Infective Endocarditis Due to Treponema pallidum: A Case Diagnosed Using Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis of Aortic Valve

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum. Syphilitic aortitis might coexist in a dysfunctional aortic valve, but the etiology remains unclear, because microbiological diagnosis is difficult. A 62-year-old man with low-grade fever was diagnosed with aortitis and infective endocarditis, due to Treponema pallidum infection, using polymerase chain reaction analysis. This case suggests that syphilis might cause infective endocarditis.     

Evolución e impacto bibliométrico de las becas de la Sociedad Española de Cardiología/Fundación Española del Corazón en el periodo 2007-2012

Introduction and objectivesThe Spanish Society of Cardiology/Spanish Heart Foundation (SEC/FEC) annually awards grants for cardiovascular research projects. Our objective was to analyze the trend in these investments and their resulting scientific production from 2007 to 2012.MethodsA search of the publications funded by the SEC/FEC was carried out, according to the following inclusion criteria: publication in a journal indexed in MEDLINE or EMBASE, publication date after the grant, authorship by the principal investigator of the grant, and acknowledgment of SEC/FEC funding. The impact factor and subsequent citations of the articles were analyzed (Web of Science).ResultsA total of 235 grants were awarded (39/y) with an allocation of €3 854 300 (€642 383/y), 37% of them to women. In all, 122 publications resulted from 88 research projects (37%) funded by the SEC/FEC. Up to October 2017, these publications had received 2258 citations in subsequent studies in the Web of Science, with a mean of 18.5 and a median of 8 citations/study.ConclusionsDespite the economic crisis, the mean number and size of the grants awarded by the SEC/FEC increased in the period analyzed. Grants were awarded on an equal opportunity basis to men and women. The bibliometric impact of the funded projects is acceptable, although efforts should be made to improve it.     

心房颤动与炎症及慢性幽门螺旋杆菌感染相关性研究

目的探讨心房颤动(简称房颤)与炎症及慢性幽门螺旋杆菌(Hp)感染的关系。方法选取66例房颤患者为房颤组(其中阵发性房颤44例,慢性房颤22例),另取同期住院的阵发性室上性心动过速(简称室上速)患者67例作为对照组,用间接ELISA法测定血清Hp-IgG抗体,速率散射免疫比浊法测定C反应蛋白(CRP),比较两组Hp-IgG抗体,CRP的差异并分析HP抗体滴度与房颤及其它相关因素的关系。结果房颤组与对照组的Hp-IgG阳性率Hp-IgG对数值均无差异(P均>0.05)。房颤组CRP中位数较对照组高(1.17mg/dlvs0.65mg/dl,P<0.05)。结论房颤与慢性Hp感染不相关,与炎症相关。