In primary MR patients, LV fibrosis is more prevalent in MVP than non-MVP, suggesting a unique pathophysiology beyond volume overload in MVP. LV fibrosis in primary MR may represent a risk marker of arrhythmic events.

Test-retest methodological precision of global PET myocardial perfusion by serial rest or stress PET minutes apart is ±10%. Day-to-different-day biological plus methodological variability is ±21%, thereby establishing boundaries of variability on physiological severity to guide or follow coronary artery disease management. Maximum stress increases perfusion and coronary flow reserve, thereby reducing potentially falsely low values mimicking ischemia.

No abstract

No abstract

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is a common presentation for patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). We prospectively followed 72 patients, consecutively admitted to a Thai regional hospital with FUO and HIV infection to identify aetiologies and mortality in the era of available antiretroviral therapy (ART). Aetiologies of FUO were identified in 67 patients (93%), of whom 61(85%) had an infectious aetiology. The most common infectious aetiologies were Mycobacterium tuberculosis (n=30; 42%), Cryptococcus neoformans (n=17; 24%), Pneumocystis jiroveci (n=9; 13%), Toxoplasma gondii (n=5; 7%), and salmonella bacteraemia (n=5; 7%). Nineteen patients (26%) had co-infection with two or more pathogens. The median CD4 count was 120 cells/mm(3) (range, 1-581 cells/mm(3)), and the all-cause mortality was 22% (n=16). By multivariate analysis, inadequate antimicrobial treatment was the sole predictor of mortality (aOR=4.9; 95% CI=1.2-21.9; P=0.02). Overall, 58 of 72 patients (81%) had an opportunistic infection suggesting that guideline use of ART and prophylactic strategies remain unmet needs that will benefit individuals and populations with HIV/AIDS in Thailand.

No abstract

No abstract

In patients referred for PVI, CMR could be a single complete diagnostic study for assessment of pulmonary venous anatomy as well as presence of LA/LAA thrombi, thus reducing the number of pre-operative tests before PVI. Long TI DE-CMR has the best diagnostic performance and should be used for the detection of LA/LAA thrombi.