Dimitrios Vlastos

Electronic Cigarette Smoking Increases Arterial Stiffness and Oxidative Stress to a Lesser Extent Than a Single Conventional Cigarette: An Acute and Chronic Study

The electronic cigarette (e-cig) has been proposed as a safer alternative than tobacco cigarettes (con-cigs)1,2 and as a bridge to smoking cessation. We aimed to examine its effects (1) on aortic stiffness as assessed by pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIX75), (2) exhaled CO concentration, and (3) oxidative stress as assessed by malondialdehyde (MDA) plasma concentrations, both acutely and after 1 month of use. We studied 70 current smokers (age: 48±5 years, 56% female, 24±8 cigarettes/d, 30±7 pack-years, no other atherosclerotic risk factors or any medication) attending the hospital’s smoking cessation unit. Of those, 35 were assigned to use nicotine-free e-cig fluid (NOBACCO eGo Epsilon BDC 1100, eGo battery, 1100 mAh, operating at 3.9 V) during the acute-phase protocol, whereas the remaining 35 were assigned to an e-cig fluid with nicotine concentration of 12 mg/mL (propylene glycol 74.3%, glycerin 20%, flavoring 4.5%, nicotine 1.2%). All subjects underwent a baseline sham smoking for 7 minutes (inhaling on a nonlighted cigarette) and then were randomly assigned to smoke a single con-cig or vape an e-cig for 7 minutes (simulating the duration of a normal cigarette smoking). …

Report of an unusual combination of arterial, venous and neural variations in a cadaveric upper limb.

In this study an unusual combination of arterial, venous and neural variations discovered during dissection of cervical, axillary and brachial area of a cadaver is described. Variations are thoroughly described and literature is briefly reviewed. Lateral cord of brachial plexus was not formed; Eight Cervical root divided into anterior and posterior division before uniting with First Thoracic root and Upper Trunk was unusually short. Axillary artery gave origin to a superficial brachial artery and then continued as deep brachial artery. Multiple variations in typical axillary artery branches were present including existence of inferior pectoral artery. Cephalic vein was absent. A variety of interventions, from relative simple as central venous catheter placement to most complicated as brachial plexus injury repair demand thorough knowledge of area’s regional anatomy. Familiarity with anatomic variations allows more precise and careful interventions. Research on these variations is valuable for anatomists and embryologists but also for clinicians because it may provide useful information for non - typical cases but also helps in raising a high level of suspicion.