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Clinical, Biological, and Imaging Features of Intravascular Large B-Cell Lymphoma

A multicenter, retrospective cohort study of 17 patients with pathology-proven intravascular lymphoma involving the central nervous system identified “red flag” clinical features, imaging patterns, and cerebrospinal fluid characteristics that may help expedite the diagnosis of this rare, complex, and deceptive disease.

ABCD² Score as a Predictor of Three-Year Stroke Risk

This retrospective cohort study using the National Patient Registry in Denmark analyzed a three-year follow-up period following a transient ischemic attack, looking at the rate of recurrent stroke and mortality. The patients were divided into low risk (ABCD² score 0-3) and high risk (ABCD2 score ≥ 4). The stroke rate was 6% in the high-risk group and 4% in the low-risk group.

Modifiable Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Late-Life Brain Health

The major modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases are delineated in Life’s Essential 8 (LE8), developed by the American Heart Association. These risk factors are blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, diet, and sleep duration. The investigators in this analysis of two large databases in the United Kingdom and the United States, demonstrated that cardiovascular health, as defined by the LE8, will also predict brain health later in life.

Migraine and Ischemic Vascular Disease: The Search for the Missing Link

The presence of traditional vascular risk factors does not explain the increased incidence of ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction in patients with migraine. The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs does not increase the risk of ischemic stroke or myocardial infarction in migraineurs.

Echocardiographic Estimation of Left Atrial Pressure in Atrial Fibrillation Patients

A study of patients undergoing catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation with periprocedural echocardiograms and directly measured left atrial pressure (LAP) has shown that mean LAP can be estimated with a high degree of accuracy by a hierarchical algorithm using three Doppler echocardiographic parameters.

Arrhythmias in the Holiday Heart Syndrome

A small study of continuous electrocardiogram and breath alcohol concentration in young volunteers during acute excessive alcohol consumption has shown that heart rate and ventricular premature beats increased during the drinking period. During recovery (six to 19 hours), significant arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation occured in 5% of the subjects. The observed changes in heart rate variability and breath alcohol concentration suggest that these effects are the result of increased sympathetic nervous system activity associated with excess blood alcohol concentrations.

Catheter Ablation for Ischemic Ventricular Tachycardia

A multicenter, randomized trial of initial catheter ablation vs. antiarrhythmic drug therapy for ventricular tachycardia in ischemic cardiomyopathy patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator resulted in fewer subsequent ventricular tachycardia episodes with ablation.

Antiplatelet Therapy for Coronary Stent Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery

A larger randomized controlled trial of aspirin monotherapy vs. no antiplatelet therapy in patients more than one year post-drug-eluting coronary stent placement failed to show a difference in ischemic outcomes or major bleeding, but minor bleeding was more common in the aspirin group.

Angiography-Based QFR Analysis Falls Short Compared with FFR

In this large, multicenter, randomized trial, use of the angiography-based quantitative flow ratio method to guide revascularization of intermediate coronary stenoses resulted in a higher incidence of major adverse cardiac events at one year compared with pressure wire-based fractional flow reserve.

Parvovirus and Increasing Danger in Pregnancy and Sickle Cell Disease

The incidence of human parvovirus B19 infection is increasing in the United States, putting vulnerable groups at risk of serious complications.