Background: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive malignant tumor of mesothelial origin associated with asbestos exposure. MPM has a limited response to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy so early diagnosis of MPM is very important. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent mitogen for the vascular endothelium, is also known to be an autocrine growth factor for MPM. Here, we investigated the pleural effusion VEGF levels in patients with MPM and compared them to those of a population with a non-malignant pleuritis or lung cancer involving malignant pleural effusion.
Methods: The pleural effusion VEGF concentrations were measured in 46 MPM patients and 45 individuals with non-MPM individuals (25 individuals with non-malignant pleural effusions, and 20 individuals with lung cancer involving malignant pleural effusion).
Results: We demonstrated that patients with MPM had significantly higher pleural effusion VEGF levels than a population with non-malignant pleuritis or lung cancer involving malignant pleural effusion, and the patients with advanced stage MPM showed higher levels of VEGF than the early stage MPM patients. The difference in overall survival between the groups with pleural effusion VEGF levels lower and higher than the assumed cut-off of 2000pg/ml was significant.
Conclusions: Our data suggest that the pleural effusion VEGF concentration could be useful as an aid for the diagnosis of MPM and as a prognostic factor.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2010.10.010 | DOI Listing |
J Echocardiogr
January 2025
Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University School of Medicine, 1035 Dalgubeol-Daero, Dalseo-Gu, Daegu, 42601, Republic of Korea.
Background: With the growing number of high-risk pregnant women, echocardiography frequently reveals pericardial effusion (PE). However, the clinical implications of PE are unknown.
Method: We analyzed a cohort of 406 high-risk pregnant women who underwent echocardiography in the third trimester between November 2019 and December 2022.
BMJ Case Rep
January 2025
Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy, AIIMS Rishikesh, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India
Paediatric Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) constitutes 10 to 20% of cases of SLE with more severe disease and higher mortality. We report a case of an adolescent girl with SLE with multisystem involvement who was started on hydroxychloroquine and oral prednisolone. However, due to persistent worsening of skin lesions and falling cell counts, pulsed dexamethasone was initiated which showed improvement in the skin lesions, cell counts, proteinuria and pleural effusion but there was a persistent fall in the haemoglobin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Cardiol Rep
January 2025
Division of Cardiology, McGill University Health Centre, 845 Rue Sherbrooke O, Montreal, QC, H3H 0G4, Canada.
Purpose Of Review: This review aims to evaluate current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for postpericardiotomy syndrome (PPS), with a focus on the evolving role of multimodality imaging, including echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography (CCT), and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). The review also explores the potential benefits of advanced imaging in improving the accuracy and management of PPS.
Recent Findings: PPS, a common complication following cardiac surgery, presents with pleuritic chest pain, fever, and pericardial or pleural effusion.
Neurosurg Rev
January 2025
Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (aSAH), resulting from ruptured aneurysms, is a major contributor to stroke-related mortality and morbidity. Despite advances in healthcare, aSAH remains severe and often leads to complications such as cerebral vasospasm (CV), cerebral infarction, and delayed ischemic neurological deficits (DIND). Clazosentan, an endothelin receptor antagonist, has demonstrated potential in alleviating vasospasm and its associated outcomes, although evidence of its efficacy remains unclear.
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