High Prevalence of Diastolic Dysfunction in Incident Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis: Association with Low Thyroid Hormones.

Background/aims: Diastolic dysfunction (DD) and low levels of thyroid hormones (TH) are frequent found in chronic kidney disease; both are associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. However, a link between them has not yet been established. The aim of this study was to analyze DD as a surrogate marker of fibrosis and its association with TH in incident patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD).

[The echocardiography in cardiac remodeling after acute myocardial infarction].

Objectives: The goal of this study was to assess the impact of left ventricular diastolic filling on remodeling and survival after acute myocardial infarction.

Methods: We studied 36 patients with first acute myocardial treated with thrombolytic agents. A Doppler echocardiography was performed at 24 hours, 30 and 90 days after infarction.

[Initial experience with the use of Levovist in adult patients with suboptimal echocardiograms].

Objective: To report our experience with the use of Levovist in echocardiographic studies.

Method: We studied consecutively patients with suboptimal echocardiographic studies. A bolus of 4 gr @ 400 mg/ml was administered via antecubital vein and a second echocardiogram was performed during the ensuing minutes.

[Recurrent cardiac tamponade secondary to postpericardiotomy syndrome].

A 22-year-old woman underwent surgical repair of a secondary atrial septal defect. Thirty-five days after surgery, she developed fever, systemic venous congestion, and respiratory symptoms and chest pain. The echocardiogram demonstrated pericardial effusion (PE) quantified at approximately 3,500 cc, with signs of cardiac tamponade (CT).