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OBJECTIVES: Infections due to multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are expanding globally and are associated with higher mortality rates and hospital-related costs. The objectives of this study were to analyze the trends of MDRO bacteremia and antimicrobial resistance rates in Internal Medicine wards of our hospital and to identify the variables associated with these infections. METHODS: During a 6-year period (July 1, 2011-June 30, 2017), patients with positive blood culture isolates hospitalized in the Internal Medicine wards in the Santa Croce and Carle Hospital in Cuneo, Italy, were assessed. We performed an analysis taking into consideration the time trends and frequencies of MDRO infections, as well as a case-control study to identify clinical-demographic variables associated with MDRO bacteremias. RESULTS: During the study period a total of 596 blood cultures were performed in 577 patients. The most frequently identified organism was Escherichia coli (33.7%), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (15.6%) and S epidermidis (7.4%). The percentage of resistance to methicillin among S aureus isolates showed a decreasing trend, whereas rates of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae and carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae increased during the study period. Multivariate analysis showed that the nosocomial origin of the infection, hospitalization during the previous 3 months, residence in long-term care facilities, presence of a device, antibiotic exposure during the previous 3 months, and cerebrovascular disease were independently associated with bacteremia by resistant microorganisms. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis reveals a concerning microbiological situation in an Internal Medicine setting, in line with other national and regional data. The risk variables for infection by MDRO identified in our study correspond to those reported in the literature, although studies focused on Internal Medicine settings appear to be limited.
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Bacteriemia , Infecções Estafilocócicas , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Bacteriemia/tratamento farmacológico , Bacteriemia/epidemiologia , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Farmacorresistência Bacteriana Múltipla , Humanos , Infecções Estafilocócicas/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções Estafilocócicas/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Mice lacking the core-clock components, cryptochrome-1 (CRY1) and cryptochrome-2 (CRY2) display a phenotype of hyperaldosteronism, due to the upregulation of type VI 3ß-hydroxyl-steroid dehydrogenase (Hsd3b6), the murine counterpart to the human type I 3ß-hydroxyl-steroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B1) gene. In the present study, we evaluated the role of CRY1 and CRY2 genes, and their potential interplay with HSD3B isoforms in adrenal pathophysiology in man. Forty-six sporadic aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) and 20 paired adrenal samples were included, with the human adrenocortical cells HAC15 used as the in vitro model. In our cohort of sporadic APAs, CRY1 expression was 1.7-fold [0.75â»2.26] higher (p = 0.016), while CRY2 showed a 20% lower expression [0.80, 0.52â»1.08] (p = 0.04) in APAs when compared with the corresponding adjacent adrenal cortex. Type II 3ß-hydroxyl-steroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B2) was 317-fold [200â»573] more expressed than HSD3B1, and is the main HSD3B isoform in APAs. Both dehydrogenases were more expressed in APAs when compared with the adjacent cortex (5.7-fold and 3.5-fold, respectively, p < 0.001 and p = 0.001) and HSD3B1 was significantly more expressed in APAs composed mainly of zona glomerulosa-like cells. Treatment with angiotensin II (AngII) resulted in a significant upregulation of CRY1 (1.7 ± 0.25-fold, p < 0.001) at 6 h, and downregulation of CRY2 at 12 h (0.6 ± 0.1-fold, p < 0.001), through activation of the AngII type 1 receptor. Independent silencing of CRY1 and CRY2 genes in HAC15 cells resulted in a mild upregulation of HSD3B2 without affecting HSD3B1 expression. In conclusion, our results support the hypothesis that CRY1 and CRY2, being AngII-regulated genes, and showing a differential expression in APAs when compared with the adjacent adrenal cortex, might be involved in adrenal cell function, and in the regulation of aldosterone production.
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Adenoma/genética , Criptocromos/genética , Hipertensão/genética , Complexos Multienzimáticos/genética , Progesterona Redutase/genética , Esteroide Isomerases/genética , Adenoma/metabolismo , Adenoma/patologia , Aldosterona/biossíntese , Angiotensina II/genética , Animais , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Criptocromos/antagonistas & inibidores , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/genética , Humanos , Hiperaldosteronismo/genética , Hiperaldosteronismo/metabolismo , Hipertensão/patologia , CamundongosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. It is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and therefore its prognosis remains poor with a low 5-year survival rate. HCC patients have increasingly complex and constantly changing characteristics, thus up-to-date and comprehensive data are fundamental. AIM: To analyze the epidemiology and main clinical characteristics of HCC patients in a referral center hospital in the northwest of Italy between 2010 and 2019. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we analyzed the clinical data of all consecutive patients with a new diagnosis of HCC recorded at "Santa Croce e Carle" Hospital in Cuneo (Italy) between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019. To highlight possible changes in HCC patterns over the 10-year period, we split the population into two 5-year groups, according to the diagnosis period (2010-2014 and 2015-2019). RESULTS: Of the 328 HCC patients who were included (M/F 255/73; mean age 68.9 ± 11.3 years), 154 in the first period, and 174 in the second. Hepatitis C virus infection was the most common HCC risk factor (41%, 135 patients). The alcoholic etiology rate was 18%, the hepatitis B virus infection etiology was 5%, and the non-viral/non-alcoholic etiology rate was 22%. The Child-Pugh score distribution of the patients was: class A 75%, class B 21% and class C 4%. The average Mayo end-stage liver disease score was 10.6 ± 3.7. A total of 55 patients (17%) were affected by portal vein thrombosis and 158 (48%) by portal hypertension. The average nodule size of the HCC was 4.6 ± 3.1 cm. A total of 204 patients (63%) had more than one nodule < 3, and 92% (305 patients) had a non-metastatic stage of the disease. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging distribution of all patients was: 4% very early, 32% early, 23% intermediate, 34% advanced, and 7% terminal. Average survival rate was 1.6 ± 0.3 years. Only 20% of the patients underwent treatment. Age, presence of ascites, BCLC stage and therapy were predictors of a better prognosis (P < 0.01). A comparison of the two 5-year groups revealed a statistically significant difference only in global etiology (P < 0.05) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In this study analyzing patients with a new diagnosis of HCC between 2010-2019, hepatitis C virus infection was the most common etiology. Most patients presented with an advanced stage disease and a poor prognosis. When comparing the two 5-year groups, we observed a statistically significant difference only in global etiology (P < 0.05) and AFP levels (P < 0.01).
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Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the most common histologic diagnosis among the aggressive lymphomas, accounting for 30% of all lymphomas. Human herpes virus 8-negative effusion-based lymphoma (HHV8-negative EBL) is a rare form of lymphoma, under recognized and still not well characterized in the literature. In contrast to primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), HHV8-negative EBL is characterized by malignant effusion in essentially serous body cavity with no detectable contiguous tumor masses and is no associated with human immunodeficiency virus and HHV8 infections. The presence of comorbid medical conditions can hide this type of lymphoma and made diagnosis more challenging. Here, we describe a rare case of an 82-year-old male suffering from peritoneal and pleural effusion and Hepatitis B virus related cirrhosis diagnosed with HHV8-negative EBL.
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Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida , Infecções por Herpesviridae , Herpesvirus Humano 8 , Linfoma , Derrame Pleural Maligno , Masculino , Humanos , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Linfoma/complicações , Linfoma/patologia , Derrame Pleural Maligno/complicações , Derrame Pleural Maligno/patologia , Infecções por Herpesviridae/complicaçõesRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Arterial hypertension is a common cause of cardiac organ damage, inducing morphofunctional modifications involving left chambers. This is a retrospective study: it was designed to evaluate the additive clinical value of left atrial enlargement (LAe) assessment in the evaluation of cardiac organ damage. METHODS: A total of 814 (67% male; aged 50.7 ± 12 years, mean ± SD) essential hypertensive subjects underwent routinely to a complete and extensive clinical and echocardiographic evaluation. Left ventricular morphology, systolic and diastolic function and left atrial dimension (LAD; linear and volumetric) were evaluated. RESULTS: Prevalence of LAe varied between 6.2% and 52.1%, depending on the chosen criteria (left atrial diameter indexed for body surface area (BSA) vs left atrial volume (LAV) indexed for BSA - LAVi). LAVi showed to be the most sensitive parameter in order to detect it (sensitivity 96%, specificity 100%). Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was present in about one fifth of our population (14% and 26%, considering indexation for BSA and for height(2.7)). Concentric remodelling (CR) was present in 27-35% of cases considering left ventricular mass indexation for BSA and for height(2.7), respectively. In one quarter of our population, LAe was the only echocardiographic sign of hypertension, independent of LVH and CR. CONCLUSIONS: LAV evaluation in hypertensive population can contribute to the identification of subjects affected by hypertensive heart disease other than the conventionally evaluated terms (LVH and CR).
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Cardiomegalia/epidemiologia , Átrios do Coração/patologia , Hipertensão/complicações , Adulto , Idoso , Feminino , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prevalência , Estudos RetrospectivosRESUMO
Hypertension-related cardiac organ damage, other than left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH), has been described: in particular, concentric remodeling, LV diastolic dysfunction (DD), and left atrial (LA) enlargement are significantly associated with cardiovascular morbility and mortality in different populations. This study evaluated the prevalence of these latter morphofunctional abnormalities, in never-treated essential hypertensive patients and the role of such a serial assessment of hypertensive cardiac damage in improving cardiovascular risk stratification in these patients. A total of 100 never-treated essential hypertensive subjects underwent a complete clinical and echocardiographic evaluation. Left ventricular morphology, systolic and diastolic function, and LA dimension (linear and volume) were evaluated by echocardiography. Left ventricular hypertrophy was present in 14% of the patients, whereas concentric remodeling was present in 25% of the subjects. Among patients free from LV morphology abnormalities, the most frequent abnormality was LA enlargement (global prevalence 57%); the percentage of patients with at least one parameter consistent with DD was 22% in the entire population, but DD was present as the only cardiac abnormality in 1% of our patient. Left atrial volume indexed for body surface area was the most sensitive parameter in identifying hypertension-related cardiac modification. The global prevalence of cardiac alteration reached 73% in never-treated hypertensive patients. Left ventricular remodeling and LA enlargement evaluation may grant a better assessment of cardiac organ damage and cardiovascular risk stratification of hypertensive patients without evidence of LVH after routine examination.
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Hipertensão/fisiopatologia , Hipertrofia Ventricular Esquerda/fisiopatologia , Remodelação Ventricular/fisiologia , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Superfície Corporal , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Ecocardiografia/métodos , Feminino , Humanos , Hipertensão/complicações , Hipertrofia Ventricular Esquerda/etiologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
Obesity is a significant health problem, with increasing involvement of young population worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 2 different types of physical exercise (resistance vs. combined aerobic-resistance) on cardiovascular and anthropometric profile of a sample of sedentary adolescents with overweight and obesity. After undergoing clinical, cardiovascular and anthropometric-metabolic evaluation (T0), subjects with overweight and obesity were randomized to a 6-month resistance or combined aerobic-resistance training program. Clinical, cardiovascular and anthropometric-metabolic evaluations were repeated after 6 months of training (T1) and after 3 months of detraining (T2). Thirty adolescents with overweight/obesity were enrolled and 20 subjects completed training program. A significant improvement in body composition was detected after 6 months, with a reduction of body mass index (32.1 [30.5 to 34.4] vs. 31.1 [29.6 to 33.4] kg/m2, p = 0.02) and adipose tissue (45.5 [41.1 to 49.7] vs. 41.6 [37.0 to 49.2] kg, p < 0.01). A reduction in diastolic blood pressure (75.5 ± 8.9 vs. 68.2 ± 6.4 mm Hg, p = 0.02) and pulse wave velocity (5.7 [5.1 to 5.9] vs. 5.2 [4.7 to 5.7] m/s, p = 0.04) was also observed. Persistence of the effect on the most important parameters was observed also after detraining period. In conclusion, regular physical exercise induces positive metabolic and cardiovascular effects, persisting even after brief discontinuation. Novelty: Physical exercise induces positive effect on cardiovascular risk profile. Positive effects persist also after brief discontinuation. Physical exercise reduces early signs of autonomic disfunction.
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Sobrepeso , Análise de Onda de Pulso , Adolescente , Índice de Massa Corporal , Exercício Físico , Humanos , Obesidade/terapia , Estudos ProspectivosRESUMO
Background: Diastolic function in patients with heart failure is usually impaired, resulting in increased left ventricular (LV) filling pressures, whose gold standard assessment is right heart catheterization (RHC). Hemodynamic force (HDF) analysis is a novel echocardiographic tool, providing an original approach to cardiac function assessment through the speckle-tracking technology. The aim of our study was to evaluate the use of HDFs, both alone and included in a new predictive model, as a potential novel diagnostic tool of the diastolic function. Methods: HDF analysis was retrospectively performed in 67 patients enrolled in the "Right1 study." All patients underwent RHC and echocardiography up to 2 h apart. Increased LV filling pressure (ILFP) was defined as pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) ≥ 15 mmHg. Results: Out of 67 patients, 33 (49.2%) showed ILFP at RHC. Diastolic longitudinal force (DLF), the mean amplitude of longitudinal forces during diastole, was associated with the presence of ILFP (OR = 0.84 [0.70; 0.99], p = 0.046). The PCWP prediction score we built including DLF, ejection fraction, left atrial enlargement, and e' septal showed an AUC of 0.83 [0.76-0.89], with an optimal internal validation. When applied to our population, the score showed a sensitivity of 72.7% and a specificity of 85.3%, which became 66.7 and 94.4%, respectively, when applied to patients classified with "indeterminate diastolic function" according to the current recommendations. Conclusion: HDF analysis could be an additional useful tool in diastolic function assessment. A scoring system including HDFs might improve echocardiographic accuracy in estimating LV filling pressures. Further carefully designed studies could be useful to clarify the additional value of this new technology.
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Trisomy of the short arm of chromosome 12 is a rare genetic disease characterised by dysmorphic features, mental retardation, behavioural disorders, seizures predisposition and other congenital abnormalities. Arterial hypertension is not a characteristic feature of 12p trisomy, although congenital heart defects are reported. In this case report, we present a young patient with incomplete trisomy 12p, analysing some characteristics of this disease that have not been previously described in literature.
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Pressão Sanguínea/genética , Dislipidemias/complicações , Hipertensão/genética , Trissomia/genética , Adolescente , Anti-Hipertensivos/uso terapêutico , Pressão Sanguínea/efeitos dos fármacos , Cromossomos Humanos Par 12/genética , Dislipidemias/sangue , Dislipidemias/diagnóstico , Dislipidemias/tratamento farmacológico , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Humanos , Inibidores de Hidroximetilglutaril-CoA Redutases/uso terapêutico , Hipertensão/diagnóstico , Hipertensão/tratamento farmacológico , Hipertensão/fisiopatologia , Lipídeos/sangue , Masculino , Fenótipo , Medição de Risco , Fatores de Risco , Resultado do Tratamento , Trissomia/diagnósticoRESUMO
Prognosis in pulmonary hypertension is strictly linked to right ventricle failure, which results from uncoupling between right ventricle function and its afterload. This study sought to describe how to estimate with echocardiography right ventricular wall tension, its correlation with right ventricle haemodynamics and its prognostic role. A total of 190 patients without overt right ventricle failure but with suspected pulmonary hypertension on a previous echocardiogram underwent right heart catheterization and nearly-simultaneous echocardiography. Right ventricular wall tension was estimated according to Laplace's law as right ventricle length × tricuspid regurgitation peak gradient and it was correlated with right ventricle haemodynamic profile; its potential prognostic impact was tested along with canonical right ventricle function parameters. Right ventricular wall tension correlated significantly with invasive estimation of right ventricle end-diastolic pressure (R: 0.343, p < 0.001) and with several other haemodynamic variables, such as mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary artery compliance, transpulmonary gradient, pulmonary vascular resistance, right atrial pressure and right ventricle stroke work index (all p < 0.001). At a mean follow-up of five years and three months, only right ventricular wall tension was associated to all-cause mortality (p = 0.036), while tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (p = 0.536), right ventricle fractional area change (p = 0.383), right ventricle fractional area change (p = 0.076), tricuspid regurgitation peak gradient (p = 0.107) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion/tricuspid regurgitation peak gradient (p = 0.181) could not. We identified a novel bedside echocardiographic predictor of altered right ventricle haemodynamics, which is precociously altered in patients without overt right ventricle failure and is associated to all-cause mortality at a long-term follow-up. Further studies are needed to confirm its role in pulmonary hypertension patients.
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Acute aortic syndromes (AAS) are cardiovascular emergencies with unmet diagnostic needs. Copeptin is released upon stress conditions and is approved for rule-out of myocardial infarction (MI). As MI and AAS share presenting symptoms, stress mechanisms and necessity for rapid diagnosis, copeptin appears as an attractive biomarker also for AAS. We thus performed a diagnostic and observational study in Emergency Department (ED) outpatients. Inclusion criteria were chest/abdominal/back pain, syncope and/or perfusion deficit, plus AAS in differential diagnosis. Blood samples were obtained in the ED. 313 patients were analyzed and 105 (33.5%) were diagnosed with AAS. Median copeptin was 38.91 pmol/L (interquartile range, IQR, 16.33-173.4) in AAS and 7.51 pmol/L (IQR 3.58-15.08) in alternative diagnoses (P < 0.001). Copeptin (≥10 pmol/L) had a sensitivity of 80.8% (95% confidence interval, CI, 72.2-87.2) and a specificity of 63.6% (CI 56.9-69.9) for AAS. Within 6 hours, the sensitivity and specificity were 88.7% (CI 79.3-94.2) and 52.4% (CI 42.9-61.8) respectively. Combination with D-dimer did not increase the diagnostic yield. Furthermore, copeptin ≥25 pmol/L predicted mortality in patients with alternative diagnoses but not with AAS. In conclusion, copeptin increases in most patients with AAS within the first hours, but the accuracy of copeptin for diagnosis AAS is suboptimal.
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Doenças da Aorta/sangue , Doenças da Aorta/diagnóstico , Glicopeptídeos/sangue , Doença Aguda , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Biomarcadores/sangue , Serviço Hospitalar de Emergência , Feminino , Produtos de Degradação da Fibrina e do Fibrinogênio/metabolismo , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prognóstico , Estudos ProspectivosRESUMO
The precision of echocardiography in estimating pulmonary pressures has been debated. A value of right atrial pressure (RAP) is needed for pulmonary pressure estimation, and it could be partly responsible for the estimation error. Several schemes based on the inferior vena cava (IVC) are commonly used in clinical practice and in experimental studies for RAP estimation. However, the majority lack proper validation, and thus far, no study has compared them all. In this prospective, blinded study, a comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography was performed on 200 patients referred for right heart catheterization. The IVC was measured in different views and RAP was estimated according to 6 different schemes. One hundred ninety patients were suitable for analysis. IVC measurements were significantly but poorly associated with invasive RAP. All RAP schemes showed poor accuracy compared with invasive RAP (average accuracy 34%). None of the schemes showed a clear superiority over the others. No echocardiographic or clinical variables showed a relevant impact on the estimation error. In conclusion, RAP estimation based on the IVC is highly inaccurate irrespective of the method used and should be avoided whenever possible. Whether adding estimated RAP values affects the estimation of pulmonary pressures is yet to be determined.
Assuntos
Pressão Atrial/fisiologia , Cateterismo Cardíaco , Ecocardiografia , Veia Cava Inferior/fisiopatologia , Idoso , Pressão Sanguínea/fisiologia , Débito Cardíaco/fisiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos Prospectivos , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Resistência Vascular/fisiologiaRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of dilatation of proximal ascending aorta (pAA) in essential hypertensive patients and the association between pAA dilatation, arterial stiffness and left ventricular hypertrophy. BACKGROUND: Few data are available regarding patients with pAA dilatation in arterial hypertension. It is not known whether pAA dilatation may be related to increased left ventricular mass and what the relation with central hemodynamics and arterial stiffness would be. METHODS: A total of 345 untreated and treated essential hypertensive patients (mean age, 54.3â±â11 years) were considered for this analysis. We measured pulsatile hemodynamic parameters directly using tonometry, and the proximal aortic diameters through ultrasound imaging (echocardiography). RESULTS: Prevalence of pAA dilatation was 17%. Peripheral hemodynamic parameters were similar in patients with and without ascending aorta dilatation. We observed a slight increase of central systolic (129.81â±â15.4 vs. 125.02â±â14.7âmmHg; Pâ=â0.02) and pulse pressure (45.02â±â10.4 vs. 42â±â9.54 mmHg; Pâ=â0.02) in patients with pAA dilatation. Pulse wave velocity (9.26â±â2.33 vs. 7.70â±â1.69âm/s; Pâ<â0.0001), as well as the augmentation index (25.86â±â10.2 vs. 19.41â±â9.52%; Pâ<â0.0001), was significantly greater in patients with pAA dilatation. Finally, left ventricular hypertrophy was thrice as frequent (32.8 vs. 13.4%; Pâ<â0.0001) compared to hypertensive patients without aortic dilatation. CONCLUSION: This study shows a high prevalence (17%) of ascending aortic dilatation in patients affected by essential hypertension, without further complications. Dilatation of the ascending aorta is associated both to an increased left ventricular mass and arterial stiffness.
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Aorta/fisiopatologia , Doenças da Aorta/epidemiologia , Dilatação Patológica/epidemiologia , Hipertensão/complicações , Hipertrofia Ventricular Esquerda/fisiopatologia , Rigidez Vascular/fisiologia , Adulto , Aorta/diagnóstico por imagem , Doenças da Aorta/etiologia , Doenças da Aorta/fisiopatologia , Dilatação Patológica/diagnóstico por imagem , Dilatação Patológica/etiologia , Ecocardiografia , Feminino , Hemodinâmica , Humanos , Hipertensão/diagnóstico por imagem , Hipertensão/fisiopatologia , Hipertrofia Ventricular Esquerda/complicações , Hipertrofia Ventricular Esquerda/diagnóstico por imagem , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Aortic root dilatation (ARD) and arterial hypertension represent two important risk factors for aortic dissection: prevalence of observed ARD is increasing - up to 12% in the latest available reports. A recently published work tested on a good number of healthy individuals new reference ranges for aortic root dimensions, suggesting new reference values with corrections for age, gender, height (pHeight) or body surface area (pBSA). AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of ARD in hypertensive patients using various criteria. METHODS: A total of 1076 untreated and treated essential hypertensive patients (mean age, 52.5â±â2 years) were considered for this analysis. We measured proximal aortic diameters using ultrasound imaging (echocardiography). ARD was defined in three ways. First, when the observed aortic diameter was larger than that predicted for age, sex, and BSA (pBSA), second when larger than predicted by height (pHeight), and third when the aortic diameter to BSA ratio (ASi) was at least 2.1âcm/m. RESULTS: A total of 237 patients (22% of the study population) showed at least one among the three different criteria defining aortic dilatation. Prevalence of ARD, considering singularly each one of the criteria, varied between 12.8% (pBSA) and 16.9% (pHeight). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated a prevalence of ARD higher than previously reported. Our data suggest, therefore, the necessity of a correct choice of the diagnostic criterion that has to be applied in the single patient for definition of ARD. In particular, using the criterion pHeight in obese patients, we may avoid underdiagnosis of this condition.
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Doenças da Aorta/epidemiologia , Hipertensão/epidemiologia , Seio Aórtico/diagnóstico por imagem , Adulto , Idoso , Doenças da Aorta/diagnóstico por imagem , Doenças da Aorta/etiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Hipertensão/complicações , Hipertensão/diagnóstico por imagem , Itália/epidemiologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prevalência , Valores de Referência , Estudos Retrospectivos , UltrassonografiaRESUMO
Primary aldosteronism is the most frequent cause of secondary hypertension, accounting for up to 11% of cases in selected populations. Patients affected by primary aldosteronism have shown higher prevalence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events compared with patients with essential hypertension, despite similar blood pressure levels. Several studies have been performed over past years aiming to explain these data; many of these evaluated echocardiographic differences in hypertension-related cardiac organ damage between primary aldosteronism and essential hypertension. This article summarizes the present knowledge about structural and functional alteration of the human left heart in primary aldosteronism.
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Hiperaldosteronismo/complicações , Hipertrofia Ventricular Esquerda/etiologia , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/etiologia , Função Ventricular Esquerda , Animais , Átrios do Coração/diagnóstico por imagem , Átrios do Coração/fisiopatologia , Hemodinâmica , Humanos , Hipertrofia Ventricular Esquerda/diagnóstico por imagem , Hipertrofia Ventricular Esquerda/fisiopatologia , Ultrassonografia , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/diagnóstico por imagem , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/fisiopatologiaRESUMO
The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between brachial and central blood pressure (bBP and cBP) levels and aortic root dilatation (ARD) in essential hypertensive patients. A total of 190 untreated and treated essential hypertensive patients (mean age, 55 ± 11 years) were considered for this analysis. We measured pulsatile hemodynamics and the proximal aortic diameter directly using tonometry, ultrasound imaging (echocardiography) and Doppler. Ninety-one hypertensive patients had an ARD (defined as aortic size index (ASi)>2 cm/m(2)). Central hemodynamic variables were significantly associated with ASi. Patients with increased ASi were significantly older (60 ± 10 vs. 50 ± 11 years, P < 0.0001) and had higher levels of the augmentation index (AIx; 28 ± 10 vs. 21 ± 10 P < 0.0001), augmentation pressure (AP; 13 ± 6 vs. 8 ± 5 mm Hg, P < 0.0001), and central pulse pressure (cPP; 44 ± 10 vs. 39 ± 8 mm Hg, P<0.0001) compared with patients with normal ASi. In a logistic regression analysis, the AIx was the only significant predictor of ASi. In hypertensive patients, the AIx and cBP were associated with ARD, whereas the bBP was not. Patients with an increased ASi may lose part of the elastic properties of the aorta, demonstrating a strict correlation between ASi and central hemodynamic indexes, in particular, the cPP and AIx.
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Aorta/fisiopatologia , Hipertensão/fisiopatologia , Adulto , Idoso , Análise de Variância , Aorta/diagnóstico por imagem , Pressão Sanguínea , Artérias Carótidas/fisiopatologia , Hemodinâmica/fisiologia , Humanos , Hipertensão/diagnóstico por imagem , Modelos Logísticos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fluxo Pulsátil , UltrassonografiaRESUMO
Ultrasound imaging has continuously developed over recent years, leading to the development of several novel echocardiographic indexes. Among these, of particular interest are those that focus on pulmonary hemodynamics, because they not only improve both sensitivity and specificity in the echocardiographic evaluation of pulmonary pressures (systolic, mean, and diastolic), but can also be used to estimate other pulmonary hemodynamic parameters, such as pulmonary vascular resistance, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and pulmonary capacitance and impedance. Such parameters can provide important diagnostic and prognostic information in patients with heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary arterial hypertension and in every patient with suspected pulmonary impairment. In this review, the authors present a comprehensive overview of the echocardiographic indexes involved in pulmonary hemodynamic evaluation and discuss the applications of these indexes in the clinical setting.
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Algoritmos , Determinação da Pressão Arterial/métodos , Ecocardiografia/métodos , Interpretação de Imagem Assistida por Computador/métodos , Pneumopatias/diagnóstico por imagem , Pneumopatias/fisiopatologia , Circulação Pulmonar , Pressão Sanguínea , Humanos , Aumento da Imagem/métodos , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Sensibilidade e EspecificidadeRESUMO
Orthostatic hypotension (OH) may be dependent upon various neurogenic and non-neurogenic disorders and conditions. Neurogenic causes include the main autonomic failure syndromes, primary (multiple system atrophy, pure autonomic failure, and autonomic failure associated with Parkinson's disease) and secondary (central nervous system diseases, peripheral neuropathies and systemic diseases). Non-neurogenic causes of OH include cardiac impairment, fluid and electrolyte loss, vasodilatation, and old age. A number of drugs may also cause OH, through their vasoactive action or by interfering with the autonomic nervous system. Symptoms of OH are debilitating, often confining patients to bed, and longitudinal studies have shown that OH increases the risk of stroke, myocardial ischemia and mortality. The therapeutic goal is to decrease the incidence and severity of postural symptoms, rather than restore normotension. In non-neurogenic OH, treatment of the underlying cause may be curative. In neurogenic OH a combination of non-pharmacological and pharmacological measures is often needed. Patient education and non-pharmacological measures represent the first step; among these interventions, fluid repletion and physical countermanoeuvres have been proven very effective. Pharmacological treatment comprises a number of agents acting on blood vessels, on blood volume or with other pressor mechanisms. The drugs most currently used are fludrocortisone and midodrine. Fludrocortisone expands the extravascular body fluid volume and improves alpha-adrenergic sensitivity. Midodrine is a peripheral, selective alpha1-adrenergic agonist that causes arterial and venous vasoconstriction. Despite the wide use of these drugs, multicentre, randomised and controlled studies for the treatment of OH are still scarce and limited to few agents and groups of patients. Pharmacological management of OH substantially improves the quality of life of patients, although it may be problematic. The development of supine hypertension and subsequent congestive heart failure should be avoided, especially in those patients with a pre-existing cardiovascular risk, such as in diabetes or ischemic heart disease.