Does saddle embolism influence short-term prognosis in patients with acute pulmonary embolism?

Background: In some patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE) thrombi may lodge at the levels of the bifurcation of pulmonary trunk and extend into both main pulmonary arteries, forming so-called saddle embolism (SE).

Aim: To assess the incidence of SE and whether it is associated with an increased risk of complicated clinical course.

Methods: We studied 150 consecutive patients (94 females, 56 males) aged 63.

[Venous thromboembolism in a 15-years old boy with antiphospholipid syndrome].

We present a 15-year-old boy with massive venous thrombosis who was admitted to hospital with non-specific complaints. Transesophageal echocardiography and spiral computer tomography showed pulmonary embolism. A coagulation screen was performed to identify hypercoagulability.

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), released from myocytes of ventricles upon stretch, has been reported to differentiate pulmonary from cardiac dyspnoea. Limited data have shown elevated plasma BNP levels in acute pulmonary embolism (APE), frequently accompanied by dyspnoea and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. The aim of this study was to assess plasma N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) in APE, and to establish whether it reflects the severity of RV overload and if it can be used to predict adverse clinical outcome.

Factors related to the early and late success of direct current cardioversion of chronic nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation: An echocardiographic study.

Objectives: To assess factors related to the success of restoration and one-year maintenance of sinus rhythm in chronic (more than 48 h) nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods And Results: One hundred and fifty consecutive patients aged 62+/-9 years with AF lasting 123+/-254 days were evaluated clinically with transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography before elective direct current cardioversion. Heart chamber dimensions and left ventricular ejection fraction were measured.

[Primary prostaglandins PGE2, PGF2, prostacyclin and thromboxane in patients with myocardial infarction].

In 47 patients with acute myocardial infarction and in 17 healthy volunteers blood concentration and urinary excretion of PGE2, PGF2 alpha, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha--hydrolysis product of prostacyclin--and TXB2 were determined using RIA. Myocardial infarction patients were found to have significantly higher blood level and urinary excretion of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, higher blood level of PGF2 and higher urinary excretion of TXB2 than controls, PGE2 urinary excretion was significantly lower. Increased excretion of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha was observed in patients with ventricular arrhythmias.