Lung cancer is a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, both in men and women. The vast majority of patients are diagnosed with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC, 80–85% of lung cancer cases). Therapeutics named immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment in the last decade. They are monoclonal antibodies, and those directed against PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) or PD-L1 (programmed cell death-ligand 1) have been used in the treatment of lung cancer and significantly improved the prognosis of NSCLC patients. However, during treatment with ICIs, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) can occur in any organ and any tissue. At the same time, although cardiac irAEs are relatively rare compared to irAEs in other organs, they have a high mortality rate. The two most common clinical manifestations of immunotherapy-related cardiotoxicity are myocarditis and pericarditis. Various types of arrhythmias have been reported in patients treated with ICIs, including the occurrence of life-threatening complete atrioventricular block or ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Here, we aim to summarize the incidence, clinical manifestations, underlying mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment strategies for ICI-associated cardiotoxicity as these issues become very important in view of the increasing use of ICI in the treatment of lung cancer.
IntroductionThe septomarginal trabecula is a constant element of the anatomy of the human heart, which connects the interventricular septum and the anterior wall of the right ventricle. Considering the diversity of opinions about the structure and numerous studies suggesting its important role in haemodynamics and conduction of electrical impulses in the heart, we decided to study this element in detail.Material and methodsThe research was conducted on 220 human hearts. Attention was mainly paid to the structure and topography of the trabecula. Its relation to the anterior papillary muscle was also a part of the study.ResultsThe presence of this morphologically diverse element was confirmed in each of the studied hearts. In most cases the trabecula originated from the upper part of the interventricular septum, separating at an angle increasing proportionally to the number of branches of the crista supraventricularis as well as the number of secondary trabeculae. The criteria established for the study, which included the course of the trabecula in the lumen of the right ventricle and its relation to the anterior papillary muscle, let us distinguish 4 types of septomarginal trabecula (I, II, III, IV). The most common was type III, the undivided trabecula, tightly connecting with the anterior papillary muscle.ConclusionsBased on the results of the following study we propose a hypothesis on the genesis of respective parts of the septomarginal trabecula and a plausible sequence of changes they undergo during human ontogenesis and phylogenesis of the primates.
the proposed concept of a lifelong calculated follow-up is a useful strategy in the risk stratification of SD. Multiple FHSD is a very ominous risk factor with strong impact, predicting frequent SD episodes in the early period of life.
Background: Significant achievements in the treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) have provided effective therapeutic options for most patients. However, the true impact of the changed landscape of CTEPH therapies on patients’ management and outcomes is poorly known. We aimed to characterize the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of CTEPH patients in the modern era of CTEPH therapies. Methods: We analyzed the data of CTEPH adults enrolled in the prospective multicenter registry. Results: We enrolled 516 patients aged 63.8 ± 15.4 years. The incidence rate of CTEPH was 3.96 per million adults per year. The group was burdened with several comorbidities. New oral anticoagulants ( n = 301; 58.3%) were preferred over vitamin K antagonists ( n = 159; 30.8%). Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) was performed in 120 (23.3%) patients and balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in 258 (50%) patients. PEA was pretreated with targeted pharmacotherapy in 19 (15.8%) patients, and BPA in 124 (48.1%) patients. Persistent CTEPH was present in 46% of PEA patients and in 65% of patients after completion of BPA. Persistent CTEPH after PEA was treated with targeted pharmacotherapy in 72% and with BPA in 27.7% of patients. At a mean time period of 14.3 ± 5.8 months, 26 patients had died. The use of PEA or BPA was associated with better survival than the use of solely medical treatment. Conclusions: The modern population of CTEPH patients comprises mostly elderly people significantly burdened with comorbid conditions. This calls for treatment decisions that are tailored individually for every patient. The combination of two or three methods is currently a frequent approach in the treatment of CTEPH. Clinical Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03959748
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