Author Interviews, Heart Disease / 26.08.2016

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: John A. Elefteriades, MD William W.L. Glenn Professor of Surgery Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery Yale New-Haven Hospital Director, Aortic Institute at Yale-New Haven Yale University School of Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: In the late 1990’s, Dr. Milewicz’s group in Texas and our group at Yale recognized that thoracic aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections (internal tears of the aorta) ran in families. This paper explores for the first time the ages at which aortic dissections occur among members within a family. Interestingly, we found that once one family member has suffered an aortic dissection, other family members tend to suffer dissection at about the same age (mostly within ten years of the age of the original dissector). (more…)
Flu - Influenza, Heart Disease / 21.11.2014

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Harleen Sandhu, MD MPH Senior Researcher University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Dr. Sandhu: Previous studies have shown a correlation between seasonal variations and occurrence of acute aortic dissection, however, reasons for such associations are unknown. Seasonal flu activity has been associated with the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases such as acute myocardial infarction in the past. This led us to verify this seasonal correlation in our experience with acute aortic dissection patients and to further investigate if its incidence was associated with flu activity. Our results confirmed the seasonal variation in acute aortic dissection as well as demonstrated a positive correlation with seasonal flu activity. (more…)
Author Interviews, Cleveland Clinic, Heart Disease, Surgical Research / 17.07.2013

MedicalResearch.com Interview with Dr. Frank Sellke, MD Chief of cardiothoracic surgery and co-director of the Cardiovascular Institute at Rhode Island, The Miriam and Newport hospitals MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Sellke: The main findings of the study are that outcomes of repair of an ascending aortic dissection are improved under a full moon compared to other phases of the moon. This was with regard to both mortality and length of hospital stay. Interestingly, there was no correlation with season of the year. (more…)