Presumptive myocarditis with ST-Elevation myocardial infarction presentation in young males as a new syndrome. Clinical significance and long term follow up

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Acute myocarditis may mimic myocardial infarction, since affected patients complain of "typical" chest pain, the ECG changes are identical to those observed in acute coronary syndromes, and serum markers are increased. We describe a case series of presumptive myocarditis with ST segment elevation on admission ECG.</p> <p>Methods and Results</p> <p>From 1998 to 2009, 21 patients (20 males; age 17-42 years) were admitted with chest pain, persistent ST segment elevation, serum enzyme and troponine release. All but one patients had fever and flu-like symptoms prior to admission. No abnormal Q wave appeared in any ECG tracing, and angiography did not show significant coronary artery disease. Patients remained asymptomatic at long term follow-up, except 2 who experienced a late relapse, with the same clinical, electrocardiographic and serum findings as in the first clinical presentation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Presumptive myocarditis of possible viral origin characterized by ST elevation mimicking myocardial infarction, good short term prognosis and some risk for recurrence is relatively frequent in young males and appears as a distinct clinical condition.</p

Bilberry adulteration: Identification and chemical profiling of anthocyanins by different analytical methods

Extracts of the bilberry fruit have protective effects against retinopathy and vascular complications; therefore, they are important ingredients in food supplements. Recently, there have been several reported cases of adulteration. Thus, to characterize the anthocyanin profile, and the relative percentages of these pigments, this study analyzed bilberry fruits from different countries by liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector and a mass spectrometer detector. A total of 15 anthocyanins were identified, and a fingerprint profile was used for the quality control of the target material. Fourteen bilberry extracts and 12 finished products labeled as bilberry from different marketing manufacturers were analyzed. Approximately 50% of these extracts differed significantly from the reference bilberry, suggesting possible adulteration. Approximately 60% of the extracts and 33% of the food supplements presented a lower anthocyanin content than declared. The adulterations were observed mainly with extracts of mulberry and chokeberry