Irisin is a myokine caused by exercise that improves insulin resistance and weight loss. However, under unfavorable conditions such as air pollution, and during the pandemic, outdoor activities are uncomfortable. Therefore, in this study, the effect of heat therapy (half bath 42 ± 0.5°C for 30 min) on irisin circulation levels as an exercise alternative for middle-aged obese women after menopause was investigated. Subjects were 33 women aged 49.54 ± 6.04 years, with parameters of height, 160.12 ± 4.33 cm, weight, 69.71 ± 7.52 kg, body surface area 1.73 ± 0.13 m2 , body mass index, 27.19 ± 3.40 kg/m2 . The results suggest that circulating irisin levels showed a significant increase after one-time thermotherapy (TH-1). However, the increase in circulating irisin levels after 15 treatments (TH-15, 5 days/week, 3 weeks) was significantly varied. The level of adiponectin, which increases fatty oxidation to reduce fatty deposition, increased significantly at TH-1, but further increased at TH-15, which was significantly different from the level of TH-1. In addition, the basic serum free fatty acid (FFA) level was significantly increased at TH-15 compared to TH-1. Significant differences were also found in the lipid profile (body mass index, waist circumference, and % body fat). Thermotherapy can significantly increase the tympanic temperature and induce changes in circulating irisin and adiponectin levels. Thus, it resulted in positive changes in FFA and lipid profiles. Therefore, repeated thermotherapy is effective in increasing circulating irisin levels in postmenopausal obese women.

A 52-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis who had been treated with prednisone and hydroxychloroquine for >12 years presented with chest discomfort and a seizure. She was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy combined with sick sinus syndrome. A myocardial muscle biopsy was performed to identify the underlying cardiomyopathy, which showed marked muscle fiber hypertrophy, fiber dropout, slightly increased interstitial fibrous connective tissue, and extensive cytoplasmic vacuolization of the myocytes under light microscopy. Electron microscopy of the myocytes demonstrated dense, myeloid, and curvilinear bodies. The diagnosis of hydroxychloroquine-induced cardiomyopathy was made based on the clinical, hemodynamic, and pathologic findings. This is the first case report describing chloroquine-induced cardiomyopathy involving the heart conduction system.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Biopsy ; Cardiomyopathies ; Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive ; Connective Tissue ; Cytoplasm ; Female ; Heart Conduction System ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hydroxychloroquine ; Hypertrophy ; Light ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Cells ; Muscles ; Patient Dropouts ; Prednisone ; Seizures ; Sick Sinus Syndrome ; Thorax

Primary cardiac lymphoma (PCL) is an extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma exclusively located in the heart and/or pericardium. It is rare in immunocompetent patients and represents 1.3% of primary cardiac tumors and 0.5% of extranodal lymphomas. The clinical behavior is aggressive and the early symptoms are cardiac failure, syncope, arrhythmia, or pericardial effusion. Although echocardiography, computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance image (MRI) are the mainly used imaging techniques to detect cardiac tumors, pathologic examination is always required to confirm the diagnosis. Diagnosis of PCL is difficult due to non-specific clinical manifestations and requires invasive approach to get histopathologic evidence. While surgery with systemic chemotherapy or in combination with irradiation has been attempted, the only effective treatment is chemotherapy. However, the prognosis remains poor. We report on a 42-year-old woman who is diagnosed histopathologically as PCL by cardiac catheterization assisted percutaneous endomyocardial biopsy and treated successfully by anthracycline based chemotherapy.
Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Biopsy ; Cardiac Catheterization ; Cardiac Catheters ; Cardiac Tamponade ; Echocardiography ; Female ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Heart Neoplasms ; Humans ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Pericardial Effusion ; Pericardium ; Prognosis ; Syncope