Evaluation of hemodynamics in healthy term neonates using ultrasonic cardiac output monitor.

Background: Transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life is a critical phase during which several changes occur in cardiovascular system. In clinical practice, it is important to have a method that allows an easy, rapid and precise evaluation of hemodynamic status of a newborn for clinical management. We here propose a rapid, broadly applicable method to monitor cardiovascular function using ultrasonic cardiac output monitoring (USCOM).

Female Genital Hair-Thread Tourniquet Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Systematic Review.

"Hair-thread tourniquet syndrome" (HTTS) describes the condition in which fibers of hair or thread wrap around an appendage (ie, toes, fingers, genital structures, tongue, uvula, and neck), eventually causing ischemia and tissue necrosis. To date, few cases of female genitalia HTTS have been described. We report a case of female genitalia HTTS in a 5-year-old girl and report the state of the art by systematically reviewing all existing evidence about female genital HTTS.

Coagulopathy, thromboembolic complications, and the use of heparin in COVID-19 pneumonia.

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is causing a pandemic and potentially fatal disease of global public health concern. Viral infections are known to be associated with coagulation impairment; thus, thrombosis, hemorrhage, or both may occur. Understanding the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the development of coagulation disorders during viral infection is essential for the development of therapeutic strategies.

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Short Unilateral Neuralgiform Headache Attacks with Conjunctival Injection and Tearing (SUNCT) Syndrome: Targeting the Trigeminal Nerve and the Sphenopalatine Ganglion. Case Report and Literature Review.

Background: Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) is a primary headache syndrome with an unclear pathogenesis, and only in very few cases, SUNCT is secondary to known lesions (secondary SUNCT). Several pharmacological as well as interventional and invasive treatments have been used to treat SUNT cases, with no definitive results. We describe a patient with idiopathic SUNCT syndrome, successfully treated with gamma knife radiosurgery and we report a review of the cases of the literature treated with radiosurgery.

Consensus Document on Intermittent Claudication from the Central European Vascular Forum (C.E.V.F.)-3rd revision (2013) with the sharing of the Mediterranean League of Angiology and Vascular Surgery, and the North Africa and Middle East Chapter of International Union of Angiology.

This paper is the review of the Consensus Document on Intermittent Claudication of the Central European Vascular Forum (CEVF), published in 2008, and and shared with the North Africa and Middle East Chapter of International Union of Angiology and the Mediterranean League of Angiology and Vascular Surgery. The Document presents suggestions for general practitioners and vascular specialists for more precise and appropriate management of PAD, particularly of intermittent claudication, and underlines the investigations that should be required by GPs and what the GP should expect from the vascular specialist (angiologist, vascular surgeon). The idea of the Faculty is to produce a short document, which is an easy reference in daily clinical practice, both for the GPs and vascular specialists.

[Late recovery of renal function in a patient with acute on chronic renal failure treated with peritoneal dialysis].

Contrast-induced nephropathy has become a significant source of hospital morbidity and mortality particularly in patients with multi-organs defects. No current treatment can reverse or ameliorate contrast induced nephropathy once it occurs, but prophylaxis is possible. We present the case of a 61-year-old male patient with concomitant chronic kidney disease (CKD stage III K/DOQI) and diabetes complicated by severe multi-vascular disease, who developed acute kidney damage probably due to the simultaneously exposure to intravascular contrast media and cholesterol crystal embolism.

Young adults with coeliac disease may be at increased risk of early atherosclerosis.

Background: Accelerated progression of atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular risk have been described in immune-mediated disorders, but few data are available in coeliac disease.

Aim: To evaluate instrumental and biochemical signs of atherosclerosis risk in 20 adults at first diagnosis of coeliac disease and after 6-8 months of gluten-free diet with mucosal recovery.

Methods: We analysed total, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, homocysteine, C-reactive protein, folate and vitamin B12; ultrasound measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and endothelium-dependent dilatation were both carried on at diagnosis and after gluten withdrawal.

Effect on walking distance and atherosclerosis progression of a nitric oxide-donating agent in intermittent claudication.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is almost invariably associated with a generalized atherosclerotic involvement of the arterial tree and endothelial dysfunction. Previous short-term studies showed improvement of vascular reactivity and walking capacity in PAD patients by measures aimed at restoring nitric oxide (NO) production. NO is also known to prevent the progression of atherosclerosis.

Propionyl-L-carnitine improves endothelial function, microcirculation and pain management in critical limb ischemia.

Introduction: Chronic critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a severe condition of hypo-perfusion of lower limbs, which is associated with inflammation and a pro-coagulative state. It is a disease at high risk of amputation and cardiovascular death. Propionyl-L-carnitine (PLC) is efficacious in improving pain free walking distance in peripheral arterial disease with claudication; it also exerts favorable effects on the arterial wall and on endothelial function.

Ascorbic acid prevents vascular dysfunction induced by oral glucose load in healthy subjects.

Objectives: To examine the effects of oral glucose load on forearm circulatory regulation before and after ascorbic acid administration in healthy subjects.

Design: Microcirculation study with laser Doppler was performed at the hand in basal conditions, after ischemia and after acetylcholine and nitroprusside; strain gauge plethysmography was performed at basal and after ischemia. The tests were repeated in the same sequence 2 hour after oral administration of glucose (75 g).

Serum autoantibodies against cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) predict severity of necroinflammation of recurrent hepatitis C.

We previously reported that autoantibodies against cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1) are frequent in patients with chronic hepatitis C. As autoimmune reactions are increasingly detected after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), this study investigates prevalence and significance of anti-CYP2E1 autoantibodies in 46 patients with post-OLT recurrent hepatitis C. IgG against recombinant human CYP2E1 above the control threshold was detected in 19 out 46 (41%) sera collected immediately before OLT and in 15 out 46 (33%) sera collected at the time of the 12 months follow-up liver biopsy.

Prospective study of natural killer cell phenotype in recurrent hepatitis C virus infection following liver transplantation.

Background/aims: Graft re-infection invariably occurs after liver transplantation (OLT) for chronic hepatitis C and disease progression is unpredictable. We prospectively examined peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) subsets and natural killer (NK) cell receptors (NKRs) in patients with recurrent hepatitis C post-OLT.

Methods: PBMC were obtained at baseline and at different time points after OLT.

Endothelial progenitor cells in patients with severe peripheral arterial disease.

The aims of this study were to investigate the interrelationships between endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and atherosclerotic risk factors, as only limited data are available regarding the EPCs in patients with PAD. The authors studied the number of EPCs by different methods in a carefully selected group of 45 patients with PAD along with 24 healthy subjects (HS). In patients with PAD, by utilizing the dual-binding method, the number of EPCs was significantly increased compared to HS (M +/- SD, PAD: 73 +/- 33, HS: 52 +/- 20 EPCs/high power field; p < .

Forearm haemodynamics, arterial stiffness and microcirculatory reactivity in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This work studied the presence of impaired forearm haemodynamics, arterial stiffness and microcirculatory reactivity in young women with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: Sixty-five women aged 41-52 years, with rheumatoid arthritis, were screened for the absence of common cardiovascular risk factors.

Increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in small hepatocellular carcinoma.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is involved in both development and progression of several epithelial tumours, but its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. Assessment of liver and blood levels of VEGF may provide further insights on angiogenesis in HCC. Tissue mRNA of VEGF-165, VEGF-189 and their receptor KDR was assessed by a semi-quantitative retro-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and expressed as target transcript/beta-actin ratio, in 29 patients with HCC, 26 with cirrhosis and 15 with chronic hepatitis.

Endothelial progenitor cells in patients with essential hypertension.

Objective(s): The eventual role of blood pressure on the endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) has rarely been evaluated and data collected so far relate to patients with co-existing coronary heart disease.

Methods: We have studied the number and functional activity of EPC as well as the number of EPC endothelial colony-forming units (CFU) in a carefully selected group of 36 patients with essential hypertension and 24 normotensive control subjects.

Results: In patients with essential hypertension, the EPC number was not statistically different from that found in control subjects (mean +/- SD, essential hypertension 58 +/- 29, controls 53 +/- 20; EPC/high power field).

Effects of smoking on cardiopulmonary baroreceptor activation and peripheral vascular resistance.

Patients And Methods: We studied 16 healthy smokers and 16 nonsmokers acting as controls. We subjected smokers and nonsmokers to cardiopulmonary baroreceptor stimulation by studying forearm and common carotid haemodynamic and sympathovagal balance. Smokers repeated the tests after smoking one cigarette.