Although widely used, pericardial fluid cytology has not been adequately validated. We pooled 22 new cases with 71 previously reported cases having both fluid cytology and pericardial histopathologic examination. Cytology was correct in 87 of 93 cases (diagnostic accuracy, 94 percent). Sensitivity was 87 percent and specificity was 100 percent.

A 62-year-old woman presented with a history of hoarseness. Although stable for ten years, she recently showed signs of deterioration. Investigations revealed left vocal cord paralysis and a large left atrial tumor displacing the left pulmonary artery under the arch of the aorta. The lesion was removed and the normal aortopulmonary window on computed tomography (CT) scan was restored. On review of the literature, this case appears to be the first to suggest that myxomas cause recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy through direct effects.

Transbronchial biopsy and transbronchial needle aspiration greatly increase the utility of bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of a variety of disease processes. Transbronchial needle aspiration has brought into focus the importance of good cytopathologic support. The addition of histologic specimens (for light and electron microscopy) with the newer large-bore needles may further increase the utility of transbronchial needle aspiration. Both techniques are limited, in part, by the lack of distal tip deflection of the sampling instrument for steering accurately to peripheral masses. Tip deflection may have been partly responsible for the good yields reported for the double-hinged curet on small nodules, although the bronchographic map was also a factor. A steerable brush was described several years ago, but it was somewhat difficult to accurately maneuver, and long-term results were never reported. As yet, no easy answer is available for this problem. In the future, new generations of ultrathin bronchoscopes may permit much more accurate placement of sampling devices in the periphery of the lung and will represent an exciting diagnostic advance.

Thrombolytic therapy in AMI restores infarct artery patency, preserves LV function, and decreases hospital mortality. Although hemorrhagic complications including stroke can occur, the incidence of stroke is not increased compared with control groups. Aspirin must be administered as soon as possible to inhibit platelet function, and an adjunctive role for early beta-blocker therapy may be important. Acute cardiac catheterization and coronary angioplasty need not be routinely performed in stable patients after tPA therapy, but should be considered in unstable patients. Two trials suggest that aggressive use of coronary angioplasty or bypass graft surgery before hospital discharge to preserve infarct artery patency and to prevent postinfarction ischemia is associated with an important improvement in long-term prognosis. Thrombolytic therapy should be considered standard care for patients whose ischemic chest pain lasts 20 min to at least 6 h in duration and who have an injury current on their ECG unless they are at increased risk for bleeding. The need for and timing of cardiac catheterization, coronary angioplasty, and surgical revascularization after AMI requires further evaluation.

Thrombolysis is well established as effective therapy in AMI. Two thrombolytic agents, streptokinase and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), are now widely available for clinical use. These agents have different effects, and there has been considerable debate as to which is superior. Both are effective in preserving myocardial function and reducing mortality. However, the confidence limits of these findings overlap, and no firm conclusions can be made from comparing trials enrolling different populations with different baseline characteristics and ancillary treatments such as angioplasty. There have been few "head-to-head" comparisons. These trials show that tPA achieves better lysis rates than streptokinase, but the theoretic advantage of fibrin specificity does not result in fewer adverse effects or greater preservation of LV function. Although each drug may have specific indications, the drugs appear similar in clinical benefit, and further comparison trials are required.

Influenza A results in considerable morbidity, mortality and economic costs. Although immunoprophylaxis and chemoprophylaxis are targeted toward high-risk groups, persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have not been widely recognized as being at increased risk of influenza infection. We report a case of influenza A pneumonitis in a patient infected with HIV. The literature on influenza immunization of HIV-infected patients is reviewed and the implications for public health are discussed. Consideration should be given to influenza immunization and chemoprophylaxis in this enlarging population. Further investigation of the pathogenesis and epidemiology of influenza in HIV-infected patients is warranted.

Physicians increasingly are being called upon to make difficult decisions about intensive care for patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS patients who require intensive care have a poor prognosis; the in-hospital mortality rate of those receiving mechanical ventilation for P carinii pneumonia is 86-100 percent in most studies. However, in the past year, two studies documenting improved outcome have been published. Physicians should understand these outcome data and use well-established ethical principles to allow informed competent patients with AIDS to express their preferences regarding intensive care. Patients should be encouraged to provide advanced directives regarding life-sustaining treatments or to designate surrogate decision-makers to be consulted should they lose mental competence. The health care system should provide alternatives to the ICU for compassionate terminal care. However, arbitrary policies denying intensive care to AIDS patients for whom it is medically indicated and desired are not warranted.

Among 72 patients with Behçet's syndrome, seven had pulmonary vascular involvement. Additional data from 42 cases in the literature are discussed. Recurrent episodes of dyspnea, cough, chest pain, and hemoptysis were the primary clinical signs, mainly in young men, appearing 3.6 years after the first manifestation of Behçet's syndrome. Fever, elevated ESR, and anemia were common, and chest x-ray films showed pulmonary infiltrates, pleural effusions, and prominent pulmonary arteries. Ventilation-perfusion scans showed perfusion defects even when chest x-ray films were normal. Pulmonary artery aneurysms were seen in 7/13 in whom angiography was done. Of 42 patients, 16 died, 15 from fatal pulmonary hemorrhage, 80 percent within two years from the development of pulmonary disease. Histopathologic study results showed vasculitis of pulmonary vessels of various sizes, leading to thrombosis, destruction of the elastic laminae, aneurysms, and arteriobronchial fistula. In addition, pulmonary emboli and the aphthous lesion of the tracheobronchial tree may aid the clinical picture. Anticoagulant therapy may be hazardous in patients with aneurysmal dilatation of the pulmonary vascular tree, and the beneficial effect of corticosteroid therapy is discussed. Pulmonary vasculitis in Behçet's syndrome is a unique clinical and pathologic picture, differing from other vasculitides affecting the lung, presents a major threat to the patient's life.