Search

Background: It has been shown that mitral stenosis (MS) impairs left ventricular (LV) systolic function; however, this issue has not been studied comprehensively. We aimed to evaluate the role of 2D strain in the assessment of subclinical LV systolic dysfunction in patients with MS. Methods: Seventy-two patients with isolated MS (mild, moderate and severe) and 31 healthy control subjects constituted the study population. 2D echocardiography images were obtained from LV apical 4-chamber (4C), long axis (LAX), and 2-chamber (2C) views. Peak longitudinal strain and strain rate (Sr) were obtained from 4C, LAX, and 2C views. Global strain and Sr were calculated by averaging the three apical views. Results: There were no significant differences in LV ejection fraction and LV systolic or diastolic dimensions between the groups. Patients with MS had significantly lower LV longitudinal strain and Sr measurements than the control group. In addition, there were no significant differences in MS subgroups with respect to LV strain and Sr measurements. Conclusion: We demonstrated that patients with MS had lower LV functions using 2D strain imaging, and this is independent of the hemodynamic severity of MS. In the detection of subclinical LV dysfunction in patients with MS, 2D strain imaging appears to be useful.

Objectives Two-dimensional (2D) strain imaging has been established as a reliable and reproducible technique for the assessment of left and right ventricular function using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). However, the reproducibility of transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) 2D strain imaging and the agreement with TTE 2D strain imaging remains unclear. In the present study, the authors studied the reproducibility of TEE 2D strain imaging parameters. Design A comparative, observational clinical study. Setting The echocardiography laboratory of the tertiary referral center. Participants Healthy individuals with a suspected patent foramen ovale. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results Thirty-four patients were included in the study. None of the patients had any structural cardiovascular disease. TTE and TEE images of the subjects were recorded and analyzed offline (EchoPAC 6.1; GE Vingmed Ultrasound AS, Horten, Norway). Longitudinal strain and strain rate measurements of the 4 chambers, the apical long axis, 2 chambers, and the right ventricle were obtained for each record of TTE and TEE. The mean age of the patients in this study was 36 ± 9.2 years. Bland-Altman analysis showed that there were generally good agreements between strain and strain rate measurements on TEE and TTE. The inter- and intraobserver agreement for TEE parameters was good. Conclusions Transesophageal 2D strain imaging is a reproducible method to measure ventricular function and has a good agreement with TTE 2D strain imaging.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) due to the occlusion of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) is a rare but serious condition in the era of percutaneus coronary intervention (PCI). Even more rare is AMI involved with both LMCA and its branches like trifurcartion or bifurcation: this is challenging for interventional cardiologists, because it involves the extension of the myocardium complicated by cardiogenic shock and its technical difficulties. Trifurcating coronary artery disease is a complex atherosclerotic process involving the origin of one or more of three side branches arising from a left main coronary vessel or trunk, with or without the involvement of LMCA itself. There is no classification or standardized methodology to treat LMCA disease in elective percutaneous intervention procedures. Furthermore, acute myocardial infarction presenting with left main coronary artery trifurcation lesion seems to be more troublesome, especially in young patients. Few series of PCI on significant lesions of the left main trifurcations have been described. Herein, we describe a patient who successfully underwent PCI and was supported by post intravascular ultrasound sonography and multislice computed angiography (MSCA), and after an uneventful follow-up with MSCA is now on the ninth month.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) remains a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome. SCAD has been observed in three groups of patients: those with coronary atherosclerosis, women in the peripartum period, and an idiopathic group. SCAD may also be associated with some other conditions. Herein, we present a 57 year-old man who developed SCAD concomitant with Trousseau's syndrome secondary to colon adenocarcinoma.

Acute renal infarction due to emboli represents a very rare but significant threat for kidney loss, and the clinical presentation is challenging. The differential diagnosis of massive renal thrombi includes all other causes of abdominal pain, and they can be easily misdiagnosed as renal colic due to nephrolithiasis. Although there are a few case reports regarding the possibility that cardiac emboli may cause acute kidney infarction, intracardiac thrombi within the ventricular cavity diagnosed by echocardiography as a cause of such renal artery occlusion have never been reported in patients with cardiomyopathy. Herein, we describe a 39-year-old male with a history of ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. He was admitted to our hospital with left upper abdominal pain and vomiting. After serial examinations and tests, the diagnosis of acute renal infarction due to intracardiac thrombus embolization as a result of severely reduced cardiac function was made.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is the most potent vasoconstrictor agent resulting in increased pulmonary vascular resistance and has proliferative effects on the vascular smooth muscle cells. Evidence for the relationship between increased blood levels of ET-1 and disease severity in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) established the basis of specific approach targeted to endothelin pathway in PAH. The results of the observational studies and randomized controlled trials revealed that endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs) compared with conventional medication may improve exercise tolerance and functional status, quality of life, right ventricular function and pulmonary hemodynamics and may lengthen the time to clinical worsening and survival in patients with PAH. Recently, the indications for ERAs in PAH seem to expand from class III and IV to class II symptomatology. In this review, we aimed to outline therapeutic benefits, drug-to-drug interactions and safety profile of different ERAs as specific agents of monotherapy or as a component of combination therapy in patients with PAH from the perspective of the evidence-based medicine.

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is characterized by immune platelet destruction due to the presence of antiplatelet antibodies. Following percutaneous coronary interventions, patients with ITP have risk for bleeding or thrombotic complications when antiplatelet treatment is given or spared, respectively. A 76-year-old man presented with typical anginal pain on exertion, 23 years after coronary artery bypass surgery, and nine years after the diagnosis of ITP had been made. Laboratory results showed low platelet count (16,000/l). In consultation with the hematology department, danazol treatment was administered for three weeks, after which the platelet count increased above 100,000/l. The patient underwent coronary angiography, which showed total occlusion of the left internal mammary artery bypass graft to the left anterior descending artery (LAD). After pretreatment with a loading dose (600 mg) and then a maintenance dose (75 mg daily) of clopidogrel for two days, the platelet count still remained above 100,000/l. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty was performed for the proximal LAD lesion and a 3.0x18-mm bare metal stent was implanted. No bleeding or thrombotic complications were seen during the follow-up of the patient.

Narrowing of the iliac artery is a common presentation of systemic atherosclerosis. With the recent development of invasive techniques, angioplasty and stenting offer excellent results for fixing limb ischemia of aorto-iliac arteries. However, despite novel interventional approaches and constantly increasing experience, complications such as distal embolization, stent migration, acute or subacute iliac artery occlusion, dissection, and perforations are still challenging. Early restenosis and/or reocclusion of peripheral artery stents is uncommon, but the risk of delayed or late thrombotic occlusions of iliac artery stents is unclear. Although with questionable impact, hypercoagulable state or patient noncompliance may contribute to the pathogenesis of stent thrombosis. We describe a patient with terminal renal cell carcinoma who developed late iliac artery stent thrombosis despite dual chronic antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel. © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a well-established risk factor for perioperative cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. However, the impact of preoperative glucose levels on perioperative cardiovascular outcomes in patients undergoing nonemergent, major noncardiothoracic surgery is unclear. Methods and Results A total of 680 patients undergoing noncardiothoracic surgery were prospectively evaluated. Patients older than 18 years who underwent an elective, nonday case, open surgical procedure were enrolled. Electrocardiography and cardiac biomarkers were obtained 1 day before surgery, and on days 1, 3 and 7 after surgery. Preoperative risk factors and laboratory test results were measured and evaluated for their association with the occurrence of in-hospital perioperative cardiovascular events. Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) defined as fasting plasma glucose values of 100 to 125 mg/dl; DM was defined as fasting plasma glucose ≥ 126 mg/dl and/or plasma glucose ≥ 200 mg/dl or the current use of blood glucose-lowering medication, and glucose values below 100 mg/dl were considered normal. Plasma glucose levels were significantly higher in patients with perioperative cardiovascular events (n = 80, 11.8%) in comparison to those without cardiovascular events (131 ± 42.5 vs 106.5 ± 37.5, p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that patients with IFG and DM were at 2.1- and 6.4-fold increased risk of perioperative cardiovascular events, respectively. Every 10 mg/dl increase in preoperative plasma glucose levels was related to a 11% increase for adverse perioperative cardiovascular events. Conclusions Not only DM but also IFG is associated with increased perioperative cardiovascular event rates in patients undergoing noncardiothoracic surgery.

La obstruccion de la arteria pulmonar es una complicacion excepcional de un hematoma intramural de la aorta ascendente. Practicamente no hay casos clinicos publicados en los que se presente con insuficiencia cardiaca derecha debido a la compresion del tronco pulmonar por el hematoma intramural.

Pulmonary artery obstruction is a rare complication of intramural hematoma of the ascending aorta. There were few reported cases presenting with right heart failure due to compression of the pulmonary trunk by intramural hematoma of the aorta.

Objectives: Evaluation of aspirin (ASA) responsiveness with platelet function tests varies by the choice of blood mixture and functional test and cut off values for defining the the treatment used. Addition to that we also aimed to determine aggregement between three tests and to research whether there is any necessity to measure baseline platelet activity. Methods: The study group comprised of 52 patients with multiple risk factors receiving primary prophylaxis of ASA (100 mg/day). For each patient inhibition of platelet aggregation with aspirin was determined using three different whole blood tests: Multiplate electrical impedance aggregometry, Verify Now Aspirin, and collagen-epinephrine closure time PFA-100. Platelet aggregation was assessed with multiplate electrical impedance aggregometry,and was defined as the area under curve (AUC,AUxmin).Maximal 6,4 microM collagen-induced AUC were used to quantify platelet aggregation due to ASA.The ASA response was defined as > 30 % reduction in basal platelet aggregation with multiplate electrical impedance aggregometry.Collagen induced platelet aggregation at the Verify Now Aspirin assay quantitated the ASA-induced platelet inhibition as aspirin reaction units (ARU).According to manifacturer insert ARU > 550 indicates aspirin resistance. ASA platelet function studies were assessed twice at baseline (pre-aspirin), and after 7 day(post-aspirin) were performed. Results: After ASA intake none of the patients was found aspirin resistant with PFA-100. (CEPI-CT (129 ± 36 vs 289 ± 18 ). None of the patients was found aspirin resistant with PFA-100. As > 30 % reduction in bazal platelet aggregation with multiplate electrical impedance aggregometry is selected all of the patients have been stratified as responders.(COL TEST 688±230 vs 169 ± 131 AU) None of the patients with Verify Now Aspirin found resistance to ASA(594 ± 62 vs 446 ± 43).Prior to ASA intake 15 of all patients with VN(501 ± 16) and 2 of all patients with multiplate electrical impedance aggregometry (223 ± 40 AUC )aggregation levels below the cut off label before ingestion of ASA.None of the patients was above the cut off label with PFA -100 (129 ± 36). Conclusions: Verify Now ASA assay, multiplate electrical impedance aggregometry and PFA-100 seem to be reliable tests in reflecting ASA effect on platelets. Cut off labels for the defining the responsiveness given by mani{dotless}facturer may show significant interindividual variabiliy with Verify Now ASA assay and multiplate electrical impedance aggregometry, and these test may show platelet inhibition despite the absence of ASA intake. Consideration of the pretreatment values may eliminate the risk of overestimation in the assessment of platelet inhibtion by ASA. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.