Interpretazione dell'ECG: un momento fondamentale nella gestione clinica del paziente cardiologico

Il caso clinico proposto si riferisce a un paziente che presenta diverse manifestazioni elettrocardiografiche riferibili a doppia via nodale. Tale reperto, di riscontro non raro, deve essere opportunamente riconosciuto in quanto potrebbe condurre all'erronea diagnosi di blocco atrio-ventricolare, con conseguenti ripercussioni terapeutiche. Parole chiave: Tachicardia da rientro nodale; Blocco atrio-ventricolare; Elettrocardiogramma; Doppia via nodale

Neutrophil-dependent pentraxin-3 and reactive oxygen species production modulate endothelial dysfunction in haemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate neutrophil activation and its role in long pentraxin-3 (PTX3) release and oxidative stress generation during haemodialysis (HD) and to correlate neutrophil PTX3 and oxidant expression with endothelial dysfunction. METHODS: Forty-seven uraemic patients on stable HD, 12 healthy subjects and 15 patients with congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association classes III and IV) were enrolled. Neutrophil PTX3 protein expression was evaluated by confocal microscopy. l-selectin expression, intracellular PTX3 localization and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in human neutrophils were measured by flow cytometry. NADPH-dependent superoxide generation was investigated by chemiluminescence. PTX3 plasma concentrations were measured by ELISA. Endothelial dysfunction was studied by flow-mediated dilation (FMD). RESULTS: The low baseline levels of FMD significantly improved after HD, but worsened by 24 h. A significant up-regulation of PTX3 protein expression, localized within secondary granules, was detected in neutrophils isolated at 30 and 240 min of HD, along with an increase in l-selectin expression. The up-regulation in intracellular PTX3 in neutrophils was associated with a significant increase in PTX3 plasma concentrations at 240 min. HD increased ROS production and NADPH oxidase activity in neutrophils. In a univariate analysis, pre-treatment with FMD was inversely correlated with PTX3 expression and ROS generation in neutrophils. In a multivariate analysis, both circulating pre-HD PTX3 and intracellular ROS generation by neutrophils were independent predictors of abnormal FMD. CONCLUSIONS: Neutrophil overexpression of PTX3 is associated with ROS overproduction and endothelial dysfunction and may represent an emerging marker of vascular damage progression in HD patients. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved

Awareness and appropriateness of the management of preclinical heart failure in outpatient clinics in Italy: Insights from the VASTISSIMO study - EValuation of the AppropriateneSs of The preclInical phase (Stage A and Stage B) of Heart FaIlure Management in Outpatient Clinics in Italy

A key factor in cardiovascular prevention is the detection and appropriate management of preclinical heart failure (HF), but information on the subject is scarce. We designed VASTISSIMO as a prospective, observational study to investigate Outpatient Clinic Cardiologists’ skills in detecting and managing preclinical HF in Italy. Quality scores were used to assess the appropriateness of clinical management according to guideline recommendations. The feasibility of making a diagnosis of preclinical HF in a cardiology outpatient clinical setting, cardiologists’ awareness of preclinical HF and consistency between physician’s perceived risk of HF and the patient’s classification into the preclinical HF Stages A [(SAHF) or B (SBHF)] have been investigated. Consistency was defined acceptable if the concordance between perceived risk and actual risk was >70%. Out of 3322 patients included in the study data necessary for identifying SBHF were collected in 2106 (63.4%). Many SBHF patients had their risk underestimated: 16.2% of those with previous acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 23.1% with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) at ECG/echocardiography, 30% with systolic/diastolic dysfunction, and 14.3% with valve disease. Cardiologists’ awareness of preclinical HF in the outpatient setting should be improved. This is a critical area of cardiovascular prevention that requires attention to improve good clinical practice and adherence to guidelines

Feasibility and relevance of right parasternal view for assessing severity and rate of progression of aortic valve stenosis in primary care

Background Right parasternal view (RPV) is important in assessing the severity of aortic stenosis (AS). However, the feasibility and relevance of RPV in primary care is unresolved. Moreover, information regarding the role of RPV in the evaluation of the hemodynamic progression of AS is lacking. Methods Consecutive patients with peak aortic valve velocity (Vmax) 65 2.5 m/s were prospectively enrolled in a primary care echocardiographic laboratory. Aortic Doppler parameters were evaluated from apical view and RPV. Results The total number of enrolled patients was 330 (aged 81 \ub1 11 years, 47% female, left ventricular ejection fraction 64 \ub1 9%). The RPV was feasible in 275 (83%). Vmax and Mean Gradient were significantly higher and aortic valve area was significantly lower from RPV as compared to apical view (p < 0.0001 for all). Reclassification of severity towards either moderate or severe AS occurred in 13\u201326% of patients, according to different criteria, when evaluated from RPV. Among 108 patients (40%) undergoing multiple examinations the rate of progression was lower from the apical approach than from the RPV (0.19 \ub1 0.20 m/s/year vs. 0.24 \ub1 0.27 m/s/year, respectively; p = 0.03), and was fast (> 0.3 m/s/year) in 17 patients (16%) from the apical window vs. 26 patients (24%) from RPV (p < 0.0001). Conclusion Implementing RPV is feasible in primary care and results in a substantial reclassification rate through the entire spectrum of AS severity. Our data also suggest a potential role of Doppler interrogation from multiple windows to improve AS progression assessment

Nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and risk of cardiovascular events. Literature review and clinical implications

Non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are largely used for treatment of acute and chronic pain, even for long periods of time (months or years). While it is known that their use is frequently associated with gastrointestinal damage, including major bleedings from peptic ulcer, the risk of cardiovascular events related to NSAID has received much less attention. However, there is a large body of evidence showing that NSAIDs (both “traditional”, such as diclofenac or indobufen, and selective cyclooxygenase inhibitors, COX-2) are associated with a significant increase of risk of cardiovascular events, both fatal and nonfatal. Consequently, several options have been proposed for the treatment of pain, including the use of analgesic drugs with different mechanisms of action, such as the opiates. Of interest, the Italian Drug Agency (AIFA) published a few years ago a warning (Nota 66) on the careful prescription of NSAIDs in patients with overt heart disease, such as coronary artery disease and heart failure. Aim of this paper is to present the current status of knowledge on the proper use of NSAIDs and other analgesic drugs in the management of acute and chronic pain