"Watchful waiting" in ectopic pregnancies: a balance between reduced success rates and less methotrexate.

Many cases of ectopic pregnancy will spontaneously resolve, so that "watchful waiting" and β-hCG follow-up will separate true viable ectopic pregnancies from spontaneously resolving ectopic pregnancies. Withholding methotrexate in patients with spontaneously resolving ectopic pregnancies and administering it in only true viable ectopic pregnancies will no doubt decrease published success rates for this therapy.

Inherited and acquired predispositions for thrombosis in immunocompetent patients with cytomegalovirus-associated thrombosis.

Background: Thrombosis is a rare complication of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in immunocompetent patients. The clinical circumstances of this complication have never been studied, to the best of our knowledge.

Aim: We reviewed all reports on CMV-associated thrombosis in immunocompetent adults found in the literature, in search for thrombosis risk factors other than CMV.

Depressive symptoms and erectile dysfunction in men with coronary artery disease.

Objectives: To study the association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and depressive symptoms in men with coronary artery disease (CAD). A cross-sectional analysis of data obtained during a prospective study was carried out.

Methods: A cohort of men undergoing coronary angiography filled-out the sexual health inventory for males (SHIM) and the mental health inventory 5 (MHI5) questionnaires for detection and severity assessment of both ED and depressive symptoms.

Elevated resting heart rate is associated with the metabolic syndrome.

Background: Increased resting heart rate (RHR) may be associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity. Our aim was to explore the possibility that increased RHR is associated with the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a sample of apparently healthy individuals and those with cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis in a large sample of apparently healthy individuals who attended a general health screening program and agreed to participate in our survey.

C-reactive protein velocity following antibiotics in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation and community acquired pneumonia.

Introduction: Distinguishing community acquired pneumonia (CAP) from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation is a challenging task, since fever, productive cough, dyspnea, and leukocytosis are all common features of both conditions. Moreover, chest X-ray might not be sensitive enough. It is therefore quite common for physicians to prescribe unnecessary antibiotics for COPD exacerbation, leading to resistant bacteria and other related adverse affects.

Cytomegalovirus-associated splenic infarcts in a female patient with Factor V Leiden mutation: a case report.

Introduction: Cytomegalovirus-associated thrombosis has rarely been reported in the medical literature, and if so, mainly in immunocompromized patients.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 36-year-old Caucasian woman with acute cytomegalovirus infection presenting with spontaneous splenic infarcts. Trans-esophageal echocardiography did not show any vegetations or mural thrombi.

Screening for erectile dysfunction and associated cardiovascular risk factors in Israeli men.

Background: Erectile dysfunction is associated with treatable cardiovascular risk factors; therefore, screening for erectile dysfunction and its cardiovascular risk factors is of clinical importance.

Objectives: To detect erectile dysfunction cases and assess their severity among military personnel.

Methods: The Sexual Health Inventory for Men questionnaire was handed out to military personnel aged 25-55 years during routine examinations.

Relation of educational level to inflammation-sensitive biomarker level.

It is a well-established finding that cardiovascular morbidity varies among groups of different socioeconomic status. Inflammatory processes have been proposed as a possible mediator of this variance. Level of education is an important indicator of socioeconomic status, inversely related to levels of inflammatory biomarkers.

Platelet counts and platelet activation markers in obese subjects.

Objective: In this work we studied the correlation between platelet count, platelet activation, and systemic inflammation in overweight, obese, and morbidly obese individuals.

Methods And Subjects: A total of 6319 individuals participated in the study. Complete blood counts, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) serum levels, and body mass index (BMI) were measured during routine checkups.

Pure hypertriglyceridemia might be associated with erectile dysfunction: a pilot study.

Introduction: Unlike the association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the association between ED and hypertriglyceridemia is still debatable. Aim. To study prevalence and severity of ED in young men with very high levels of triglycerides.