von Willebrand Factor Antigen, von Willebrand Factor Propeptide, and ADAMTS13 in Carotid Stenosis and Their Relationship with Cerebral Microemboli.

Background:  The relationship between von Willebrand factor antigen (VWF:Ag), VWF propeptide (VWFpp), VWFpp/VWF:Ag ratio, ADAMTS13 activity, and microembolic signal (MES) status in carotid stenosis is unknown.

Methods:  This prospective, multicenter study simultaneously assessed plasma VWF:Ag levels, VWFpp levels and ADAMTS13 activity, and their relationship with MES in asymptomatic versus symptomatic moderate-to-severe (≥50-99%) carotid stenosis patients. One-hour transcranial Doppler ultrasound of the middle cerebral arteries classified patients as MES+ve or MES-ve.

Correction of vitamin D deficiency in a cohort of newborn infants using daily 200 IU vitamin D supplementation.

Introduction: Although the role of vitamin D in the prevention of rickets has long been well established, controversies still exist on the ideal dose of vitamin D supplementation in infants.

Objective: We assessed serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) status simultaneously in maternal and cord samples and the response to vitamin D3 supplementation in neonates.

Methods: Serum 25OHD levels were evaluated from maternal, and umbilical cord samples from term normal pregnancies.

Abiotrophia defectiva endocarditis and associated hemophagocytic syndrome--a first case report and review of the literature.

In this manuscript we describe the first association in the literature between Abiotrophia defectiva endocarditis and the hemophagocytic syndrome. There are multiple important clinical points of information that must be highlighted from this case. A.