Successful switch from inhaler iloprost to treatment in a patient who initially presented with pulmonary arterial hypertension and diagnosed as SLE.

BACKGROUND: SLE-induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension increases morbidity and mortality. Vasoconstruction, thrombosis, inflammation are the mostly proposed factors in PAH. Time until PAH develops is variable in patients with SLE. It has been shown that vasoactive agents improve symptoms and clinical findings in patients with SLE-induced-PAH. METHODOLOGY: The case note of the patient with with pulmonary arterial hypertension and SLE was retrieved and reviewed, and literature search was done. We reported a patient whose initially symptoms and clinical findings were consistent with idiopathic PAH and then had been diagnosed as SLE. RESULT: The patient tolerated the switch treatment from inhaler Iloprost from oral Bosentan well. Her symptoms, clinical findings and 6 minutes walking distance improved with treatment. CONCLUSION: Vasodilator treatment appears to be beneficial in patients with SLE-associated PAH and switch therapy also seems to be well tolerated. Additionally, in connective tissue diseases it must be kept in mind that PAH might be the presenting symptom.

Retrograde warm blood cardioplegia preserves hypertrophied myocardium: a clinical study.

The ability of retrograde warm blood cardioplegia to preserve hypertrophied myocardium remains controversial. This two-part study was undertaken to address this question in patients subjected to aortic valve replacement for calcified aortic valve stenosis complicated with echocardiographically defined left ventricular hypertrophy. Part 1 was designed to assess the intraoperative patterns of myocardial oxidative metabolism in 20 patients in whom the severity of left ventricular hypertrophy was reflected by a mean (+/- standard error of the mean) myocardial mass index of 213 +/- 15 g/m2. After antegrade arrest, warm blood cardioplegia was continuously given through the coronary sinus at a flow rate of 200 +/- 5 mL/min. The use of a low-dilution cardioplegia delivery technique enabled us to keep hematocrit at 25.6% +/- 0.9% and the core temperature was allowed to drift to 32.7 +/- 0.2 degrees C. At the end of the arrest period, blood samples were simultaneously taken from inflow (coronary sinus catheter) and outflow (left coronary ostium) cardioplegia and assayed for blood gases, oxygen content and saturation and lactate. Part II was designed to compare the clinical outcomes of these 20 warm patients with those of 20 case-matched patients in whom a conventional hypothermic myocardial protection technique was used. The results of part I show that after an average arrest period of 72 +/- 4 minutes, the residual oxygen demand was still high as reflected by a percent oxygen extraction of 34.8% +/- 4.1%. This demand, however, was adequately met by the supply, as demonstrated by (1) the absence of transmyocardial acid production, (2) a negligible release (outflow minus inflow) of lactate (0.28 +/- 0.1 mmol/L), and (3) a high residual oxygen saturation (65.7% +/- 3.8%) in outflow cardioplegia. The results of part II show that the clinical outcomes of warm patients were overall good and not different from those of the cold group. We conclude that retrograde warm blood cardioplegia can adequately preserve hypertrophied myocardium by keeping its metabolism predominantly aerobic during aortic cross-clamping provided that measures are taken to optimize the determinants of the oxygen demand/supply ratio throughout. These measures include avoidance of left ventricular distention, immediate ablation of any recurring activity during arrest, maintenance of high retrograde flow rates, limitation of hemodilution, and uninterrupted mode of cardioplegia delivery.

Mechanical versus biological valve prosthesis in the mitral position: a 10-year follow up of St. Jude Medical and Biocor valves.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: During the past 30 years, the development of mechanical and biological valves has led to major improvements in patient survival. Here, we present long-term results obtained with both types of prosthesis. METHODS: At our institution, between 1985 and 1989, 158 patients received a Biocor porcine bioprosthesis, and 100 patients a St. Jude Medical (SJM) mechanical valve. Preoperatively, mean age, male:female ratio, NYHA functional class and pathology of mitral valve disease were similar in both groups. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality was 4.4% in the Biocor group and 4% in the SJM group, the major cause being congestive heart failure. Late mortality was 17.9% and 15.6% respectively in the two groups, but valve-related mortality was very low in both (1.3% versus 4.2%). Ten-year survival was similar in each group (77.8+/-3.4% versus 81.0+/-3.9%; p = 0.538). Ten-year freedom from anticoagulant-related hemorrhage was higher with Biocor prostheses (99.3+/-0.7% versus 90.9+/-3.1%; p = 0.007). Valve thrombosis was seen only in the SJM group, and structural valve degeneration (SVD) only in the Biocor group. Ten-year freedom from reoperation was lower in the Biocor group (84.9+/-3.2% versus 92.2+/-2.8%; p = 0.206). The significant causes of reoperation were SVD in the Biocor group and valve thrombosis in the SJM group. Freedom from prosthetic valve endocarditis was similar in both groups (96.3+/-1.6% versus 95.5+/-2.2%). CONCLUSION: As no difference was seen in survival and reoperation rates between patients receiving either bioprostheses or mechanical valves, the valve used will depend on the surgeon's choice and the type of patient, notably elderly patients who are intolerant of anticoagulation, and young women wishing to have children.

Sternal closure with resorbable synthetic loop suture material in children.

PURPOSE: The reliability of poly-p-dioxanone (PDS) suture for sternal closure was tested on 264 consecutive sternotomies in the authors' department from April 1987 to May 1998. METHODS: The reason for sternotomy was tetralogy of Fallot in 65 cases (24.6%), ventricular septal defect (VSD) in 38 cases (14.4%), atrial septal defect (ASD) in 77 cases (29.2%), ASD + VSD in 23 (8.7%), mitral valve replacement in 22 cases (8.3%), aortic valve replacement in 10 cases (3.8%), and other cardiac disorders in 29 cases (11.0%). RESULTS: Sternal wound infection, sternal dehiscence, and mediastinitis occurred in 1.5% of patients (4 of 264). The overall hospital mortality rate related to the mediastinitis was 1.1% (3 of 264) in the early postoperative period. CONCLUSION: This absorbable suture and our different technique are a safe alternative to standard sternotomy closure after pediatric open cardiac surgery.

Primary surgical repair of ventricular septal defect.

Between January 1983 and December 2000, 78 patients underwent primary repair of a ventricular septal defect. There were 42 males (54%) and 36 females (46%) of whom 13 (17%) were under 1 year old, 50 (64%) were aged 1-10 years, 11 (14%) were aged 10-20 years, and 4 (5%) were over 20 years old. The ventricular septal defect was a perimembranous type in 60 patients (77%), subarterial (outlet) type in 10 (13%), and atrioventricular canal (inlet) type in 4 (5%). Operative repair was performed with a patch in all except 2 patients. Early postoperative complications included insignificant aortic regurgitation in 4 patients, persistent complete heart block in 1, and residual shunt in 4. There were 5 early deaths (6.4%) and 1 late death (1.8%) in 56 patients followed up. Early primary closure of ventricular septal defects, usually via a right atriotomy, can be performed with acceptable mortality and morbidity rates.

[The value of antibody coated bacteria in the evaluation of the level of urinary tract infections]. / Idrar yolu enfeksiyonlarinin düzeyini belirlemede antikorla kapli bakterinin degeri.

In 51 female and 43 male patients urinary tract infections (UTI) were detected by urinary cultures. The levels of UTI were detected by clinical and by physical studies, and by laboratory and X ray findings. In 42 of the patients, lower level UTI and in 52 patients upper level UTI were found. In 57.4% of the cases E. coli and in the remainder, proteus, pseudomonas, klebsiella, staphylococci and streptococci were found in decreasing rates as being the etiological agents of UTI. In 20 male and 32 female patients, upper level UTI were found. In the urine sediments of 85% males and 84.3% females with upper level UTI and in 13% males and 11% females with lower level UTI, antibody coated bacteria (ACB) were found to be positive. The difference of ABD in upper and lower level UTI was found to be significant and the detection of ACB by direct fluorescens method in urine sediments was shown to be valuable in the diagnosis of UTI.

The relationship between hip joint space width, center edge angle and acetabular depth.

OBJECTIVE: Radiographic parameters used to define acetabular dysplasia may be related to anthropological characteristics independent of dysplasia. The goal of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the minimal joint space width (JSW) of the hip and the parameters that define acetabular dysplasia, in clinically normal subjects. DESIGN: One hundred and eighteen patients who underwent supine abdominal radiography for non-rheumatological indications and had no hip pain or history of hip arthritis were evaluated. JSW was quantified manually using dial calipers, and center edge (CE) angle and acetabular depth were measured for each hip. RESULTS: CE angle, but not acetabular depth, correlated (inversely) with the minimal hip JSW (r=-0.26 and -0.20, P=0.005 and 0.038, R (right) and L (left) hips, respectively). CE angle inversely correlated with the pelvic width (r=-0.27 and 0.27, P=0.003 and 0.004, R and L hips, respectively) and acetabular depth correlated with subject's height (r=0.27 and 0.42, P=0.008 and <0.001 R and L hips, respectively) and leg length (r=0.27 and 0.45, P=0.008 and <0.001, R and L hips, respectively). Also, pelvic width correlated significantly with the JSW (r=0.27 and 0.20, P=0.003 and 0.033, for R and L hips, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The radiographic parameters used to define acetabular dysplasia, CE angle and acetabular depth, are strongly associated with anthropological variables and CE angle is associated with minimal JSW of the hip. It is important to recognize that height and limb length variability may affect radiographic parameters of acetabular dysplasia, and thus may falsely suggest the presence of anatomic abnormalities in some patients.

Can grafted cardiomyocytes colonize peri-infarct myocardial areas?

BACKGROUND: Cell transplantation is emerging as a potential means of improving repair of damaged organs. This preliminary study tests the feasibility of grafting allogenic cells into the border zone of a myocardial infarct (MI). METHODS AND RESULTS: Neonatal cardiomyocytes were obtained from fetuses of female rats 20 days pregnant. They were then injected at three different sites (2 x 10(6) cells per site) into the left ventricular (LV) myocardium of control rats (n = 10) or of rats in which MI had been created by proximal occlusion of the left coronary artery (n = 10). In the latter case, injections were placed along the peri-infarct border zone. Half of each batch of cells was grown in culture to provide a control for cell morphology and viability. Six additional rats were injected with the culture medium alone. Forty-eight hours after injection, LV slices were processed for histological (hematoxylin-eosin) and immunohistological (sarcomeric alpha-actinin transplantation and laminin staining) techniques. Examination of serial sections from injected regions showed that grafted myocytes were harbored into the host LV myocardium in all control animals and at the border zone in 50% of the infarcted rats. Grafted cells were identified by their morphological characteristics and an immunohistological pattern of loose myofibrillar organization similar to that seen in cells concomitantly grown in culture. Injection of the culture medium alone had no effect but allowed us to rule out needle-related injury. CONCLUSIONS: These initial results suggest the feasibility of transplanting allogeneic cardiomyocytes into the border zone of MI areas, a prerequisite for this approach to successfully improve the function of ischemically damaged hearts.