The mass that should not be there: Multi-modality imaging shapes diagnostic reasoning.

A rare case of pulmonary artery fibroelastoma that demonstrates the importance of multimodality imaging and serial scans in reducing diagnostic uncertainty.

Carotid body dysregulation contributes to Long COVID symptoms.

Background: The symptoms of long COVID, which include fatigue, breathlessness, dysregulated breathing, and exercise intolerance, have unknown mechanisms. These symptoms are also observed in heart failure and are partially driven by increased sensitivity of the carotid chemoreflex. As the carotid body has an abundance of ACE2 (the cell entry mechanism for SARS-CoV-2), we investigated whether carotid chemoreflex sensitivity was elevated in participants with long COVID.

Catheter ablation for supraventricular arrhythmias in adults with congenital heart disease: Recurrence rates and predictors of acute procedural success.

Aims: To define the cohort of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients undergoing catheter ablation for supraventricular arrhythmia in a large tertiary centre, characterise outcomes, and determine factors associated with arrhythmia recurrence.

Methods: Single centre retrospective study of all catheter ablations for atrial arrhythmias in ACHD patients between September 2014 and October 2021. Patients were identified using a field search through a centralised database.

NKX2-5 genetic mutation in a young woman with an atrial septal defect presenting with complete heart block: ICD or bradycardia pacemaker?

A woman in her 40s was admitted following syncope. The 12-lead ECG showed atrial fibrillation with slow ventricular response and suspected complete atrioventricular (AV) block. Cardiac monitoring demonstrated non-sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT).

Acute ECG changes in a woman presenting to coronary care with fluctuating consciousness.

We present the case of a 67-year-old woman brought into the coronary care unit (CCU) with a suspected ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) due to lateral ST-segment elevation on her 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and a significant troponin rise, but no reported chest pain and a fluctuating consciousness level. Whilst in CCU, she deteriorated further with a reduction in consciousness and sluggish pupillary reflexes, warranting urgent computed tomography (CT) of her brain, which confirmed extensive subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) with early evidence of hydrocephalus. She was therefore transferred to the local tertiary neurosurgical centre for endovascular coiling.

In-stent Thrombosis and COVID-19 Infection: Current Insights on the Mechanistic Relationship.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been demonstrated as a major risk factor in inducing coronary stent thrombosis due to its propensity to create a pro-thrombotic state. This review explores the mechanisms that may contribute to the increased thrombosis risk seen in COVID-19. Furthermore, we discuss the patient and haematological factors that predispose to an increased risk of stent thrombosis, as well as the role of certain antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapies, including ticagrelor and enoxaparin, that may reduce the likelihood and severity of in-stent thrombosis, in SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Multimodality imaging of Abernethy malformation.

Abernethy malformation, or congenital extrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt, is a rare anomaly involving the portal venous system. Despite its rarity, it is increasingly being reported, and therefore, it is important to diagnose given the potential adverse clinical consequences if left untreated. It has a spectrum of presentations, ranging from complete lack of symptoms, to causing hepatic carcinoma, hepatic encephalopathy, severe pulmonary hypertension, and diffuse pulmonary arteriovenous malformation.

The vascular impact of dapagliflozin, liraglutide, and atorvastatin alone or in combinations in type 2 diabetic rat model.

Diabetic dyslipidemia is a significant contributor in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The study aimed at comparing the effect of dapagliflozin, liraglutide, and atorvastatin alone or their combinations on lipids and inflammatory markers and their vascular impact in T2D rats. There were 56 male albino rats included in the study and divided into two main groups.

Rare presentation of Fabry disease as 'burnt-out' hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

We herein report the case of a 53-year-old man who was historically diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and was lost to follow-up, before presenting with end-stage heart failure. This was initially suspected as dilated cardiomyopathy and then 'burnt-out phase' of HCM but subsequently the underlying diagnosis was Fabry disease. Fabry disease is an uncommon lysosomal-storage disease due to reduced or absent activity of the alpha-galactosidase A enzyme.

The Gerbode defect: a case series.

Background: The Gerbode defect is a rare abnormal communication between the left ventricle (LV) and right atrium (RA). The lesion is either congenital or acquired. Acquired defects are largely iatrogenic or infective in origin.

Case Report: Emergency High-Risk Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Bicuspid Anatomy.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVR) continues to develop as a valuable alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in an increasingly wide spectrum of patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS). AS frequently coexists with coronary artery disease, and performing technically challenging percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) following TAVR will become more frequent with increased use of TAVR. We herein report the case of a 53-years-old man with complex medical history including type 1 diabetes and dialysis-dependent renal failure and prior Evolut-R TAVR for critical bicuspid aortic valve stenosis who underwent intravascular ultrasound study (IVUS)-guided PCI to a critical distal left main stem (LMS) and proximal left anterior descending (LAD) lesion after presenting with ventricular fibrillation (VF) secondary to an acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

What Change in Body Mass Index Is Required to Improve Cardiovascular Outcomes in Childhood and Adolescent Obesity through Lifestyle Interventions: A Meta-Regression.

Using meta-regression, this article aims at establishing the minimum change in BMI-standard deviation score (SDS) needed to improve lipid profiles and blood pressure in children and adolescents with obesity, to aid future trials and guidelines. Studies with participants involved in lifestyle interventions, aged 4-19 years, with a diagnosis of obesity according to defined BMI thresholds, were considered for inclusion in a large systematic review. Interventions had to report pre- and post-intervention (or mean change in) BMI-SDS, plus either systolic blood pressure (SBP), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and/or triglycerides (TGs).

What is the possible therapeutic effect of Ginkgo biloba on gastric ulcer induced by ammonia in albino rats?

Gastric ulcer is a worldwide disease. Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common chronic bacterial infections that induce chronic inflammation in the gastric mucosa, mediated by an array of pro-and inflammatory cytokines. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible therapeutic effects of Ginkgo biloba extract on gastric ulcer induced by ammonium hydroxide in rats and the potential underlying mechanisms.

Myocardial inflammation, injury and infarction during on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Background: Myocardial inflammation and injury occur during coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. We aimed to characterise these processes during routine CABG surgery to inform the diagnosis of type 5 myocardial infarction.

Methods: We assessed 87 patients with stable coronary artery disease who underwent elective CABG surgery.

Giant cell aortitis leading to Stanford type B and type A aortic dissection.

This report provides a rare histological example and the appropriate management of spontaneous aortic dissection secondary to giant cell arteritis.

Suitability of UK Biobank Retinal Images for Automatic Analysis of Morphometric Properties of the Vasculature.

Purpose: To assess the suitability of retinal images held in the UK Biobank--the largest retinal data repository in a prospective population-based cohort--for computer assisted vascular morphometry, generating measures that are commonly investigated as candidate biomarkers of systemic disease.

Methods: Non-mydriatic fundus images from both eyes of 2,690 participants--people with a self-reported history of myocardial infarction (n=1,345) and a matched control group (n=1,345)--were analysed using VAMPIRE software. These images were drawn from those of 68,554 UK Biobank participants who underwent retinal imaging at recruitment.

Relationship between bacteriology of the adenoid core and middle meatus in children with sinusitis.

Objective: To assess the correlation between bacterial pathogens in the adenoid core and the middle meatus, in children with hypertrophied adenoids and chronic or recurrent sinusitis.

Design: The study was conducted at Alexandria University Hospitals. We included 103 children aged four to 12 years who were scheduled for adenoidectomy and who had clinical and/or radiological evidence of chronic or recurrent sinusitis.

Ameliorative effect of pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate on acetic acid-induced colitis in rats.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronically recurrent inflammatory bowel disease of unknown origin. The present study examined the effect of NF-kappaB inhibitor and antioxidant, pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC) on experimental ulcerative colitis in rats. Animals were randomly divided into 4 groups, each consisting of 6 animals; normal control group, acetic acid group, PDTC-treated group and sulfasalazine-treated group as a positive control group.

Ginkgo biloba attenuates mucosal damage in a rat model of ulcerative colitis.

Intestinal inflammatory states, regardless of specific initiating events, share common immunologically mediated pathways of tissue injury and repair. The efficacy of various drugs used to treat ulcerative colitis (UC) was investigated. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of ginkgo biloba extract on the extent and severity of UC caused by intracolonic administration of acetic acid in rats.

Azithromycin and erythromycin ameliorate the extent of colonic damage induced by acetic acid in rats.

Ulcerative colitis is a common inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) of unknown etiology. Recent studies have revealed the role of some microorganisms in the initiation and perpetuation of IBD. The role of antibiotics in the possible modulation of colon inflammation is still uncertain.

Attenuation of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in rats by mesna.

Lung fibrosis is a common side effect of the chemotherapeutic agent, bleomycin. Current evidence suggests that reactive oxygen species may play a key role in the development of lung fibrosis. The present study examined the effect of mesna on bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis in rats.

The effects of selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, celecoxib and rofecoxib, on experimental colitis induced by acetic acid in rats.

Several mediators may be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease, as well as in experimental colitis. The present work was conducted to investigate the effects of the two selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, celecoxib and rofecoxib, on experimentally induced colitis in rats. Rectal instillation of acetic acid was used to induce the colitis.

Evaluating the prophylactic potential of zafirlukast against the toxic effects of acetic acid on the rat colon.

The present work was conducted to assess the possible protective effects of zafirlukast against the toxic damage induced by acetic acid in rat colon. Zafirlukast is a potent and selective cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist which is used mainly in the prophylaxis of bronchial asthma. Two doses of zafirlukast were used (40 and 80 mg/kg) dissolved in gum acacia and given either orally or rectally (0.

Protective effect of natural honey against acetic acid-induced colitis in rats.

Aims: The protective effects of natural honey against acetic acid-induced colitis were investigated in rats.

Methods: Honey and glucose, fructose, sucrose, maltose mixture were administered, orally and rectally, daily for a period of 4 days. Induction of colitis was done on the third day using 3% acetic acid.