Assessment of the left atrial volume index and plasma NT-proANP level in patients with acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction

OBJECTIVES: Acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction is associated with ventricular dysfunction due to ischemia-induced progressive myocardial damage. The decrease in ventricular compliance causes left atrial dilatation and stretching of the atrial myocardium, which are the main stimuli for the secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide. The aim of this study was to evaluate left atrial dimensions and atrial natriuretic peptide levels in patients early after their first acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction and assess the probable interaction between coronary lesions and these measurements. METHODS: A total of 110 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 50 controls were studied. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide was measured at admission. Left ventricular function, diameter, and volume index were evaluated using transthoracic echocardiography. Gensini and vessel scores of the patients who underwent coronary angiography were calculated. RESULTS: Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in the patients with myocardial infarction was increased compared with that in controls (3.90±3.75 vs. 1.35±0.72 nmol/L,

The correlates of benefit from neoadjuvant chemotherapy before surgery in non-small-cell lung cancer: a metaregression analysis

Background: Although neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) is widely used, it is not clear which subgroup of locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients should be treated with this approach, and if a particular benefit associated with NCT exists. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential correlates of benefit from NCT in patients with NSCLC.Methods: All randomized clinical trials (RCTs) utilizing a NCT arm (without radiotherapy) versus a control arm before surgery were included for metaregression analysis. All regression analyses were weighed for trial size. Separate analyses were conducted for trials recruiting patients with different stages of disease. Previously published measures of treatment efficacy were used for the purpose of this study, regardless of being published in full text or abstract form.Results: A total of 14 RCTs, consisting of 3,615 patients, were selected. Histology, stage, various characteristics of the NCT protocol, and different trial features including trial quality score were not associated with the benefit of NCT. However, in trials of stage 3 disease only, there was a greater benefit in terms of reduction in mortality from NCT, if protocols with three chemotherapeutics were used (B = -0.18, t = -5.25, P = 0.006).Conclusions: We think that patients with stage 3 NSCLC are served better with NCT before surgery if protocols with three chemotherapy agents or equally effective combinations are used. In addition, the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy is consistent with regard to disease and patient characteristics. This finding should be tested in future RCTs or individual patient data meta-analyses. © 2012 Bozcuk et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd