Israel Medical Association Journal

Background: Acute non-traumatic abdominal pain is typically evaluated by abdomino-pelvic computed tomography (CT) with oral and venous contrast. The accuracy of unenhanced CT for diagnosis in this setting has not been widely studied.

Objectives: To assess the accuracy of unenhanced CT in establishing the etiology of acute non-traumatic abdominal pain.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical and imaging records of patients aged ≥ 18 years who presented to the emergency department (ED) during a 6-month period with acute non-traumatic abdominal pain of unknown etiology, and who were evaluated with non-contrast CT within 24 hours of ED admission. Clinical details were recorded. A presumptive clinical diagnosis and CT diagnosis were compared to the discharge diagnosis which was considered the reference standard. The requirement for informed consent was waived.

Results: Altogether, 315 patients met the inclusion criteria – 138 males (44%) and 177 females (56%); their mean age was 45 years (range 18–90). Clinical diagnosis correlated with the CT findings in 162 of the cases (51%). CT was accurate in 296/315 cases (94%). The leading diagnosis in cases of a mismatch between CT diagnosis and discharge diagnosis was infection mostly in the urinary tract (12/18). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 91%, 99%, 91% and 85% respectively. The discharge diagnosis was unchanged in the patients who returned to the ED within 1 week of the first admission.

Conclusions: In this study, unenhanced CT proved to be a feasible, convenient and legitimate examination for the evaluation of patients with acute non-traumatic abdominal pain presenting to the ED.

Background: Rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) is a relatively rare diagnosis in the developed countries and its treatment during pregnancy is challenging due to hemodynamic changes. With the demographic changes due to recent waves of immigration an increase in the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease is expected.

Objective: To evaluate maternal and neonatal complications in patients with mitral stenosis.

Methods: During the years 2006–2017, 22 women who underwent 31 pregnancies were followed at the Sheba Medical Center in Israel. We collected on regarding hemodynamic changes and their clinical course. MS was classified as mild, moderate, or severe according to mitral valve area by echocardiography. Maternal and fetal adverse events were evaluated according to severity of MS and compared by Poisson regression modeling.

Results: MS was severe in 7 pregnancies (22.6%), moderate in 9 (29%), and mild in 15 (48.4%). Twenty patients were managed conservatively and 2 underwent a successful percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PBMVP) during pregnancy. All pregnancies ended with a liveborn neonate and with no maternal mortality. Peak and mean mitral pressure gradients increased during pregnancy from 13.3 ± 5.3 to 18.6 ± 5.1 mmHg and from 5.9 ± 2.3 to 9.6 ± 3.4 mmHg respectively (P < 0.05). Eight pregnancies (25.8%) were complicated by pulmonary congestion, 2/15 (13.3%) with mild MS, 2/9 (22.2%) with moderate, and 4/7 (57.1%) with severe MS. The adverse event rate was higher among patients with severe MS compared with moderate and mild MS [hazard ratio (HR) 3.15, 95% confidence interval (95%CA) 1.04–9.52 and HR 4.06, 95%CI 1.4–11.19 respectively, P < 0.05]. Nine of 31 deliveries were vaginal; 6 of 22 cesarean sections (27.3%) were performed for cardiac indications.

Conclusions: The number of total adverse events were higher among patients with severe MS. Patients with moderate and mild MS should be treated attentively, but good obstetric and maternal outcome can be expected.

Background: Dialysate purity contributes to the inflammatory response that afflicts hemodialysis patients.

Objectives: To compare the clinical and laboratory effects of using ultrapure water produced by a water treatment system including two reverse osmosis (RO) units in series, with a system that also includes an ultrapure filter (UPF).

Methods: We performed a retrospective study in 193 hemodialysis patients during two periods: period A (no UPF, 6 months) and period B (same patients, with addition of UPF, 18 months), and a historical cohort of patients treated in the same dialysis unit 2 years earlier, which served as a control group.

Results: Mean C-reactive protein, serum albumin and systolic blood pressure worsened in period B compared to period A and in the controls.

Conclusions: A double RO system to produce ultrapure water is not inferior to the use of ultrapure filters.

Background: Catheter ablation (CA) is a well-established therapeutic option for patients with recurrent symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF). Data on gender-related differences are limited with regard to baseline characteristics and long-term success rates of catheter ablation for AF.

Methods: We analyzed a cohort of 251 consecutive patients who underwent a first catheter ablation for AF in our institute during the period 2008 through 2015. All patients were followed by regular annual clinic visits, electrocardiograms, periodic 24–48 hour Holter monitoring, and loop recorders. The primary endpoint was first recurrence of AF during 1 year of follow-up.

Results: The cohort comprised 26% women (n=65), who were older (62.1 ± 9.6 vs. 54.4 ± 11.3 years, P < 0.01) and had a higher proportion of diabetes mellitus (23.1 vs. 5.4%, P < 0.001) than male patients. No other significant differences were evident. At 1 year follow-up, the cumulative survival free of AF was significantly higher in women compared with men (83% vs. 66%, respectively, log rank P value = 0.021). Subgroup analysis showed an interaction between female and small indexed left atrial diameter (LADi < 23 mm/m²).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that women experience a significantly lower rate of AF recurrence post-CA compared with men. This gender-related advantage appears to be restricted to women without significant left atrial enlargement. It further implies that left atrial enlargement has a stronger negative impact on post-CA AF recurrence in females than in males. Due to the relatively small sample number of females further research is warranted to validate our conclusions.

Background: Erythema nodosum (EN) is the most common type of panniculitis, commonly secondary to infectious diseases.

Objectives: To elucidate the causative factors and the clinical presentation of patients with EN (2004–2014) and to compare their data to those reported in a previous study.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of all patients diagnosed with EN who were hospitalized at Soroka University Medical Center (2004–2014). The clinical, demographic, and laboratory characteristics of the patients were compared to those in a cohort of patients diagnosed with EN from 1973–1982.

Results: The study comprised 45 patients with a diagnosis of EN. The most common symptoms of patients hospitalized with EN were arthritis or arthralgia (27% of patients). Patients with EN, compared to those reported in 1987, has significantly lower rates of fever (18% vs. 62% P < 0.001), streptococcal infection (16% vs. 44%, P = 0.003), and joint involvement (27% vs. 66%, P < 0.001). In addition, fewer patients had idiopathic causes of EN (9% vs. 32%, P = 0.006).

Conclusions: In the past decades, clinical, epidemiological, and etiological changes have occurred in EN patients. The lowering in rate of fever, streptococcal infection, and joint involvement in patients with EN are probably explained by improvements in socioeconomic conditions. The significantly decreasing rate of idiopathic causes of EN is possibly due to the greater diagnostic accuracy of modern medicine. The results of the present study demonstrate the impact of improvements in socioeconomic conditions and access to healthcare on disease presentation.

Background: Basal-bolus (BB) insulin treatment is increasingly used in poorly controlled diabetes patients during hospitalization and is commonly recommended at discharge; however, the extent of adherence with this recommendation is unknown.

Objectives: To determine short-term adherence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients discharged from internal medicine wards with recommendation for BB insulin treatment.

Methods: Prescription (primary physician adherence) and purchase (patient adherence) of long-acting and short-acting insulins during the first month following discharge from internal medicine wards was determined in 153 T2DM patients. Adherence was defined as full if prescription/purchase of both basal (long-acting) and bolus (short-acting) insulin was completed, and as partial if only one kind of insulin (basal or bolus) was prescribed/purchased. Association between demographic and clinical parameters and adherence was determined.

Results: Full adherence with discharge instructions was higher for primary physicians than for patients )79.1% vs. 69.3%, respectively, P = 0.0182). Pre-hospitalization hemoglobin A1C was significantly associated with adherence by both patients and primary physicians (full-adherence group 9.04% ± 2.04%; no-adherence group 7.51% ± 1.35%, P = 0.002). Age was negatively associated with adherence of both primary physicians and patients; however, this association did not reach statistical significance. Patients with certain background diseases such as atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease, and chronic heart failure had significantly worse adherence (P < 0.05). When the sole cause of admission was diabetes, full adherence (100%) of both primary physicians and patients was found.

Conclusions: Short-term adherence with discharge recommendation for BB insulin treatment is associated with pre-hospitalization patient characteristics.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) prevalence is increasing among Bedouin Arabs in Israel. This population is known to have a high rate of consanguinity. NOD2/CARD15 mutations are well-studied in IBD.

Objectives: To investigate the frequency of NOD2/CARD15 mutations in IBD Bedouin patients and their relevance to disease phenotype.

Methods: The IBD-Arab cohort in southern Israel included 68 patients, of which 25 Crohn's disease (CD) patients and 25 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients consented to participate (72%). Blood samples were obtained from all participants who were genotyped for NOD2/CARD15 variants Arg702Trp, Gly908Arg, and Leu1007fsinsC.

Results: The NOD2/CARD15 mutation frequency was higher in Crohn's disease than in ulcerative colitis patients. Carrier frequency for the Gly908Arg mutation in CD and UC patients was 8/25 (32%) and 3/25 (12%), respectively (P = 0.08). Neither the Arg702Trp nor Leu1007fsinsC mutation was found in our cohort. No homozygous/compound heterozygote mutations were found. Genotype-phenotype analysis revealed that CD patients carrying the Gly908Arg mutation were younger at diagnosis, 22.8 ± 4.5 vs. 28.82 ± 9.1 years (P = 0.04). All carriers were males, compared with 41.2% in non-carriers (P = 0.005). NOD2/CARD15 mutation carriers with UC were older, 67.0 ± 24.5 years compared with 41.2 ± 12.3 years (P = 0.006). No other associations regarding disease localization or other clinical parameter were found.

Conclusions: The frequency of NOD2/CARD15 gene mutations is high in CD and UC among Bedouin Arab IBD patients and is associated with younger age at onset in CD and male gender.

Background: Contemporary data on clinical profiles and long-term outcomes of young adults with coronary artery disease (CAD) are limited.

Objectives: To determine the risk profile, presentation, and outcomes of young adults undergoing coronary angiography.

Methods: A retrospective analysis (2000–2017) of patients aged ≤ 35 years undergoing angiography for evaluation and/or treatment of CAD was conducted.

Results: Coronary angiography was performed in 108 patients (88% males): 67 acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and 41 non-ACS chest pain syndromes. Risk factors were similar: dyslipidemia (69%), positive family history (64%), smoking (61%), obesity (39%), hypertension (32%), and diabetes (22%). Eight of the ACS patients (12%) and 29 of the non-ACS (71%) had normal coronary arteries without subsequent cardiac events. Of the 71 with angiographic evidence of CAD, long-term outcomes (114 ± 60 months) were similar in ACS compared to non-ACS presentations: revascularization 41% vs. 58%, myocardial infarction 32% vs. 33%, and all-cause death 8.5% vs. 8.3%. Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) was diagnosed in 25% of those with CAD, with higher rates of myocardial infarction (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.62, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.15–5.99) and revascularization (HR 4.30, 95%CI 2.01–9.18) during follow-up. Only 17% of patients with CAD attained a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol treatment goal < 70 mg/dl.

Conclusions: CAD in young adults is associated with marked burden of traditional risk factors and high rates of future adverse cardiac events, regardless of acuity of presentation, especially in patients with FH, emphasizing the importance of detecting cardiovascular risk factors and addressing atherosclerosis at young age.

Background: Patients with rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS), encounter significantly higher rates of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system maintains hemodynamic stability through blood pressure regulation. When dysregulated, this system has been implicated in various pathological conditions, including cardiovascular events.

Objectives: To investigate the levels of renin and aldosterone in RA and AS patients.

Methods: Three groups were recruited: patients with RA, patients with AS, and healthy controls. Subjects were excluded if they had a diagnosis of hypertension, hyperaldosteronism, or renal artery stenosis, or were taking drugs that might have affected renin levels. Renin and aldosterone levels were measured using commercially available kits. Data were analyzed using univariate analyses and multivariate regression analyses.

Results: Fifty-one subjects were enrolled in the study: 15 with RA, 4 with AS, and 32 healthy controls. At the univariate analysis, the three groups differed in age (P = 0.005), renin levels (P = 0.013), and aldosterone-to-renin ratio (P = 0.019). At the post-hoc tests, both AS and RA patients differed from controls for renin levels and the aldosterone-to-renin ratio. At the multivariate regression analysis, AS patients had lower renin values than controls (beta standardized regression coefficient -0.323, P = 0.022).

Conclusion: Patients with RA tended to have lower levels of plasma renin compared to healthy subjects. This finding indicates that the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system might not be directly involved in the process that results in increased cardiovascular events in rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Pacemaker pocket early post-implantation inflammation (EPII) is defined as clinical signs of local erythema without any systemic signs of infection occurring early after implantation. Data on the best treatment regimen for apparent superficial EPII is scarce. 

Objectives: To investigate the prognostic value of medical treatment, rather than extraction surgery, in patients with EPII. 

Methods: Data from 6013 consecutive patients who underwent cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation or replacement from 2007–2015 were retrospectively analyzed; 40 (0.7%) presented with EPII. Our goal was the absence of major complications and to avoidance of extraction. 

Results: Patients with EPII were initially treated medically. Nineteen (47%) (group A) recovered with antibiotic treatment only. In the other 21 patients (53%) (group B), CIED extraction was performed. Group B had more major complications compared to group A (15 [71%] vs. 0 [0%], P < 0.001). The only significant difference in baseline characteristics was history of non-initial procedure. While 86% of group B patients had a previous non-initial procedure, only 53% of group A patients underwent previous replacement (P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, previous non-initial procedure was the only predictor for need of extraction at 1 year, hazard ratio 3.5, 95% confidence interval 1.001–11.73, P < 0.05.

Conclusions: Conservative treatment in patients with EPII after non-initial procedure can lead to serious adverse events resulting in the need for extraction. Close follow-up and aggressive treatment should be considered early in the therapeutic course.

Background: Adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer reduces local recurrence and improves survival. In patients with left sided breast cancer, anterior heart position or medial tumor location may cause inadequate breast coverage due to heart shielding. Respiration gating using the Real-time Position Management (RPM) system enables pushing the heart away from the tangential fields during inspiration, thus optimizing the treatment plan.

Objectives: To compare breathing inspiration gating (IG) techniques with free breathing (FB), focusing on breast coverage.

Methods: The study comprised 49 consecutive patients with left sided breast cancer who underwent lumpectomy and adjuvant radiation. RPM was chosen due to insufficient breast coverage caused by an anterior heart position or medial lumpectomy cavity. FB and IG computed tomography simulations were generated for each patient. Breast (PTVbreast) and lumpectomy cavity (CTVlump) were defined as the target areas. Optimized treatment plans were created for each scan. A dosimetric comparison was made for breast coverage and heart and lungs doses.

Results: PTVbreast V95% and mean dose (Dmean) were higher with IG vs. FB (82.36% vs. 78.88%, P = 0.002; 95.73% vs. 93.63%, P < 0.001, respectively). CTVlump V95% and Dmean were higher with IG (98.87% vs. 88.92%, P = 0.001; 99.14% vs. 96.73%, P = 0.003, respectively). The cardiac dose was lower with IG. The IG left lung Dmean was higher. No statistical difference was found for left lung V20.

Conclusions: In patients with suboptimal treatment plans due to anterior heart position or medial lumpectomy cavity, RPM IG enabled better breast/tumor bed coverage and reduced cardiac doses.

Background: There is scant research on the psychopathology of Israeli soldiers who present to a general hospital emergency department (ED).

Objectives: To assess the psychopathology among a cohort of Israeli soldiers who presented to a general hospital ED for mental health assessment.

Methods: The demographic and clinical characteristics of 124 consecutive soldiers who presented to the ED for psychiatric assessment between January 2008 and September 2012 were reviewed. Twenty-seven soldiers from the cohort were contacted for follow-up by telephone on average 52 months later.

Results: The reasons for presentation to the ED, usually during the early stages of military service, included self-harming behavior, suicidal ideation, somatoform complaints, and dissatisfaction with their military service. Psychiatric diagnoses included adjustment disorder and personality disorder. Self-harming behavior/suicidal ideation was significantly correlated with unspecified adjustment disorder (P = 0.02) and personality disorder (P = 0.001). At follow-up, there was a lack of substantial psychopathology: none of the subjects engaged in self-harming behavior/suicidal ideation and a consistent trend was observed toward clinical improvement.

Conclusions: Psychiatric intervention of soldiers who present to a general hospital ED because of emotional difficulties may provide the opportunity for crisis intervention and validation of the soldier's distress. To the best of our knowledge this is the first Israeli study of psychopathology among soldiers who presented to an ED.