could tolerate taking the drug. CONCLUSION: The subgroup of POTS patients who can tolerate oral pyridostigmine may demonstrate improvement in their standing HR, standing diastolic blood pressure, and clinical symptoms of orthostatic intolerance.

Contemporary use of embolic protection devices in saphenous vein graft interventions: Insights from the stenting of saphenous vein grafts trial.

BACKGROUND: We sought to evaluate the contemporary use of embolic protection devices (EPDs) in saphenous vein graft (SVG) interventions. METHODS: We examined EPD use in the stenting of saphenous vein grafts (SOS) trial, in which 80 patients with 112 lesions in 88 SVGs were randomized to a bare metal stent (39 patients, 43 grafts, and 55 lesions) or paclitaxel-eluting stent (41 patients, 45 grafts, and 57 lesions). RESULTS: An EPD was used in 60 of 112 lesions (54%). A Filterwire (Boston Scientific) was used in 70% of EPD-treated lesions, Spider (ev3, Plymouth, Minnesota) in 12%, Proxis (St. Jude, Minneapolis, Minnesota) in 12%, and Guardwire (Medtronic, Santa Rosa, California) in 7%. Of the remaining 52 lesions, an EPD was not utilized in 13 lesions (25%) because the lesion was near the distal anastomosis, in 14 lesions (27%) because of an ostial location, in one lesion (2%) because of small SVG size, in two in-stent restenosis lesions (4%) because of low distal embolization risk, and in 22 lesions (42%) because of operator's preference even though use of an EPD was feasible. Procedural success was achieved in 77 patients (96%); in one patient a Filterwire was entrapped requiring emergency coronary bypass graft surgery and two patients had acute stent thrombosis. CONCLUSION: In spite of their proven efficacy, EPDs were utilized in approximately half of SVG interventions in the SOS trial. Availability of a proximal protection device could allow protection of approximately 25% of unprotected lesions, yet operator discretion appears to be the major determinant of EPD use.

Comparative clinical profile of postural orthostatic tachycardia patients with and without joint hypermobility syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Autonomic dysfunction is common in patients with the joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS). However, there is a paucity of reported data on clinical features of Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) in patients suffering from JHS. METHODS: This retrospective study was approved by our local Institutional Review Board (IRB). Over a period of 10 years, 26 patients of POTS were identified for inclusion in this study. All these patients had features of Joint Hypermobility Syndrome (by Brighton criterion). A comparison group of 39 patients with other forms of POTS were also followed in the autonomic clinic during the same time. We present a descriptive report on the comparative clinical profile of the clinical features of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia patients with and without Joint Hypermobility syndrome. The data is presented as a mean+/-SD and percentages wherever applicable. RESULTS: Out of 65 patients, 26 patients (all females, 20 Caucasians) had POTS and JHS. The mean age at presentation of POTS was 24+/-13 (range 10-53 years) vs 41+/-12 (range 19-65 years), P=0.0001, Migraine was a common co morbidity 73 vs 29% p=0,001. In two patients POTS was precipitated by pregnancy, and in three by surgery, urinary tract infection and a viral syndrome respectively. The common clinical features were fatigue (58%), orthostatic palpitations (54%), presyncope (58%), and syncope (62%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with POTS and JHS appear to become symptomatic at an earlier age compared to POTS patients without JHS. In addition patients with JHS had a greater incidence of migraine and syncope than their non JHS counterparts.

Prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography have multiple uncontrolled coronary artery disease risk factors and high risk for cardiovascular events.

Limited contemporary data exist on the cardiovascular risk of patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG) requiring diagnostic coronary angiography. We examined the prevalence and control of coronary artery disease risk factors and the outcomes of 367 prior CABG patients who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography between October 1, 2004 and May 31, 2007 at the Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Mean age was 65 +/- 9 years, 97% were men, and the mean time from CABG to diagnostic angiography was 8.2 +/- 6.1 years. Hypertension, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and obesity were suboptimally controlled in 70%, 59%, 47%, 33%, and 50%, respectively. Intake of statins and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers was 88% and 81%, respectively. After a mean follow-up of 1.4 +/- 0.8 years, the incidence of death and major cardiovascular events was 10% and 32%, respectively. In spite of significant improvement compared to previous studies and good compliance with indicated medications, contemporary prior CABG patients undergoing coronary angiography still have multiple and poorly controlled coronary artery disease risk factors and high risk for cardiovascular events. Novel pharmacologic and behavioral treatment strategies are needed.

Quality of life after amputation in patients with advanced complex regional pain syndrome: a systematic review.

The majority of included studies (8 out of 11, n = 54) supported the concept of considering amputation for selected, unresponsive cases of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) as a justifiable alternative to an unsuccessful multimodality nonoperative option.Of patients who underwent amputation, 66% experienced improvement in quality of life (QOL) and 37% were able to use a prosthesis, 16% had an obvious decline in QOL and for 12% of patients, no clear details were given, although it was suggested by authors that these patients also encountered deterioration after amputation.Complications of phantom limb pain, recurrence of CRPS and stump pain were predominant risks and were noticed in 65%, 45% and 30% of cases after amputation, respectively and two-thirds of patients were satisfied.Amputation can be considered by clinicians and patients as an option to improve QOL and to relieve agonizing, excruciating pain of severe, resistant CRPS at a specialized centre after multidisclipinary involvement but it must be acknowledged that evidence is limited, and the there are risks of aggravating or recurrence of CRPS, phantom pain and unpredictable consequences of rehabilitation.Amputation, if considered for resistant CRPS, should be carried out at specialist centres and after MDT involvement before and after surgery. It should only be considered if requested by patients with poor quality of life who have failed to improve after multiple treatment modalities.Further high quality and comprehensive research is needed to understand the severe form of CRPS which behaves differently form less severe stages. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2019;4:533-540. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.4.190008.

Is valve-sparing root replacement a safe option in acute type A aortic dissection? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: There are conflicting views regarding the status of valve-sparing root replacement (VSRR) as a proper treatment for acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD). Our goal was to compare the early and late outcomes of VSRR versus those of the Bentall procedure in patients with AAAD. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of 9 studies to compare the outcomes of VSRR with those of the Bentall procedure in patients with AAAD. We focused on the following issues: early and late mortality rates, re-exploration, thromboembolization/bleeding events, infective endocarditis and reintervention rates. RESULTS: A total of 706 patients with AAAD who underwent aortic root surgery were analysed; 254 patients were treated with VSRR and 452 with the Bentall procedure. VSRR was associated with a reduced risk of early death [odds ratio (OR) 0.34; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.21-0.57] and late death (OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.21-0.57) compared with the Bentall procedure. No statistically significant difference was observed between the VSRR and Bentall groups with pooled ORs (OR 0.77; 95% CI 0.47-1.27, OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.32-1.18 and OR 0.71; 95% CI 0.23-2.15) for re-exploration, thromboembolization/bleeding and postoperative infective endocarditis, respectively. An increased risk of reintervention was observed for the VSRR compared to the Bentall group (OR 3.79; 95% CI 1.27-11.30). The pooled rate of reintervention incidence was 1.6% (95% CI 0.0-3.7%) and 0.4% (95% CI 0.0-1.3%) for the VSRR and the Bentall groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: VSRR in patients with AAAD can be performed in experienced centres with excellent short- and long-term outcomes compared to those with the Bentall procedure and thus should be recommended especially for active young patients.

Association of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 mass and activity with coronary and aortic atherosclerosis: findings from the Dallas Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to characterize the association of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) with coronary and aortic atherosclerosis in a large population-based study. METHODS: Lp-PLA(2) mass and activity were measured in 2171 subjects 30-65 years old participating in the Dallas Heart Study. We examined the association of Lp-PLA(2) levels with 3 atherosclerosis phenotypes: coronary artery calcium (CAC) measured by electron-beam computed tomography and abdominal aortic plaque (AAP) and aortic wall thickness (AWT) measured by magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: CAC and AAP were detected in 21% and 40% of subjects, respectively, and mean AWT (SD) was 1.70 (0.32) mm. In univariable analyses, Lp-PLA(2) mass (but not activity) was higher in both men (P = 0.04) and women (P = 0.02) with detectable CAC. Lp-PLA(2) mass and activity were higher (P = 0.004 and P = 0.01, respectively) and AWT was greater (P < 0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively) in women with aortic atheroma, but not in men. After adjustment for traditional atherosclerosis risk factors and C-reactive protein concentrations, Lp-PLA(2) mass and activity were not associated with AAP or AWT in either sex, but Lp-PLA(2) mass remained modestly associated with detectable CAC only in men (odds ratio 1.20 per 1 standard deviation increase, 95% CI 1.01-1.42, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Although Lp-PLA(2) mass was independently associated with CAC in men, it was not associated with AAP or AWT in men or with any of the atherosclerosis phenotypes in women. These findings suggest that if Lp-PLA(2) independently influences clinical events, it does so by promoting atherosclerotic plaque instability rather than by stimulating atherogenesis.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in tortuous coronary arteries: associated complications and strategies to improve success.

Percutaneous intervention of tortuous coronary arteries can be challenging. We describe four cases that illustrate complications associated with coronary tortuosity (coronary dissection and stent loss) and strategies that can improve procedural success (such as use of soft delivery catheters, deep guide intubation, meticulous vessel preparation, and use of short, thin-strut stents).

Outcomes with first- versus second-generation drug-eluting stents in coronary chronic total occlusions (CTOs): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting outcomes after first- and second-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in chronic total occlusions (CTOs). BACKGROUND: The effect of second- vs first-generation DESs on the outcomes after CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has received limited study. METHODS: As of May 2013, thirty-one published studies reported outcomes after DES implantation in CTOs: thirteen uncontrolled studies (3161 patients), three randomized (220 patients) and ten non-randomized (2150 patients) comparative studies with bare-metal stents (BMSs), and two non-randomized (685 patients) and three randomized (489 patients) comparative studies between first- and second-generation DESs. Data from the five studies comparing first with second-generation DESs were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis models. RESULTS: The median and mean duration of follow-up were 12 and 14.4 months, respectively. Compared to first-generation DESs, second-generation DESs were associated with lower incidence of death (odds ratio [OR], 0.37; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.15-0.91), target vessel revascularization (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.40-0.87), binary angiographic restenosis (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.46-1.01) and reocclusion (OR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.17-0.71), but similar incidence of myocardial infarction (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.10-1.95) and stent thrombosis (OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.07-1.59). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to first-generation DESs, second-generation DESs are associated with improved angiographic and clinical outcomes in CTO PCI and are the preferred stents for these challenging lesions.

Prevalence and outcomes of intermediate saphenous vein graft lesions: findings from the stenting of saphenous vein grafts randomized-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: We sought to examine the prevalence and progression rate of intermediate saphenous vein graft (SVG) lesions in the Stenting Of Saphenous vein grafts (SOS) trial. METHODS: The baseline and follow-up angiograms of 80 patients participating in the SOS trial were analyzed to determine the prevalence of intermediate (30-60% angiographic diameter stenosis) SVG lesions and their progression rate. RESULTS: At least one intermediate SVG lesion was present in 31 of 143 (22%) SVGs in 27 of 80 (34%) patients. Most intermediate lesions were present in the SOS stented SVGs (20 grafts in 19 patients). During a median follow-up of 35 months, angiographic follow-up was available for 28 grafts in 25 patients. Progression (defined as percent diameter stenosis ≥ 70% but <100% at follow-up angiography) was seen in 11 of 28 SVGs (39%) in 11 of 25 patients (44%). Progression rate at 12, 24 and 36 months was 28% and 47% and 84%, respectively. Seven of 11 patients (64%) with intermediate SVG lesion progression presented with an acute coronary syndrome and 8 (73%) underwent PCI. Four of the 28 grafts with intermediate lesions at baseline were 100% occluded at follow-up; all of those SVGs had received a stent in another location in the SVG as part of the SOS trial. CONCLUSIONS: Intermediate SVG lesions are common in patients undergoing SVG stenting, have high rates of progression and frequently present with an acute coronary syndrome. Further study of pharmacologic and mechanical treatments to prevent progression of these lesions is needed.

Ventricular fibrillation associated with occult eating disorder - a clinical puzzle.

Eating disorders are not infrequent in adolescents, and associated cardiac arrhythmias (CA) are well described in these patients. However, CA in adult eating disorders have been reported only rarely. We report a case of ventricular fibrillation in a patient presenting with fatigue and a recent history of vomiting.