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Učinak sakubitril/valsartana na funkciju lijeve klijetke nakon 3 mjeseca liječenja u pacijenata s akutnim dekompenziranim srčanim zatajivanjem Podaci o učinku sakubitril/valsartana na ehokardiografske parametre u pacijenata s akutnim dekompenziranim srčanim zatajivanjem (ADHF) su još uvijek manjkavi u dostupnoj literaturi. Prospektivno smo uključili 68 uzastopnih pacijenata hospitaliziranih zbog ADHF-a, koji su liječeni sakubitril/valsartanom (N=34, S/V grupa) ili terapijom baziranoj na inhibiciji angiotenzina (N=34, ACEi/ARB grupa). Dvodimenzionalna speckle- tracking ehokardiografska (2D-STE) analiza je urađena pri uključivanju u istraživanje i nakon 3 mjeseca liječenja. Promjene u parametrima 2D-STE, uključujući globalnu uzdužnu longitudinalnu deformaciju lijeve klijetke (LVGLS), su uspoređivane među grupama t-testom i ANCOVA-om. Nije bilo značajnih razlika u bazalnim demografskim, kliničkim i ehokardiografskim osobitostima među grupama. Nakon 3 mjeseca liječenja zabilježeno je značajno poboljšanje LVEF-a i LVGLS-a u S/V grupi (prosječni porast LVEF od 27 % na 34.5 % i LVGLS od -6.6 % na -9.4 %), ali ne i u ACEi/ARB grupi. Navedeno poboljšanje LVEF-a i LVGLS-a je bilo izraženije u onih s neishemijskom etiologijom srčanog zatajivanja.

Objectives This study aimed to directly measure pH in the lungs, determine lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), C-reactive protein (CRP), and glucose levels in serum and bronchoalveolar aspirate, and identify bacterial pathogens from bronchoalveolar fluid during acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Methods We performed an observational, analytical case–control study from February 2015 to March 2017. We included 84 patients with AECOPD and 42 with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All participants underwent detailed medical anamnesis, a clinical examination, chest radiography, spirometry, an arterial blood gas test, bronchoscopy, bacterial culture, and serum/bronchiolar aspirate laboratory testing. Results The mean pH of bronchoalveolar fluid was significantly higher in patients with AECOPD than in patients with stable COPD. The mean lung pH value, bronchoalveolar and serum LDH levels, and serum CRP levels in patients with isolated bacteria were higher than those in patients without isolated bacteria in the AECOPD patient group. Lung pH values in patients with AECOPD were significantly correlated with bronchoalveolar LDH and glucose levels. Conclusions AECOPD is associated with local cell and tissue injury in the lungs, especially in the presence of bacterial pathogens, which is accompanied by a low systemic inflammatory response.

The presence of circulating gas bubbles and their influence on pulmonary and right heart hemodynamics was reported after uncomplicated self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) dive(s). Improvements in cardiac imaging have recently focused great attention on the right ventricle (RV). The aim of our study was to evaluate possible effects of a single air SCUBA dive on RV function using 2D speckle tracking echocardiography in healthy divers after single open sea dive to 18 meters of seawater, followed by bottom stay of 47 minutes with a direct ascent to the surface. Twelve experienced male divers (age 39.5 ± 10.5 years) participated in the study. Echocardiographic assessment of the right ventricular function (free wall 2 D strain, tricuspid annular planes systolic excursion [TAPSE], lateral tricuspid annular peak systolic velocity [RV s`] and fractional area change [FAC]) was performed directly prior to and 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after surfacing. Two-dimensional strain of all three segments of free right ventricular wall showed a significant increase in longitudinal shortening in post-dive period for maximally 26% (basal), 15.4% (mid) and 16.3% (apical) as well as TAPSE (11.6%), RV FAC (19.2%), RV S` (12.7%) suggesting a rise in systolic function of right heart. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mean PAP) increased post-dive from 13.3 mmHg to maximally 23.5 mmHg (P = .002), indicating increased RV afterload. Our results demonstrated that single dive with significant bubble load lead to increase in systolic function and longitudinal strain of the right heart in parallel with increase in mean PAP.

Castleman’s disease (in the literature also known as angiofollicular hyperplasia) is a rare benign lymphoproliferative disease. Clinically, it can manifest as unicentric or multicentric disease. Unicentric disease is most often diagnosed by accident or by symptomatology resulting from compression upon the adjoining anatomical structures. Considering its lymphatic origin, tumor mass can theoretically occur in any body region. We present a case of paracardiac localization of unicentric Castleman’s disease in a previously healthy 24-year-old woman. In such clinical cases, the specific localization of the tumor and its radiological properties can pose a differential diagnostic dilemma. Correct diagnosis is only possible after complete surgical excision and histopathologic analysis, which is the optimal therapeutic approach in this disease.

Epikardna VT ablacija je vrlo invazivna procedura, no kada se radi u centrima s kardiokirurskom podrskom i velikim volumenom ablacijskih procedura, nudi mogucnost sigurnog izvođenja i daje sansu ostvariti kontrolu nad aritmijama koje ugrožavaju ne samo kvalitetu, vec i život ovih pacijenata.

The Republic of Croatia, with a gross domestic product per capita of US$11, 554 in 2008, is an economically less-developed Western country. The goal of the present investigation was to prove that a well-organized primary percutaneous coronary intervention network in an economically less-developed country equalizes the prospects of all patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction at a level comparable to that of more economically developed countries. We prospectively investigated 1, 190 patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary PCI in 8 centers across Croatia (677 nontransferred and 513 transferred). The postprocedural Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow, in- hospital mortality, and incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (ie, mortality, pectoral angina, restenosis, reinfarction, coronary artery bypass graft, and cerebrovascular accident rate) during 6 months of follow-up were compared between the nontransferred and transferred subgroups and in the subgroups of older patients, women, and those with cardiogenic shock. In all investigated patients, the average door-to- balloon time was 108 minutes, and the total ischemic time was 265 minutes. Postprocedural Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 3 flow was established in 87.1% of the patients, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 4.4%. No statistically significant difference was found in the results of treatment between the transferred and nontransferred patients overall or in the subgroups of patients >75 years, women, and those with cardiogenic shock. In conclusion, the Croatian Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Network has ensured treatment results of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction comparable to those of randomized studies and registries of more economically developed countries

Uvod: Lijekom obloženi baloni (DEB) predstavljaju novu tehnološku platformu u području perkutane koronarne intervencije. Jedina prihvaćena indikacija za njihovu uporabu je liječenje in-stent stenoze, a za sve ostale indikacije nema jasnog konsenzusa. Cilj: Evaluirati upotrebu DEB-a u rutinskoj kliničkoj praksi u Republici Hrvatskoj. Metode: Restrospektivni nerandomizirani multicentrični registar svih liječenih bolesnika u sedam hrvatskih centara između veljače 2011. i siječnja 2014. godine. Podatci su sakupljeni uvidom u dostupnu medicinsku dokumentaciju. Nije bilo kliničkih niti angiografskih isključnih kriterija, niti pisanog zajedničkog protokola za indikacije niti praćenje bolesnika. Praćena su velika nepovoljna događanja (MACE) definirana kao kombinacija srčane smrti, infarkta miokarda na tretiranoj krvnoj žili (MI) ili klinički indicirane reintervencije na tretiranoj krvnoj žili TLR za sve bolesnike tijekom iste hospitalizacije, nakon 6 mjeseci kliničkog praćenja te dostupni angiografski podatci. Rezultati: Kod 248 bolesnika tretirane su 284 lezije. Najčešća indikacija bila je in-stent restenoza u 31,4% bolesnika, u 21,4% bolesnika DEB je implantiran u žilama manjim od 2,75 mm, a ostale indikacije su bile: lezije veće od 2,8 mm, bifurkacije, ostijalne lezije, kronične totalne okluzije (redom: 11,3%; 11,3%; 7,3%; 1,6% ). U 39 bolesnika (15,6%) nakon prethodne implantacije običnih metalnih stentova (BMS) rađena je postdilatacija DEB-om. MACE su se tijekom hospitalizacije javili u 1,6% bolesnika: 1 smrt (0,4%), 3 akutne tromboze (1,2%), 1 MI (0,4%). Nakon 6 mjeseci praćenja dostupni su podatci za 83 bolesnika (33%). U 6% bolesnika je rađena TLR, a nije bilo registriranih smrti niti akutnih infarkta miokarda. Angiografska kontrola nakon 6 mjeseci učinjena je u 55 bolesnika (22%). U 69% bolesnika nalaz je opisivan kao potpuno uredan, nesignifikantna stenoza opisana je u 20% bolesnika, a u 11% bolesnika je opisana stenoza u rasponu od >50% do potpune okluzije. Zaključak: Naše kliničko iskustvo u svakodnevoj kliničkoj praksi pokazuje da se DEB u Hrvatskoj koristi u najvećem slučaju u prihvaćenim indikacijama in-stent restenoze, ali i u velikom postotku i za indikacije za koje ne postoji jasni konsenzus u literaturi. Akutni angiografski rezultati i rani klinički ishodi su odlični, a uporaba DEB-a je izrazito sigurna., Introduction: Drug-eluting balloons (DEB) represent a new technological platform in the area of percutaneous coronary interventions. The only accepted indication for their use is the treatment of in-stent stenosis, with no clear consensus for all other indications. Aim: To evaluate the use of DEB in routine clinical practice in Croatia. Methods: Retrospective nonrandomized multicentric register of all treated patients in seven Croatian centers in the time frame from February 2011 to January 2014. The data were collected from available medical documents. There were no clinical or angiographic exclusion criteria, nor was there any written common protocol for indications or for for the clinical follow up of patients. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were monitored. MACE were defined as the combination of cardiac death, development of myocardial infarction (MI) on treated vessel, and/or target lesion revascularization (TLR) for all patients during the same hospitalization, following a 6-month clinical observation and through available angiographic data. Results: 248 patients were treated for 284 lesions. The most common indication was the in-stent restenosis present in 31.4% of the patients, for 21.4% of the patients DEB was implanted in vessels smaller than 2.75 mm, and other indications were: lesions larger than 2.8 mm, bifurcations, ostial lesion, chronic total occlusions (11.3%; 11.3%; 7.3%; 1.6% respectively). On 39 patients (15.6%) following the previous implantation of bare metal stents (BMS), postdilatation with DEB was conducted. MACE during hospitalization appeared in 1.6% of the patients: 1 death (0.4%), 3 acute thromboses (1.3%), 1 MI (0.4%). Following the 6 month long observation, data is available for 83 patients (33%). TLR was performed on 6% of the patients, and there were no registered deaths or acute myocardial infarctions. Angiographic follow-up was performed on 55 patients (22%) after 6 months. In 69% of the patients the findings were described as completely clean, insignificant stenosis was described for 20% of the patients, and for 11% of the patients a stenosis to the amount of >50% of full occlusion was described. Conclusion: Our clinical experience in everyday clinical practice shows that in Croatia DEB is mostly used in cases of accepted indications of in-stent re-stenosis, but also to a great percentage for indications for which no clear consensus exists in literature. Acute angiographic results and early clinical results are excellent, and the use of DEB is highly safe.

A 73-year-old woman, diabetic, presented with effort angina of Canadian Cardiological Society (CCS) scale III for the last two months. Coronary angiogram revealed multiple significant stenosis of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and the right coronary artery (RCA). After she was presented to heart team and refused surgical revascularization we proceeded with PCI. LAD was successfully treated with one drug eluting stent. After that we proceeded with RCA intervention. After first balloon inflation huge contrast extravasation (4x4cm) was noticed in projection of aortic wall. Patient was stable, procedure was temporary interrupted and because of suspicion on aortic dissection urgent echocardiography and CT scan of aorta was performed. Echocardiography did not show fluid accumulation in pericardium while CT scan excluded aortic dissection and showed perforation of ostial RCA with cranial intrapericardial contrast extravasation. After that procedure was continued with implantation of three DE stents in RCA. Final angiogram showed successful sealing of ruptured ostial RCA without any contrast leak. During the following days there was no evidence of fluid in the pericardium, also MSCT coronarography confirmed normal flow in RCA and LAD. After five days patient was safely discharged from hospital.

The purpose of this study was (i) to answer whether the reduction in the spleen size in breath-hold apnea is an active contraction or a passive collapse secondary to reduced splenic arterial blood flow and (ii) to monitor the spleen response to repeated breath-hold apneas. Ten trained apnea divers, 10 intact and 7 splenectomized untrained persons repeated five maximal apneas (A1-A5) with face immersion in cold water, with two minutes interposed between successive attempts. Ultrasonic monitoring of the spleen and noninvasive cardiopulmonary measurements were performed before, between apneas and at times 0, 10, 20, 40, and 60 minutes after the last apnea. Blood flows in splenic artery and splenic vein were not significantly affected by breath-hold apnea. The duration of apneas peaked after A3 (143, 127, and 74 seconds in apnea divers, intact and splenectomized persons, respectively). A rapid decrease in spleen volume (about 20% in both apnea divers and intact persons) was mainly completed throughout the first apnea. The spleen did not recover in size between apneas and only partly recovered 60 minutes after A5. The well-known physiological responses to apnea diving: bradycardia and increased blood pressure were observed in A1 and remained unchanged throughout the following apneas. These results show rapid, probably active contraction of the spleen in response to breath-hold apnea in humans. Rapid spleen contraction and its slow recovery may contribute to prolongation of successive, briefly repeated apnea attempts.

Ekstrakorporalna membranska oksigenacija u lijecenju akutnog zatajivanja lijeve klijetke- prikaz slucaja