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Very few data exist on the long-term follow-up of patients with intermediate nonobstructive saphenous vein graft (SVG) lesions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the 5-year clinical outcomes of the patients enrolled in the Moderate Vein Graft Lesion Stenting With the Taxus Stent and Intravascular Ultrasound (VELETI) and the factors associated with SVG disease progression and outcomes.

Outpatient practice after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is gaining momentum due to constantly optimizing results. Furthermore, the availability of limited beds to handle the large volume of coronary interventions also promotes outpatient practice. The present report relates the current experience with same-day discharge and defines persisting challenges in promoting accelerated in-hospital turnover. Since the mid-1990s, there have been several reports on same-day discharge following uncomplicated procedures. Overall, the success of outpatient PCI practice is based on a few technological and pharmacological advances. First, the systematic use of stents and potent antiplatelet agents have revolutionized the acute success rates of PCI by virtually eliminating the risks of acute vessel closure within the first 24 h following a successful procedure. Second, the miniaturization of catheter sizes has also simplified access site management, accelerated ambulation time and limited the risks of puncture site bleeding. In this regard, the transradial approach initially described in Canada and later popularized in Europe has transformed the acute care of patients after PCI. Today, however, the practice of transradial PCI still varies largely from country to country. From the literature review, it appears that after a short period of observation (4 h to 6 h), the majority of eligible patients who have undergone uncomplicated coronary stenting can be discharged on the same day. Whereas implementation of same-day discharge to referring centres is simple, home discharge requires the development of structured outpatient programs with dedicated resources to assist the patient and family with short-term logistics, to provide reassurance, to serve as a ‘safety net’ and, lastly, to promote medication compliance and cardiovascular risk factor management. Further studies are required to better define the cost-minimization effects of outpatient PCI practice, as well as patient perception of fast-track PCI. It is proposed that outpatient PCI will likely continue to expand over the next decade.

Current guidelines for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) recommend performing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 90 min of hospital arrival. However, recent data suggest that in a real-world setting, median door-to-balloon (DTB) time is closer to 180 min for transfer patients, with less than 5% of patients being treated within 90 min. A retrospective observational study was conducted to assess time to treatment in patients undergoing primary PCI at the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute (QHLI).

Researchers in experimental neuropsychology usually recruit "naive" normal subjects. In this preliminary study, we attempt to consider the role of such a selection. Sixty-four normal, right-handed subjects were enlisted for an experiment on simple reaction times to laterally displayed visual stimuli for which, according to the literature, no cerebral asymmetry is expected. In the course of the experiment, the subjects were "informed" about the hypothesis of the current research. Four subgroups of 16 subjects received four different kinds of information, one for each subgroup; moreover, in each subgroup, half the subjects were examined by an experimenter who hoped to modify the performance and the other half by an experimenter who supposed that information would not affect the behavior of the subjects. The results do not reveal any effect of instructions or experimenters and are discussed to plan future research.

An interview with artist Raquel is presented. She says that a painting ends at the last brush stroke were tension and harmony co-exist. When asked about the color of light she says that with black she gets strong light then with most other colors. She relates that she used to dance but with painting the physical technique goes further since more muscles are involved.

An 81-year-old woman was admitted due to acute pulmonary edema. The electrocardiogram showed new Q-waves in anterior leads with ST-elevation in anterolateral leads. Coronary angiogram showed a 100% occluded second diagonal branch with an image of systolic and diastolic compression of the mid-to-distal portion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) causing a long “bridgelike” effect. Ventriculography revealed a giant aneurysm of the anterolateral wall. A 3-dimensional volume–rendered cardiac computed tomography scan suggested that the aneurysm produced extrinsic compression of the LAD.

Presents the poem "Dresden," by Bernard Noël, translated by Eléna Rivera. First Line: walked alongside the Elbe while thinking of you; Last Line: and the day is all of a sudden garish.

Statins are among the most widely prescribed drugs. An increasing number of lupus-like syndrome has recently been reported with these lipid-lowering agents. We describe a new case associated with simvastatin therapy. The presence of anti-dsDNA antibodies in the serum is for the first time reported confirming that statins may also induce a systemic autoimmune reaction. Statin-induced lupus-like syndrome is characterized by the long delay between the beginning of therapy and the skin eruption. Antinuclear antibodies may persist for many months after drug discontinuation. The causal relationship may be therefore difficult to establish, and probably many cases are unrecognized. Early diagnosis may avoid unnecessary immunosuppressive therapy.

The poem "Aubrac," by Bernard Noël is presented. First Line: fog and snow childhood has forgotten its way; Last Line: with memory breaking all of the branches.

The poem "Angers," by Bernard Noël is presented. First Line: a black and white castle makes the difference; Last Line: the encounter breaks at the edge of the road.

The poem "TGV," by Bernard Noël is presented. First Line: night arrives slow and gray a virus in air; Last Line: solitude stretches out across the window.

Myasthenia gravis is a rare neuromuscular disorder associated with a reduction in the availability of acetylcholine receptors at the post-synaptic membranes of skeletal muscles. This is caused by the production of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies at the neuromuscular junction due to an autoimmune insult, leading to a compromised neuromuscular transmission. Verapamil can influence, in a dose-dependent fashion, the neuromuscular transmission in myasthenia gravis.