We undertook our study in order to evaluate right ventricular function and perfusion by conventional and contrast echocardiography in adults with congenitally corrected transposition who had not undergone cardiac surgery, comparing the echocardiographic findings with those obtained using equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography and gated single-photon emission computed tomography with Technetiumc-99 m sestamibi. We discovered severe tricuspid regurgitation in 8 patients (61%). Right ventricular ejection fraction, as calculated by nuclear medicine, had a correlation of 0.67 (p = 0.059) with area fractional shortening and 0.84 (p = 0.01) with ejection fraction calculated by the method depending on descent of the tricuspid ring. All patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation also had right ventricular dysfunction. Of these 8 patients, 7 had persistent perfusion defects, while 6 also had ischemic perfusion defects. Echo contrast had a high sensitivity, at 91%, and also specificity and positive predictive value, both at 100%, for persistent defects, and a negative predictive value of 66% compared to methods depending on nuclear medicine. The sensitivity of contrast echocardiography for detection of ischemic defects was 66%, the specificity 100%, the positive predictive value 100%, and the negative predictive value 77% compared to the methods involving nuclear medicine. The method depending on descent of the tricuspid ring had the highest correlation with equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography in evaluation of right ventricular function in patients with congenitally corrected transposition. We conclude that contrast echocardiography is extremely valuable when assessing right ventricular myocardial perfusion, having high sensitivity and specificity for detecting persistent defects, although sensitivity was less for detection of ischemic defects than that of gated single-photon emission computed tomography with Technetium-99 m Sestamibi. Persistent and ischemic perfusion defects, together with chronic volume overload from tricuspid regurgitation, are the determining factors of right ventricular dysfunction.

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RESUMENObjetivos: Determinar la calidad del control de la anticoagulación oral y los posibles factores asociados al tiempo de rango terapéutico. Material y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo con grupo control y exploración de posibles variables, realizado en pacientes ≥65 años con fibrilación no valvular e indicación de anticoagulación del Hospital Cayetano Heredia entre el 2011-2013. Se determinó el tiempo de rango terapéutico (TRT) por el método de Rosendaal y se consideró control óptimo (TRT ≥60%) y subóptimo (TRT <60%). Se realizó análisis univariado para los factores. Resultados: La mediana de la edad fue 82,23 años, 74 (51,75%) fueron mujeres. Ciento cuarenta pacientes tuvieron indicación de anticoagulación, 94 (67,14%) iniciaron warfarina, 28 (19,72%) tuvo control óptimo y 66 (46,48%) subóptimo. La edad ≥75 años (OR 25,5; IC: 7,8), no bajo grado de instrucción (OR 8; IC 3,61), ≥3 comorbilidades (OR 4,5; IC 2,33-9,39), discontinuidad terapéutica (OR 2,75; IC 1,44-5,52) y polifarmacia (OR 4,2; IC 2,16-8,80) se asociaron con control subóptimo, mientras que independencia funcional (OR 4,3; IC 2,16-9,47), no deterioro cognitivo (OR 7,8; IC 3,19) y género femenino (OR 3; IC 1,62-5,81) al control óptimo. Conclusiones: Un gran porcentaje de pacientes con indicación de ACO y con bajo riesgo de sangrado no iniciaron terapia anticoagulante; y el 50% de quienes la iniciaron, tuvo un control subóptimo. Los pacientes de mayor edad, con mayor comorbilidad y el uso de múltiples medicamentos se asociaron con control subóptimo; mientras que el género femenino y la independencia funcional se asociaron con control óptimo.PALABRAS CLAVE: Fibrilación atrial, warfarina, anciano, accidente cerebrovascular. (Fuente: DeCS BIREME). SUMMARY Objective:To determine the quality of oral anticoagulation control and the possible factors associated with time to reach therapeutic range. Methods: Retrospective study with a control group in patients ≥65 years old with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation who had indication for oral anticoagulation at Hospital Cayetano Heredia from 2011 to 2013. Time to therapeutic range (TTR) was determined by the Rosendal´s method, an optimal control was defined as TTR ≥60%. A multivariate analysis was performed. Results: Median age was 82.23 years; 74 (51.75%) were females; 140 patients had indication for anticoagulation; 94 (67.14%) started warfarin; 28 (19.72%) had optimal control and 66 did not (46.48%). Age ≥ 75 years (OR 25.5; and no low degree of instruction (OR

El pseudoaneurisma de la fibrosa mitro aórtica es una complicación infrecuente pero potencialmente fatal de la endocarditis infecciosa de válvula aórtica. El diagnóstico de pseudoaneurisma se realiza mediante una técnica de imagen, principalmente la ecocardiografía transtorácica y transesofágica, en la que se evidencia una cavidad perivalvular pulsátil con expansión sistólica y colapso diastólico localizada en la zona mitro-aórtica. Por el riesgo de complicaciones, en la mayoría de pacientes, se recomienda el reemplazo de válvula aórtica con cierre del pseudoaneurisma. Se presenta un caso de pseudoaneurisma de la fibrosa mitro aórtica en un paciente adulto joven con endocarditis de válvula aórtica bicúspide.

Background:The major virulence factor of H. pylori is the cag pathogenicity island divided into two parts: the upstream cagII region and the downstream cagI region. The downstream region includes cagA, cagE, and the most important gene introduced in cagII is cagT. The aim of this study was to investigate the important markers of cagI and cagII regions in Helicobacter pylori isolated from Iranian peptic ulcer and non ulcer disease patients.Methods and materials: 80 clinical isolates of H. pyloriwere collected from 120 patients with gastric disorders. The genomic DNA was extracted from biopsy samples by the QIAgen kit. The PCR was performed for detection of cagA, cagE and cagT in cagPAI.Results: Among 80 H. pylori strains, 20 (25%) and 60 (75%) were isolated from PUD and NUD patients respectively. In PUD patients with rate of 14 (70%), all of isolates were cagA -positive and distribution of cagE was 7 (35%) and cagT was 5 (25%). Also the prevalence of cagA, cagE and cagT in NUD patients was 48 (80%), 21 (35%) and 22 (36%) respectively.Discussion: Our results indicated that presence of cag PAI is very common in Iranian strains of H. pylori. The structural variety of the cag PAI might be related to the virulence of H. pylori. Present study showed that the prevalence of cagT, a marker for cagII, in PUD patients is less than NUD patients. In cagI region the presence of cagA in PUD patient is higher than cagE, so it may have an important role in peptic ulcer disease. According to our results it seems that it is not absolutely necessary to coexist of cagII and cagI in peptic ulcer patients.