Most Promising Therapies in Interventional Cardiology.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The last 40 years of clinical research in interventional cardiology were extraordinarily innovative. This article will review the most promising up and coming interventional cardiovascular therapies, with a primary focus on the treatment of coronary artery disease. RECENT FINDINGS: From the first stent, to the first transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), and the left appendage closure technique, percutaneous interventions revolutionized the treatment of multiple diseases and dramatically improved the prognosis of many patients. While these advances have decreased the risk of mortality in some patients (such as ST-elevation myocardial infarction), 15% of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients still experience recurrent ischemic events within the first year, challenging us to develop new pharmaceutical targets and new devices. The continued emergence of data supporting inflammation as a risk factor and pharmacologic target as well as data supporting the importance of cholesterol efflux have identified novel therapeutic targets that may play a major role in the improvement of prognosis of patients with coronary artery disease. In addition, novel medical devices are being developed to allow even earlier detection of acute cardiac events and to support high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions. Advances in computing and the ability to analyze large datasets will allow us to use artificial intelligence to augment the clinician patient experience, both in and out of the catheterization laboratory, with live procedural guidance as well as pre- and post-operative prognostication tools.

Anterior lamellar marginal z-plasty with transverse tarsotomy for management of trichiasis with cicatricial entropion--a new surgical approach.

BACKGROUND: Trichiasis is the main risk factor for corneal opacification. The primary treatment of trichiasis is surgical. Successful surgery is likely to halt the progression of corneal opacity. The aim of the study is to report the efficacy of the anterior lamellar marginal z-plasty combined with transverse tarsotomy in the management of severe trichiasis andcicatricial entropion of upper eyelid. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out from January 2009 to June 2012, on 54 eyelids (44 patients) who underwent anterior lamellar marginal z-plasty with transverse tarsotomy for correction of trichiasis and cicatricial entropion involving upper eyelid with a minimum of 6 months' follow-up. Results were classified according to the presence and location of residual trichiasis and symptoms were assessed according to a three-level subjective scale (better, worse or no change). Failure was defined as recurrent trichiasis with one or more lashes touching any part of cornea in primary position. Secondary outcomes were visual acuity and corneal opacification. RESULTS: At the end of six month period, none of patients had any trichiatic eye lash touching the cornea in primary position (100% success). Forty-eight (88.9%) of the operated eyelids were free of trichiasis, while residual trichiasis was noticed only in 6 (11.1%) operated lids. At the end of six months, there was a significant reduction of lash burden from median of 12 trichiatic lashes from the base line to the median of 2. All the patients reported significant reduction in symptoms of irritation. Significant improvement in visual acuity (p < 0.000) and reduction in the density of corneal opacity (p < 0.000) was notified from the base line. CONCLUSION: Anterior lamellar marginal z-plasty combined with transverse tarsotomy seems to have promising surgical outcome for the correction oftrichiasis and cicatricial entropion secondary to cicatricial trachoma.

Triple Antithrombotic Therapy for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) has been the cornerstone of antithrombotic management for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, approximately 10% of these patients have concomitant atrial fibrillation (AF) and require chronic oral anticoagulant (OAC) in addition to DAPT. This traditional "triple therapy" has been associated with a three to four-fold increased risk of bleeding. The safety of non-vitamin K OAC (NOAC)-based strategies, using a NOAC plus a P2Y12 inhibitor, has been compared to vitamin K antagonist (VKA)-based triple therapy in the PIONEER AF-PCI and REDUAL PCI randomized trials, both of which have demonstrated that NOAC-based strategies are safer and provide an attractive alternative to VKA-based triple therapy among AF patients who undergo PCI. This article reviews the rationale, evidence, and recent evaluation of triple antithrombotic therapy among AF patients undergoing PCI.

Recurrent episcleritis in children less than 5 years of age.

BACKGROUND: Episcleritis, though common in adults, is a rare disease in children. Episcleritis is associated with systemic diseases in a third of cases in adults. Here we describe systemic diseases associated with recurrent episcleritis in children less than five years of age. METHODS: This Retrospective Observational case series study was conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology of Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad, from March 1995 till February, 2006. Six children diagnosed clinically with recurrent episcleritis were included in this study. Complete ophthalmologic as well as systemic evaluation was done in each case. RESULTS: This study was conducted on 6 children with a diagnosis of recurrent episcleritis. There were four boys and two girls, with an age range of 35-52 months. Right eye was involved in three cases, left eye in two cases while one case had a bilateral disease. Recurrence occurred in the same eye in all cases, with one bilateral involvement. Four children (66%) had a history of upper respiratory tract infection in the recent past. No other systemic abnormality was detected in any case. Two cases had a history of contact with a pet animal. CONCLUSION: Recurrent episcleritis in young children is a benign condition. Upper respiratory tract infection is the most common systemic association. Pet animals may be a contributory factor.