Importance of delaying balloon angioplasty in patients with unstable angina pectoris

Angioplasty in patients with unstable coronary artery disease is associated with higher complication rates compared with patients with stable disease. In this report we describe our results from a group of patients with unstable disease (unstable angina pectoris and postmyocardial infarction) where a strategy of delaying angioplasty for >5 days after admission was undertaken. Included are 2069 consecutive patients: 1197 treated for stable angina pectoris and 872 treated during admission for unstable angina or myocardial infarction. There was no difference between the two groups in angioplasty success (92.1% stable, 92.3% unstable), failure to dilate without complication (6.4% stable, 6.1 % unstable), or in the rate of major complications: death (0.5% stable, 1.1% unstable), Q-wave myocardial infarction (0.9% stable, 1.1% unstable), and emergency coronary artery bypass (0.6% stable, 0.3% unstable). The duration of hospitalization following angioplasty was longer in the unstable group (5.6 ± 8.1 days vs. 4.2 ± 4.1 days; p < 0.001) because of longer duration of hep-arin infusion. There was no difference between groups in minor complications such as groin hematoma and pseudoa-neurysm, renal failure, or infections. It was concluded that delaying angioplasty in unstable patients for > 5 days after admission is a safe and effective therapeutic strategy for this group of patients. The need for prolonged heparin infusion after angioplasty is increased in unstable patients and thus the duration of hospitalization after the procedure is longer.     

Medical marijuana laws and adolescent marijuana use in the United States: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

Aims

To conduct a systematic review and meta‐analysis of studies in order to estimate the effect of US medical marijuana laws (MMLs) on past‐month marijuana use prevalence among adolescents.

Methods

A total of 2999 papers from 17 literature sources were screened systematically. Eleven studies, developed from four ongoing large national surveys, were meta‐analyzed. Estimates of MML effects on any past‐month marijuana use prevalence from included studies were obtained from comparisons of pre–post MML changes in MML states to changes in non‐MML states over comparable time‐periods. These estimates were standardized and entered into a meta‐analysis model with fixed‐effects for each study. Heterogeneity among the study estimates by national data survey was tested with an omnibus F‐test. Estimates of effects on additional marijuana outcomes, of MML provisions (e.g. dispensaries) and among demographic subgroups were abstracted and summarized. Key methodological and modeling characteristics were also described. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed.

Results

None of the 11 studies found significant estimates of pre–post MML changes compared with contemporaneous changes in non‐MML states for marijuana use prevalence among adolescents. The meta‐analysis yielded a non‐significant pooled estimate (standardized mean difference) of ?0.003 (95% confidence interval = ?0.012, +0.007). Four studies compared MML with non‐MML states on pre‐MML differences and all found higher rates of past‐month marijuana use in MML states pre‐MML passage. Additional tests of specific MML provisions, of MML effects on additional marijuana outcomes and among subgroups generally yielded non‐significant results, although limited heterogeneity may warrant further study.

Conclusions

Synthesis of the current evidence does not support the hypothesis that US medical marijuana laws (MMLs) until 2014 have led to increases in adolescent marijuana use prevalence. Limited heterogeneity exists among estimates of effects of MMLs on other patterns of marijuana use, of effects within particular population subgroups and of effects of specific MML provisions.

     

Short-term effect of morphine on the thyroid gland in male rats

Experiments were designed to demonstrate that morphine may exert a direct short-term effect on the hormone release of the thyroid gland. Groups of male rats were injected with single doses of 1, 5 and 10 mg/kg morphine, or with 2 mg/kg naloxone and in addition with morphine 30 min after naloxone and/or with naloxone 30 min after morphine pre-treatment. The rats were killed by decapitation 15, 30 and 60 min after the injection and serum was collected and stored for subsequent TSH, T4 and T3 radioassays. All doses of morphine resulted in an increase of serum T4 and T3 concentrations 15 and 30 min after the injection, with a tendency to return to control levels by the 60 min samples. Serum TSH concentrations were to suppressed by administration of 5 and 10 mg/kg but not by 1 mg/kg morphine. Naloxone treatment did not increase the T4 and T3 concentrations; however, serum TSH was elevated in the 15 min sample. Naloxone pre-treatment inhibited the morphine induced release of T4 and T3 into the serum, but naloxone administration after morphine pre-treatment failed to prevent the increase of T4 and T3 secretion. These data suggest that morphine may exert a short-term stimulatory effect on the thyroid gland with a concomitant inhibitory action on the hypothalamo-pituitary TSH system.     

Efficient maternal to neonatal transfer of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine

BACKGROUNDThe significant risks posed to mothers and fetuses by COVID-19 in pregnancy have sparked a worldwide debate surrounding the pros and cons of antenatal SARS-CoV-2 inoculation, as we lack sufficient evidence regarding vaccine effectiveness in pregnant women and their offspring. We aimed to provide substantial evidence for the effect of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine versus native infection on maternal humoral, as well as transplacentally acquired fetal immune response, potentially providing newborn protection.METHODSA multicenter study where parturients presenting for delivery were recruited at 8 medical centers across Israel and assigned to 3 study groups: vaccinated (n = 86); PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infected during pregnancy (n = 65), and unvaccinated noninfected controls (n = 62). Maternal and fetal blood samples were collected from parturients prior to delivery and from the umbilical cord following delivery, respectively. Sera IgG and IgM titers were measured using the Milliplex MAP SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Panel (for S1, S2, RBD, and N).RESULTSThe BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine elicits strong maternal humoral IgG response (anti-S and RBD) that crosses the placenta barrier and approaches maternal titers in the fetus within 15 days following the first dose. Maternal to neonatal anti-COVID-19 antibodies ratio did not differ when comparing sensitization (vaccine vs. infection). IgG transfer ratio at birth was significantly lower for third-trimester as compared with second trimester infection. Lastly, fetal IgM response was detected in 5 neonates, all in the infected group.CONCLUSIONAntenatal BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination induces a robust maternal humoral response that effectively transfers to the fetus, supporting the role of vaccination during pregnancy.FUNDINGIsrael Science Foundation and the Weizmann Institute Fondazione Henry Krenter.     

Intravenous verapamil therapy in imminent myocardial infarction

We studied 16 patients with small myocardial infarction who had further episodes of chest pain with ST-segment elevation, a sign of transmural myocardial ischemia and imminent infarction extension. Coronary angiography in 14 showed a critical lesion in 13. Intravenous verapamil abolished chest pain and ST-segment elevation. It caused a fall in right atrial and left ventricular end-diastolic pressures (LVEDP) and cardiac output, reflex systemic vasoconstriction, and a rise in systemic vascular resistance. There was no reflex tachycardia. Volume expansion raised LVEDP and restored a normal cardiac output. Accelerated junctional rhythm with isorhythmic A-V dissociation occurred in 5 patients. Two patients sustained a transmural infarction, 10 underwent coronary artery bypass grafting, and 4 are symptom-free with oral treatment. Intravenous treatment was an effective method of treating acute episodes of transmural myocardial ischemia and preventing their recurrence in patients with critical coronary artery narrowing. Continuous verapamil infusion stabilized the patients' condition and enabled smooth coronary angiography and induction of anesthesia for surgery.