The American journal of the medical sciences
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In patients with dilated (idiopathic) cardiomyopathy (DCM), little is known about the presence of valvular calcification and its association with hypovitaminosis D, which may predispose affected tissues to calcification. Our objectives were 2-fold: to conduct a retrospective assessment of echocardiographic evidence of valvular calcification in patients with DCM who were known to have hypovitaminosis D (25(OH)D <30 ng/mL) and to conduct a prospective assessment of serum 25(OH)D in patients with DCM, who had demonstrated echocardiographic evidence of valvular calcification. ⋯ In patients with DCM without marked renal dysfunction, valvular calcification was seen more frequently and associated with hypovitaminosis D, whereas in elderly patients with valvular calcification, hypovitaminosis D is common, suggesting that the duration of vitamin D deficiency may determine the extent of valvular calcification. The role of hypovitaminosis D in the appearance of valvular calcification deserves further study.
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The long-term outcome of pancreas transplant (PT) in African Americans (AA) using interleukin-2 receptor antibody induction has not been well documented. We retrospectively analyzed the 7-year outcomes of 45 AA and 73 white recipients of primary PT at our center. All PT were performed with enteric-systemic drainage. ⋯ Clinically treated pancreas rejection episodes were slightly higher in AA than in white patients. Similarly, cytomegalovirus infection rates and comparable quality of graft function were noted in both groups over 7 years. Excellent long-term patient and pancreas graft survivals can be achieved in AA recipients of PT by using interleukin-2 receptor antibody induction and combination of tacrolimus, mycophenolic acid, and steroid maintenance.
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: The clinical and epidemiological significance of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) with a chest radiograph demonstrating no parenchymal infiltrate has not been studied. We determined the percentage of patients with a clinical diagnosis of CAP who did not have radiographic opacifications and compared this group with patients with CAP and radiographic infiltrates. ⋯ : In patients admitted with a clinical diagnosis of CAP, the initial chest radiograph lacks sensitivity and may not demonstrate parenchymal opacifications in 21% of patients. Moreover, greater than half of patients admitted with a negative chest radiograph will develop radiographic infiltrates within 48 hours. Further studies are needed to develop evidence-based criteria for the diagnosis of CAP.