Determinants of low anger control in patients with coronary artery disease

A low anger control has been associated to coronary artery disease (CAD). However, there is scarce information on predictors of low anger control in those patients. All patients scheduled for elective coronary angiography at a tertiary center for cardiology in South Brazil between 11/30/2009 and 02/03/2010 were considered eligible for inclusion. The inclusion criterion was the presence of significant CAD which was defined as the presence of a stenosis >50% in at least one major epicardial artery. Clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of the patients were registered, and anger aspects were assessed by the Spielberger's Anger Expression Inventory. The anger control score was categorized into quartiles, and the lowest quartil was considered and the first quartile (Low Anger Control) was compared with the others (Proper Anger Control). The medians were compared by the POISSON regression with adjustment for single and multiple robust variances. Three hundred and six patients with 60 ± 9 years old with angiographically proven CAD were included in this study. Our results showed that the younger, diabetic and patients with a family history of CAD presented lower medians for the anger control. Body Mass Index was also correlated with anger control. In the multivariate analysis, however, only family history for coronary artery disease was an independent risk factor for a low anger control. These results provide a better understanding of the relationship between anger control and CAD, and should help to consolidate the knowledge in this field and also help to plan further studies to investigate a cause-effect relationship

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Treating periodontal disease in patients with myocardial infarction: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis has been associated with coronary artery disease, but the impact of a periodontal treatment on the endothelial function of patients with a recent ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was not investigated. METHODS: Randomized controlled trial (NCT02543502). Patients admitted between August 2012 and January 2015 were included. Patients were screened during the index hospitalization for STEMI, and those with severe periodontal disease were randomized 2 weeks later to periodontal treatment or to control. The primary endpoint of this trial was the between group difference in the variation of flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) in the brachial artery assessed by ultrasound from baseline to the 6-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes were cardiovascular events, adverse effects of periodontal treatment and inflammatory markers. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were balanced between patients in the intervention (n = 24) and control groups (n = 24). There was a significant FMD improvement in the intervention group (3.05%; p = .01), but not in the control group (-0.29%; p = .79) (p = .03 for the intergroup comparison). Periodontal treatment was not associated with any adverse events and the inflammatory profile and cardiovascular events were not significantly different between both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of periodontal disease improves the endothelial function of patients with a recent myocardial infarction, without adverse clinical events. Larger trials are needed to assess the benefit of periodontal treatment on clinical outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02543502 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02543502?term=NCT02543502&rank=1).

Psychological characteristics of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions.

BACKGROUND: There is few data evaluating the prevalence and influence of adverse psychological characteristics on the prognosis of individuals submitted to percutaneous coronary interventions. No study has addressed this issue in Brazil. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, psychological stress, and Type D personality and its association with cardiovascular events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions. METHODS: Psychological characteristics were evaluated by scales: Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Lipp Inventory for Stress Symptoms for Adults and Type D Personality Scale. The end-point of this study was the occurrence of major cardiovascular events in one-year follow-up. RESULTS: During March and May 2006, 137 patients were included. Type D personality was identified in 34% of the cases, 29% presented anxiety, 25% presented depression and 70% of the patients presented stress. In relation to the frequency of psychological characteristics according to the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events, there was no statistical difference between both groups of patients regarding depression (29% vs. 26% p = 0.8), anxiety (33% vs. 23% p = 0.3), stress (76% vs. 65% p = 0.3), and Type D personality (33% vs. 32% p = 0.9). However, the negative affectivity score was significantly higher in the group of patients presenting events (13.9 vs. 9.8 p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: In patients submitted to percutaneous coronary interventions, the prevalence of adverse psychological characteristics was high. One-year major cardiovascular adverse events were associated with baseline negative affectivity, but not with the other psychological characteristics studied.

Características psicológicas dos pacientes submetidos à intervenção coronária percutânea / Psychological characteristics of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions

FUNDAMENTO: Há poucos dados sobre análises da prevalência e da influência de características psicológicas adversas no prognóstico dos indivíduos submetidos a intervenções coronárias percutâneas. Nenhum estudo abordou essa questão no Brasil. OBJETIVO: Investigar a prevalência de depressão, ansiedade, estresse psicológico e personalidade tipo D, bem como sua associação com eventos cardiovasculares em pacientes submetidos à intervenção coronária percutânea (ICP). MÉTODOS: As características psicológicas foram avaliadas por escalas: inventário de depressão de Beck (IDB), inventário de ansiedade de Beck (IAB), inventário de sintomas de estresse de Lipp para adultos (ISSL) e escala de personalidade tipo D. A meta do estudo foi a ocorrência de eventos cardiovasculares maiores em um seguimento de um ano. RESULTADOS: Durante março e maio de 2006, 137 pacientes foram incluídos. A personalidade tipo D foi identificada em 34 por cento dos casos; 29 por cento apresentaram ansiedade, 25 por cento apresentaram depressão, e 70 por cento dos pacientes apresentaram estresse. Em relação à frequência de características psicológicas de acordo com a ocorrência de eventos cardiovasculares adversos maiores, não houve diferença estatística entre os dois grupos de pacientes no que se refere à depressão (29 por cento vs. 26 por cento p = 0,8), ansiedade (33 por cento vs. 23 por cento p = 0,3), estresse (76 por cento vs. 65 por cento p = 0,3) e personalidade tipo D (33 por cento vs. 32 por cento p = 0,9). No entanto, encontrou-se um escore de afetividade negativa significativamente maior no grupo de pacientes que apresentaram eventos (13,9 vs. 9,8 p = 0,01). CONCLUSÃO: Em pacientes submetidos à intervenção coronária percutânea, a prevalência de efeitos adversos psicológicos característicos foi alta. Eventos adversos cardiovasculares maiores em um ano foram associados à afetividade negativa basal, mas não a outras características psicológicas estudadas.

BACKGROUND: There is few data evaluating the prevalence and influence of adverse psychological characteristics on the prognosis of individuals submitted to percutaneous coronary interventions. No study has addressed this issue in Brazil. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, psychological stress, and Type D personality and its association with cardiovascular events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions. METHODS: Psychological characteristics were evaluated by scales: Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Lipp Inventory for Stress Symptoms for Adults and Type D Personality Scale. The end-point of this study was the occurrence of major cardiovascular events in one-year follow-up. RESULTS: During March and May 2006, 137 patients were included. Type D personality was identified in 34 percent of the cases, 29 percent presented anxiety, 25 percent presented depression and 70 percent of the patients presented stress. In relation to the frequency of psychological characteristics according to the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events, there was no statistical difference between both groups of patients regarding depression (29 percent vs. 26 percent p = 0.8), anxiety (33 percent vs. 23 percent p = 0.3), stress (76 percent vs. 65 percent p = 0.3), and Type D personality (33 percent vs. 32 percent p = 0.9). However, the negative affectivity score was significantly higher in the group of patients presenting events (13.9 vs. 9.8 p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: In patients submitted to percutaneous coronary interventions, the prevalence of adverse psychological characteristics was high. One-year major cardiovascular adverse events were associated with baseline negative affectivity, but not with the other psychological characteristics studied.

Breast imaging: screening and evaluation.

Breast imaging is a dynamic field, with recent and upcoming innovations aimed at improving the morbidity and mortality associated with breast disease, most importantly, breast cancer. It plays an integral role in the detection and management of breast disease, using a multimodality approach, including x-ray, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear medicine techniques. Breast imaging also encompasses image-guided procedures, performed both for the diagnosis and definitive management of breast abnormalities.

Patterns of cellular distribution with the sentinel node positive for breast cancer.

Background. Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) represents the standard of care in breast cancer axillary evaluation. Our study aims to characterize the patterns of malignant cell distribution within the sentinel nodes (SN). Methods. In a retrospective IRB-approved study, we examined the anatomic location of the nodal area with the highest radioactive signal or most intense blue staining (hot spot) and its distance from the metastatic foci. Results. 58 patients underwent SNB between January 2006 and February 2007. 12 patients with 19 positive SN were suitable for analysis. 4 (21%) metastases were located in the nodal hilum and 15 (79%) in the cortex. 6 (31%) metastases were found adjacent to the hotspot, and 9 (47%) within 4 mm of the hotspot. Conclusions. In our pilot series, SN metastases were within 4 mm of the hotspot in 78% of the cases. Pathologic analysis focused in that area may contribute to the more accurate identification of nodal metastases.

Dietary patterns in adolescence are related to adiposity in young adulthood in black and white females.

Few studies have systematically used a total diet approach to classify adolescent dietary patterns. We examined dietary patterns in relation to nutrient intakes and adiposity in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study cohort of 2371 black and white girls recruited at 9-10 y of age and followed for 10 y. Serial measurements were obtained for indices of anthropometry, dietary intake, physical activity, and sociodemographic variables. Dietary patterns for the 2 racial subgroups were separately identified by cluster analysis of 40 food groupings derived from 3-d food records. Nutrient intakes and measures of adiposity (BMI, percent body fat, and waist circumference) were compared by dietary pattern. We identified 4 discrete dietary patterns for black and for white adolescents. A Healthy pattern, followed by 12% of white girls and characterized by a high intake of fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains without added fats, mixed dishes and soups, and a low intake of sweetened drinks, other sweets, fried foods, burgers, and pizza, was related to more favorable nutrient intakes and a smaller increase in waist circumference. Among black girls, none of the dietary patterns appeared distinctly advantageous in terms of mitigating increases in adiposity. In conclusion, a cumulative pattern of food intake consistent with recommendations for general health appears to help prevent overweight, but this pattern was followed by only a minority of adolescent girls.