Sarcoidosis-induced pericarditis in a patient with portopulmonary hypertension: a case report.

Portopulmonary hypertension is a rare and severe complication of patients with cirrhosis. Sarcoidosis, a disease of unknown etiology, is also a cause of pulonary hypertension and right heart dysfunction. We report the case of a 51-year-old male patient, suffering from cirrhosis due to Wilson's disease, portal hypertension and pulmonary hypertension (PH), who developed severe pericarditis.

Effect of pioglitazone on heart function and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels of patients with type 2 diabetes.

We assessed the effect of the addition of pioglitazone on metabolic control and heart function of patients with type 2 diabetes already receiving sulfonylurea plus metformin. Forty-four patients were given 30 mg of pioglitazone for 3 months. Physical examination, laboratory tests including N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and echocardiography, were performed at baseline and at study completion.