[Biomarkers of functional class in systolic heart failure: the relevance of copeptin].

Introduction: Functional class is an important predictor of prognosis in chronic heart failure (CHF). However, it is often subjective and poorly reproducible.

Objective: We sought to identify diagnostic markers of high functional class.

Sarcoma with true epithelial differentiation secondary to irradiated glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma multiforme rarely shows true, immunohistochemically confirmed, epithelial differentiation. Furthermore, radiotherapy may induce cerebral sarcomatous tumors, and postsurgery glioblastoma irradiation may give rise to secondary gliosarcomas. We report a case of a 48-year-old male operated on a primary glioblastoma, followed by radiotherapy.

Rapidly progressive corticobasal degeneration syndrome.

Introduction: Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) has a heterogeneous clinical presentation with no specific pathologic substratum. Its accurate diagnosis is a challenge for neurologists; in order to establish CBS definitively, postmortem confirmation is required. Some clinical and radiological features can help to distinguish it from other neurodegenerative conditions, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).

Acute myocardial infarction complication diagnosed by three-dimensional echocardiography.

Transthoracic echocardiography is the modality of choice for the bedside diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction mechanical complications. We report the case of a ventricular septal rupture occurring soon after inferior myocardial infarction, revascularized by primary angioplasty. This challenging diagnosis was elucidated by 3D-echocardiography as 2D-imaging was not conclusive.

Intracerebral amyloidoma: case report and review of the literature.

Intracerebral amyloidoma (ICA) is a type of monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease (MIDD) which is accompanied by an overexpression and fibrillary assembly of monoclonal light chains, ultimately leading to nodular deposits of light chains in the form of amyloid light chain (AL-amyloid). The diagnosis is made by the histological demonstration of intracerebral masses harboring the classical staining and birefringence features of amyloid. We aim to report a case of ICA and review histological features of previous cases.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a Portuguese obese adolescent population according to three different definitions.

In order to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in a Portuguese pediatric overweight population according to three different sets of criteria, 237 overweight and obese adolescents were evaluated at engagement in a specific multidisciplinary program. Two of the used definitions were based on the National Cholesterol Education Program (ATPIII) guidelines modified for pediatric age and were proposed by Cook et al. (Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 157(8):821-827, 2003) and de Ferranti et al.

Electrical storm induced by H1N1 A influenza infection.

Pandemic H1N1 influenza A virus is spreading worldwide. We report a case of electrical storm during H1N1 influenza A infection in a patient with congenital long-QT syndrome (LQTS) that was previously stable on beta-blocker therapy. Possible causes for the association of A flu and LQTS recurrent ventricular arrhythmias are discussed.