Myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke often share the same risk factors and pathogenic mechanism. Sometimes they can occur in the same patient proximately, occurring days or weeks apart. However, the simultaneous occurrence of MI and stroke is rare and presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Specifically, an acute stroke can alter typical features of MI. Thus, recognition of the coexistence of these two events requires a high threshold of suspicion. The authors describe two patients who presented with simultaneous stroke and MI development. The two events developed on the same day in both patients. The second patient did not have chest pain, whereas chest symptoms could not be assessed in the first patient secondary to altered mental status. After the diagnoses were made using clinical and laboratory findings, urgent percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in both patients.
Chest Pain ; Humans ; Infarction ; Myocardial Infarction ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; Thorax

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In the bare-metal stent era, routine follow-up coronary angiography (RFU CAG) was used to ensure stent patency. With the advent of drug-eluting stents (DESs) with better safety and efficacy profiles, RFU CAG has been performed less often. There are few data on the clinical impact of RFU CAG after second- or third-generation DES implantation in clinically stable patients with coronary artery disease; the aim of this study was to examine this issue. METHODS: We analyzed clinical outcomes retrospectively of 259 patients who were event-free at 12-month after stent implantation and did not undergo RFU CAG (clinical follow-up group) and 364 patients who were event-free prior to RFU CAG (angiographic follow-up group). Baseline characteristics were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The Kaplan-Meier estimated total survival and major adverse cardiac event (MACE)-free survival did not differ between the groups (p = 0.100 and p = 0.461, respectively). The cumulative MACE rate was also not different between the groups (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.35 to 2.02). In the angiographic follow-up group, 8.8% revascularization was seen at RFU CAG. CONCLUSIONS: RFU CAG did not affect long-term clinical outcome after second- or third-generation DES implantation in clinically stable patients.
Aged ; *Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Coronary Artery Disease/radiography/*therapy ; Coronary Restenosis/etiology/radiography/surgery ; Coronary Vessels/*radiography ; Disease Progression ; Disease-Free Survival ; *Drug-Eluting Stents ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Infarction/etiology/radiography/surgery ; Patient Selection ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/adverse effects/*instrumentation ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Prosthesis Design ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

Treatment by All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) followed by anthracycline-AraC chemotherapy has improved the outcome of acute promyelocytic leukemia. ATRA is usually well tolerated, but a few major side effects can be observed. Retinoic acid syndrome (RAS) often occurs during the induction chemotherapy of acute promyelocytic leukemia. A pericardial effusion is a common cardiac manifestation but myocarditis has been rarely documented. Here we reports a very rare case of fully recovered myocarditis as a result of RAS related to ATRA administration during induction treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia which documented by echocardiographic evidence.
Induction Chemotherapy ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; Myocarditis ; Pericardial Effusion ; Tretinoin

A subdural hemorrhage (SDH) is a common disorder with usually good prognosis. Most SDHs resolve with or without with minimal sequelae. We present a case report of a patient with SDH, who had delayed extensive white matter injury with disruptions of corticospinal tracts (CSTs) by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and showed abysmal prognosis, despite long-term rehabilitation. A 62-year-old man with an SDH underwent burr hole trephination for hematoma removal. Within 7 days, the hemorrhage diminished. At 12 weeks after the onset, the patient's weakness did not improve, and a follow-up magnetic resonance imaging revealed extensive leukomalacia, especially in the white matter. The DTI for CST revealed severe injury of CST integrity. He did not re-gain muscle strength and functional independence, despite 3 months of inpatient rehabilitation. This case describes SDH with delayed extensive white matter injury and exceptional poor prognosis and urges caution in that the SDH may induce very variable functional recovery. Besides, DTI for CST would be useful in predicting the long-term functional prognosis in extensive white matter injury.
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Strength ; Prognosis ; Pyramidal Tracts ; Rehabilitation ; Trephining ; White Matter

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the potential benefit of a 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonist, sarpogrelate-based triple antiplatelet therapy (TAPT) in comparison with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 119 patients of STEMI were retrospectively assessed. All patients received aspirin and clopidogrel per standard of care. Among them, 53 patients received an additional loading dose of sarpogrelate and a maintenance dose for 6 months post-PCI (TAPT group), while others did not (DAPT group). RESULTS: The rates of complete ST-segment resolution at 30 minutes post-PCI and post-procedural thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow were not significantly different between the two groups (52.8% vs. 48.5%, p=0.200; 92.5% vs. 89.4%, p=0.080). In addition, no significant differences were observed between the two groups with regard to 30-day and 12-month clinical outcomes (cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, target vessel revascularization, and severe bleeding). Meanwhile, improvement in left ventricular (LV) systolic function was observed in the TAPT group [ΔLV ejection fraction (LVEF)=17.1±9.4%, p<0.001; Δglobal longitudinal strain (GLS)=−9.4±4.2% , p<0.001] at 6 months, whereas it was not in the DAPT group (ΔLVEF= 8.8±6.5%, p=0.090; ΔGLS=−4.6±3.4%, p=0.106). In multivariate analyses, TAPT was an independent predictor for LV functional recovery (odds ratio, 2.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.16–5.87; p=0.003). CONCLUSION: Sarpogrelate-based TAPT improved LV systolic function at 6 months in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI.
Aspirin ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Retrospective Studies* ; Serotonin ; Standard of Care ; Stents ; Thrombosis ; Ventricular Function, Left

Tracheal rupture is a rare but serious complication that occurs after endotracheal intubation. It usually presents as a linear lesion in the membranous wall of the trachea, and is more prevalent in women and patients older than 50 years. The clinical manifestations of tracheal injury include subcutaneous emphysema and respiratory distress. We report the cases of three female patients of old age presenting tracheal rupture after endotracheal intubation. Two cases received surgical repair without complication and one recovered uneventfully after conservative management. We presume that the tracheal injuries were caused by over-inflation of cuff and sudden movement of the tube by positional change. Therefore, we recommend cuff pressure monitoring during general anesthesia and minimized movement of the head and neck at positional change.
Anesthesia, General ; Female ; Head ; Humans ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Neck ; Rupture ; Subcutaneous Emphysema ; Trachea

No abstract available.
Animals ; Mice* ; Skin*

In 1991, Kounis and Zavras described the "syndrome of allergic angina" as the coincidental occurrence of angina and allergic reactions by inflammatory mediators released during the allergic insult. Presently, both allergic angina and allergic myocardial infarction are referred to as "Kounis syndrome." Several allergens, including drugs, Hymenoptera venom, latex, food, and contrast media have been reported to trigger Kounis syndrome. Three variants of this syndrome have been described. Type I includes patients with normal coronary arteries, Type II includes patients with preexisting atheromatous disease where acute release of inflammatory mediators can induce coronary artery spasms, and Type III is associated with intracoronary thrombus formation caused by an allergic reaction. We report a case of Kounis syndrome who presented as acute myocardial infarction after intramuscular injection of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
Allergens ; Anaphylaxis ; Contrast Media ; Coronary Vessels ; Humans ; Hymenoptera ; Hypersensitivity ; Injections, Intramuscular ; Latex ; Myocardial Infarction ; Spasm ; Thrombosis ; Venoms

Dysphagia caused by a functional gastric outlet obstruction is rare and the natural course of a functional gastric outlet obstruction is unclear. This paper reports a patient with dysphagia and a functional gastric outlet obstruction after a cervical esophagogastrostomy. A 62-year-old man with a history of esophageal cancer and cervical esophagogastrostomy presented with dysphagia and discomfort during meals. A videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) with barium revealed a mild increase in the post-swallow remnants and delayed emptying of the gastric outlet, reflecting a functional gastric outlet obstruction at the diaphragm. One month later, VFSS revealed a worsened functional gastric outlet obstruction at the diaphragm. A delayed chest X-ray showed worsened delayed emptying of the gastric outlet. A cervical esophagogastrostomy for early esophageal cancer can cause functional gastric outlet obstruction, presenting as dysphagia and discomfort during meals. Physicians should be concerned about dysphagia and the functional changes in the esophagus in patients with a cervical esophagogastrostomy.
Barium ; Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders ; Diaphragm ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; Esophagus ; Gastric Outlet Obstruction ; Humans ; Meals ; Middle Aged ; Thorax

Although dysphagia is an important health problem and one of the determinants of quality of life in patients with dementia, the neurophysiologic changes of dysphagia in dementia have not been fully uncovered, yet. we investigated the changes of strength of tongue lip and pharyngeal muscles in patients with dementia. This study included 30 subjects with dementia. In all subjects, clinical assessments consisted of the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI) for tongue and lip, surface electromyography (sEMG) with Vital stim plus on suprahyoid muscles, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scales. All subjects were classified into 3 groups according to severity; CDR 1, 2, and 3. There was no difference between IOPI and sEMG among all 3 groups. The values of tongue and lip IOPI from all 3 dementia groups were significantly lower than values of control. The comparisons for values of tongue and lip IOPI among 3 dementia group were not different from each other. The sEMG of suprahyoid muscles were not different between all 3 dementia groups and control. These findings are supportive of dysphagia therapy for oral phase would be beneficial for the restoration of swallowing function in patients with dementia and dysphagia.
Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders ; Dementia ; Electromyography ; Humans ; Iowa ; Lip ; Muscles ; Pharyngeal Muscles ; Quality of Life ; Tongue ; Weights and Measures