An Emergent Nexus between Striae and Thoracic Aortic Dissection.

Current approaches to stratify the risk for disease progression in thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) lack precision, which hinders clinical decision making. Connective tissue phenotyping of children with TAA previously identified the association between skin striae and increased rate of aortic dilation. The objective of this study was to analyze associations between connective tissue abnormalities and clinical endpoints in adults with aortopathy.

National treatment practices in the management of infectious intracranial aneurysms and infective endocarditis.

Introduction: There is an absence of widely accepted guidelines for the management of infectious intracranial aneurysms (IIAs) owing to a dearth of high-quality evidence in the literature.

Objective: To better define the incidence of IIAs, treatment practices, and patient outcomes by performing a Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database query.

Methods: We queried the NIS database from 2002 to 2011 for all patients with the primary diagnosis of infectious endocarditis (IE), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), or unruptured cerebral aneurysm by ICD-9-CM codes.

Nesiritide following maze and mitral valve surgery.

Background: Fluid retention following "maze" and mitral valve surgery has been associated with diminished levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). We hypothesized prophylactic administration of nesiritide (human recombinant brain natriuretic peptide, NES, Natrecor, Scios, Fremont, CA, USA), which has similar physiologic properties to ANP and would promote diuresis in maze and mitral patients postoperatively.

Methods: Randomized, blinded, prospective pilot study comparing patients undergoing maze and mitral surgery including excision of the left atrial appendage.

Cytokine profile after lung transplantation: correlation with allograft injury.

Background: Post-lung transplant reperfusion edema (PLTRE) and its more severe form, primary graft failure (PGF), occur in 10% to 60% of lung transplant recipients. We hypothesized that PLTRE and PGF would be associated with an elevated proinflammatory cascade and that the allograft would be the source of cytokine appearance in the circulation.

Methods: Pulmonary arterial and systemic arterial samples were obtained at baseline and at 4, 8, and 24 hours after reperfusion.

Oral sildenafil reduces pulmonary hypertension after cardiac surgery.

Background: Treatment of postoperative pulmonary hypertension with intravenous (IV) pulmonary vasodilators is hampered by the lack of selectivity. Inhaled nitric oxide produces selective pulmonary vasodilation; however, it requires a special device, and weaning can cause rebound. Oral sildenafil is a phosphodiesterase type V inhibitor.