The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Dec 1995
Differential diagnosis of thymic carcinoma and lung carcinoma with the use of antibodies to cytokeratins.
There are few specific pathologic findings that can be relied on to distinguish primary thymic carcinomas from lung carcinomas with mediastinal extension or showing metastasis to the anterior mediastinum. The immunohistochemical reactivity on frozen sections of thymic carcinomas and lung carcinomas, which are histologically similar to each other, was examined with the use of monoclonal antibodies to cytokeratins 7 and 13. ⋯ Cytokeratin 7 and cytokeratin 13 monoclonal antibodies reacted with almost all cases of thymic carcinoma. Applications of monoclonal antibodies specific for certain cytokeratins, especially 7 and 13, may be helpful in the diagnosis of other subtypes of thymic carcinomas.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Dec 1995
Comparative StudyMyocardial performance in elderly patients after cardiopulmonary bypass is suppressed by tumor necrosis factor.
The aim of this study was to determine whether elderly patients (aged > or = 65 years, n = 20) in comparison with younger patients (aged < or = 55 years, n = 23) demonstrate a different biochemical and hemodynamic response to coronary artery bypass operations. In the elderly group, we calculated a smaller body surface area (p < 0.01) than that in the younger group, and more female patients were included in this group (p < 0.05). ⋯ Multivariate analysis for the postoperative outcome showed that the intergroup differences in tumor necrosis factor-alpha, mean pulmonary artery pressure, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure could be explained mainly by the difference in age between the groups and that the calculated left ventricular stroke work index difference could be explained by the difference in circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels. Thus in elderly patients higher circulating endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were detected than in younger patients, which clinically resulted in a suppressed myocardial performance.