Hemoglobin A1c in Patients with Diabetes Predict Long-Term Mortality Following Coronary Artery Surgery.

Objective: to estimate the association between preoperative hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels below and above 7%, and the rate of all-cause mortality (ACM) in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) within a ten-year follow-up period.

Methods: we collected data on patient HbA1c levels that were measured up to 3 months prior to isolated CABG in consecutive patients with DM, and analyzed the rates of ACM over a median of a 5.9-year post-operative period.

Clinical Outcome of Urgent Thoracotomy in Patients with Penetrating and Blunt Chest Trauma: A Retrospective Survey.

Introduction: In contrast to an emergency department of thoracotomy (EDT), an urgent thoracotomy (UT) is defined as a surgical thoracic intervention performed in the operating room within the first 48 hours of the patient's intensive care unit (ICU) stay. The factors affecting survival after UT are not fully understood. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and outcome of patients with blunt and penetrating chest injuries who underwent UT.

Successful lung transplantation for talcosis secondary to intravenous abuse of oral drug.

Talcosis due to intravenous injection of oral drugs can cause severe pulmonary disease with progressive dyspnea even when drug use is discontinued. We describe a 54-year-old woman with severe emphysema who underwent left lung transplantation. The patient had a remote history of intravenous injection of crushed methylphenidate (Ritalin) tablets.

Two successful lung transplantations from a dialysis-dependent donor.

The shortage of organs for lung transplantation has led to the growing use of "marginal" donors. Although patients on hemodialysis are still excluded as lung transplant donors because of the possible effects of renal failure on the lungs, recent data suggest that they may be suitable in selected cases. This article describes the successful transplantation of two lungs from a single donor who had been receiving long-term hemodialysis treatment.

An association between oxygen desaturation and D-dimer in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

D-dimer, a degradation product of fibrin, is being increasingly used as a marker and prognostic factor in various thrombotic diseases. Previous reports have shown that obstructive sleep apnea is associated with platelet activation and hypercoagulability. The aim of the study was to assess the potential role of the plasma D-dimer test in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Long-term azithromycin use for treatment of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome in lung transplant recipients.

Short-term improvement in lung function was observed in 5 of 6 lung transplant recipients with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) who were treated with oral azithromycin. We assessed the long-term effect (mean duration 10 months) of treatment with oral azithromycin in 11 lung transplant recipients with BOS. Mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was 40 +/- 9% at initiation of azithromycin treatment, 39 +/- 10% after 1 month, 39 +/- 12% after 4 months, 38 +/- 10% after 7 months and 38 +/- 10% after 10 months, respectively (statistically non-significant for all data).

Gastrointestinal involvement of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder in lung transplant recipients: report of a case.

Purpose: Lymphoproliferative disorder is a well-recognized complication of lung transplantation. Risk factors include Epstein-Barr virus infection and immunosuppression. The gastrointestinal manifestations of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder in lung transplant recipients have not been fully characterized.

Use of sirolimus and low-dose calcineurin inhibitor in lung transplant recipients with renal impairment: results of a controlled pilot study.

Background: Renal failure induced by calcineurin-inhibitor agents is a common complication of lung transplantation. Sirolimus, a macrolide immunosuppressant with a distinct mechanism of action, may prevent renal failure but was found to have a high infectious and toxicity rate in the only relevant study conducted so far. The aim of the present prospective pilot study was to assess the benefit of sirolimus combined with low-dose calcineurin inhibitors in this patient population.