Reversible myocardial dysfunction following intraocular bevacizumab administration

Heart failure has been reported as a rare side effect of bevacizumab, a chemotherapeutic agent, used in the treatment of breast cancer. However, reversible left ventricular systolic dysfunction with a pattern similar to stress-induced cardiomyopathy has not been reported. The etiopathogenesis of stress-induced cardiomyopathy is poorly understood. Given this uncertainty, we should always look out for other potential offenders causing similar presentation, rather than label all of them as stress-induced

Staphylococcus aureus Endocarditis with Multivalvular Involvement Secondary to an Atrial Septal Defect

Infective endocarditis is usually diagnosed using modified Duke’s criteria. Our patient had a subacute presentation and a low suspicion for endocarditis during admission, unfortunately leading to her death. Despite advances in diagnostic and therapeutic measures including antibiotic therapy and surgical techniques, morbidity and mortality with staphylococcal infective endocarditis remain high. Hence, we stress the significance of having a low threshold for TEE in patients with multisystem involvement due to Staphylococcus aureus that have evidence of persistent infection despite antibiotic treatment, even if the suspicion for endocarditis is low based on Duke’s criteria. TEE substantially improves the sensitivity of diagnosis but may not be readily available in many medical centers. Presence of an ASD has been noted to have increased the risk of left sided endocarditis even with conditions that predispose to right sided endocarditis, particularly in patients with hemodialysis and diabetes as morbid risk factors

Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients on Hemodialysis following Drug-Eluting versus Bare-Metal Coronary Stents

Aim. This study sought to compare short- and long-term outcomes of drug-eluting stents (DESs) versus bare-metal stents (BMSs) implantation in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis (ESRD-HD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods. Adult patients with ESRD-HD who underwent PCI at all nonfederal hospitals in Massachusetts between July 1, 2003, and September 30, 2007, were stratified based on the stent type placed at index hospitalization: DES or BMS. The primary outcome compared was a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), congestive heart failure (CHF), target vessel revascularization (TVR), and stroke at 30 days and one year. Results. HD patients had a high mortality (31%) and were more likely to receive a DES than a BMS (77% versus 23%). Propensity score analysis of 2 : 1 matched DES (268) versus BMS (134) patients demonstrated the DES group to more likely have proximal LAD disease and a history of prior PCI. Conditional logistic regression analysis demonstrated no significant difference in the composite cardiovascular endpoint measured at 30 days (hazard ratio (HR) 1.09; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61–1.94) and one year (HR 1.03; 95% CI 0.68–1.57). Conclusions. There were no significant differences in 30-day or 1-year major cardiovascular outcomes in HD patients undergoing PCI using the DES compared to the BMS in this high-mortality patient cohort

Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients on Hemodialysis following Drug-Eluting versus Bare-Metal Coronary Stents

Aim. This study sought to compare short- and long-term outcomes of drug-eluting stents (DESs) versus bare-metal stents (BMSs) implantation in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis (ESRD-HD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods. Adult patients with ESRD-HD who underwent PCI at all nonfederal hospitals in Massachusetts between July 1, 2003, and September 30, 2007, were stratified based on the stent type placed at index hospitalization: DES or BMS. The primary outcome compared was a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), congestive heart failure (CHF), target vessel revascularization (TVR), and stroke at 30 days and one year. Results. HD patients had a high mortality (31%) and were more likely to receive a DES than a BMS (77% versus 23%). Propensity score analysis of 2 : 1 matched DES (268) versus BMS (134) patients demonstrated the DES group to more likely have proximal LAD disease and a history of prior PCI. Conditional logistic regression analysis demonstrated no significant difference in the composite cardiovascular endpoint measured at 30 days (hazard ratio (HR) 1.09; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61–1.94) and one year (HR 1.03; 95% CI 0.68–1.57). Conclusions. There were no significant differences in 30-day or 1-year major cardiovascular outcomes in HD patients undergoing PCI using the DES compared to the BMS in this high-mortality patient cohort

Cardio-embolic stroke following remote blunt chest trauma

A cardio-embolic stroke as a sequela of remote blunt chest trauma is a rare clinical presentation. Blunt chest trauma can cause various acute cardiac complications like arrhythmias, cardiac contusion etc. However, delayed consequences such as left ventricular thrombus resulting in thromboembolic phenomena are reported infrequently. A 30-year-old healthy man presented to an outside facility with transient neurological deficits. An MRI brain showed lesions suggestive of embolic etiology. A trans-thoracic echocardiogram (TTE) showed a 1.5 × 1.5 cm mass present in the left ventricular (LV) apex. Patient was transferred to our institution for cardiac surgery evaluation. On detailed questioning, he reported an incident of blunt chest trauma during a martial arts exhibition fight that took place 2 years back. Given this history, a cardiac catheterization was done, which showed 30% stenosis in mid-left anterior descending artery (LAD) without any other significant obstructive lesion. A trans-esophageal echocardiogram (TEE) showed akinesis of the LV apex and confirmed TTE finding of a mass, consistent with an apical thrombus. Surgery was deferred and patient was started on anticoagulation. A cardiac MRI done 2 weeks later showed evidence of apical infarction in the LAD territory. LAD is the most commonly affected coronary vessel by blunt traumatic injuries, likely due to its vulnerable anatomical position on the anterior aspect of the heart. A variety of mechanisms including intimal tear, rupture and spasm have been implicated in the pathogenesis of myocardial infarction after blunt chest trauma

Outcomes of patients admitted for observation of chest pain

BACKGROUND: Low-risk chest pain is a common cause of hospital admission; however, to our knowledge, there are no guidelines regarding the appropriate use of stress testing in such cases. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients 21 years and older who were admitted to our tertiary care center with chest pain in 2007 and 2008. Using electronic records and chart review, we sought (1) to identify differences in the use of stress testing based on patient demographics and comorbidities, pretest probability of coronary artery disease, and house staff coverage and (2) to describe the results of stress testing and patient outcomes, including revascularization procedures and 30-day readmissions for myocardial infarction. RESULTS: Of 2107 patients, 1474 (69.9%) underwent stress tests, and the results were abnormal in 184 patients (12.5%). Within 30 days, 22 patients (11.6%) with abnormal test results underwent cardiac catheterization, 9 (4.7%) underwent revascularization, and 2 (1.1%) were readmitted for myocardial infarction. In a multivariable model, stress test ordering was positively associated with age younger than 70 years (RR [relative risk], 1.12; 95% CI, 1.02-1.23), private insurance (vs Medicare/Medicaid: RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.11-1.27), and no house staff coverage (RR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.28-1.50). Of patients with low (\u3c10%) pretest probability, 68.0% underwent stress testing, but only 4.5% of these had abnormal test results. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients who are admitted with low-risk chest pain undergo stress testing, regardless of pretest probability, but abnormal test results are uncommon and rarely acted on. Ordering stress tests based on pretest probability could improve efficiency without endangering patients

The effect of inpatient stress testing on subsequent emergency department visits, readmissions, and costs

BACKGROUND: Patients with low-risk chest pain are frequently readmitted for evaluation of recurrent chest pain. It is unknown whether stress testing during the first admission for chest pain is a cost-effective means of reducing readmissions. METHODS: Using a hospital administrative database, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients aged ≥18 years admitted under observation status to Baystate Medical Center between January 2007 and July 2009 for chest pain without acute coronary syndrome. We compared subsequent emergency department (ED) visits, readmissions, and costs within 1 year for patients who had a stress test at index admission to those who did not, adjusting for age, gender, race, insurance, and comorbidities. RESULTS: The cohort included 3315 patients. Most (n = 2376, 71.7%) had a stress test during the index admission. Within 1 year, 256 (7.7%) patients returned to the ED at least once with chest pain. Of these, 112 (43.8%) were admitted during their first return visit. In the multivariable model, return visits for chest pain were negatively associated with previous stress testing (odds ratio [OR]: 0.6, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.5 to 0.9). Once in the ED, however, the risk of admission did not vary by stress test during index admission (OR: 0.8, 95% CI: 0.4 to 1.4). Overall costs, including index admission and follow-up visits for chest pain, were higher for patients with stress testing at index admission. CONCLUSION: Inpatient stress testing reduced subsequent resource utilization in terms of ED visits and resultant readmissions, but the savings were not enough to offset the cost of initial testing. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:564-568