Internal medicine
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Objective Dilatation of the pulmonary artery itself (PAD: pulmonary artery diameter) or in relation to the ascending aorta (PAD/AAD: pulmonary artery diameter to ascending aortic diameter ratio) has been reported to be associated with pulmonary hypertension and with a prognostic outcome of either heart failure or cardiovascular events. We herein aimed to assess the correlations between pulmonary hypertension-related parameters PAD (or PAD/AAD) and left ventricular (LV) remodeling and LV function. Methods This retrospective study included 193 patients (ages: 67±12 years) who underwent both coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and echocardiography. ⋯ These correlations remained significant after adjusting for demographic data and CVD risk factors. PAD (or PAD/AAD) did not correlate with LVEF or RWT (p>0.05). Conclusion Greater PAD or PAD/AAD is significantly associated with LV remodeling and an impaired LV function.
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Wilson disease is an inherited copper metabolism disorder. We herein report a novel endoscopic finding in three men with Wilson disease. These patients underwent upper endoscopy due to gastrointestinal symptoms or during follow-up. ⋯ A biopsy of the lesions showed orcein-positive tissue, indicating copper deposition, in the interstitial stroma and fundic glands of the mucosa. All patients had been receiving treatment with zinc acetate. These endoscopic findings might have been related to the cytotoxicity of the accumulated copper and zinc acetate.