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Intravenous drug use is a predisposing condition for infective endocarditis (IE). We report the clinical features of IE, taken from the Italian Registry of IE, in people who inject drugs (PWIDs). The registry prospectively collected epidemiological, clinical, in-hospital, and follow-up data on patients with IE from 17 Italian centers. A total of 677 patients were enrolled, and 61 (9%) were intravenous drug users (IDUs). Most PWIDs were male (78.6%), and aged between 41 and 50 years old (50%). The most frequent comorbidities were HIV (34.4%) and chronic liver disease (32%). Predisposing factors for IE were present in 6.5% of the patients, and 10% had minor valvular abnormalities. IE had occurred previously in 16.4% of the patients, and 50% of them had undergone heart surgery. Overall mortality was 9.8% in IDUs and 20% in patients with recurrent IE. IE in PWIDs mostly affected the native valves (90%). The echocardiographic diagnosis of IE was based on the detection of vegetation in 91.82% of cases. Staphylococcus aureus was the main microorganism isolated (70%) from blood cultures. Thirty patients (49%) underwent heart surgery: thirteen had aortic valves, eleven had mitral valves, and six had tricuspid valve interventions. IE in PWIDs was relatively common, and patients with native valve right-sided IE had a better prognosis, with a low rate of surgical interventions.

Background Efficacy and safety of antibiotic prophylaxis (AP) for prevention of infective endocarditis (IE) in patients with predisposing cardiac condition (PCC) undergoing invasive procedures is still debated. We sought to assess the prevalence of PCC, the type of interventional procedures preceding the onset of symptoms, and the usefulness of AP in a large cohort of consecutive patients with definite IE. Methods We examined 677 (median age 65.34 years; male 492 [73%]) consecutive patients with IE enrolled from July 2007 through 2010 into the Italian Registry of Infective Endocarditis. Results Predisposing cardiac condition was present in 341 patients (50%).Thirty-two patients (4.7%) underwent dental procedures. Of 20 patients with PCC undergoing dental procedure, 13 had assumed AP. Viridans group streptococci were isolated from blood cultures in 8 of 20 patients with PCC and prior dental procedure. Nondental procedures preceded IE in 139 patients (21%). They were significantly older and had more comordibities compared with patients undergoing dental procedures. Predisposing cardiac condition was identified in 91 patients. Perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis was administered to 67 patients. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent causative agent. Cardiac surgery was necessary in 85 patients (20 with prior dental and 65 with nondental procedure). Surgical mortality (12% vs 0%, P = .03) and hospital mortality (23% vs 3%, P = .001) were significantly larger among patients with nondental procedures. Conclusions In a large unselected cohort of patients with IE, the incidence of preceding dental procedures was minimal. The number of cases potentially preventable by means of AP was negligible. Nondental procedures were more frequent than dental procedures and were correlated with poorer prognosis.

Introduction The epidemiology of infective endocarditis (IE) is changing due to a number of factors, including aging and health related comorbidities and medical procedures. The aim of this study is to describe the main clinical, epidemiologic and etiologic changes of IE from a large database in Italy. Methods We prospectively collected episodes of IE in 17 Italian centers from July 2007 to December 2010. Results We enrolled 677 patients with definite IE, of which 24% health-care associated. Patients were male (73%) with a median age of 62years (IQR: 49–74) and 61% had several comorbidities. One hundred and twenty-eight (19%) patients had prosthetic left side IE, 391 (58%) native left side IE, 94 (14%) device-related IE and 54 (8%) right side IE. A predisposing cardiopathy was present in 50%, while odontoiatric and non odontoiatric procedures were reported in 5% and 21% of patients respectively. Symptoms were usually atypical and precocious. The prevalent etiology was represented by Staphylococcus aureus (27%) followed by coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS, 21%), Streptococcus viridans (15%) and enterococci (14%). CNS and enterococci were relatively more frequent in patients with intravascular devices and prosthesis and S. viridans in left native valve. Diagnosis was made by transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography in 62% and 94% of cases, respectively. The in-hospital mortality was 14% and 1-year mortality was 21%. Conclusion The epidemiology is changing in Italy, where IE more often affects older patients with comorbidities and intravascular devices, with an acute onset and including a high frequency of enterococci. There were few preceding odontoiatric procedures.

Aims We sought to define the reference values of intra-left ventricular (LV) electromechanical delay (EMD), and to assess the prevalence (and pattern) of intra-LV dyssynchrony in patients with heart failure (HF) and normal QRS and in patients with right and left bundle branch block. Methods and results We used tissue Doppler imaging echocardiography and a six-LV wall model to study LV EMD in 103 patients [41 with HF and normal QRS, 22 with right bundle branch block (RBBB), and 40 with left bundle branch block (LBBB)], and in 59 controls. In controls, the median intra-LV EMD was 17 ms, (inter-quartile range 13–30); 95% of controls had a value � 41 ms. Patients showed a longer intra-LV EMD than controls: 33 ms (20–57) in patients with normal QRS, 32 ms (23–50) in RBBB patients, and 50 ms (30–94) in LBBB patients. Intra-LV dyssynchrony (defined as intra-LV EMD .41 ms) was present in 39, 36, and 60% of the patients, respectively. On average, HF patients showed the same pattern of activation as controls, from the septum to the posterior wall, but activation times were significantly prolonged. In RBBB patients the activation sequence was directed from inferior to anterior and in LBBB from anterior to inferior wall. Conclusions Left ventricular dyssynchrony was present in several patients with HF and normal QRS, and in patients with RBBB; conversely, 40% of LBBB patients showed values of LV EMD within the normal range. Left ventricular activation sequence was different between groups. Assessment of LV synchronicity by means of imaging techniques may be more important than QRS duration or morphology in selecting patients for cardiac resynchronization treatment.

Some patients with right ventricular (RV) apical pacing show contractile asynchrony of the left ventricle. Whether the asynchrony is due to RV pacing or was a preexistimg condition remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate how much pacing from the RV apex affects left ventricular (LV) electromechanical activation and to assess whether the extent of LV asynchrony during RV pacing can be predicted by clinical, electrocardiographic, or echocardiographic findings obtained during spontaneous rhythm. We evaluated 56 patients with narrow QRS and preserved atrioventricular conduction who received permanent backup RV pacing. Intra-LV electromechanical activation was assessed during spontaneous rhythm and during pacing using tissue Doppler echocardiography. An abnormal intra-LV electromechanical delay (EMD) (defined as a41-ms difference between the faster and slower activated LV wall) was found in 15 patients (27%) during spontaneous rhythm and 28 patients (50%) during RV pacing (p0.001). Of the 9 baseline variables (age, gender, history of heart failure, QRS duration in spontaneous rhythm and during pacing, LV end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters, LV ejection fraction, and intra-LV EMD in spontaneous rhythm), an abnormal baseline intra-LV EMD and QRS duration of85 ms were independent predictors of an abnormal intra-LV delay during RV pacing. RV apical pacing induces asynchrony of LV contractions in a substantial percentage of patients but not in all. Although normal baseline intra-LV electromechanical activation cannot exclude the development of significant asynchrony during RV pacing, the presence of preimplant LV asynchrony predicts for a worsening of this detrimental effect.

We report the case of an 18-year-old man, victim of a car accident, presenting with severe hypotension and signs of cardiac tamponade. Transoesophageal echocardiography was suggestive of right atrial free wall rupture. The patient underwent urgent cardiac surgery for repair of right atrial rupture. The immediate clinical outcome was favourable; the patient is in good general condition at 24-month follow-up. The right atrium is rarely involved in cardiac contusion as compared to the right ventricle or other cardiac structures, owing to its anatomical location and direction of physical forces.

Coronary artery fistula is a rare incidental finding during routine cardiac catheterization. It is usually congenital but it may also be a consequence of chest trauma or iatrogenic procedures. Patients may be asymptomatic or experience signs and symptoms of myocardial ischemia. In this article we report a casual echocardiographic finding of a coronary artery anomaly in an asymptomatic patient who underwent successful surgical closure and remained well several years after the procedure.

Background: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been implicated in the etiology of migraine headache with aura (MHA), but the mechanisms that link right-to-left (R-to-L) shunt to MHA are unclear, and the reports on the efficacy of transcatheter PFO closure on MHA prevention are scarce. Methods: We reviewed the clinical records of 131 consecutive patients who underwent successful transcatheter PFO closure at our institution at a mean age of 45 ± 13 years because of cryptogenic stroke. Of the 131 patients, 35 (27%) had a diagnosis of MHA made by the primary care physician or the referring neurologist. Migraine headache with aura incidence and severity were assessed by using Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire. Presence and magnitude of R-to-L shunt were assessed in all patients by means of transesophageal echocardiography and also by means of transcranial Doppler (TCD) in the last 50 patients (38%). Results: Patients with MHA had a higher prevalence of thrombophilia (P = .007), a more complex atrial septal anatomy (P = .001), and they also had higher prevalence of spontaneous R-to-L shunt and of spontaneous large shunt, both at transesophageal echocardiography (P = .015, and .028, respectively) and at TCD (P = .036, and .038, respectively). After the procedure, 32 (91%) of 35 patients had either complete resolution or significant improvement in their MHA. At a mean follow-up of 1.7 ± 1.3 years, MHA disappeared completely in 29 (83%) of 35 patients. Of the remaining 6 patients, 3 patients (8%) had an improvement of ≥2 grades in the incidence and severity of MHA, 2 patients did not show any improvement of their MHA, whereas 1 patient reported a severe relapse of MHA about 1 year after the procedure. Conclusions: In patients with PFO, MHA is associated with spontaneous large R-to-L shunt and thrombophilic conditions. Transcatheter defect closure seems to be an effective and safe means to treat MHA in patients with PFO. © 2006, Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

In this study we evaluated the presence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in a cohort of 25 consecutive patients suffering from migraine with aura (MA) during an attack presenting to the emergency ward of an Italian hospital. Patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast medium, routine coagulation tests, contrast transcranial echocolour–coded sonography (c–TCCS) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Of the enrolled patients, 88.7% showed a PFO according to the c–TCCS test, whereas only in 72% TEE confirmed the presence of PFO. This discordance could be due to the fact that c–TCCS is more sensitive even with shunts with minimal capacity also located in the pulmonary vasculature. After surgical treatment of the PFO, MA disappeared within two months. Also, the treatment with warfarin as well as with acetylsalicylic acid and flunarizine was able to dramatically reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. These data indicate a higher prevalence of PFO in MA vs. normal population (OR=2.92) and could suggest that the presence of arteriovenous (AV) shunts could represent a trigger for MA attacks as well as for stroke, but more studies are needed to confirm this preliminary hypothesis.

We investigated the efficacy of transcatheter patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure to prevent recurrent cerebral ischemic events in patients who did and those who did not have thrombophilia. Patients who have a PFO and an associated thrombophilia may have an increased risk of cerebral ischemic events. Seventy-two consecutive patients (mean age 42 +/- 13 years) underwent percutaneous PFO closure because of a cerebral stroke (51%) or a transient ischemic attack (49%). A thrombophilia was found in 20 patients (28%). A large right-to-left shunt through the PFO was found in 44 patients (61%) and an atrial septal aneurysm was found in 39 (54%). After the first event, 18 of 20 patients (90%) with a thrombophilia received oral anticoagulation. Before closure, patients who had a thrombophilia also had a higher rate of recurrences than patients who did not (p0.0001), despite a similar follow-up (p = 0.14) and regardless of shunt entity (p = 0.59), presence of an atrial septal aneurysm (p = 0.98), and a prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (p = 0.44). PFO closure was successful in all patients. Five patients (8%) had a residual shunt at 6 months. At 20 +/- 11 months after PFO closure, 3 recurrent events occurred (4%), and the recurrence rate was similar in patients who did and those who did not have a thrombophilia (p = 0.25). Thus, in patients who have a cryptogenic stroke, the association of a PFO with a thrombophilia significantly increases the risk of recurrences. Thus, transcatheter PFO closure is effective for preventing recurrences in patients who have a thrombophilia.

The aim of this study was to better delineate the characteristics, treatments and outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndromes in Emilia Romagna, a region of Italy, with 4 million inhabitants.From January 10 to March 12, 2000, we performed a prospective survey (24/27 hospitals of the region) on 1074 consecutive patients with a discharge diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome.Based on the initial electrocardiogram, patients were classified as having an ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome in 41% of cases, a non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome in 54%, and an acute coronary syndrome with an undetermined electrocardiographic pattern in 5%. The discharge diagnosis was Q wave myocardial infarction in 43%, non-Q wave myocardial infarction in 26%, and unstable angina in 31% of patients. The use of antiplatelet, beta-blockers, ACE-inhibitors, and antithrombin agents for patients with ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes were 96, 62, 56, and 93%, respectively, with corresponding rates of 93, 63, 53, and 87% for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes. During the initial admission, coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary bypass surgery were performed in 31, 15, and 1% of ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome patients, respectively, with corresponding rates of 43, 15, and 5% for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes. Among patients with ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes, 61% received a reperfusion treatment; 58% coronary thrombolysis, and 3% primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The in-hospital mortality of patients with ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes was 10%, of patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes 3%, and of patients with underdetermined electrocardiographic acute coronary syndromes 8%. At 6 months, the mortality rate increased to 16, 8, and 18%, respectively.Our data show the use of evidence-based pharmacological treatments in this population. This is associated with clinical outcomes which favorably compare with those observed in clinical trials. However, there is still room for improvement in the implementation of the invasive treatment.

Spongy or noncompacted myocardium is a rare congenital cardiomyopathy characterized by parietal myocardial structural alterations secondary to intrauterine arrest of myocardial fiber compaction. It can be associated with other congenital cardiovascular malformations or manifest as an isolated disease. It is characterized by a wide variety of clinical presentations that range from complete absence of symptoms to thromboembolic manifestations, ventricular arrhythmias and congestive heart failure; the short- and mid-term prognosis is quite severe. We here describe a casual finding of an advanced form of noncompacted myocardium associated with patent ductus arteriosus in a young asymptomatic athlete during a routine visit for agonistic sports eligibility. Although the patient had a normal functional capacity, transthoracic echocardiography showed left ventricular dilation with a moderately depressed contractile function and the presence of numerous prominent trabeculae and deep intertrabecular recesses which communicated with the left ventricular cavity. These findings which were confirmed by further echocardiographic examinations, and the absence of other cardiovascular disorders associated with this disease, led us to the diagnosis of noncompacted myocardium. The patient was not allowed to perform sports activities and underwent percutaneous closure of the patient ductus arteriosus. He was asymptomatic and because in the recent literature there are no data regarding pharmacological therapy in these patients, the subject was submitted to routine clinical follow-up evaluation with no medical therapy.

A noninvasive hemodynamic study in three moments of the gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) cycle was carried out on 25 patients: before beginning multiple follicular stimulation (MFS) (study I); after rapid increase of serum estradiol (E2) (study II); and 12 days after GIFT (study III). In the 25 patients, the rapid increase in E2 proved to be combined with a significant increase in the left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVEDD), the left ventricular end systolic dimension, the heart rate (HR), the systolic index, the cardiac index, and a significant reduction in the mean arterial pressure, in the systolic arterial pressure and in the systemic vascular resistence index. In the 14 pregnant patients in study III, all of the hemodynamic parameters studied proved to be significantly modified with respect to study I. In the 11 nonpregnant patients between Studies I and III were no significant cardiovascular modifications except for a significant increase in LVEDD in Study III. It is concluded that, during MFS, the rapid increase in E2 is combined with hemodynamic modifications and that, in pregnancy, the cardiovascular adaptation modifications occur in the very early stages.