Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion during Cardiac Surgery to Prevent Stroke.

Background: Surgical occlusion of the left atrial appendage has been hypothesized to prevent ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, but this has not been proved. The procedure can be performed during cardiac surgery undertaken for other reasons.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized trial involving participants with atrial fibrillation and a CHADS-VASc score of at least 2 (on a scale from 0 to 9, with higher scores indicating greater risk of stroke) who were scheduled to undergo cardiac surgery for another indication.

Serum transferrin as a biomarker of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha activity and hepatocyte function in liver diseases.

Background: Serum transferrin levels represent an independent predictor of mortality in patients with liver failure. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) is a master regulator of hepatocyte functions. The aim of this study was to explore whether serum transferrin reflects HNF4α activity.

Novel XIAP mutation causing enhanced spontaneous apoptosis and disturbed NOD2 signalling in a patient with atypical adult-onset Crohn's disease.

X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) is the most potent human inhibitor of apoptosis, and is also involved in NOD2-dependent NFκB and MAPK signalling cascade activation. The absence or defective function of XIAP leads to the development of a rare and severe primary immunodeficiency known as X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome type 2 (XLP-2), which is characterized by a triad of clinical manifestations, including a high incidence of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), lymphoproliferation and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), usually with very early onset. Here, we present a novel XIAP mutation identified in a patient with atypical adult-onset IBD complicated by relapsing HLH, splenomegaly and sarcoid-like disease.

Novel SAMD9 Mutation in a Patient With Immunodeficiency, Neutropenia, Impaired Anti-CMV Response, and Severe Gastrointestinal Involvement.

Mutations in the Sterile alpha motif domain containing 9 () gene have been described in patients with severe multisystem disorder, MIRAGE syndrome, but also in patients with bone marrow (BM) failure in the absence of other systemic symptoms. The role of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in the management of the disease is still unclear. Here, we present a patient with a novel mutation in (c.

Improved Survival in Liver Transplant Patients Receiving Prolonged-release Tacrolimus-based Immunosuppression in the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR): An Extension Study.

Background: We compared, through the European Liver Transplant Registry, long-term liver transplantation outcomes with prolonged-release tacrolimus (PR-T) versus immediate-release tacrolimus (IR-T)-based immunosuppression. This retrospective analysis comprises up to 8-year data collected between 2008 and 2016, in an extension of our previously published study.

Methods: Patients with <1 month follow-up were excluded; patients were propensity score matched for baseline characteristics.

RT-3D TEE: characteristics of mitral annulus using mitral valve quantification (MVQ) program.

Aim: To evaluate the mitral annulus characteristics in significant mitral regurgitant lesions using mitral valve quantification (MVQ) program.

Methods: We examined 117 patients (39 women), aged 18-86. Patients were separated into four subgroups: 35 patients with ischemic mitral regurgitation, 42 patients with isolated prolapse of the mitral valve, 12 patients with Barlow disease, and 28 healthy controls.

Echocardiographic volumetry of the right ventricle.

Aims: The aim of our study was to define the optimal geometric model for two-dimensional volumetry of the right ventricle and its clinical validation.

Methods And Results: It has been shown in previous reports that an ellipsoidal shell model best reflects the complex right ventricular geometry. We investigated 82 patients without tricuspid regurgitation and intracardiac shunt.