Is there any difference in carotid stenosis between male and female patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting?

Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of death in women. Significant gender differences have been reported among patients with symptomatic carotid artery disease. The aim of this study is to examine if the female sex is a predisposing factor for carotid stenosis in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients. We studied 965 CABG patients, 796 males and 169 females. We combined the gender with risk factors predicting carotid disease as a history of cerebrovascular accident (CVA), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), left main (LM) disease and advanced age. We compared the incidence of carotid disease for each gender against known risk factors, which are history of CVA, PVD, LM and advanced age. In our study, there was not a statistically significant difference for the presence of carotid disease between males and females undergoing CABG. However, patients with a history of CVA, with PVD and older age were at greater risk for carotid stenosis. We conclude that the female sex is not a predictive factor for carotid stenosis in CABG patients.

Non-toxic megacolon due to transverse and sigmoid colon volvulus in a patient with ulcerative colitis

Intestinal volvulus in patients with inflammatory bowel disease is rare. A 83-year-old woman diagnosed with ulcerative colitis five years ago was referred to our hospital due to abdominal distension. The patient had been diagnosed with pancolitis and dolichocolon and was started on mesalazine 1.5 g/day treatment resulting in long-term remission. Physical examination showed abdominal distention with no rebound; however on auscultation abdominal sounds were absent. Patient had no signs of toxicity. Temperature was 38.2 °C, heart rate was 82 bpm and respirations were 16/min. Laboratory investigation showed elevated white blood cell count (20,000/mm(3)) with hemoglobin at 13.2 g/dl and C-reactive protein at 310 mg/dl. Radiology was suggestive of megacolon and volvulus. Patient underwent endoscopy, which revealed normal rectal mucosa; there were however present areas of bowel gangrene. Urgent laparotomy was performed which revealed double transverse and sigmoid colon volvulus. A left hemicolectomy and transversectomy were performed. A case of a patient with ulcerative colitis is being presented here, exhibiting a non-toxic megacolon, resulting from a double transverse and sigmoid volvulus probably stemming from congenital dolichocolon. This case is stressing the importance of prompt differential diagnosis in such cases of megacolon as any symptom misinterpretation may result in unfavorable outcomes.