Publications by authors named "Kenneth A Brown"

Introduction: Sepsis is an acute illness resulting from infection and the host immune response. Early identification of individuals at risk of developing life-threatening severe sepsis could enable early triage and treatment, and improve outcomes. Currently available biomarkers have poor predictive value for predicting subsequent clinical course in patients with suspected infection.

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Introduction: In this cohort study, we investigated whether monitoring blood levels of immature neutrophils (myelocytes, metamyelocytes and band cells) differentiated patients with sepsis from those with the non-infectious (N-I) systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). We also ascertained if the appearance of circulating immature neutrophils was related to adverse outcome.

Methods: Blood samples were routinely taken from 136 critically ill patients within 48 hours of ICU entry and from 20 healthy control subjects.

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Background: Recent studies have demonstrated the significant prognostic value of stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) myocardial perfusion imaging. Apart from characterizing reversible perfusion defect (RevPD) from flow-limiting coronary stenosis, CMR late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging is currently the most sensitive method for detecting subendocardial infarction (MI). We therefore tested the hypothesis that characterization of these 2 processes from coronary artery disease by CMR can provide complementary prognostic values.

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An excessive interaction of blood neutrophils with microvascular walls may underlie the organ failure of sepsis. In this study, flow cytometric analysis was used to investigate whether plasma from 22 patients with sepsis altered the expression of the adhesion molecules (CD11a, CD11b, CD49d, and CD62L) on normal blood neutrophils and enhanced their binding to cultured endothelium. Most of the plasma samples from patients with sepsis increased the percentage of neutrophils bearing CD49d (86% samples versus 22% normal plasma samples; P < 0.

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Background: Silent myocardial infarctions (MIs) are prevalent among diabetic patients and inflict significant morbidity and mortality. Although late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) can provide sensitive characterization of myocardial scar, its prognostic significance in diabetic patients without any clinical evidence of MI is unknown.

Methods And Results: We performed clinically indicated CMR imaging in 187 diabetic patients who were grouped by the absence (study group, n=109) or presence (control group, n=78) of clinical evidence of MI (clinical history of MI or Q waves on ECG).

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Dental treatment records offer a valuable resource for establishing the identification of deceased persons by means of dental comparison as required for forensic purposes. The creation, maintenance, storage and custody of such records is a legal and ethical duty of each dental practitioner. Dentists in Australia are also bound by federal and state legislation to protect their patients' confidentiality at all times.

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Objectives: We sought to determine whether right ventricular (RV) function late after myocardial infarction (MI) impacts long-term prognosis.

Background: Right ventricular failure predicts early mortality in patients with acute MI. The prognostic impact of RV function late after MI is not well defined.

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The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Task Force on Practice Guidelines makes every effort to avoid any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest that might arise as a result of an industry relationship or personal interest of the writing committee. Specifically, all members of the writing committee, as well as peer reviewers of the document, were asked to provide disclosure statements of all such relationships that might be perceived as real or potential conflicts of interest. These statements are reviewed by the parent task force, reported orally to all members of the writing committee at each meeting, and updated and reviewed by the writing committee as changes occur.

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Background: Accurate risk stratification is crucial for effective treatment planning after myocardial infarction (MI). Previous studies suggest that the peri-infarct border zone may be an important arrhythmogenic substrate. In this pilot study, we tested the hypothesis that the extent of the peri-infarct zone quantified by contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is an independent predictor of post-MI mortality.

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Background: Contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) can determine the extent of myocardial scar from infarction (MI). However, the prognostic significance of unrecognized myocardial scar by CMR in patients without a history of MI is unknown.

Methods And Results: One hundred ninety-five patients without a known prior MI underwent CMR for assessment of left ventricular (LV) function and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE).

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