Racial variation in healthcare resource utilization and expenditures in knee/hip osteoarthritis patients: a retrospective analysis of a Medicaid population.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of chronic pain and disability. Prior studies have documented racial disparities in the clinical management of OA. The objective of this study was to assess the racial variations in the economic burden of osteoarthritis within the Medicaid population.

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy for emergent airway access.

The study objective of this article was to evaluate percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) for emergent airway access. This is a case series of 9 patients who presented over a 58-month period. All patients were in severe respiratory difficulty where intubation by conventional means was unsuccessful.

Improved survival in women with BRCA-associated ovarian carcinoma.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics, treatment response, and frequency of p53 overexpression in Ashkenazi Jewish women with hereditary ovarian carcinoma.

Methods: Seventy-one Jewish women with epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) were tested for the three BRCA founder mutations using single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis, heteroduplex analysis, and protein truncation testing. Clinical and histopathologic data were reviewed retrospectively.

Diagnosis of coronary pseudoaneurysm by Optison.

Intravenous contrast agents that traverse the pulmonary circulation have been used for endocardial border definition, myocardial perfusion, diagnosis of intracardiac thrombi, and in cardiovascular emergencies such as myocardial rupture. We report a patient who presented with a new inferior myocardial infarction and an extracardiac mass compressing the right atrium, in whom diagnosis of right coronary pseudoaneurysm was made on the basis of delayed appearance of Optison contrast into the pseudoaneurysm and was subsequently confirmed by angiography and surgery. Thus, we extend the diagnostic indication of myocardial contrast agents to patients with extracardiac masses.

Comparing cardiac action potentials recorded with metal and glass microelectrodes.

Machine-pulled high-impedance glass capillary microelectrode is standard for transmembrane potential (TMP) recordings. However, it is fragile and difficult to impale, especially in beating myocardial tissues. We hypothesize that a high-impedance pure iridium metal electrode can be used as an alternative to the glass microelectrode for TMP recording.

Characteristics of wave fronts during ventricular fibrillation in human hearts with dilated cardiomyopathy: role of increased fibrosis in the generation of reentry.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the characteristics of wave fronts during ventricular fibrillation (VF) in human hearts with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and to determine the role of increased fibrosis in the generation of reentry during VF.

Background: The role of increased fibrosis in reentry formation during human VF is unclear.

Methods: Five hearts from transplant recipients with DCM were supported by Langendorff perfusion and were mapped during VF.

Induction of meandering functional reentrant wave front in isolated human atrial tissues.

Background: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that a single meandering functional reentrant wave front can result in rapid and irregular electrogram activity in human atrial tissues.

Methods And Results: The study used the explanted hearts of five human cardiac transplant recipients. Three right and two left atrial tissue samples, 3.