Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between fragmented QRS complex (fQRS), aortic stiffness, and diastolic dysfunction in hemodialysis patients. Subjects and Methods: A sample of 56 patients who received hemodialysis treatment was stratified into 2 groups according to their electrocardiography (ECG) patterns with or without fQRS. Baseline characteristics and laboratory parameters of patients were documented. Conventional echocardiographic and Doppler echocardiographic procedures were performed in all patients. The mean early (Em) diastolic and late (Am) diastolic myocardial velocities were calculated. These tests were performed before dialysis. The Student t test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test, Spearman correlation, and multivariate linear regression analysis were used to analyze parameters where appropriate. Results: Of the 56 patients under hemodialysis, fQRS in ECG was detected in 26 (46.4%). Echocardiographic evaluation showed that deceleration time (237.57 ± 40.10 ms; p = 0.030), isovolumic relaxation time (126.84 ± 15.62 ms; p < 0.001), early (E)/late (A) ventricular filling velocity (E/A) ratio (1.15 ± 0.40; p ≤ 0.001), and aortic stiffness index value (9.62 ± 4.53; p = 0.016) exhibited a statistical increase in hemodialysis patients with fQRS compared to patients without fQRS. E (58.23 ± 19.96 m/s; p = 0.004), and Em (5.96 ± 2.08 cm/s; p = 0.023) velocity levels were significantly lower in hemodialysis patients with fQRS than patients without fQRS. Aortic stiffness closely correlated with diastolic dysfunction (deceleration time r = 0.273, p = 0.042; isovolumic relaxation time r = 0.497, p < 0.001; E/A ratio r = -0.449, p = 0.001). On multivariate linear regression analysis, fQRS and aortic stiffness were independently associated in hemodialysis patients (β = 0.321, p = 0.049). Conclusions: Increased aortic stiffness and left ventricular systolic dysfunction were observed more frequently in hemodialysis patients with fQRS than in patients without fQRS. fQRS is an important determinant of aortic stiffness in hemodialysis patients.
were excluded. Demographic, clinical and surgico-pathological data were analysed.
Results: 69 patients underwent excision of SCLN, of which 4 were upfront and 65 were delayed, after mean 4.5 (range 2-10) cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. All 4 upfront excisions yielded mean 2.8 (range 1-5) metastatic lymph nodes. 59 (90.8%) patients with delayed excisions yielded mean 4.5 (range 1-20) metastatic lymph nodes, while 6(9.2%) patients yielded no tumor infiltration in mean 8 (range 3-27) lymph nodes. Initial diagnostic tests that detected SCLN metastases included PET-CT(n=50), MIBG(n=5), CT(n=17) and biopsy(n=9). 8 of 65 Stage 4 patients had SCLN-only metastases. Left-sided SCLN
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.