P1459 Flu-like syndrome complicated in a rare form of infective endocarditis

Background

The HACEK group of organisms are one of the infrequent causes of infective endocarditis (IE)(5% of cases in adults).Cultures require long incubation time and clinical presentation may be insidious,delaying final diagnosis.We report a case of subacute atypical presentation of native mitral valve Haemophilus parainfluenzae IE

A 33 yo female with no history of cardiac disease was presented in our hospital with malaise,weakness &high fever till 39oC for at about two weeks.The patient was treated with levofloxacin and discharged. The 1st blood culture was negative.After 25 days the patient was presented with prolonged fever,neurological signs of TIA(motor aphasia and septic embolic episode of 2nd level on the right hand&foot).Physical exam normal,no cardiac murmurs. ECG:normal. Echo:TTE-mitral valve with thickened leaflet, presence of structures suggestive for vegetations (15x19 mm) at the posterior leaflet, perforation of the posterior leaflet causing an IM mild-moderate.TEE-mitral valve with small posterior leaflet, big anterior leaflet with mobile vegetations of coral-forms with diameter maximum 20x10 mm,located at A3 scallop of mitral valve at posteromedial commissural,with a perforation at this level causing moderate IM.No other pathological findings.Cranial CT scan-no data of any acute intracranial abnormality.Body CT scan-a low uptake area of the renal parenchyma related to acute pyelonephritis/infarction.Blood tests-elevated CRP & thrombocytopenia.Blood culture(2nd one): Haemophilus parainfluenzae.Treatment-The patient went on ceftriaxone and underwent a surgical mitral valve repair with mitral annuloplasty and patch placement because of the size of the vegetation and the embolic risk.We also respect the desire of the patient to be pregnant.The patient improved, no fever. Follow-up:CRP normal.TTE echo showed no evidence of the previously detected vegetation with a residual mild MR.The patient was discharged home followed up after 6 weeks with full recovery.

Discussion

We present the case of a young healthy woman without any diseases,admitted with the symptoms of a simple flu-like syndrome with a negative blood culture, but complicated later in one of the rarest forms of IE with Haemophilus parainfluenzae.

HACEK organisms are most often associated with IE, although rare, can be extremely serious because of the tendency of big size vegetation and embolic episodes,but outcomes generally are successful if the organism is identified early and treated appropriately.The treatment of a HACEK infection is based on the location of the infection,clinical severity and available susceptibility data.According to the ESC recommendations Ceftriaxone or ampicillin/sulbactam is the therapy of choice for patients with HACEK endocarditis in both native and prosthetic-valve endocarditis.Fluoroquinolones may be considered as alternative therapy.Regardless of the agent chosen,treatment should last 4– 6 weeks,depending upon the type of valve involved

Abstract P1459 Figure.

P5566Prognostic value of quantitative assessment of tricuspid regurgitation. Correlation between echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance

Background

Significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is related to poor prognosis independently of the etiology. TR severity and right ventricular (RV) size and function are determinant in the evaluation of patients with RT and are independently related to outcomes. While TR severity is commonly evaluated with echocardiography (echo), cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is the gold standard to study the RV. The association between CMR and echocardiographic measures of quantitative TR is unknown.

Purpose

Our aim was to evaluate the association between the most commonly used methods in both techniques: biplane vena contracta (VC) and effective regurgitant orifice (ERO) parameters evaluated by echo and TR volume (TRV) and TR regurgitant fraction (TRF) by CMR; secondly we aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of each parameter.

Methods

Consecutive patients in stable clinical status with significant TR evaluated in the Heart Valve Clinic between 2015–2018 with a contemporaneous echo and CMR were included. TR severity was evaluated by VC and ERO method, using EPIQ system and by VRF and TRF using a 1.5 Tesla CMR Philips scanner. End-point included cardiovascular mortality, tricuspid valve surgery or heart failure.

Results

A total of 36 patients were included (mean age was 72±7 years, 72% females, 94% functional TR). Both VC and ERO showed moderate to strong and significant correlations with VRF and TRF (table). During a median follow up of 20 months [IQR: 10–29], 38% of the patients reached the combined end point (n=7 developed right heart failure, n=11 underwent tricuspid valve surgery, and n=2 died). Patients with events showed a larger ERO and higher VRF and TRF (p<0.01 for all) and a tendency to larger VC (p=0.06). PISA, VRF and TRF were prognostic factors of the combined endpoint (PISA per 0.1 cm2, HR: 282 [3.9–20362], p=0.01; VC per 1 mm, HR 1.27 [0.98–1.64] p=0.06; VRF per 1ml: HR: 1.02 [1.005–1.025], p=0.003; FRT per 1%, HR: 219.5 [4.8–9897], p=0.06). A value of PISA of 0.42, of VRF of 46 ml and FRV of 43% reached the best accuracy to predicted poor outcomes (p<0.01 for all).

Table 1. Bivariate correlations ERO VC Regurgitant volume by CMR R=0.57, p=0.004 R=0.55, p=0.003 Regurgitant fraction by CMR R=0.61, p<0.001 R=0.56, p=0.01

Conclusion

Validated echocardiographic parameters of TR are significantly correlated with quantitative measures by CMR. PISA by echo, and VRF and FRV by CMR are predictive of impaired prognosis. Further studies confirming our CMR cut-off values of poor outcomes are needed for clinical implementation.

P6488Prognostic value of right ventricular systolic function by speckle tracking echocardiography beyond conventional echocardiography in significant tricuspid regurgitation

Background

Right ventricular (RV) systolic function is determinant in the evaluation of patients with significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Timely detection of RV dysfunction with conventional 2D echocardiography is limited by the geometry of the RV. RV strain has emerged as an accurate and sensitive tool for evaluation of RV function that can allow detection of subclinical RV dysfunction

Purpose

This study was aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of RV strain in stable patients with significant TR, in comparison with conventional parameters of RV systolic function.

Methods

Consecutive patients in stable clinical status with significant TR evaluated in the Heart Valve Clinic between 2015–2018 were included. RV systolic function was measured with conventional echocardiographic parameters (RV fractional area change [FAC], tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion [TAPSE]), DTI S wave (`S) and with STE derived peak global and free wall longitudinal strain (GLS, FW-LS respectively) using the EPIQ system. End-point included cardiovascular mortality, tricuspid valve surgery or heart failure

Results

A total of 70 patients were included (mean age was 74±8 years, 71% females). 5 patients were excluded due to poor acoustic window. According to ethyology, 94% were functional TR (60% due to left valve disease, 27% due to tricuspid annulus dilatation, 13% others). Mean values of RV function parameters are shown in the table. During a median follow up of 18 months [IQR: 4–28], 37% of the patients reached the combined end point (n=15 developed right heart failure, n=17 underwent tricuspid valve surgery, and n=3 died). Patients with events showed impaired RV-GLS and FW-LS. Both parameters were predictive of the combined endpoint (table 1). Conventional parameters of RV systolic function were not associated with outcomes.

Mean ± SD Mean ± SD Mean ± SD HR (95% confidence interval) P value in Cox regression analysis in all patients in patients with events in patients without events TAPSE 20±5 20±7 21±5 0.97 (0.9–1.06) 0.56 DTI S wave 10.5±2 11±3 10±2 1.08 (0.87–1.35) 0.49 FAC 44±7 43±6 45±8 1.04 (0.97–1.1) 0.22 FW longitudinal strain (FW-LS) 18±5 −16±5* −20±5 0.91 (0.84–0.98) 0.02 Global longitudinal strain (GLS) 19±4 −16±4* −21±4 0.87 (0.81–0.95) 0.001

Conclusion

In patients with asymptomatic TR, RV strain values are superior to conventional parameters to detect RV dysfunction. Among different measurements of RV function, RV GLS and FW-LS were the only predictors of poor prognosis. These parameters may be included in the serial evaluation of these patients.

Proton pump inhibitor-responsive oesophageal eosinophilia correlates with downregulation of eotaxin-3 and Th2 cytokines overexpression

BACKGROUND

The molecular basis and effects of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy on PPI-responsive oesophageal eosinophilia (PPI-REE) and eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) remain unknown.

AIM

To compare symptom-histological and cytokine gene expression in PPI-REE and EoE patients, at baseline and after specific treatment.

METHODS

In consecutive adult patients with an EoE phenotype (dysphagia/food impaction, typical endoscopic findings and > 15 eos/HPF), gene expression of eotaxin-3, IL-13, and IL-5 were determined in distal and proximal oesophagus, at baseline and after omeprazole 40 mg b.d. for 8 weeks. PPI-REE was defined by clinicohistological response. PPI nonresponders (EoE) were offered treatment with topical steroids.

RESULTS

Fifty three patients were re-evaluated on PPI therapy. 23 patients (43%) had PPI-REE and 30 patients (57%) had EoE. At baseline, eotaxin-3/IL-13/IL-5 gene expression was indistinguishable between EoE and PPI-REE, excepting increased IL-5 expression in proximal oesophagus (12.54 vs. 57, P = 0.029). PPI therapy significantly decreased eotaxin-3/IL-13 in PPI-REE, at both oesophageal sites (P ≤ 0.008), and IL-5 in distal (P = 0.016), but not in proximal oesophagus. Patients with steroid-responsive EoE also showed a significant decrease in eotaxin-3/IL-5 expression at both oesophageal sites. In EoE patients, initial PPI trial significantly decreased distal oesophageal eosinophilia (63.78 to 41.79 eos/HPF, P = 0.025) and led to symptom remission in 16%, but did not influence Th2 markers.

CONCLUSIONS

Baseline cytokine gene expression in PPI-REE was nearly indistinguishable from EoE. PPI therapy significantly downregulated oesophageal eotaxin-3/Th2-cytokine gene expression in PPI-REE, similarly to that seen in steroid-responsive EoE. A subset of EoE patients showed clinicohistological improvement on PPI therapy.

Differential expression of CD30 on CD3 T lymphocytes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune systemic disease caused as a result of an imbalance of Th1-/Th2-type cytokines. The soluble form of CD30 (CD30s) released from peripheral blood cells has been described as a marker of active disease in Th2-type immune response as in SLE. However, the expression of CD30 on CD3 T lymphocytes from patients with SLE has not been studied yet. Therefore, we have addressed our study to attempt this issue, studying CD30 expression by flow cytometry on CD3 T lymphocytes and CD4/CD8 subsets in samples from SLE patients mainly with lupus nephritis. In parallel, we have determined the production of the cytokines IL-4 (Th2), IFNγ (Th1), IL-10 and TGFβ by intracellular staining. Differences between positive CD30 T cells in healthy controls and patients with SLE were found, with a higher percentage of CD30-expressing T cells in patients with SLE (P = 0.001). In contrast to healthy controls, CD30 was mainly expressed on CD8 T cells from patients with SLE. The intracellular cytokine staining showed that TGFβ is the main cytokine expressed in CD3 T cells from patients with SLE. In addition to this, we have found a positive correlation between CD30-expressing T cells and IL-4, IFNγ, and immunosuppressive cytokines (IL-10 and TGFβ) (P < 0.05). These results suggest that CD30 could play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE and its expression on CD3 T lymphocytes is not restricted only to Th2-type response.

Apnoeic and obstructive nonapnoeic sleep respiratory events

Obstructive nonapnoeic event (ONE) scoring is shrouded in confusion. This is important in patients with mild disease, in whom precision is crucial. The aims of the present study were: 1) to identify ONEs using oesophageal pressure (OP) (OP-ONEs) and a noninvasive (NI) method (NI-ONEs); 2) to compare both methods of scoring; and 3) to determine the contribution of ONE definitions to clinical findings. Patients with suspected sleep apnoeas (respiratory disturbance index <or=10) during a first polysomnography were subjected to a second with an OP measurement. OP-ONEs and NI-ONEs were defined as an increase in OP or discernible reduction in the amplitude of thoracoabdominal bands with both desaturation and/or arousal. Bland-Altman analysis established agreement. Comparisons were made between OP-ONEs, NI-ONEs and clinical findings. In our sample (n = 90), the addition of an arousal to the NI-ONEs or OP-ONEs with only desaturation increased the number of NI-ONEs by 329 and 362%, respectively. NI-ONEs with arousal and/or desaturation detected 91% of OP-ONEs. The association with sleepiness depended on the incorporation of arousal into the definition of ONEs. In patients with mild disease, the addition of an arousal to ONEs, with only desaturation, markedly increased respiratory disturbance index, with probable therapeutic implications. Scoring respiratory events as apnoea and ONEs is easier and sufficiently accurate.

Amlodipine reduces predicted risk of coronary heart disease in high-risk patients with hypertension in Spain (The CORONARIA Study)

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of amlodipine besylate alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents in high-risk hypertensive patients in Spanish primary care. In this 1-year, open-label, prospective cohort study, 7468 patients were treated with amlodipine 5 - 10 mg as a monotherapy or as an add-on therapy to attain blood pressure control (target of < 140/90 mmHg or, in patients with conditions such as diabetes or chronic kidney disease, < 130/85 mmHg). At 12 months, the primary outcome (change from baseline in predicted 10-year coronary heart disease risk) was -8.6%, down from 24.7% at baseline (relative risk reduction, 31.6%). Change in blood pressure from baseline (162.5/95.3 mmHg) was -26.7/-14.6 mmHg, and 38.6% of patients achieved their blood pressure target. In summary, significant reductions in predicted coronary heart disease risk and blood pressure were observed with amlodipine both as a monotherapy and as an add-on therapy. Amlodipine was well tolerated and compliance with treatment was good.

First case of simultaneous heart plus kidney transplantation in Chile: case report

Advanced renal disease is a formal contraindication to heart transplantation, and heart failure may make a patient ineligible for kidney transplantation. The International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation has reported 336 simultaneous heart and kidney transplantations with a 70% rate of 5 year survival. Herein we have presented the first case of simultaneous heart plus kidney transplantation in Chile. The patient is a 62-year-old man with diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension who in 1997 had a myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock and acute renal failure. He underwent a coronary bypass but developed progressive heart failure, with an ejection fraction less than 20% and moderate mitral regurgitation. He required chronic hemodialysis and survived a cardiac arrest, receiving an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Transplantation was performed in 2004 in 2 phases: initially a heart, followed by a kidney transplantation. Immunosuppression included Daclizumab, cyclosporine, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and steroids. He developed acute renal failure but did not receive dialysis. He left the hospital at 25 days posttransplantation. Two years following double transplantation, he has not shown acute rejection episodes of either the cardiac or the kidney graft. Both cardiac and renal functions are normal. In conclusion, simultaneous heart plus kidney transplantations offer a good alternative treatment for patients with advanced disease of both organs.

Cytomegalovirus Infections in Cardiac Transplant Patients: An Experience at a Clinical Hospital, University of Chile

BACKGROUND

Since cytomegalovirus (CMV) infects between 20% and 50% of heart transplant patients, we reviewed our experience in 7 cases of this infection.

METHODS

A prospective analysis of CMV infection was performed in heart transplant patients who received cyclosporine, azathioprine, or mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone. An elevated creatinine de novo was managed with antibody induction.

RESULTS

Between August 2001 and December 2005, we performed 22 heart transplants and 1 heart plus kidney transplant. Twenty-two patients were positive for CMV before transplantation. One patient died early because of graft failure. Immunosuppression included cyclosporine and prednisone (100%), azathioprine (52%), or mycophenolate (47%). Two recipients were induced with thymoglobulin and 13 with Daclizumab, while 8 did not receive any antibody. Nineteen patients received prophylaxis for CMV. Seven patients (30%) showed CMV infection, 6 of whom had received prophylaxis. Symptoms started at an average of 107 days posttransplantation in patients with prophylaxis. Three patients had gastritis, 2 pneumonia, and 1 colitis. One patient had concomitant lung aspergillosis. The two patients who received ATG developed CMV infections; 3 of the 12 with Daclizumab; and 2 who did not receive antibody. Of the CMV-infected subjects, 5 were on azathioprine and 2 on mycophenolate. All patients were treated with gancyclovir. The 1 patient with concomitant aspergillosis died.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of infection by CMV was 30%. Prophylaxis seemed to delay infection. Daclizumab induction did not increase the risk for CMV.

WITHDRAWN: Effect of Intensive Diuretic Treatment over Right Ventricular Behaviour. Evidence Provided from Colour and Pulsed-wave Doppler Echocardiography

The publisher regrets that this was an accidental duplication of an article that has already been published in Eur. J. Echocardiogr., 4 (2003) 226-228, . The duplicate article has therefore been withdrawn.

Isovolumic Contraction Time by Pulsed-Wave Doppler Tissue Imaging in Aortic Stenosis

BACKGROUND

Doppler Tissue Imaging (DTI) has been evaluated in ischaemic heart disease and some cardiomyopathies. In patients with aortic stenosis (AS), left ventricular contraction is slowered. This study aimed to evaluate the possible role of the measurement of isovolumic contraction time (ICT) by DTI in the evaluation of AS severity.

METHODS

The study population constitutes 30 patients: 15 with AS (nine severe and six non-severe) and 15 control subjects. All of them had normal systolic function, sinus rhythm, and absence of ischaemic heart disease of conduction abnormalities. ICT was defined as the time from the onset of the QRS complex to the beginning of the DTI systolic wave. The correlation between ICT and aortic area obtained by continuity equation, as well as the diagnostic value of ICT in the identification of severe AS were studied.

RESULTS

ICT was significantly increased in patients with severe AS (98+/-27 versus 65+/-21 ms, p=0.024). There was a significant correlation between ICT and aortic area (r=-0.56; p=0.035). The receiver operator characteristic curve of ICT in the identification of severe AS yielded an area under the curve of 0.852 (95% confidence interval: 0.665-1.0). The two best cut-points were >73 ms (88% sensitivity, 77% specificity) and >85 ms (78% sensitivity, 83% specificity). A value of >41 ms had a 100% sensitivity, but only a 17% specificity, and >91 ms showed a 100% specificity, but only a 44% sensitivity.

CONCLUSIONS

ICT measured by pulsed-wave DTI is increased in patients with aortic stenosis.

Long term outcome of patients with postinfarction left ventricular pseudoaneurysm

BACKGROUND

It is debatable whether surgical repair is routinely indicated in asymptomatic patients with left ventricular pseudoaneurysms.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the long term outcome of patients with pseudoaneurysm after myocardial infarction, focusing on those treated conservatively.

METHODS

10 patients with postinfarction left ventricular pseudoaneurysm were followed up over a mean (SD) period of 3.8 (5.2) years.

RESULTS

In those treated conservatively (n = 9), cumulative survival was 88.9 (10.5)% and 74.1 (16.1)% at one and four years, respectively. The probability of being free of cardiac death was 88.9 (10.5)% at both one and four years. No patient had complete fatal heart rupture during follow up. Three patients suffered ischaemic stroke (at 1, 11, and 62 months). The cumulative incidence of ischaemic stroke was 10% at one year and 32.5% at four years.

CONCLUSIONS

Long term outcome of patients with postinfarction left ventricular pseudoaneurysm is relatively benign, with a very low risk (none in this series) of fatal rupture. Taking into consideration the relatively high risk of stroke, chronic anticoagulant treatment could be considered.

Congenital quadricuspid aortic valve associated with congenital complete heart block

Congenital quadricuspid aortic valve is very uncommon, and is often associated with other cardiac disorders, such as patent ductus, ventricular septal defect, pulmonary stenosis, mitral valve malformation, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and coronary abnormalities. We report a patient with congenital quadricuspid aortic valve associated with congenital complete heart block. To our knowledge, this association has not been reported so far.

Weak concordance between wall motion and microvasculature status after acute myocardial infarction: study with myocardial contrast echocardiography in real time with power modulation

AIMS

The microvasculature damage after myocardial infarction has important implications. The hypothesis of the study was that wall motion abnormalities and microcirculation status do not necessarily match after myocardial infarction, and therefore the study of only myocardial wall motion could offer an incomplete evaluation in these patients.

METHODS

Wall motion and myocardial perfusion assessed by contrast echocardiography were evaluated by two different blinded investigators in 29 patients with recent (<1 week) myocardial infarction. Myocardial perfusion was assessed in real-time using power modulation after Optison (1.5-3.0 ml) intravenous administration.

RESULTS

One hundred and ninety-nine segments could be adequately evaluated. Of these, 54 (27%) were akinetic. Regarding contrast opacification, 134 segments (67%) had a normal perfusion, whereas the remaining 65 (33%) had an impaired (n=37, 19%) or absent (n= 28, 14.1%) perfusion. Concordance between presence of akinesia and abnormal contrast opacification was only moderate (kappa index 0.42) and agreement only occurred in 116 segments (58%). Fourteen per cent of normoquinetic segments had an impaired perfusion, whereas 35% of akinetic segments had a preserved perfusion. Correlation between the proportion of segments with akinesia and the proportion of segments with impaired perfusion was moderate (r=0.41), and there was no correlation between the proportion of segments with akinesia and the percentage of segments with absent perfusion.

CONCLUSION

There is a weak association between regional systolic function and myocardial perfusion after myocardial infarction, as assessed by real-time contrast myocardial echocardiography using power modulation.

Carney's syndrome: complex myxomas. Report of four cases and review of the literature

Cardiac myxomas are rare tumors. They usually appear as a sporadic isolated condition in the left atrium of middle-aged women with no other coincidental pathology. Carney and others have described in young people a special complex group of cardiac myxomas associated to a distinctive complex pathology, giving identity to the "Syndrome Myxoma" or "Carney's Syndrome". Four additional cases of this syndrome, treated from 1977 to 1999 at the Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile are presented here with a comprehensive review of the literature, accumulating 100 cases. The main features of our cases include the presence of malignant non cardiac tumors, a familial trend, follow-up of 23 years and an iterative recurrence in the elder case. To date all patients are tumor free. Reviewing the literature, patients with Carney's Syndrome were younger, with a mean age of 26 years and female predominance (62%). Cardiac myxomas affected the four chambers of the heart: 64% the left atrium; 44% the right atrium; 14% the left ventricle and 12% the right ventricle. They were multiple tumors in 41% and involved more than one chamber in 31%, being synchronous or metachronous. There was a marked familial trend (52%), a high incidence of recurrence (20%), with more than one occurring in half the cases. Extra-cardiac involvement consisted of: 68% pigmented skin lesions, 40% cutaneous myxomas, 37% adrenal cortical disease, 27% myxoid mammary fibroadenoma and 34% male patients with testes tumors. A low percentage had pituitary adenoma, melanotic schwannomas and thyroid disease. The diagnosis is made when two or more of these criteria are present. In agreement with these findings the four chambers of the heart should be examined at surgery for atypical myxoma locations, right atriotomy and combined superior-transseptal approach improve exposure of the cavities, careful screening of the first degree family members should be conducted, and closed short and long term follow up controls are important. Complex myxoma appears as a multi-systemic disorder, occasionally having an ominous prognosis and malignant potentiality, and is still undergoing investigation for better understanding and identification.

NF-kappa B activation plays an important role in the IL-4-induced protection from apoptosis

IL-4 alone protects cells from apoptosis by insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-dependent and -independent mechanisms. However, in vivo cells are typically exposed to a number of signals at the same time. To determine the contribution of co-stimulatory signals to the regulation of apoptosis by IL-4, we first analyzed whether tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, which has been shown to inhibit the activation of IRS-1 by insulin, could modify IL-4 signaling and protection from apoptosis. We found that TNF-alpha cooperates with IL-4 in protecting 32D cells from factor withdrawal-induced apoptosis. This effect was independent of the expression of IRS-1, indicating that this cooperation is via an alternative anti-apoptotic pathway. Moreover, TNF-alpha had no effect on the activation of IRS-1 induced by IL-4. IL-4 enhanced TNF-alpha-induced activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB. Interestingly, pharmacologic inhibition of NF-kappaB activation or protein synthesis resulted in the induction of cell death that could not be inhibited by IL-4, suggesting that IL-4 cooperates with NF-kappaB to signal protection from apoptosis. Supporting this hypothesis, IL-4 also increased NF-kappaB activation induced by anti-CD3 antibodies in primary T cells and protected them from apoptosis induced by receptor engagement. However, IL-4 was not able to inhibit apoptosis induced by anti-CD3 in T lymphocytes isolated from transgenic mice expressing a dominant-negative form of IkappaBalpha that prevents NF-kappaB activation. Thus, in addition to the previously identified IRS-1 pathway, IL-4-induced protection from apoptosis may also be mediated through cooperation with the NF-kappaB family of transcription factors.

[Acute myocardial infarction caused by total occlusion of the left main coronary artery treated with percutaneous endoluminal revascularization. Clinical case]

We report a 43 years old female who developed an intense precordial pain and arterial hypotension. The patient was admitted to the emergency room in cardiogenic shock. An emergency angiography revealed a total occlusion of the left main coronary artery. An endoluminal coronary angioplasty with the placement of two stents was performed and coronary reperfusion TIMI III was achieved. The patient had a good evolution and one month later, a surgical revascularization was done, to avoid new occlusions. She was discharged in good conditions and in functional capacity I.

[Complications in children with varicella in 4 hospitals in Santiago, Chile: clinical spectrum and estimation of direct costs]

BACKGROUND

The knowledge of varicella complications and their associated cost may help for a better evaluation of varicella immunization benefits.

AIM

To determine frequency, type, outcome and affected population of varicella complications in children requiring hospitalization, and to estimate their direct costs.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective analysis of medical records of children admitted to four hospitals in Santiago, Chile, due to varicella complications between January 1997 and February 1999. Calculation of direct costs of hospitalizations in a sample of 30 patients.

RESULTS

One hundred fifty four patients were identified, 74% were younger than 5 years old, only one was immunocompromised. Complications identified were skin and soft tissue infections in 63%, invasive infections in 25.3%, neurological in 7.1% and miscellaneous in 4.5%. Staphylococcus aureus and Group A beta-haemolytic Streptococcus (GABS) were predominantly isolated. S. aureus was the main agent identified in superficial infections and GABS in invasive infections (sterile sites). Two patients died due to invasive infections (streptococcal toxic shock and S. aureus septicaemia) and 11 required surgical procedures. The average cost per hospitalization was US$ 600 in public hospitals and US$ 1,800 in the private hospital.

CONCLUSIONS

Varicella complications requiring hospitalization are due mainly to bacterial infections and they affect immunocompetent toddlers. These complications can be severe and even fatal.

Costimulation of resting B lymphocytes alters the IL-4-activated IRS2 signaling pathway in a STAT6 independent manner: implications for cell survival and proliferation

IL-4 is an important B cell survival and growth factor. IL-4 induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS2 in resting B lymphocytes and in LPS- or CD40L-activated blasts. Phosphorylated IRS2 coprecipitated with the p85 subunit of PI 3' kinase in both resting and activated cells. By contrast, association of phosphorylated IRS2 with GRB2 was not detected in resting B cells after IL-4 treatment although both proteins were expressed. However, IL-4 induced association of IRS2 with GRB2 in B cell blasts. The pattern of IL-4-induced recruitment of p85 and GRB2 to IRS2 observed in B cells derived from STAT6 null mice was identical to that observed for normal mice. While IL-4 alone does not induce activation of MEK, a MEK1 inhibitor suppressed the IL-4-induced proliferative response of LPS-activated B cell blasts. These results demonstrate that costimulation of splenic B cells alters IL-4-induced signal transduction independent of STAT6 leading to proliferation. Furthermore, proliferation induced by IL-4 in LPS-activated blasts is dependent upon the MAP kinase pathway.

Doppler tissue imaging

This paper try to give a general overview of the main areas of DTI clinical application, its main technical limitations, new directions still under investigation and some potential future developments of this emerging imaging technique. In this review article we pretend to discuss the main aspects of the new DTI method, its present "state of the art" and future perspectives of scientific and technical development.