Mercury speciation in selenium enriched wheat plants hydroponically exposed to mercury pollution.

Mercury (Hg) pollution in agricultural soils and its potential pathway to the human food chain can pose a serious health concern. Understanding the pathway of Hg in plants and how the speciation may change upon interaction with other elements used for biofortification can be critical to assess the real implications for the final plant-based product. In that respect, selenium (Se) biofortification of crops grown in Se-poor soil regions is becoming a common practice to overcome Se deficient diets. Therefore, it is important to assess the interplay between these two elements since Se may form complexes with Hg reducing its bioavailability and toxicity. In this work, the speciation of Hg in wheat plants grown hydroponically under the presence of Hg (HgCl2) and biofortified with Se (selenite, selenate, or a 1:1 mixture of both) has been investigated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Hg L3-edge. The main Hg species found in wheat grains was the highly toxic methylmercury. It was found that the Se-biofortification of wheat did not prevent, in general, the Hg translocation to grains. Only the 1:1 mixture treatment seemed to have an effect in reducing the levels of Hg and the presence of methylmercury in grains.

First insight in element localisation in different body parts of the acanthocephalan Dentitruncus truttae using TEM and NanoSIMS.

Acanthocephalans, intestinal parasites of vertebrates, are characterised by orders of magnitude higher metal accumulation than free-living organisms, but the mechanism of such effective metal accumulation is still unknown. The aim of our study was to gain new insights into the high-resolution localization of elements in the bodies of acanthocephalans, thus taking an initial step towards elucidating metal uptake and accumulation in organisms under real environmental conditions. For the first time, nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) was used for high-resolution mapping of 12 elements (C, Ca, Cu, Fe, N, Na, O, P, Pb, S, Se, and Tl) in three selected body parts (trunk spines, inner part of the proboscis receptacle and inner surface of the tegument) of Dentitruncus truttae, a parasite of brown trout (Salmo trutta) from the Krka River in Croatia. In addition, the same body parts were examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and correlated with NanoSIMS images. Metal concentrations determined using HR ICP-MS confirmed higher accumulation in D. truttae than in the fish intestine. The chemical composition of the acanthocephalan body showed the highest density of C, Ca, N, Na, O, S, as important and constitutive elements in living cells in all studied structures, while Fe was predominant among trace elements. In general, higher element density was found in trunk spines and tegument, as body structures responsible for substance absorption in parasites. The results obtained with NanoSIMS and TEM-NanoSIMS correlative imaging represent pilot data for mapping of elements at nanoscale resolution in the ultrastructure of various body parts of acanthocephalans and generally provide a contribution for further application of this technique in all parasite species.

Direct and indirect selenium speciation in biofortified wheat: A tale of two techniques.

Wheat can be biofortified with different inorganic selenium (Se) forms, selenite or selenate. The choice of Se source influences the physiological response of the plant and the Se metabolites produced. We looked at selenium uptake, distribution and metabolization in wheat exposed to selenite, selenate and a 1:1 molar mixture of both to determine the impact of each treatment on the Se speciation in roots, shoots, and grains. To achieve a comprehensive quantification of the Se species, the complementarity of high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and X-ray absorption spectroscopy was exploited. This approach allowed the identification of the six main selenium species: selenomethionine, selenocysteine, selenocystine, selenite, selenate, and elemental selenium. The three treatments resulted in similar total selenium concentration in grains, 90-150 mg Se kg-1 , but produced different effects in the plant. Selenite enhanced root accumulation (66% of selenium) and induced the maximum toxicity, whereas selenate favored shoot translocation (46%). With the 1:1 mixture, selenium was distributed along the plant generating lower toxicity. Although all conditions resulted in >92% of organic selenium in the grain, selenate produced mainly C-Se-C forms, such as selenomethionine, while selenite (alone or in the mixture) enhanced the production of C-Se-Se-C forms, such as selenocystine, modifying the selenoamino acid composition. These results provide a better understanding of the metabolization of selenium species which is key to minimize plant toxicity and any concomitant effect that may arise due to Se-biofortification.

High spatial resolution imaging of subcellular macro and trace element distribution during phagocytosis.

The bioavailability of trace elements in the course of evolution had an essential influence on the emergence of life itself. This is reflected in the co-evolution between eukaryotes and prokaryotes. In this study, the influence and cellular distribution of bioelements during phagocytosis at the host-pathogen interface were investigated using high-resolution nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) and quantitative inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In the eukaryotic murine macrophages (RAW 264.7 cell line), the cellular Fe/Zn ratio was found to be balanced, whereas the dominance of iron in the prokaryotic cells of the pathogen Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis was ∼90% compared to zinc. This confirms the evolutionary increased zinc requirement of the eukaryotic animal cell. Using NanoSIMS, the Cs+ primary ion source allowed high spatial resolution mapping of cell morphology down to the subcellular level. At a comparable resolution, several low-abundant trace elements could be mapped during phagocytosis with a RF plasma O- primary ion source. An enrichment of copper and nickel could be detected in the prokaryotic cells. Surprisingly, an accumulation of cobalt in the area of the nuclear envelope was observed, indicating an interesting but still unknown distribution of this trace element in murine macrophages.

Comprehensive Speciation Analysis of Residual Gadolinium in Deep Cerebellar Nuclei in Rats Repeatedly Administered With Gadoterate Meglumine or Gadodiamide.

PURPOSE: Several preclinical studies have reported the presence of gadolinium (Gd) in different chemical forms in the brain, depending on the class (macrocyclic versus linear) of Gd-based contrast agent (GBCA) administered. The aim of this study was to identify, with a special focus on insoluble species, the speciation of Gd retained in the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN) of rats administered repeatedly with gadoterate or gadodiamide 4 months after the last injection. METHODS: Three groups (N = 6/group) of healthy female Sprague-Dawley rats (SPF/OFA rats; Charles River, L'Arbresle, France) received a cumulated dose of 50 mmol/kg (4 daily intravenous administrations of 2.5 mmol/kg, for 5 weeks, corresponding to 80-fold the usual clinical dose if adjusted for man) of gadoterate meglumine (macrocyclic) or gadodiamide (linear) or isotonic saline for the control group (4 daily intravenous administrations of 5 mL/kg, for 5 weeks). The animals were sacrificed 4 months after the last injection. Deep cerebellar nuclei were dissected and stored at -80°C before sample preparation. To provide enough tissue for sample preparation and further analysis using multiple techniques, DCN from each group of 6 rats were pooled. Gadolinium species were extracted in 2 consecutive steps with water and urea solution. The total Gd concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Soluble Gd species were analyzed by size-exclusion chromatography coupled to ICP-MS. The insoluble Gd species were analyzed by single-particle (SP) ICP-MS, nanoscale secondary ion mass spectroscopy (NanoSIMS), and scanning transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDX) for elemental detection. RESULTS: The Gd concentrations in pooled DCN from animals treated with gadoterate or gadodiamide were 0.25 and 24.3 nmol/g, respectively. For gadoterate, the highest amount of Gd was found in the water-soluble fractions. It was present exclusively as low-molecular-weight compounds, most likely as the intact GBCA form. In the case of gadodiamide, the water-soluble fraction of DCN was composed of high-molecular-weight Gd species of approximately 440 kDa and contained only a tiny amount (less than 1%) of intact gadodiamide. Furthermore, the column recovery calculated for this fraction was incomplete, which suggested presence of labile complexes of dissociated Gd3+ with endogenous molecules. The highest amount of Gd was detected in the insoluble residue, which was demonstrated, by SP-ICP-MS, to be a particulate form of Gd. Two imaging techniques (NanoSIMS and STEM-EDX) allowed further characterization of these insoluble Gd species. Amorphous, spheroid structures of approximately 100-200 nm of sea urchin-like shape were detected. Furthermore, Gd was consistently colocalized with calcium, oxygen, and phosphorous, strongly suggesting the presence of structures composed of mixed Gd/Ca phosphates. No or occasional colocalization with iron and sulfur was observed. CONCLUSION: A dedicated analytical workflow produced original data on the speciation of Gd in DCN of rats repeatedly injected with GBCAs. The addition, in comparison with previous studies of Gd speciation in brain, of SP element detection and imaging techniques allowed a comprehensive speciation analysis approach. Whereas for gadoterate the main fraction of retained Gd was present as intact GBCA form in the soluble fractions, for linear gadodiamide, less than 10% of Gd could be solubilized and characterized using size-exclusion chromatography coupled to ICP-MS. The main Gd species detected in the soluble fractions were macromolecules of 440 kDa. One of them was speculated to be a Gd complex with iron-binding protein (ferritin). However, the major fraction of residual Gd was present as insoluble particulate species, very likely composed of mixed Gd/Ca phosphates. This comprehensive Gd speciation study provided important evidence for the dechelation of linear GBCAs and offered a deeper insight into the mechanisms of Gd deposition in the brain.

Study protocol for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infection and its determinants in Catalonia (Spain): an observational and participatory research approach in a Sentinel Network of Schools.

INTRODUCTION: Since the SARS-CoV-2 became of concern in January 2020, many preventive measures have been adopted in educational settings to ensure the control of COVID-19 pandemic among children and staff in schools. This study aims to set up a school sentinel surveillance network with the purpose of monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infection, seroprevalence as well as to analyse the impact of preventive interventions of SARS-CoV-2 in school settings. Additionally, we will assess diverse screening strategies in a cohort of students and school staff to monitor the screening acceptance and its potential impact. Altogether, we hope this study will enable the design of more effective strategies for the prevention of COVID-19 spread. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The sentinel schools' study is a cross-sectional, school-based project including 26 participating sentinel schools in Catalonia (Spain). Children, adolescents and staff at the schools will be invited to participate. This project will be carried out from January 2021 to June 2022 as follows: (1) twice yearly serological testing and molecular SARS-CoV-2 detection and questionnaires covering SARS-CoV-2 symptoms, tests, health, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours; (2) an environmental evaluation carried out in different classrooms; (3) SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics and the impact of different variants among confirmed cases and classmates; (4) a participatory process by which the participants are invited to act as coinvestigators to evaluate prevention strategies and provide recommendations to improve COVID-19 prevention in schools. Descriptive analysis will be performed for the main variables collected. The incidence and seroprevalence will be calculated and the association with sociodemographic factors and school characteristics will be determined using multivariate logistic regression. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was obtained from the IDIAPJGol and the Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron ethics committees. A report will be generated quarterly. Findings will be disseminated at national and international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.

Development of Mercury Analysis by NanoSIMS for the Localization of Mercury-Selenium Particles in Whale Liver.

Nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) is a dynamic SIMS technique, which offers high spatial resolution allowing the mapping of chemical elements at the nanometer scale combined with high sensitivity. However, SIMS for mercury analysis is a challenging issue due to the low secondary ion yield and has never been done on NanoSIMS. The introduction of an rf plasma oxygen primary ion source on NanoSIMS enabled higher lateral resolution and higher sensitivity for electropositive elements such as most metals. In this paper, for the first time, mercury analysis by NanoSIMS was developed applying the new rf plasma O- ion source. All mercury isotopes could be detected as Hg+ secondary ions and the isotopic pattern corresponded to their natural isotopic abundances. Furthermore, Hg+ detection in HgSe nanocrystals has been investigated where polyatomic interferences from selenium clusters were identified and separated by high mass resolution (ΔM/M ≥ 3200). However, in the presence of selenium a strong matrix effect was observed, decreasing the Hg+ secondary ion yield. In addition, a detection of Se+ ions was possible, too. The newly developed method was successfully applied to nanoscale localization by chemical imaging of HgSe particles accumulated in the liver tissue of sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). This demonstrated the applicability of NanoSIMS not only for mercury detection in surface analysis but also for mercury mapping in biological samples.

Risk stratification of ventricular arrhythmias in repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Risk stratification of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF) remains unresolved. We aimed to identify right ventricular (RV) electrophysiological parameters potentially associated with a higher risk of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with rTOF. METHODS: We included all consecutive patients with rTOF who underwent RV electroanatomical mapping at a single tertiary center. We used logistic regression modeling to identify those variables associated with an increased risk of clinical or induced ventricular tachycardia (VT), or clinical VT exclusively. RESULTS: Twenty-one of the 56 patients included had clinical or induced VT. A high-frequency of premature ventricular contractions/nonsustained VT (OR, 11.34; 95%CI, 1.50-85.97; P=.019), an HV interval > 55 ms (OR, 21.20; 95%CI, 3.12-144.14; P=.002), and RV activation time (ms) (OR [per 10ms intervals], 1.34; 95%CI, 1.02-1.75; P=.035) proved to be associated with clinical or induced VT. The model including this information had good discrimination ability, with an area under the curve of 0.884 (95%CI, 0.79-0.97; P <.001). When considering only clinical VT as the outcome of interest, only an HV interval > 55ms (OR, 9.65; 95%CI, 1.41-66.14; P=.021) and high-frequency of premature ventricular contractions/nonsustained VT (OR, 13.14; 95%CI, 1.95-88.54; P=.008) were independently associated (area under the curve of 0.836 [95%CI, 0.663-1.000; P=.002]). CONCLUSIONS: High-frequency of premature ventricular contractions/nonsustained VT, an HV interval> 55ms and RV activation time are factors associated with an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with rTOF.

Pregnancy Outcomes in Women After Arterial Switch Operation for Transposition of the Great Arteries: Results From ROPAC (Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac Disease) of the European Society of Cardiology EURObservational Research Programme.

Background In the past 3 decades, the arterial switch procedure has replaced the atrial switch procedure as treatment of choice for transposition of the great arteries. Although survival is superior after the arterial switch procedure, data on pregnancy outcomes are scarce and transposition of the great arteries after arterial switch is not yet included in the modified World Health Organization classification of maternal cardiovascular risk. Methods and Results The ROPAC (Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac disease) is an international prospective registry of pregnant women with cardiac disease, part of the European Society of Cardiology EURObservational Research Programme. Pregnancy outcomes in all women after an arterial switch procedure for transposition of the great arteries are described. The primary end point was a major adverse cardiovascular event, defined as combined end point of maternal death, supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias requiring treatment, heart failure, aortic dissection, endocarditis, ischemic coronary events, and thromboembolic events. Altogether, 41 pregnant women (mean age, 26.7±3.9 years) were included, and there was no maternal mortality. A major adverse cardiovascular event occurred in 2 women (4.9%): heart failure in one (2.4%) and ventricular tachycardia in another (2.4%). One woman experienced fetal loss, whereas no neonatal mortality was observed. Conclusions Women after an arterial switch procedure for transposition of the great arteries tolerate pregnancy well, with a favorable maternal and fetal outcome. During counseling, most women should be reassured that the risk of pregnancy is low. Classification as modified World Health Organization risk class II seems appropriate.

A general covalent binding model between cytotoxic selenocompounds and albumin revealed by mass spectrometry and X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

Selenocompounds (SeCs) are promising therapeutic agents for a wide range of diseases including cancer. The treatment results are heterogeneous and dependent on both the chemical species and the concentration of SeCs. Moreover, the mechanisms of action are poorly revealed, which most probably is due to the detection methods where the quantification is based on the total selenium as an element. To understand the mechanisms underlying the heterogeneous cytotoxicity of SeCs and to determine their pharmacokinetics, we investigated selenium speciation of six SeCs representing different categories using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and the cytotoxicity using leukemic cells. SeCs cytotoxicity was correlated with albumin binding degree as revealed by LC-MS and XAS. Further analysis corroborated the covalent binding between selenol intermediates of SeCs and albumin thiols. On basis of the Se-S model, pharmacokinetic properties of four SeCs were for the first time profiled. In summary, we have shown that cytotoxic SeCs could spontaneously transform into selenol intermediates that immediately react with albumin thiols through Se-S bond. The heterogeneous albumin binding degree may predict the variability in cytotoxicity. The present knowledge will also guide further kinetic and mechanistic investigations in both experimental and clinical settings.

Mechanisms of Intra-Atrial Re-Entrant Tachycardias in Congenital Heart Disease: Types and Predictors.

Intra-atrial re-entrant tachycardia (IART) is a severe complication in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI)-related IART is the most frequent mechanism. However, due to fibrosis and surgical scars, non-CTI-related IART is frequent. The main objective of this study was to describe the types of IART, circuit locations, and to analyze predictors of CTI versus non-CTI-related IART. This is an observational study that includes all consecutive patients with CHD who underwent a first IART ablation in a single referral tertiary hospital from January 2009 to December 2015 (94 patients; 39.4% women; age: 36.55 ± 14.9 years, 40.4% with highly complex cardiac disease). During the study, 114 IARTs were ablated (1.21 ± 0.41 IARTs per patient). CTI-related IART was the only arrhythmia in 51% (n = 48) of patients; non-CTI-related IART was the only mechanism in 27.7% (n = 26), and 21.3% of patients (n = 20) presented the two types of IART. Severe dilation of the systemic ventricle, absence of severe dilation of the venous atrium, highly complex cardiac defects, and nontypical electrocardiography (ECG) were related to non-CTI-related IART in univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, nontypical ECG (odds ratio 3.64; 1.01 to 4.9; p = 0.049) and grade III CHD complexity (odds ratio 9.43; 1.44 to 11.7; p = 0.001) were predictors of non-CTI-related IART. In conclusion, in our population with a high proportion of complex CHD, CTI-related IART was the most frequent mechanism, although non-CTI-related IART was present in 49% (alone or with concomitant CTI-related IART). High-grade CHD complexity and nontypical ECG were strongly related to non-CTI IART.

Rapid and Robust Quantification of p-Xyleneselenocyanate in Plasma via Derivatization.

p-Xyleneselenocyanate (p-XSC) is one of the most investigated selenium compounds in cancer-prevention and -therapy. Despite the potent anticancer property, there is still no proper method to perform the quantitative analysis of p-XSC in plasma. In this investigation, we aimed at developing a method based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for the measurement of p-XSC in plasma. Direct deproteinization was first used to extract parent p-XSC from plasma, but failed to achieve high recovery rate (<2%) due to formation of selenium-sulfur bond between p-XSC and plasma protein. To overcome this problem, we modified the extraction method to three steps: (1) break the selenium-sulfur bond by tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine; (2) stabilize the newly formed intermediate selenol by N-ethylmaleimide; (3) deproteinization. This three-step method efficiently recovered bound p-XSC by more than 75%. In in vivo study, p-XSC was injected intravenously into mice and plasma was collected for LC-MS analysis. Consistently, p-XSC was undetectable in its parent form, whereas the bound form was readily quantified, employing the modified extraction method. In summary, we describe a novel, robust, and sensitive method for quantification of p-XSC in plasma. The present method will enable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of p-XSC in both clinical and preclinical settings.

Unusual case of new-onset heart failure due to cor triatriatum sinister.

We report the case of a 30-year old man who came to the emergency department of our hospital with acute left heart failure, and was diagnosed with a rare congenital anomaly (cor triatriatrum sinister), which can mimic a severe mitral stenosis. Cor triatriatum sinister is a rare anomaly (0.1% of all cases of congenital heart disease) that is seldom diagnosed in adult patients. The hallmark of this congenital defect is the presence of a fibromuscular membrane that divides the left atrium (LA) into two chambers: a postero-superior chamber into which the pulmonary veins drain and an infero-anterior chamber (true LA) containing the mitral valve and atrial appendage. Both chambers communicate through a membrane in which one or more drain holes can be found. When the hole is significantly obstructive, it results in increased venous and arterial pressures. Even though the definitive treatment of cor triatriatum is the surgical excision of the membrane, we present a balloon dilatation case with a good response to percutaneous therapy, both initially and in the ensuing months.

Efficacy of whole body vibration exercise in older people: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of the literature on whole body vibration programs in older population and a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. METHOD: A search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL and PsychINFO databases. We included randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of whole body vibration training in older populations compared to conventional exercise or control groups that assessed balance, muscle strength, falls, bone mineral density and adverse events. RESULTS: Sixteen trials met the inclusion criteria. Comparing the vibration and the control group, we found that vibration significantly improved knee muscle isometric strength (18.30 Nm, 95% CI 7.95-28.65), muscle power (10.44 W, 95% CI 2.85-18.03) and balance control (Tinetti test: 4.5 points, 95% CI 0.95-8.11). Comparison with a conventional exercise showed that the only significant difference was bone mineral density in the femoral neck (0.04 g/cm(-2), 95% CI 0.02-0.07). There were no serious complications in most of studies. CONCLUSION: Whole body vibration training may improve strength, power and balance in comparison with a control group, although these effects are not apparent when compared with a group that does conventional exercise.

Long term outcome of mechanical valve prosthesis in the pulmonary position.

OBJECTIVES: Assessment of the long term outcome of mechanical valve prosthesis at pulmonary position in a population of grown-up congenital heart disease patients from a tertiary referral center. METHODS: From 1977 to 2007, 22 consecutive patients underwent a total of 25 pulmonary valve replacements with mechanical prosthesis. The most frequent underlying cardiac condition was tetralogy of Fallot (n=16, 64%) and the mean age at the time of pulmonary valve replacement was 32 ± 11 years (range 14-50 years). RESULTS: The postoperative mortality rate was 4% (n=1) with no late deaths documented after a mean follow-up of 7.6 ± 7.6 years (range 0.29-24 years). No major bleeding episodes occurred. Three patients presented with valve thrombosis in the setting of long term anticoagulation withdrawal and required valve re-replacement. Two of these patients, both with poor right ventricular function and overt clinical signs of right heart failure at the time of valve re-replacement, experienced further episodes of thrombosis despite correct anticoagulation. All episodes resolved with thrombolysis. After addition of antiplatelet treatment in one case and anticoagulation self-control, in the other, no further thrombosis has been documented. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical valve prosthesis may be an alternative to tissue valve prosthesis in patients with congenital heart disease requiring pulmonary valve replacement. Optimal anticoagulation is crucial and additional antiplatelet treatment should be considered. Our data also suggest that patients with severe right ventricular dysfunction and congestive heart failure might be at particular risk for valve thrombosis.

[Standards of care in pulmonary hypertension. Consensus statement of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) and the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC)]. / Estándares asistenciales en hipertensión pulmonar. Documento de consenso elaborado por la Sociedad Española de Neumología y Cirugía Torácica (SEPAR) y la Sociedad Española de Cardiología (SEC).

Substantial progress in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with pulmonary hypertension in recent years has led to significant improvement in survival. Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines issued by scientific societies reflect these new developments. However, certain clinically relevant issues have not been covered in consensus guidelines because of the lack of conclusive scientific evidence. Therefore, the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) and the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC) have promoted the present consensus statement in order to define national standards of care in the evaluation and management of pulmonary hypertension in its various forms, as well as to outline a clinical pathway and the basic principles for organizing health care in this clinical setting, with special emphasis on the requirements for and functions of specialized referral units. To prepare the statement, SEPAR and SEC formed a task force composed of national experts in various aspects of pulmonary hypertension. The resulting consensus is based on international clinical guidelines, a review of available scientific evidence, and panel discussion among the task force members. The final statement, approved by all participants, underwent external review.

[Standards of care in pulmonary hypertension. Consensus Statement of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) and the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC)]. / Estándares asistenciales en hipertensión pulmonar. Documento de consenso elaborado por la Sociedad Española de Neumología y Cirugía Torácica (SEPAR) y la Sociedad Española de Cardiología (SEC).

Substantial progress in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with pulmonary hypertension in recent years has led to significant improvement in survival. Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines issued by scientific societies reflect these new developments. However, certain clinically relevant issues have not been covered in consensus guidelines because of the lack of conclusive scientific evidence. Therefore, the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) and the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC) have promoted the present consensus statement in order to define national standards of care in the evaluation and management of pulmonary hypertension in its various forms, as well as to outline a clinical pathway and the basic principles for organizing health care in this clinical setting, with special emphasis on the requirements for and functions of specialized referral units. To prepare the statement, SEPAR and SEC formed a task force composed of national experts in various aspects of pulmonary hypertension. The resulting consensus is based on international clinical guidelines, a review of available scientific evidence, and panel discussion among the task force members. The final statement, approved by all participants, underwent external review.

Standards of care in pulmonary hypertension.

Consensus Statement of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) and the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC). Substantial progress in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with pulmonary hypertension in recent years has led to significant improvement in survival. Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines issued by scientific societies reflect these new developments. However, certain clinically relevant issues have not been covered in consensus guidelines because of the lack of conclusive scientific evidence. Therefore, the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) and the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC) have promoted the present consensus statement in order to define national standards of care in the evaluation and management of pulmonary hypertension in its various forms, as well as to outline a clinical pathway and the basic principles for organizing health care in this clinical setting, with special emphasis on the requirements for and functions of specialized referral units. To prepare the statement, SEPAR and SEC formed a task force composed of national experts in various aspects of pulmonary hypertension. The resulting consensus is based on international clinical guidelines, a review of available scientific evidence, and panel discussion among the task force members. The final statement, approved by all participants, underwent external review.

[Detection and quantification of myocardial fibrosis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by contrast-enhanced cardiovascular magnetic resonance]. / Detección y cuantificación de la fibrosis miocárdica en la miocardiopatía hipertrófica mediante cardiorresonancia magnética con contraste.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Severity of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has been associated with the amount of myocardial fibrosis in autopsy studies. Cardio-vascular magnetic resonance allows, by means of the delayed contrast-enhancement technique, an in vivo detection of focal myocardial fibrosis. Our aim was to study myocardial fibrosis in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by means of contrast-enhance cardio-vascular magnetic resonance. METHODS: 43 patients (30 males; mean age 47 [18] years) were studied by cardio-vascular magnetic resonance. In all patients left ventricular function and mass was analyzed. Total mass of myocardial fibrosis, as identified by delayed contrast-enhancement, was also calculated. RESULTS: In 63% of patients some degree of myocardial delayed contrast-enhancement was observed, total mass of myocardial fibrosis ranging between 1 and 59 g (mean: 17 g). There was a positive correlation between the amount of myocardial fibrosis and the degree of hypertrophy. Maximal wall thickness was higher in patients with myocardial fibrosis (23 [7] vs 18 [4] mm, respectively, P=.04). Familial cases were also more prevalent among this group (48% vs 13%, respectively), as well as conventional clinical risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial fibrosis as detected by contrast-enhanced cardio-vascular magnetic resonance is highly prevalent in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients, particularly in familial cases with severe hypertrophy and associated risk factors.