Cardiac Damage After SARS-CoV2 Infection.

COVID-19 is a viral disease that can manifest acutely in the respiratory tract and other organs. In this study, we aimed to investigate potential long-term damage to the heart from COVID-19. For this study, we divided 97 consecutive unselected COVID-19 patients aged 18-80 years at a cardiology practice in Cologne, Germany, into two groups based on the severity of their infection.

[Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy following azathioprine and steroid treatment of pulmonary sarcoid disease].

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system following reactivation of the John-Cunningham-Virus (JVC) in an immunocompromised host. This rare condition is characterized by rapid progressing neurologic symptoms often leading to death. In the following, we report on a rapid evolving deterioration of mental status due to PML in an 53-year-old man during treatment of pulmonary sarcoid disease using azathioprine and steroids.

Exercised-induced coronary spasm in near normal coronary arteries.

In contrast to effort-induced symptoms in obstructive coronary disease, spasm in normal coronary arteries is characterized by angina at rest. We describe a 44-year-old patient with minor coronary plaques and pure exercised-induced coronary spasm. The case questions the differential pathogenic considerations of variant of the variant as opposed to Prinzmetal's variant angina.

Serial Assessment of Cardiac Function during and following Mitoxantrone Infusion in 30 Consecutive Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

Immunosuppressive therapy is an established therapeutic option in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS). In an open nonrandomized study we serially assessed cardiac function in 30 consecutive patients with MS before, during, and after mitoxantrone therapy. Mitoxantrone (12 mg/m(2)) was administered intravenously at 3-month intervals.

Magnetic resonance imaging of carcinoid heart disease.

In a 56-year-old lady, a carcinoid tumor of the terminal ileum metastasized to regional lymph nodes, and the liver was removed by hemicolectomy in 2002. Following a history of cutaneous flushing, diarrhea, and bronchoconstriction 3 years later, a somatostatin therapy was instituted. As flushing and diarrhea resolved and levels of urinary excretion of 5-hydoxyindoleacetic acid decreased, shortness of breath was progressive and prompted a cardiac exam.

[Management of patients with prosthetic heart valves].

More than 15,000 valve replacements are annually performed in Germany resulting in a significant improvement of function, symptoms and prognosis. Nevertheless, prosthetic heart valves bear a small risk of serious complications and these patients remain cardiac patients all their life. Therefore, cardiologic checkups are recommended at regular intervals and, if needed, also on a short-term appointment.

Non-invasive imaging of a coronary bypass stenosis using CT angiography in a patient with negative stress testing.

In patients with a low or intermediate probability of a coronary artery disease, ultrafast computer tomography (CT) of the coronary arteries and bypass grafts offer a novel approach for the evaluation of the coronary anatomy. The presented case impressively demonstrated the capability of ultrafast CT to show precisely the extent and localisation of a bypass artery stenosis in a patient with mild chest discomfort but negative stress testing. However, widespread screening of coronary artery disease with non-invasive imaging modalities can not be recommended until validated in larger studies that a complete visualization of all coronary arteries and bypass grafts can be achieved.

Ambulatory electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation.

Elective electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation is an effective and safe cardiac procedure in selected patients. It is most often performed during a short hospital stay or in an outpatient setting of a hospital. In a retrospective analysis, we report our experience on electrical cardioversions in private practice without a hospital stand-by performed by a cardiologist and an anesthesiologist in concert.

Klippel-Feil syndrome associated with aortic coarctation.

Aortic coarctation was diagnosed in a 27-year-old man with Klippel-Feil syndrome, an inborn skeletal defect of the vertebral column associated with anomalies of various organs. The presented findings are discussed in the context to the theory of vascular artery supply disruption sequence during embryogenisis as a potential explanation for the pathogenesis of morphological defects of Klippel-Feil and associated syndromes.

Metoprolol treatment to prevent restenosis following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

This study tested the hypothesis that metoprolol reduces the restenosis rate after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in native coronary arteries as compared to placebo. Apart from prognostic clinical effects in the treatment of patients with coronary heart disease, several in vivo and ex vivo studies have demonstrated antiproliferative and antiatherogenic effects of beta-blockers. In the present study, 192 male patients were randomized in a double-blind fashion to metoprolol sustained-release treatment or placebo starting at least 1 day before angioplasty.