10 research outputs found
a cardiovascular magnetic resonance study
Background The hypertensive deoxy-corticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt-treated
pig (hereafter, DOCA pig) was recently introduced as large animal model for
early-stage heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The aim of
the present study was to evaluate cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) of
DOCA pigs and weight-matched control pigs to characterize ventricular, atrial
and myocardial structure and function of this phenotype model. Methods Five
anesthetized DOCA and seven control pigs underwent 3 T CMR at rest and during
dobutamine stress. Left ventricular/atrial (LV/LA) function and myocardial
mass (LVMM), strains and torsion were evaluated from (tagged) cine imaging. 4D
phase-contrast measurements were used to assess blood flow and peak
velocities, including transmitral early-diastolic (E) and myocardial tissue
(E’) velocities and coronary sinus blood flow. Myocardial perfusion reserve
was estimated from stress-to-rest time-averaged coronary sinus flow. Global
native myocardial T1 times were derived from prototype modified Look-Locker
inversion-recovery (MOLLI) short-axis T1 maps. After in-vivo measurements,
transmural biopsies were collected for stereological evaluation including the
volume fractions of interstitium (VV(int/LV)) and collagen (VV(coll/LV)).
Rest, stress, and stress-to-rest differences of cardiac and myocardial
parameters in DOCA and control animals were compared by t-test. Results In
DOCA pigs LVMM (p < 0.001) and LV wall-thickness (end-systole/end-diastole, p
= 0.003/p = 0.007) were elevated. During stress, increase of LV ejection-
fraction and decrease of end-systolic volume accounted for normal
contractility reserves in DOCA and control pigs. Rest-to-stress differences of
cardiac index (p = 0.040) and end-diastolic volume (p = 0.042) were
documented. Maximal (p = 0.042) and minimal (p = 0.012) LA volumes in DOCA
pigs were elevated at rest; total LA ejection-fraction decreased during stress
(p = 0.006). E’ was lower in DOCA pigs, corresponding to higher E/E’ at rest
(p = 0.013) and stress (p = 0.026). Myocardial perfusion reserve was reduced
in DOCA pigs (p = 0.031). T1-times and VV(int/LV) did not differ between
groups, whereas VV(coll/LV) levels were higher in DOCA pigs (p = 0.044).
Conclusions LA enlargement, E’ and E/E’ were the markers that showed the most
pronounced differences between DOCA and control pigs at rest. Inadequate
increase of myocardial perfusion reserve during stress might represent a
metrics for early-stage HFpEF. Myocardial T1 mapping could not detect elevated
levels of myocardial collagen in this model. Trial registration The study was
approved by the local Bioethics Committee of Vienna, Austria
(BMWF-66.010/0091-II/3b/2013)
Combining targeted and systematic prostate biopsy improves prostate cancer detection and correlation with the whole mount histopathology in biopsy naïve and previous negative biopsy patients
OBJECTIVE: Guidelines for previous negative biopsy (PNB) cohorts with a suspicion of prostate cancer (PCa) after positive multiparametric (mp) magnetic-resonance-imaging (MRI) often favour the fusion-guided targeted prostate-biopsy (TB) only approach for Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) ≥3 lesions. However, recommendations lack direct biopsy performance comparison within biopsy naïve (BN) vs. PNB patients and its prognostication of the whole mount pathology report (WMPR), respectively. We suppose, that the combination of TB and concomitant TRUS-systematic biopsy (SB) improves the PCa detection rate of PI-RADS 2, 3, 4 or 5 lesions and the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP)-grade predictability of the WMPR in BN- and PNB patients. METHODS: Patients with suspicious mpMRI, elevated prostate-specific-antigen and/or abnormal digital rectal examination were included. All PI-RADS reports were intramurally reviewed for biopsy planning. We compared the PI-RADS score substratified TB, SB or combined approach (TB/SB) associated BN- and PNB-PCa detection rate. Furthermore, we assessed the ISUP-grade variability between biopsy cores and the WMPR. RESULTS: According to BN (n = 499) vs. PNB (n = 314) patients, clinically significant (cs) PCa was detected more frequently by the TB/SB approach (62 vs. 43%) than with the TB (54 vs. 34%) or SB (57 vs. 34%) (all p < 0.0001) alone. Furthermore, we observed that the TB/SB strategy detects a significantly higher number of csPCa within PI-RADS 3, 4 or 5 reports, both in BN and PNB men. In contrast, applied biopsy techniques were equally effective to detect csPCa within PI-RADS 2 lesions. In case of csPCa diagnosis the TB approach was more often false-negative in PNB patients (BN 11% vs. PNB 19%; p = 0.02). The TB/SB technique showed in general significantly less upgrading, whereas a higher agreement was only observed for the total and BN patient cohort. CONCLUSION: Despite csPCa is more frequently found in BN patients, the TB/SB method always detected a significantly higher number of csPCa within PI-RADS 3, 4 or 5 reports of our BN and PNB group. The TB/SB strategy predicts the ISUP-grade best in the total and BN cohort and in general shows the lowest upgrading rates, emphasizing its value not only in BN but also PNB patients
Counter-clockwise vortical blood flow in the main pulmonary artery in a patient with patent ductus arteriosus with pulmonary arterial hypertension: a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging case report
Native myocardial T1 mapping in pulmonary hypertension: correlations with cardiac function and hemodynamics
Early-stage heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in the pig: a cardiovascular magnetic resonance study
Glycemic variability and glucose complexity in critically ill patients: a retrospective analysis of continuous glucose monitoring data
INTRODUCTION: Glycemic variability as a marker of endogenous and exogenous factors, and glucose complexity as a marker of endogenous glucose regulation are independent predictors of mortality in critically ill patients. We evaluated the impact of real time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) on glycemic variability in critically ill patients on intensive insulin therapy (IIT), and investigated glucose complexity - calculated using detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) - in ICU survivors and non-survivors. METHODS: Retrospective analysis were conducted of two prospective, randomized, controlled trials in which 174 critically ill patients either received IIT according to a real-time CGM system (n = 63) or according to an algorithm (n = 111) guided by selective arterial blood glucose measurements with simultaneously blinded CGM for 72 hours. Standard deviation, glucose lability index and mean daily delta glucose as markers of glycemic variability, as well as glucose complexity and mean glucose were calculated. RESULTS: Glycemic variability measures were comparable between the real time CGM group (n = 63) and the controls (n = 111). Glucose complexity was significantly lower (higher DFA) in ICU non-survivors (n = 36) compared to survivors (n = 138) (DFA: 1.61 (1.46 to 1.68) versus 1.52 (1.44 to 1.58); P = 0.003). Diabetes mellitus was significantly associated with a loss of complexity (diabetic (n = 33) versus non-diabetic patients (n = 141) (DFA: 1.58 (1.48 to 1.65) versus 1.53 (1.44 to 1.59); P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: IIT guided by real time CGM did not result in significantly reduced glycemic variability. Loss of glucose complexity was significantly associated with mortality and with the presence of diabetes mellitus
Cellular contribution to left and right atrial dysfunction in chronic arterial hypertension in pigs
Aims: Atrial contractile dysfunction contributes to worse prognosis in hypertensive heart disease (HHD), but the role of cardiomyocyte dysfunction in atrial remodelling in HHD is not well understood. We investigated and compared cellular mechanisms of left (LA) and right atrial (RA) contractile dysfunction in pigs with HHD.
Methods and results: In vivo electrophysiological and magnetic resonance imaging studies were performed in control and pigs treated with 11-deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)/high-salt/glucose diet (12 weeks) to induce HHD. HHD leads to significant atrial remodelling and loss of contractile function in LA and a similar trend in RA (magnetic resonance imaging). Atrial remodelling was associated with a higher inducibility of atrial fibrillation but unrelated to changes in atrial refractory period or fibrosis (histology). Reduced atrial function in DOCA pigs was related to reduced contraction amplitude of isolated LA (already at baseline) and RA myocytes (at higher frequencies) due to reduced intracellular Ca release (Fura 2-AM, field stimulation). However, Ca regulation differed in LA and RA cardiomyocytes: LA cardiomyocytes showed reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) [Ca], whereas in RA, SR [Ca] was unchanged and SR Ca2+-ATPase activity was increased. Sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) activity was not significantly altered. We used ORM-10103 (3 mu M), a specific NCX inhibitor to improve Ca availability in LA and RA cardiomyocytes from DOCA pigs. Partial inhibition of NCX increased Ca2+ transient amplitude and SR Ca in LA, but not RA cells.
Conclusions: In this large animal model of HHD, atrial remodelling in sinus rhythm in vivo was related to differential LA and RA cardiomyocyte dysfunction and Ca signalling. Selective acute inhibition of NCX improved Ca release in diseased LA cardiomyocytes, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach to improve atrial inotropy in HHD
Rituximab as a Treatment Option after Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in a Patient with Systemic Sclerosis
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an intractable autoimmune disease characterized by vasculopathy and organ fibrosis. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) should be considered for the treatment of selected patients with rapid progressive SSc at high risk of organ failure. It, however, remains elusive whether immunosuppressive therapies such as rituximab (RTX) are still necessary for such patients after AHSCT, especially in those with bad outcomes. In the present report, a 43-year-old man with diffuse cutaneous SSc received AHSCT. Despite AHSCT, SSc further progressed with progressive symptomatic heart failure with newly developed concomitant mitral and tricuspid valve insufficiency, thus the patient started on RTX 8 months after AHSCT. Shortly after initiation of RTX, clinical symptoms and organ functions ameliorated subsequently. Heart valve regurgitations were reversible after initiation of RTX treatment. Currently, the patient remains in a stable condition with significant improvement of clinical symptoms and organ functions. Reporting about therapies after AHSCT in SSc is a very important issue, as randomized controlled trials are lacking, and therefore this report adds to evidence that RTX can be considered as a treatment option in patients with SSc that do not respond to AHSCT