Impact of combined assessment of coronary artery calcium score, carotid artery plaque score, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity for early coronary revascularization in patients with suspected coronary artery disease

Coronary artery calcium score (CACS) measured by multi-detector computed tomography, carotid plaque score (CPS) measured by carotid artery ultrasound, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) are noninvasive screening tools for coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to determine whether the combination of CACS, CPS, and baPWV improves the prognostic value for future cardiac events. CACS, CPS, and baPWV were assessed in 77 patients (mean age, 65 years, 49 males) undergoing invasive coronary angiography. ECG-triggered MSCT was used to assess CACS. CPS was defined as the sum of all plaque heights in bilateral carotid arteries. The highest baPWV was used for analysis. Cardiac events were defined as cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. Thirty-two cardiac events (41.6%) occurred during follow-up (23.6 ± 20.8 months), consisting of 28 PCIs and 4 CABGs. The best cutoff values of positive CACS, CPS, and baPWV for predicting cardiac events were ≥ 50, ≥ 5, and ≥1.6 m/second, respectively. For the combination of the 3 modalities, the positive test was defined as having at least 1 positive result by each method. The negative predictive value of all 3 modalities combined was better than that of CACS alone. The event-free rate was higher in patients with negative results for all 3 parameters compared with those that were positive (100% versus 44.8%, P < 0.0001). The prognostic value of using combined assessment of CACS, CPS, and baPWV is more effective for predicting cardiac events than CACS alone.     

Primary Musculoskeletal Mycobacterium Infection With Large Cystic Masses After Total Hip Arthroplasty

Primary mycobacterial infections in the musculoskeletal system are rare with a limited number of published case reports. This report describes a case involving a primary musculoskeletal tuberculous abscess. A 62-year-old male patient who had a right total hip arthroplasty performed 8 years earlier, using metal-on-metal articulation presented with a 1-year history of non-tender masses on his right thigh. Initially, it was assumed he had metallosis. Intraoperatively, an incision into the mass was conducted which resulted in draining of a whitish-grey pus like fluid. A diagnosis of tuberculosis was confirmed with both microscopic and histological examination. The patient was treated over a course of six months with an anti-tuberculosis medication regimen following the confirmation of a solitary soft tissue tuberculosis infection. At the 24 month follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic with no relapse of the mass.     

Argon plasma coagulation is safe and effective for treating smaller gastric lesions with low-grade dysplasia: a comparison with endoscopic submucosal dissection

Background and aims

The best therapeutic modality has not been established for gastric low-grade adenomas or dysplasia (LGD), which can progress to invasive carcinoma despite a low risk. This study aims to investigate the clinical efficacy, safety, and local recurrence after argon plasma coagulation (APC) treatment of gastric LGD compared with endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD).

Patients and methods

A total of 320 patients with gastric LGD ≤2.0 cm treated with APC or ESD between 2004 and 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. We compared local recurrence rate, complication rate, procedure time, and admission to hospital between APC and ESD groups.

Results

Of the 320 patients, 116 patients were treated with APC and 204 with ESD. During follow-up, local recurrence was more common in the APC group (3.8 %, 4/106) than the ESD group (0.5 %, 1/188; log-rank test P = 0.036). However, all patients with local recurrence (n = 5) were treated by additional APC, and followed up without further recurrences. ESD was complicated by two perforations (1.0 %, 2/204) compared with no perforations in the APC group (0 %, 0/116). Bleeding complications were not different between the APC (1.7 %, 2/116) and ESD (2.0 %, 4/204) groups. Procedure time was shorter in the APC (7.8 ± 5.1 min) than the ESD (53.1 ± 38.1 min) group (P < 0.001). The proportion of hospitalization was less in the APC group (31.0 %, 36/116) than the ESD group (100.0 %, 204/204) (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

APC can be a good treatment option for patients with LGD ≤2.0 cm.     

The Effects of Surgical Cytoreduction Prior to Imatinib Therapy on the Prognosis of Patients with Advanced GIST

Background

Baseline tumor size is one of important prognostic factors for imatinib therapy in patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). The purpose of this study was to determine whether surgical cytoreduction before imatinib therapy can improve the prognosis.

Methods

A total of 249 patients with advanced GIST were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were categorized into two groups according to the degree of initial cytoreduction: 35 patients with ≥75 % of initial tumor bulk removed (cytoreduction group) and the other 214 patients (no cytoreduction group). The median follow-up was 44.0 months.

Results

Patients in the cytoreduction group were younger, in better performance, showed more initially metastatic disease, peritoneal metastases, but fewer liver metastases. The baseline tumor size when starting imatinib became significantly reduced in the cytoreduction group, which made significant difference between the two groups. By multivariate analyses, mutational status, tumor size, and granulocyte count at presentation were associated with progression-free survival. Age and tumor size were associated with overall survival. However, initial cytoreduction was not significantly related to the prognosis.

Conclusions

Cytoreduction before imatinib therapy appears not to improve the prognosis. Imatinib therapy should still represent the initial treatment for advanced GIST.     

The Effect of Zoledronic Acid on the Volume of the Fusion-Mass in Lumbar Spinal Fusion

Background

Few studies have explored the effects of bisphosphonates on bony healing in patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery. Most previous studies used animal models and found that bisphosphonate shows negative effects on spinal fusion consolidation. We intended to evaluate the effect of a single-dose of zoledronic acid on the volume of the fusion-mass in lumbar spinal fusion.

Methods

A retrospective review was carried out on 44 patients with symptomatic degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis who underwent one or two-level posterolateral fusion from January 2008 and January 2011. They were divided into 4 groups: group 1, autograft and zoledronic acid; group 2, allograft and zoledronic acid; group 3, autograft alone; and group 4, allograft alone. Functional radiography and three-dimensional computed tomography scans were used to evaluate and quantify the volume of the fusion-mass. The visual analog scale (VAS), the Oswestry disability index (ODI), and the short form 36 (SF-36) were used to evaluate the clinical outcomes.

Results

The mean volume of the fusion-mass per level was 8,814 mm³, 8,035 mm³, 8,383 mm³, and 7,550 mm³ in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, but there were no significant differences between the groups (p = 0.829). There were no significant decreases in the volume of the fusion-mass (p = 0.533) in the zoledronic acid groups (groups 1 and 2). The VAS, the ODI, and the SF-36 at the 6-month follow-up after surgery were not significantly different (p > 0.05) among the 4 groups. The VAS, the ODI, and the SF-36 were not correlated with the volume of the fusion-mass (p = 0.120, 0.609, 0.642).

Conclusions

A single dose of zoledronic acid does not decrease the volume of the fusion-mass in patients undergoing spinal fusion with osteoporosis. Therefore, we recommend that zoledronic acid may be used after spinal fusion in osteoporotic patients.