Short-term prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndromes through the evaluation of physical activity status, the adoption of Mediterranean diet and smoking habits: the Greek Acute Coronary Syndromes (GREECS) study.

PURPOSE: Our aim was to evaluate whether healthy dietary habits, physical activity and non-smoking are associated with less severe acute coronary syndromes and better short-term prognosis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From October 2003 to September 2004, 2172 patients (1649 males), hospitalized for severe acute coronary syndromes in six major hospitals in Greece were included in the study. The severity of severe acute coronary syndromes was assessed through troponin-I and maximum creatinine kinase MB levels, while 30-day recurrent event rate (death or rehospitalization for cardiovascular disease, angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery) was used to evaluate the prognosis of the patients. A 'healthy index' that assessed adherence to the Mediterranean diet, moderate alcohol intake, physical activity and abstinence from smoking was developed (range 0-4). RESULTS: One unit increment in the healthy index was associated with -12.4+/-2.4 ng/ml decrease in troponin I levels (P=0.001) and -9.7+/-2.5 ng/ml decrease in maximum creatinine kinase MB levels (P=0.001). The in-hospital mortality rate was 3.2% in males and 5.7% in females (i.e. overall 82 deaths, P=0.009); during the first 30 days following hospitalization the event rate was 15.7% in males and 16.3% in females (P=0.001). Values of the healthy index above one (i.e. presence of two or more protective factors) seemed to be associated with 44-84% lower risk of having recurrent events (P<0.001), even after various adjustments were made. CONCLUSION: Among patients who had had severe acute coronary syndromes, a healthy lifestyle seemed to be associated with less severe cardiac events and lower risk of death or rehospitalization 30 days after the event.     

Diabetes im Kindes- und Jugendalter

Type 1 diabetes is one of the commonest chronic disorders encountered in children and adolescents. When it first becomes apparent in children, approximately 20% of them have clinical and biochemical signs of ketoacidosis (DKA). In the presence of unusual clinical symptoms it is necessary to consider the possibility of associated conditions, such as coeliac disease, immunothyroiditis and Addison’s disease. Children with diabetes must be treated by a multidisciplinary team made up of paediatrician, paediatric diabetes specialist, psychologist, social worker, ophthalmologist, dietitian, nurse and diabetes counsellor, making it essential for them to be treated in regional specialised centres. They are treated in their own psychosocial environment and their families are involved in the therapy. Comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment strategies have now made it possible for these patients to enjoy normal physical wellbeing and near-normal psychosocial development. Prevention and early treatment of of disturbances associated with diabetes remain an important concern. The fact that type 2 diabetes must now be looked for in overweight children and adolescents is a new aspect of diabetes medicine.     

Chronische Transplantatdysfunktion

Chronic transplant dysfunction is a complex dynamic pathogenic process. Clinically, a decrease in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) becomes apparent leading to chronic renal insufficiency and dialysis or death from cardiovascular events. Chronic transplant dysfunction can develop into a chronic alIograft nephropathy (CAN) as a specific entity with dynamic progression. CAN includes a collection of immunologic and non-immunologic factors, rejection, ischemia time, donor and recipient characteristics and toxicity of calcineurin inhibitors. Despite improvements in immunosuppression, the long-range prognosis of renal allografts has not improved. Whether modern immunosuppressive concepts with reduction or avoidance of calcineurin inhibitors and a therapy based on antimetabolites, such as mycophenolate or mTOR-inhibitors could lead to a prolongation of transplant survival, remains to be seen.     

Sex‐related Disparity in Surgical Mortality among Pediatric Patients

Background. It has been reported that gender differences in cardiovascular outcomes found in adults also are present in children who undergo surgical repair for congenital heart disease. Methods. California statewide hospital discharge data 1989–99 were used to study outcomes in children <18 years undergoing cardiac surgery. Hospital discharge data were linked to death registry data to study postdischarge death within 30 days of discharge. We used logistic regression to evaluate the effect of gender on mortality controlling for age, race and ethnicity, type of insurance, household income, date and month of surgery, type of admission, hospital case volume, and various types of procedures. Results. There were 25 402 cardiac surgery cases with 1505 in‐hospital deaths (mortality rate of 5.92%). An additional 37 deaths occurred within 30 days after hospital discharge. Crude mortality rates for males (5.99%) and females (5.84%) were not significantly different. However, fewer neonates were female and females underwent a higher proportion of low‐risk procedures than males. Logistic regression revealed that females, compared with males, had a significantly higher odds ratio (OR) for in‐hospital mortality (OR = 1.18, P < .01) and overall (up to 30 days post discharge) mortality (OR = 1.18, P < .01). The risk‐adjusted length of hospital stay was similar between females and males while charges per hospital day were slightly higher in females than males. The prevalence of Down syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, and failure to thrive were higher in females. Conclusions. Female gender is associated with an 18% higher in‐hospital and 30‐day postdischarge mortality as compared with male gender. There was no difference in length of hospital stay between males and females. The mechanism by which female gender acts as a risk factor requires further investigation.     

Psychologische Aspekte des diabetischen Fußsyndroms

It is often difficult for medical professionals to understand the behaviour of people with diabetic foot syndrome. We describe the different psychological factors that play a role in the maintenance of intermittent implementation of medical recommendations. In particular we look at the consequences of neuropathy and of the recommendation to offload pressure, as well as the contradictions between the realities of the patient and the medical professionals involved in their care. We show that the solutions that patients develop are based on normal psychological processes and we encourage professionals to consider these aspects in their relationship to people with DFS and when developing individualised preventative measures.     

Multi-day radon signals with a radioactive decay limb -- occurrence and geophysical significance.

Multi-day signals, generally with duration of 2-10 days, are a prominent temporal variation type of radon (Rn) in geogas in the unsaturated zone. Rare multi-day Rn signals have been found which are characterized by: (a) a declining limb lasting up to 10 days which conforms to the radioactive decay of Rn, (b) recurs at the same location and (c) is recorded in diverse situations-volcanic and seismogenic. It suggested that a Rn blob is injected at a lower level on a steady upward flow of geogas whereby the rise and final fall of the signal are attributed to the edges of the blob while the central Rn-decay segment records the passing of the decaying blob itself. Rn-decay signals are a small subset of multi-day Rn signals which are considered as highly irregular and unusable for the understanding of geophysical processes. In difference, it is concluded that multi-day Rn signals are probably proxies of subtle geodynamic processes at upper crustal levels and are therefore significant for studying such processes.     

Stones, bones, and heredity

Genetic disorders of mineral metabolism cause urolithiasis, renal disease, and osteodystrophy. Most are rare, such that the full spectrum of clinical expression is difficult to appreciate. Diagnosis is further complicated by overlap of clinical features. Dent's disease and primary hyperoxaluria, inherited causes of calcium urolithiasis, are both associated with nephrocalcinosis and urolithiasis in early childhood and renal failure that can occur at any age but is seen more often in adulthood. Bone disease is an inconsistent feature of each. Dent's disease is caused by mutations of the CLCN-5 gene with impaired kidney-specific CLC-5 chloride channel expression in the proximal tubule, thick ascending limb of Henle, and the collecting ducts. Resulting hypercalciuria and proximal tubule dysfunction, including phosphate wasting, are primarily responsible for the clinical manifestations. Low-molecular-weight proteinuria is characteristic. Definitive diagnosis is made by DNA mutation analysis. Primary hyperoxaluria, type I, is due to mutations of the AGXT gene leading to deficient hepatic alanine–glyoxylate aminotransferase activity. Marked overproduction of oxalate by hepatic cells results in the hyperoxaluria responsible for clinical features. Definitive diagnosis is by liver biopsy with measurement of enzyme activity, with DNA mutation analysis used increasingly as mutations and their frequency are defined.

Conclusion

These disorders of calcium urolithiasis illustrate the value of molecular medicine for diagnosis and the promise it provides for innovative and more effective future treatments.