Effectiveness of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Diabetic Patients with Ischemic and Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) increases the risk for the development of both ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy. We aimed to identify differences in response to cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT‐D) among DM patients with ischemic or nonischemic cardiomyopathy. Methods: Cox proportional hazards regression modeling was used to assess clinical response to CRT‐D (defined as CRT‐D vs. defibrillator‐only reduction in the risk of heart failure [HF] or death) and echocardiographic response (defined as percent reduction in left ventricular end diastolic and systolic volume [LVEDV and LVESV, respectively] at 12 month of follow‐up compared with baseline values) among 552 diabetic patients with ischemic (n = 367) or nonischemic (n = 185) cardiomyopathy enrolled in MADIT‐CRT. Results: The clinical benefit of CRT‐D was more pronounced among nonischemic patients (HR = 0.30 [P < 0.001] than among ischemic patients (HR = 0.59 [P = 0.004]; P for interaction = 0.10). Nonischemic patients also experienced significantly greater reductions in LVESV and LVEDV at 12 months with CRT‐D compared with ischemic patients (P < 0.001 for both). Subgroup analysis showed that the most pronounced reduction in HF or death with CRT‐D therapy occurred in nonischemic patients who were women (83% risk‐reduction [P < 0.001]), had a lower BMI (<30/kg/m²: 79% risk‐reduction [P < 0.001]), or had left bundle branch block at enrollment (82% risk‐reduction [P < 0.001]). Conclusions: The present study shows that treatment with CRT‐D in at‐risk cardiac patients with DM is associated with substantial reductions in the risk of HF or death and improvement in cardiac remodeling in those with ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy, with a more pronounced benefit in patients with nonischemic disease. Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2012;17(1):14–21     

The Role of Optical Coherence Tomography in Clarifying the Mechanisms for Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography‐Induced Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a clinical disorder characterized by a transient dilatation and akynesis or dyskinesis of the left ventricular (LV) apex, mimicking an anterior wall acute myocardial infarction in the absence of significant coronary artery disease (CAD). It typically occurs during an episode of severe emotional or physical stress. Recent reports suggested the potential of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in inducing the aforementioned syndrome. The transient dysfunction of the LV does not fit any known coronary distribution. Furthermore, there is no obstructive CAD demonstrated at angiography to account for the observed dysfunction. Consequently, the pathophysiology of this syndrome is still undetermined. Here, we report a case of DSE‐induced Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in which high‐resolution intracoronary imaging was utilized to exclude possible vessel alterations to help provide potential mechanistic explanations for the development of this condition.     

Right‐Sided Endomyocardial Fibrosis with a Right Atrial Thrombus: Three‐Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiographic Evaluation

Endomyocardial fibrosis is a form of restrictive cardiomyopathy mainly affecting poor children and young adults in geographically restricted areas of Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The pathophysiological hallmark of the disease is focal or diffuse endocardial thickening involving mainly the inflow, the apices, and the subvalvular region leading to valvular regurgitation, diastolic dysfunction and obliteration of the ventricular apex. Advanced right‐sided disease has slow flow of blood through chambers with propensity of thrombus formation especially in the right atria. Although two‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography remains the cornerstone for the diagnosis of this disease, the case presented here shows how three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography can add substantial information regarding the region of involvement of the right ventricle as well as the various characteristics of the right atrial thrombus.     

Real Time Three-Dimensional Echocardiography for the Evaluation of Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy refers to a set of diseases that are characterized by myocardial dysfunction. Classically, two-dimensional echocardiography has been used in the diagnosis of these disorders and to help guide their management. Three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography is now increasingly being used in the diagnosis, management, and prognostication of intrinsic cardiomyopathies. In this article, we summarize the available data on the use of three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography in various forms of intrinsic cardiomyopathy as well as some of its advantages over traditional two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. (Echocardiography 2012;29:76-87)     

扩张型心肌病病人生活质量影响因素及护理进展

扩张型心肌病（dilated cardiomyopathy，DCM）主要特征是单侧或双侧心腔扩大，心肌收缩期功能减退，伴或不伴有充血性心力衰竭，常伴有心律失常，男多于女，在我国发病率为（13～84）例／10万人，病死率较高Ⅲ，是心脏移植的最主要原因。     

Evolutionary Change Mimicking Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in a Patient with Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

In this report, we introduce a case of thickening of the involved left ventricular apical segment on echocardiography and deep T‐wave inversions in precordial leads on electrocardiography transiently seen in the course of recovery from biventricular takotsubo cardiomyopathy, mimicking apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This result suggests that the echocardiographic finding of transient myocardial edema can be identified by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Additionally, it persisted a few weeks after full functional recovery. We believe that this case will contribute in part toward clarifying the pathophysiology of takotsubo cardiomyopathy.     

养心汤联合倍他乐克治疗扩张性心肌病合并心力衰竭临床研究

目的:观察养心汤联合倍他乐克对扩张性心肌病合并心力衰竭患者的临床疗效,及对血清中高迁移率族蛋白B1(high mobility group protein,HMGB1)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(tumor necrosis factor-α,TNF-α)及白细胞介素-6(Interleukin-6,IL-6)含量的影响。方法:将80例扩张性心肌病合并心力衰竭患者随机分为治疗组和对照组,每组40例。两组患者均采用西医常规治疗。对照组口服倍他乐克治疗;治疗组在对照组基础上加用养心汤治疗,方药组成:黄芪20 g,白茯苓15 g,茯神15 g,半夏曲15 g,当归15 g,川芎9 g,远志9 g,肉桂9 g,柏子仁9 g,酸枣仁12 g,北五味子12 g,人参10 g,甘草10 g。每天1剂,常规水煮分早晚温服。两组患者均连续治疗3个月。比较两组患者左心室射血分数(left ventricular ejection fraction,LVEF)、舒张早期/舒张晚期最大血流速度(E/A)、6 min步行试验(6-minute walk test,6 MWT)、心力衰竭疗效积分、心率变异性和临床疗效,并检测两组患者血清中HMGB1、TNF-α及IL-6含量。结果:治疗后,治疗组患者的LVEF、E/A、6 MWT及心率变异性指标显著高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.01);心力衰竭计分系统各指标评分明显少于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.01);治疗组有效率为95%,显著高于对照组75%,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);治疗组患者血清中HMGB1、TNF-α及IL-6水平显著少于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.01)。结论:养心汤联合倍他乐克对扩张性心肌病并心力衰竭患者,可改善患的心功能和心率变异性,提高临床疗效,其抑制患者血清中HMGB1、TNF-α及IL-6含量可能与治疗作用有关。     

Ultrasonic Cavitation-Enabled Treatment for Therapy of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Proof of Principle

Ultrasound myocardial cavitation-enabled treatment was applied to the SS-16^BN rat model of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy for proof of the principle underlying myocardial reduction therapy. A focused ultrasound transducer was targeted using 10-MHz imaging (10 S, GE Vivid 7) to the left ventricular wall of anesthetized rats in a warmed water bath. Pulse bursts of 4-MPa peak rarefactional pressure amplitude were intermittently triggered 1:8 heartbeats during a 10-min infusion of a microbubble suspension. Methylprednisolone was given to reduce initial inflammation, and Losartan was given to reduce fibrosis in the healing tissue. At 28 d post therapy, myocardial cavitation-enabled treatment significantly reduced the targeted wall thickness by 16.2% (p?<0.01) relative to shams, with myocardial strain rate and endocardial displacement reduced by 34% and 29%, respectively, which are sufficient for therapeutic treatment. Premature electrocardiogram complexes and plasma troponin measurements were found to identify optimal and suboptimal treatment cohorts and would aid in achieving the desired impact. With clinical translation, myocardial cavitation-enabled treatment should fill the need for a new non-invasive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy therapy option.     

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with left ventricular apical aneurysm: Importance of multi‐modality imaging

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an uncommon variant of HCM characterized by apical hypertrophy without the septal predominance seen in the majority of HCM cases. In 2% of patients, a concomitant left ventricular apical aneurysm is observed, which increases the risk of sudden death and adverse HCM‐related events. Multimodality imaging is helpful for appropriate identification of this particular morphologic pattern. Herein, we present a case of apical HCM with a left ventricular apical aneurysm, exemplifying the utility of a multimodality approach from resting electrocardiogram, transthoracic echocardiogram, left ventriculography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, for proper risk stratification and treatment planning.