Increased Serum IL 6 Associated With Mortality and Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Brazilians

Immunological and inflammatory changes are gaining importance in aging as they are associated with functional limitations and mortality. Chronic inflammation associated with aging (Inflammaging) is a systemic and subclinical condition, characterized by changes in the levels of interleukins such as IL1, IL4, IL6, IL8, IL10 and TNF alpha, associated with genetic, physiological and environmental factors, whose importance is to be directly associated with morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Objective: To evaluate, through a longitudinal study, the relationship between chronic inflammation associated with aging and possible outcomes, such as cognitive changes and mortality in independent oldest old adults. Methods: were evaluated 201 elderly, aged 80 years or older, community residents, with preserved cognition, without acute diseases and with controlled chronic diseases. In a 02 years of interval, laboratory collections of inflammatory markers (IL 1, IL 4, IL6, IL10, TNF alpha and CRP) were performed and outcomes such as cognitive impairment and deaths were evaluated. Results: There was a correlation between increased serum IL6 and cognitive impairment, in the group of women (p-value = 0.008) and in the group All (p-value = 0.022). In the group of men, there was a significant difference between the increase in IL6 values ​​(p-value = 0.028) and CRP (p-value = 0.016) in relation to deaths. Conclusion: The results of this longitudinal study showed and confirmed the positive association between changes in inflammatory markers such as IL6 and outcomes such as cognitive impairment and mortality also in elderly Brazilians.

Complete myocardial revascularization using arterial grafts

BACKGROUND

Complete arterial revascularization is important in younger patients to reduce the likelihood of future reoperation. We assessed the short-term outcome of a strategy to provide complete arterial revascularization in a cohort of young patients.

METHODS

Three hundred and eighty-five patients underwent myocardial revascularization using artery grafts alone and were followed up for 30 months. One hundred fourteen patients (29.6%) had single-vessel disease, 118 (30.6%) had two-vessel disease, and 153 (39.7%) had three or more obstructed coronary arteries. Eight of the patients had undergone previous surgical revascularization. The left internal thoracic artery (LITA) was routinely used for the left anterior descending branch (LAD). In 103 patients (28.1%), the in situ right internal thoracic artery (RITA) was used for revascularization of the right coronary artery (RCA) and its branches. The RITA was sometimes used as a free graft from the aorta or as an artificial "Y" from the LITA to the diagonal and marginal branches. Other arterial conduits included the radial artery (RA) in 215 patients (55.8%), the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) in 24 patients (6.3%), and the inferior epigastric artery (IEA) in four patients (1.1%).

RESULTS

In patients having lesions in three or more arteries, the mean number of distal anastomoses was 3.2 per patient. There were no intraoperative deaths. Hospital mortality was 1.8% (n = 7). Of the fatal cases, two were redos and two underwent combined procedures (one for left ventricular aneurysm and one for double valve replacement), while only three of the fatal cases underwent revascularization as a primary and isolated procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

Complete arterial reconstruction carries an acceptably low operative mortality and excellent short-term follow-up. This strategy is particularly important for young patients to reduce the probability of future reoperation.

Traumatic ophthalmic fistula simulating carotid-cavernous fistula

In a patient with a penetrating lesion of the right orbit with proptosis and a bruit in this region, carotid angiography revealed an ophthalmic fistula between the ophthalmic artery and the superior ophthalmic vein. Three days after admission, the symptoms disappeared, and repeat angiography showed the spontaneous thrombosis of the fistula.