Multiple primary malignant neoplasms in urologic patients

Methods: Second primary cancers constitute approximately 9–10% of malignancies diagnosed in the United States. We aimed to show the risk and incidance of second primary tumor occuring associated to urologic tumors and show the distrubution of tumors in Tracia region. We retrospectively examined the patients' files with the diagnosis of malignant disease between the years 1985–2000. Hazard function analysis was performed to estimate the relative risk of secondary malignancy occuring. Age, sex and tumor number were examined to find out if they affect on mortality rate. Results: A total number of 25 MPMNs were diagnosed. In 52 percent of the cases the second primary neoplasm developed within six months. The relative risk of development of a second neoplasm is found as increasing 1.111 times per month. The incidence of secondary malignancy occuring in the patients with one tumor was found as 6.31%. Age (p < 0.001) and tumor number (p < 0.001) are found as statistically effective predictor on mortality rate where the sex is not. Conclusions: In the patients with a primary tumor not only the metastasis must be investigated but also second primary tumors should be taken in to consideration. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Efficacy of Fluoxetine in the Treatment of Premature Ejaculation: A Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Study

Purpose

The efficacy of the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor fluoxetine in the treatment of premature ejaculation was examined.

Materials and Methods

The study comprised 17 patients with premature ejaculation who presented to the urology clinic of our medical school. In this double-blind study the patients were randomized into treatment groups receiving 20 mg. fluoxetine daily for 1 week and 40 mg. daily afterward (group 1) or 1 capsule placebo daily for 1 week and 2 capsules daily afterward (group 2). The groups were evaluated according to the latent period of intravaginal ejaculation.

Results

The latent period of intravaginal ejaculation in group 1 was significantly longer than that in group 2. Nausea, headache and insomnia were reported side effects.

Conclusions

Fluoxetine may be regarded as a safe and effective alternative in the treatment of premature ejaculation.     

Evaluation of the congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis by different imaging modalities

A 36‐year‐old female was admitted to hospital exhibiting chest pain, dyspnea, and a heart murmur on the right upper sternal border, radiating to both carotid arteries. The blood pressure of the patient's right arm exceeded the pressure in the left by 25 mm Hg (Coanda effect). In spite of laboratory results that did not fall outside the expected range, the left ventricle was revealed to be hypertrophic following electrocardiography. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a severe supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) with a peak Doppler velocity of 6.04 cm/s and an estimated mean pressure gradient of 89 mm Hg, with moderate aortic and mitral regurgitation. Contrast‐enhanced computed tomography (CCT) indicated a partial hourglass‐shaped narrowing of the ascending aorta. Lesions associated with supravalvular stenosis of the pulmonary artery, patent ductus arteriosus, and aortic coarctation were ruled out by the CCT. Congenital SVAS is a rare heart condition, and three anatomically distinct forms have been described. The most common type is the “hourglass,” which produces a marked thickening and disorganization of the aortic tissue, producing a constricting annular ridge at the superior margin of the sinuses of Valsalva.     

A rare complication of mechanical aortic valve replacement: Separation in the region of the mitral‐aortic intervalvular fibrosa

A 28‐year‐old man was admitted to our emergency service with a shortness of breath and palpitation. On admission, his blood pressure was high and he was in hypertensive pulmonary edema. His physical examination showed rales in both lungs and pansystolic murmur at mitral focus. His medical history included aortic valve replacement (AVR) because of native aortic valve infective endocarditis. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed normal functional aortic valve. Color flow imaging demonstrated severe mitral regurgitation with posterior eccentric jet. To examine in detail, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and three‐dimensional (3D) echocardiography were performed. TEE disclosed a separation in the subaortic curtain leading to severe mitral regurgitation from the left ventricle to the left atrium. In addition to severe mitral regurgitation with posterior eccentric jet, 26‐mm‐long pouch was seen in mitral‐aortic intervalvular fibrosa (MAIVF) at 120° TEE view. This pouch was separated from the mitral anterior leaflet junction releasing the mitral anterior leaflet and causing prolapse and chorda rupture in the A2 scallop of the mitral anterior leaflet. The MAIVF connects the anterior mitral leaflet to the posterior portion of the aortic annulus. The separation of the MAIVF represents a complication of the aortic valve replacement.     

Impact of Myocardial Acceleration during Isovolumic Contraction in Evaluating Subclinical Right Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Aim: In diabetes mellitus (DM) patients, left ventricular dysfunction is widely evaluated and established by conventional diagnostic methods, whereas right ventricular (RV) function is not as sufficiently evaluated. The aim of this study is to assess the preclinical effects of DM on RV function by using novel Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI)‐derived indices. Methods: The study included 96 patients with type II DM [60 with DM only and 36 patients with coexisting DM and hypertension (DMHT)] and 40 healthy controls. Conventional parameters and TDI‐derived systolic velocities of tricuspid annulus [isovolumic myocardial acceleration (IVA), peak myocardial velocity during isovolumic contraction (IVV), peak systolic velocity during ejection period (Sa), RV Tei index] were measured. Results: TDI‐derived RV IVA was significantly lower in both DM and DMHT patients compared to controls indicating subclinical impairment in RV systolic function in the study patients (P = 0,0001). However RV IVA was similar in DM and DMHT subgroup supporting RV systolic impairment in DM was independent from HT. In correlation analysis, RV IVA was significantly correlated with the existence of diabetic nephropathy (r =?0,38; P = 0,003), retinopathy (r =?0,35; P = 0,006), insulin resistance (r =?0,52; P = 0,0001). Conclusions: Diabetes is associated with subclinical RV systolic dysfunction, regardless of coexisting hypertension. Tissue Doppler‐derived IVA; is a novel, non‐invasive parameter which may be used in early detection of RV systolic dysfunction in patients with DM. (Echocardiography 2010;27:1211‐1218)     

Left ventricular remodeling and aortic distensibility in elite power athletes

The aim of this study was to determine left ventricular (LV) morphology and aortic function in power athletes and to compare them with normal subjects. Thirty-two elite male wrestlers and 15 age-matched healthy male controls were included. All subjects underwent echocardiographic examination. Measurements included LV cavity dimension at systole and diastole, wall thickness, diastolic parameters, and aortic diameter, 3cm above aortic valve, at systole and diastole. Left ventricular mass and mass index were found to be higher in the athletes than in control subjects. The aortic distensibility index was found to be reduced in the athletes compared with controls (2.53 ± 0.91 vs 3.94 ± 1.77cm²dyne^–1 10^–6, P = 0.003), while the aortic stiffness index was significantly higher in the athletes than in controls (9.12 ± 3.23 vs 6.65 ± 2.35, P = 0.02). However, LV end-systolic wall stress was lower in the athletes than in controls. Furthermore, transmitral early (E) and late (A) peak velocity, peak velocity of the myocardial systolic wave (S _m), and early (E _m) and atrial (A _m) diastolic waves at the inferior wall were higher in the athletes than in controls. Reduced aortic distensibility in elite power athletes may be one of the cardiovascular adaptation factors which affect LV hypertrophy.     

The clinical significance of JAK2V617F mutation for Philadelphia-negative chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms in patients with splanchnic vein thrombosis

Polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET) and idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF), collectively known as Philadelphia-negative (Ph-negative) chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), MPNs represent the most common causes of splanchnic vein thrombosis (SVT), including Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) and portal vein thrombosis (PVT). The JAK2V617F mutation has been demonstrated in most of the Ph-negative chronic MPNs. The study objective was to assess the diagnostic value of JAK2V617F mutation in patients with SVT in a group of 68 patients with SVT (42 PVT,19 BCS, 7 combined PVT and BCS). By DNA-melting curve analysis, the JAK2V617F mutation was detected in 42.1 % of BCS, 38.1 % of PVT and 71.4 % of combined PVT and BCS groups. Thirteen of 15 (86.6 %) SVT patients with overt MPN and 16 of 53 (30.1 %) SVT patients without overt MPN (patients with either normal blood counts or cytopenias), including 6 of 16 with BCS (37.5 %), 7 of 33 with PVT (21.2 %) and 3 of 4 with combined BCS and PVT (75 %) possessed JAK2V617F mutation. A substantial proportion of patients with SVT were recognized as carriers of the JAK2V617F mutation despite the absence of overt signs of MPN. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined a platelet count of 190,000?mm(3) (area under the curve; AUC?=?0.724, p?=?0.002) and a white blood cell (WBC) count of 8,150?mm(3) (AUC?=?0.76, p?=?0.001) as the best cut-off values for the highest sensitivity and specificity ratios of the JAK2V617F mutation in patients with SVT. A significant positive correlation existed between the JAK2V617F mutational status of SVT patients and the WBC and platelet counts. Our results imply that JAK2V617F mutation screening should be an initial test for MPN in patients with SVT.     

Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma – Report of Two Cases and Review of Literature

Although accounting for 90 % of the intestinal surface area, small bowel adenocarcinomas are not common. The majority of these lesions are incidentally detected during laparotomy for intestinal obstruction or perforation. The symptoms associated with these lesions are not very specific and preoperative diagnosis is rare. We report two cases of jejunal adenocarcinomas detected in patients undergoing laparotomy for acute abdomen and review the literature for small bowel adenocarcinomas.