Adolescent ; Cardiomyopathies ; complications ; diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Heart Failure ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Heart Ventricles ; abnormalities ; Humans ; Male

Ascites ; complications ; etiology ; Heart Failure ; complications ; etiology ; Hemochromatosis ; complications ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Middle Aged

Heart Failure ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Stroke Volume

Cardiogenic unilateral pulmonary edema (UPE) is a rare clinical entity that is often misdiagnosed at first. Most cases of cardiogenic UPE occur in the right upper lobe and are caused by severe mitral regurgitation (MR). We present an unusual case of right-sided UPE in a patient with cardiogenic shock due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) without severe MR. The patient was successfully treated by percutaneous coronary intervention and medical therapy for heart failure. Follow-up chest Radiography showed complete resolution of the UPE. This case reminds us that AMI can present as UPE even in patients without severe MR or any preexisting pulmonary disease affecting the vasculature or parenchyma of the lung.
Acute Disease ; Aged ; Coronary Angiography ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Heart Atria/ultrasonography ; Heart Failure/diagnosis/etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency/ultrasonography ; Myocardial Infarction/complications/*diagnosis/therapy ; Pulmonary Edema/*diagnosis/etiology/therapy ; Shock, Cardiogenic/*diagnosis/etiology/therapy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Changes in renal function are one of the most common manifestations of severe illness. There is a clinical need to intervene early with proven treatments in patients with potentially deleterious changes in renal function. Unfortunately progress has been hindered by poor definitions of renal dysfunction and a lack of early biomarkers of renal injury. In recent years, the definitional problem has been addressed with the establishment of a new well-defined diagnostic entity, acute kidney injury (AKI), which encompasses the wide spectrum of kidney dysfunction, together with clearer definition and sub-classification of the cardio-renal syndromes. From the laboratory have emerged new biomarkers which allow early detection of AKI, including neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and cystatin C. This review describes the new concepts of AKI and the cardio-renal syndromes as well as novel biomarkers which allow early detection of AKI. Panels of AKI biomarker tests are likely to revolutionise the diagnosis and management of critically ill patients in the coming years. Earlier diagnosis and intervention should significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with acute kidney damage.
Acute Kidney Injury/*diagnosis ; Biological Markers/analysis/blood/urine ; Cystatin C/blood/urine ; Heart Failure/complications/etiology ; Humans ; Kidney Diseases/complications/*diagnosis/etiology ; Lipocalins/blood/urine ; Syndrome

BACKGROUNDPrevious data are controversial about the association of renal artery stenosis (RAS) with clinical outcome in patients with heart failure. Definition of RAS in previous studies might not be appropriate. By definition of RAS with renal duplex sonography, we investigated the association of RAS with clinical outcome in patients with heart failure.

METHODSIn this retrospective study, we identified 164 patients with heart failure (New York Heart Association classification ≥II; left ventricular ejection fraction <50%) who had received renal duplex sonography during hospital stay. RAS was defined as renal-aortic ratio ≥3.5 or a peak systolic velocity ≥200 cm/s (or both), or occlusion of the renal artery. Categorical data of patients were compared using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. Cox proportional hazards regression modeling technique was used to investigate the prognostic significance of possible predictors.

RESULTSFinally, 143 patients were enrolled. Median follow-up time was 32 months (1-53 months). Twenty-two patients were diagnosed as RAS by renal duplex sonography, including 13 unilateral RAS (3 left RAS, 10 right RAS) and 9 bilateral RAS. There were more all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death in patients with RAS than patients without RAS. By multivariate analysis, RAS was a significant predictor for all-cause death and cardiovascular death (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.155, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.546-11.164, P = 0.005; and HR = 3.483, 95% CI: 1.200-10.104, P = 0.022, respectively). As for composite endpoint events, including death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke or intracranial hemorrhage, rehospitalization for cardiac failure, and renal replacement therapy, only angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin-receptor blocker was significant predictor. RAS was not a significant predictor for composite endpoint events.

CONCLUSIONSOur data suggested that RAS is associated with a poorer clinical outcome in patients with heart failure.

Aged ; Atherosclerosis ; diagnosis ; etiology ; mortality ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Heart Failure ; complications ; mortality ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Renal Artery Obstruction ; diagnosis ; etiology ; mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Stroke Volume ; physiology

Aged ; Antitubercular Agents ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypothermia ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Stevens-Johnson Syndrome ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Tuberculosis ; drug therapy

BACKGROUNDAlthough acute congestive heart failure (CHF) patients typically present with abnormal auscultatory findings on lung examination, lung sounds are not normally subjected to rigorous analysis. The goals of this study were to use a computerized analytic acoustic tool to evaluate lung sound patterns in CHF patients during acute exacerbation and after clinical improvement and to compare CHF profiles with those of normal individuals.

METHODSLung sounds throughout the respiratory cycle was captured using a computerized acoustic-based imaging technique. Thirty-two consecutive CHF patients were imaged at the time of presentation to the emergency department and after clinical improvement. Digital images were created, geographical area of the images and lung sound patterns were quantitatively analyzed.

RESULTSThe geographical areas of the vibration energy image of acute CHF patients without and with radiographically evident pulmonary edema were (67.9 +/- 4.7) and (60.3 +/- 3.5) kilo-pixels, respectively (P < 0.05). In CHF patients without and with radiographically evident pulmonary edema (REPE), after clinical improvement the geographical area of vibration energy image of lung sound increased to (74.5 +/- 4.4) and (73.9 +/- 3.9) kilo-pixels (P < 0.05), respectively. Vibration energy decreased in CHF patients with REPE following clinical improvement by an average of (85 +/- 19)% (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSWith clinical improvement of acute CHF exacerbations, there was more homogenous distribution of lung vibration energy, as demonstrated by the increased geographical area of the vibration energy image. Lung sound analysis may be useful to track in acute CHF exacerbations.

Adult ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted ; Female ; Heart Failure ; complications ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulmonary Edema ; etiology ; pathology ; Respiratory Sounds ; physiology

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Isolated cecal necrosis is a rare cause of the surgical abdomen. Its manifestation is similar to that of acute appendicitis. Thirteen cases, who were pre-diagnosed with acute abdomen and were finally diagnosed with isolated cecal necrosis after operation have been evaluated alongside with literature. METHODS: The records of 13 patients, who had isolated cecal necroses between 1995 and 2011 at Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Medical School's General Surgery Clinic (Turkey), were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: Eight of the patients were male, whereas 5 were female. Their mean age was 68.0+/-11.7 (range 51-84) years. All the patients had at least one accompanying disease the most frequent of which were heart failure and chronic renal failure. Ten patients had right hemicolectomy and ileotransversostomy, two had right hemicolectomy and ileostomy, and one had wedge resection to the cecum by the help of linear stapler. Mortality was seen in 5 patients (38%) in the early postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: Isolated cecal necrosis should be considered in elderly patients with chronic diseases presenting with sudden right lower quadrant pains in the differential diagnosis. Isolated cecal necrosis may have a bad prognosis since it is seen in elderly patients with accompanying problems. Therefore, early diagnosis and immediate surgical management if necessary is important to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality.
Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cecum/*pathology ; Colectomy ; Female ; Heart Failure/etiology ; Humans ; Ileostomy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Necrosis/*diagnosis/mortality/surgery ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/etiology ; Retrospective Studies

We report the rare case of a patient with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who initially presented to the hospital with symptoms of cardiac failure. Preoperative cardiac studies did not reveal any underlying ischemia. After resection of a large 14-cm left renal tumor, cardiac function was noted to improve dramatically. We discuss this case of concomitant RCC and nonischemic cardiomyopathy.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell/*diagnosis/surgery ; Cardiomyopathies/*diagnosis ; Female ; Heart Failure/*etiology ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Paraneoplastic Syndromes/complications ; Thalassemia/complications