The hidden hypothesis: A disseminated tuberculosis case.

Case Presentation: 77-year-old former smoker admitted because of fatigue and abdominal distention. Past medical history positive for two previous hospitalizations for pericardial and pleural effusions (no diagnosis achieved). At admission erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 122mm per hour.

G-CSF for Extensive STEMI.

Rationale: In the exploratory Phase II STEM-AMI (Stem Cells Mobilization in Acute Myocardial Infarction) trial, we reported that early administration of G-CSF (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor), in patients with anterior ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction after successful percutaneous coronary intervention, had the potential to significantly attenuate LV adverse remodeling in the long-term.

Objective: The STEM-AMI OUTCOME CMR (Stem Cells Mobilization in Acute Myocardial Infarction Outcome Cardiac Magnetic Resonance) Substudy was adequately powered to evaluate, in a population showing LV ejection fraction ≤45% after percutaneous coronary intervention for extensive ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, the effects of early administration of G-CSF in terms of LV remodeling and function, infarct size assessed by late gadolinium enhancement, and myocardial strain.

Methods And Results: Within the Italian, multicenter, prospective, randomized, Phase III STEM-AMI OUTCOME trial, 161 ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction patients were enrolled in the CMR Substudy and assigned to standard of care (SOC) plus G-CSF or SOC alone.

Effects of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation on neurological and cardiac outcome after ischaemic refractory cardiac arrest.

Background: Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation is increasingly recognised as a rescue therapy for refractory cardiac arrest, nevertheless data are scanty about its effects on neurologic and cardiac outcome. The aim of this study is to compare clinical outcome in patients with cardiac arrest of ischaemic origin (i.e.

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor for large anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction: rationale and design of the prospective randomized phase III STEM-AMI OUTCOME trial.

Background: Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been clinically tested in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with mixed results. Our 3-year follow-up data from STEM-AMI trial documented a sustained benefit of G-CSF on adverse ventricular remodeling after large anterior STEMI, when administered early and at a high-dose in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. The Aim of the present trial is to establish whether G-CSF improves hard clinical long-term outcomes.

G-CSF treatment for STEMI: final 3-year follow-up of the randomised placebo-controlled STEM-AMI trial.

Objective: To assess whether granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) treatment induces a sustained benefit on adverse remodelling in patients with large anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction after successful reperfusion.

Methods: The STEM-AMI Trial was a prospective, placebo-controlled, multicentre study. Sixty consecutive patients with a first anterior STEMI, who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention 2-12 h after symptom onset, with LV ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤45% measured by echocardiography within 12 h after successful revascularisation (TIMI flow score ≥2), were randomised 1:1 to G-CSF (5 µg/Kg body weight b.

[From the coronary care unit to the intensive cardiac care unit: the evolution of the Cardiovascular Department of a tertiary center].

Background: Substantial changes have occurred over time in the diagnoses, procedures and characteristics of patients admitted to coronary care units (CCU). Following the introduction of cardiac surgery activity in our hospital in December 2009, the aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in activity, processes of care and outcomes of patients consecutively admitted to our CCU after the reorganization of the Cardiovascular Department.

Methods: All 1674 consecutive patients admitted to the CCU from January 2009 to December 2010 were enrolled in this retrospective registry.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor attenuates left ventricular remodelling after acute anterior STEMI: results of the single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled multicentre STem cEll Mobilization in Acute Myocardial Infarction (STEM-AMI) Trial.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on left ventricular (LV) function and volumes in patients with anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and depressed LV ejection fraction (EF).

Methods And Results: Sixty consecutive patients with anterior STEMI, undergoing primary angioplasty percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), with symptom-to-reperfusion time of 2-12 h and EF ≤45% after PCI, were randomized to G-CSF 5 μg/kg b.i.

Capecitabine-induced cardiotoxicity: when to suspect? How to manage? A case report.

We present a case of capecitabine-induced cardiac toxicity manifested by chest pain, ST-segment elevation and ventricular tachycardia. Symptoms and ECG alterations were completely reversible after withdrawal of the drug. Coronary angiography demonstrated the absence of epicardial coronary spasm.

Tako-tsubo: a transitory impairment of microcirculation? A case report.

The tako-tsubo syndrome, or transient left ventricular apical ballooning, has been widely described in Japan as a cardiomyopathy which resembles acute myocardial infarction on presentation, but characterized by a normal coronary tree and a favorable outcome. Conversely few series have been described in Europe and etiology and mechanism are still unknown. We describe the case of a 74-year-old Italian woman with tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy, one of the first Italian cases reported to our knowledge.

Cardiac arrhythmias due to severe hypokalemia in a patient with classic Bartter disease.

We report a young girl with classic Bartter disease (type III) with severe hypokalemia (< or = 2.0 mmol/l) who developed a prolonged heart rate-corrected QT interval of 510 ms (upper reference 430 ms) and ST segment depression in all leads. Holter electrocardiography was performed (with a plasma potassium level of 2.