A novel and practical technique to facilitate lead insertion at the His bundle region.

Background: His bundle (HB) pacing techniques are challenging and time-consuming. This is primarily due to the limitations in locating the relatively small area of the HB body for pacing.

Methods: Permanent HB pacing was performed in 133 consecutive patients with symptomatic bradycardia.

Mycobacterium malmoense: an unusual pathogen causing endocarditis, a case report and literature review.

Non-tuberculous mycobacterias (NTM) are important pathogens responsible for a broad spectrum of diseases in humans. Although exposure is widespread since they are distributed in the environment, the development of the disease is rare. It will depend on the specific species, their virulence (only 50 have been found to cause disease), and the host's immune response.

Urinary biomarkers in lupus nephritis.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the prototypical autoimmune disease that can affect any organ of the body. Multiple mechanisms may contribute to the pathophysiology of systemic lupus, including failure to remove apoptotic bodies, hyperactivity of self-reactive B and T lymphocytes, abnormal exposure to autoantigens, and increased levels of B-cell stimulatory cytokines. The involvement of the kidney, called lupus nephritis (LN), during the course of the disease affects between 30% and 60% of adult SLE patients, and up to 70% of children.

Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage: A Cohort of Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Background/objective: Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is an uncommon but potentially fatal complication in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Its prognosis and factors associated with mortality are not completely clear, although invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), use of cyclophosphamide, a high Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, and infections are associated with high mortality rates. We investigated clinical and immunologic characteristics and factors associated with mortality in a cohort of Latin American patients with SLE who developed DAH.