Differential effect of biventricular and right ventricular DDD pacing on coronary flow reserve in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Unlabelled: CRT and Coronary Flow Reserve.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has become a mainstay in heart failure management. There are also indications that upgrading of existing pacemakers to CRT systems may be of benefit.

Radial artery flow-mediated dilation predicts arterial spasm during transradial coronary interventions.

Background: Transradial coronary catheterization has emerged over the last years as a favorable catheterization practice, based on evidence that it is associated with less vascular complications and shorter hospital stays. However, access site crossover appears to be more frequent when the initial route is the transradial one, one of the main reasons being arterial spasm. We hypothesized that radial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) measurements could be used as a preprocedural method to assess the likelihood of arterial spasm.

Short-term fluctuations of plasma NT-proBNP levels in patients with new-onset atrial fibrillation: a way to assess time of onset?

Objective: The objective of this study was to characterise short-term kinetics of plasma amino-terminal pro-B natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in patients with new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) without heart failure.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Emergency departments and inpatient services of three large community hospitals.

Thyrotoxic periodic paralysis as the first manifestation of a thyrotropin-secreting pituitary adenoma.

Thyrotoxic Periodic Paralysis (TPP) is a rare manifestation of hyperthyroidism characterized by muscle weakness and hypokalemia. Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)-secreting pituitary adenoma is a rare cause of hyperthyroidism. Even more rare is the occurrence of TPP as the first manifestation of a TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma.

Intracardiac echocardiography imaging of periprosthetic valvular regurgitation.

A 62-year-old woman was referred for evaluation of recent-onset dyspnoea at rest and a newly found systolic heart murmur, heard best at the apex of the heart. The patient's history was notable for surgical mitral valve replacement 3 years ago, due to severe mitral regurgitation (myxomatous degeneration of the mitral valve). The transthoracic echocardiogram gave the impression of a mitral regurgitant jet, but the acoustic shadow of the prosthesis did not allow adequate evaluation of the regurgitation.

Gallstones and biliary sludge in Greek patients with complete high spinal cord injury: an ultrasonographical evaluation.

Introduction: We used ultrasonography to detect the presence of biliary sludge or gallstones in Greek patients with complete high spinal cord injury (SCI) above the seventh thoracic segment (T7), within the first six months from injury onset, in order to evaluate the effects of neurological instability and dysfunction of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) on the gallbladder function in the early post-SCI phase.

Methods: We evaluated 78 asymptomatic patients (57 males, 21 females; mean age 34.8 (range 19-56) years) with complete high SCI located above the T7 segment, and 78 healthy subjects (59 males, 19 females; mean age 35.

Preservation of venous outflow improves transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap survival following vascular delay.

Background: The rat abdominal island model has proved to be a reliable and reproducible model for the study of surgical delay procedures. It has been customary to simultaneously divide both the artery and the accompanying vein to obtain maximum survival of the rat TRAM flap undergoing delay procedure. This study evaluates the effect of selective arterial interruption compared to standard vascular delay on flap survival in the rat TRAM flap model.

Increased prevalence of antibodies to thyroid peroxidase in dry eyes and mouth syndrome or sicca asthenia polyalgia syndrome.

Objective: A subset of patients presenting with sicca features suggestive of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) do not fulfill diagnostic or histopathological criteria. This presentation was previously designated as dry eyes and mouth syndrome (DEMS) or sicca asthenia polyalgia syndrome (SAPS). We sought to define the underlying clinical, laboratory, and histological features of these patients.

A novel heterozygous mutation in the NOTCH3 gene causing CADASIL.

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is an identifiable cause of inherited stroke among young adults, characterised by diffuse leukoencephalopathy with prominent involvement of the temporal poles and external capsule. The disease is caused by mutations in the NOTCH3 gene encoding a NOTCH3 receptor protein. The clinical course is relentlessly progressive with early transient ischaemic attacks (TIA) or strokes, dementia and finally death in the mid-60s.

Trans-Sylvian selective amygdalohippocampectomy for medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy: a single-centre experience.

Selective amygdalohippocampectomy (SelAH) is now widely used in the surgical treatment of patients with medically intractable medial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). We present our single-centre experience of a uniform series of drug-resistant MTLE patients treated exclusively with SelAH. A retrospective study of 50 adult patients (25 males, 25 females, mean age 34 years) suffering from medically intractable MTLE was conducted.

Traumatic dissection of the left circumflex artery after a fall from height.

The authors present the case of a healthy 40-year-old man who developed a myocardial infarction because of traumatic dissection of the left circumflex coronary artery following a fall from height. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a traumatic lesion of the left circumflex artery is being reported after a fall.

Octreotide: a therapeutic option for idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Purpose: To study the effects of octreotide, a somatostatin analogue, in patients with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH).

Methods: We performed a prospective, open-label study of the effect of Octreotide on 26 patients with symptoms and signs of IIH, investigated by brain MRI and lumbar puncture. Octreotide was administered subcutaneously, at an initial dose of 0.

A novel CADASIL-causing mutation in a stroke patient.

Background: Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leucoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is an uncommon autosomal dominant genetic disease due to mutations in the Notch3 gene on chromosome 19. The major clinical characteristics of CADASIL are migraine, recurrent ischaemic strokes and dementia.

Case Report: We describe the case of a 58-year old man who presented with a minor stroke that occurred in the absence of significant vascular risk factors.

Burned breast reconstruction by expanded artificial dermal substitute.

Full-thickness anterior chest wall burns result in contractures that may restrict the development of breast in young female patients. The management of postburn contractured anterior chest wall scars and unilateral breast hypoplasia with the expansion of bilayered artificial skin is herein presented for the first time in literature to the best of our knowledge. A 21-year-old female with chest wall contractures after thermal injury she had suffered at the age of 27 months was managed in three stages.

Time of administration of a single dose of oral levofloxacin and its effect in infectious complications from transrectal prostate biopsy.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of two prophylactic schemes for prostate biopsy using a single dose of oral levofloxacin given either before, or immediately after transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy.

Materials And Methods: A total of 300 men formed two groups of 150 patients each: the first group received one dose of 500 mg of levofloxacin 30 min to an hour before, and the second group the same antibiotic immediately after prostate biopsy. No pre-biopsy enema was used.

Laparoscopic surgery for adrenal tumors. A retrospective analysis.

Objective: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy has rapidly replaced open adrenalectomy as the procedure of choice for benign adrenal tumors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term results of 100 consecutive laparoscopic and open adrenalectomies performed during a period of 8.5 years in our Surgical Unit.

Cannabis-induced koro-like syndrome. A case report and mini review.

The genital-shrinking syndrome is a transient state of acute anxiety characterized by the triad of a deep-seated fear of penile shrinkage, its disappearance into the abdomen, and apprehension regarding inevitable impotence or even death. It is also known by the Malayo-Indonesian term 'koro'. In the West, koro syndrome has been reported only in relation with various somatic, psychiatric and drug-induced disorders.

Clinical practice guidelines proposed by the Hellenic Foundation of Osteoporosis for the management of osteoporosis based on DXA results.

In recent years guidelines for the testing and treatment of osteoporotic patients have been published by recognised organisations, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) and the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF). Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) has been considered the technique of choice because of its excellent precision and ability to predict osteoporotic fractures. Last December, based on the Appraisal of the Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE), the Hellenic Foundation of Osteoporosis, in collaboration with other scientific societies, provided guidelines for the use of DXA for the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of osteoporosis and Quality Assurance (QA) of these systems.

Characteristics of patients with stage T1b incidental prostate cancer.

Objective: To study the characteristics of patients with incidental prostate cancer.

Material And Methods: The proportion of incidentally diagnosed prostate cancer was investigated in patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) at our clinic over a 5-year period. "True" incidental prostate cancer was defined as cases where the preoperative digital rectal examination (DRE) and the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value were normal.

Antipsychotic drug-induced acute laryngeal dystonia: two case reports and a mini review.

Antipsychotic-induced laryngeal dystonia is a life-threatening side-effect of both high- and low-potency classical antipsychotics, and its diagnosis often remains elusive. We review all cases of acute laryngeal dystonia due to antipsychotics available in the literature, including controversial ones, and add two new cases. There are no reports of acute laryngeal dystonia due to atypical antipsychotics.

Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound evaluation of penile and testicular masses.

The purpose of this study is to present the role of ultrasonography and MRI in the investigation of testicular and penile masses, as well as to review the literature. This article is based on our experience with 230 patients who presented with acute or subacute scrotal pain or painless enlargement of the scrotum or penis. Gray scale and color Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) were applied in all cases.

Postradical prostatectomy TRUS-guided anastomotic biopsy. Where do we stand today?

The issue of performing tissue sampling from the vesicourethral anastomotic area postradical prostatectomy (transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy) after radical surgical treatment of local disease has failed, still remains controversial. We review a selection of articles that evaluate this procedure as well as newer diagnostic modalities and we discuss how this technique may have a position in our treatment dilemmas in cases with biochemical failure of undetermined origin.

Diabetes mellitus and risk of prostate cancer: a meta-analysis.

Aims/hypothesis: The association of diabetes mellitus with prostate cancer has been controversial. This study examines the strength of this association by conducting a detailed meta-analysis of the studies published in peer-reviewed literature on the subject.

Methods: A comprehensive search for articles published up to 2003 was performed, reviews of each study were conducted and data were abstracted.