Latest Advances in Annuloplasty Protheses for Valvular Reconstructive Surgery.

This is the third and final part of our update on the latest advances in cardiac valvular replacement. Part 1 was dedicated to cardiac valvular replacement, and Part 2 focused on transcatheter cardiac valvular treatment. This part concerns annuloplasty prostheses for valvular reconstructive surgery.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in prehypertensive subjects.

Background: Although treatment of prehypertensives is feasible and effective, it is unclear how to define those who may benefit. We hypothesized that ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) might be a tool for selecting prehypertensive subjects, classified according to the JNC 7, who later develop drug-treated hypertension.

Methods: Prehypertensives (n=107; 62 M, 45 F; age 50 ± 14 years) with or without cardiovascular risk factors were assessed for drug-treated hypertension development.

Fluoxetine blocks myotonic runs and reverts abnormal surface electromyogram pattern in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1.

Objectives: To verify the effects of a muscular injection of fluoxetine both on needle electromyogram (EMG) "myotonic runs" and on the surface EMG pattern in patients affected by myotonic dystrophy type 1.

Methods: Needle EMG recording: We performed needle EMG recordings on the tibialis anterior or opponent thumb muscle in 3 patients. The resting electrical activity and the myotonic discharge were detected before and after the local injection of 100 microL of fluoxetine.

Prognostic relevance of masked hypertension in subjects with prehypertension.

Background: The prognostic impact of masked hypertension is not yet completely clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic relevance of masked hypertension in subjects with prehypertension.

Methods: The occurrence of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events was evaluated in 591 subjects with prehypertension defined as clinic blood pressure (BP) in the range of 120-139 mm Hg for systolic BP and 80-89 mm Hg for diastolic BP.

Assessment of swallowing by oropharyngoesophageal scintigraphy in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common degenerative motor neuron disease in adults, and dysphagia is one of its most frequent and disabling symptoms. Oropharyngoesophageal scintigraphy (OPES) permits a functional and semiquantitative study of the various stages of swallowing. We studied 28 ALS patients (12 females and 16 males; mean age = 63.