Search

Background: Cardiac amyloidosis (CA), following a non-invasive diagnosis, constitutes an increasingly prevalent heart failure (HF) etiology. This study aims to determine which echocardiography findings help to diagnose cardiac amyloidosis in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) admitted for decompensated HF. M ethods: The present study is a retrospective observational study on a cohort of 85 LVH patients admitted for HF decompensation, in which 99m Tc-DPD scanning was performed to rule out transthyretin CA. The echocardiographic findings obtained were compared between CA and non-CA groups. Results: From a total number of 85 patients, 49 (57.6%) met the CA criteria and 36 (42.3%) were ruled out for the disease. Interventricular septum thickness (16 ± 3 mm vs. 14 ± 3 mm), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (14 ± 3 mm vs. 11 ± 2 mm), left ventricular mass (259 ± 76 g vs. 224 ± 53 g), left ventricular telediastolic diameter (48 ± 7 mm vs. 53 ± 6 mm), left ventricular telediastolic indexed volume (51 ± 18 cm 3 /m 2 vs. 59 ± 16 cm 3 /m 2 ), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (16 ± 5 mm vs. 20 ± 4 mm), right atrial area (27.4 ± 8.4 cm 2 vs. 22.2 ± 5.7 cm 2 ) and strain relative apical sparing (2.2 ± 0.9 vs. 1.03 ± 0.4; p = 0.04) were significantly associated with the diagnosis of CA. Conclusions: In patients with LVH admitted for HF decompensation, there are several echocardiographic features (LVH, reduced left ventricular cavity size, strain relative apical sparing, right atrial dilation, and altered right ventricular function) that are associated with the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis.

Introduction and objectives: Drug-eluting balloon (DEB) angioplasty is an effective technique to treat in-stent restenosis (ISR). Neointimal modification with cutting balloon (CB) or scoring balloon (SB) enhances the angiographic results of DEB, but with no benefits have been reported in the clinical endpoints at the mid-term. There is lack of information on the clinical long-term results of this strategy. We aim to compare very long-term results of CB before DEB vs standard DEB to treat real-world patients with ISR. Methods: Retrospective cohort registry of DEB PCIs to treat ISR defined by the use of CB. The primary endpoint was clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 5 years. The secondary endpoints were based on the ARC-2 criteria. Results: From January 2010 to December 2015, 107 ISRs were treated with DEB in 91 patients. CBs were used in 51 lesions (46 patients). Both cohorts were well balanced regarding clinical, lesion, and procedural characteristics. Compared to standard DEBs, CBs showed lower, although statistically non-significant rates, of TLR at 5 years (9.8% vs 23.6%, OR, 0.36; 95% confidence interval 0.19 to 1.09 P = .05). The Kaplan-Meier cumulative incidence of time until TLR showed similar results (log-rank test P value = .05) with similar rates of TLR at 1 year (3.9% vs 7.1%, P = .68) as curve separation in the long-term. There were no differences in the secondary endpoints. No stent thrombosis was reported. Conclusions: In a real-world setting, neointimal modification with CB before DEB vs standard DEB to treat ISR shows lower, although statistically non-significant rates of TLR at 5 years. This benefit has been confirmed in the long-term and is consistent with bare-metal and drug-eluting stents.

RESUMEN Introducción y objetivos: El uso de balón farmacoactivo (BFA) es una estrategia efectiva en el tratamiento de la reestenosis de stents coronarios (RIS). La modificación neointimal con balón de corte (BC) o incisión junto con BFA se asocia a mejores resultados angiográficos, aunque sin impacto en eventos clínicos a medio plazo. Los resultados clínicos de esta estrategia a muy largo plazo en la vida real son desconocidos. Se evaluó la eficacia de BC junto con BFA frente a BFA estándar en un registro de pacientes de la vida real con RIS a muy largo plazo (5 años). Métodos: Registro retrospectivo de 2 cohortes de pacientes con RIS tratados con BFA, definidas por el uso de BC. El evento primario fue la tasa de revascularización clínicamente indicada de la lesión tratada a 5 años. Se valoraron eventos secundarios según los criterios ARC-2. Resultados: Entre enero de 2010 y diciembre de 2015 se usó BFA en 107 RIS en 91 pacientes. En 51 lesiones (46 pacientes) se utilizó BC. Ambas cohortes presentaron similares características clínicas y de procedimiento. Respecto al uso estándar de BFA, el BC consiguió una reducción numérica, pero no significativa, en la tasa de revascularización de la lesión tratada a 5 años (9,8% frente a 23,6%; odds ratio = 0,36; intervalo de confianza del 95%, 0,19-1,09; p = 0,05). El análisis de incidencia acumulada de Kaplan-Meier mostró resultados parecidos (log-rank, p = 0,05), con similar tasa de eventos a 1 año (3,9% frente a 7,1%; p = 0,68), y separación de las curvas con el tiempo. No se evidenciaron diferencias en los eventos secundarios. No hubo trombosis de stent en la cohorte. Conclusiones: En una cohorte de la vida real, la modificación neointimal de la RIS con BC junto con BFA, en comparación con BFA estándar, logra una reducción numérica, pero no significativa, en la tasa de revascularización de la lesión tratada a 5 años. El beneficio de esta estrategia se evidencia a largo plazo y es consistente entre RIS de stent convencional y de stent farmacoactivo.

Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPIs) have been part of the adjuvant treatment of acute coronary syndrome for years. However, real-life data regarding the efficacy and safety of GPIs under the current indications are lacking in the setting of potent platelet inhibition. The objectives were to assess the efficacy and safety of abciximab versus tirofiban in patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) and pretreated with ticagrelor, and to identify independent predictor factors of efficacy, bleeding and platelet drop. Three hundred sixty-two patients were divided by GPI administered. Clinical, laboratory, angiographic and outcome characteristics were compared. The primary objective was a composite efficacy endpoint (death from any cause, nonfatal myocardial infarction and nonfatal stroke) at 30 days. The secondary objectives were its individual components, safety (bleeding) and the impact on platelet count during hospital stay. The composite efficacy endpoint was similar in the abciximab and tirofiban groups (6.1% vs 7.3%

Background The prevalence of cardiac cephalalgia is unknown and there is limited information about its clinical features. We aimed to assess the prevalence of cardiac cephalalgia, its clinical characteristics and associated factors. Methods We conducted a prospective study of patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome admitted to the Cardiology Service at Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, Zaragoza, Spain, over a one-year period. We interviewed patients within the first 24 hours of admission using a standardized case-report form to assess the presence of headache in relation to the acute coronary syndrome and its characteristics. Results We included 438 patients, 381 with confirmed myocardial ischemia. Prevalence of cardiac cephalalgia was 14.2% (n = 54). The most common features were frontal location, pressing quality and moderate intensity. Pain referred to the jaws (aOR 2.61; 95% CI 1.33–5.12; p = 0.005), palpitations (aOR 3.65; 95% CI 1.57–8.50; p = 0.003) and circumflex coronary artery as the culprit artery for the myocardial ischemia (aOR 3.8; 95% CI 1.07–13.74; p = 0.021) were related to cardiac whereas history of hypertension was inversely associated (aOR 0.37: 95% CI 0.18–0.74; p = 0.005). Conclusion The prevalence of cardiac cephalalgia was 14.2%. Our study provides valuable information about cardiac cephalalgia characteristics that suggest revision of current diagnostic criteria.

Background Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a non-ischemic cardiomyopathy characterized by acute left ventricular systolic dysfunction with transient wall motion abnormalities without a culprit coronary stenosis or other concurrent diagnoses. Its coexistence with transient high-degree AV block is very infrequent. Case presentation A 61-year-old man presented with a new onset of high degree AV block without ST segment deviations developing an anterior and apical dyskinesia with a low left ventricular ejection fraction in the absence of coronary artery disease. Conclusion Atrioventricular block is an uncommon presentation of Takotsubo syndrome. The management of patients with relevant conduction disorders in this scenario is a challenge for the clinician. In case of persistence of advanced conduction disorders, it seems appropriate to implant a pacemaker.

Aims The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of heterozygous truncating ALPK3 variants (ALPK3tv) in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and confirm their pathogenicity using burden testing in independent cohorts and family co-segregation studies. Methods and results In a discovery cohort of 770 index patients with HCM, 12 (1.56%) were heterozygous for ALPK3tv [odds ratio(OR) 16.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 7.94–30.02, P = 8.05e−11] compared to the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) population. In a validation cohort of 2047 HCM probands, 32 (1.56%) carried heterozygous ALPK3tv (OR 16.17, 95% CI 10.31–24.87, P, Graphical Abstract Truncating variants in ALPK3 are a cause of 1–2% of autosomal dominant hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and are associated with a phenotype characterized by extensive fibrosis and a predominantly concentric or apical pattern of left ventricular hypertrophy without left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. (A) Main phenotype characteristics and outcomes. ALPK3tv, alpha-protein kinase 3-truncating variants; CK, creatine kinase; HCM, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy; ICD, implantable cardioverter–defibrillator; LVH, left ventricular hypertrophy; LVSD, left ventricular systolic dysfunction; SCD, sudden cardiac death. (B) Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showing the prevalent phenotype of severe mid to apical hypertrophy and extensive late gadolinium enhancement in three patients. Left to right: 4-chamber view end-diastole cine image, 4-chamber view late gadolinium enhancement image, short axis late gadolinium enhancement image. (C) Kaplan–Meier analysis comparing incidence of an outcome of heart failure death and transplant between ALP3tv patients, sarcomere positive and sarcomere negative. SARC+: sarcomere positive; SARC−: sarcomere negative.

Introduction and objectives: Coronary in-stent restenosis (ISR) is associated with a high target lesion revascularization rate, while the drug-eluting balloon (DEB) presents IA class level of evidence for its treatment. Nevertheless, very long-term outcomes of DEB for ISR in non-selected populations of patients are unknown. Our goal is to evaluate the very long-term (5 year) effectiveness of DEBs in a real-world registry. Methods: Retrospective registry from an ISR cohort treated with DEB. The primary outcome was the rate of target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 5 years. Secondary outcomes were evaluated according to the ARC-2 criteria. Results: From January 2010 through December 2013, 53 ISRs were treated using DEBs in 48 patients. Patients were old (69.3 ± 11.8 years-old) and 55.8% had diabetes. The rate of TLR at 1 year was 9.4%, and 20.8% at 3 and 5 years, respectively. The rate of late TLR (after the first year) was 11.4%, only after DEB for bare metal ISR. The 5-year TLR was not associated with diabetes (22.7% vs 19.2%; P = .76) and was not significantly lower after cutting-balloon (12.5% vs 24.3%; P = .47) or in bare-metal stent ISR (20.6% vs 21.1%; P = .96). There was no definite/probable stent thrombosis of the lesions treated with DEB at follow-up. Conclusions: In a real-world cohort, the 5-year TLR rate after DEB for ISR was 20.8%. Late TLR accounted for half of the TLR at follow-up (after DEB for bare metal ISR), while the rate of TLR seemed to stabilize at 3 years. There was no stent thrombosis of the lesions treated with DEB.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac involvement is common in amyloidosis, and the vast majority of cases of amyloid cardiomyopathy are attributed to primary amyloidosis or transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR). Although the coexistence of scintigraphy suggestive of ATTR with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance is well documented, the correct diagnosis is still challenging in non-referral centers. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study reviewing all amyloid cardiomyopathy cases diagnosed at our center over the last 5 years, and described our experience and diagnostic approach. RESULTS: During the last 5 years, 74 patients with positive scintigraphy were identified. Of these patients, 41 were included in this study as they had all necessary tests for a complete diagnosis. Two of these 41 patients had variant ATTR and 29 had wild-type ATTR. Ten patients had monoclonal gammopathy (24.4%), and it was consequently impossible to obtain a specific diagnosis. During follow-up, 14 patients (34.1%), five of them from the monoclonal gammopathy group, died, reflecting the severity of disease. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ATTR-suggestive scintigraphy, monoclonal gammopathy frequently occurs concomitantly, thus not allowing to establish a specific diagnosis. A biopsy could only be replaced by genetic testing in selected cases.

We have read with great interest the article written by Akinboboye et al. ‘DISCOVERY: prevalence of transthyretin (TTR) mutations in a US-centric patient population suspected of having cardiac amyl...

Summary We describe a rare case of ventricular arrhythmia in a patient with cardiac haemochromatosis related to iron overload in the myocardium and without evidence of systolic dysfunction or heart failure. This case stresses the utility of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging for the early identification of iron overload in the heart and starting appropriate treatment.

espanolIntroduccion y objetivos: La reestenosis de stents coronarios (RS) presentan altas tasas de necesidad de revascularizacion, y el balon farmacoactivo (BFA) presenta clase I (nivel de evidencia A) en su tratamiento. La eficacia de esta estrategia a muy largo plazo en pacientes no seleccionados es desconocida. Se pretende evaluar la eficacia del BFA en un registro de pacientes de la practica clinica a muy largo plazo de seguimiento (5 anos). Metodos: Registro retrospectivo de una cohorte formada por pacientes con RS tratados con BFA. El evento primario fue la tasa de revascularizacion de la lesion tratada (RLT) con BFA a 5 anos. Se valoraron eventos secundarios segun los criterios Academic Research Consortium-2. Resultados: Entre enero de 2010 y diciembre de 2013 se uso BFA de forma eficaz en 53 RS de 48 pacientes. Los pacientes presentaban edad avanzada (69,3 ± 11,8 anos) y alta prevalencia de diabetes (55,8%). La tasa de RLT a 1 ano fue del 9,4%, y del 20,8% a los 3 y 5 anos. La tasa de RLT tardia (mas alla del ano de seguimiento) fue del 11,4%, tan solo en reestenosis de stent convencional. La RLT a 5 anos no se asocio a diabetes (22,7 frente a 19,2%; p = 0,76) ni fue significativamente menor con el uso de balon de corte (12,5 frente a 24,3%; p = 0,47) o en reestenosis de stent convencional (20,6 frente a 21,1%; p = 0,96). No hubo casos de trombosis de stent definitiva/probable de la lesion tratada con BFA. Conclusiones: En una cohorte de la practica clinica, el BFA para RS presenta una RLT a 5 anos del 20,8%. La RLT tardia supone la mitad de los casos a lo largo del seguimiento, y se produce en RS convencional. La tasa de RLT parece estabilizarse a partir del tercer ano de seguimiento. No se evidencio trombosis de stent de la lesion tratada con BFA. EnglishIntroduction and objectives: Coronary in-stent restenosis (ISR) is associated with a high target lesion revascularization rate, while the drug-eluting balloon (DEB) presents IA class level of evidence for its treatment. Nevertheless, very long-term outcomes of DEB for ISR in non-selected populations of patients are unknown. Our goal is to evaluate the very long-term (5 year) effectiveness of DEBs in a real-world registry. Methods: Retrospective registry from an ISR cohort treated with DEB. The primary outcome was the rate of target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 5 years. Secondary outcomes were evaluated according to the ARC-2 criteria. Results: From January 2010 through December 2013, 53 ISRs were treated using DEBs in 48 patients. Patients were old (69.3 ± 11.8 years-old) and 55.8% had diabetes. The rate of TLR at 1 year was 9.4%, and 20.8% at 3 and 5 years, respectively. The rate of late TLR (after the first year) was 11.4%, only after DEB for bare metal ISR. The 5-year TLR was not associated with diabetes (22.7% vs 19.2%; P = .76), and was not significantly lower after cutting-balloon (12.5% vs 24.3%; P = .47) or in bare-metal stent ISR (20.6% vs 21.1%; P = .96). There was no definite/probable stent thrombosis of the lesions treated with DEB at follow-up. Conclusions: In a real-world cohort, the 5-year TLR rate after DEB for ISR was 20.8%. Late TLR accounted for half of the TLR at follow-up (after DEB for bare metal ISR), while the rate of TLR seemed to stabilize at 3 years. There was no stent thrombosis of the lesions treated with DEB.

We report an unusual case of myopericarditis caused by Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae. Because of increasing reports of Rickettsia spp. as etiologic agents of acute myopericarditis and the ease and success with which it was treated in the patient reported here, rickettsial infection should be included in the differential diagnosis for myopericarditis.

“De Winter” electrocardiographic pattern as equivalent to ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Resumen: La fibrilación auricular es la arritmia más frecuente en el período peri-infarto agudo de miocardio, aunque su presencia asociada tan solo a la fase de isquemia aguda y su inmediato cese tras una revascularización precoz y efectiva es testimonial en la literatura, con la consiguiente falta de evidencia para su posterior tratamiento. Se presenta un caso clínico en el que el intervencionismo coronario precoz consiguió la cardioversión a ritmo sinusal de una fibrilación auricular en el curso de un infarto agudo de miocardio, posteriormente se discute la estrategia a seguir en torno a la arritmia en un paciente con buena evolución clínica tras el suceso. / Abstract: Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in the periacute myocardial infarc-tion period, although its presence associated only to the acute phase of ischemia and its immediate cessation after early and effective revascularization is anecdotal in the literature, with a consequent lack of evidence for further treatment. A clinical case in which early coronary intervention managed to achieve a cardioversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm during an acute myocardial infarction is reported. Subsequently, it is discussed the strategy that must be followed with regard to arrhythmia in a patient with good clinical outcome after the event.

ResumenIntroducción y objetivos: La eficacia de la administración conjunta de suero salino isotónico y N-acetilcisteína presenta resultados dispares en la prevención de la nefropatía por contraste yodado. Nuestro objetivo fue valorar la posible eficacia de esta estrategia combinada en pacientes con alto riesgo de desarrollar nefropatía inducida por contraste, ingresados y sometidos a intervencionismo coronario percutáneo por síndrome coronario agudo sin elevación del segmento ST en nuestro centro. Método: Se aplicó esta estrategia en los pacientes referidos, con al menos un factor de alto riesgo para desarrollar la nefropatía inducida por contraste: mayores de 80 años, diabetes mellitus, creatinina basal mayor de 1,5 mg/dl o alto volumen de contraste (mayor de 400 ml). El protocolo se aplicó durante 12 meses (pacientes que recibieron el protocolo de prevención) y se comparó con similares pacientes en los 12 meses previos que no recibieron profilaxis. Resultados: Un total de 30 pacientes (24 %) desarrollaron nefropatía inducida por contraste. El porcentaje fue significativamente mayor en el grupo que no recibió profilaxis: 35,9 % vs. 11,5 % (p = 0.003). Conclusiones: La combinación de N-acetilcisteína por vía oral e hidratación parenteral en pacientes de alto riesgo, con síndrome coronario agudo sin elevación de ST, podría ser beneficiosa para evitar la aparición de la nefropatía inducida por contraste. /Abstract Introduction and Objectives: The effectiveness of the administration of isotonic saline solution and N-acetylcysteine shows different results in the prevention of iodine contrast nephropathy. Our objective was to assess the potential effectiveness of this combined strategy in patients at high risk for contrast-induced nephropathy, who were admitted in our center for percutaneous coronary intervention due to non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome. Method: This strategy was applied in the patients mentioned, with at least one risk factor for developing contrast-induced nephropathy: over 80 years, diabetes mellitus, baseline creatinine greater than 1.5 mg / dl or high volume of contrast (greater than 400 ml). The protocol was applied for 12 months (patients that received the prevention protocol) and compared with similar patients in the previous 12 months who received no prophylaxis. Results: A total of 30 patients (24 %) developed contrast-induced nephropathy. The percentage was significantly higher in the group that did not receive prophylaxis: 35.9 % vs. 11.5 % (p = 0.003). Conclusions: The combination of N-acetylcysteine orally and parenteral hydration in high-risk patients with acute coronary syndrome without ST elevation could be beneficial to avoid the appearance of contrast-induced nephropathy.

La pericarditis postraumática se incluye dentro de los síndromes poslesión cardíaca. Este síndrome es un proceso inflamatorio que afecta al pericardio, la pleura, o ambos, secundario a un infarto de miocardio, a un traumatismo torácico o a una cirugía cardíaca. Las características clínicas incluyen el dolor torácico de perfil pericardítico, fiebre y elevación de los reactantes de fase aguda. Generalmente responde de manera satisfactoria al tratamiento con antiinflamatorios no esteroideos y corticoides, pero la falta de pruebas diagnósticas puede llevar a estudios innecesarios o tratamientos inadecuados con posibles efectos secundarios. Se presenta el caso de un hombre joven que evolucionó favorablemente tras la instauración del tratamiento apropiado.

We evaluated the influence of a 14-wk endurance running program on the exercise-induced release of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hscTnT) and NH2-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Fifty-eight untrained participants were randomized to supervised endurance exercise (14 wk, 3–4 days/wk, 120–240 min/wk, 65–85% of maximum heart rate) or a control group. At baseline and after the training program, hs-cTnT and NT-proBNP were assessed before and 5 min, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h after a 60-min maximal running test. Before training, hs-cTnT was significantly elevated in both groups with acute exercise (P , 0.0001) with no between-group differences. There was considerable heterogeneity in peak hs-cTnT concentration with the upper reference limit exceeded in 71% of the exercise tests. After training, both baseline and postexercise hs-cTnT were significantly higher compared with pretraining and the response of the control group (P 5 0.008). Acute exercise led to a small but significant increase in NT-proBNP, but this was not mediated by training (P 5 0.121). In summary, a controlled endurance training intervention resulted in higher pre- and postexercise values of hscTnT with no changes in NT-proBNP. This study was supported by the DEP 2010-16767 grants from the National Plan for Research, Development and Innovation (R + D + i) MICINN

Presentamos el caso de un varon de 26 anos con antecedentes personales de tabaquismo y traumatismo craneoencefalico en 2002 y sin antecedentes familiares de muerte subita. Fue remitido a la consulta de cardiologia por presentar soplo cardiaco y ondas T negativas gigantes en el electrocardiograma. Se encontraba asintomatico desde el punto de vista cardiologico sin presentar dolor toracico, disnea, palpitaciones o sincope. En la exploracion fisica destacaba soplo sistolico en mesocardio sin signos de insuficiencia cardiaca. Descripcion Ritmo sinusal a 58 latidos por minuto. PR 130 mseg. ÂQRS 20° QRS 100 mseg. QT 420 mseg. QTc 410 mseg. Infrades-nivelacion de segmento ST de 2 mm en V3-V4-V5 con ondas T negativas (maxima amplitud en V3: 21 mm) en I, aVL, II, III, aVF y de V2 a V6. (fig.1). Figura 1. Ondas T negativas gigantes en el electrocardiograma. Criterios de hipertrofia ventricular izquierda - Indice de Sokolow-Lyon: (S V1 + R V5o6 > 3,5 mV): 1,2 + 2,8 = 4,0 mV. - RaVL (>1,1mV): 0,25 mV. - Criterio de voltaje de Cornell: (S V3 + R aVL > 2,8 mV) 1,8 + 0,25 = 2,05 mV. - Criterio de voltaje-duracion de Cornell: (duracion de QRS [mseg.] × criterio de voltaje de Cornell > 2.440 mseg × mV) = 100 × 20,5 = 2.050 mseg × mV. Discusion La presencia de ondas T negativas es relativamente frecuente como hallazgo electrocardiografico, considerando normal su presencia en...

Varon de 72 anos de edad, con antecedentes de infarto agudo de miocardio anterior y fibrilacion auricular permanente. Acude al servicio de urgencias por presentar en las ultimas semanas episodios de molestia toracica con irradiacion a base de cuello sin relacion con los esfuerzos ni clinica de insuficiencia cardiaca concomitante, destacando en la exploracion fisica, soplo diastolico en foco aortico II/VI. En el electrocardiograma se observa fibrilacion auricular con respuesta ventricular media a 66 lpm con signos de necrosis antigua en cara anterior. En la radiografia de torax AP (fig.1) se aprecia ateromatosis aortica calcificada y marcado ensanchamiento mediastinico parahiliar y paracardiaco derecho, en probable relacion con masa extrapleural de localizacion en mediastino anterior, pues no borra la silueta cardiaca, el hilio pulmonar ni la linea paratraqueal derechas. En el diagnostico diferencial entrarian el timoma, teratoma, masa tiroidea, linfoma y otras como el aneurisma de aorta toracica (AAT) ascendente. Para precisar el diagnostico se solicito una tomografia axial computarizada (TAC) (fig. 2) toracica que mostro aneurisma de aorta toracica ascendente de 75 mm de diametro sin signos sugerentes de complicacion parietal. Figura 1. Radiografia de torax. Marcado ensanchamiento mediastinico. Figura 2. Tomografia compaturizada de torax. Aneurisma de aorta toracica ascendente de 75 mm. Comentario El dolor toracico es una de las causas mas frecuentes de consulta medica en urgencias. Entre las causas de dolor toracico esta la patologia aortica y dentro de ella los aneurismas de...