Detection of pulmonary edema in acute myocardial infarction.

To evaluate methods for detecting pulmonary edema, pulmonary extravascular water volume was measured at 24 hour intervals (total 72 hours) in 25 patients with acute myocardial infarction. Measured lung water was compared with results of clinical, blood gas, X-ray and hemodynamic methods for detecting pulmonary edema. Increased pulmonary extravascular water volume on one or more measurements was observed in 18 of the 25 patients and was associated with an abnormal chest radiograph and increased pulmonary arterial wedge, pulmonary arterial diastolic and right atrial pressures. It was associated less well with clinical, blood gas and other hemodynamic measurements. Pulmonary arterial diastolic or pulmonary wedge pressure was a significant predictor of lung water 24 hours later. Both "preclinical pulmonary edema" and the "therapeutic phase lag" could be predicted from the pulmonary wedge pressure. Clinical, blood gas, radiographic and other hemodynamic measurements were not predictive.     

无创正压通气治疗急性心肌梗死合并急性肺水肿的疗效观察

目的探讨无创正压通气治疗急性心肌梗死并发急性肺水肿的疗效。方法选择60例急性心肌梗死并发急性肺水肿患者,随机分为两组,常规治疗组（n=30）给予普通面罩吸氧（4～6L/min）及改善心肌缺血及心功能等常规治疗;BiPAP治疗组（n=30）在常规治疗的基础上采用BiPAPST-D-30呼吸机经鼻罩双向正压通气治疗。观察治疗前后患者心率、呼吸频率、血压、动脉血气指标及血清BNP变化。结果两组患者在治疗后呼吸频率、动脉血氧分压（PaO2）、心肌氧耗均有所改善。BiPAP治疗组正压通气治疗2h、24h呼吸频率、PaO2、收缩压、心肌耗氧量的改善均优于常规治疗组,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05～0.01）;在治疗72h后,BiPAP治疗组血清BNP水平显著低于常规治疗组（P〈0.01）。与常规治疗组比较,BiPAP治疗组气管插管率、病死率显著降低,住院时间显著缩短,差异均有统计学意义（P均〈0.05）。结论 BiPAP鼻罩式双向正压机械通气可快速改善急性心肌梗死患者肺水肿、低氧血症及心功能。     

Reinfarction as a complication of acute myocardial infarction. PRIMVAC Registry data

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The clinical profile of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who have reinfarction (REAMI) during their stay in the intensive cardiologic care unit (ICCU) is not well known. The aim of this study was to identify factors predictive of REAMI, as well as its global incidence and mortality. PATIENTS AND METHOD: All patients with AMI admitted to the ICCU of 17 hospitals in the Comunidad de Valencia (Spain) in the period 1995-2000 (PRIMVAC Registry) were included. Differential characteristics between patients with or without REAMI were determined, and odds ratios (OR) for possible predictive factors were estimated with their 95% confidence intervals by logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 12,071 patients were included. Mean age of the patients was of 65.5 years, the percentage of women was 23.8%, and the incidence of REAMI was 2.8%. The REAMI group was significantly older than the non-REAMI group. Female sex was significantly more common in the REAMI group. More diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were carried out, more drugs were used and there were more complications in the REAMI group. Mortality was significantly higher in the REAMI group (37.8% vs 12.6%). Only age, diabetes mellitus, previous myocardial infarction and the appearance of Q waves in the electrocardiogram were independently associated with the presence of REAMI. CONCLUSIONS: REAMI in the ICCU was associated with high mortality. Some clinical factors present during the first few hours after AMI were associated independently with the appearance of REAMI.     

Pheochromocytoma-induced acute pulmonary edema and reversible catecholamine cardiomyopathy mimicking acute myocardial infarction.

Acute noncardiogenic pulmonary edema and catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy as the first presentations of pheochromocytoma are uncommon events, but usually rapidly fatal. A 36-year-old man presented acute pulmonary edema in a setting of hypertensive emergency after arthroscopy, later developing catecholamine-induced cardiotoxicity mimicking an acute myocardial infarction, with elevation of cardiac damage markers, normal coronary arteries, and with full recovery from electrical abnormalities. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a right adrenal mass. Elevated levels of catecholamines and metanephrines, and a positive 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine scan confirmed a pheochromocytoma. Once the patient had been hemodynamically stabilized, he was successfully operated.     

Serum-sickness-like illness as a complication after streptokinase therapy for acute myocardial infarction

We report a case of serum-sickness-like illness in a 47-year-old patient who received early high-dose intravenous and intracoronary streptokinase following acute myocardial infarction. The picture comprised severe arthralgias, fever, an urticarial rash and marked elevation of circulating immune complexes. This case represents a rare complication of streptokinase therapy.     

Diffuse intra-alveolar haemorrhage as a complication of thrombolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction

Diffuse intra-alveolar haemorrhage is a rare complication of thrombolytic therapy (TT). We report a patient who developed haemoptysis due to pulmonary haemorrhage. This diagnosis should be considered in any patients with respiratory distress, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates, and haemoptysis and otherwise unexplained decrease in haemoglobin concentration after thrombolytic therapy.     

Emerging acute unilateral pulmonary edema in a patient with pheochromocytoma

We report a patient who presented with unilateral pulmonary edema without cardiomegaly. Our patient was finally diagnosed as having pheochromocytoma crisis.     

以急性左心衰竭为主要表现的急性心肌梗死24例临床分析

目的 分析以急性左心衰竭为主要表现的老年人急性心肌梗死（ＡＭＩ）的临床特点。探讨其心力衰竭的发生机制。方法 回顾性分析２４例以急性左心衰竭为主要表现的ＡＭＩ老年患者的临床特点,根据ＮＹＨＡ心功能分级及超声心动图所示左室射血分数（ＬＶＥＦ）探讨ＡＭＩ时发生急性左心衰竭的机制。随访了１４例患者的预后。结果 ２４例中,１８例（７５．０％）为无痛性梗死;１９例（９０．５％）为急性非透壁性梗死,３例并发完全     

Prognosis of patients with acute pulmonary edema and normal ejection fraction after acute myocardial infarction

To assess the prognostic importance of resting left ventricular function in survivors of acute myocardial infarction with pulmonary edema, we retrospectively identified 39 consecutive patients who presented with acute pulmonary edema and myocardial infarction. Sixteen patients had radionuclide ejection fractions 10 +/- 2 days postinfarction of greater than 0.45 (group A, mean 0.55 +/- 0.06), and 23 patients had ejection fractions less than or equal to 0.45 (group B, 0.32 +/- 0.06). There were no significant differences between the two groups for age or sex, but group A patients had a significantly greater incidence of first myocardial infarction predominantly inferior in location. The calculated stroke work index during the acute event was significantly greater in group A than in group B (33.4 +/- 2.4 vs 23.4 +/- 2.0) (p less than 0.05). During a follow-up of 9 +/- 3 months, mortality was not significantly different between the two groups: Four (25%) died in group A and seven (30%) died in group B. In addition, eight patients (50%) in group A were hospitalized for recurrent angina, new myocardial infarction or recurrent pulmonary edema, compared with 11 (48%) in group B (NS). Three deaths in group A were preceded by infarction of the anterior wall of the left ventricle, confirmed at autopsy, and two nonfatal infarctions were anterior by electrocardiography. Four patients in group A had coronary arteriography performed during the follow-up period because of unstable angina, and all had significant (greater than or equal to 70% stenosis) three-vessel disease and two had left main coronary artery disease. Therefore, the predischarge ejection fraction did not predict prognosis for this group of patients. Patients with acute pulmonary edema in the course of myocardial infarction form a high-risk group despite good resting left ventricular function at discharge. They have a significant incidence of recurrent myocardial infarction and death and, because they have good residual left ventricular function, are excellent candidates for surgical intervention.     

Aspergillus coronary embolization causing acute myocardial infarction

An increased frequency of disseminated aspergillosis has been observed in the last decade, mostly occurring in immunocompromised patients including the bone marrow transplant population. Cardiac involvement by Aspergillus remains rare. We report the clinical and postmortem findings of an unusual case of Aspergillus pancarditis in a 7-year-old bone marrow transplant patient with Aspergillus embolization to the coronary arteries leading to a massive acute myocardial infarction. This case suggests that myocardial injury secondary to disseminated aspergillosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of chest pain in the immunocompromised pediatric patient.