Publications by authors named "Rafael S Cires-Drouet"

Background: Residual pulmonary vascular occlusion (RPVO) affects one half of patients after a pulmonary embolism (PE). The relationship between the risk factors and therapeutic interventions for the development of RPVO and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is unknown.

Methods: This retrospective review included PE patients within a 26-month period who had baseline and follow-up imaging studies (ie, computed tomography [CT], ventilation/perfusion scans, transthoracic echocardiography) available.

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Background: Despite socioeconomic disparities, no association between clinical presentation and poor outcomes explains a higher mortality in African Americans with pulmonary embolism (PE). The objective is to identify the co-morbidities and echocardiographic characteristics associated with increased mortality in African American patients.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of Caucasian or African American patients with PE diagnosed between October 2015 and December 2017 at University of Maryland Medical Center.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to investigate the prevalence, treatment, and outcomes of upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UE-DVT) in hospitalized patients over a two-year period.
  • Out of 63,045 hospitalized patients, 1,000 (1.6%) were diagnosed with UE-DVT, most of whom were middle-aged men with a significant number having IV devices in place.
  • In-hospital complications included a 12.1% mortality rate, 47.6% experiencing major bleeding, and a 6.1% rate of recurrent UE-DVT after treatment, with factors like older age and cancer increasing the risk of mortality.
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Background: Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third most common cause of cardiovascular death. For patients who are hemodynamically unstable, veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) support has been shown to provide hemodynamic stability, and allow time for definitive treatment and recovery. Ultrasound-assisted catheter directed thrombolysis (USAT) has the potential to be a safe adjunct and expedite right ventricular (RV) recovery for patients requiring VA-ECMO for PE.

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Objective: Catheter-based intervention (CBI) has become an increasingly popular option for treating pulmonary embolism (PE); however, the real benefits are unknown. The purpose of the present study was to compare the outcomes of patients treated with CBI with the outcomes of those treated with medical or surgical approaches.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients admitted from October 2015 to December 2017 with a diagnosis of acute PE.

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Objective: The role of exercise therapy after acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is unknown. Exercise therapy is safely used after myocardial infarction and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety of exercise therapy after acute PE.

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Article Synopsis
  • Health care workers are at higher risk for chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) due to their job's physical demands, leading to a study that aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of CVI among hospital employees.
  • A venous screening program was initiated in April 2016, offering free screenings and education, with demographics, medical history, and ultrasound evaluations to assess risk factors for CVI and deep venous thrombosis (DVT).
  • The first year results revealed that a significant number of participants (69.1%) showed clinical signs of CVI, with a high prevalence of venous reflux (82.1%) and only a small portion using compression stockings daily (2.7%).
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Duplex ultrasonography has a well-established role in the assessment of the degree of stenosis caused by carotid atherosclerosis. This assessment is derived from Doppler velocity changes induced by the narrowing lumen of the artery. New research into the mechanisms for plaque rupture and atheroembolic stroke indicates that the degree of narrowing is an imperfect predictor of stroke risk, and that other factors, such as plaque composition and remodeling and biomechanical forces acting on the plaque, can play a role.

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