A case of recurrent mass complicated with mitral annular calcification in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Unlabelled: Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is a chronic degenerative process involving the fibrous support structure of the mitral valve. The prevalence of this condition significantly increases with age, and is higher in patients with cardiovascular risk factors or end-stage renal disease. However, patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may develop atherosclerosis and MAC at a relatively young age.

Mortality risk stratification for Takotsubo syndrome: Evaluating CRP measurement alongside the InterTAK prognostic score.

Background And Objectives: Initially described as a benign acute cardiomyopathy, Takotsubo syndrome has been linked to elevated mortality rates. Emerging evidence suggests that unresolved myocardial inflammation may contribute to this adverse prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the incremental prognostic utility of C-reactive protein (CRP) in conjunction with the InterTAK prognosis score for stratifying long-term mortality in Takotsubo syndrome.

Inclination of antidepressant medication continuation during pregnancy between 2012 and 2023 in Japan: A cohort study.

Background: As multiple Japanese academic societies have recently issued treatment guidelines for perinatal antidepressant treatments, it is considered worthwhile to evaluate the latest trends and continuation of antidepressant medication during pregnancy to optimize antenatal prescriptions.

Methods: The prevalence, trend, and continuation of antidepressant use during pregnancy in Japan from 2012 to 2023 were evaluated, using a large administrative claims database, in women whose pregnancies ended in live births. Annual changes were evaluated using a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for maternal age at delivery.

Dominant Expression of Chromogranin B in Pituitary Corticotrophs and Its Putative Role in Interaction With Secretogranin III.

SummaryPrevious studies have suggested that chromogranin A (CgA) is a partner molecule of secretogranin III (SgIII). In mouse pituitary corticotroph-derived AtT-20 cells, SgIII plays a role in sorting CgA/hormone aggregates into secretory granules (SGs). Although CgA expression is equivocal, CgB is clearly detectable in the rat pituitary corticotrophs.

Cardiac Presynaptic Sympathetic Nervous Function Evaluated by Cardiac PET in Patients with Chronotropic Incompetence Without Heart Failure.

Chronotropic incompetence (CTI), the inability of the heart to increase its rate with increased activity, leads to exercise intolerance and predicts overall mortality. We previously reported that cardiac β-adrenergic receptor downregulation occurs in patients with CTI without heart failure (HF), indicating postsynaptic sympathetic nervous dysfunction. However, cardiac presynaptic sympathetic nervous system function in CTI is not fully understood.