Azithromycin-Induced Thrombocytopenia: A Rare Etiology of Drug-Induced Immune Thrombocytopenia.

Drug-induced thrombocytopenia requires a high suspicion for diagnosis and a broad investigation to exclude other etiologies of low platelets. Cessation of the offending agent often results in recovery of platelet counts. Many medications are known to cause a degree of thrombocytopenia.

Outcomes of Heart Block in Myocarditis: A Review of 31,760 Patients.

Background: Various electrocardiographic abnormalities, including atrioventricular conduction block, have been reported in patients with myocarditis. We performed an observation study to describe the characteristics and outcomes of inpatients diagnosed with myocarditis complicated by heart block (HB) in a large national cohort.

Methods: We identified patients with primary ICD-9 codes for myocarditis HB from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) Database from 1998 to 2013.

Deep Vein Thrombosis Complicated by Spontaneous Iliopsoas Hematoma in Patient with Septic Shock.

BACKGROUND Spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage (SRH) is a rare and difficult-to-diagnose entity. It is not associated with trauma, pathology, or iatrogenic manipulations. Few cases have been reported, with the only precipitating factor recognized being bleeding diatheses such as anticoagulation states, inherited coagulopathies, and hemodialysis.

QT prolongation is associated with increased mortality in end stage liver disease.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of QT prolongation in a large series of end stage liver disease (ESLD) patients and its association to clinical variables and mortality.

Methods: The QT interval was measured and corrected for heart rate for each patient, with a prolonged QT cutoff defined as QT > 450 ms for males and QT > 470 ms for females. Multiple clinical variables were evaluated including sex, age, serum sodium, international normalized ratio, creatinine, total bilirubin, beta-blocker use, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD), MELD-Na, and etiology of liver disease.

Opioid withdrawal suppression efficacy of oral dronabinol in opioid dependent humans.

Background: The cannabinoid (CB) system is a rational novel target for treating opioid dependence, a significant public health problem around the world. This proof-of-concept study examined the potential efficacy of a CB1 receptor partial agonist, dronabinol, in relieving signs and symptoms of opioid withdrawal.

Methods: Twelve opioid dependent adults participated in this 5-week, inpatient, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

Safety of oral dronabinol during opioid withdrawal in humans.

Background: Opioid dependence remains a significant public health problem worldwide with only three FDA-approved treatments, all targeting the mu-opioid receptor. Dronabinol, a cannabinoid (CB) 1 receptor agonist, is currently under investigation as a novel opioid withdrawal treatment. This study reports on safety outcomes of dronabinol among adults in opioid withdrawal.

Cardiovascular regulation during body unweighting by lower body positive pressure.

Background: We hypothesized that human cardiovascular responses to standing in reduced gravity environments, as on the Moon or Mars, could be modeled using a lower body positive pressure (LBPP) chamber.

Methods: Heart rate, blood pressure, body segment fluid shifts, ECG, indexes of sympathetic, parasympathetic balance, and baroreflex control of the heart and periphery plus echocardiographic measures of cardiac function were recorded from seven men and seven women supine and standing at 100% (Earth), 40% (-Mars), and 20% (-Moon) bodyweights (BW).

Results: The fluid shifted from the chest was greater when standing at 100% BW than at 20% and 40% BW, while fluid pooled in the abdomen was similar at all BWs.

Extensive ablation during pulmonary vein antrum isolation has no adverse impact on left atrial function: an echocardiography and cine computed tomography analysis.

Background: Although pulmonary vein antrum isolation (PVAI) may cure atrial fibrillation (AF) and improve left atrial (LA) function, the effect of extensive LA ablation on LA function is not well known.

Objective: To assess the impact of PVAI on LA function remotely postablation.

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing PVAI had either transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE) echocardiography (n = 41) or cine EBCT (n = 26) performed preablation and 6 months postablation.