A case of lymphosarcoma of the heart in a 10-year-old boy is presented. The clinical picture simulated a pericarditis. Prednisolone had a remarkably good temporary effect. Post-mortem examination showed a highly differentiated lymphosarcoma invading the pericardium and myocardium from a primary mediastinal localisation. Cytologic examination for malignant cells in the pericardial fluid must not be forgotten in a case of unexplained pericardial effusion.
The clinical outcome after successful conventional coronary balloon angioplasty is compared with that of stent implantation after 30 days and 12 months. The study took place at the Divisions of Cardiology and Thoracic Radiology, Norrland University Hospital, Umeå, a referral centre for northern Sweden. The first 100 consecutive patients with stable or unstable angina undergoing successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in 1994 and the first 100 consecutive patients undergoing successful coronary stent implantation in 1995 were included. The cardiac endpoints studied were death, myocardial infarction, need for repeat PTCA or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Significantly more adverse cardiac events were observed in the PTCA group compared with the stent group. Event-free 12 months' follow-up (no deaths, myocardial infarction or re-intervention) was 64% in the PTCA group and 86% in the stent group (p < 0.005). The main explanation for the observed difference was a reduction in the need for a repeat PTCA (7 vs 18, p < 0.05) or CABG (4 vs 12, p < 0.05) in the stent group. Patients with stable or unstable angina who can be treated with a stent have a better clinical outcome than those treated with coronary balloon angioplasty only.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.