Cardiopulmonary exercise testing, computed tomography-derived body composition, systemic inflammation and survival after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Cardio-pulmonary exercise testing (CPEX) is selectively used before intervention for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Sarcopenia, a chronic condition defined by reduced skeletal muscle function and volume, can be assessed radiologically by computed tomography (CT)-derived body composition analysis (CT-BC), and is associated with systemic inflammation.

Objective: The aim was to describe the association between CT-BC, CPEX, inflammation and survival in patients undergoing elective intervention for AAA.

Feline Emphysematous Gastritis in a Cat with Pancreatitis and Secondary Hepatic Lipidosis.

A 7 yr old female neutered domestic shorthair was presented with a 2 mo history of lethargy and hyporexia progressing to anorexia. Initial diagnostics indicated pancreatitis with secondary hepatic lipidosis. Supportive care, including the placement of an esophageal feeding tube, was initiated.

Association Between Enthesitis and Health-related Quality of Life in Psoriatic Arthritis in Biologic-naive Patients from 2 Phase III Ustekinumab Trials.

Objective: Evaluate enthesitis, physical function, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who are naive to anti-tumor necrosis factor agents.

Methods: In PSUMMIT 1 and 2, patients with PsA were randomized to placebo or ustekinumab 45 mg or 90 mg. Enthesitis was assessed at weeks 0 and 24 (Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score).

Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Clinical Findings Associated with Choroid Plexus Spinal Cord "Drop" Metastases.

A 5 yr old castrated male whippet presented with a unique presentation of ambulatory paraparesis and subsequent diagnosis of primary intracranial choroid plexus carcinoma, with metastases to the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral spinal cord segments. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed initially of the thoracolumbar vertebral column and was followed by MRI sequences of the brain for confirmation of the presence of a primary intracranial tumor. The dog was euthanized immediately following diagnostic imaging due to the severity of clinical signs and poor prognosis.

Optimal Transport Destination for Ischemic Stroke Patients With Unknown Vessel Status: Use of Prehospital Triage Scores.

Background And Purpose: Patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and large vessel occlusion may benefit from direct transportation to an endovascular capable comprehensive stroke center (mothership approach) as opposed to direct transportation to the nearest stroke unit without endovascular therapy (drip and ship approach). The optimal transport strategy for patients with AIS and unknown vessel status is uncertain. The rapid arterial occlusion evaluation scale (RACE, scores ranging from 0 to 9, with higher scores indicating higher stroke severity) correlates with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and was developed to identify patients with large vessel occlusion in a prehospital setting.

Vertical Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous Versus Alternative Flaps for Perineal Repair After Abdominoperineal Excision of the Rectum in the Era of Laparoscopic Surgery.

Aims: Plastic surgical reconstruction of the perineum is often required after abdominoperineal excision of the rectum. Options for this reconstruction include a vertical rectus abdominis myocutaneous (VRAM) flap, gluteal fasciocutaneous flap, and gracilis myocutaneous flap. Although the VRAM flap is well established at most centers, less experience exists with the gluteal and gracilis flaps.

Discordance Between Resting and Hyperemic Indices of Coronary Stenosis Severity: The VERIFY 2 Study (A Comparative Study of Resting Coronary Pressure Gradient, Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio and Fractional Flow Reserve in an Unselected Population Referred for Invasive Angiography).

Background: Distal coronary to aortic pressure ratio (Pd/Pa) and instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) are indices of functional significance of a coronary stenosis measured without hyperemia. It has been suggested that iFR has superior diagnostic accuracy to Pd/Pa when compared with fractional flow reserve (FFR).We hypothesized that in comparison with FFR, revascularization decisions based on either binary cutoff values for iFR and Pd/Pa or hybrid strategies incorporating iFR or Pd/Pa will result in similar levels of disagreement.

Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption Is an Early Event That May Persist for Many Years After Traumatic Brain Injury in Humans.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a risk factor for dementia. Mixed neurodegenerative pathologies have been described in late survivors of TBI, but the mechanisms driving post-TBI neurodegeneration remain elusive. Increasingly, blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption has been recognized in a range of neurologic disorders including dementias, but little is known of the consequences of TBI on the BBB.

Use of buccal myomucosal flap in secondary cleft palate repair.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the buccal myomucosal flap in secondary repairs of cleft palate.

Methods: Twenty-two patients who underwent secondary palatoplasty between 1989 and 2004 in which a buccal myomucosal flap was used were reviewed retrospectively. All patients had undergone at least one previous attempted repair at other institutions.