Japanese heart journal最新文献

A 52-year-old male with ischemic cardiomyopathy and severe ventricular dysfunction underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and left ventricular reconstruction (Dor operation). The patient developed acute onset of incessant ventricular tachycardia in the early postoperative period that was refractory to therapy with class I antiarrhythmic agents, and multiple attempts at electrical cardioversion were required. A combination of intravenous nifekalant hydrochloride and enteral amiodarone was elected as treatment for this recurrent incessant ventricular tachycardia. Nifekalant hydrochloride was administered as a loading dose (0.3 mg/kg/5 min), followed by an intravenous infusion (0.4 mg/kg/hr). Several days after initiating therapy, the patient no longer experienced episodes of ventricular tachycardia, and there was no compromise in hemodynamics. We conclude that nifekalant hydrochloride is a useful agent for suppression of ventricular tachycardia in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction, especially during the early postoperative period.

It has been suggested that mitral annular calcification (MAC) may be a manifestation of generalized atherosclerosis. However, how the incidence and extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) are affected by the coexistence of carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) in patients with versus without MAC have not yet been studied. We studied 101 patients with echocardiographic MAC and 52 controls without MAC to investigate the clinical impact of CAS on the frequency and severity (defined as the number of obstructed vessels) of CAD in patients with MAC. Carotid Doppler ultrasonographic examination was performed on all patients before coronary angiography. In patients with both MAC and CAS, the incidences of CAD and multivessel disease (> or = 2 vessel or left main coronary artery disease) were significantly higher than in the control group with CAS alone (91% versus 68%, P = 0.008 and 76% versus 44%, P = 0.004, respectively). On the other hand, among study and control patients without CAS, although the frequencies of CAD and multivessel disease were higher in patients with MAC, interestingly, the differences were not statistically significant (37% versus 58% and 15% versus 26%, respectively, P > 0.05 for both). Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that CAS (P < 0.001), MAC (P < 0.01) and, to a limited extent hypertension (P = 0.054), were independent predictors for the presence of CAD. In conclusion, the coexistence of CAS is more important in patients with MAC than in those without as it provides valuable information about the incidence and severity of underlying CAD. In cases with MAC but without CAS, MAC could be caused by factors other than atherosclerosis.

We evaluated the influence of diabetes on plaque volume and vessel size at a reference segment in diabetic patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention using both angiograms and quantitative intravascular ultrasound. A total of 344 patients with 449 de novo coronary lesions including 97 diabetics (133 lesions) who underwent elective percutaneous coronary intervention under intravascular ultrasound guidance were included in this study. Eleven diabetic patients (19 lesions) received insulin and 52 patients (77 lesions) oral hypoglycemic drugs. The other 34 patients (37 lesions) received diet/exercise therapy alone. We measured vessel area (VA) and lumen area (LA) at proximal and distal reference segments by intravascular ultrasound, which were averaged. Plaque area (VA-LA) and % plaque area (100 x plaque area/VA) were subsequently calculated. Although VA was similar between diabetic and non-diabetic patients (13.46 +/- 4.49 mm2 in diabetics versus 14.11 +/- 5.24 mm2 in non-diabetics, P = 0.214), LA was smaller (6.51 +/- 2.63 mm2 versus 7.38 +/- 3.08 mm2, P = 0.004) and % PA was larger (50.4 +/- 11.7 versus 46.5 +/- 11.3, P < 0.001) in diabetic patients, especially the group receiving a hypoglycemic drug or insulin. VA, LA, and % PA were similar between patients with and without insulin treatment. These results potentially might cause undersized device selection without intravascular ultrasound guidance.

Data on restenosis after stent implantation in myocardial bridges (MB) are very limited. Six-month angiographic results for 12 symptomatic patients who underwent stent implantation for myocardial bridges were compared retrospectively with those of 39 patients who underwent direct stent implantation for de novo atherosclerotic lesions in the left anterior descending artery. Diameter stenosis decreased from 69 +/- 8% to 4 +/- 5% in the MB group and from 79 +/- 8% to 7 +/- 6% in the control group after stent deployment. Systolic narrowing was abolished in all patients with MB. In follow-up, quantitative angiography revealed late loss of 1.8 +/- 1.3 mm in the MB group and 0.9 +/- 0.9 mm in the control group (P = 0.025). The in-stent restenosis rate was also higher in the MB group compared to the control group (67% versus 28%; P = 0.037). Despite favorable immediate results, stent implantation in MBs may not be promising because of the higher in-stent restenosis rate compared to stenting in de novo atherosclerotic lesions.

In order to bail out the slow-flow phenomenon (slow flow) created by a massive thrombus in an ectasic right coronary artery, a thrombus was mechanically extracted with a 6 Fr right Judkins (JR) catheter, which proved to be more useful than a usual thrombectomy using a Rescue PT system catheter (Rescue). In case 1, the Rescue was used in combination with thrombolysis but failed to alleviate the slow flow that was implicated in a large infarction. On the other hand, in case 2, aggressive thrombectomy with a 6 Fr JR catheter with an 8 Fr Amplatz guiding catheter successfully extracted the massive intracoronary thrombus, restoring good coronary flow. Therefore, mechanical extraction with a 6 Fr JR catheter is safe and useful in cases of massive thrombus when diffuse coronary artery ectasia complicates an acute myocardial infarction. In addition, this method should be applicable to cases of acute coronary syndrome with massive thrombus.

The renin-angiotensin system is the major contributor to development of hypertension, atherosclerosis, and many other cardiovascular diseases. Angiotensin II, one of the main effectors of this system, contributes to the pathogenesis of hypertension and plays an important role in monocyte, platelet, and endothelium interactions. The effects on platelet and endothelial function, either by angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor antagonists, are still not well understood. A double-blind, randomized, prospective trial of either enalapril (10-20 mg daily) or eprosartan (400-800 mg daily) over a 10-week period was conducted in 42 patients (27 males, 15 females). Platelet activation was evaluated by measuring platelet factor 4 (PF-4), beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG), the ratio of platelet factor 4 to beta-thromboglobulin, and endothelial function by measuring total plasma nitrate levels, von Willebrand factor (vWF) levels, and blood flow using venous occlusive plethysmography. After a 10-week treatment with enalapril or eprosartan, the sitting blood pressure in both the enalapril group (from 152.2 +/- 18.7 mmHg to 141.9 +/- 23.5 mmHg, P < 0.05) and eprosartan group (from 151 +/- 10.0 mmHg to 142.3 +/- 12.9 mmHg, P < 0.05) was significantly reduced. Significant diastolic blood pressure (DPB) reduction (from 94 +/- 8.7 to 84.5 +/- 9.6 mmHg, P < 0.05) and a greater DBP reduction response were found in the eprosartan group (63% in eprosartan versus 25% in enalapril). Additionally, dose-dependent reductions in the indices of platelet activation and endothelial dysfunction were observed in patients administered high dose treatments of eprosartan and enalapril, and the beneficial effects of these agents were not correlated with the reduction of blood pressure using both agents. Eprosartan is effective and well-tolerated in the treatment of mid-to-moderate hypertension, and the DBP response reduction to eprosartin was better than that to enalapril. A high dose of either eprosartan or enalapril significantly decreased the indices of platelet activation and endothelial dysfunction in hypertensive patients. The benefits of both agents cannot be explained solely by their antihypertensive effects and possibly may be mediated through their unique effect on angiotensin blockade.

Undeployment of a stent which poses a potential risk for future events may become a serious problem in the catheter laboratory. Herewith, we present a case in which we successfully stented an undeployed stent in the distal right coronary artery.

The ratio of cardiac involvement of Echinoccocus granulosus is 0.02-2% and although seen rarely, involvement of the interatrial septum has also been reported in the published literature. The present case was a 19-year-old male university student admitted to hospital with complaints of headache and dizziness. Computerized tomography of the cranium revealed a cystic mass located at the frontal region and enucleation of the cyst was performed during surgery. A cystic lesion 5 x 4 cm in size was detected within the interatrial septum on two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography during the postoperative period and the patient was referred to our clinic. Open heart surgery was performed and a hydatid cyst that involved the interatrial septum was enucleated. The cyst wall was sutured to the interatrial septum. No complications developed during the postoperative period. The patient was discharged on the fifth day of hospitalization and medical therapy was started with albendazole.

Octreotide, a somatostatin analogue, has been found effective in the treatment of acromegalic cardiomyopathy. We investigated whether intermittent octreotide therapy had beneficial effects in patients with ischemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, which are refractory to conventional therapy. Twelve patients with ischemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy were enrolled in the study. In addition to conventional treatment, octreotide (first 50 microg and then 25 microg three times per day for 4 days) was administered and repeated after 1, 2, and 3 months. The patients were evaluated 3 times, before and immediately after the first treatment and after 3 months of treatment, using echocardiography, exercise stress testing, ambulatory ECG, right ventricular catheterization, cardiac enzymes, and the Minnesota living with heart failure questionnaire for quality of life. There were no significant changes in parameters after the first treatment. However, after 3 months of treatment, there were significant improvements in the left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular posterior wall thickness, hemodynamics, exercise capacity, and quality of life. Additionally, ischemic burden and the number of ventricular premature beats also decreased slightly. Intermittent octreotide therapy led to significant improvements in patients with ischemic and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy refractory to conventional treatment. We believe that this therapy should be attempted as an adjunctive therapy in these patients, and that in this respect, randomized, double-blind, clinical, and large-scale studies are required before regular usage is undertaken.

Fabry's disease is an X-linked inborn error of glycosphingolipid catabolism, resulting from a deficiency in alpha-galactosidase A (alpha-Gal A). A 56-year-old Japanese woman was at first suspected of having hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The patient and her son had alpha-Gal A activity in leukocytes that was remarkably below the limit of controls. DNA analysis of the alpha-Gal A gene revealed a novel missense mutation at codon 19 in exon 1, resulting in leucine-to-proline substitution. As a result she was confirmed as a classic Fabry heterozygote. Recent advances in enzyme replacement therapy can reverse the storage of glycosphingolipids in Fabry's disease. Thus, in patients with cardiac hypertrophy, it is important to differentiate Fabry's disease from other causes of hypertrophy. Therefore, it is necessary to measure alpha-Gal A activity in all suspected cases and to analyze genetic abnormalities in heterozygotes.