Levels of Albumin and Impact on Loop Diuretic and Albumin Co-administration in Heart Failure.

Management of heart failure (HF) requires the use of loop diuretics to relieve congestion and improve symptoms. When loop diuretics alone fail to induce adequate diuresis, albumin has been proposed to enhance loop diuretic delivery and promote redistribution of fluid for excretion by the kidneys. Despite the theoretical benefits of albumin, studies suggesting its benefit in HF are scarce and the co-administration of loop diuretics and albumin remains controversial.

C-reactive protein levels associated with COVID-19 outcomes in the United States.

Context: COVID-19 caused a worldwide pandemic, and there are still many uncertainties about the disease. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels could be utilized as a prognosticator for disease severity in COVID-19 patients.

Objectives: This study aims to determine whether CRP levels are correlated with COVID-19 patient outcomes and length of stay (LoS).

Effect of Blood Group on Heart Transplant Waitlist Mortality in the Ventricular Assist Device Era.

The effect of blood group on heart transplant list mortality in the era of continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (VADs) is unknown. We sought to examine mortality from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database, with focus on mortality among VAD versus non-VAD recipients according to blood group. The UNOS database from 2007 to 2015 was evaluated to compare the rates of waitlist mortality or delisting for clinical worsening at 1-year postlisting among various blood types based on the presence or absence of durable continuous VAD.

The Use of Eptifibatide Alone or in Combination With Heparin or Argatroban for Suspected Thrombosis in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

Pump thrombosis and hemolysis in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Intensification of anticoagulation has been suggested as potential therapy, with mixed results. The aim of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of adding eptifibatide with or without an anticoagulation agent in managing patients with LVAD presenting with hemolysis and suspected pump thrombosis.

Utility of Head CT Scan for Acute Inpatient Delirium.

 Delirium is a common occurrence in hospitalized patients, especially in the geriatric age group. Data was retrospectively reviewed for patients who developed delirium during hospitalization. Acute intracranial changes on imaging were noted only in four patients (11%) and all had preimaging clinical symptoms and signs, which warranted imaging.

Prevalence of heart failure signs and symptoms in a large primary care population identified through the use of text and data mining of the electronic health record.

Background: The electronic health record (EHR) contains a tremendous amount of data that if appropriately detected can lead to earlier identification of disease states such as heart failure (HF). Using a novel text and data analytic tool we explored the longitudinal EHR of over 50,000 primary care patients to identify the documentation of the signs and symptoms of HF in the years preceding its diagnosis.

Methods And Results: Retrospective analysis consisted of 4,644 incident HF cases and 45,981 group-matched control subjects.

Compliance with the Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines for hyperlipidemia in a resident-run ambulatory clinic: a retrospective data analysis.

Background: One in every six adults (16.3% of the U.S.

Fatal Enterococcus durans aortic valve endocarditis: a case report and review of the literature.

Most enterococcal endocarditis is caused by Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium. Enterococcus durans is a rare member of non-faecalis, non-faecium enterococcal species and is found in the intestines of animals. E durans endocarditis is a very rare infection-only two cases of endocarditis in humans have been reported in the literature-and usually associated with good outcomes when treated with appropriate antibiotics.

Usefulness of diastolic time measured on electrocardiogram to improve sensitivity and specificity of exercise tolerance tests.

The current exercise tolerance test (ETT) criteria predominantly assess changes in ST-segment deviation (i.e., a systolic component of the cardiac cycle).

Acute renal failure, thrombocytopenia, and elevated liver enzymes after concurrent abuse of alcohol and cocaine.

Cocaine has been associated with known adverse effects on cardiac, cerebrovascular and pulmonary systems. However, the effect of cocaine on other organs has not been extensively reported. A middle age man presented with abdominal pain and nausea after inhalation of crack cocaine.

Resistant thrombocytopenia in an HIV and hepatitis C patient: treatment response with novel agent eltrombopag.

HIV-associated thrombocytopenia is a disease which can be recurrent to standard therapy which includes highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) therapy, steroids and immunoglobulin. We report a patient with HIV and hepatitis C who presented with resistant thrombocytopenia. Treatment with Eltrombopag - a thrombopoeitin receptor agonist showed initial good response with recurrence of thrombocytopenia.

Recurrent tense pneumoperitoneum due to air influx via abdominal wall stoma of a PEG tube.

A 70 years old male on ventilatory and circulatory support for sepsis and non ST segment elevation myocardial infarction developed abdominal distension 14 d after placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube for enteral feeding. Radiography revealed free air in the abdomen and gastrograffin (G) study showed no extravasation into the peritoneum. The G tube was successfully repositioned with mechanical release of air.

Irradiation toxic effects during intra-arterial chemotherapy for retinoblastoma: should we be concerned?

Objective: To evaluate irradiation toxic effects from fluoroscopy during intra-arterial chemotherapy for retinoblastoma.

Design: Prospective trial.

Participants: Eight patients treated with intra-arterial chemotherapy.

Successful treatment of thyroid storm with plasmapheresis in a patient with methimazole-induced agranulocytosis.

Objective: To report a case of a patient with Graves disease presenting with agranulocytosis induced by methimazole, with subsequent thyroid storm and successful therapeutic use of plasmapheresis.

Methods: The clinical features and laboratory findings in a patient with agranulocytosis and thyroid storm are presented, and the available literature on utilization of plasmapheresis in the setting of thyrotoxicosis is reviewed.

Results: A 40-year-old Vietnamese woman with Graves disease was admitted with methimazole-induced agranulocytosis.

In silico structure-based design of a novel class of potent and selective small peptide inhibitor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Dihydrofolate reductase, a potential target for anti-TB drug discovery.

The worldwide TB structural genomics initiative has identified several new drug targets for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb). Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reduction of dihydrofolate to tetrahydrofolate that is essential for DNA synthesis.

Structure-based design of a novel class of potent inhibitors of InhA, the enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis: a computer modelling approach.

The NADH-dependent Enoyl-ACP reductase (InhA) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been shown to be the primary target of the frontline drug isoniazid (INH). However, INH must be first activated by katG gene, mutations in which have mediated resistance to INH. Recently, direct inhibitors of InhA have been reported.