Influence of Er:YAG and Ti:sapphire laser irradiation on the microtensile bond strength of several adhesives to dentin

Lasers in Medical Science - The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of erbium:yttrium–aluminum–garnet (Er:YAG) and Ti:sapphire laser irradiation on the microtensile...     

The relative importance of thrombin inhibition and factor Xa inhibition to the antithrombotic effects of heparin

The relative importance of antithrombin and anti-factor Xa activities of heparin fractions required to achieve optimal antithrombotic effects is unknown. To study this, we measured the effects of standard heparin, an octasaccharide heparin fraction (anti-factor Xa activity only), and dermatan sulfate (antithrombin activity only) on the prevention of thrombosis and related this to their anticoagulant effects in vivo in rabbits. Thrombosis was measured as the incorporation of 125I- fibrinogen into tissue thromboplastin-induced thrombi using a Wessler- type model. Ex vivo changes in thrombin clotting time (TCT) were used as an index of antithrombin activity, and a chromogenic anti-factor Xa assay was used to measure anti-factor Xa activity. In addition, the ability of the three sulfated polysaccharides to simultaneously inhibit the generation of thrombin activity and to enhance the inactivation of the factor Xa added to initiate thrombin generation in plasma was determined. Standard heparin, in a dose of 10 anti-factor Xa U/kg, inhibited thrombus formation by 90%, prolonged the TCT by two seconds, and resulted in an anti-factor Xa level of 0.32 U/mL. The octasaccharide heparin fraction, in a dose of 10 anti-factor Xa U/kg, inhibited thrombus formation by 41%, had no effect on the TCT, and resulted in an anti-factor Xa level of 0.28 U/mL. Higher doses of the octasaccharide resulted in a further increase in the anti-factor Xa levels but had no further effect on thrombus formation. Dermatan sulfate, in a dose of 500 micrograms/kg, inhibited thrombus formation by 95%, but had no affect on the TCT. These results indicate that the antithrombotic effect achieved by inhibiting factor Xa is limited and that better antithrombotic effects are achieved by heparin or heparin- like substances capable of influencing the inactivation and/or the generation of thrombin.     

Manejo perioperatorio y periprocedimiento del tratamiento antitrombótico: documento de consenso de SEC,SEDAR, SEACV,SECTCV, AEC,SECPRE, SEPD,SEGO, SEHH,SETH, SEMERGEN,SEMFYC, SEMG,SEMICYUC, SEMI,SEMES, SEPAR,SENEC, SEO,SEPA, SERVEI,SECOT y AEU

During the last few years, the number of patients receiving anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy has increased worldwide. Since this is a chronic treatment, patients receiving it can be expected to need some kind of surgery or intervention during their lifetime that may require treatment discontinuation. The decision to withdraw antithrombotic therapy depends on the patient's thrombotic risk versus hemorrhagic risk. Assessment of both factors will show the precise management of anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy in these scenarios. The aim of this consensus document, coordinated by the Cardiovascular Thrombosis Working Group of the Spanish Society of Cardiology, and endorsed by most of the Spanish scientific societies of clinical specialities that may play a role in the patient-health care process during the perioperative or periprocedural period, is to recommend some simple and practical guidelines with a view to homogenizing daily clinical practice.Full English text available from: www.revespcardiol.org/en     

Surgical treatment for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Five percent of the patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) have symptoms unresponsive to medical treatment and are candidates for invasive therapy. The objective of this study was to analyze our results with surgical treatment of HOCM during the last 10 years. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Between July 1993 and January 2004 26 patients with HOCM refractory to drug therapy were operated on. An extended septal myectomy was performed, in combination with anterior mitral leaflet plication in 19 cases (73%) and with mitral valve replacement in 5 (19%). Evolution of the grade of dyspnea, left ventricle outflow tract gradient (LVOTG), mitral regurgitation, and systolic anterior motion after surgery was analyzed. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 63 (37) months. After surgery, a significant reduction in LVOTG (from 96.5 to 19.5 mmHg; P<.001), grade of mitral regurgitation (from 2.54 to 0.69; P<.001) and systolic anterior motion (from 2.92 to 0.23; P<.001) was achieved, which led to improvement in functional class. Hospital mortality and need for pacemaker implantation due to complete heart block after surgery was 3.8% (n=1). There were no cases of iatrogenic ventricular septal defect or mitro-aortic valve injury. Actuarial survival at 5 years was 96% (4%). CONCLUSIONS: Surgery in patients with HOCM yields great clinical improvements with low morbidity and mortality. Simultaneous intervention for both myocardial and valvular components of the disease allows not only reduction in the LVOTG but also correction of mitral regurgitation and abolition of systolic anterior motion.     

Response to direct‐acting antivirals for hepatitis C treatment in vertically HIV/HCV co‐infected patients

Direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs) for HCV treatment have improved tolerance and efficacy among adults, but experience in vertical transmission is scarce. In our vertically HIV/HCV co‐infected youth cohort of 58 patients, DAA achieved excellent rates of cure among naïve and pretreated individuals. Treating vertically infected seems important as 29.6% displayed advanced fibrosis at treatment initiation.