Coronary artery-pulmonary artery fistula: case report

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery fistulas are rare congenital or acquired coronary artery anomalies that can originate from any of the three major coronary arteries and drain in all the cardiac chambers and great vessels. CASE PRESENTATION: An 11-year-old boy was referred for evaluation of an exertional dyspnoea. He reported recent history of few episodes of shortness of breath associated with moderate entity physical activity. At physical examination a mild continuous murmur could be heard mainly at the level of the second intercostal space of the left parasternal area. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed a continuous flow at color Doppler analysis in the high parasternal short axis view, originating from a small entry site on the wall of the main pulmonary artery. A selective left coronary angiography revealed a fistula connecting the proximal portion of the left anterior descending coronary artery with the main pulmonary artery. CONCLUSION: A combination like the one described in the present case is unusual since fistulas originate from the left coronary artery in about 35% of cases and drainage into the pulmonary artery occurs in only 17%

Left atrial strain in patients with arterial hypertension

Background: Arterial hypertension (HTN) causes left ventricular (LV) cavity dysfunction even if ejection function (EF) remains preserved. Recent studies have shown that diastolic dysfunction and left atrial (LA) dilatation are also associated with myocardial dysfunction. The aim of the present study was to explore the nature of LA longitudinal function disturbances in hypertensive patients with normal LV and LA structure and conventional function parameters.Methods: Peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) was evaluated in 78 patients with systemic HTN and preserved EF (≥ 55%) divided in 41 patients with diastolic dysfunction but no hypertrophy (group HTNdd), and 37 patients with no diastolic dysfunction or hypertrophy (group eHTN). Results were compared with those from 38 age and gender-matched healthy controls.Results: Indexed LA area and indexed LA volume were within the normal range and not different between the two patient groups and controls. eHTN group had reduced global PALS (p &lt; 0.001) and four-and two-chamber average PALS (p &lt; 0.001 for both). Similar abnormalities were seen in HTNdd group but to a worse degree (P &lt; 0.01 for both). LV EF was not different between the eHTN and HTNdd groups compared to controls. LV E/e' ratio was the strongest predictor of reduced global PALS in both eHTN and HTNdd groups.Conclusion: Asymptomatic untreated HTN patients with preserved LVEF and normal diastolic function have compromised LA strain despite normal cavity size, consistent with preclinical LA myocardial dysfunction.</p

Massive mitral regurgitation secondary to acute ischemic papillary muscle rupture: The role of echocardiography

Papillary muscle rupture is an infrequent but often fatal mechanical complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We report the case of an AMI complicated by the development of an abrupt cardiogenic shock due to the rupture of the head of the postero-medial papillary muscle with echocardiographic demonstration of severe mitral regurgitation due to flail posterior mitral valve leaflet. After initial stabilization with medical therapy and diagnostic coronary angiography, the patient was referred for urgent cardiac surgery and successfully underwent mitral valve replacement with implantation of a bioprosthesis. This case confirms the importance of transthoracic echocardiography in diagnosing mechanical acute complications during an AMI and in the decision making of patients with sudden onset of hemodynamic compromise. Transthoracic echogardiography should be immediately carried out in all patients in whom a mechanical complication during an AMI is suspected. (Cardiol J 2010; 17, 4: 397-400

Real-time three dimensional transesophageal echocardiography: technical aspects and clinical applications

Real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT3DTEE) is now commonly used in daily clinical practice. The transesophageal, compared to the transthoracic approach, allows the visualization of the whole spectrum of the mitral valve apparatus and the posterior cardiac structures. Moreover, images obtained by RT 3D TEE provide a unique and complete visualization of the mitral valve prosthetic elements. Indeed, the possibility to visualize guidewires and catheters in cardiac chambers and their relationship with cardiac structures during percutaneous transcatheter procedures reduces the time of radiation exposure and simplifies the approach becoming the reference method for monitoring. This review aims to underline the potential clinical applications and the advantages of RT3DTEE compared to other methods

Echocardiographic Assessment of Ebstein's Anomaly in a 60-Year-Old Man

We present an echocardiographic evaluation of an elderly man affected with Ebstein's anomaly. In the natural history of this congenital disease only 5% of patients survive beyond the fifth decade. The patient presented severe right heart failure and he was refered to our institution for heart transplantation

RV longitudinal deformation correlates with myocardial fibrosis in patients with end-stage heart failure

Objectives This study was performed to determine the accuracy of right ventricular (RV) longitudinal strain (LS) in predicting myocardial fibrosis in patients with severe heart failure (HF) undergoing heart transplantation. Background RVLS plays a key role in the evaluation of its systolic performance and clinical outcome in patients with refractory HF. Methods We studied 27 patients with severe systolic HF (ejection fraction 25% and New York Heart Association functional class III to IV, despite full medical therapy and cardiac resynchronization therapy) using echocardiography before heart transplantation. RV free wall LS, right atrial LS, sphericity index (SI), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) were all measured. Upon removal of the heart, from the myocardial histologic analysis, the ratio of the fibrotic to the total sample area determined the extent of fibrosis (%). Results RV myocardial fibrosis correlated with RV free wall LS (r = 0.80; p < 0.0001), SI (r = 0.42; p = 0.01) and VO max (r = -0.41; p = 0.03), with a poor correlation with TAPSE (r = -0.34; p = 0.05) and right atrial LS (r = -0.37; p = 0.03). Stepwise multivariate analysis showed that RV free wall LS (β = 0.701, p < 0.0001) was independently associated with RV fibrosis (overall model R= 0.64, p < 0.0001). RV free wall LS was the main determinant of myocardial fibrosis. In the subgroup of patients with severe RV fibrosis, RV free wall LS had the highest diagnostic accuracy for detecting severe myocardial fibrosis (area under the curve = 0.87; 95% confidence interval: 0.80 to 0.94). Conclusions In late-stage HF patients, the right ventricle is enlarged, with reduced systolic function due to significant myocardial fibrosis. RV free wall myocardial deformation is the most accurate functional measure that correlates with the extent of RV myocardial fibrosis and functional capacity

Wpływ lewosimendanu podawanego bez dawki nasycającej na skurczową i rozkurczową funkcję serca u pacjentów ze schyłkową niewydolnością serca

Wstęp: Lewosimendan (L) jest lekiem stosowanym w terapii ciężkiej niewydolności serca (HF). Działa inotropowo dodatnio oraz wazodylatacyjnie, nie zwiększając zapotrzebowania serca na tlen. W ostrej HF lewosimendan poprawia parametry hemodynamiczne. W dostępnych publikacjach wykazano, że pozytywnie wpływa na funkcję rozkurczową lewej komory (LV). Celem niniejszego badania była ocena wpływu lewosimendanu na zmiany długiej osi LV, która jest wczesnym markerem dysfunkcji rozkurczowej. Metody: Do badania włączono 41 pacjentów w średnim wieku 62 &#177; 12 lat przyjętych do kliniki autorów niniejszej pracy z powodu ostrej HF w klasie IV według NYHA z istotną dysfunkcją LV. Dwudziestu sześciu pacjentom podano lewosimendan w dawce 0,1 &#956;g/kg/min w ciągu 24 godzin bez dawki nasycającej (grupa L), zaś 15 chorych poddano standardowej terapii (grupa C). Wyniki: Grupy nie różniły się między sobą pod względem podstawowych danych demograficznych, klinicznych i wyników badań biochemicznych. Po tygodniu od leczenia lewosimendanem obserwowano istotną poprawę wydolności w klasie NYHA oraz obniżenie stężenia N-końcowego propeptydu natriuretycznego typu B (pro-BNP). W badaniu echokardiograficznym obserwowano poprawę funkcji skurczowej (p < 0,05) i frakcji wyrzutowej LV (p < 0,05) przy redukcji wskaźnika E/E&#8217; (p < 0,05) w grupie L. Grupę L podzielono na podgrupę z aktywnym niedokrwieniem i bez niedokrwienia oraz wykazano istotną poprawę funkcji skurczowej w pierwszej podgrupie. Nie wykazano różnic między podgrupami w odniesieniu do funkcji rozkurczowej LV. Wnioski: Stosowanie lewosimendanu bez dawki nasycającej poprawia funkcję LV i klasę NYHA u pacjentów z ostrą HF. Wydaje się, że przedłużony wpływ na parametry hemodynamiczne jest związany z działaniem aktywnych metabolitów leku. (Folia Cardiologica Excerpta 2012; 7, 2: 71-77

Left atrial dysfunction detected by speckle tracking in patients with systemic sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Cardiac involvement is a relevant clinical finding in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and is associated with poor prognosis. Left atrial (LA) remodeling and/or dysfunction can be an early sign of diastolic dysfunction. Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) is a novel and promising tool for detecting very early changes in LA myocardial performance. AIM: To assess whether STE strain parameters may detect early alterations in LA function in SSc patients. METHODS: Forty-two SSc patients (Group 1, age 50 +/- 14 years, 95% females) without clinical evidence for cardiac involvement and 42 age- and gender-matched control subjects (Group 2, age 49 +/- 13 years, 95% females) were evaluated with comprehensive 2D and Doppler echocardiography, including tissue Doppler imaging analysis. Positive peak left atrial longitudinal strain ( pos peak), second positive left atrial longitudinal strain (sec pos peak), and negative left atrial longitudinal strain ( neg peak) were measured using a 12-segment model for the LA, by commercially available semi-automated 2D speckle-tracking software (EchoPac PC version 108.1.4, GE Healthcare, Horten, Norway). RESULTS: All SSc patients had a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (63.1 +/- 4%). SSc patients did not differ from controls in E/A (Group 1 = 1.1 +/- 0.4 vs Group 2 = 1.3 +/- 0.4, p = .14) or pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (Group 1 = 24.1 +/- 8 mmHg vs Group 2 = 21 +/- 7 mmHg, p = .17). SSc patients did not show significantly different indexed LA volumes (Group 1 = 24.9 +/- 5.3 ml/m2 vs Group 2 = 24.7 +/- 4.4 ml/m2, p = .8), whereas E/e' ratio was significantly higher in SSc (Group 1 = 7.6 +/- 2.4 vs Group 2 = 6.5 +/- 1.7, p<0.05), although still within normal values. LA strain values were significantly different between the two groups ( pos peak Group 1 = 31.3 +/- 4.2% vs Group 2 = 35.0 +/- 7.6%, p < .01, sec pos peak Group 1 = 18.4 +/- 4 vs Group 2 = 21.4 +/- 7.6, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography is a sensitive tool to assess impairment of LA mechanics, which is detectable in absence of changes in LA size and volume, and may represent an early sign of cardiac involvement in patients with SSc

Ultrasound lung comets in systemic sclerosis: a chest sonography hallmark of pulmonary interstitial fibrosis

Objective. To assess the correlation between ultrasound lung comets (ULCs, a recently described echographic sign of interstitial lung fibrosis) and the current undisputed gold-standard high-resolution CT (HRCT) to detect pulmonary fibrosis in patients with SSc. Methods. We enrolled 33 consecutive SSc patients (mean age 5413 years, 30 females) in the Rheumatology Clinic of the University of Pisa. We assessed ULCs and chest HRCT within 1 week independently in all the patients. ULC score was obtained by summing the number of lung comets on the anterior and posterior chest. Pulmonary fibrosis was quantified by HRCT with a previously described 30-point Warrick score. Results. Presence of ULCs (defined as a total number more than 10) was observed in 17 (51%) SSc patients. Mean ULC score was 3750, higher in the diffuse than in the limited form (7366 vs 2135; P<0.05). A significant positive linear correlation was found between ULCs and Warrick scores (r?0.72; P<0.001). Conclusions. ULCs are often found in SSc, are more frequent in the diffuse than the limited form and are reasonably well correlated with HRCT-derived assessment of lung fibrosis. They represent a simple, bedside, radiation-free hallmark of pulmonary fibrosis of potential diagnostic and prognostic value