International journal of cardiology
-
Letter Case Reports
Recurrent acute myocardial infarction and Kounis syndrome.
Kounis syndrome is the concurrence of acute coronary syndromes with conditions associated with mast cell activation including allergic or hypersensitivity and anaphylactic or anaphylactoid insults. We present a case of recurrent acute myocardial infarction associated with an allergic reaction in an 83-year-old Italian woman.
-
Letter Case Reports
Insights of prognostication of Davies disease: what could we learn from serial magnetic resonance imaging studies?
Davies disease (Hypereosinophilic syndrome with endomyocardial fibrosis) has been increasingly recognized with the availability of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). The reported features identified include the thickened left ventricular (LV) apex and the presence of endomyocardial fibrosis and thrombus. However, CMR allows serial noninvasive monitoring of the disease progression and the treatment response that in our case lines parallel with the clinical condition. The extension of myocardial fibrosis also has a potential role in prognostication of myocardial functional recovery.
-
Diaphragm dysfunction is well-known to limit quality of life and prognosis of patients with heart failure (HF), but its underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In an animal model for HF we recently showed that impaired diaphragm contractility arises at the single fiber level and is associated with sarcomeric injuries. For optimal muscle function and sarcomeric stability passive elastic structures, like titin, are indispensable. The current study aimed to investigate if impaired passive elasticity contributes to diaphragm dysfunction in rats with heart failure. ⋯ We conclude that in the diaphragm of HF rats, passive elasticity is impaired, mainly resulting from titin loss.
-
Optimal management of patients with PFO and paradoxical embolic events is still debated. Moreover, data from long-term studies on large patient populations are lacking. Aim of the study is to assess immediate and long-term clinical outcome of patients with PFO and paradoxical thrombo-embolic events submitted to transcatheter PFO closure. ⋯ Transcatheter PFO closure is associated with low incidence of in-hospital complications and low frequency of recurrent TE at long-term follow-up.