Carbon monoxide poisoning is common cause of fatal intoxication. When carbon monoxide is absorbed into the blood, it interferes with the oxygen supply to the cells, causing damage to tissues and organs. Delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae (DNS) manifested by cognitive dysfunction, motor disorder, micturition disorder are widely known complication of carbon monoxide intoxication. But neuromuscular complication is a rare DNS of carbon monoxide intoxication. We herein report a 42-year-old patient with multifocal neuropathies, rhabdomyolysis, and dermal change due to carbon monoxide intoxication.

Background and Objectives: Identifying patients with high bleeding risk (HBR) is important when making decisions for antiplatelet therapy strategy. This study evaluated the impact of ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) according to HBR in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients treated with drug eluting stents (DESs). Methods: In this post-hoc analysis of the TICO trial, HBR was defined by 2 approaches: meeting Academic Research Consortium for HBR (ARC-HBR) criteria or Predicting Bleeding Complications in Patients Undergoing Stent Implantation and Subsequent DAPT (PRECISEDAPT) score ≥25. The primary outcome was a 3–12 months net adverse clinical event (composite of major bleeding and adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events). Results: Of the 2,980 patients without adverse events during the first 3 months after DES implantation, 453 (15.2%) were HBR by ARC-HBR criteria and 504 (16.9%) were HBR by PRECISE-DAPT score. The primary outcome rate was higher in HBR versus non-HBR patients (by ARC-HBR criteria: hazard ratio [HR], 2.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.76– 4.69; p<0.001; by PRECISE-DAPT score: HR, 3.09; 95% CI, 1.92–4.98; p<0.001). Ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month DAPT was associated with lower primary outcome rate than ticagrelor-based 12-month DAPT regardless of HBR by ARC-HBR criteria, with similar magnitudes of therapy effect for HBR and non-HBR patients (p-interaction=0.400). Results were consistent by PRECISE-DAPT score (p-interaction=0.178). Conclusions In ACS patients treated with DESs, ticagrelor monotherapy after 3-month DAPT was associated with lower rate of adverse clinical outcomes regardless of HBR, with similar magnitudes of therapy effect between HBR and non-HBR.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02494895

Purpose: Periprosthetic fractures of a tumor prosthesis are rare but have difficulties in achieving sound fixation because of the poor bone quality, which increases the risk of loosening or re-fracture, even after bone union. A cortical strut onlay allograft was adopted for peri-prosthetic fractures after hip arthroplasty into the periprosthetic fracture of a tumor prosthesis, assuming that it would assist in firm fixation, shorten the time to union, and increase the bone stock, thereby, lower the chance of loosening and re-fracture. Materials and Methods: This study reviewed 27 patients (30 cases) of periprosthetic fracture of tumor prosthesis. Sixteen cases (allograft group) had augmentation with an onlay allograft, while 14 cases (conventional group) had internal fixation or conservative treatment.The following were assessed; mode of periprosthetic fracture, difference in the time to union between a strut cortical onlay allograft and without it, and survival of prosthesis, complication, and functional outcome between the two groups. Results: According to the unified classification system (UCS), 21 cases were type B (70.0%; B1, 14; B2, 1; B3, 6) and 9 cases were type C.The five-, 10-year survival of the 30 reconstructions by Kaplan–Meier plot was 84.5%±4.18% and 42.2%±7.83%, respectively. The average time to bone union of the entire cohort was 5.1 months (range, 2.0–11.2 months). The allograft group (3.5 months) showed a shorter period for union than the conventional group (7.2 months) (p<0.0001). All four cases of major complications occurred in the conventional group. Two cases with loosening and anterior angulation were treated with a change of prosthesis, and another with infection underwent amputation. The remaining case with loosening had conservative management. At the final follow-up, the average Musculosketal Tumor Society score of the allograft group (26.1) was better than that of the conventional group (20.9). Conclusion Bone union in periprosthetic fractures of a tumor prosthesis can be achieved, but the minimization of complications is important. An onlay allograft facilitates firm fixation and increases the bone stock with a shortened time to union. This simple method can minimize the risk of loosening, joint contracture, and re-fracture.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The relationship between operator volume and outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has not been fully investigated. We aimed to investigate the relationship between operator PCI volume and in-hospital outcomes after primary PCI for STEMI.METHODS: Among the total of 44,967 consecutive cases of PCI enrolled in the Korean nationwide, retrospective registry (K-PCI registry), 8,282 patients treated with PCI for STEMI by 373 operators were analyzed. PCI volumes above the 75th percentile (>30 cases/year), between the 75th and 25th percentile (10–30 cases/year), and below the 25th percentile (<10 cases/year) were defined as high, moderate, and low-volume operators, respectively. In-hospital outcomes including mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), stent thrombosis, stroke, and urgent repeat PCI were analyzed.RESULTS: The average number of primary PCI cases performed by 373 operators was 22.2 in a year. In-hospital mortality after PCI for STEMI was 571 cases (6.9%). In-hospital outcomes by operator volume showed no significant differences in the death rate, cardiac death, non-fatal MI, and stent thrombosis. However, the rate of urgent repeat PCI tended to be lower in the high-volume operator (0.6%) than in the moderate-(0.7%)/low-(1.5%) volume operator groups (p=0.095). The adjusted odds ratios for adverse in-hospital outcomes were similar in the 3 groups. Multivariate analysis also showed that operator volume was not a predictor for adverse in-hospital outcomes.CONCLUSIONS: In-hospital outcomes after primary PCI for STEMI were not associated with operator volume in the K-PCI registry.
Cohort Studies ; Death ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Myocardial Infarction ; Odds Ratio ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Stroke ; Thrombosis ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The relationship between operator volume and outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has not been fully investigated. We aimed to investigate the relationship between operator PCI volume and in-hospital outcomes after primary PCI for STEMI. METHODS: Among the total of 44,967 consecutive cases of PCI enrolled in the Korean nationwide, retrospective registry (K-PCI registry), 8,282 patients treated with PCI for STEMI by 373 operators were analyzed. PCI volumes above the 75th percentile (>30 cases/year), between the 75th and 25th percentile (10–30 cases/year), and below the 25th percentile (<10 cases/year) were defined as high, moderate, and low-volume operators, respectively. In-hospital outcomes including mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), stent thrombosis, stroke, and urgent repeat PCI were analyzed. RESULTS: The average number of primary PCI cases performed by 373 operators was 22.2 in a year. In-hospital mortality after PCI for STEMI was 571 cases (6.9%). In-hospital outcomes by operator volume showed no significant differences in the death rate, cardiac death, non-fatal MI, and stent thrombosis. However, the rate of urgent repeat PCI tended to be lower in the high-volume operator (0.6%) than in the moderate-(0.7%)/low-(1.5%) volume operator groups (p=0.095). The adjusted odds ratios for adverse in-hospital outcomes were similar in the 3 groups. Multivariate analysis also showed that operator volume was not a predictor for adverse in-hospital outcomes. CONCLUSIONS In-hospital outcomes after primary PCI for STEMI were not associated with operator volume in the K-PCI registry.

PURPOSE: To evaluate predictors of severe or moderate coronary artery disease (CAD) in individuals with zero or very low (<10) coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 1175 asymptomatic persons with zero or very low (<10) CAC scores were analyzed for CAD stenosis using coronary computed tomography angiography. Moderate and severe CADs were defined as having more than 50% and more than 70% stenosis in any of the major coronary arteries, respectively. Age, gender, body mass index, hypertension, type II diabetes, dyslipidemia, lipid profile, creatinine, and smoking status were evaluated as predictors for moderate and severe CAD. RESULTS: In the study population, moderate and severe CADs were found in 7.5% and 3.3%, respectively. Among evaluated risk factors, age [odds ratio (OR) 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02−1.07, p<0.001], current smoking status (OR 3.12, 95% CI 1.82−5.34, p<0.001), and CAC 1−9 (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.08−3.00, p=0.024) were significantly associated with moderate CAD. Meanwhile, age (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02−1.08, p=0.003), low high density lipoprotein (HDL) (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93−0.99, p=0.003), and current smoking status (OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.14−5.30, p=0.022) were found to be significantly associated with severe CAD. Improvement of discrimination power for predicting severe CAD was observed when smoking and HDL cholesterol were serially added into the age model. CONCLUSION: Smoking showed significant correlations with moderate or severe CAD, and low HDL cholesterol also proved to be a predictor of severe CAD in asymptomatic individuals with extremely low CAC scores.
Angiography ; Asymptomatic Diseases ; Body Mass Index ; Calcium ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Coronary Vessels ; Creatinine ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Dyslipidemias ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Lipoproteins ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking

Improved approaches for promoting umbilical cord blood (CB) hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) homing are clinically important to enhance engraftment of CB-HSCs. Clinical transplantation of CB-HSCs is used to treat a wide range of disorders. However, an improved understanding of HSC chemotaxis is needed for facilitation of the engraftment process. We found that ectopic overexpression of miR-9 and antisense-miR-9 respectively down- and up-regulated C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) expression in CB-CD34⁺ cells as well as in 293T and TF-1 cell lines. Since CXCR4 is a specific receptor for the stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1) chemotactic factor, we investigated whether sense miR-9 and antisense miR-9 influenced CXCR4-mediated chemotactic mobility of primary CB CD34⁺ cells and TF-1 cells. Ectopic overexpression of sense miR-9 and antisense miR-9 respectively down- and up-regulated SDF-1-mediated chemotactic cell mobility. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report that miR-9 may play a role in regulating CXCR4 expression and SDF-1-mediated chemotactic activity of CB CD34⁺ cells.
Cell Line ; Cell Movement ; Chemotaxis ; Fetal Blood ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; MicroRNAs ; Stromal Cells

Chemokine (C-X3-C motif) ligand 1 (CX₃CL1, also known as fractalkine) and its receptor chemokine (C-X3-C motif) receptor 1 (CX₃CR1) are widely expressed in immune cells and non-immune cells throughout organisms. However, their expression is mostly cell type-specific in each tissue. CX₃CR1 expression can be found in monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells. Interaction between CX3CL1 and CX₃CL1 can mediate chemotaxis of immune cells according to concentration gradient of ligands. CX₃CL1 expressing immune cells have a main role in either pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory response depending on environmental condition. In a given tissue such as bone marrow, brain, lung, liver, gut, and cancer, CX₃CL1 expressing cells can maintain tissue homeostasis. Under pathologic conditions, however, CX₃CL1 expressing cells can play a critical role in disease pathogenesis. Here, we discuss recent progresses of CX3CL1/CX₃CL1 in major tissues and their relationships with human diseases.
Bone Marrow ; Brain ; Chemokine CX3CL1 ; Chemotaxis ; Dendritic Cells ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Ligands ; Liver ; Lung ; Macrophages ; Monocytes ; Organ Specificity ; T-Lymphocytes

PURPOSE: To evaluate the ability of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) to predict the need of coronary revascularization in symptomatic patients with stable angina who were referred to a cardiac catheterization laboratory for coronary revascularization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pre-angiography CCTA findings were analyzed in 1846 consecutive symptomatic patients with stable angina, who were referred to a cardiac catheterization laboratory at six hospitals and were potential candidates for coronary revascularization between July 2011 and December 2013. The number of patients requiring revascularization was determined based on the severity of coronary stenosis as assessed by CCTA. This was compared to the actual number of revascularization procedures performed in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. RESULTS: Based on CCTA findings, coronary revascularization was indicated in 877 (48%) and not indicated in 969 (52%) patients. Of the 877 patients indicated for revascularization by CCTA, only 600 (68%) underwent the procedure, whereas 285 (29%) of the 969 patients not indicated for revascularization, as assessed by CCTA, underwent the procedure. When the coronary arteries were divided into 15 segments using the American Heart Association coronary tree model, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CCTA for therapeutic decision making on a per-segment analysis were 42%, 96%, 40%, and 96%, respectively. CONCLUSION: CCTA-based assessment of coronary stenosis severity does not sufficiently differentiate between coronary segments requiring revascularization versus those not requiring revascularization. Conventional coronary angiography should be considered to determine the need of revascularization in symptomatic patients with stable angina.
Aged ; Angina, Stable/*diagnostic imaging ; Coronary Angiography/*methods ; Coronary Stenosis/*diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myocardial Revascularization ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; United States

We recently encountered an interesting case of acute inferior ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This patient had a rare anatomic variation, single coronary artery. The right coronary artery originate from the left circumflex proper artery, not from aorta, was totally obstructed with thrombi. Though it took more time to figure out the patient's coronary anatomy and the culprit lesion, we successfully performed primary percutaneous coronary intervention within the guideline-recommended time period. We performed left coronary angiography at the beginning. This strategy could be helpful in determining the culprit lesion and preventing unnecessary procedural delay in acute inferior STEMI.
Anatomic Variation ; Aorta ; Arteries ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Vessel Anomalies ; Coronary Vessels* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction* ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention