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Background: Type 1 diabetes increases the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). High-throughput metabolomics may be utilized to identify metabolites associated with disease, thus, providing insight into disease pathophysiology, and serving as predictive markers in clinical practice. Urine is less tightly regulated than blood, and therefore, may enable earlier discovery of disease-associated markers. We studied urine metabolomics in relation to incident CAD in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Methods: We prospectively studied CAD in 2501 adults with type 1 diabetes from the Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy Study. 209 participants experienced incident CAD within the 10-year follow-up. We analyzed the baseline urine samples with a high-throughput targeted urine metabolomics platform, which yielded 54 metabolites. With the data, we performed metabolome-wide survival analyses, correlation network analyses, and metabolomic state profiling for prediction of incident CAD. Results: Urinary 3-hydroxyisobutyrate was associated with decreased 10-year incident CAD, which according to the network analysis, likely reflects younger age and improved kidney function. Urinary xanthosine was associated with 10-year incident CAD. In the network analysis, xanthosine correlated with baseline urinary allantoin, which is a marker of oxidative stress. In addition, urinary trans-aconitate and 4-deoxythreonate were associated with decreased 5-year incident CAD. Metabolomic state profiling supported the usage of CAD-associated urinary metabolites to improve prediction accuracy, especially during shorter follow-up. Furthermore, urinary trans-aconitate and 4-deoxythreonate were associated with decreased 5-year incident CAD. The network analysis further suggested glomerular filtration rate to influence the urinary metabolome differently between individuals with and without future CAD. Conclusions: We have performed the first high-throughput urinary metabolomics analysis on CAD in individuals with type 1 diabetes and found xanthosine, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate, trans-aconitate, and 4-deoxythreonate to be associated with incident CAD. In addition, metabolomic state profiling improved prediction of incident CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess risk factors associated with cardiac complications after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) of the hip and knee. Methodology: Thirty-two patients, aged 25 to 70 years who underwent total joint arthroplasty (TJA) and experienced a cardiac complication during the post operative period (myocardial infarction [MI], congestive heart failure [CHF], unstable angina, arrhythmia, symptomatic hypotension, or pulmonary embolism ) were put on group I and group II had healthy controls consisted of those who had a total joint arthroplasty (TJA) and did not experience a cardiac complication during the post operative period. Risk factors were identified in both groups. Follow-up period up to ninety days. Results: Age group 25-35 years had 3, 36-45 years had 5, 46-55 years had 10 and 56-70 years had 14 patients. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Age >65 years [OR:1.78 (95%CI: 1.1-3.9)], history of arrhythmia [OR: 2.4 (95%CI: 1.7-4.2)], history of CAD, MI, CHF, and/or valvular heart disease [OR:2.3 (95%CI:1.5-3.8)], and revision surgery [OR:2.3 (95%CI:1.7-2.7)] were independent predictors of postoperative cardiac complications. Conclusion: Risk factors associated for cardiac complications after total joint arthroplasty of the hip and knee includes increasing age, underlying heart disease, and history of heart disease. Further assessment is necessary for total joint arthroplasty in relation to other risk factors, including as obesity and hypertension, which are frequently linked to an increased risk in non-cardiac surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Type 1 diabetes increases the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). High-throughput metabolomics may be utilized to identify metabolites associated with disease, thus, providing insight into disease pathophysiology, and serving as predictive markers in clinical practice. Urine is less tightly regulated than blood, and therefore, may enable earlier discovery of disease-associated markers. We studied urine metabolomics in relation to incident CAD in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Methods We prospectively studied CAD in 2501 adults with type 1 diabetes from the Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy Study. 209 participants experienced incident CAD within the 10-year follow-up. We analyzed the baseline urine samples with a high-throughput targeted urine metabolomics platform, which yielded 54 metabolites. With the data, we performed metabolome-wide survival analyses, correlation network analyses, and metabolomic state profiling for prediction of incident CAD. Results Urinary 3-hydroxyisobutyrate was associated with decreased 10-year incident CAD, which according to the network analysis, likely reflects younger age and improved kidney function. Urinary xanthosine was associated with 10-year incident CAD. In the network analysis, xanthosine correlated with baseline urinary allantoin, which is a marker of oxidative stress. In addition, urinary trans-aconitate and 4-deoxythreonate were associated with decreased 5-year incident CAD. Metabolomic state profiling supported the usage of CAD-associated urinary metabolites to improve prediction accuracy, especially during shorter follow-up. Furthermore, urinary trans-aconitate and 4-deoxythreonate were associated with decreased 5-year incident CAD. The network analysis further suggested glomerular filtration rate to influence the urinary metabolome differently between individuals with and without future CAD. Conclusions We have performed the first high-throughput urinary metabolomics analysis on CAD in individuals with type 1 diabetes and found xanthosine, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate, trans-aconitate, and 4-deoxythreonate to be associated with incident CAD. In addition, metabolomic state profiling improved prediction of incident CAD. Graphical abstract

Background Cardiac injury caused by iron overload is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with beta-thalassemia, owing to frequent blood transfusion, increased iron overload, and blood hemolysis. Objective This research aimed to assess several novel cardiac biomarkers in the blood samples of children and adult patients with beta-thalassemia major (βTM), along with their respective control groups. These biomarkers included endothelin 1 (ET-1), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), and renalase (RNLS). Methods This case-control study was done on 46 patients with βTM (23 children <18 years, and 23 adults ≥18 years) from the Genetic Hematology Center in Thi-Qar province, Iraq, and 42 comparable controls in 2 groups (21 for each group) in the period from February to April 2023. Results Levels of ET-1, NT-proBNP, ANP, GDF-15, RNLS, and ferritin were higher in the children and adults with βTM than in the control subjects. Conclusion Elevations of the novel cardiac biomarkers ET-1, NT-proBNP, ANP, GDF-15, and RNLS in the sera of children and adult patients with βTM when compared with comparable control subjects confirm that the majority of patients with βTM are at risk of cardiac and cardiovascular complications even when there are no obvious symptoms, especially in children, which gives suitable predictive biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder characterized by reduced production of hemoglobin and poses a significant risk for the development of anemia and subsequent heart disease. Understanding the mechanism linking thalassemia, anemia, and heart disease, highlighting the impact on cardiac function and the associated clinical implications. This interrelationship is crucial for developing targeted management strategies aimed at mitigating the cardiovascular complications of thalassemia-related anemia, thereby improving patient outcomes and quality of life. Case Report. A female, 22 years old, came to the emergency room at Waikabubak General Hospital with complaints of weakness and pallor that had worsened since 1 week ago. Patients feel shortness of breath after heavy work, which improves after resting, nausea, and heart pounding. The patient has some previous medical history and familial history, Physical examination showed facies cooley appearance, short stature with anemic conjunctiva, icteric sclera, and hepatosplenomegaly. Laboratories showed microcytic hypochromic anemia with elevated liver enzymes. Peripheral blood smear showed microcytic anemia with anisocytosis and poikilocytosis with target cells. CXR showed cardiomegaly and USG showed hepatosplenomegaly. Echocardiography showed LV eccentric hypertrophy, LA dilatation, mild AR, mild MR, mild TR with a low probability of pulmonary hypertension, normal systolic function, grade I LV diastolic dysfunction, and ejection fraction 55,2%. This patient was treated with omeprazole injection, blood transfusion, oxygen supplementation, oral lisinopril, and bisoprolol. Over two weeks showed improvement in symptoms and laboratory. Discussion. The diagnosis is made from anamnesis, physical examination, and limited supporting examination. Determining the exact diagnosis, and management of the underlying disease and complication based on patient symptoms and simple laboratory results. Conclusion. Cardiac involvement in thalassemia is a major complication. Management of complications is difficult in limited resources facilities. Education and pre-marital screening are required to reduce the incidence of underlying disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: β-thalassemia major (βTM) is a genetic disorder characterized by a deficiency in hemoglobin production, ineffective erythropoiesis, chronic hemolysis, lifelong blood transfusions, iron overload, and increased risk of cardiac complications. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) concentration in βTM patients and its correlation with cardiac complications. H63D refers to a specific mutation in the HFE gene, which is associated with hereditary hemochromatosis (HH), a genetic disorder characterized by excessive accumulation of iron in the body. This mutation involves a change of histidine (H) to aspartic acid (D) at position 63 in the HFE protein. This mutation is often only written abbreviated as (H63D). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case–control study was done on 120 subjects. A total of 60 patient samples were randomly collected from the Genetic Hematology Center at the Babylon Hospital, with an age range of 10–26 years. In addition, 60 samples were collected from healthy children in the same age range as the control group; patients and controls were subdivided into (10–18) and (18–26) year groups. GDF-15 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the genotyping of mutation was done by amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction technique. RESULTS: The study revealed a significant increase in ferritin (FER) and GDF-15 levels in the patients compared to controls (P < 0.001). GDF-15 showed a direct correlation with age (r = 0.244, P = 0.02) and FER (r = 0.215, P = 0.04). There was a significant difference in H63D mutations between controls and patients (P = 0.044), with a higher proportion of the C-G (heterozygous for the mutant allele) genotype observed in βTM patients (31.67%). Additionally, a notable effect of the H63D mutation on serum ferritin (higher) levels within the βTM group was observed. CONCLUSION: Elevations of the GDF-15 in βTM patients indicate a high risk of cardiovascular complications in patients with βTM. The H63D mutation of the hemostatic iron regulator (HFE) gene is frequently found in βTM. Although a significant effect of the mutation was obtained on serum FER levels, it did not act as a risk factor in βTM patients. However, the frequent presence of the H63D mutation in patients indicated a possible association between single-nucleotide polymorphism and the iron regulation pathway.

BACKGROUND: β-thalassemia major (βTM) is a genetic disorder characterized by a deficiency in hemoglobin production, ineffective erythropoiesis, chronic hemolysis, lifelong blood transfusions, iron overload, and increased risk of cardiac complications. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) concentration in βTM patients and its correlation with cardiac complications. H63D refers to a specific mutation in the HFE gene, which is associated with hereditary hemochromatosis (HH), a genetic disorder characterized by excessive accumulation of iron in the body. This mutation involves a change of histidine (H) to aspartic acid (D) at position 63 in the HFE protein. This mutation is often only written abbreviated as (H63D). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case–control study was done on 120 subjects. A total of 60 patient samples were randomly collected from the Genetic Hematology Center at the Babylon Hospital, with an age range of 10-26 years. In addition, 60 samples were collected from healthy children in the same age range as the control group; patients and controls were subdivided into (1-18) and (1-26) year groups. GDF-15 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the genotyping of mutation was done by amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction technique. RESULTS: The study revealed a significant increase in ferritin (FER) and GDF-15 levels in the patients compared to controls (P < 0.001). GDF-15 showed a direct correlation with age (r = 0.244, P = 0.02) and FER (r = 0.215, P = 0.04). There was a significant difference in H63D mutations between controls and patients (P = 0.044), with a higher proportion of the C-G (heterozygous for the mutant allele) genotype observed in βTM patients (31.67%). Additionally, a notable effect of the H63D mutation on serum ferritin (higher) levels within the βTM group was observed. CONCLUSION: Elevations of the GDF-15 in βTM patients indicate a high risk of cardiovascular complications in patients with βTM. The H63D mutation of the hemostatic iron regulator (HFE) gene is frequently found in βTM. Although a significant effect of the mutation was obtained on serum FER levels, it did not act as a risk factor in βTM patients. However, the frequent presence of the H63D mutation in patients indicated a possible association between single-nucleotide polymorphism and the iron regulation pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue fever is a viral infection prevalent worldwide in tropical and subtropical regions and affects millions of people annually. It is associated with several complications, including rare yet significant cardiac complications, such as myocarditis. Myocarditis caused by dengue fever is challenging to diagnose and can be initially mistaken for acute coronary syndrome. This case report describes the diagnostic and management difficulties encountered by examining a young male patient who developed myocarditis as a complication of severe dengue fever. A 30-year-old male, a known smoker, presented to the emergency department with chest pain, diaphoresis, and hypotension. ECG indicated inferior wall ST-T changes. A physical examination revealed no abnormalities. The patient had a five-day history of fever and myalgia. The patient was initially diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome and cardiogenic shock. Primary coronary angiography revealed no abnormal findings. Echocardiography revealed a decreased LV ejection fraction of 40% and global wall hypokinesia with normal chamber dimensions, necessitating further investigation of the etiology. Subsequently, he was diagnosed with dengue virus-induced myocarditis based on laboratory investigations. This case underscores the rarity of dengue-associated myocarditis and emphasizes the pivotal role of maintaining a high clinical suspicion index for early diagnosis and management. Additionally, it emphasizes the significance of continuous case reporting to enhance our understanding and shape the evidence-based practices to address this uncommon complication.

Background: Professional neglect is a civil responsibility for any specialist or individual with a specific skill, including therapists, and is not limited to any particular profession. Case Presentation: A man 41-year-old drug abuser was diagnosed with a heart problem due to methamphetamine abuse. Despite his drug history, he was once admitted to the emergency room for chest pain, where acetaminophen and diazepam were prescribed. For the second time, he went to another medical center due to continued chest pain, and due to the suspicion of contracting COVID-19, a CT scan of the chest was performed, yielding negative results, and then he was discharged. The patient was found deceased in his bed the following day. An autopsy revealed a thinned heart wall, subendocardial hemorrhages, and severe atherosclerosis. Methamphetamine, amphetamine, and acetaminophen were detected in urine samples, and ethanol was detected in blood and vitreous humor samples. Conclusion: The case highlights the importance of medical negligence in treating patients with drug abuse.

Aim: We compared inpatient outcome data of open (OC) versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Patients & methods: We used the National Inpatient Samples database from 2010–2014. Results: LC was done in 340,999 and OC in 68,529 OC patients. In 2010, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) prevalence was 0.2 versus 0% (OR: 3.1, CI: 1.7–5.5; p < 0.001), non-STEMI 1 versus 0.4% (OR: 2.5 CI: 2.0–3.0; p < 0001), mortality 3.4 versus 0.4% (OR: 9.2, CI: 7.9–10.6; p < 0001). After multivariate adjustment, OC remained independently associated with STEMI, non-STEMI and all-cause inpatient mortality (mortality multivariate OR: 6.4, CI: 5.5–7.4; p < 0001, STEMI OR: 2.2. CI: 1.2–3.9; p = 0.007, non-STEMI OR: 1.5, CI: 1.3–1.9; p < 0001). Conclusion: OC is independently associated with STEMI, non-STEMI and all-cause inpatient mortality compared with LC. The gallbladder is a small, pouch-like organ in the upper right part of the stomach that stores bile, a fluid that helps break down fatty food. Gallbladder removal surgery can be performed laparoscopically, meaning it can be performed using a small incision with the help of a camera, instead of through a more invasive surgery called an open cholecystectomy where the removal takes place through a larger incision. In this study, we investigated if these two approaches have different risks of myocardial infraction, also known as heart attack. Our results show that using a laparoscopy has a lower association of myocardial infarction in patients undergoing gallbladder surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subjects and Methods. The study involved 35 vascular surgery patients of varying degrees of cardiological risk. Blood specimens were collected from each patient at 3 time-points: 1. prior to surgery (NT-proBNP1), 2 — after the procedure (NT-proBNP2), 3 — before the discharge from the hospital (NT-proBNP3). Each specimen was split into equal aliquots for biomarker quantification using two different techniques (ELISA using domestic reagents — for the 1st series of analyses, and ICLA using an imported kit — for the 2nd series). Perioperative cardiovascular complications were recorded. The consistency of the measurement results obtained by two different methods was evaluated using the Bland–Altman technique. A discrimination ability of independent variables in relation to a binary dependent variable was studied using ROC analysis.Results. In the 1st series, ranges of the biomarker were as follows: NT-proBNP1 — 24–774 pg/ml, NT-proBNP2 — 41.2–889.1 pg/ml, NT-proBNP3 — 39.3–1013.3 pg/ml. In the 2nd series, NT-proBNP1 was 31.2–2087.0 pg/ml, NT-proBNP2 — 32.5–3754.0 pg/ml, NT-proBNP3 — 34.1–2728.0 pg/ml. In the Bland–Altman analysis, 97.03% of the values fell within the lower and upper limits of consistency (±1.96 SD of the average difference), which indicated comparability of the results in the series, but the values of NT-proBNP in the 1st series were lower than in the 2nd ones. Cardiovascular complications were registered in 3 (8.5%) patients. In the 1st series, NT-proBNP1 > 218 pg/ml predicted cardiovascular complications with a sensitivity of 66.7% and a specificity of 81.3% (AUC 0.844, 95% CI 0.681–0.944, P = 0.0003). In the 2nd series, NT-proBNP1 > 315 pg/ml predicted cardiovascular complications with a sensitivity of 66.7% and a specificity of 75.0% (AUC 0.828, 95% CI 0.663–0.934, P = 0.001).Conclusion. The domestic ELISA kit for solid-phase enzyme immunoassay proved its clinical informativeness for quantitation of NT-proBNP demonstrating its value for diagnostic and prognostic purposes, or scientific studies. The novel domestic technique provides consistently reproducible results, although with lower reference values as compared to the standard immunochemiluminescence assay.

Fabry disease is the most frequently occurring form of lysosomal disease in Japan, and is characterized by a wide variety of conditions. Primarily, the three major types of concerns associated with Fabry disease observed during adulthood that must be prevented are central nervous system, renal, and cardiac complications. Cardiac complications, such as cardiomyopathy, cardiac muscle fibrosis, and severe arrhythmia, are the most common mortality causes in patients with Fabry disease. To predict cardiac complications of Fabry disease, we extracted RNA from the venous blood of patients for cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE), performed likelihood ratio tests for each RNA expression dataset obtained from individuals with and without cardiac complications, and analyzed the correlation between cardiac functional factors observed using magnetic resonance imaging data extracted using artificial intelligence algorithms and RNA expression. Our findings showed that CHN1 expression was significantly higher in male Fabry disease patients with cardiac complications and that it could be associated with many cardiac functional factors. CHN1 encodes a GTPase-activating protein, chimerin 1, which is specific to the GTP-binding protein Rac (involved in oxidative stress generation and the promotion of myocardial fibrosis). Thus, CHN1 is a potential predictive biomarker of cardiac complications in Fabry disease; however, further studies are required to confirm this observation., Competing Interests: HK received grants for industry-academia collaborations from Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., and Amicus Therapeutics, Inc. Other authors do not have any conflicts of interest., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Abstract Background Catecholamine excess arising from pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) can cause a wide spectrum of cardiac manifestations, including acute cardiac complications (ACCs) and subclinical myocardial injuries (SMIs). In this study, we aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of ACCs and SMIs in a large cohort of patients with PPGLs. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of consecutive patients with PPGLs admitted between January 2013 and July 2020 (n = 189). The prevalence of ACCs and SMIs and characteristics of patients identified with ACCs and SMIs were investigated. Moreover, comparisons were performed between patients with and without ACCs. Results Fourteen patients (7.4%) fulfilled the criteria for ACCs, including nine (4.8%) who presented with Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy, four (2.1%) with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and finally one (0.5%) with catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy. Compared to those without ACCs (n = 175), patients with ACCs had a higher prevalence of epinephrine-producing PPGLs (81.8% vs 33.9%, P = 0.006) and were more likely to show invasive behavior (61.5% vs 27.3%, P = 0.022) or hemorrhage/necrosis (53.9% vs 17.4%, P = 0.005) on histology. The apical sparing pattern (5/7, 71.4%) was the dominant impairment pattern of longitudinal strain (LS) for patients displaying Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy. In patients without cardiac symptoms, a fairly high proportion (21/77, 27.3%) of patients who underwent screening for troponin and/or natriuretic peptide and/or echocardiography had SMIs. Conclusions One in every fourteen PPGL patients presented with ACCs, and in the patients with Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy, the apical sparing pattern was the primary impairment pattern of LS. Additionally, nearly one-third of patients without symptoms had SMIs. The diagnosis of PPGLs should be considered in patients with acute reversible cardiomyopathy, especially in those exhibiting an apical sparing pattern of LS.

Introduction: We previously identified UDP‐N‐acetylglucosamine 2‐epimerase (GNE) myopathy patients with sleep apnea and a past history of thrombocytopenia, but without disease‐specific cardiac involvement. This study aimed to clarify the occurrence, severity, and serial changes of these complications. Methods: Thirty‐three genetically confirmed GNE myopathy patients who participated in a 5‐y longitudinal observational history study underwent platelet count and platelet‐associated immunoglobulin G (PA‐IgG) measurements, a sleep study, and electrocardiography (ECG), Holter ECG, and echocardiogram examinations. Results: Among the 33 patients, three had low platelet counts and 17 out of 26 were PA‐IgG positive. No patient exhibited bleeding tendencies, and 3 out of 28 had low platelet counts. Muscle weakness was more pronounced, and summed MMT and grip power significantly lower, in PA‐IgG‐positive patients than in PA‐IgG‐negative patients. Of 19 patients, 7, 4, and 3 who underwent a sleep study had mild, moderate, and severe sleep apnea, respectively, and three started continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). The respiratory disturbance index was not significantly correlated with physical evaluation items or forced vital capacity. All patients underwent ECG, 32 underwent cardiac ultrasound, and 25 underwent Holter ECG. No disease‐specific cardiac involvement was noted, no serial changes during the follow‐up period were observed for ECG and echocardiography, and none of the patients required therapy for cardiac abnormalities. Discussion: PA‐IgG is a potential disease biomarker in GNE myopathy patients, although its significance needs to be clarified. While none of the patients in this study experienced cardiomyopathy or arrythmia due to myopathy, sleep apnea was identified as a frequent complication. See editorial on pages 263–265 in this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to summarize cases of successful pregnancy and delivery in patients with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) after atrial switch operation (ASO), to provide management, clinical experience, and maternal and fetal outcomes. Methods: During a 16‐year period (2004–2019), we experienced 30 pregnancies in 15 patients after ASO at our institution. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the patients. Results: In 30 pregnancies, there were 21 (70%) live births, five (17%) miscarriages, and four (13%) artificial abortions. There were no maternal or neonatal deaths. Cardiac complications occurred in nine (43%) patients: deterioration of right ventricular (RV) function in one, symptomatic heart failure (HF) in three, supraventricular tachyarrhythmia requiring electrical cardioversion in two, sick sinus syndrome that required pacemaker implantation in two, and hemoptysis in one. Obstetric complications occurred in five (24%). Neonatal complications were premature births (delivery at <37 weeks of gestation) in 15 (71%), and birthweight <2500 g in 18 (86%). The mode of delivery consisted of vaginal delivery (VD) in five (24%), and cesarean section (CS) in 16 (76%). Conclusion: A high incidence of preterm CS and cardiac complications including deterioration of RV function was observed in patients who had undergone ASO for TGA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bronchoscopy is widely used in clinical diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases. Although it is generally safe, cardiac complications such as acute myocardial ischemia and arrhythmia can also occur in patients especially with comorbidities and in elderly ones. Acute malignant coronary vasospasm as a severe cardiac complication can occur during bronchoscopy. It is essential to observe the occurrence of complications and provide early curing., Case Description: We presented a case of a 52-year-old man who experienced chest pain, dyspnea and even shock during bronchoscopy. Electrocardiogram (ECG) showed an acute muti-leads ST-segment elevation and declined to baseline soon after emergent medication treatment including antithrombotic, expansion of coronary artery and fluid replenishment myocardial infarction. Coronary artery spasm was considered according to the clinical symptom and ECG characteristics. Subsequent coronary angiogram which showed normal coronary artery also supported the diagnosis of coronary artery spasm. The symptom of the patient was discovered timely and was treated successfully with good prognosis., Conclusions: Bronchoscopy is the main and important method of diagnosis and treatment for respiratory diseases. Coronary artery spasm as a serious cardiac complication should be paid more attention during bronchoscopy. Timely and appropriate treatment may lead to better clinical results. Multidisciplinary cooperation plays a key role in the whole therapy. The potential triggers of coronary artery spasm during bronchoscopy mainly include low oxygen, hypersensitivity reactions and chronic inflammatory., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://acr.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/acr-24-43/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 AME Publishing Company. All rights reserved.)

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been used as an adjunctive therapeutic option for drug-resistant epilepsy for decades. Traditionally, the left vagus nerve is used for stimulation, while the right vagus nerve is rarely used. The long-term efficacy and safety of the right VNS (R-VNS) in humans are unknown. We presented three patients who were treated with R-VNS over a follow-up period of up to eight years. All three patients tolerated R-VNS well with minimal complications. R-VNS displayed reasonable effectiveness in all three patients. One patient had an excellent response and became seizure-free. The other two patients demonstrated a less favorable response to R-VNS compared to their previous left VNS therapy., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Institutional Review Board of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center issued approval WRNMMC-EDO-2023-1129. Individual consent is waived due to the retrospective nature of the study. Consent forms were obtained from each patient or the caregivers. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Department of Health Agency, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government., (Copyright © 2024, Ma et al.)

To assess the longitudinal incidence of Kawasaki disease (KD) within the well-defined predominantly White population of Olmsted County, MN. This retrospective cohort study used a population-based medical record linkage system and manual chart reviews to identify children with KD in Olmsted County, MN between January 1, 1979-December 31, 2016. Age- and gender-adjusted incidence rates were calculated using the 2010 U.S. White population. 124 children with KD were confirmed during the study period (median age 3.5, 61% male, 85% White, 9% Asian). The overall age- and gender-adjusted incidence rates for all ages and < 5 years old were 9.8 and 21.4 per 100,000 person-years, respectively. There was an overall increase in incidence up to 1994 followed by plateau, except among children between the ages of 1–5 years. There was also an overall increase in incidence among females compared to males. 24% of children had cardiac complications. While the overall incidence of KD in Olmsted County appears to be stable since 1994, the incidence of KD in subgroups of children 1–5 years old and females seems to have increased. Given the rising trends and one-quarter of children developing cardiac complications, further studies identifying factors driving these trends are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A preterm infant with birth weight 1,550 g had an intravenous foreign body between the external iliac vein and the common iliac vein, which accidentally happened during peripheral intravascular central catheter insertion by the Seldinger technique. The infant initially received conservative management and close monitoring. Antibiotics were administered 4 weeks to treat culture positive sepsis and meningitis. The infant was clinically stable till the cannula fragment migrated to the heart 34 days later. At that time, his weight was 2,200 g, and he was full fed. The cannula fragment was retrieved by emergency interventional radiology via the right femoral access, with no complications. The infant was discharged at 45 days of age and closely followed up post-discharge. He is currently 6 months old, with normal development. This is the first case of successful percutaneous retrieval of an intracardiac intravenous cannula fragment via femoral access in a premature infant in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Catecholamine excess arising from pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) can cause a wide spectrum of cardiac manifestations, including acute cardiac complications (ACCs) and subclinical myocardial injuries (SMIs). In this study, we aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of ACCs and SMIs in a large cohort of patients with PPGLs.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of consecutive patients with PPGLs admitted between January 2013 and July 2020 (n = 189). The prevalence of ACCs and SMIs and characteristics of patients identified with ACCs and SMIs were investigated. Moreover, comparisons were performed between patients with and without ACCs.Results: Fourteen patients (7.4%) fulfilled the criteria for ACCs, including nine (4.8%) who presented with Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy, four (2.1%) with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and finally one (0.5%) with catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy. Compared to those without ACCs (n = 175), patients with ACCs had a higher prevalence of epinephrine-producing PPGLs (81.8% vs 33.9%, P = 0.006) and were more likely to show invasive behavior (61.5% vs 27.3%, P = 0.022) or hemorrhage/necrosis (53.9% vs 17.4%, P = 0.005) on histology. The apical sparing pattern (5/7, 71.4%) was the dominant impairment pattern of longitudinal strain (LS) for patients displaying Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy. In patients without cardiac symptoms, a fairly high proportion (21/77, 27.3%) of patients who underwent screening for troponin and/or natriuretic peptide and/or echocardiography had SMIs.Conclusions: One in every fourteen PPGL patients presented with ACCs, and in the patients with Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy, the apical sparing pattern was the primary impairment pattern of LS. Additionally, nearly one-third of patients without symptoms had SMIs. The diagnosis of PPGLs should be considered in patients with acute reversible cardiomyopathy, especially in those exhibiting an apical sparing pattern of LS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A giant coronary artery (CA) aneurysm is a potentially fatal cardiac complication resulting from Kawasaki disease (KD). We aimed to identify epidemiologic characteristics and potential risk factors associated with giant CA aneurysms identified after acute KD. We analyzed 90,252 patients diagnosed with KD from 2011 to 2018, using data obtained in nationwide KD surveys conducted in Japan. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate potential risk factors associated with subsequent giant CA aneurysm complications (defined as lumen size ≥ 8 mm), adjusting for all potential factors. Giant CA aneurysms were identified in 144 patients (0.16%) after acute KD. The annual prevalence ranged from 0.07 to 0.20% during the study period. In the multivariate analyses, male sex (adjusted odds ratio 2.09 [95% confidence interval 1.41–3.11], recurrent KD (1.90 [1.09–3.33]), IVIG administration at 1–4 days of illness (1.49 [1.04–2.15]) and ≥ 8 days after KD onset (2.52 [1.38–4.60]; reference, 5–7 days), detection of CA dilatations and aneurysms at initial echocardiography (4.17 [1.85–5.41] and 46.5 [28.8–74.8], respectively), and resistance to IVIG treatment (6.09 [4.23–8.75]) were significantly associated with giant CA aneurysm complications identified after acute KD. The annual prevalence of giant CA aneurysms identified after acute KD did not increase during the study period. Patients with larger CA abnormalities detected at initial echocardiography were independently associated with progression to giant CA aneurysm complications after acute KD regardless of the number of days from onset at treatment initiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Raising knowledge over cardiac complications and managing them can play a key role in their recovery. In this study, we aim to investigate the evidence regarding the prevalence of cardiac complications and the resulting mortality rate in COVID-19 patients. Method: Search was conducted in electronic databases of Medline (using PubMed), Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science, in addition to the manual search in preprint databases, and Google and Google scholar search engines, for articles published from 2019 until April 30th, 2020. Inclusion criterion was reviewing and reporting cardiac complications in patients with confirmed COVID-19. Results: The initial search resulted in 853 records, out of which 40 articles were included. Overall analysis showed that the prevalence of acute cardiac injury, heart failure and cardiac arrest were 19.46% (95% CI: 18.23-20.72), 19.07% (95% CI: 15.38-23.04) and 3.44% (95% CI: 3.08-3.82), respectively. Moreover, abnormal serum troponin level was observed in 22.86% (95% CI: 21.19-24.56) of the COVID-19 patients. Further analysis revealed that the overall odds of mortality is 14.24 (95% CI: 8.67-23.38) times higher when patients develop acute cardiac injury. The pooled odds ratio of mortality when the analysis was limited to abnormal serum troponin level was 19.03 (95% CI: 11.85-30.56). Conclusion: Acute cardiac injury and abnormal serum troponin level were the most prevalent cardiac complications/abnormalities in COVID-19 patients. The importance of cardiac complications is emphasized due to the higher mortality rate among patients with these complications. Thus, troponin screenings and cardiac evaluations are recommended to be performed in routine patient assessments.

Background: Myocardial injury is a life-threatening complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Pre-existing health conditions and early morphological alterations may precipitate cardiac injury and dysfunction after contracting the virus. The current study aimed at assessing potential risk factors for COVID-19 cardiac complications in patients with pre-existing conditions and imaging predictors.Methods and Results: The multi-center, retrospective cohort study consecutively enrolled 400 patients with lab-confirmed COVID-19 in six Chinese hospitals remote to the Wuhan epicenter. Patients were diagnosed with or without the complication of myocardial injury by history and cardiac biomarker Troponin I/T (TnI/T) elevation above the 99th percentile upper reference limit. The majority of COVID-19 patients with myocardial injury exhibited pre-existing health conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and coronary disease. They had increased levels of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 and more in-hospital adverse events (admission to an intensive care unit, invasive mechanical ventilation, or death). Chest CT scan on admission demonstrated that COVID-19 patients with myocardial injury had higher epicardial adipose tissue volume ([EATV] 139.1 (83.8–195.9) vs. 92.6 (76.2–134.4) cm2; P = 0.036). The optimal EATV cut-off value (137.1 cm2) served as a useful factor for assessing myocardial injury, which yielded sensitivity and specificity of 55.0% (95%CI, 32.0–76.2%) and 77.4% (95%CI, 71.6–82.3%) in adverse cardiac events, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that EATV over 137.1 cm2 was a strong independent predictor for myocardial injury in patients with COVID-19 [OR 3.058, (95%CI, 1.032–9.063); P = 0.044].Conclusions: Augmented EATV on admission chest CT scan, together with the pre-existing health conditions (hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia) and inflammatory cytokine production, is associated with increased myocardial injury and mortality in COVID-19 patients. Assessment of pre-existing conditions and chest CT scan EATV on admission may provide a threshold point potentially useful for predicting cardiovascular complications of COVID-19.

Coronavirus is an important pathogen causing disease in humans and animals. At the end of 2019, an investigation into an increase in pneumonia cases in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, found that the cause was a new coronavirus. This disease, which spread rapidly across China and caused an outbreak worldwide, resulted in a pandemic. Although this virus has previously been referred to as 2019-nCoV, which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), later it was named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Children were usually asymptomatic and rarely severely affected. In April 2020, reports from the United Kingdom indicated that children may have Kawasaki disease or a clinical condition similar to toxic shock syndrome. This clinical picture was later defined as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Since then, similarly affected children as well as cases with other cardiac complications have been reported in other parts of the world. In this review, we aimed to evaluate COVID-19 in terms of cardiac involvement by reviewing the literature., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In chronic kidney disease (CKD), endothelin-1 (ET-1) always increases and there are changes in cardiac ultrasonography. In the present study, we aimed at investigating the role of serum ET-1 in predicting cardiac complications in patients with CKD. Methods: The level of serum ET-1 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and cardiac ultrasonography was performed in enrolled patients. Indexes of heart failure, such as left ventricular mass index, interventricular septum thickness and left ventricular end diastolic diameter, were measured in patients with CKD. Results: In the present study, we found that the level of serum ET-1 was significantly correlated with left ventricular mass index, interventricular septum thickness and left ventricular end diastolic diameter (p

Abstract Background Portopulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a relatively rare but well-recognized complication of end-stage liver disease. Moderate or severe PPH (mean pulmonary artery pressure [mPAP] ≥ 35 mmHg) is usually a contraindication for liver transplantation due to high operation-related mortality. Here, we report on a patient with moderate PPH whose condition was successfully managed with a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor (tadalafil) and prostaglandin E1, who experienced rapid improvement of PPH after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Case presentation A 63-year-old woman with alcoholic decompensated cirrhosis was referred to our hospital for LDLT. She had mild dyspnea on exertion as well as fatigue. Echocardiography and subsequent cardiac catheterization revealed a high mPAP (35 mmHg), and she was diagnosed with moderate PPH. We commenced treatment with oral tadalafil for the PPH. A second preoperative echocardiography demonstrated improved PPH, and she underwent LDLT. An intravenous infusion of prostaglandin E1 was introduced instead of tadalafil during and after the operation. The mPAP value showed a rapid decrease in mPAP value to 22 mmHg in 2 days. After discontinuation of the prostaglandin E1, the mPAP value remained 23 mmHg. Postoperative catheterization 2 months after LDLT showed no exacerbation of PPH. She was discharged on foot 70 days after LDLT in good condition and has shown a good clinical condition more than 2 years after LDLT. Conclusion LDLT could be a radical treatment for PPH with careful management and adequate patient selection. PDE5 inhibitor and PGE1 is effective and feasible for perioperative management of the patient with moderate portopulmonary hypertension in LDLT.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic with more than a million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 130,000 deaths reported worldwide. The major morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 are large because of acute viral pneumonitis that evolves to acute respiratory distress syndrome. Cardiac injury is one of the common complications of COVID-19. Furthermore, preexisting cardiovascular disease is one of the important risk factors for mortality among the patients. Evidence of cardiac involvement is common among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, but the causes of myocardial injury have not been completely explained. COVID-19 appears to be milder in children than in adults and fewer children seem to have developed severe respiratory distress. The aim of this article is a brief review of cardiovascular involvement in COVID-19 with a focus on cardiac disease in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Background Hyperglycemia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We evaluated whether complications after AMI are associated with absolute or relative glycemia. Methods A total of 192 patients with AMI were randomized to intensive or conventional insulin therapy. Absolute glycemia was defined as mean blood glucose level (BGL) during the first 24 h following randomization. Relative glycemia was defined by the stress hyperglycaemia ratio (SHR), calculated as mean BGL divided by average glucose concentration over the prior 3 months estimated from glycosylated haemoglobin. The primary endpoint was a “complicated AMI”, defined as an AMI complicated by death, congestive cardiac failure, arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, reinfarction, cardiogenic shock, inotrope use or emergency revascularization. Results There was not a significant association between mean BGL and complicated AMI (odds ratio (OR) 1.05 per mmol/L glucose increment, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.93–1.19). In contrast, SHR was positively associated with a complicated myocardial infarction (OR 1.22 per 0.1 SHR increment, 95% CI 1.06–1.42), and individual complications of death (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.14–2.11), congestive cardiac failure (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.05–1.54), arrhythmia (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.12–1.54) and cardiogenic shock (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.03–1.97). The relationship between SHR and a complicated AMI was independent of diabetic status, intensive insulin therapy, sex and hypoglycemia. Conclusions Relative, but not absolute, glycemia during insulin treatment is independently associated with complications after an AMI. Future studies should investigate whether basing therapeutic glycaemic targets on relative glycemia improves patient outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Behçet's disease (BD) is a rare condition with a classic triad of oral and genital ulceration and eye disease. Cardiovascular complication is a rare finding in BD. CASE REPORT: In this report, we present a seventeen years old patient with a history of fever for 20 days, who developed a clot in right ventricle (RV). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and echocardiography demonstrated a thrombosis in RV and a thoracic multi detector computed tomographic image showed pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in patient. The patient was administered with methylprednisolone, cyclophosphamide and anticoagulant. A regular follow-up was carried out. Two months later, the RV clot had disappeared on transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). CONCLUSION: In BD, early cardiac MRI and echocardiography should be performed for the detection of cardiac involvement, and medical treatment is the first choice of treatment.

Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) can be a cause of postoperative mortality. This is specifically important in bariatric surgery due to obesity-related cardiovascular risk factors. To assess postoperative cardiac adverse events after bariatric surgery and its independent predictors. A retrospective analysis of 2011–2015 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample. Data on patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) were retrieved. MACE was identified as a composite variable including myocardial infarction, acute ischemic heart disease without myocardial infarction, and acute heart failure. Dysrhythmia (excluding premature beats) was identified as a separate outcome. Multivariate regression analysis for MACE was performed using demographic factors, co-morbidities, and type of surgery. The analysis included 108,432 patients (SG: 54.6%, RYGB: 45.4%). MACE was found in 116 patients (.1%), and dysrhythmia occurred in 3670 patients (3.4%). Median length of stay in patients with MACE was 4.5 versus 2 days in others (P <.001). There were 43 deaths overall, and 31 were in patients with MACE or dysrhythmia (P <.001). Age ≥ 50 years, male sex, congestive heart failure, chronic pulmonary disease, ischemic heart disease, history of pulmonary emboli, and fluid or electrolyte disorders were independent predictors of MACE based on multivariate analysis. Type of surgery (SG versus RYGB) was not an independent predictor for MACE (odds ratio 1.41, 95% confidence interval:.77–2.55). While cardiac complications are rare after bariatric surgery, their occurrence is associated with increased length of stay, hospital charges, and mortality. Older age, male sex, cardiopulmonary co-morbidities, and fluid or electrolyte disorders are predictive of MACE. RYGB does not increase the risk of MACE compared with SG. • Postoperative major adverse cardiac events (MACE) occur in 0.1% bariatric surgeries. • Bariatric Surgery with MACE or dysrhythmia has higher mortality rates, up to 0.8%. • Age, gender, and comorbidities can predict MACE after bariatric surgery. • Compared to sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass does not increase the risk of MACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Transient Left Ventricular Apical Balloon Syndrome (LV-ABS) is an acute dysfunction of the left ventricle. • Its clinical feature is similar to myocardial infarction. • The echocardiogram show characteristic finding which is different from that of myocardial infarction. • LV-ABS is rare, however, should be considered after liver transplantation. • Proper diagnosis is important to restore cardiac function although it improve almost normally with conservative treatment. Abstract Introduction Transient Left Ventricular Apical Balloon Syndrome (LV-ABS) is an unknown acute dysfunction of the left ventricle, which develops under emotional or physical stress events like the major surgical postoperative period. Presentation of case A 68-year-old woman diagnosed with hepatitis C cirrhosis was admitted for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). No evidence for underlying cardiac or pulmonary disease was found. LDLT was performed, and her intra and post-operative course was uneventful. On post-operative day 4, dyspnea and tachycardia were observed. Echocardiography showed a severe wall motion abnormality with ballooning of the apex with normal basilar wall motion and a severely impaired left ventricular function with an ejection fraction (EF) of 40%. Blood tests showed greatly increased level of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT- pro BNP). Evidence of significant ischemic heart disease was not obtained and a transient LV-ABS was diagnosed. Although she required intensive care, her cardiac function became normal by conservative treatment. Discussion Transient LV-ABS has been reported to occur more frequently in post-menopausal women with reduced estrogens reported to protect myocardium from sympathetic stress after mental or physical stress events. It has been suggested that this disease arises from myocardial stunning with high levels of circulating catecholamines and stress related neuropeptides. However, even in a serious condition, cardiac function has recovered normally in all cases by appropriate care. Conclusion Transient LV-ABS is one cause of cardiac dysfunction after LDLT, and it is important to strictly manage cardiac function when diagnosed as transient LV-ABS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome of coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a contagious deadly virus that had a significant impact on public health. It also causes a major impact on the lung complication with other comorbid disorders, such as cardiac and psychological conditions, which also leads to significant health and psychological burden to the patients. The restoration of the mental conditions among SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals becomes more essential. A 56-year-old female patient was admitted with chief complaints of dry cough and fever in the casualty care unit. She was diagnosed with positive SARS-CoV-2 infection and immediately admitted to covid care isolation wards. She was managed with antiviral drugs and other supportive care. Later, discharged with prednisone, oral anticoagulants, and vitamin supplements. Two weeks later she was presented with chief complaints of fatigue, palpitations, and dizziness diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and anxiety disorder. Further, symptomatic management provided with a selective beta-blocker, antiarrhythmic drugs, and anxiolytic drugs. The present case report provides a basic insight into complications of POTS and anxiety disorder associated with post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. The appropriate therapeutic treatment and providing better counselling may improve daily activity and quality of life in patients reported with POTS symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cardiac electrophysiology study (EPS) is an invasive procedure performed for diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. The aim of our study was to assess our 6-year EPS experience and to compare our data with the complication rate published in the literature.Methods: We included 1152 patients who were diagnosed and treated for cardiac arrhythmia in our hospital between 2000-2006. The demographic data of all patients with a presumptive diagnosis of arrhythmia, EPS indications, treatment procedures, and complications were recorded.Results: Six hundred and seventy-three of 1152 (58%) patients enrolled in the study were males with a mean age of 49.6 years, and 479 (42%) were females with a mean age of 48 years. One hundred and fifty-six (13.5%) patients had bradyarrhythmia, 596 (51.8%) patients had supraventricular tachycardia, 400 (34.7%) had ventricular tachycardia. One patient had complete AV block, one patient had hemopericardium, one patient had pericardial tamponade, one patient had pneumothorax, one patient had right thrombophlebitis one patient had sheath fracture, and one patient died after left popliteal embolization. Total mortality rate was 0.6%.Conclusion: The EPS performed in experienced centers with the same team for a long period of time results in low complication rate.

Background: In chronic kidney disease (CKD), endothelin-1 (ET-1) always increases and there are changes in cardiac ultrasonography. In the present study, we aimed at investigating the role of serum ET-1 in predicting cardiac complications in patients with CKD. Methods: The level of serum ET-1 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and cardiac ultrasonography was performed in enrolled patients. Indexes of heart failure, such as left ventricular mass index, interventricular septum thickness and left ventricular end diastolic diameter, were measured in patients with CKD. Results: In the present study, we found that the level of serum ET-1 was significantly correlated with left ventricular mass index, interventricular septum thickness and left ventricular end diastolic diameter (p < .001) in non-dialysis patients with CKD. Conclusions: The results of the present study indicated that the level of serum ET-1 is closely related to the cardiac complications of CKD and is a useful predictor of cardiac complication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death all over the world and in our country. As the level of risk increases in the patients undergone Coronary artery bypass surgery, postoperative complications increases too. The aim of this study is to determine the role of echocardiography in the diagnosis and treatment of early postoperative complications in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Materials and Methods: 53 patients undergone coronary artery bypass surgery between June 2016 and June 2017 were followed by daily echocardiographic evaluation during the postoperative period for one week. Results: The minimum drainage in patients was 300 cc and the maximum was 1200 cc (average 460 cc). Pericardial effusion was detected in 28 patients on day 1, 6 patients on day 2, and only 1 patient on day 3. Two patients had pericardial tamponade, which caused significant pressure on the anterior surface of the postop and day 0 and affected the hemodynamics. These patients were re-operated. Hemodynamics stabilized. Conclusion: We believe that the routine use of Echocardiography in the follow-up of intensive care units of patients with coronary bypass may significantly reduce the length of hospital stay, morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Marfan syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disease of the connective tissue, leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular manifestations like aortic root dilatation, aortic valve regurgitation, mitral valve prolapse and mitral regurgitation. Cardiovascular complications, particularly aneurysm and aortic dissection, are the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with this syndrome. Along with these changes in the aorta, mitral valve pathologies, mitral valve prolapses may also be found. In adults with Marfan syndrome, the mitral valve prolapse is associated with a progressive worsening of mitral valve dysfunction and may cause mitral regurgitation, heart failure or infectious endocarditis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the risk factors for complications in pregnancy associated with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and to develop a logistic regression model to predict cardiac outcomes.Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 249 women with PH, who were followed at the Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Affiliated to the Capital Medical University, from January 2012 to March 2015. All pregnancies were recorded. Overall, 214 cases of pulmonary arterial hypertension were identified. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were performed to determine the risk factors occurring during or after pregnancy in women with PH. Ultimately, six independent risk factors for cardiac events were determined.Results: There were 70 cases of cardiac complications (28.1%) with PH, including 7 cases of maternal death (2.81%). Independent risk factors were rapid progression of symptoms [OR=3.044, 95%CI (1.042-8.895), P<0.05], brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) plasma levels ≥300pg/mL [OR=5.543, 95%CI (1.403-21.896), P<0.05], severe pulmonary hypertension (PAP≥80mmHg, 1mmHg=0.133kPa) [OR=6.769, 95%CI (2.748-16.677), P<0.05], World Health Organization functional class (WHO-FC) III-IV [OR=6.053, 95%CI (2.638-13.886), P<0.05], PH pre-pregnancy [OR=5.434, 95%CI (1.298-22.738), P<0.05], and delivery ≥28weeks gestation [OR=10.876, 95%CI (3.957-29.893), P<0.05].Conclusions: Early advice on contraception for patients with PH, and the need for patients to undergo a comprehensive assessment of cardiac function pre-pregnancy are suggested from the results of the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although coronary artery revascularization therapies are effective for treating coronary artery disease (CAD), these patients may be more susceptible to adverse cardiac events during later non-cardiac surgeries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate post-operative 90-day complications of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in CAD patients with a history of CAD and to study the risk factors for cardiac complications.Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of TJA patients between 2005 and 2015 at our institute by summarizing the history of CAD, cardiac revascularization, and cardiac complications within 90 days after the operation. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify the factors that predicted cardiac complications within 90 days after the operation.Results: A total of 4414 patients were included; of these, 64 underwent cardiac revascularization and 201 CAD patients underwent medical therapy other than revascularization. All the revascularization had history of myocardial infarction (MI). The rate of cardiac complications within 90 days for the CAD with revascularization was 18.7%, 18.4% for the CAD without revascularization, and 2.0% for the non-CAD group. A history of CAD and revascularization, bilateral TJA, general anesthesia, body mass index ≥30 kg/m2, and history of MI were associated with a higher risk of cardiac complications. Patients who underwent TJA within 2 years after cardiac revascularization had a significantly higher cardiac complication rate, and the risk decreased with time.Conclusion: There is an increased risk of cardiac complications within 90 days after the operation among TJA patients with a history of CAD. Revascularization cannot significantly reduce the risk of cardiac complications after TJA for CAD patients. However, the risk decreased as the interval between revascularization and TJA increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case of the Budd Chiary Syndrome (BCS) in a 43-yr-old man with hydatid cyst (HC) in the liver is reported from Imam Ali Hospital, Kermanshah, western Iran in 2016. This case was complicated by inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis, right atrial clot and pulmonary emboli. Compression of IVC was the likely mechanism. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a huge HC located in segments near IVC and caused compression of IVC. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) revealed IVC and right atrium thrombosis, however pulmonary emboli was not documented in TTE but intra operative exploration showed multiple clot in main and left pulmonary artery branch. The patient recovered after open-heart surgery with removal of right atrial, IVC and pulmonary artery emboli. BCS should be looked for routinely in patients with HC of the liver.