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Artery Abnormalities (artery + abnormality)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	75%

Selected Abstracts

Repeated systematic surveillance of Kawasaki disease in Ontario from 1995 to 2006

PEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 5 2010
Yahui T. Lin
Abstract Background:, Rising incidences of Kawasaki disease (KD) have been reported worldwide. Reported herein are the results of 4 triennial KD surveillances conducted in Ontario. Methods:, Between 1995 and 2006 all hospitals in Ontario were asked on 4 occasions to identify all patients with discharge diagnoses of KD and report incident cases. Results:, The latest surveillance identified 697 new KD patients (100% response rate) for a total of 2378 KD patients through all 4 surveillances. Yearly incidence was 26.2/100 000 for <5 years old, 6.7/100 000 for 5,9 years old and 0.9/100 000 for 10,14 years old. KD incidence significantly increased from 1995 to 2006, although the increase seemed to plateau between the 3rd and 4th surveillance. There was an increase in the proportion of patients diagnosed with incomplete KD and a significant reduction in the rate of coronary artery abnormalities, possibly due to better disease recognition and treatment. Hospitals reporting <20 cases per surveillance were found to be more likely to report cases with incomplete KD. These patients were also less likely to be treated with i.v. immunoglobulin and aspirin but were more likely to be treated with antibiotics, suggesting uncertainties regarding diagnosis and management of KD patients in those centers. Conclusions:, The incidence of KD in Ontario is possibly one of the highest outside of Asia and has been rising since 1995. Although the most recent surveillance demonstrated improved cardiac outcomes, treatment delays or absence thereof continue to be a problem. Effective diagnosis and prompt treatment remain critical aspects of KD management. [source]

Cardiovascular abnormalities in Folr1 knockout mice and folate rescue,

BIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH, Issue 4 2007
Huiping Zhu
Abstract BACKGROUND: Periconceptional folic acid supplementation is widely believed to aid in the prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs), orofacial clefts, and congenital heart defects. Folate-binding proteins or receptors serve to bind folic acid and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, representing one of the two major mechanisms of cellular folate uptake. METHODS: We herein describe abnormal cardiovascular development in mouse fetuses lacking a functional folate-binding protein gene (Folr1). We also performed a dose-response study with folinic acid and determined the impact of maternal folate supplementation on Folr1 nullizygous cardiac development. RESULTS: Partially rescued preterm Folr1,/, (formerly referred to as Folbp1) fetuses were found to have outflow tract defects, aortic arch artery abnormalities, and isolated dextracardia. Maternal supplementation with folinic acid rescued the embryonic lethality and the observed cardiovascular phenotypes in a dose-dependant manner. Maternal genotype exhibited significant impact on the rescue efficiency, suggesting an important role of in utero folate status in embryonic development. Abnormal heart looping was observed during early development of Folr1,/, embryos partially rescued by maternal folinic acid supplementation. Migration pattern of cardiac neural crest cells, genetic signals in pharyngeal arches, and the secondary heart field were also found to be affected in the mutant embryos. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations suggest that the beneficial effect of folic acid for congenital heart defects might be mediated via its impact on neural crest cells and by gene regulation of signaling pathways involved in the development of the pharyngeal arches and the secondary heart field. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

4343: What next when the biopsy is negative in suspected giant cell arteritis (GCA)?

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2010
A BOSCHI
Purpose To present and discuss the approach of GCA when temporal artery biopsy (TAB) is negative. Recommendations for reducing the rate of negative TAB Methods GCA is the commonest vasculitis. Visual loss occurs in up to one-fifth of patients, which may be preventable by prompt recognition and treatment. Features predictive of ischaemic neuro-ophthalmic complications are: jaw claudication, diplopia, and temporal artery abnormalities on physical examination. These manifestations and particularly blindness and jaw claudication seems to be more commonly associated with positive TAB. Results Despite visual symptoms TAB may result negative. Rate of negative TAB varies from 7% to 40% in pat suspected of GCA. TAB should be done 2 to 6 weeks after commencement of treatment, and at least 1 cm. Contralateral biopsy is controversies, usually it increases the rate of GCA diagnosis of only 5%. Conclusion If TAB is still however negative, but clinical suspicion high or Ultra-Sound suggests GCA or complications typical of GCA, like anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, patient should be treat as biopsy-positive GCA patient. If the clinical suspicion is low, features considered atypical or alternative explanations available, rapid glucocorticoid therapy should be tapered. [source]

Single Coronary Artery: Right Coronary Artery Originated From Middle of Left Anterior Descending Artery in a Patient With Severe Mitral Regurgitation

CLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 4 2010
Murat Meric MD
The single coronary artery is a benign and very rare coronary artery abnormality. Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery originating from the left anterior descending artery has been reported previously in just a few cases. In this article, we presented a patient with an anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the midportion of the left anterior descending artery. The anomalous coronary artery was discovered incidentally during a coronary angiography performed prior to mitral valve surgery. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]