Evaluation of the Incidence of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension 1 Year After First Episode of Acute Pulmonary Embolism: A Cohort Study

Purpose

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is an important complication after acute pulmonary embolism (PE) with considerable morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to estimate the CTEPH incidence in a cohort after the first occurrence of PE.

Methods

We conducted a 1-year follow-up cohort study between 2015 and 2018 to assess the incidence of CTEPH in 474 patients with their first acute episode of PE. For the diagnosis of CTEPH, patients with unexplained persistent dyspnea during follow-up underwent transthoracic echocardiography, right heart catheterization, ventilation-perfusion lung scanning, and CT pulmonary angiography.

Results

Overall, 317 patients were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 56.5 ± 16 years. One hundred and three patients (32%) had exertional dyspnea at the 1-year follow-up. Patients with evidence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) on echocardiography underwent right heart catheterization. Eleven patients (18%) had no PH (mPAP < 25 mmHg); 47 patients (81%) had mPAP > 25 mmHg. Fifteen patients had PAWP > 15 mmHg, including those with underlying left heart problems or valvular diseases. There were 32 patients with PAH (mPAP > 25 mmHg and PVR > 3 WU) undergoing CTEPH studies; 22 patients (6.9%) had multiple segmental defects suggesting CTEPH on a perfusion scan.

Conclusion

The incidence of CTEPH observed in this study 1 year after the first episode of acute PE was approximately 6.9%. This incidence seems to be high in our population, and diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for the early identification of CTEPH are needed.

     

Parotid elastography: a potential alternative to replace labial biopsy in classification of patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome?

Clinical Rheumatology - There has been a substantial improvement in classifying patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS), with the new 2016 ACR/EULAR classification criteria. It...     

A study on clinical and radiological features and outcome in patients with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES)

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is characterized clinically by headaches, seizures, vomiting, nausea, visual abnormalities, and altered mental function and is often (but not invariably) accompanied by parieto-occipital imaging features. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical and radiological features and outcome following PRES in a paediatric cohort. From a retrospectively identified cohort, case records were studied to confirm a diagnosis of PRES. Neuroimaging was reviewed again to assign to recently described radiological subtypes parieto-occipital pattern, holohemispheric watershed pattern, dominant superior frontal sulcus pattern, and asymmetrical or partial expression of the three primary patterns (A/P). Patient outcome was measured by the modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores. Nine boys and three girls with mean age of 12 were identified. Hypertensive episodes (n?=?11), tacrolimus toxicity (n?=?4), and autoimmunity (n?=?1) were identified as potential risk factors/etiologies. Their median mRS at the peak of illness was 2 (range 2–5); three children required intensive care support. After mean follow-up of 35 months (median 37 months; range 3–60 months), all patients improved significantly with mean mRS of 1 (median 1; range 0–1). Conclusion: PRES is easily recognizable by the clinical and radiological features. Although severe at presentation, the outcome from this condition is favorable.     

Prosthetic Improvement of Pronounced Buccally Positioned Zygomatic Implants: A Clinical Report

This report presents a prosthetic technique for the improvement of surgically positioned, buccally placed zygomatic implants with the use of custom abutments for improved retention screw position and an esthetic implant reconstruction. The patient presented four zygomatic implants with pronounced buccal inclination. The anterior implants were inclined toward the location where the anterior artificial teeth should be placed during rehabilitation. As the manufacturer does not provide angulated abutments, we attempted the waxing and overcasting of a prosthetic abutment, repositioning the access holes of the prosthetic screws to a more palatal position. This clinical report demonstrates that abutment customization could be an interesting way to relocate the access holes of the prosthetic screws in cases of zygomatic implants with pronounced buccal inclination.     

宫颈癌患者 Kruppel 样因子 6，p21 蛋白表达水平与病理特征及化疗敏感性的相关性分析

目的　探讨宫颈癌患者 Kruppel 样因子 6（KLF6）,p21 蛋白表达水平与病理特征及化疗敏感性的相关性。方法　回顾性分析 2016 年 1 月 ~2018 年 12 月接受化疗的 40 例宫颈癌患者,化疗结束后根据化疗效果将患者分为化疗敏感组（CR+PR）、化疗抵抗组（SD+PD）。采用免疫组化检测宫颈癌组织 KLF6,p21 蛋白的表达,分析其与临床病理特征、化疗敏感性及总生存期（OS）的关系。结果　宫颈癌中 KLF6,p21 蛋白阳性率与病理分期、肿瘤直径、分化类型及化疗敏感性相关（χ 2 =2.14~5.74,均 P<0.05）。KLF6+/p21- 者 ORR 为 85.71%,显著高于非 KLF6+/p21- 者 42.11%（χ 2 =8.33,P<0.05）。宫颈癌患者的中位 OS 为 11.20 个月（95%CI: 9.73~12.71）,其中 KLF6 阳性者中位 OS 为 11.90个月（95%CI: 10.81~12.99）,显著高于阴性表达者 9.20 个月（95%CI: 9.05~9.35）;p21 蛋白阳性者中位 OS 为 9.14 个月（95%CI: 8.26~10.22）,显著低于 p21 阴性表达者 11.62 个月（95%CI: 9.63~13.58）（χ 2 =11.50,6.23,均 P<0.05）。结论　宫颈癌患者 KLF6,p21 表达水平与其临床病理特征相关。KLF6 高表达、p21 低表达者化疗敏感性高,且预后更好,可作为预后、个体化治疗方案选择的评价指标。     

Fisetin inhibits growth,induces G2/M arrest and apoptosis of human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells: role of mitochondrial membrane potential disruption and consequent caspases activation

Non‐melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs), one of the most common neoplasms, cause serious morbidity and mortality. Therefore, identification of non‐toxic phytochemicals for prevention/treatment of NMSCs is highly desirable. Fisetin (3,3′,4′,7‐tetrahydroxyflavone), a dietary flavonoid, present in fruits and vegetables possesses anti‐oxidant and antiproliferative properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the chemotherapeutic potential of fisetin in cultured human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells. Treatment of A431 cells with fisetin (5–80 μm ) resulted in a significant decrease in cell viability in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. Employing clonogenic assay, we found that fisetin treatment significantly reduced colony formation in A431 cells. Fisetin treatment of A431 cells resulted in G₂/M arrest and induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, treatment of A431 cells with fisetin resulted in (i) decreased expression of anti‐apoptotic proteins (Bcl2; Bcl‐xL and Mcl‐1); (ii) increased expression of pro‐apoptotic proteins (Bax, Bak and Bad); (iii) disruption of mitochondrial potential; (iv) release of cytochrome c and Smac/DIABLO from mitochondria; (v) activation of caspases; and (vi) cleavage of Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein. Pretreatment of A431 cells with the pan‐caspase inhibitor (Z‐VAD‐FMK) blocked fisetin‐induced cleavage of caspases and PARP. Taken together, these data provide evidence that fisetin possesses chemotherapeutic potential against human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells. Overall, these results suggest that fisetin could be developed as a novel therapeutic agent for the management of NMSCs.     

Comparison of side effects of oxytetracycline and talc pleurodesis: an experimental study

Background  

Chemical pleurodesis is widely recommended in the treatment of refractory pleural effusion or pulmonary air leak of different etiologies. Although several agents have been used, many questions have remained unanswered about their toxicity. Talc is the most commonly used agent for the treatment, with rare, serious complications reported. Oxytetracycline pleurodesis in clinical practice has been described in a few studies, but literature reveals no experimental studies using this agent. We performed a prospective, randomized, observer-blinded, controlled study to evaluate the changes in lung histology and systemic response to pleurodesis with oxytetracycline and talc in acute and subacute phases in a rat model.