Multiorgan paradoxical embolism consequent to acute pulmonary thromboembolism with patent foramen ovale: a case report

Paradoxical embolism is defined as a systemic arterial embolism requiring the passage of a venous thrombus into the arterial circulatory system through a right-to-left shunt. It is a relatively rare phenomenon, representing about 2% of all cases of arterial embolism. We report a case of a 79-years-old woman admitted to hospital because of dyspnea and lower left limb pain. CT scan revealed multiple thrombi to kidney, lower limb and superior mesenteric artery during acute pulmonary embolism. Echocardiogram documented a patent foramen ovale with a right-to-left shunt. The patient was treated with thrombolytic therapy and heparin with progressive improvement of symptoms and resolution of pulmonary embolism and peripheral thrombosis. Patent foramen ovale closure was not performed because a life-long anticoagulation therapy was necessary, a tunnel-type patent foramen ovale may increases difficulty in realizing device implantation and there are no clear evidence-based guidelines to date addressing treatment in presence of a patent foramen ovale

Diagnostic value of the head-up tilt test and the R-test in patients with syncope

The diagnostic value of the head-up tilt test (HUTT) in discovering vasovagal syndrome depends on the pre-test probability. An accurate anamnesis and clinical examination screens the patients indicated for the HUTT. In patients with unexplained syncope, the R-test is an alternative procedure to discover its cause. In our study, we evaluated the diagnostic significance of the HUTT in a group of 211 patients and of the R-test in a subgroup of 45 patients with negative HUTT results and with negative traditional Holter ECG monitoring (24 hr)

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy

which left ventricular dysfunction and symptoms of heart failure occur in the peripartum period in previously healthy women. Incidence of PPCM ranges from 1 in 1300 to 1 in 15,000 pregnancies. The etiology of PPCM is unknown, but viral, autoimmune, and idiopathic causes may contribute. The diagnostic criteria are onset of heart failure in the last month of pregnancy or in the first 5 months postpartum, absence of determinable cause for cardiac failure, and absence of a demonstrable heart disease before the last month of pregnancy. Risk factors for PPCM include advanced maternal age, multiparity, African race, twinning, gestational hypertension, and long-term tocolysis. The clinical presentation of patients with PPCM is similar to that of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Echocardiography is central to diagnosis. Early diagnosis and initiation of treatment are essential to optimize pregnancy outcome. Treatment is similar to medical therapy for other forms of dilated cardiomyopathy. About half the patients of PPCM recover without complications. The prognosis is poor in patients with persistent cardiomyopathy. Persistence of disease after 6 months indicates irreversible cardiomyopathy and portends worse survival

Erythropoietin: a new perspective in cardiovascular therapy

Erythropoietin is a hormone produced by the kidney, which regulates proliferation, differentiation and maturation of red cells. Recombinant human EPO (rH-EPO) is well known to correct anaemia in patients with chronic renal failure in terminal stage. However, recent studies showed the existence of several not haematopoietic effects of erythropoietin. EPO receptors have been found to be expressed in several tissues, included the cardiovascular system. An increase in cardiac systolic function has been observed in patients with chronic heart failure treated with EPO. Other beneficial effects appear to be related to the pro-angiogenic properties on endothelial cells and could be useful for treatment of ischemic heart disease. These findings suggest that EPO could provide potential therapeutic benefits in the management of cardiovascular diseases beyond anaemia correction. This review focuses its attention on the pleiotropic effects of EPO and its future promising applications in cardiovascular pathology

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum in COVID-19 pneumonia.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a benign entity but can worsen the underlying condition with which it is associated. We evaluated the incidence and the clinical relevance of spontaneous pneumomediastinum in a consecutive series of 102 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Six cases of pneumomediastinum were identified by high-resolution chest CT-scan. Three patients required early intubation, and one of them died, while in in the remaining subjects the clinical course was benign. The presence of pneumomediastinum required some changes in the management of mechanical ventilation. In conclusion, spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a possible complication of severe COVID-19 pneumonia that can affect patient management and clinical outcomes

Consulta de enfermagem de adolescentes: um recorte importante do cuidado prestado por enfermeiros em um Estado brasileiro

Objetivo: el cuidado de los adolescentes con o sin enfermedad crónica debe ser completo, estandarizado y centrado en las demandas individuales y en el proceso de transición a la atención para adultos y la adherencia al tratamiento. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo caracterizar los cuidados prestados por el personal de enfermería del estado de São Paulo que trabaja con adolescentes. Método: se trata de un estudio transversal y descriptivo sobre los cuidados prestados a los adolescentes por el personal de enfermería de São Paulo, a partir de las respuestas a un cuestionario autoadministrado, disponible en la herramienta REDCap entre agosto de 2018 y octubre de 2019. Resultados: los participantes respondieron a 1.632 cuestionarios. Solo el 38% del personal de enfermería trabaja con adolescentes, el 11,2% de forma exclusiva. Los profesionales se dividieron según la duración media de la experiencia profesional en los grupos A y B (≤5 años y >5 años). La drogadicción (p=0,01) y el trabajo con un equipo multidisciplinar (p=0,04) fueron significativamente más reportados en el grupo B. El seguimiento rutinario (p=0,02) y las preguntas sobre violencia sexual o física (p=0,03) fueron significativamente más realizadas por los profesionales del grupo A. Conclusión: este estudio identificó la necesidad de un protocolo de atención que pueda ser replicado a gran escala y que incluya el tratamiento y las particularidades de los adolescentes para mejorar la adherencia y la transición a la atención de adultos.Objective: the care of adolescents with or without a chronic disease must complete, standardized and focused on individual demands and the transition process to adult care and adherence to treatment. This study aimed to characterize the care provided by nurses from the state of São Paulo who work with adolescents. Method: this is a cross-sectional and descriptive study on the care provided to adolescents by nurses in São Paulo, based on the answers to a self-administered questionnaire, available in the REDCap tool between August 2018 and October 2019. Results: participants answered 1632 questionnaires. Only 38% of nurses work with adolescents, 11.2% exclusively. Professionals were divided according to the median length of professional experience in groups A and B (≤5 years and >5 years). Drug addiction (p=0.01) and working with a multidisciplinary team (p=0.04) were significantly more reported in group B. Routine follow-up (p=0.02) and questioning about sexual or physical violence (p=0.03) were significantly more performed by professionals from group A. Conclusion: this study identified the need for a care protocol that can be replicated on a large scale and that includes the treatment and the particularities of adolescents to improve adherence and the transition into adult care.Objetivo: o cuidado de adolescentes com ou sem doença crônica deve ser completo, padronizado e focado nas demandas individuais e no processo de transição para a assistência ao adulto e adesão ao tratamento. Este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar a assistência prestada por enfermeiros do estado de São Paulo que atuam com adolescentes. Método: trata-se de um estudo transversal e descritivo sobre a assistência prestada a adolescentes por enfermeiros de São Paulo, a partir das respostas a um questionário autoaplicável, disponível no instrumento REDCap entre agosto de 2018 e outubro de 2019. Resultados: os participantes responderam a 1632 questionários. Apenas 38% dos enfermeiros trabalham com adolescentes, e 11,2% deles de forma exclusiva. Os profissionais foram divididos de acordo com a mediana de tempo de experiência profissional nos Grupos A e B (≤ 5 anos e > 5 anos). A dependência de drogas (p=0,01) e o trabalho com uma equipe multidisciplinar (p=0,04) foram significativamente mais relatados no Grupo B. O acompanhamento rotineiro (p=0,02) e o questionamento sobre violência sexual ou física (p=0,03) foram significativamente mais realizados pelos profissionais do Grupo A. Conclusão: este estudo identificou a necessidade de um protocolo de assistência que possa ser replicado em larga escala e que inclua o tratamento e as particularidades dos adolescentes para melhorar a adesão e a transição para o cuidado do adulto

Nitric oxide and cardiovascular risk factors

The endothelium is a dynamic organ with many properties that takes part in the regulation of the principal mechanisms of vascular physiology. Its principal functions include the control of blood-tissue exchange and permeability, the vascular tonus, and the modulation of inflammatory or coagulatory mechanisms. Many vasoactive molecules, produced by the endothelium, are involved in the control of these functions. The most important is nitric oxide (NO), a gaseous molecule electrically neutral with an odd number of electrons that gives the molecule chemically reactive radical properties. Already known in the twentieth century, NO, sometimes considered as a dangerous molecule, recently valued as an important endogenous vasodilator factor. Recently, it was discovered that it is involved in several physiological mechanisms of endothelial protection (Tab. I). In 1992, Science elected it as “molecule of the year”; 6 yrs later three American researchers (Louis Ignarro, Robert Furchgott and Fried Murad) obtained a Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology “for their discoveries about NO as signal in the cardiovascular system”