The incidence and prognosis of renal dysfunction following cardioversion of atrial fibrillation.

OBJECTIVE: Limited data are available regarding the incidence and clinical impact of renal dysfunction following cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. The objective of this study was to assess the incidence and implications of renal dysfunction following cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study to determine the incidence, timing, risk factors and outcome of atrial fibrillation cardioversion associated with renal dysfunction (AFCARD) in a tertiary medical center. Consecutive patients undergoing direct current cardioversion (DCCV) for atrial fibrillation in our institution during 2008-2009 with measurements of creatinine before and following cardioversion were included. AFCARD was defined as a rise in serum creatinine greater than 25% from baseline within a week following DCCV. RESULTS: One hundred and twelve patients were included in the study, of whom 19 (17%) developed AFCARD. One patient required hemodialysis. Patients with AFCARD had a higher incidence of advanced heart failure, diabetes mellitus and were more frequently treated with digoxin and enoxaparin. Patients with AFCARD had a significantly decreased survival rate at 1 year (63 vs. 92%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: AFCARD is relatively common and is associated with increased mortality. These findings suggest a role for close surveillance of renal function following DCCV.

Autologous stem cell transplantation in a rare multicentric Castleman disease of the plasma cell variant.

We present a case of a 52-year-old male who was evaluated due to anorexia, persistent diarrhea, weight loss, and liver enzyme elevations, with no hematologic laboratory abnormalities. Imaging modalities revealed several tissue lesions involving the pancreas, the right kidney, and an axillary lymph node. Diagnosis of Castleman disease was reached only due to the tissue obtained from the lymph node. Chemotherapy and immunosuppression led to a short remission. The patient underwent autologous stem cell transplantation, and has since been in remission. This case demonstrates the cryptogenic and chameleon-like nature of Castleman disease. Challenges in treating Castleman disease patients reflect current limitations and the need for a greater understanding of disease pathogenesis.

Factors associated with bleeding in elderly hospitalized patients treated with enoxaparin sodium : a prospective, open-label, observational study.

BACKGROUND: Despite a lack of clear recommendations to guide decision-making, reductions in enoxaparin sodium dosage in the elderly and in patients with mild and moderate renal dysfunction are common in patients with acute coronary syndrome. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether weight, age and renal function are associated with anti-factor Xa activity and with bleeding in elderly patients treated with enoxaparin sodium. METHOD: This was a prospective observational study of 156 elderly patients admitted consecutively to a general internal medicine ward with creatinine clearance >30 mL/min who were treated with enoxaparin sodium twice daily. Anti-factor Xa activity and bleeding events were documented in all patients. Statistical analyses were conducted to determine the effects of clinical characteristics such as renal dysfunction, age and bodyweight on these parameters. RESULTS: 156 patients (60% males, mean age 71.0 +/- 15.98 years) were studied. Therapeutic anti-factor Xa was observed in 85.3% of patients treated with enoxaparin sodium 0.61-0.8 mg/kg/12h, and in 82.6% of patients treated with enoxaparin sodium 0.81-1.1 mg/kg/12h. Minor or major bleeding was observed in 5.8% of patients, and was associated with a lower mean bodyweight (61.89 +/- 13.35 vs 74.30 +/- 13.24 kg for patients with no bleeding; p = 0.014). Bodyweight < or =55 kg was associated with bleeding with an odds ratio of 5.63 (95% CI 1.2, 25, p = 0.025). CONCLUSION: Low bodyweight is associated with a greater risk of bleeding despite a reduction in enoxaparin sodium dose according to weight. This finding supports the possibility that low bodyweight is an independent risk factor for enoxaparin sodium-related bleeding.

[Air pollution and cardiovascular disease].

Cardiovascular atherothrombosis is the most common cause of death globally, with several well-known risk factors. Air pollution is a byproduct of fuel combustion by motor vehicles, power plants and industrial factories. It is composed of gases, fluids and particulate matter (PM) of different sizes, which include basic carbon, organic carbonic molecules and metals such as vanadium, nickel, zinc and iron. These particles are subdivided by their median size, a major contributing factor for their capability to enter the human body through the respiratory system. Most of the epidemiological studies have shown correlation between acute and long-term exposure to air pollution elements and cardiovascular morbidity in general, and angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction specifically. Physiological studies have found different arrhythmias as the etiologic cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality following exposure to air pollution. A major finding was a decline in heart rate variability, a phenomenon known as endangering for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, especially in patients after acute myocardial infarction. To date, several pathways have been proposed, including a hypercoagulable state following an inflammatory response, cardiac nervous autonomic disequilibrium, endothelial dysfunction with blood vessel contraction and direct toxic impact on cardiac muscle. Additional research is needed for clarifying the pathophysiological pathways by which air pollution affects the cardiovascular system. That might allow forthcoming with preventive measures and correct treatment, and hence a decrease in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Another important target is dose-outcome correlation curves for safety threshold calculation as a basis for air pollution regulations.