Causes of Raynaud's phenomenon and the predictive laboratory and capillaroscopy features for the evolution to a definite connective tissue disease.

Objective: In patients with RP, capillaroscopy is useful for discriminating primary from secondary causes. There are certain capillaroscopy and lab values as predictive factors leading to a known CTD. We conducted the present study to evaluate the causes of RP in our area and followed the studied subjects to find prognostic factors indicating a definite CTD or remaining a UCTD.

The effect of kidney transplantation on speckled tracking echocardiography findings in patients on hemodialysis.

Cardiac dysfunction is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Previous studies have shown that kidney transplantation can reverse some of the gross changes in the myocardial structure such as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and volumes. Whether kidney transplantation can reverse the subtle and early myocardial changes in ESRD patients who do not suffer from gross alternations in myocardial function is not yet studied.

Spontaneous multi-focal coronary artery spasm: a case report.

Spontaneous coronary artery vasospasm is one of the important causes of acute chest pain syndromes. The diagnosis of diffuse multifocal spasm can be quite challenging and it could be easily mistaken for diffuse coronary artery disease. The use of intracoronary nitroglycerin can relieve spasm and reveal the real extent of coronary artery disease.

Upper third to lower third width ratio on chest x-ray may predict severity of obstruction in obstructive lung disease.

Background: The symptoms and functional limitations due to obstructive lung disease (OLD) are the direct results of airway and lung parenchymal destruction. In these conditions, airflow obstruction leads to increased work of breathing, and gas exchange abnormalities. Hyperinflation, which is inferred from a standard chest radiograph (CXR), may imply increased total lung capacity that can be seen in patients with OLD.