International journal of cardiology
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Cancer cachexia is a complex, multifactorial syndrome that results from a reduction in food intake, a variety of metabolic abnormalities (including hypermetabolism) or more often a combination of the two. Multiple mediator pathways including pro-inflammatory cytokines, neuroendocrine hormones and tumour-specific factors are involved. Therapy requires a multi-model approach that addresses both reduced food intake and metabolic change. Combination treatments such as nutritional support plus metabolic/inflammation modulation promise improved functional capacity and quality of life.
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Comparative Study
Prognostic value of 2D echocardiography in patients presenting with acute chest pain and non-diagnostic ECG for ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that early detection of regional wall motion abnormalities (WMA) by 2D echocardiography (ECHO) accurately predicts further cardiac events in patients presenting with acute chest pain. A prospective analysis was performed in subjects admitted with the first presentation of acute chest pain and a non-diagnostic ECG for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Patients with known coronary artery disease were excluded. ⋯ Multivariate analysis revealed that WMA in ECHO predict cardiac events independently of age, gender, and the common combination of investigations (H/ECG/TnI). A significant independent impact of ECHO was also determined for the prediction of AMI/death or PCI/CABG. The study shows that early 2D echocardiography provides superior prognostic information concerning the risk of subsequent complications in patients with acute chest pain and a non-diagnostic ECG for ST-elevation-AMI.
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Letter Case Reports
Percutaneous coil closure of recanalised anomalous origin of left coronary artery from pulmonary artery.
An asymptomatic boy underwent surgical correction of anomalous origin of left coronary artery from pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) with trans-pulmonary artery interruption and saphenous vein grafting to left anterior descending coronary artery. He developed a shunt through the re-canalised pulmonary artery end of the ALCAPA which was successfully embolised using a detachable PDA coil delivered into the left main coronary artery from the pulmonary artery.
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Letter Case Reports
Acute superior vena cava and right atrial tamponade in an infant after open heart surgery.
Early postoperative localized cardiac tamponade occurred in a 4-month old infant after ventricular septal defect repair. The clinical findings were as for acute superior vena cava syndrome. The diagnosis was accurately made using echocardiography and measurement of the superior vena cava and right atrial pressure. Surgical revision was necessary to remove a large clot from the superior vena cava-right atrium junction.
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This study was to evaluate the clinical effects of percutaneous balloon angioplasty of Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) caused by inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction. Between 1993 and 1999, 28 men and 14 women with mean age of 44+/-12 years underwent percutaneous balloon angioplasty for primary BCS. Color Doppler ultrasound and venography showed membranous and segmental obstruction of IVC in 29 and 13 patients, respectively. ⋯ No specific attempt was made to treat the occluded left- and/or mid-hepatic vein due to the presence of potent right hepatic vein. Over the follow-up period of 32+/-12 months, restenosis of IVC occurred in only one patient (2.4%), which was redilated successfully. Percutaneous balloon angioplasty is a safe and effective therapy for Budd-Chiari syndrome caused by IVC obstruction, therefore should be the first choice of treatment for this condition.