Early prosthetic valve endocarditis complicating repeated attempts at CoreValve implantation.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation is emerging as a promising, effective therapy for high-risk patients not eligible to undergo surgical aortic valve replacement. Infection complications have only rarely been reported. We report a case of probable endocarditis caused by coagulase-negative Staphylococcus following repeated attempts at implantation of a CoreValve bioprosthesis.

Brain natriuretic peptide increases in septic patients without severe sepsis or shock.

Background: B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) production increases in critically ill septic patients. We assessed the hypothesis that BNP is elevated in patients with community-acquired infections without severe sepsis or septic shock.

Methods: We studied 54 patients [20 males, median age 39 (interquartile range 23, 71)] without heart disease, persistent arrhythmias, or renal failure.

Spondylodiscitis due to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an increasingly recognized cause of severe nosocomial infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. Community-acquired infections have also been reported. Spondylodiscitis due to S.

Vaccination against hepatitis B virus in workers of a general hospital in Athens.

Background: Protection against hepatitis B virus infection by vaccination is considered to be an important preventive measure for health care workers.

Objectives: Investigation of vaccination coverage against hepatitis B virus in health care workers of a regional general hospital in Athens and assessment of predictive factors possibly associated with the likelihood of vaccination.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, a questionnaire survey was carried out on 175 health care workers of a regional general hospital in Athens.

Cytogenetic data as a prognostic factor in multiple myeloma patients: involvement of 1p12 region an adverse prognostic factor.

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is charecterized by great clinical heterogeneity. Among known prognostic factors the cytogenetic abnormalities are thought to be of major importance. The aim of this study was to correlate certain chromosomal abnormalities with immunoglobulin isotype and survival in MM patients.

M-FISH in gastric lymphoma.

The majority of gastric B-cell lymphomas histologically are classified as low grade mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL). There is evidence that the different histologic types are genetically heterogeneous, evolving through different pathogenetic pathways. Recurrent cytogenetic aberrations have been found in MALT lymphoma, whereas in DLBCL, limited cytogenetic data are available.

Novel recurrent structural chromosomal aberrations in primary bladder cancer.

Background: Bladder cancer is a heterogeneous genetic disease and, to date, no specific cytogenetic abnormality has been established. The detection of recurrent genetic changes with common breakpoints is of special interest, facilitating the identification of genes implicated in carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate recurrent structural chromosomal aberrations with common breakpoints and to correlate them with the histological stage of tumors.

Sarcoidosis in untreated chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Chronic hepatitis C has been implicated in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis in several cases of patients treated with interferon-alpha. On the other hand, only in a few cases previously has a possible link between sarcoidosis and untreated chronic hepatitis C virus infection been demonstrated. We report on a patient with chronic hepatitis C who developed cutaneous sarcoidosis without prior interferon-alpha treatment.

Molecular cytogenetic analysis of breast cancer: a combined multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization and G-banding study of uncultured tumor cells.

In six patients with breast cancer, uncultured tumor cells were investigated with G-banding and multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (M-FISH). A large number of numerical and structural aberrations could be analyzed. Among other structural abnormalities, reciprocal, hidden and complex translocations were found.

Detection of genetic alterations in primary bladder carcinoma with dual-color and multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Cytogenetic studies of bladder cancer have shown several nonrandom aberrations. Numerical aberrations of both sex chromosomes were investigated in 32 primary bladder tumors with bicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Loss of chromosome Y and overrepresentation of chromosome X were observed in subgroups of male patients.

Numerical aberrations of chromosome 8 in gastric cancer detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Background: Limited data are available on the genetic events underlying gastric cancer. Studying a few cases by conventional cytogenetic techniques, we previously reported that chromosome 8 might be frequently involved. The aim of our study was to evaluate the numerical aberrations of chromosome 8 in gastric cancer using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Prevalence of hepatitis B and C markers among refugees in Athens.

Aim: To assess the prevalence of hepatitis B and C serological markers in a population of refugees living in Athens.

Methods: One hundred and thirty refugees (81 males and 49 females, mean age +/-SD: 31.7+/-8 years) were included in the study.

Helicobacter pylori infection in diabetic patients: prevalence and endoscopic findings.

BACKGROUND: In patients with diabetes mellitus, chronic infections are frequent and severe, due to the impairment of their immune status. However, data on the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in diabetics are scanty and contradictory.

Application of multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization in the cytogenetic analysis of primary gastric carcinoma.

The different genetic alterations observed in diffuse and intestinal types of gastric cancer suggest that these two pathological types may represent different disease entities. We present two cases of primary gastric carcinoma, a well-differentiated intestinal type adenocarcinoma and a poorly differentiated diffuse type adenocarcinoma, both studied by a 24-color multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridization technique (M-FISH). The well-differentiated intestinal type adenocarcinoma exhibited fewer structural abnormalities with five noncomplex translocations, deletions of chromosomes 5q, 6q, and 17q and an i(8q).

Transfusion-mediated Yersinia enterocolitica septicemia in an adult patient with beta-thalassemia.

We report a case of transfusion-mediated Yersinia enterocolitica septicemia in a 43-y-old woman with homozygous beta-thalassemia. Two h after transfusion of 3 units of red blood cells the patient suffered high-grade fever and shaking chills. Y.

Cytogenetic study of 11 gastric adenocarcinomas.

We describe the cytogenetic findings in 11 gastric cancer cases. Nine cases showed a variable number of numerical and structural aberrations, while two cases had a normal karyotype. The chromosomes most frequently involved are chromosome 3 in six cases, 6 in four cases, and 13 in three cases.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia with a variant Philadelphia translocation, der(9), and der(19) chromosomes.

We report here one of 15 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cytogenetically studied, with hypodiploidy, a variant Ph translocation, and der(9) and der(19) chromosomes. The patient, a 14-year-old girl, underwent combination chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation and is still in remission 22 months after transplantation.

Interstitial 9q deletion. A primary change in a case with splenomegaly of unknown origin.

In a case with splenomegaly of unknown origin and features of hypersplenism, an interstitial 9q deletion was identified as a sole clonal abnormality of bone marrow cells. The meaning of 9q deletion as a primary change, as well as its clinical significance, are considered.