Heart rupture as an acute complication of cocaine abuse: A case report

The purpose of this study is to show a very rare complication of acute cocaine poisoning, namely heart rupture. In the present case report, acute cocaine intoxication caused massive myocardial infarction, resulting in heart rupture and cardiac tamponade. A crime scene investigation found a dead body on the street in a drug dealing district. Examination of the body showed no external injuries. A thorough autopsy was performed showing massive cardiac tamponade with 510 ml of blood within the pericardium and full-thickness tissue lesion at the posterior wall of the left ventricle of 3.5 × 3 cm. Histological examination in hematoxylin and eosin was performed and confirmed the interruption of the posterior wall of the left ventricle with the presence of blood. In fact, although the correlation between cocaine and myocardial damage is well established, the relationship between heart rupture and acute cocaine intoxication is an extremely rare event. Moreover, since there are, to date, few reports of similar deaths, our report provides useful information regarding sudden death in a cocaine abuser. It is, therefore, of crucial importance to report this case to the scientific community.     

A case of sudden cardiac death due to mitochondrial disease

A 25-year-old, emaciated man without medical treatment was found to have died suddenly at home by his mother. At autopsy, there were no injuries to his body, but significant circulatory insufficiency was observed. Electron microscopy revealed abnormal mitochondria in cells of the cardiac conduction system. The conduction system was filled with mitochondrial size abnormalities and mitochondrial cristae abnormalities. No notable abnormal findings were observed in other organs. Genetic examination of the blood revealed the mitochondrial pathogenetic variant m.3243A>G. Epileptic seizures, diabetic ketoacidosis, and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state were unlikely to be the cause of sudden death. The cause of death was diagnosed as arrhythmia possibly induced by the failure of the cardiac conduction system due to mitochondrial disease. This is a rare case of sudden death caused by an accumulation of abnormal mitochondria in the cardiac conduction system.     

Maternal cardiac disease in pregnancy

The 2019 MBRRACE-UK report highlighted the prevalence of cardiac disease amongst pregnant women, and its role as a driver in maternal mortality. Advancing maternal age, a rise in cardiovascular co-morbidities, and the improvements in congenital heart disease care have all contributed to this static prevalence, despite improvements in obstetric and cardiac care. In this review we consider the importance of pre-conception counselling for women with known heart disease, review the physiological changes of pregnancy which place increased demand on the cardiovascular system, and explore maternal risk, from a cardiovascular perspective. Contemporary management of women with moderate to severe heart disease during pregnancy should be delivered by the pregnancy heart team, a term coined by the European Society of Cardiology in its 2018 guidelines. Individualized care empowers trust and shared decision making and early access to multidisciplinary care is vital in optimizing maternal and fetal outcomes.     

Inpatient characteristics,complications, and outcomes of patients with cardiac sarcoidosis: A study from the National Inpatient Sample

Although seen in ～5% of sarcoidosis patients, cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) accounts for nearly 25% of disease-related deaths. This study aimed to describe characteristics and outcomes among CS patients. Patients diagnosed with CS in 2016–2017 in the US National Inpatient Sample Database were evaluated to study patient characteristics, reasons ascribed to admission, in-hospital outcomes, and complications. A total of 2420 patients (median age 56 years) were included in the analysis. Most admissions occurred due to ventricular tachycardia (12.8%), followed by myocarditis (9.9%) with a mean length of stay of 7 ± 7 days. The overall incidence of in-hospital mortality was 2.5%.     

婴幼儿体外循环心脏手术后急性肾损伤

本文对婴幼儿心脏术后急性肾损伤(AKI)的高危因素与致病机制、AKI分级及常用诊断标准、防治措施以及相关研究进展进行综述,旨在通过对婴幼儿心脏术后AKI的合理认识,为临床诊疗提供依据,改善心脏手术患儿的近期及远期预后。     

重新审视婴幼儿心肺转流中改良超滤的使用

改良超滤(MUF)技术作为心肺转流中节约用血的重要手段之一,具有浓缩血液、清除炎性介质、减轻组织水肿等优点,但随着微小化体外循环技术的应用,MUF在临床应用中的获益性和必要性开始受到各中心的重新审视。本文对近年来MUF的临床使用进展予以综述。