1. Regression of lupus endocarditis after treatment of an arteriovenous fistula
- Author
-
Benito Herreros-Guilarte, Rafael Golpe-Gómez, and JoséR. Berrazueta
- Subjects
Adult ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Fistula ,Hypertension, Pulmonary ,Iatrogenic Disease ,Arteriovenous fistula ,Libman–Sacks endocarditis ,Necrosis ,Mitral valve ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Endocarditis ,Humans ,Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ,cardiovascular diseases ,Ultrasonography ,Mitral regurgitation ,Leg ,business.industry ,Mitral Valve Insufficiency ,medicine.disease ,Pulmonary hypertension ,Surgery ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Embolism ,Antibodies, Anticardiolipin ,Arteriovenous Fistula ,Cardiology ,Female ,Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine ,business - Abstract
A young woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid antibodies was referred to our Cardiology Department. She had a large vegetation on the mitral valve, along with significant mitral regurgitation, pulmonary hypertension and slight signs of heart failure on physical examination and chest X-ray. A previously undetected iatrogenic arteriovenous fistula was surgically corrected, with subsequent normalization of pulmonary arterial pressure. Surprisingly, the mitral valve recovered a normal appearance in 21 days. We interpret the hemodynamic disturbances as a consequence of the high-output situation created by the fistula, and the regression of the vegetation as the lysis of a thrombus versus a silent embolism.
- Published
- 1996