Israel Medical Association Journal

Atrial fibrillation is becoming an increasingly important problem in cardio-oncology. Specific risk factors for atrial fibrillation occurrence include type of cancer disease and anticancer drugs. Anticoagulation is often abandoned. The CHA₂DS₂-VASc and CHA₂DS₂ scores may be important not only in predicting stroke but also in mortality. The role of new direct oral anticoagulants is growing, but they need to be used in a personalized approach depending on the risk of unbeneficial interactions with cancer treatment and the risk of bleeding.

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus-related lower extremity amputation is a major complication severely affecting patient survival and quality of life.

Objectives: To analyze epidemiological and clinical trends in the incidence and survival of lower extremity amputations among diabetes patients.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of 565 consecutive diabetes patients who underwent their first non-traumatic lower extremity amputation between January 2002 and December 2009.

Results: Major amputations were performed in 316 (55.9%) patients: 142 above the knee (25.1%) and 174 below (30.8%); 249 (44.1%) had a minor amputation. The incidence rates of amputations decreased from 2.9 to 2.1 per 1000 diabetes patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that first year mortality rates were lower among patients with minor amputations (31.7% vs. 39.6%, P = 0.569). First year mortality rates following below-knee amputation were somewhat lower than above-knee amputation (33.1 vs.45.1%, respectively). Cox regression model of survival at 1 year after the procedure found that age (HR 1.06 per year, 95% CI 1.04–1.07, P < 0.001), above-knee amputation (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.01–1.83, P = 0.045) and ischemic heart disease (HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.26–2.24, P < 0.001) significantly increased one year mortality risk.

Conclusions: In this population-based study the incidence rate of non-traumatic amputations in diabetes patients between January 2002 and December 2009 decreased slightly. However, one year mortality rates after the surgery did not decline and remained high, stressing the need for a multidisciplinary effort to prevent amputations in diabetes patients.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies are important markers of certain small vessel necrotizing vasculitides, but the optimal use of laboratory results in daily clinical practice necessitates collaboration between clinicians and laboratory specialists. Physicians must familiarize themselves with ANCA tests in ANCA-related vasculitides as well as in differential diagnostic patient populations in order to define cutoff values. Indirect immunofluorescence with a consensus-agreed technique combined with standardized enzyme immunoassays is the modality for detecting the main SSV-associated ANCA specificities using cutoff values that can sufficiently distinguish SVV from non-SVV patients. The combined use of IF and direct EIA to demonstrate proteinase 3-ANCA and myeloper­oxidase-ANCA at significant levels leads to a very high diagnostic specificity towards SVV conditions such as Wegen­er’s granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis, Churg-Strauss syndrome, and limited forms of these such as renal-limited focal necrotizing glomerulonephritis. A strong reactivity of ANCA against several azurophil granule components indicates a drug-induced syndrome. ANCA-related SVV and drug­induced vasculitis or lupus syndromes have characteristic ANCA profiles that can help distinguish these conditions from other inflammatory diseases.