Role of Serum Markers in Combination as a Diagnostic Tool for Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and objective Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a serious cardiovascular emergency, mainly secondary to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which causes death. The goal of the current study was to determine the levels of different serum markers in combination among patients with and without acute pulmonary embolism in order to use them as a diagnostic tool. Methodology A sample of 96 patients was kept with a 90% power of study and a 5% level of significance in the current study.

Congenitally bicuspid aortic valve in brothers: coarctation of the aorta with a normally functioning aortic valve in one and no coarctation but severe aortic stenosis in the other.

Described herein are two brothers, both with a congenitally bicuspid aortic valve-one of which was stenotic and one of which functioned normally-and one with associated aortic isthmic coarctation. Summarized also are previously reported families with more than one member with a congenitally bicuspid aortic valve.

Morphological features of temporal arteritis.

Although it varies from center to center, the frequency of temporal artery biopsy in patients suspected of having temporal arteritis (TA) is relatively small. Most commonly, patients suspected of having TA are placed on prednisone for varying periods of time, and if symptoms disappear or lessen the diagnosis is made. During a recent 13-year period at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, 15 patients with TA had the diagnosis of TA confirmed by histological examination of a biopsy of one temporal artery.

Combined congenitally bicuspid aortic valve and mitral valve prolapse causing pure regurgitation.

Described herein is a patient with a purely regurgitant congenitally bicuspid aortic valve and a purely regurgitant prolapsing mitral valve. Although it is well established that the bicuspid aortic valve is a congenital anomaly, it is less well appreciated that mitral valve prolapse is almost certainly also a congenital anomaly. The two occurring in the same patient provides support that mitral valve prolapse is also a congenital anomaly.