In assessing the depth of myometrial invasion, ADC maps show the same accuracy as intraoperative histological studies in endometrial cancers. They also allow for a more precise assessment than conventional MRI sequences. Frozen-section analysis can be avoided if the preoperative MRI study includes DWI sequences and ADC maps.

High-dose alcohol misuse induces multiple noxious cardiac effects, including myocyte hypertrophy and necrosis, interstitial fibrosis, decreased ventricular contraction and ventricle enlargement. These effects produce diastolic and systolic ventricular dysfunction leading to congestive heart failure, arrhythmias and an increased death rate. There are multiple, dose-dependent, synchronic and synergistic mechanisms of alcohol-induced cardiac damage. Ethanol alters membrane permeability and composition, interferes with receptors and intracellular transients, induces oxidative, metabolic and energy damage, decreases protein synthesis, excitation-contraction coupling and increases cell apoptosis. In addition, ethanol decreases myocyte protective and repair mechanisms and their regeneration. Although there are diverse different strategies to directly target alcohol-induced heart damage, they are partially effective, and can only be used as support medication in a multidisciplinary approach. Alcohol abstinence is the preferred goal, but control drinking is useful in alcohol-addicted subjects not able to abstain. Correction of nutrition, ionic and vitamin deficiencies and control of alcohol-related systemic organ damage are compulsory. Recently, several growth factors (myostatin, IGF-1, leptin, ghrelin, miRNA, and ROCK inhibitors) and new cardiomyokines such as FGF21 have been described to regulate cardiac plasticity and decrease cardiac damage, improving cardiac repair mechanisms, and they are promising agents in this field. New potential therapeutic targets aim to control oxidative damage, myocyte hypertrophy, interstitial fibrosis and persistent apoptosis In addition, stem-cell therapy may improve myocyte regeneration. However, these strategies are not yet approved for clinical use.

Purpose: To evaluate activity staging of Crohn's disease (CD) measured with MRenterography using ileoscopy as reference standard. Materials and methods: A prospective study was made of 61 patients with CD. All patients underwent MR-enterography and ileoscopy. MRI activity was measured by means of an ad hoc developed score, as well as by analysis of the imaging findings, and was compared with the SES-CD score obtained via ileoscopy. Examinations were performed using a 1.0 Tesla scanner. Results: MRI score discriminates between active and inactive disease with an area under the ROC curve of 0.941. Overall correlation with the standard reference SES-CD score was moderate to strong (Spearman's r=0.62 p<0.001). Agreement between both methods in staging patients with ileal CD as inactive, mild or moderate to severe was good (Cohen's κ=0.60). Differences in means of the MRI activity scores of the three groups showed statistical significance (p<0.01). Conclusions: The MRI score is a reliable predictor of activity in ileal CD and can stage patients in a way comparable to endoscopy. 1.0 Tesla scans are valid for performing radiological evaluation of ileal Crohn's disease. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 Agreement between both methods in staging patients with ileal CD as inactive, mild or moderate to severe was good (Cohen's κ=0.60). Differences in means of the MRI activity scores of the three groups showed statistical significance (p<0.01).Conclusions: The MRI score is a reliable predictor of activity in ileal CD and can stage patients in a way comparable to endoscopy. 1.0 Tesla scans are valid for performing radiological evaluation of ileal Crohn's disease.

The aim of this study was to develop a user-friendly checklist for critical appraisal of indirect comparisons of drugs, considering clinical, methodological/statistical and quality aspects, mainly to be applied in drug evaluation in the decision-making context. After conducting a review of the literature, we used group consensus to establish the key points of the checklist, focusing mainly on indirect comparisons, but including topics related to network meta-analysis or multiple treatment comparisons. The coordinating group elaborated the first draft, which was reviewed by external experts, re-evaluated by the coordinating group and finally assessed by 23 drug evaluation experts trained in indirect comparisons, who applied the checklist to one study. The Kappa index of agreement was calculated and the final checklist was developed by group consensus including the external experts. The checklist has two parts. The first consists of three eliminatory key questions while the second includes 17 items: 5 regarding quality, 5 regarding clinical issues and 7 dealing with methodology/statistics. The median kappa values of the 23 evaluations were 0.83 (range 0.67-0.93), 0.61 (0.54-0.91) and 0.36 (0.22-1) with regard to quality, clinical aspects and methodology/statistics, respectively. A structured checklist was developed to facilitate critical appraisal of key issues in indirect comparisons, including comments for assessing the consequences of its application to drug evaluation in the decision-making context. Agreement between reviewers in clinical and quality items was good, but weaker in methodology/statistics ones.