Rapidly progressive respiratory failure after helminth larvae ingestion.

Background: Self-administration of helminths has gained attention among patients as a potential but unproven therapy for autoimmune disease. We present a case of rapidly progressive respiratory failure in a patient with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) as a result of self-administration of parasitic organisms.

Case: A 45-year-old woman with a history of interstitial lung disease and PAH due to limited cutaneous SSc presented to pulmonary clinic with worsening dyspnea, cough, and new onset hypoxemia.

Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Cardiovascular Anomalies Associated With Turner Syndrome.

Cardiovascular imaging plays a central role in the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of congenital and acquired cardiovascular disease in patients with Turner syndrome. Cardiovascular defects in this population may affect a single component of the cardiovascular system or exist in combination with other anomalies, and, they may present early in life or remain occult into adulthood. Careful screening and surveillance imaging are necessary for the early detection and management of cardiovascular defects, especially in cases wherein early intervention may be necessary to prevent a serious cardiovascular outcome.

Radiographic Review of Current Therapeutic and Monitoring Devices in the Chest.

Chest radiographs are obtained as a standard part of clinical care. Rapid advancements in medical technology have resulted in a myriad of new medical devices, and familiarity with their imaging appearance is a critical yet increasingly difficult endeavor. Many modern thoracic medical devices are new renditions of old designs and are often smaller than older versions.

Comparison of safety and efficacy of sirolimus-eluting stents versus bare metal stents in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Sirolimus-eluting stents (SESs) are superior to bare metal stents (BMSs) for percutaneous coronary intervention, but data regarding SESs in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are limited. We investigated the clinical outcomes of patients with STEMI who were treated with SESs. We measured clinical characteristics and acute and long-term outcomes in 306 consecutive patients with STEMI who received a SES (n = 156) or a BMS (n = 150).