Certain High-risk Patients (certain + high-risk_patient)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Systematic Organ Protection in Coronary Artery Surgery With or Without Cardiopulmonary Bypass

JOURNAL OF CARDIAC SURGERY, Issue 6 2002
Ph.D., Song Wan M.D.
Off-pump coronary surgery has been shown to attenuate the inflammatory injury compared to the conventional approach, thereby reducing the incidence of postoperative cardiopulmonary, renal, or neurological dysfunction. It is believed that off-pump experience may greatly impact on improving the outcome of coronary surgery in certain high-risk patients. Moreover, a better understanding of the underlying mechanism would also help to improve our current CPB management. Accumulating evidence to date indicates that a balance between pro- and antiinflammatory responses is crucial in limiting the extent of such systemic inflammatory injury following surgical myocardial revascularization. [source]


Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma during malignant melanoma progression

JOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 11 2008
Carolyn Lee
Background:, Cancer chemoprevention using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is frequently attributed to cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition, although recent studies suggest that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR,) may also be involved. While surgical excision remains the treatment mainstay for localized malignant melanoma, certain high-risk patients may benefit from adjunctive chemotherapy. In this study, we compared COX-2 and PPAR, immunohistological staining in benign nevi, primary melanomas and metastatic melanomas to help predict the effectiveness of compounds targeting these markers. Methods:, COX-2 and PPAR, immunohistological staining was performed and reviewed in 99 melanocytic lesions, including 38 benign nevi, 32 primary melanomas and 29 metastatic melanomas. Results:, There was a significant increase in both COX-2 and PPAR, immunostaining in melanomas compared with benign nevi. Metastatic melanomas were more likely to have a higher number of PPAR,-immunopositive cells. They were also more likely to express COX-2 than primary melanomas. Neither COX-2 nor PPAR, expression was associated with a specific pathologic subtype. Conclusions:, COX-2 and PPAR, may help modulate the progression of melanocytic precursor lesions to disseminated malignant melanoma. As such, they may serve as candidate substrates for targeted cancer therapies and may be particularly useful as adjuncts to surgery. [source]


RISKS AND CONSEQUENCES OF INCIDENTAL PARATHYROIDECTOMY DURING THYROID RESECTION

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 1-2 2007
Rebecca S. Sippel
Background: Inadvertent removal of the parathyroid glands during elective thyroid surgery occurs more frequently in certain high-risk patients and can lead to symptomatic hypocalcaemia. Methods: A case,control study was carried out at a tertiary referral, academic medical centre between May 1994 and August 2001. Five hundred and thirteen patients underwent thyroid resection. Pathology reports were reviewed to identify patients who had the inadvertent removal of a parathyroid gland during their thyroid surgery. Thirty-three (6.4%) patients had inadvertent resection of a parathyroid gland. The outcomes of these 33 patients (INCIDENTAL) were compared with the other 480 patients who did not have resection of parathyroid tissue (NO INCIDENTAL). Results: Risk factors for inadvertent parathyroid resection included younger age (P = 0.003), bilateral thyroid resection (P = 0.001) and malignant pathology (P = 0.002). Factors that did not increase the risk of incidental parathyroidectomy included gland weight, sex, presence of a goitre, previous neck exploration and concurrent lymph node dissection. In the INCIDENTAL group 24% had a postoperative calcium levels less than 7.0 mg/dL (P = 0.001). Symptomatic hypocalcaemia developed in 12% of INCIDENTAL patients, compared to 4% in the NO INCIDENTAL group (P = 0.06). Conclusion: Incidental removal of parathyroid tissue occurred in 6.4% of thyroid resections. Younger patients undergoing a total or subtotal thyroidectomy for malignancy were at the highest risk. These patients had lower postoperative calcium levels, but the majority (88%) experienced no clinical consequences. [source]


Target-organ protection with combination renin-angiotensin-system blockade

CLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 1 2009
L. Michael PrisantMD FACC
Abstract Pharmacologic blockade of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAS) has antihypertensive, anti-atherogenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. Treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) has been demonstrated to prevent atrial fibrillation and new-onset diabetes, and provide cardiac, cerebral, and renal protection. Combination therapy with ACEIs and ARBs, compared with monotherapy, provides enhanced reno- and cardioprotection, although available data indicate that combination RAS blockade may be beneficial only in select patient groups, such as those with diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, or heart failure (HF). In certain high-risk patients, the use of ARBs provides comparable efficacy to that observed with ACEIs. The efficacy of these agents may stem from pleiotropic effects beyond blood pressure (BP) reduction. Several studies demonstrate achievement of clinical endpoints without significant effects on BP. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]