Right ventricular postsystolic shortening: Resolution after opening a totally occluded right coronary artery

Acute myocardial ischemia induces reduced systolic shortening and causes postsystolic shortening (PSS). Right ventricular (RV) PSS in coronary artery disease has been less studied. We present here the case of a 51-year-old woman admitted with a non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction and significant PSS in the RV free-wall segments on two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography, suggesting ongoing ischemia. A cardiac CT demonstrated occluded proximal right coronary artery with a low-attenuated/soft plaque, confirmed by coronary angiography which was treated by percutaneous coronary intervention. At 3-week follow-up, there was complete resolution of the RV-PSS, with a more synchronized pattern of maximum myocardial shortening at systole.publishedVersio

Relationship between hypertension and nonobstructive coronary artery disease in chronic coronary syndrome (the NORIC registry)

Background The burden of non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in the society is high, and there is currently limited evidence-based recommendation for risk stratification and treatment. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between increasing extent of non-obstructive CAD and cardiovascular events. Whether hypertension, a modifiable cardiovascular risk factor, is associated with extensive non-obstructive CAD in patients with symptomatic chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) remains unclear. Methods We included 1138 patients (mean age 62±11 years, 48% women) with symptomatic CCS and non-obstructive CAD (1–49% lumen diameter reduction) by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) from the Norwegian Registry for Invasive Cardiology (NORIC). The extent of non-obstructive CAD was assessed as coronary artery segment involvement score (SIS), and extensive non-obstructive CAD was adjudicated when SIS >4. Hypertension was defined as known hypertension or use of antihypertensive medication. Results Hypertension was found in 45% of patients. Hypertensive patients were older, with a higher SIS, calcium score, and prevalence of comorbidities and statin therapy compared to the normotensive (all p<0.05). There was no difference in the prevalence of hypertension between sexes. Univariable analysis revealed a significant association between hypertension and non-obstructive CAD. In multivariable analysis, hypertension remained associated with extensive non-obstructive CAD, independent of sex, age, smoking, diabetes, statin treatment, obesity and calcium score (OR 1.85, 95% CI [1.22–2.80], p = 0.004). Conclusion In symptomatic CCS, hypertension was associated with extensive non-obstructive CAD by CCTA. Whether hypertension may be a new treatment target in symptomatic non-obstructive CAD needs to be explored in future studies.publishedVersio

Factors associated with coronary heart disease in COPD patients and controls

Background: COPD and coronary heart disease (CHD) frequently co-occur, yet which COPD phenotypes are most prone to CHD is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to see whether COPD patients did have a true higher risk for CHD than subjects without COPD, and to examine a range of potential factors associated with CHD in COPD patients and controls. Methods: 347 COPD patients and 428 non-COPD controls, were invited for coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and pulmonary CT. Arterial blood gas, bioelectrical impedance and lung function was measured, and a detailed medical history taken. The CCTA was evaluated for significant coronary stenosis and calcium score (CaSc), and emphysema defined as >10% of total area <-950 Hounsfield units. Results: 12.6% of the COPD patients and 5.7% of the controls had coronary stenosis (p100 compared to 31.6% of the controls (p100 was 1.68 (1.12–2.53) in COPD patients compared with controls. Examining the risk of significant stenosis and CaSc>100 among COPD patients, no variable was associated with significant stenosis, whereas male sex [OR 2.85 (1.56–5.21)], age [OR 3.74 (2.42–5.77)], statin use [OR 2.23 (1.23–4.50)] were associated with CaSc>100, after adjusting for body composition, pack-years, C-reactive protein, use of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), diabetes, emphysema score, GOLD category, exacerbation frequency, eosinophilia, and hypoxemia. Conclusion: COPD patients were more likely to have CHD, but neither emphysema score, lung function, exacerbation frequency, nor hypoxemia predicted presence of either coronary stenosis or CaSc>100.publishedVersio

Metastatic tumor of the interventricular septum mimicking myocardial calcification: The role of multimodality imaging

Recently, there has been focus on how a round-shaped metastatic or dystrophic myocardial calcification, a rare type of myocardial pathology with different imaging appearances, can mimic a tumor in the basal interventricular septum (IVS)1 on transthoracic echocardiography. However, we should also be focused on myocardial tumors without calcification. Here, we present a case of a 67-year-old woman with a tumor in the basal IVS detected by a routine echocardiography. She was previously diagnosed with a metastatic leiomyosarcoma, but did not have a known cardiovascular disorder. She did not have history of coronary artery disease, diabetes, or hypertension, and her blood pressure values at outpatient clinic were within normal range (<140/90 mmHg). A well-defined, round-shaped tumor (26 × 23 mm) was seen in the basal IVS (Supplementary data online, Videos 1 and 2) that was not present on an echocardiogram only 16 months earlier (Figure 1A), but evident t follow-up (Figure 1B-C). There was no signs of left ventricular hypertrophy or significant valvular heart disease. For better tissue characterization and assessment of the atrial septum and adjacent epicardium, a cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) was performed (Figure 1E–G), confirming findings observed on echocardiography. In addition, it also identified two other tumors, one in the atrial septum (Figure 1G, white arrow) and another in the pericardium (Figure 1G, red arrow), highlighting the importance of multimodality imaging.publishedVersio

Metastatic tumor of the interventricular septum mimicking myocardial calcification: The role of multimodality imaging

Recently, there has been focus on how a round-shaped metastatic or dystrophic myocardial calcification, a rare type of myocardial pathology with different imaging appearances, can mimic a tumor in the basal interventricular septum (IVS)1 on transthoracic echocardiography. However, we should also be focused on myocardial tumors without calcification. Here, we present a case of a 67-year-old woman with a tumor in the basal IVS detected by a routine echocardiography. She was previously diagnosed with a metastatic leiomyosarcoma, but did not have a known cardiovascular disorder. She did not have history of coronary artery disease, diabetes, or hypertension, and her blood pressure values at outpatient clinic were within normal range (<140/90 mmHg). A well-defined, round-shaped tumor (26 × 23 mm) was seen in the basal IVS (Supplementary data online, Videos 1 and 2) that was not present on an echocardiogram only 16 months earlier (Figure 1A), but evident t follow-up (Figure 1B-C). There was no signs of left ventricular hypertrophy or significant valvular heart disease. For better tissue characterization and assessment of the atrial septum and adjacent epicardium, a cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) was performed (Figure 1E–G), confirming findings observed on echocardiography. In addition, it also identified two other tumors, one in the atrial septum (Figure 1G, white arrow) and another in the pericardium (Figure 1G, red arrow), highlighting the importance of multimodality imaging

Total coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden is associated with myocardial ischemia in non-obstructive coronary artery disease

Aim Whether the total coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden is independently associated with myocardial ischemia in non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is not well established. We aimed to test the association of total plaque burden quantified by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) with myocardial ischemia in patients with chronic coronary syndrome and non-obstructive CAD. Methods We included 125 patients (age 62 ± 9 years, 58% women) with chronic coronary syndrome and non-obstructive CAD (stenosis 1.10. Results Patients with myocardial ischemia (n = 66) had higher total plaque burden (847 ± 245 mm3 vs. 758 ± 251 mm3, p = 0.049) and higher left ventricular (LV) mass index (42.1 ± 9.9 g/m2.7 vs. 37.3 ± 8.0 g/m2.7, p = 0.004), while age, sex, prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, calcium score and positive remodelling did not differ between the groups (all p > 0.05). In multivariable regression analysis, total plaque burden remained associated with presence of myocardial ischemia (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00–1.04, p = 0.045) independent of age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, LV mass index, coronary calcium score and positive remodelling. Conclusion Total coronary artery plaque burden by CCTA was independently associated with myocardial ischemia in patients with non-obstructive CAD. Whether plaque quantification is useful for clinical management of patients with non-obstructive CAD should be tested in prospective studies

Relationship between hypertension and nonobstructive coronary artery disease in chronic coronary syndrome (the NORIC registry)

Background The burden of non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in the society is high, and there is currently limited evidence-based recommendation for risk stratification and treatment. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between increasing extent of non-obstructive CAD and cardiovascular events. Whether hypertension, a modifiable cardiovascular risk factor, is associated with extensive non-obstructive CAD in patients with symptomatic chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) remains unclear. Methods We included 1138 patients (mean age 62±11 years, 48% women) with symptomatic CCS and non-obstructive CAD (1–49% lumen diameter reduction) by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) from the Norwegian Registry for Invasive Cardiology (NORIC). The extent of non-obstructive CAD was assessed as coronary artery segment involvement score (SIS), and extensive non-obstructive CAD was adjudicated when SIS >4. Hypertension was defined as known hypertension or use of antihypertensive medication. Results Hypertension was found in 45% of patients. Hypertensive patients were older, with a higher SIS, calcium score, and prevalence of comorbidities and statin therapy compared to the normotensive (all p<0.05). There was no difference in the prevalence of hypertension between sexes. Univariable analysis revealed a significant association between hypertension and non-obstructive CAD. In multivariable analysis, hypertension remained associated with extensive non-obstructive CAD, independent of sex, age, smoking, diabetes, statin treatment, obesity and calcium score (OR 1.85, 95% CI [1.22–2.80], p = 0.004). Conclusion In symptomatic CCS, hypertension was associated with extensive non-obstructive CAD by CCTA. Whether hypertension may be a new treatment target in symptomatic non-obstructive CAD needs to be explored in future studies

Factors associated with coronary heart disease in COPD patients and controls

Background: COPD and coronary heart disease (CHD) frequently co-occur, yet which COPD phenotypes are most prone to CHD is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to see whether COPD patients did have a true higher risk for CHD than subjects without COPD, and to examine a range of potential factors associated with CHD in COPD patients and controls. Methods: 347 COPD patients and 428 non-COPD controls, were invited for coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and pulmonary CT. Arterial blood gas, bioelectrical impedance and lung function was measured, and a detailed medical history taken. The CCTA was evaluated for significant coronary stenosis and calcium score (CaSc), and emphysema defined as >10% of total area <-950 Hounsfield units. Results: 12.6% of the COPD patients and 5.7% of the controls had coronary stenosis (p100 compared to 31.6% of the controls (p100 was 1.68 (1.12–2.53) in COPD patients compared with controls. Examining the risk of significant stenosis and CaSc>100 among COPD patients, no variable was associated with significant stenosis, whereas male sex [OR 2.85 (1.56–5.21)], age [OR 3.74 (2.42–5.77)], statin use [OR 2.23 (1.23–4.50)] were associated with CaSc>100, after adjusting for body composition, pack-years, C-reactive protein, use of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), diabetes, emphysema score, GOLD category, exacerbation frequency, eosinophilia, and hypoxemia. Conclusion: COPD patients were more likely to have CHD, but neither emphysema score, lung function, exacerbation frequency, nor hypoxemia predicted presence of either coronary stenosis or CaSc>100

Giant right ventricular outflow tract thrombus in hereditary spherocytosis: a case report

Background: In hereditary spherocytosis with severe anemia, splenectomy is a recommended treatment. However, the spleen carries an important role both in immune function and coagulation. The increased risk of bacterial infections associated with splenectomy is well known. Recently, hypercoagulation disorders have also been linked to splenectomy through loss of regulation of platelet activity, loss of filtering function and post-splenectomy thrombocytosis. Case presentation: A 28 year-old smoking women who had previously undergone splenectomy due to hereditary spherocytosis with a moderate thrombocytosis (platelet count 553–635*109/L), presented with recurrent episodes of pulmonary embolisms. Further examination by multimodality cardiac imaging demonstrated a giant chronic thrombus in the right ventricular outflow tract, which eventually had to be surgically removed. Conclusions: The present case highlights the increased risk of severe thromboembolic complications following therapeutic splenectomy in hereditary spherocytosis, and emphasis the important role of multimodality cardiac imaging in recurrent pulmonary embolism, diagnosing a giant chronic thrombus in the right ventricular outflow tract