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.     

Caractéristiques de l’atteinte cardiaque au cours de la granulomatose éosinophilique avec polyangéite

Aim of the studyOur study aimed to identify the characteristics of cardiac involvement in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA).MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analytic study including EGPA cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2019 in an internal medicine department. Diagnosis was made according to the 1990 American College of Rheumatology criteria and the 2012 Chapel Hill Concensus.ResultsEleven EGPA cases were included, 64% of patients were female. Median age at diagnosis was 52 years [42–58]. Heart damage revealed EGPA in 55% of cases with a significant predominance of women (p = 0.015). The main cardiac manifestations were myocarditis, ischemic cardiomyopathy due to small vessel vasculitis, cardiac tamponade and intracardiac thrombus. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) mainly showed subendocardial hyposignal in early infusion and late enhancement in the same areas, nodular by locations, associated with impaired left ventricle function and micro-infarctions by distal vasculitis. Cardiac damage was associated to ANCA negativity in 83.3% of cases. The median Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score version3 (BVAS v3) was 16 [10–17]. Under conventional treatment, no relapses had occurred. The median vasculitis damage index (VDI) was 2 [1–2.3] and the mortality rate was zero after a mean follow-up of 43 months.ConclusionCardiomyopathy is a frequent revealing mode of EGPA. A late onset asthma and hypereosinophilia should guide the diagnosis. As ANCA research often turns out to be negative, histological evidence is recommended in this context. The contribution of cardiac MRI in the diagnosis of EGPA remains to be defined.     

中西医结合治疗卵巢储备功能减退患者成功妊娠二例并文献复习

卵巢储备功能减退（diminished ovarian reserve，DOR）是卵巢因素所致不孕症的主要原因之一，西医临床治疗方法主要依赖于口服提高卵巢储备功能的药物、人工激素周期替代疗法和辅助生殖技术助孕，中医运用补肾健脾法治疗DOR具有不良反应少、疗效持久、治疗手段多样化等优势。报告2例在常规西医治疗基础上应用中医补肾健脾法综合治疗DOR患者成功妊娠的情况，强调个体化中西医结合治疗方案对于解决疑难病证的重要性，为临床应用中医药治疗DOR患者提供证据。