Imaging update in geriatric oncology

The cancer is a problem that plagues all the ages but the greater part of the malignant tumors hits the old persons. The more elevated incidence sites of primary tumor in geriatrical age are the prostate, the lung and the colon-rectum in the men and the breast, the colon-rectum, the lung and the stomach in the women. The imaging has made steps of giant in the last few decades, with the introduction of new equipment and methodical news so as to assure everybody early and accurated diagnosis. For the lung carcinoma great advantages have been bring to us with the introduction of CT-PET and the multislice CT, that has concurred the execution of virtual bronchoscopy. The virtual endoscopy has been applied with happening also in the screening of the carcinoma of colon-rectum, executed through CT or MR. New MR technologies have allowed perform spectroscopic studies in such organs as prostate and breast, bringing the biochemical diagnosis beyond that morphologic. The MR then turns out fundamental in the appraisal of the Patient with bone metastases thanks also to the new whole body examinations. Finally the recent technology has allowed the execution of multiorgan CT screening bringing in this way new possibilities but also new questions.     

Histopathology of columnar-lined esophagus in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The question of whether an endoscopically normal-appearing esophagogastric junction should be biopsied in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease is controversial. We have addressed this issue using endoscopy and histopathology. METHODS: A total of 114 consecutive patients (58 males) with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease prospectively underwent endoscopy, including biopsy sampling from the esophagogastric junction. Endoscopically visible columnar-lined esophagus was defined by the presence of gastric-type mucosa above the level of the rise of the gastric folds. Histopathology was conducted using the Paull-Chandrasoma classification. RESULTS: Of the 114 patients, 85 (74.6%) had endoscopically visible columnar-lined esophagus of length < or =0.5 cm (n = 82), 1 cm (n = 2) and 7 cm (n = 1); 29 patients (25.4%) had a normal endoscopic junction. All patients had histopathologic columnar-lined esophagus. Intestinal metaplasia and low-grade dysplasia was identified in 26 (22.8%) and 5 (4.4%) individuals, respectively, and was not statistically different in endoscopically normal vs. abnormal junction (P = 0.408 for intestinal metaplasia, P = 0.775 for low grade dysplasia). Intestinal metaplasia was independent from endoscopic esophagitis (P = 0.398) and hiatal hernia (P = 0.405). CONCLUSIONS: Columnar-lined esophagus cannot be excluded by endoscopy. In patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, biopsy sampling of normal-appearing junction is recommended for histopathologic exclusion of intestinal metaplasia and low-grade dysplasia.     

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest caused by transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome

We describe a case of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation in a patient with transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome. Our report confirms that left ventricular apical ballooning may have the same complications of myocardial infarction, adding the early ventricular fibrillation to the previous findings of left ventricular wall rupture, ventricular arrhythmias during hospitalization and complete atrio-ventricular block. Moreover, left ventricular apical ballooning may have different and unusual clinical onsets, including sudden cardiac death due to ventricular tachyarrhythmias in the absence of associated symptoms. Therefore, in our opinion left ventricular apical ballooning may be considered as a possible cause of sudden death in otherwise healthy women.     

Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism may influence blood loss in a geriatric population undergoing total hip arthroplasty

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate how angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism is associated with perioperative blood loss in hip arthroplasty in a geriatric population. DESIGN: A case-control study of subjects consecutively undergoing total hip arthroplasty. SETTING: A department of orthopedic surgery in Italy. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred five patients, mean age +/- standard deviation 68.6 +/- 10.4, undergoing total hip arthroplasty. MEASUREMENTS: ACE gene polymorphism was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction. Decrement of hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Ht) was calculated as the difference between the preoperative and the lowest postoperative value, measured 1, 2, and 3 days after surgery. Total blood loss was calculated as the sum of intra- and postoperative blood loss. RESULTS: Patients carrying the deletion homozygous and insertion/deletion heterozygous genotypes of the ACE gene show a higher decrement of Hb (P <.01) and Ht (P <.01) and higher total blood loss (P <.007) after hip surgery than subjects carrying the insertion (II) homozygous. The role of ACE gene polymorphism seems hypertension independent. Logistic regression analysis showed that II genotype reduces total blood loss. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest study evaluating the distribution of ACE gene genotypes in patients undergoing hip arthroplasty and the first investigating the association between bleeding and ACE gene polymorphism. Our data suggest that II genotype is associated with lower total blood loss.     

Effects of acute administration of gallopamil on left ventricular relaxation and filling dynamics in acute myocardial infarction assessed by doppler echocardiography

Summary The purpose of this study was to assess the acute effect of an intravenous bolus of the calcium antagonist gallopamil on left ventricular diastolic function using Doppler echocardiography. Fifteen patients with acute myocardial infarction in the first Killip class and sinus rhythm were randomized to an intravenous bolus of gallopamil (50 g/kg over 5 minutes) or placebo in a crossover sequence. Doppler echocardiography was performed at baseline and 15 minutes after each bolus. No patients had received calcium antagonists or beta blockers before the study; all patients received nitroglycerin, which was withdrawn at least 2 hours before the baseline Doppler echocardiogram. The following Doppler parameters were calculated: the early (E) and late (A) peak filling velocities, the velocities ratio (E/A), the diastolic filling time-velocity integral (TVI), the peak filling rate normalized to the mitral stroke volume (nMPFR), the isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT), and the systolic flow velocity integral (SFVI). Expressing the parameters measured after a gallopamil bolus as the percent change of those measured after placebo, E, E/A, and nMPFR increased by 25.5±11.5%, 30.6±15.5%, and 19.0±12.2%, respectively (p<0.001); IVRT decreased by 13.5±7.0% (p<0.001); and TVI increased mildly by 6.9±9.9% (p=0.01). SFVI and A did not change significantly. Negligible differences were observed between placebo and baseline values. Heart rate, mean blood pressure, and left ventricular and atrial diameters did not change significantly. It was concluded that gallopamil infusion improves early left ventricular filling and relaxation in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Considering the unchanged loading conditions, this indicates an improvement in left ventricular diastolic performance.