31P MRS of heart grafts provides metabolic markers of early dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: Early graft failure (EGF) is a life-threatening event still accounting for a significant percentage of early deaths after heart transplantation. We tested whether selected metabolic markers, including high-energy phosphate concentrations measured ex vivo in pre-transplant heart grafts by (31)P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) are related with early post-transplant outcome. METHODS: During a 3-year period, 26 heart grafts harvested in the vicinity of the transplantation centre were studied. Evaluation of transplantability was done conventionally. (31)P MRS was performed ex vivo approximately 60min after aortic cross-clamp to quantify ATP, P(i) and PCr concentration ratios. A MRS-score was defined as a combination of intracellular pH (pHi) and the PCr/P(i) ratio. EGF was defined as the need to abnormally extend circulatory support or to use more than two inotropes before weaning the patient from CPB after transplantation. The grafts were attributed to three groups as follows: A1, transplanted with uneventful outcome (n=14); A2, transplanted with subsequent EGF (n=3) and B, not suitable for transplantation (n=9). RESULTS: Significant differences between groups existed for the following metabolic markers: PCr/ATP (P=0.013), PCr/P(i) (P=0.0004), pHi (P=0.0016) and MRS-score (P=0.0001). The sensitivity, specificity and positive likelihood ratio for EGF with a MRS-score相似文献   

Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect, extremely hypoplastic pulmonary arteries, major aorto-pulmonary collaterals.

OBJECTIVE: Among 63 patients with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect (VSD), 10 patients with extreme hypoplasia of the pulmonary arteries (PA) (mean Nakata index 20.6 mm(2)/m(2)), but with confluent arteries and a diminutive main PA, and major aorto-pulmonary collaterals (MAPCAS), have been submitted to a 'rehabilitation' of the PA with several stages: (i) connection between RV and PAs, (ii) interventional catheterizations, (iii) complete correction with or without unifocalisation. We report here the results of this approach. METHODS: The RV-PA connection was direct (nine cases) or with an homograft conduit (one case), done under normothermic cardiopulmonary by-pass in patients aged 4.9 months (range 0.1-18 months). Subsequently, six underwent interventional catheterizations (dilations and stents in the PA, MAPCAS occlusion by coils). Complete correction was done in seven patients (mean age 30 months, range 8-49). One patient is awaiting correction. RESULTS: One patient died after the first stage. All patients having had the third stage had a satisfactory development of the PA, had a complete closure of the VSD and a satisfactory reconstruction of the PA bifurcation. There was one death of severe pulmonary infection 6 months after repair. All other patients have been followed by catheterization and/or echocardiograms. With a follow-up of 83+/-65 months, all patients are improved, 50% have no cardiac medications, none has residual shunt, RV/LV pressure ratio is 0.6 (range 0.3-1). CONCLUSIONS: The strategy of 'rehabilitation' of PA allowing: (i) antegrade flow in the PA, (ii) interventional catheterizations, (iii) growth of the PA with possible angiogenesis, (iv) complete correction, is a logical approach to be undertaken in the young patient and is a valid alternative to strategies relying more on MAPCAS for pulmonary vascular supply. The therapeutic sequences depend upon the individual anatomy.     

Three‐Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography Assessment of a Successful Transcatheter Mitral Valve in Valve Implantation for Degenerated Bioprosthesis

Reoperation for degenerated mitral bioprosthesis is considered a high risk procedure. Transcatheter mitral valve in valve implantation has emerged as an off‐label alternative for patients contra‐indicated to surgery. We report a 46‐year‐old man, with a 29 mm mitral bioprosthesis since 2002, who was admitted for acute heart failure because of a severe intra‐prosthetic regurgitation. His recent medical history revealed a fast growing cavum carcinoma. In view of generally poor prognosis, the heart team decided to perform a transcatheter mitral valve in valve implantation by transapical approach. Live three‐dimensional TEE was used during the implantation for sizing, device positioning, and hemodynamic assessment.     

Aminoterminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and ventricular filling pressures in heart transplant recipients.

We tested the hypothesis that, in heart transplant recipients, plasma aminoterminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) dosage is useful for diagnosis of high ventricular loading pressures in the absence of systolic dysfunction. We studied 60 consecutive transplanted heart recipients without systolic dysfunction at 1 to 16 years after transplantation. We found that, in these patients with frequent high ventricular filling pressures, plasma NT-proBNP was highly correlated with creatininemia and not correlated with ventricular loading pressures. These results do not support the hypothesis that NT-proBNP is useful for diagnosis of isolated diastolic dysfunction in transplanted heart recipients.     

Senior-Loken syndrome (nephronophthisis and tapeto-retinal degeneration): a study of 8 cases from 5 families.

The association of nephronophthisis and tapeto-retional degeneration was described by both Senior and Loken in 1961, but prior to 1974 only 28 cases had been published. This report describes 8 new cases in 27 members of 5 families. The severe juvenile type produces blindness in infancy and death from renal failure before the age of ten. The adult type is characterized by later onset, slower progression of the renal disease and milder ocular manifestations. The eye disease may be congenital amaurosis of Leber type, pigmentary retinal degeneration or retinitis punctata albescens and the electroretinogram (ERG) is of value in the diagnosis of these varieties of hereditary tapeto-retinal degeneration. Renal involvement is often asymptomatic. Defective urinary concentration leading to polyuria and polydipsia is the earliest sign. Proteinuria is inconstant and urinary sediment is often normal. Two patients had aminoaciduria. The disease progresses inexorably to chronic renal failure. One patient has been successfully transplanted and two others are on chronic hemodialysis. Renal histological changes are those of nephronophthisis with tubulointerstitial lesions and multiple cysts. Senior-Loken syndrome appears to be transmitted by a single autosomal recessive pleotropic gene of variable expression. Degeneration of neuroepithelium and renal tubular epithelium, both tissues of ectodermal origin, may represent a genetically determined enzyme abnormality.