Residual pulmonary thromboemboli after acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: After an acute pulmonary embolism (PE), the complete resolution of thromboemboli may not be routinely achieved. The rate of persistence may depend on the time and the diagnostic technique used for evaluation.

Patients And Methods: Patients were diagnosed with acute PE by means of computed tomography angiography (CTA).

Hemodynamic effects of chronic smoking in liver cirrhosis: a role for adrenomedullin.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of smoking on the hemodynamic status of liver cirrhosis and several vasoactive substances.

Methods: Hemodynamic, blood gases values, liver parameters, and several vasopressors and vasodilators substances were measured in consecutive inpatients diagnosed of liver cirrhosis divided into two groups: smokers and nonsmokers.

Results: Nineteen smoking cirrhotic patients and 13 nonsmoking cirrhotic patients were studied.

[Clinical usefulness of troponin I in acute pulmonary embolism].

Background: Troponin-I (cTp-I) is considered a sensitive biomarker of myocardial injury in acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) with prognosis implications, though abnormal levels vary among reports.

Patients And Methods: cTp-I was measured in consecutive patients objectively diagnosed of PE by means of pulmonary angiography made with helicoidal CT. Patients were classified radiologically as central or peripheral PE and hemodynamically as massive, submassive or non-massive according to the pulmonary vessel occluded and systolic blood pressure and ProBNP levels respectively.

N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide predicts the burden of pulmonary embolism.

Background: In acute pulmonary embolism (PE), brain natriuretic peptides are markers of right ventricular dysfunction and they could point out the size of the occluded pulmonary vessel.

Methods: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) was measured in 93 consecutive outpatients diagnosed with acute PE by means of helical computed tomography. Central PE was diagnosed when thrombotic material was seen in the main trunk or right or left main branches of the pulmonary artery, and peripheral PE was diagnosed when thrombi were seen exclusively in segmental or subsegmental arteries.

[Hepatopulmonary syndrome: relationship with liver dysfunction and systemic hemodynamic disorder].

Background And Objective: The hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) causes an increased alveolar to arterial gradient of oxygen and in advanced phases hypoxemia, as the result of pulmonary vasodilation. In liver cirrhosis, it has been demonstrated the existence of splachnic vasodilation and also in other vascular beds. Our main objectives were to know the hemodynamic status, the renal function and the condition of some humoral systems in patient diagnosed of HPS.