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Marfan syndrome (MFS) an inherited disorder caused by FBN1 gene mutations, is well known to cause lethal aortic aneurysm and dissections at a relatively young age. Here, we report giant internal carotid artery aneurysms and porcelain aorta in an elderly patient with MFS.

Background: Axitinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor receptor signaling and is approved for second-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Although the occurrence of hypertension with axitinib use has been documented, it is unclear whether a first-line TKI regimen can significantly affect the development of hypertension when axitinib is used as second-line therapy. Methods and Results: In this single-center retrospective study, advanced RCC patients treated with axitinib after first-line chemotherapy were divided into 2 groups according to the use of TKIs as part of first-line treatment before the initiation of axitinib. Clinical outcomes were compared between patients who were treated with (TKI(+); n=11) or without (TKI(-); n=11) a TKI. Although 63.6% of all patients had hypertension at baseline, axitinib-induced hypertension developed in 81.8% of patients, and 36.4% of patients experienced Grade 3 hypertension. After initiation of axitinib, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures and the hypertension grade were significantly elevated both in the TKI(+) and TKI(-) groups, and the number of antihypertensive drugs was significantly increased among all patients. Conclusions: This study suggests the need for proper monitoring and management of blood pressure in RCC patients treated with axitinib, regardless of a prior regimen with or without TKIs.

Background: Marfan syndrome can cause life-threatening aortic complications. We investigated the relationship between FBN1 genotype and severe aortopathy (aortic root replacement, type A dissections, and related death). Methods: We evaluated 248 patients with pathogenic or likely pathogenic FBN1 variants. The variants were classified as haploinsufficient type (HI, n=93) or dominant-negative type (DN, n=155) based on their location and predicted amino acid alterations, and we examined the effects of the FBN1 genotype on severe aortic events (aortic root replacement, type A dissections, and related death). RESULTS: The cumulative event-free probability was significantly lower in the HI group than in the DN group (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.4 -3.2; P Conclusions: DN-CD+HI patients should be monitored more carefully than DN-nonCD patients for rapid development of aortic root aneurysms.

Congenital contractural arachnodactyly (CCA) is a rare connective tissue disorder characterized by marfanoid habitus with camptodactyly. However, cardiac features have rarely been documented in adults. We herein report a sporadic case of CCA in a 20-year-old woman who developed decompensated dilated cardiomyopathy. The patient did not have any mutations in the FBN1 or FBN2 genes, which are most commonly associated with Marfan syndrome and CCA, respectively. Although whether these two diseases are caused by a mutation(s) in the same gene or two different genes remains unknown, this case provides new clinical insight into the cardiovascular management of CCA.

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant heritable disorder of connective tissue that affects the cardiovascular, skeletal, ocular, pulmonary, and nervous systems and is usually caused by mutations in the FBN1 gene, which encodes fibrillin-1. MFS is traditionally considered to result from the structural weakness of connective tissue. However, recent investigations on molecular mechanisms indicate that increased transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) activity plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of MFS and related disorders, such as Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS), which is caused by mutation in TGF-β signaling-related genes. In addition, recent studies show that angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) signaling enhances cardiovascular pathologies in MFS, and the angiotensin II receptor blocker losartan has the potential to inhibit aortic aneurysm formation. However, the relationship between TGF-β and AT1R signaling pathways remains poorly characterized. In this review, we discuss the recent studies on the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiovascular manifestations of MFS and LDS and the ensuing strategies for management.

Gitelman's syndrome (GS) is an autosomal recessive disorder; it is rarely inherited over several generations. A 16-year-old boy showed hypokalemia and hypocalciuria. Clinically, he was diagnosed as GS because of diuretic responsiveness to furosemide but not thiazide. Genetic testing disclosed he was a compound heterozygote (T180K/V677M) for the SLC12A3 gene. Unexpectedly, the patient's father also showed hypokalemia and hypocalciuria. The genetic analysis showed he had an L849H mutation in addition to T180K. The present pedigree showed an extremely rare case. Diuretic tests are useful diagnostic methods, and genetic testing is necessary for precise evaluation of complicated cases as in this family.

Patient: Male, 83 Final Diagnosis: In-stent restenosis Symptoms: Chest discomfort Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Cardiac catheterization Specialty: Cardiology Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: In-stent restenosis (ISR) is still a recognized clinical problem in the era of drug-eluting stent (DES). Some previous studies have suggested that circulating eosinophils play an important role in both restenosis and thrombosis after DES implantation. However, the contribution of eosinophils to the pathogenesis of ISR has not yet been concisely clarified. Case Report: We present the case of an 83-year-old male Japanese patient with ISR exacerbated by drug-induced severe eosinophilia. He had previous histories of coronary stent implantations by DES and was referred to our hospital because of erythema with severe eosinophilia (maximum was 6500/μl [48% of total white blood cell count]). Around the same time, the patient developed ISR, for which a stent was deployed 2 years earlier. Arterial wall injury due to the increase in circulating eosinophils was verified in several findings, such as the increase of D-dimer and brain natriuretic peptide. In addition, the histology of the resected tissue from erythema demonstrated that the nuclei of endothelial cells were swollen where eosinophils and lymphocytes heavily infiltrated into the extravascular space, suggesting the presence of vascular injury. This injury due to the increase in circulating eosinophils may have a marked impact on the pathologic process of ISR in DES implantation. Conclusions: Just a few anecdotal reports are available of ISR occurring in the setting of hypereosinophilia. The clarification of the mechanism in this patient provides a new effective therapeutic strategy against ISR in the setting of DES implantation.