Pleomorphic dermal sarcoma: it might be rare but it exists.

Pleomorphic dermal sarcoma (PDS) is a rare mesenchymal tissue tumor. Its differential diagnosis from similar tumors, such as low differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, fibrosarcoma, desmoplastic melanoma, atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX), may be difficult, as they have similar clinical and histological presentation. We present a case of an 83-year-old man exhibiting an exophytic scalp lesion.

Ivabradine: pre-clinical and clinical evidence in the setting of ventricular arrhythmias.

Background: Ivabradine, an agent lowering the heart rate, acting as a funny current () specific inhibitor, is responsible for the sinoatrial node's spontaneous depolarization. According to current guidelines, it is indicated in specific heart failure populations and as a second-line treatment option to improve angina in chronic coronary syndromes.

Review Of Literature: The role of ivabradine in the setting of ventricular arrhythmias has been studied in both experimental and clinical studies.

The Association of Circulating CD14++CD16+ Monocytes, Natural Killer Cells and Regulatory T Cells Subpopulations With Phenotypes of Cardiovascular Disease in a Cohort of Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

The altered expression of immune cells including monocyte subsets, natural killer (NK) cells and CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in end-stage kidney disease, affect the modulation of inflammation and immunity with significant clinical implications. The aim of this study was to investigate the profile of specific immune cells subpopulations and their correlations with phenotypes of established cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart failure (HF) in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. 29 stable PD patients and 13 healthy volunteers were enrolled.

Proinflammatory cytokines in irritable bowel syndrome: a comparison with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background/aims: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disease often considered as a functional intestinal disorder. Inflammation in IBS is a quite intriguing theory. The aim of this study was to investigate tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 expression in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, IBS patients and normal controls.

6-minute walking test: a useful tool in the management of heart failure patients.

Reduced functional ability and exercise tolerance in patients with heart failure (HF) are associated with poor quality of life and a worse prognosis. The 6-minute walking test (6MWT) is a widely available and well-tolerated test for the assessment of the functional capacity of patients with HF. Although the cardiopulmonary exercise test (a maximal exercise test) remains the gold standard for the evaluation of exercise capacity in patients with HF, the 6MWT (submaximal exercise test) may provide reliable information about the patient's daily activity.

Attitudes of hemodialysis patients, medical and nursing staff towards patients' physical activity.

Purpose: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) seem to have a negative attitude towards physical activity, which is mainly favored by the lack of counseling provided by the medical and nursing staff. The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes of both ESRD patients and medical staff on the participation and promotion of physical activity and identify the obstacles that discourage patients' involvement in intervention programs.

Study Design: Subjective assessment questionnaires and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire were administrated to hemodialysis patients and medical staff, to investigate the association between patient's barriers to physical activity, the total intensity level of physical activity, and attitudes of both ESRD patients and medical staff on the participation and promotion of physical activity.

Prevalence of comorbidities in systemic sclerosis versus rheumatoid arthritis: a comparative, multicenter, matched-cohort study.

Background: Comorbidities are common in chronic systemic connective tissue diseases and are associated with adverse outcomes, increased morbidity and mortality. Although the prevalence of comorbidities has been well-studied in isolated diseases, comparative studies between different autoimmune diseases are limited. In this study, we compared the prevalence of common comorbidities between patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Inflammation and atrial fibrillation: A comprehensive review.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) has different underlying substrates. Atrial remodeling involves electrophysiological and structural abnormalities that promote the development and perpetuation of AF. Experimental and clinical data indicate that inflammation is implicated in the pathophysiology of atrial remodeling.

An uncommon presentation of Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis.

In this case, we present a patient with an uncommon presentation of Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA) with hepatic involvement and the possible association with subclinical coeliac disease. We discuss the differential diagnosis and the relevant therapy.

Oxidative Stress and Acute Kidney Injury in Critical Illness: Pathophysiologic Mechanisms-Biomarkers-Interventions, and Future Perspectives.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a multifactorial entity that occurs in a variety of clinical settings. Although AKI is not a usual reason for intensive care unit (ICU) admission, it often complicates critically ill patients' clinical course requiring renal replacement therapy progressing sometimes to end-stage renal disease and increasing mortality. The causes of AKI in the group of ICU patients are further complicated from damaged metabolic state, systemic inflammation, sepsis, and hemodynamic dysregulations, leading to an imbalance that generates oxidative stress response.

Genetic and epigenetic alterations in meningiomas.

Meningiomas originate from the arachnoid layer of the meninges and divided histologically into three grades: benign (grade I), atypical (grade II), and malignant meningiomas (grade III). Genetic alterations in grade I meningiomas include frequent deletions of chromosomal locus 22q12 and NF2 gene mutations and uncommon somatic SMARCB1 and SMARCE1gene mutations; In grade II meningiomas, chromosomal losses occur on 1p, 22q, 14q, 18q, 10, and 6q, and gains on 20q, 12q, 15q, 1q, 9q, and 17q; In grade III meningiomas, losses have been recognized on 6q, 10, and 14q and alterations of PTEN, CDKN2A and CDKN2B genes. Epigenetic alterations in meningiomas include hypermethylation of the tumor suppressor genes p73 in grade I meningiomas and TIMP3 GSTP1, MEG3, HOXA6, HOXA9, PENK, WNK2 and UPK3A genes with an increasing frequency according to grade.

Dermatomyositis sine myositis - Case presentation.

In this case, we present a patient with unilateral salivary gland enlargement and periorbital edema with erythematous rash. We discuss the differential diagnosis and the relevant therapy.

Abnormalities of brain neural circuits related to obesity: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging study.

Purpose: Increased Body-Mass-Index (BMI) has been associated with brain atrophy in both gray and white matter structures. However, little is known concerning the integrity of white matter tracts in obesity. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the pattern of changes in white matter microstructure in human adiposity.

A Genetic Biomarker of Oxidative Stress, the Paraoxonase-1 Q192R Gene Variant, Associates with Cardiomyopathy in CKD: A Longitudinal Study.

Background. Oxidative stress is a hallmark of CKD and this alteration is strongly implicated in LV hypertrophy and in LV dysfunction. Methods and Patients.

Five classes Euroscore modification improves accuracy of prediction of postoperative mortality and possibly the length of mechanical ventilation of cardiac surgery patients.

Aim: The additive EuroSCORE system for predicting operative mortality of cardiac patients tends to underestimate the mortality risk of high risk patients and concomitantly to overestimate that of low risk patients. We propose a modification of stratification groups aiming at improving its precision. We also tested its ability to predict the length of postoperative mechanical ventilation of our patients.

Pleural neoplastic pathology.

Background/purpose: Malignant pleural effusion is a frequent situation in pulmonary medicine. However, it is sometimes difficult to recognize the underlying etiology. The aim of this review is to provide the key characteristics of primary and metastatic pleural neoplasms.

EUROASPIRE IV: A European Society of Cardiology survey on the lifestyle, risk factor and therapeutic management of coronary patients from 24 European countries.

Aims: To determine whether the Joint European Societies guidelines on cardiovascular prevention are being followed in everyday clinical practice of secondary prevention and to describe the lifestyle, risk factor and therapeutic management of coronary patients across Europe.

Methods And Results: EUROASPIRE IV was a cross-sectional study undertaken at 78 centres from 24 European countries. Patients <80 years with coronary disease who had coronary artery bypass graft, percutaneous coronary intervention or an acute coronary syndrome were identified from hospital records and interviewed and examined ≥ 6 months later.

How do changes in body mass index in infancy and childhood associate with cardiometabolic profile in adulthood? Findings from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study.

Background/objective: Postnatal growth patterns leading to obesity may have adverse influences on future cardiometabolic health. This study evaluated age and body mass index (BMI) at infant BMI peak (BMIP) and childhood BMI rebound (BMIR) in relation to adult cardiometabolic outcomes in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966.

Methods: BMI at various ages was calculated from frequent height and weight measurements obtained from child health and welfare clinical records.

Extra-intestinal malignancies in inflammatory bowel disease: results of the 3rd ECCO Pathogenesis Scientific Workshop (III).

The incidence of lymphoproliferative disorders (LD) is increasing in developed countries. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) exposed to thiopurines are at additional risk of three specific forms of LD: Epstein-Barr-Virus-related post-transplant like LD, hepato-splenic T-cell lymphoma and post-mononucleosis lymphoproliferation. The risk of the two latter forms of LD can be reduced when considering specific immunosuppressive strategies in young males.