Anomalous coronary artery causing transmural ischaemia and ventricular tachycardia in a high school athlete

A previously asymptomatic 15-year-old boy was treated at our institution after an episode of chest pain, palpitation, and syncope while playing in a high school soccer game. The patient's resting electrocardiogram was normal. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed an anomalous left main coronary artery originating from the right sinus of Valsalva. Contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography demonstrated clearly that the anomalous vessel coursed between the aorta and the pulmonary trunk (interarterial subtype). Treadmill testing registered several nonsustained polymorphic ventricular tachycardias and transmural myocardial ischaemia in the early recovery phase (ST-elevation up to 5mm in CM5 and V2 leads). The patient underwent bypass grafting. One year later, he remains asymptomatic, and new treadmill tests have been normal. In this patient, severe transmural myocardial ischaemia was detected, possibly due to collapse or vasospasm of the anomalous vessel, triggering life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.     

Statins: a perspective for left ventricular hypertrophy treatment

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), despite its adaptive nature, is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Achievement of LVH regression is thus considered a principal therapeutic aim. However, regression of LVH induced by various therapeutic means may exhibit differing patterns, with variable biological implications. Inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (statins) have been shown to induce prevention or regression of LVH in different models of pathological myocardial growth. In addition to reduction of LV mass, statins were shown to reduce myocardial fibrosis, increase capillary density network and attenuate electrical instability of the hypertrophied heart. Most importantly, statins improved systolic and diastolic LV function and even decreased mortality. The inhibition of hypertrophic growth was only partly achieved by reduction of haemodynamic overload. Direct mechanisms, such as inhibition of neurohumoral activation in the myocardial tissue, attenuated production of growth factors and markers of inflammation and reduction of oxidative stress also seem to participate. The protective effect of statins was associated with the inhibition of expression and activation of small guanosintriphosphate-binding proteins such as Ras and Rho, which control the intensity of oxidative stress, the production and availability of nitric oxide, and the expression of genes involved in myocardial growth. In addition to reduction of LV mass, statins may also improve the prognosis of LVH independently of their lipid-lowering effect.     

Relationship between left ventricle geometric patterns and lymphocyte DNA damage in patients with untreated essential hypertension

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between different the left ventricle (LV) geometric patterns and lymphocyte DNA damage in patients with hypertension (HT). METHODS: We studied 84 patients (50.0+/-6.1, years) with HT and 24 healthy control subjects (48.6+/-3.3, years). Four different geometric patterns were identified in patients according to LV mass index and relative wall thickness. Peripheral lymphocyte DNA damages and plasma levels of total antioxidant status (TAS) were determined in all subjects. RESULTS: DNA damage was increased in hypertensive patients compared with control group (p=0.001). The major increase in DNA damage was observed in concentric hypertrophic geometric pattern compared with all other geometric patterns (p<0.001, for all). In multiple linear regression analysis, lymphocyte DNA damage was independently correlated with only TAS (beta=-0.444, p<0.001), but not LV geometry (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The major increase in lymphocyte DNA damage was observed in concentric hypertrophic geometric pattern. This result may be related to increased oxidative stress.     

Systemic sarcoidosis revealed by ventricular tachycardia: electrocardiography and MRI correspondence

We describe a case presenting with ventricular tachycardia as the manifestation leading to the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. The ventricular tachyacardia's origin is correlated with granuloma localization on magnetic resonance imaging.     

非酒精性脂肪性肝病与左心室早期舒张功能不全的相关性研究

背景 非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）已成为最常见的慢性肝病,有研究认为NAFLD对心肌结构及功能均有明显影响,但NAFLD是否是心肌结构或功能异常的独立危险因素仍存在争议。 目的 比较NAFLD患者与非NAFLD患者左心室结构及功能指标的异同,初步探究NAFLD与左心室早期舒张功能不全的相关性。 方法 选取2018—2020年北京大学人民医院老年科符合纳入标准的519例住院患者为研究对象,根据腹部超声或CT检查结果分为NAFLD组与非NAFLD组。比较两组患者左心室结构及功能指标差异。以左心室舒张早期左房室瓣血流最大流速与左心房收缩期左房室瓣血流最大流速之比（E/A）<1判定为左心室早期舒张功能不全。采用多因素Logistic回归分析探究NAFLD与左心室早期舒张功能不全的关系。采用FIB-4指数评估NAFLD患者肝纤维化风险,其中FIB-4指数<1.30、1.30~3.25、>3.25分别判定为低风险、中风险、高风险。依据FIB-4指数是否<1.30将NAFLD组患者分为低风险亚组（n=81）和中高风险亚组（n=100）。 结果 519例住院患者中NAFLD患者181例（NAFLD组）、非NAFLD患者338例（非NAFLD组）。与非NAFLD组患者相比,NAFLD组患者E/A较低〔（0.79±0.25）和（0.87±0.34）,t=2.607,P=0.009〕,室间隔舒张末期厚度（IVSd）较厚〔（0.92±0.13）cm和（0.89±0.13）cm,t=-2.525,P=0.012〕。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,合并NAFLD是左心室早期舒张功能不全的独立危险因素〔OR=2.941,95%CI（1.736,4.981）,P<0.001〕。中高风险亚组患者E/A低于低风险亚组〔（0.75±0.21）和（0.84±0.28）,t=2.275,P=0.024〕,左心室质量指数（LVMI）高于低风险亚组〔（80.22±14.92）g/m2和（74.72±16.83）g/m2,t=-2.327,P=0.021〕。 结论 合并NAFLD是左心室早期舒张功能不全的独立危险因素,NAFLD患者的肝纤维化风险越高,左心室舒张功能越差。     

单光子发射计算机断层显像左心室舒张功能参数评估冠心病患者左心室舒张功能的临床价值研究

背景 单光子发射计算机断层显像（SPECT）已被广泛用于准确评估左心室收缩功能,但是,很少有研究将SPECT左心室舒张功能参数与已建立的左心室舒张功能参考标准进行比较。 目的 以左心导管检查的左心室舒张末压（LVEDP）为金标准,探讨SPECT评估冠心病患者左心室舒张功能的敏感指标。 方法 前瞻性选择2021年9月至2022年1月于徐州医科大学附属医院心内科就诊,因可疑或已知冠心病行冠状动脉造影（CAG）检查并同时行左心导管检查的患者97例。患者均在入院后1~3 d完成超声心动图、SPECT检查,后行CAG检查及左心导管检查发现心外膜下冠状动脉直径狭窄超过50%确诊为冠心病。CAG检查及左心导管检查得到LVEDP、左心室收缩末期容积（LVESV）、左心室舒张末期容积（LVEDV）及左心室射血分数（LVEF）。SPECT检查得到心功能参数：LVESV'、LVEDV'、LVEF'、高峰充盈率（PFR）、前1/3充盈分数（1/3FF）、前1/3充盈率（1/3FR）、平均充盈率（MFR）、高峰充盈时间（TPF）。根据LVEDP测量结果,将患者分为左心室舒张功能正常组（LVEDP<16 mm Hg,50例）和左心室舒张功能不全组（LVEDP≥16 mm Hg,47例）。比较两组患者一般资料、实验室指标以及左心功能指标差异。分析SPECT参数与LVEDP间的相关性。应用受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线评价SPECT参数对LVEDP增高的预测价值。 结果 左心室舒张功能不全组LVEF'、PFR、1/3FF、1/3FR、MFR低于左心室舒张功能正常组,TPF高于左心室舒张功能正常组（P<0.05）。相关性分析结果显示,LVESV'与LVESV、LVEDV'与LVEDV、LVEF'与LVEF之间均呈正相关（rs=0.726,P<0.001;rs=0.651,P<0.001;r=0.450,P<0.001）;PFR、1/3FF、1/3FR、MFR与LVEDP均呈负相关（rs=-0.481、rs=-0.212、r=-0.354、rs=-0.305,P<0.05）;TPF与LVEDP呈正相关（r=0.442,P<0.001）。PFR、1/3FF、1/3FR、MFR、TPF评价LVEDP增高的ROC曲线下面积（AUC）分别为0.778、0.662、0.653、0.663和0.755,灵敏度分别为60%、75%、57%、62%、77%,特异度分别为84%、62%、78%、68%、70%。 结论 对于LVEF≥50%的冠心病患者,SPECT左心室舒张功能参数可以识别LVEDP增高,在这些参数中,PFR和TPF有较好的可行性和更高的准确性。