Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research
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We investigated the association between variants rs12997 in activin A receptor type I (ACVR1) and rs1043784 in BMP6 located in the 3' untranslated region, and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). The retrospective case-control study used TaqMan real-time PCR assay to genotype 400 subjects, including 150 patients with POAG and 250 controls. The minor 'G' allele of rs12997 in ACVR1 showed significant association with POAG (p=0.027, OR=1.39, 95% CI=1.03 to 1.87). ⋯ However, clinical variables such as intraocular pressure and cup/disc ratio showed no association with both the polymorphisms. To conclude, the study shows a modest association between rs12997 in the ACVR1 gene, a member of the bone morphogenic protein signaling pathway and POAG. However, the results need further replication in large population-based cohorts and different ethnicities to validate its role as an important genetic biomarker.
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Acromegaly is a rare disease associated with comorbidities that are common in the general population. Most patients undergo screening for classic phenotypical (CP) or mass effect manifestations. By retrospective review of pituitary tumor surgeries performed between 1994 and 2016 (1836), we identified patients with acromegaly (112). ⋯ A similar number of patients had normal IGF-1 at last follow-up (89.5% ID and 81.25% CP) after surgery alone and multimodality treatment. In conclusion, an increased number of patients with GH-secreting adenomas were ID in recent years. Education of physicians other than endocrinologists regarding presentation and comorbidity clustering may lead to an earlier diagnosis of acromegaly and improved outcomes.
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Assessing congestion is challenging but important to patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). However, there are limited data regarding the association between estimated plasma volume status (ePVS) determined using hemoglobin/hematocrit data and outcomes in patients with stable CHF. We prospectively analyzed 231 patients; the median follow-up period was 35.6 months. ⋯ In receiver operating characteristic analysis, the area under the curve of ePVS for primary outcome was 0.645. ePVS determined using hemoglobin and hematocrit was independently associated with clinical outcomes for patients with stable CHF. Our study thus further strengthens the evidence that ePVS has important prognostic value in patients with stable CHF. Trial registration number ChiCTR-ONC-14004463.
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Patients diagnosed with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) are at increased risk of monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation. The presence of myocardial fibrosis provides both anatomical and functional barriers that promote arrhythmias in these patients. Propagation of VT in a reentrant circuit depends on the presence of excitable myocardium and the refractoriness of the circuit. ⋯ No statistically significant change in VT incidence was found between HFrEF rats treated with the graft and untreated HFrEF rats (p=0.0834). Surgical deployment of a fibroblast-containing biomaterial in a rodent ischemic cardiomyopathy model prolonged ventricular ERP as measured by programmed electrical stimulation. This hypothesis-generating study warrants additional studies to further characterize the antiarrhythmic or proarrhythmic effects of this novel surgical therapy.
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Acute suppurative parotitis (ASP) is an acute infection of the parotid gland that necessitates hospitalization in some patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical laboratory values including hydration, nutritional status, inflammatory markers and age, and to compare them with duration of hospitalization of patients with ASP. This is a retrospective chart review in a tertiary academic center. ⋯ Examination of these factors on multivariate analysis found hospitalization duration was exclusively affected by patients' level of dehydration as represented by BUN:Cr. Patient age, WCC levels at presentation, and platelet levels were not found to be statistically significant. Treatment and interventions should be planned accordingly.