Clinicopathological characteristics and outcome of nested carcinoma of the urinary bladder

We present the clinicopathological features of 56 cases of the nested variant of urothelial bladder carcinoma. This is an uncommon variant of bladder cancer, recognized by the current WHO classification of urologic tumors. The nested component represented 100 % of the tumor in 24 cases. The architectural pattern of the tumor varied from solid expansile to infiltrative nests characterized by deceptively bland histologic features resembling von Brunn nests. Typical features of high-grade conventional urothelial carcinoma were present in 32 cases. Most neoplastic cells had nuclei of low to intermediate nuclear grade with occasional nuclear enlargement, most frequently seen in deep areas of tumor. The nested component expressed cytokeratins 7, 20, CAM5.2, and high molecular weight (34ßE12), p63, Ki67, p53, p27, and GATA3. Tumor extension was T1 (n?=?9), minimally T2 (n?=?10), T2a (n?=?1), T2b (n?=?4), T3a (n?=?8), T3b (n?=?13), and T4a (n?=?11). On follow-up, 36 of patients died of or were alive with disease from 2 to 80 months (mean 21 months). Four patients died of other causes. Eleven other patients remained disease free. Univariate survival analysis showed no differences for nested carcinoma compared with conventional urothelial carcinoma. As in conventional urothelial carcinoma, in nested carcinoma of the bladder pT category defined different survival groups. In summary, nested variant of urothelial bladder carcinoma is typically associated with advanced stage. In samples of limited volume, it may be misdiagnosed as proliferation of von Brunn nests or other nested-like bladder lesions, delaying definitive therapy.     

Depression after CABG: a prospective study

Introduction

Depression during or shortly after hospitalization elevated two to three times the risk of mortality or nonfatal cardiac events, significantly increasing the morbidity and mortality of these patients.

Objective

To assess the impact of revascularization on symptoms of depression in patients with coronary artery disease.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of 57 patients of both sexes undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting between June 2010 and June 2011. We used the SF-36 to assess quality of life, and the Beck Depression Inventory to detect depressive symptoms, applied preoperatively and six months.

Results

The prevalence of patients aged 60-69 years was 22 patients (38.60%), 39 men (68.42%), 26 described themselves as mixed race (45.61%), 16 literate (28.07 %) and 30 married (52.63%). The beck depression inventory score demonstrated increased after revascularization: 15 patients mild (26.32%) at time zero to 17 (29.82%) after. And with moderate, seven patients (12.28%) before and 10 (17.54%) after. In the categories of individuals with decreased minimum degree of 32 (56.14%) to 28 (49.12%), and severe of three (5.26%) for two (3.51%) patients. Association was observed between beck depression inventory, gender, age, lifestyle, comorbidities and quality of life.

Conclusion

There was a high prevalence of elevated beck depression inventory scores, lowest scores of depressive symptoms among men and association between the improvement of quality of life scores and beck depression inventory.     

Prognostic value of trisomy 8 as a single anomaly and the influence of additional cytogenetic aberrations in primary myelodysplastic syndromes

Trisomy 8 is the most common chromosomal gain in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), however, little is known about the features of MDS with isolated trisomy 8 and the influence of additional cytogenetic aberrations. We determined the characteristics and prognostic factors of 72 patients with trisomy 8 as a single anomaly and analysed also the impact of other aberrations added to trisomy 8 in another 62 patients. According to our study, MDS with isolated trisomy 8 was more frequent in men, with more than one cytopenia in most patients (62%) and having about 4% bone marrow blasts. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that platelet count and percentage bone marrow blasts had the strongest impact on overall survival (OS). The median OS for isolated trisomy 8, trisomy 8 plus one aberration (tr8 + 1), plus two (tr8 + 2) and plus three or more aberrations (tr8 + ≥3) was 34·3, 40, 23·4 and 5·8 months, respectively (P < 0·001). Trisomy 8 confers a poorer prognosis than a normal karyotype in MDS patients with ≥5% bone marrow blasts. This study supports the view that MDS with isolated trisomy 8 should be included in the intermediate cytogenetic risk group.     

Diagnostic accuracy of computer-assisted electrocardiography in the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in left bundle branch block

Introduction and objectives

Left ventricular hypertrophy has important prognostic implications. Although electrocardiography is the technique most often recommended in the diagnosis of hypertrophy, its diagnostic accuracy is hampered in the presence of a left bundle branch block.

Methods

In 1875 consecutive patients (56±16 years) undergoing studies to rule out heart disease and/or hypertension, 2-dimensional echocardiography and electrocardiography were performed simultaneously in an outpatient clinic. Digitized electrocardiograms were interpreted using an online computer-assisted platform (ELECTROPRES). Sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and predictive values of standard electrocardiographic criteria and of some diagnostic algorithms for left ventricular hypertrophy were determined and compared with the findings in patients with neither left bundle branch block nor myocardial infarction.

Results

Left bundle branch block was present in 233 (12%) patients. Left ventricular hypertrophy was detected more frequently in patients with left bundle branch block (60% vs 31%). In patients with left bundle branch block, sensitivities were low but similar to those observed in patients without it, and ranged from 6.4% to 70.9%, whereas specificities were high, ranging from 57.6% to 100%. Positive likelihood ratios ranged from 1.33 to 4.94, and negative likelihood ratios from 0.50 to 0.98. Diagnostic algorithms, voltage-duration products, and certain compound criteria had the best sensitivities.

Conclusions

Left ventricular hypertrophy can be diagnosed in the presence of left bundle branch block with an accuracy at least similar to that observed in patients without this conduction defect. Computer-assisted interpretation of the electrocardiogram may be useful in the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy as it enables the implementation of more accurate algorithms.Full English text available from:www.revespcardiol.org