Guillermo Elizondo-Riojas

An Arteriovenous Fistula Increases Exercise Capacity in Patients With COPD

BACKGROUND Supplemental oxygen usually increases exercise capacity in hypoxemic COPD, but some patients are refractory because of venous admixture. An arteriovenous fistula (AVF) with left-to-right shunt increases mixed venous oxygen content and cardiac output; therefore, this might improve arterial oxygen delivery. We hypothesized that creation of an AVF would therefore increase exercise capacity in severe COPD. METHODS We created an AVF in 12 patients with severe hypoxemic COPD: mean (SD) age, 66 (6) years; Pao(2), 57.5 (3.0) mm Hg, and FEV(1), 19% (8%) predicted. We measured 6-min walk distance (6MWD) while the subjects were breathing room air and again while they were breathing portable supplemental oxygen at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after creation of an AVF in the iliofemoral region. RESULTS After surgery, the mean (SEM) 6MWD increased from 217 (63) m at baseline to 272 (18) m and 276 (25) m, 6 weeks and 12 weeks after surgery, respectively. Patients who walked > 54 m further while breathing supplemental oxygen at baseline (n = 5) increased 6MWD while breathing room air by 129 (34) m after 6 weeks (P = .02) and by 124 (29) m after 12 weeks (P = .004). Walking distance did not change in patients who did not have a clinically meaningful response to oxygen at baseline. CONCLUSIONS An iliofemoral AVF increased 6MWD patients with severe COPD, matching the improvement seen with supplemental oxygen. An initial response to supplemental oxygen predicted a therapeutic response to the AVF.

Age- and gender-related variations in morphometric characteristics of thoracic spine pedicle: A study of 4,800 pedicles.

Transpedicular spinal fusion is the most commonly used fixation technique for the surgical treatment of vertebral disorders. However, the instrumentation of the thoracic spine using this technique continues to be controversial. The objective of the present study was to determine the morphometric characteristics of the thoracic pedicle and to establish how these characteristics vary with gender and age. Two hundred thoracic spines (4800 thoracic pedicles) from individuals of known gender and age were analyzed (in accordance with the order of vertebrae). The spines were divided into six groups according to age and gender. The horizontal and vertical diameters of the thoracic pedicle were determined for each piece. The mean and standard deviation of each variable were determined, and differences between age groups for each gender were evaluated using parametric correlation tests. The pedicle diameters of men and women differed significantly for most groups (P < 0.05). The horizontal diameters decreased from T1 to T5 and increased up to T12. The vertical diameter followed a cephalocaudal pattern of development from T1‐T12. The pedicle diameters decreased with increasing age in women, while the opposite trend was observed in men. In men, the dimensions of the thoracic spine pedicle increase with increasing age; in women, they decrease. These differences should be taken into account when selecting the appropriate pedicle screw. Clin. Anat. 27:441–450, 2014.

Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value to evaluate BI-RADS 4 breast lesions: correlation with pathological findings.

Diffusion-weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of 36 breast lesions previously categorized as 4 according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) were prospectively studied. The pathological results were 21 benign lesions and 15 malignant. The ADC of malignant lesions was significantly lower than that of the benign ones (0.87 ± 0.12 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s vs. 1.41 ± 0.22 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, respectively) (P<.001). Using a threshold ADC value of 1.08 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s, a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 100% were obtained.

Comparison of statin eligibility according to the Adult Treatment Panel III, ACC/AHA blood cholesterol guideline, and presence of carotid plaque by ultrasound in Mexican mestizo patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the leading cause of death in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Guidelines of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) 2013 and the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP-III) differ in their strategies to recommend initiation of statin therapy. The presence of carotid plaque (CP) by carotid ultrasound is an indication to begin statin therapy. We aimed to compare the recommendation to initiate statin therapy according to the ACC/AHA 2013 guidelines, ATP-III guidelines, and CP by carotid ultrasound. We then carried out an observational, cross-sectional study of 62 statin-naive Mexican mestizo RA patients, aged 40 to 75, who fulfilled the 1987 or 2010 ACR/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) classification criteria. CP was evaluated with B-mode ultrasound. Cohen’s kappa (k) was used to assess agreement between ACC/AHA 2013 guidelines, ATP-III guidelines, and the presence of CP, considering a p < 0.05 as statistically significant. Agreement was classified as slight (0.01–0.20), fair (0.21–0.40), moderate (0.41–0.60), substantial (0.61–0.80), and an almost perfect agreement (0.81–1.00). Slight agreement (k = 0.096) was found when comparing statin recommendation between CP and ATP-III. Fair agreement (k = 0.242) was revealed between ACC/AHA 2013 and ATP-III. Comparison between ACC/AHA 2013 and CP showed moderate agreement (k = 0.438). ACC/AHA 2013 guidelines could be an adequate and cost-effective tool to evaluate the need of statin therapy in Mexican mestizo RA patients, with moderate agreement with the presence of CP by ultrasound.

Thyroid nodules in Hispanic patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

A thyroid nodule (TN) is a discrete lesion in the thyroid gland radiologically distinct from the adjacent parenchyma, with a prevalence variable depending on the diagnostic method used and the study population. Thyroid disorders have been identified in more than 50% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); however, the prevalence of TN has not been frequently studied. We identified a prevalence of 27% TN in 55 SLE patients > 16 years of age. One-third of TN were >1 cm with radiological features of malignancy. The mean age of patients with TN was 39 ± 11 years, 93% women, and SLE duration 10 ± 6 years. Among patients, we reported family history of cancer in three cases (20%), thyroid disease in one (7%), and autoimmune disease in six (40%). Regarding treatment, 50% of patients with TN were treated with azathioprine vs. 23% of patients without TN (p = 0.02), with an OR of 3.94 (95% CI 1.12–13.84, p = 0.03). As a conclusion a high prevalence of TN in SLE patients was found. Prevalence of TN correlated only with history of azathioprine use. We don’t know the long-term implications of our findings; however, a functional and morphological evaluation of the thyroid gland is warranted in all patients with SLE.

Perineural spread-susceptible structures: a non-pathological evaluation of the skull base

Perineural spread adenoid cystic carcinoma can alter the dimension of foramina and canals of the skull base. The objective of this study was to determine the range of normal variation of the foramina and canals of both hemicranium. We analyzed 200 individuals with no alterations of the skull base in a retrospective manner using high-resolution computed tomography. We measured the short and long axis diameters of the foramen rotundum (FR), foramen ovale (FO), stylomastoid foramen (SMF), pterygoid canal (PTC), internal auditory canal (IAC), and the facial nerve canal in its labyrinthine portion (LPFC) to calculate the area in each hemicranium, compare them and obtain the normal range of asymmetry. Parametric and non-parametric comparison tests were realized. The structures that had the lowest range of asymmetry were the LPFC (0.00–0.79 mm2) and the FR (0.00–2.12 mm2). The one that had the highest asymmetry range was the FO (0.00–9.16 mm2). Significant differences were found in the FO (p = 0.01) and the IAC (p = 0.00) in the gender comparison. We determined a normal asymmetry range of the susceptible foramina and canals of the skull base. This study reports a useful and objective measure to differentiate anatomical from pathological variations of the foramina and canals of the skull base by age and gender. Our results establish a basis for future studies that evaluate this range as a diagnostic tool of metastasis in the skull base as a complement of other imaging techniques.

Morphological Analysis of Bronchial Arteries and Variants with Computed Tomography Angiography

The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of anatomical variants of bronchial arteries using computed tomographic angiography in a population of northeastern Mexico. An observational, transversal, descriptive, comparative, retrospective study was performed using 139 imaging studies of Mexican patients in which we evaluated the following parameters from the left and right bronchial arteries: artery origin, branching pattern, arterial ostium, vertebral level of origin, diameter, and mediastinal trajectory. The anatomies of the bronchial arteries were similar in both genders, except distribution for vertebral origin level (p  0.006) and the diameter (p  0.013). Left and right arteries were similar, except for the mediastinal trajectory in reference to the esophagus (p < 0.001) as well as the arterial diameter (p < 0.001) and lumen diameter.

AB0205 Carotid intima-media thickness linked to the presence of cardiovascular risk factors in mexican mestizo patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Background Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is associated to subclinical atherosclerosis. Traditional risk factors for cardiovascular outcomes do not explain completely the higher risk, which could be caused by chronic systemic inflammation. Objectives The aim of this study is to relate abnormal carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) to the presence of cardiovascular risk factors. Methods Observational cross-section design. We included patients who fulfilled the 1987 ACR and/or 2010 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for RA, 40 to 75 years old, with no personal history of atherosclerotic CV disease. A board-certified radiologist performed carotid duplex ultrasounds. Patients were distributed in two groups according to the absence (Group 1) or presence (Group 2) of traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease (smoking status, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure and diabetes). Results A total of 82 patients were included. Demographic characteristics for each group are shown in Table 1. Ultrasound findings are shown in Table 2. CIMT alterations were more common in Group 2 (66.7%) than in Group 1 (38.7%), with statistical significance (p=0.013). Presence of carotid plaque was more common in Group 2 (27.5%) than in Group 1 (16.1%), shown clinical relevance, although did not shown statistical significance (p=0.18).Table 1. Demographic characteristics Variable Total Group 1 (n=31) Group 2 (n=51) p (CVRF−) (CVRF+) Patients, n (%) 82 (100) 31 (37.80) 51 (62.20) – Female gender, n (%) 77 (93.9) 29 (93.5) 48 (94.1) 0.0917 Age (years), mean ± SD 57±9.96 51.90±8.43 59.82±9.69 0.001 Disease duration (years), mean ± SD 12.45±8.39 11.74±8.76 12.89±8.32 0.554 BMI (kg/m2), mean ± SD 28.22±4.9 29.05±5.09 27.72±4.92 0.248 Smoking status, n (%) 8 (9.75) – 8 (15.68) – Diabetes, n (%) 13 (15.85) – 13 (25.49) – HBP, n (%) 28 (34.14) – 28 (54.90) – Dyslipidemia, n (%) 8 (9.75) – 8 (15.68) – CVRF: Cardiovascular Risk Factors, HBP: High Blood Pressure. Conclusions In this cohort of Mexican patients with RA, we demonstrate relation between the presence of alterations in CIMT (carotid hypertrophy and carotid plaque) and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which can be enhanced by intrinsic risk of RA. These findings reaffirm the importance of global health assessment in patients with RA to reduce morbidity. References Avina-Zubieta JA. Risk of incident cardiovascular events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Ann Rheum Dis. 2012;71(9):1524–9. Galarza-Delgado DA, Serna-Pena G. Carotid atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatoid nodules. Reumatol Clin. 2013;9(3):136–41. Mateo I, What measure of carotid wall thickening is the best atherosclerotic loading score in the hypertensive patient: maximum or mean value?]. Rev Esp Cardiol. 2011;64(5):417–20. Disclosure of Interest None declared

AB0204 Disease factors associated to abnormal intima-media thickness in mexican mestizo rheumatoid arthritis patients

Background Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the main mortality cause in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (1). It has been proven that the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) measured with carotid duplex ultrasonography (US) is an important ASCVD predictor with a measurement ≥0.9 mm (2–4). Objectives To characterize the disease factors related with abnormal carotid duplex US findings in Mexican mestizo patients with RA. Methods In a cross-sectional setting, we enrolled consecutive RA patients. Patients with overlap syndromes, personal history of ASCVD, dyslipidemia and previous use of any statin were excluded. A board-certified radiologist performed a bilateral carotid duplex US to all patients. Abnormal CIMT was defined as ≥0.9 mm (hypertrophy ≥0.9 – 1.2 mm and carotid plaque ≥1.2 mm). A clinical history and blood tests were performed at the time of the patients visit. Disease activity was measured with Disease Activity Score using 28 joints–C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP). Results We enrolled 57 patients. Demographic characteristics are shown in table 1. A total of 30 (52.2%) patients had an abnormal CIMT. US findings are shown in table 2. A significant correlation between abnormal CIMT and RA disease duration (p=0.04), as well as between the former and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) positivity (p=0.033) was found.Table 1. Demographic and disease characteristics Variable Results Female gender, n (%) 54 (94.7) Age (years), mean ± SD 56±9.9 Disease duration (years), mean ± SD 12.4±8.3 BMI (kg/m2), mean ± SD 28.22±4.9 Smoking status, n (%) 5 (8.77) DAS 28- CRP, mean ± SD 3.33±1.19 Disease Activity, n (%)  Remission 17 (29.8)  Low 11 (19.3)  Moderate 25 (43.8)  Severe 4 (7.1) Positive Anti-CCP, n (%) 44 (77.19) Positive RF, n (%) 51 (89.47) BMI: Body Mass Index. Conclusions There is a strong relationship between CIMT and the chronic inflammatory process of RA, as well as ACPA positivity. These results might be influenced by the high mean disease duration of our patients. Prospective studies that evaluate CIMT among disease duration intervals are necessary to support these findings. References Avina-Zubieta JA, Thomas J, Sadatsafavi M, Lehman AJ, Lacaille D. Risk of incident cardiovascular events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Ann Rheum Dis. 2012;71(9):1524–9. Galarza-Delgado DA, Esquivel-Valerio JA, Garza-Elizondo MA, Gongora-Rivera F, Munoz-De Hoyos JL, Serna-Pena G. Carotid atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatoid nodules. Reumatol Clin. 2013;9(3):136–41. Mateo I, Morillas P, Quiles J, Castillo J, Andrade H, Roldan J, et al. What measure of carotid wall thickening is the best atherosclerotic loading score in the hypertensive patient: maximum or mean value? Rev Esp Cardiol. 2011;64(5):417–20. Disclosure of Interest None declared

Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Value to Evaluate Tumor Response After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Breast Cancer

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES This study explored tumor behavior in patients with breast cancer during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) by sequential measurements of tumor apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) after each chemotherapy cycle. The aim was to determine if the tumor ADC is useful to differentiate complete pathological response (cPR) from partial pathological response (pPR) during NAC. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 16 cases (in 14 patients) with diagnosis of breast cancer eligible to receive NAC were included. There were 70 magnetic resonance imaging examinations performed, 5 for each patient, during NAC cycles. Diffusion-weighted imaging was performed on a 1.5T system (b values of 0 and 700s/mm2). Four ADC ratios between the five MRI examinations were obtained to assess ADC changes during NAC. Absence of invasive breast cancer at surgical specimens (Miller-Payne 5) was considered as cPR and was used as reference for ADC cutoff ratios. RESULTS In this study, we were able to differentiate between cPR and pPR, after two cycles of NAC until the end of NAC before surgery (ADC ratios 2-4). The thresholds to differentiate between cPR and pPR of ADC ratios 2, 3, and 4, were 1.14 × 10-3mm2/s, 1.08 × 10-3mm2/s, and 1.25 × 10-3mm2/s, respectively, and have a cross-validated sensitivity and specificity of 79.2%, 79.7% (ADC ratio 2); 100%, 66.7% (ADC ratio 3); and 100%, 83.8% (ADC ratio 4), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The ADC ratios were useful to differentiate cPR from pPR in breast cancer tumors after NAC. Thus, it may be useful in tailoring treatment in these patients.