Infectious complications in extended criteria heart transplantation.

Background: We have previously shown that extended criteria heart transplant recipient mortality is higher than standard list mortality, but this is not associated with an increased incidence of either primary graft dysfunction or acute rejection. We hypothesized that other adverse outcomes, principally determined by recipient characteristics, occur at a higher rate in extended criteria recipients.

Methods: A retrospective review of adult heart transplant recipients was conducted at Duke University Medical Center between January 2000 and July 2007.

Dissociation between vasospasm and functional improvement in a murine model of subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Object: The efficacy of nimodipine was examined in a murine model of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). End points included the diameter of the lumen of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and behavioral outcome. An apolipoprotein E (apoE)-mimetic peptide, acetyl-AS-Aib-LRKL-Aib-KRLL-amide, previously shown to have promise in this model was tested both alone and in combination with nimodipine.