Use of Fondaparinux Off-Label or Approved Anticoagulants for Management of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia.

Background: Life-threatening heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is treated with the alternative nonheparin anticoagulants argatroban, lepirudin, or danaparoid. Frequently, the pentasaccharide fondaparinux is used off-label.

Objectives: The authors sought to investigate the safety and efficacy of the different anticoagulants for treating HIT.

Advantages and Limitations of Direct PCR Amplification of Bacterial 16S-rDNA from Resected Heart Tissue or Swabs Followed by Direct Sequencing for Diagnosing Infective Endocarditis: A Retrospective Analysis in the Routine Clinical Setting.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening disease that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Its long-term prognosis strongly depends on a timely and optimized antibiotic treatment. Therefore, identification of the causative pathogen is crucial and currently based on blood cultures followed by characterization and susceptibility testing of the isolate.

Ultrasound destruction of air microemboli as a novel approach to brain protection in cardiac surgery.

Objective: Evaluation of a novel approach to eliminate air microemboli from extracorporeal circulation via ultrasonic destruction.

Design: In vitro proof-of-concept study.

Setting: Research laboratory.

Promotor polymorphisms of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and other thrombophilic genotypes in cerebral venous thrombosis: a case-control study in adults.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) is the main inhibitor of tissue-type and urokinase-type plasminogen activator. A 4G/5G polymorphism in the promoter region of the PAI-1 gene has been reported to enhance the plasma levels of PAI-1. In particular, the 4G allele (guanosine deletion) has been linked with increased plasma PAI-1 levels, which may lead to impaired activity of the fibrinolytic system, thus increasing the incidence of thrombotic events.

[A wolf in sheep's clothing: atypical systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presenting as cardiovascular disease].

Case Report: A 51-year-old woman diagnosed as having valvular cardiomyopathy since age 34 was admitted for an evaluation for a heart transplant because of progressive congestive heart failure. When antiphospholipid antibodies were detected, the diagnosis of a thus far undetected systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was confirmed, manifesting primarily by cardiac involvement and an antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. Despite an advanced stage of heart failure, the patient responded well to azathioprine.

Anemia as a risk factor for cerebral venous thrombosis? An old hypothesis revisited. Results of a prospective study.

Background: Several case reports have linked iron deficiency anemia with the occurrence of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) or stroke, yet, it is unclear whether this is a chance association.

Methods: In a case-control design data of whole blood count and screening for thrombophilic coagulation abnormalities of 121 prospectively identified patients with CVT and 120 healthy controls were compared. Anemia was defined as a hemoglobin (Hb) concentration of <120 g/l in females, and <130 g/l in males, severe anemia as a Hb <90 g/l.

Increased seroprevalence of parvovirus B 19 IgG in complex regional pain syndrome is not associated with antiendothelial autoimmunity.

The etiology of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is unclear yet. Recently autoantibodies and antecedent viral infections have been discussed to be involved in the pathogenesis of CRPS. We investigated sera from 39 CRPS patients and healthy controls for parvovirus B19 IgG and the occurrence of antiendothelial autoantibodies (AECA).

Diagnostic utility of new immunoassays for the cardiac markers cTnI, myoglobin and CK-MB mass.

Objectives: We investigated the diagnostic value of a new system, the Innotrac Aio! immunoassays for troponin, myoglobin and CK-MB, in 270 samples from patients with ACS, after bypass surgery (CABG) or with stable heart failure in comparison to the respective Roche assays.

Results: The values of the cardiac markers assessed by the respective assays correlated (cTnT/cTnI Rho = 0.94, myoglobin Rho = 0.

Is heparin treatment the optimal management for cerebral venous thrombosis? Effect of abciximab, recombinant tissue plasminogen activator, and enoxaparin in experimentally induced superior sagittal sinus thrombosis.

Background: Based on a newly developed model of reversible superior sagittal sinus (SSS) thrombosis in the rat, we investigated the effect of thrombolytic and anticoagulant treatment on recanalization, brain parenchymal changes, and motor deficits.

Methods: Thrombosis of the SSS was induced by topical application of ferric chloride. Occlusion was confirmed by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).

Gene expression analysis in platelets from a single donor: evaluation of a PCR-based amplification technique.

Background: Genetic analysis of platelet mRNA may facilitate the diagnosis of disorders affecting the megakaryocytic-platelet lineage. Its use, however, is limited by the exceptionally small yield of platelet mRNA and the risk of leukocyte contamination during platelet preparation.

Methods: We depleted platelet suspensions of leukocytes by filtration and used a PCR-based RNA amplification step [switching mechanism at the 5' end of RNA templates (SMART)].