Transradial approach for percutaneous coronary stenting in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Treatment of acute myocardial infarction by percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting leads to excellent immediate clinical results and a good prognosis. The aim of this study was to compare in this selected population the safety and effectiveness of radial artery access versus femoral artery access. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Between May 2001 and June 2003, 162 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction < 12 hours treated by percutaneous stenting were included in an observational study. The radial artery approach was used in 103 patients, and the femoral artery approach in the remaining 59 patients. The success of the procedure, incidence of major adverse cardiac events and local puncture complications were compared in patients treated with the radial artery versus the femoral artery approach. RESULTS: Fluoroscopy time (22.4 [15.4] min vs 24.5 [19.5] min), immediate success of the procedure (96.1% vs 94.9%), and the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (6.8% vs 8.5%) did not differ between the two groups. Bleeding complications due to local puncture were present only in the femoral artery access group (0 vs 5 patients; P= .007). CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with primary stent implantation, the success rate and clinical safety of the radial artery approach are similar to those of the femoral artery approach, but the incidence of local complications, especially bleeding, is significantly lower in the former. Thus the radial artery approach should become the approach of choice in patients at high risk for bleeding complications.     

Molecular Analysis of a Multistep Lung Cancer Model Induced by Chronic Inflammation Reveals Epigenetic Regulation of p16 and Activation of the DNA Damage Response Pathway

The molecular hallmarks of inflammation-mediated lung carcinogenesis have not been fully clarified, mainly due to the scarcity of appropriate animal models. We have used a silica-induced multistep lung carcinogenesis model driven by chronic inflammation to study the evolution of molecular markers and genetic alterations. We analyzed markers of DNA damage response (DDR), proliferative stress, and telomeric stress: γ-H2AX, p16, p53, and TERT. Lung cancer-related epigenetic and genetic alterations, including promoter hypermethylation status of p16(CDKN2A), APC, CDH13, Rassf1, and Nore1A, as well as mutations of Tp53, epidermal growth factor receptor, K-ras, N-ras, and c-H-ras, have been also studied. Our results showed DDR pathway activation in preneoplastic lesions, in association with inducible nitric oxide synthase and p53 induction. p16 was also induced in early tumorigenic progression and was inactivated in bronchiolar dysplasias and tumors. Remarkably, lack of mutations of Ras and epidermal growth factor receptor, and a very low frequency of Tp53 mutations suggest that they are not required for tumorigenesis in this model. In contrast, epigenetic alterations in p16(CDKN2A), CDH13, and APC, but not in Rassf1 and Nore1A, were clearly observed. These data suggest the existence of a specific molecular signature of inflammation-driven lung carcinogenesis that shares some, but not all, of the molecular landmarks of chemically induced lung cancer.     

Effects of sedation on motor function of the refluxing esophagus

Among the tests currently available for diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux (GER), esophageal manometry is the hardest to perform in alert children because of their lack of cooperation. Therefore, it is usually performed under some form of sedation. In an attempt to investigate whether medication by itself modifies esophageal motility, we compared the manometric data of 18 children with pH-probe documented GER before and after sedation (meperidine 1.5 mg/kg, chlorpromazine 1 mg/kg, promethazine 1 mg/kg i.m.). Sedation induced the following changes in motor function compared to that in the unsedated state: (1) lower esophageal sphincter pressure decreased from 16.4 ± 7.3 to 11.4 ± 6.9 (P <0.001), whereas sphincter length remained unchanged; (2) esophageal peristaltic activity almost disappeared in terms of number of waves per hour (106.4 ± 60.1 vs 3.8 ± 6.2, P <0.001) while nonpropulsive activity became predominant, although only in relative terms (percent of tertiary waves 16.5 ± 13.9 vs 75.1 ± 25, P <0.001); (3) the mean pressure of the propulsive waves was also significantly decreased (65.2 ± 20.6 vs 37.9 ± 26.5, P <0.001), and as a result, esophageal motor efficiency (number of primary waves per hour multiplied by the mean pressure of the waves in mmHg) decreased enormously (from 6681.7 ± 4113.7 to 223.9 ± 372.6, P <0.001). Comparison with a group of sedated controls demonstrated that, under equal conditions, both barrier and pump functions were significantly weakened in refluxing patients. The limited diagnostic value of manometry thus remains unquestioned by the present study. Our data suggest that: (1) motor behavior of the esophagus in unsedated children with GER is quite close to that observed in refluxing adults; and (2) sedation of itself substantially modifies the esophageal sphincter barrier and esophageal propulsive pump. If sedation is to be used for manometric studies in children, the results so obtained should only be compared to those of controls under the same conditions.Investigation partially supported by a FISSS Grant (87/1605) Offprint requests to: J. A. Tovar     

Choroideremia: manifestations in affected male and female carrier

CASE REPORT: Ocular phenotypes in an affected male and a female carrier with choroideremia are described. COMMENT: Choroideremia is a degenerative retinal disease recognized in the late stages by a near total absence of the choriocapillaris, retinal pigment epithelium and neurosensory retina. Inheritance is X-linked recessive, with males being affected and females acting as carriers. Clinical manifestations include decreased night vision, central vision affected in late stages, peripheral constriction in the visual field and abnormal electroretinogram early in the course of the disease.     

Predictors of patient satisfaction with hospital health care

Background  

We used a validated inpatient satisfaction questionnaire to evaluate the health care received by patients admitted to several hospitals. This questionnaire was factored into distinct domains, creating a score for each to assist in the analysis.