Multimodal Imaging of an Idiopathic Vascularized Epiretinal Membrane: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Idiopathic epiretinal membranes (ERMs) are commonly associated with fibrovascular tissue, primarily observed in ischemic retinopathies. However, idiopathic vascularized ERMs (IVEM) are exceedingly rare, and their pathogenesis and clinical course remain poorly understood. This report aims to contribute to the limited literature on IVEM, shedding light on its characteristics and potential implications for patient management. CASE REPORT We present the case of a 70-year-old man diagnosed with idiopathic ERM in the left eye, revealing a neovascular complex within the membrane. Despite the absence of ocular symptoms and medical history, multimodal imaging using the Nidek Mirante, including spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A), revealed a thick pre-retinal hyper-reflective line with a partial posterior vitreous detachment and an abnormal vascular complex resembling a pruned-vascular-tree pattern. Notably, fluorescein angiography confirmed hyperfluorescence and leakage corresponding to the observed vessels. Despite the rarity of IVEM, the patient remained asymptomatic, and observation was deemed appropriate. CONCLUSIONS IVEM poses a rare challenge in clinical practice, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of its features and potential complications. While the etiopathogenesis remains unclear, hypertension has been proposed as a contributing factor. This case adds valuable insights to the growing literature on IVEM, emphasizing the importance of multimodal imaging in diagnosis and decision-making. Given the limited reports and varied treatment outcomes, managing IVEM requires careful consideration of observation and various therapeutic approaches, highlighting the need for further research to optimize patient care.

Prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in healthy adults according to the estimated iodine intake in 24-hour urine samples: The SALMEX cohort.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in a cohort of healthy individuals in Mexico City, as well as to investigate the potential associations of these results with their estimated iodine intake (EII) as reflected by their 24-hour urinary iodine excretion (24-h UIE). METHODS: From the SALMEX cohort, 683 adults provided an appropriate 24-h urine sample. Thyroid function tests and thyroid antibody concentrations were determined in the participants' sera. We analyzed discrepancies between the commonly used urinary parameters to determine the iodine intake status and the performance of thyroglobulin (Tg) as a biomarker of its status in the adult population. RESULTS: The prevalence of dysthyroidism was high, being similar to other studies. Subclinical hypothyroidism was detected in 5.0% of individuals, clinical hypothyroidism in 1.8% of individuals, and sub-clinical hyperthyroidism in 2.8% of individuals. The median EII was 285 µg/d (IQR 215.0-369.0); 94% of individuals had EII >150 µg/d recommended daily allowance (RDA) in adults. The urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and the UIE had relative biases in their averages of 34.4%. The Tg median was 7.21 ng/mL. The prevalence of increased Tg was 6.15%. There was no correlation between Tg and EII (r= 0.019, p= 0.606). CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid dysfunction was highly prevalent in this population. Our cohort revealed a slight discrepancy between dysthyroidism manifestations and iodine intake markers; the latter represent a population with adequate iodine intake. Further studies are necessary to clearly define the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction as well as the iodine nutritional status in Mexico.

Evaluation of bone densitometry by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry as a fracture prediction tool in women with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: The 2017 KDIGO guidelines establish a 2B grade recommendation in favor of testing Bone Mineral Density (BMD) by DXA to assess osteoporotic fracture (OPF) risk in patients with CKD G3a-G5D. Still, controversy remains because large studies evaluating it for this particular population are lacking. AIM: To establish the clinical performance of BMD measured by DXA in the evaluation of fracture risk in women with CKD. METHODS: We conducted a 43 year retrospective cohort study with 218 women ≥18 years-old with CKD and BMD measurement by DXA of total hip and lumbar spine. Clinical (age, year of CKD onset, comorbidities, BMI, transplant status, treatment), and biochemical (PTH, corrected calcium, phosphate, vitamin D [25 (OH) D3], creatinine, and albumin), parameters were collected from hospital records. All osteoporotic fractures (as defined by the WHO) found in the clinical and radiologic files were registered. RESULTS: 218 women with a median age of 60 years (40-73 IQ range) and a CKD evolution time of 12 years (7-18 IQ range) were evaluated. Forty-eight (28.23%) presented an OPF. These women were older (57 vs 69 years, p =0.0072) and had a lower BMD. CKD stage did not influence fracture incidence. In the multivariate analysis we found that for each standard deviation decrease in hip and lumbar spine T-Score, the overall fracture risk was 2.7 and 2.04 times higher, respectively. More than 50% of fractures took place within the first ten years of follow-up, especially with GFR <30 mL/min/m2 and osteoporosis. Diabetes and hypothyroidism accelerated fracture onset, while renal transplant delayed it. In the ROC analysis, the AUC was largest with the total hip (0.7098, p = 0.000) and lumbar spine (0.6916, p = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: BMD measured by DXA is a useful fracture prediction tool for women with CKD, having a sensibility and specificity similar to that in the general population. It seems to be appropriate for the diagnosis, treatment decisions, and follow-up of patients with renal failure.

Evaluation of Perioperative High-Sensitive Cardiac Troponin I as a Predictive Biomarker of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events After Noncardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Various studies suggest that perioperative concentrations of high-sensitivity troponins are incremental and predictive factors of a major adverse cardiac event (MACE) and all-cause mortality. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the predictive value of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) in the development of MACE and all-cause mortality, within 30-days and 1-year follow-up after noncardiac surgery. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, we included men ≥ 45 years and women ≥ 55 years with ≥ 2 cardiovascular risk factors and undergoing intermediate or high-risk noncardiac surgery. Demographic and clinical information was collected from clinical charts. We measured baseline hs-cTnI 24 h before surgery, and its post-operative concentration 24 h after surgery. RESULTS: In the entire sample, 8 patients (8.6%) developed MACE at 30-days follow-up (4 deaths), 12 (12.9%) within the 1st year (7 deaths), and 17 (18.2%) after complete post-surgical follow-up (10 deaths). We observed higher baseline and post-operative concentrations in patients who presented MACE (12 pg/ml vs. 3.5 pg/ml; p = 0.001 and 18.3 pg/ml vs. 5.45 pg/ml; p = 0.009, respectively). The hazard ratios (HRs) calculated by Cox regression analysis between the hs-cTnI baseline concentration and the post-operative development of MACE at 30-days and 1-year were 5.70 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-29.40) with hs-cTnI > 6.2 pg/ml and 12.86 (95% CI, 1.42-116.34) with hs-cTnI > 3.3 pg/ml, respectively. The estimated post-operative HR death risk at 1-year was 14.43 (95% CI, 1.37-151.61) with hs-cTnI > 4.5 pg/ml. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-operative hs-cTnI was an independent predictive risk factor for MACE at 30-days and 1-year after noncardiac surgery and for all-cause mortality at 1-year after noncardiac surgery.

EVALUATION OF PERIOPERATIVE HIGH-SENSITIVE CARDIAC TROPONIN I AS A PREDICTIVE BIOMARKER OF MAJOR ADVERSE CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS AFTER NONCARDIAC SURGERY.

BACKGROUND: Various studies suggest that perioperative concentrations of high-sensitivity troponins are incremental and predictive factors of a major adverse cardiac event (MACE) and all-cause mortality. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the predictive value of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) in the development of MACE and all-cause mortality, within 30-days and 1-year follow-up after noncardiac surgery. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, we included men ≥ 45 years and women ≥ 55 years with ≥ 2 cardiovascular risk factors and undergoing intermediate or high-risk noncardiac surgery. Demographic and clinical information was collected from clinical charts. We measured baseline hs-cTnI 24 h before surgery, and its post-operative concentration 24 h after surgery. RESULTS: In the entire sample, 8 patients (8.6%) developed MACE at 30-days follow-up (4 deaths), 12 (12.9%) within the 1st year (7 deaths), and 17 (18.2%) after complete post-surgical follow-up (10 deaths). We observed higher baseline and post-operative concentrations in patients who presented MACE (12 pg/ml vs. 3.5 pg/ml; p = 0.001 and 18.3 pg/ml vs. 5.45 pg/ml; p = 0.009, respectively). The hazard ratios (HRs) calculated by Cox regression analysis between the hs-cTnI baseline concentration and the post-operative development of MACE at 30-days and 1-year were 5.70 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-29.40) with hs-cTnI > 6.2 pg/ml and 12.86 (95% CI, 1.42-116.34) with hs-cTnI > 3.3 pg/ml, respectively. The estimated post-operative HR death risk at 1-year was 14.43 (95% CI, 1.37-151.61) with hs-cTnI > 4.5 pg/ml. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-operative hs-cTnI was an independent predictive risk factor for MACE at 30-days and 1-year after noncardiac surgery and for all-cause mortality at 1-year after noncardiac surgery.

Association of serum vitamin D levels with chronic disease and mortality / Asociación de los niveles séricos de vitamina D con la enfermedad crónica y la mortalidad

INTRODUCTION: whether hypovitaminosis D is an overarching cause of increased mortality or a prognostic marker of poor health has not been well elucidated. OBJECTIVES: we sought to determine the association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25-(OH)-D3] levels with the clinical biochemical parameters and mortality risk in chronic diseases. METHODS: we reviewed the clinical charts and collected the clinical biochemical parameters of patients diagnosed with chronic conditions who had at least one 25-(OH)-D3 determination, with or without calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and who were selected using a cluster random sampling design (n = 1,705). The analysis was focused on metabolic disorders (type-2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM] and obesity), autoimmune disorders, and mortality. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: low 25-(OH)-D3 levels were reported in 1,433 (84.0 %) patients, of which 774 (45.4 %) had insufficiency (20-29 ng/mL) and 659 (38.6 %) patients had deficiency (< 20 ng/mL). Lower 25-(OH)-D3 levels in T2DM patients were associated with higher glycosylated hemoglobin levels (p < 0.001). Patients with 25-(OH)-D3 levels < 12.5 ng/mL had a higher mortality risk than those with levels ≥ 12.5 ng/mL (HR: 3.339; 95 % CI: 1.342-8.308). We observed lower 25-(OH)-D3 levels in patients with grade-III obesity (p = 0.01). We found a higher risk of 25-(OH)-D3 deficiency in rheumatoid arthritis, type-1 diabetes, and systemic lupus erythematosus (p = 0.032, p = 0.002, p = 0.049, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: we found a significant relationship between 25-(OH)-D3 levels and glycemic control, body mass index, autoimmune disease, and mortality risk. Nevertheless, whether hypovitaminosis D plays a causal role or is a consequence of chronic disease remains controversial

INTRODUCCIÓN: si la hipovitaminosis D constituye una causa general de mayor mortalidad o un marcador de mal pronóstico para la salud no se ha dilucidado por completo. OBJETIVOS: determinar la asociación de los niveles séricos de 25-hidroxivitamina D [25-(OH)-D3] con los parámetros clínico-bioquímicos y el riesgo de mortalidad en la enfermedad crónica. MÉTODOS: se revisaron los expedientes clínicos y recopilamos los parámetros clínico-bioquímicos de pacientes diagnosticados de enfermedades crónicas que tenían al menos una determinación de 25-(OH)-D3, con o sin suplemento de calcio y vitamina D, y que se seleccionaron mediante muestreo aleatorio por grupos (n = 1705). El análisis se centró en los trastornos metabólicos (diabetes mellitus de tipo 2 [DM2] y obesidad), los trastornos autoinmunes y la mortalidad. Se realizaron análisis multivariados de regresión logística. RESULTADOS: se encontraron niveles bajos de 25-(OH)-D3 en 1433 (84,0 %) pacientes, de los cuales 774 (45,4 %) tenían insuficiencia (20-29 ng/mL) y 659 (38,6 %) tenían deficiencia (< 20 ng/mL) de esta vitamina. Los niveles más bajos de 25-(OH)-D3 en los pacientes con DM2 se asociaron a niveles más altos de hemoglobina glucosilada (p < 0,001). Los pacientes con niveles de 25-(OH)-D3 < 12,5 ng/mL tenían mayor riesgo de mortalidad que aquellos con niveles ≥ 12,5 ng/mL (HR: 3,339; IC del 95 %: 1,342-8,308). Apreciamos niveles más bajos de 25-(OH)-D3 en los pacientes con obesidad de grado III (p = 0,01). Se encontró un mayor riesgo de deficiencia de 25-(OH)-D3 en la artritis reumatoide, la diabetes de tipo 1 y el lupus eritematoso sistémico (p = 0,032, p = 0,002, p = 0,049, respectivamente). CONCLUSIONES: apreciamos una relación significativa entre los niveles de 25-(OH)-D3 y el control glucémico, el índice de masa corporal, la enfermedad autoinmune y el riesgo de mortalidad. Sin embargo, sigue siendo controvertido si la hipovitaminosis D desempeña un papel causal o constituye una consecuencia de las enfermedades crónicas

Evaluation of perioperative high-sensitive cardiac troponin i as a predictive biomarker of major adverse cardiovascular events after noncardiac surgery

ABSTRACT Background: Various studies suggest that perioperative concentrations of high-sensitivity troponins are incremental and predictive factors of a major adverse cardiac event (MACE) and all-cause mortality. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the predictive value of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) in the development of MACE and all-cause mortality, within 30-days and 1-year follow-up after noncardiac surgery. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we included men ≥ 45 years and women ≥ 55 years with ≥ 2 cardiovascular risk factors and undergoing intermediate or high-risk noncardiac surgery. Demographic and clinical information was collected from clinical charts. We measured baseline hs-cTnI 24 h before surgery, and its post-operative concentration 24 h after surgery. Results: In the entire sample, 8 patients (8.6%) developed MACE at 30-days follow-up (4 deaths), 12 (12.9%) within the 1st year (7 deaths), and 17 (18.2%) after complete post-surgical follow-up (10 deaths). We observed higher baseline and post-operative concentrations in patients who presented MACE (12 pg/ml vs. 3.5 pg/ml; p = 0.001 and 18.3 pg/ml vs. 5.45 pg/ml; p = 0.009, respectively). The hazard ratios (HRs) calculated by Cox regression analysis between the hs-cTnI baseline concentration and the post-operative development of MACE at 30-days and 1-year were 5.70 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-29.40) with hs-cTnI > 6.2 pg/ml and 12.86 (95% CI, 1.42-116.34) with hs-cTnI > 3.3 pg/ml, respectively. The estimated post-operative HR death risk at 1-year was 14.43 (95% CI, 1.37-151.61) with hs-cTnI > 4.5 pg/ml. Conclusions: Pre-operative hs-cTnI was an independent predictive risk factor for MACE at 30-days and 1-year after noncardiac surgery and for all-cause mortality at 1-year after noncardiac surgery.