Lessons Learned from Telemedicine in Adolescent Obesity: Results of a Pilot Study.

The rising prevalence of obesity in children calls for new strategies for the provision of effective care by a multidisciplinary team. Telemedicine has overall proven to be an effective tool for promoting a healthy lifestyle. The main objective of the current paper is to present the protocol of our ongoing CardioMetabolic Prevention (CAMP) study and compare its design with published studies on telemedicine in paediatric obesity.

The role of timely measurement of galectin-3, NT-proBNP, cystatin C and hsTnT in predicting prognosis and heart function after heart transplantation.

Background: Changes of biomarkers measured soon after heart transplantation (HTx) can reflect different processes: cardiomyocyte necrosis (troponins, high-sensitivity cardiac TnT and TnI), heart function (natriuretic peptides, BNP and NT-proBNP), fibrosis (galectin-3 and ST2), and global cardiorenal risk (cystatin C). We assessed the prognostic role of hsTnT, NT-proBNP, galectin-3 and cystatin C during the early post-transplant period.

Methods: A total of 121 consecutive post-HTx patients were assessed.

A clinical and laboratory approach used to elucidate discordant results of high-sensitivity troponin T and troponin I.

Background: Careful interpretation of discordant results in high-sensitivity troponin measurements is necessary in cases of suspect immunoassay interferences. We describe several procedures taken in a case of a polymorbid patient with chest pain, without clear evidence of myocardial necrosis and with increased high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT). We checked the Vafaie's algorithm for the evaluation of suspect interference in troponin measurements.

Long-term biological variability of galectin-3 after heart transplantation.

Background: Galectin-3 is an emerging biomarker of heart failure and of myocardial fibrosis risk. Monitoring of galectin-3 is essential during treatment with galectin-3 inhibitors. The aim of our study was to assess long-term biological variability in a specific group of unhealthy subjects.