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1. Introducao Atualmente, ha grande variedade de estrategias intervencionistas – tanto transcateter, quanto cirurgicas – que podem ser indicadas para pacientes portadores de valvopatia cardiaca, com objetivo de reducao da morbimortalidade associada a esta doenca. O correto momento de indicacao e o tipo de tratamento intervencionista estao atrelados ao preciso diagnostico anatomico e funcional da valvopatia cardiaca e a uma minuciosa avaliacao global do paciente. Estas Diretrizes Brasileira de Valvopatias de 2020, alem da compilacao de evidencias cientificas e opiniao [...]

Background: Heart failure occurs in ~10% of patients with acute rheumatic fever (RF), and several studies have shown that cardiac decompensation in RF results primarily from valvular disease and is not due to primary myocarditis. However, the literature on this topic is scarce, and a recent case series has shown that recurrent RF can cause ventricular dysfunction even in the absence of valvular heart disease.Methods: The present study evaluated the clinical, laboratory and imaging characteristics of 25 consecutive patients with a clinical diagnosis of myocarditis confirmed by 18F-FDG PET/CT or gallium-67 cardiac scintigraphy and RF reactivation according to the revised Jones Criteria. Patients underwent three sequential echocardiograms at (1) baseline, (2) during myocarditis and (3) post corticosteroid treatment. Patients were divided according to the presence (Group 1) or absence (Group 2) of reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) during myocarditis episodes.Results: The median age was 42 (17–51) years, 64% of patients were older than 40 years, and 64% were women. Between Group 1 (n = 16) and in Group 2 (n = 9), there were no demographic, echocardiographic or laboratory differences except for NYHA III/IV heart failure (Group 1: 100.0% vs. Group 2: 50.0%; p = 0.012) and LVEF (30 [25–37] vs. 56 [49–62]%, respectively; p < 0.001), as expected. Group 1 patients showed a significant reduction in LVEF during carditis with further improvement after treatment. There was no correlation between LVEF and valvular dysfunction during myocarditis. Among all patients, 19 (76%) underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT, with a positive scan in 68.4%, and 21 (84%) underwent gallium-67 cardiac scintigraphy, with positive uptake in 95.2%, there was no difference between these groups.Conclusion: Myocarditis due to rheumatic fever reactivation can cause left ventricular dysfunction despite valvular disease, and it is reversible after corticosteroid treatment.

Introduction: Aortic stenosis (AS) and aortic regurgitation (AR) patients develop myocardial remodeling characterized by hypertrophia and fibrosis. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging can detect the presence of replacement myocardial fibrosis, by using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), and diffuse myocardial fibrosis, by using extracellular volume (ECV) based measures (relative - ECV fraction - and absolute - indexed ECV) calculated from T1 mapping. There are only few studies with AS patients and scarce data with AR patients showing an association between fibrosis and post-operative clinical outcomes. Hypothesis: There is an association between preoperative myocardial fibrosis measures and post-operative clinical outcomes in severe aortic valvular heart disease (VHD) patients submitted to surgical intervention. Methods: Patients with isolated severe AS or AR were prospectively recruited to be submitted to CMR before indicated surgery, including LGE and ECV measures quantifications. All patients were submitted to conventional surgery and were followed during post-operative period. Results: The study population included 99 patients, 67 with AS and 32 with AR. After a median post-operative follow up of 12.3 (3.2-24.4) months, the presence of LGE areas, found in 32 patients (32.3%), independently predicted post-operative combined events (global mortality or STS morbidity events or persistent NYHA functional class III-IV) during follow up in univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses (HR 3.96, 95%CI 1.76-8.91, p Conclusions: Presence of replacement myocardial fibrosis, but not diffuse myocardial fibrosis, in preoperative CMR predicts post-operative combined clinical events in severe VHD patients submitted to surgery.

Introduction: Aortic stenosis (AS) and aortic regurgitation (AR) patients develop both myocardial hypertrophia and fibrosis. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and troponin are biomarkers whose value in aortic valvular heart disease (VHD) remains controversial. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging can detect replacement myocardial fibrosis (MF) by using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), and diffuse MF by using extracellular volume (ECV) based measures (relative - ECV fraction - and absolute - indexed ECV) calculated from T1 mapping. Data evaluating the relationship of these biomarkers with both types of MF are scarce in AS, and are missing in AR patients. Hypothesis: There is an association between preoperative BNP and troponin and preoperative MF measures in severe aortic VHD patients. Methods: Patients with isolated severe AS or AR were prospectively recruited to be submitted to CMR before surgery, including LGE and ECV measures quantifications. They also collected blood samples for quantification of BNP and high sensitivity T troponin. The relationship between biomarkers and MF parameters was evaluated using linear regression and nonparametric conventional tests. Results: The study population included 99 patients, 67 with AS and 32 with AR. BNP median was 63 (39-103) pg/mL and troponin median was 17 (5-34) ng/L, no difference between AS and AR (p=0.31 and p=0.88, respectively). BNP and troponin were associated with presence of LGE. BNP median was 47 (32-87) pg/mL without LGE vs. 87 (47-190) pg/mL with LGE (p=0.002). Troponin median was 13 (5-25) ng/L without LGE vs. 30 (10-71) ng/L with LGE (p=0.001). Regarding ECV measures, patients with ECV fraction higher than 28.25% had higher BNP levels (p2 had higher troponin levels (p=0.015) (Figure 1). Conclusions: BNP and troponin are associated with quantity of MF in patients with severe aortic VHD with indication of intervention.

Background Few data exist on the degree of interstitial myocardial fibrosis in patients with classical low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis (LFLG-AS) and its association with left ventricular flow reserve (FR) on dobutamine stress echocardiography. This study sought to evaluate the diffuse interstitial fibrosis measured by T1 mapping cardiac magnetic resonance technique in LFLG-AS patients with and without FR. Methods Prospective study including 65 consecutive patients (41 LFLG-AS [mean age, 67.1±8.4 years; 83% men] and 24 high-gradient aortic stenosis used as controls) undergoing dobutamine stress echocardiography to assess FR and cardiac magnetic resonance to determine the extracellular volume (ECV) fraction of the myocardium, indexed ECV (iECV) to body surface area and late gadolinium enhancement. Results Interstitial myocardial fibrosis measured by iECV was higher in patients with LFLG-AS with and without FR as compared with high-gradient aortic stenosis (35.25±9.75 versus 32.93±11.00 versus 21.19±6.47 mL/m 2 , respectively; P P =0.950 and P =0.701, respectively). Also, FR did not correlate significantly with ECV (r=−0.16, P =0.31) or iECV (r=0.11, P =0.51). Late gadolinium enhancement mass was also similar in patients with versus without FR but lower in high-gradient aortic stenosis (13.3±10.2 versus 10.5±7.5 versus 4.8±5.9 g, respectively; P =0.018). Conclusions Patients with LFLG-AS have higher ECV, iECV, and late gadolinium enhancement mass compared with high-gradient aortic stenosis. Moreover, among patients with LFLG-AS, the degree of myocardial fibrosis was similar in patients with versus those without FR. These findings suggest that diffuse myocardial fibrosis may not be the main factor responsible for the absence of FR in LFLG-AS patients.

Heart transplantation is currently the definitive gold standard surgical approach in the treatment of refractory heart failure. However, the shortage of donors limits the achievement of a greater number of heart transplants, in which the use of mechanical circulatory support devices is increasing. With well-established indications and contraindications, as well as diagnosis and treatment of rejection through defined protocols of immunosuppression, the outcomes of heart transplantation are very favorable. Among early complications that can impact survival are primary graft failure, right ventricular dysfunction, rejection, and infections, whereas late complications include cardiac allograft vasculopathy and neoplasms. Despite the difficulties for heart transplantation, in particular, the shortage of donors and high mortality while on the waiting list, in Brazil, there is a great potential for both increasing effective donors and using circulatory assist devices, which can positively impact the number and outcomes of heart transplants. RESUMO O transplante cardíaco é atualmente a abordagem cirúrgica definitiva padrão-ouro no tratamento da insuficiência cardíaca refratária. No entanto, a escassez de doadores limita a realização de um número maior de transplantes cardíacos, situação em que vem aumentando a utilização de dispositivos de assistência circulatória mecânica. Com indicações e contraindicações bem estabelecidas, além de diagnóstico e tratamento de rejeição, por meio de protocolos definidos de imunossupressão, os resultados do transplante cardíaco são muito favoráveis. Dentre as complicações precoces que podem impactar a sobrevida, destacamos a disfunção primária do enxerto, a disfunção do ventrículo direito, rejeição e infecções; já as complicações tardias incluem a doença vascular do enxerto e as neoplasias. Apesar das dificuldades para realização do transplante cardíaco, em especial pela escassez de doadores e pela elevada mortalidade em fila de espera, no Brasil, existe um grande potencial, tanto no aumento de doadores efetivos, quanto na utilização de dispositivos de assistência circulatória, o que pode vir a impactar positivamente no número e nos resultados do transplante cardíaco.

Alguns pacientes com estenose valvar aortica (EAo) apresentam baixos gradientes (gradiente transvalvar medio 50%). Dentre estes pacientes, e possivel a identificacao de dois grupos: um com fluxo normal (volume sistolico indexado, VSI > 35 mL/m2), que apresenta boa evolucao e prognostico, comparaveis aos pacientes com EAo moderada (AVA 1,0 a 1,5 cm2), e outro, com baixo fluxo (VSI ≤ 35mL/m2). Acredita-se que os pacientes do primeiro grupo ocorram como resultado de baixa estatura, com tamanho corporal pequeno, ou de medidas ecocardiograficas inadequadas, ou ainda de incongruencias de classificacao presentes em algumas diretrizes de manejo de valvopatias. Nos pacientes que apresentam baixo fluxo, ocorre um padrao de remodelamento ventricular que cursa com aumento da pos-carga e hipertrofia miocardica concentrica significativa, alem de disfuncao miocardica sistolica intrinseca (ainda que, com FE preservada), com consequente diminuicao da cavidade ventricular esquerda e do volume sistolico. Tais alteracoes estao associadas a pior prognostico, e estes pacientes devem ser cuidadosamente avaliados para que nao tenham seus sintomas subestimados e seu adequado tratamento postergado ou negligenciado.

OBJETIVO: Correlacionar os níveis séricos do peptídeo natriurético tipo B e da fração N-terminal do pró-peptídeo natriurético tipo B, além de analisar a influência de idade, obesidade, insuficiência renal, fração da ejeção do ventrículo esquerdo, disfunção diastólica e anemia nos níveis séricos de ambos os marcadores. MÉTODOS: Estudo observacional, no qual se comparou a concordância entre esses marcadores em amostras consecutivas de 138 pacientes. Para a correlação, utilizou-se o teste de Pearson e foi considerado estatisticamente significante p

Objective: To correlate the serum levels of B type natriuretic peptide and the N-terminal fraction of the pro-B type natriuretic peptide, as well as to analyze the influence of age, obesity, renal failure, left ventricle ejection fraction, diastolic dysfunction, and anemia on serum levels of both markers. Methods: An observational study in which the agreement was compared between these markers in consecutive samples of 138 patients. For the correlation, Pearson's test was used, and p

OBJETIVO: A inflamação aterosclerótica, com possível papel de agentes infecciosos, pode contribuir na patogênese dos aneurismas da aorta abdominal (AAA). O achado de Chamydia pneumoniae (CP) nessas lesões, em estudos prévios, sem quantificação, variou de 0-100%. O objetivo é quantificar a presença de CP e de Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) nos AAA. MÉTODO: A espessura, o número de células positivas para CP detectadas por imunoperoxidase e a porcentagem de área ocupada por MP detectada por hibridização "in situ", nas três camadas da aorta, foram medidos com sistema de análise de imagens, em 10 aortas abdominais aneurismáticas. Usouse três grupos-controle: 1) amostras das mesmas aortas, fora do aneurisma, exceto se a dilatação tomasse toda a porção sub-renal da artéria (n=7); 2) aortas com aterosclerose grave, mas sem aneurismas (n=10); 3) aortas sem aterosclerose ou com grau leve da doença (n=10). Todos os espécimes foram obtidos em necropsias. Usou-se o teste de Wald para comparar os grupos; fixou-se o nível de significância em 5%. RESULTADOS: A íntima era mais fina e a média mais espessa nos casos normais que nos outros grupos (p0,05). Também se detectou MP em todos os grupos. Este agente predominou no grupo de pacientes com aterosclerose, mas sem aneurisma na íntima e na adventícia; entretanto, as diferenças entre os grupos não foram significativas (p>0,05). CONCLUSÕES: Nossos dados sugerem que os agentes enfocados não têm papel importante na patogênese dos AAA.

Atherosclerotic inflammation with a possible role of infectious agents can contribute to the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The finding of Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) in these lesions in previous non-quantifying studies ranged from 0-100%. The objective is to quantify the presence of CP and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) in AAA.The thickness, and the number of cells positive for CP detected by the immunohistochemistry (immunoperoxidase, which is a type of immunohistochemical stain used in molecular biology, medical research, and clinical diagnostics), and the percentage of the area occupied by the Mycoplasma pneumoniae detected by in situ hybridization in three layers of the aorta were measured using an image-analysis system in 10 necropsies of abdominal aneurysmatic aortas. Three groups were used as controls: 1) samples of the same aortas, outside the aneurysms, except if the dilatation took the whole sub-renal portion of the artery (n=7); 2) aortas with severe atherosclerosis but without aneurysms (n=10); 3) aortas without or with mild atherosclerosis (n=10). All specimens were obtained at necropsies. Wald's test was used to compare groups; significance level was established at 5%.The tunica intima was thinner and the tunica media was thicker in the normal cases than in the other groups (p0.01). Positive cells for CP were found in all groups, more frequently at the adventitia; no significant difference was detected between the groups (p0.05). MP was also detected in all groups. This agent predominated in the group of patients with atherosclerosis, but without aneurysms at both tunica intima and adventitia; nevertheless, there were no significant differences between the groups (p0.05).Our data suggested that the bacteria we focused to, does not play an important role in the pathogenesis of AAA.

Introducao A indicacao da intervencao cirurgica ou percutânea no paciente com doenca valvar esta atrelada ao preciso diagnostico anatomico e funcional, alem do conhecimento da historia natural da doenca. Nesta atualizacao da Diretriz Brasileira de Valvopatias de 2011, sao contemplados apenas pacientes com valvopatia anatomicamente importante (estagios C e D da Diretriz da American College of Cardiology (ACC)/ American Heart Association (AHA), de 2014). As tabelas e fluxogramas que aqui constam demonstram passos sequenciais que norteiam o diagnostico anatomico, etiologico [...]