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Background: The prognosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) varies from mild disease with a normal life expectancy to heart failure and sudden cardiac death (SCD). The identification of patients who are at high risk for SCD remains challenging. Aims: In this study, we evaluated the prognostic value of papillary muscle‐free strain in HCM patients. Methods and Results: Seventy‐nine patients with a diagnosis of HCM were included in this study. Patients were divided into low/intermediate‐risk (n = 57) and high‐risk (n = 22) groups. Two‐dimensional (2‐D) echocardiography and strain imaging were performed for each patient. The mean age of the study population was 53.85 ± 15.88 years; 47 (59.5%) of them were male. During a mean follow‐up duration of 74.45 ± 17.03 months, 12 patients died. A comparison of the low‐intermediate and high‐SCD risk groups revealed that patients in the high‐SCD risk group had greater maximal wall thickness, interventricular septum thickness, posterior wall thickness, and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and lower (less negative) global longitudinal, anterolateral papillary muscle (ALPM) and posteromedial papillary muscle (PMPM) free strain. Additionally, a history of syncope and ICD implantation were found to be more common in patients with high SCD risk scores. The SCD risk score was positively correlated with the global longitudinal strain, ALPM‐free strain, and PMPM‐free strain (r =.528, r =.658, and r =.600, respectively; p <.001 for all). Our results showed that the LVMI, presence of syncope, global longitudinal strain, and ALPM‐free strain were predictors of death. Conclusions: Decreased papillary muscle‐free strain values might have prognostic value in patients with HCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia is rarely a concomitant condition with myocardial bridging for which no evidence-based medical management has yet been certainly described. Here, in this case study, we present a case of malignant ventricular arrhythmia that may be associated with the myocardial bridge on the coronary artery. The clinical management and medical treatment of the patient are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infarction of the kidney is an uncommon condition that can result from obstruction or decrease of renal arterial flow. The diagnosis is often delayed because it can mimic many other pathologic states, including pyelonephritis, renal colic, acute abdomen, pancreatitis and more. A high index of suspicion is important for prompt diagnosis. We describe a 20-year-old man presented with abdominal and right flank pain and hematuria. A computed tomography scan with intravenous contrast showed partial infarction of right renal parenchyma and selective renal angiography showed complete occlusion of the right renal artery which was also supplied by an accessory renal artery. Electrocardiography showed normal sinus rhythm. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiographic findings were unremarkable except for mild spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) in the left atrial appendage. Subsequent 48-hour holter monitor revealed frequent premature atrial complexes and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Development of thromboembolic renal infarction was attributed to the presence of PAF and concurrent SEC in the left atrial appendage (LAA). Low molecular weight heparin(LMWH) was followed by oral anticoagulant and an electrophysiologic study was planned for the management of PAF after 4 weeks of anticoagulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium overdose primarily results in neurologic toxicity; however a number of important cardiac side effects have previously been reported, including nonspecific T-wave changes, ST-segment changes, QTc prolongation, sinus node dysfunction, atrioventricular blocks and ventricular dysrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation due to such toxicity is very uncommon. The current paper describes a patient who developed acute atrial fibrillation due to chronic lithium overdose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]