The Prevalence and Characteristics of Arrhythmic Mitral Valve Prolapse in Patients With Unexplained Cardiac Arrest.

Background: There is growing evidence that mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is associated with otherwise unexplained cardiac arrest (UCA). However, reports are hindered by the absence of a systematic ascertainment of alternative diagnoses.

Objectives: This study reports the prevalence and characteristics of MVP in a large cohort of patients with UCA.

RyR2 C-terminal truncating variants identified in patients with arrhythmic phenotypes exert a dominant negative effect through formation of wildtype-truncation heteromers.

Gain-of-function missense variants in the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) are linked to catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), whereas RyR2 loss-of-function missense variants cause Ca2+ release deficiency syndrome (CRDS). Recently, truncating variants in RyR2 have also been associated with ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) and sudden cardiac death. However, there are limited insights into the potential clinical relevance and in vitro functional impact of RyR2 truncating variants.

Management of Inherited Arrhythmia Syndromes: A HiRO Consensus Handbook on Process of Care.

Inherited arrhythmia syndromes are rare genetic conditions that predispose seemingly healthy individuals to sudden cardiac arrest and death. The Hearts in Rhythm Organization is a multidisciplinary Canadian network of clinicians, researchers, patients, and families that aims to improve care for patients and families with inherited cardiac conditions, focused on those that confer predisposition to arrhythmia and sudden cardiac arrest and/or death. The field is rapidly evolving as research discoveries increase.

Incremental value of the signal-averaged ECG for diagnosing arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is currently diagnosed using a combination of clinical features, imaging, electrocardiography, and genetic investigations. An abnormal signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) is defined as a minor diagnostic criterion by the 2010 Task Force Criteria, but doubts remain about the value of this investigation.

Objective: We evaluated the utility of the SAECG in diagnosing ARVC using the Canadian Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy Registry, a population representative registry of probands with ARVC and relatives, less influenced by referral bias.

Iatrogenic Arteriovenous Fistula: A Rare Complication of Pacemaker Implantation.

Severe vascular complications associated with pacemaker implantation are rare. Typically, they are overt, and require immediate resolution. We present 2 patients with insidious presentation of arteriovenous fistulae due to pacemaker implantation that were recognized early post-implantation.

Outcomes of ureterolysis for primary retroperitoneal fibrosis: A single-center experience.

Objective: To report our experience with ureterolysis for the management of retroperitoneal fibrosis.

Methods: The data of 25 patients who underwent ureterolysis due to primary retroperitoneal fibrosis between 2002 and 2017 were reviewed retrospectively. Initial symptoms, laterality, renal function status (initial/final), operation complications and serum creatinine levels (diagnosis/preoperative/6 months, 12 months postoperatively) were recorded.

False Positive Troponin Levels due to Heterophil Antibodies in a Pregnant Woman.

Positive troponin test results in peripheral blood can be detected either during myocardial injury or from falsely positive test results. In this report, we present the positive results of a troponin test in a 24-year-old pregnant woman referred to the emergency department with atypical chest pain, and the clinical algorithm that we used to make the correct diagnosis. This patient presented with the same complaint of chest pain at different times while positive troponin levels were detected.

Jet length/velocity ratio: a new index for echocardiographic evaluation of chronic aortic regurgitation.

Background: Management of aortic regurgitation depends on the assessment for severity. Echocardiography remains as the most widely available tool for evaluation of aortic regurgitation. In this manuscript, we describe a novel parameter, jet length/velocity ratio, for the diagnosis of severe aortic regurgitation.

Incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of perioperative acute kidney injury in noncardiac and nonvascular surgery.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence rate, identify the risk factors, and describe the clinical outcome of perioperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing noncardiac, nonvascular surgery (NCS).

Methods: A total of 1,200 adult consecutive patients undergoing NCS were prospectively evaluated. Patients with pre-existing renal dysfunction were excluded.

Evaluation of coronary microvascular function and nitric oxide synthase intron 4a/b polymorphism in patients with coronary slow flow.

Objective: Slow coronary flow (SCF) is reported to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We have used coronary flow reserve measurement by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography to determine coronary microvascular function in patients with SCF and to determine whether the intron 4a/b polymorphism of the eNOS gene influences coronary endothelial function.

Methods: Overall, 96 patients with SCF and 79 controls were enrolled in the study.

Tissue Doppler-derived isovolumic acceleration parameters in organic mitral regurgitation.

Background And Aim Of The Study: New, quantitative, reliable and practical echocardiographic parameters are required for grading the severity of mitral regurgitation (MR). Thus, an investigation was made of tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) parameters in MR patients with a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Methods: Transthoracic echocardiography was performed in 96 consecutive patients with varying degrees of MR but with a preserved LVEF.

Lower than normal mean platelet volume is associated with reduced extent of coronary artery disease.

Background: Extent of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease in patients with stable angina has important prognostic and therapeutic implications. In current models of plaque evolution, thrombocytes play an important role in plaque growth. Mean platelet volume is a readily obtainable marker that was shown to correlate with platelet aggregability in vitro and increased values were demonstrated after acute vascular events.

Electrocardiographic features of patients with earthquake related posttraumatic stress disorder.

Aim: To analyze electrocardiographic features of patients diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the Van-Erciş earthquake, with a shock measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale that took place in Turkey in October 2011.

Methods: Surface electrocardiograms of 12 patients with PTSD admitted to Van Erciş State Hospital (Van, Turkey) from February 2012 to May 2012 were examined.

An unusual embolic complication of percutaneous coronary artery intervention and simple percutaneous treatment.

Emboli are among the most feared complications of interventional cardiology. Although surgery is needed in most cases for the removal of peripheric foreign body emboli, some may be extracted by percutaneous intervention. We present a case of retrieval of a femoral sheath fragment via contralateral femoral access, wiring of the sheath fragment, and retrieval with an 'anchoring balloon' system.

Acute myocardial infarction after capecitabine treatment: not always vasospasm is responsible.

Capecitabine is an orally available chemotherapeutic agent that is converted to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) after absorbtion. Capecitabine and its active metabolite, 5-FU, have cardiotoxic effects with reported instances of acute coronary syndromes caused due to coronary vasospasm. However, these agents exert toxic effects on cardiovascular system and beyond vasospasm provacation.

Predictive value of red cell distribution width in intrahospital mortality and postintervention thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction.

Objectives: Recent studies have reported a strong independent association between increased red cell distribution width (RDW) and the risk of adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure, stable coronary disease, and acute coronary syndromes. However, in this study we aimed to determine the impact of an elevated RDW level on the postinterventional thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow and intrahospital mortality in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: A total of 763 patients with acute AMI undergoing a primary percutaneous coronary intervention were evaluated retrospectively.

'Idiopathic' acute myocardial infarction in a young patient with noncompaction cardiomyopathy.

Isolated left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a rare hereditary cardiomyopathy characterized by prominent intraventricular trabeculations separated by deep intertrabecular recessus. While cardiac ischemia due to microvascular dysfunction is common in these patients, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is rare and usually seen as a consequence of coincidental coronary artery disease. We report the case of a 20 year-old male patient admitted to our emergency department with a complaint of squeezing chest pain who was subsequently diagnosed with STEMI according to electrocardiographic findings, although an emergent coronary angiogram demonstrated normal coronary arteries.

Congenital absence of the pericardium: a rare cause of right ventricular dilatation and levoposition of the heart.

Congenital absence of the pericardium is a rare cardiac defect with variable clinical presentations and is usually discovered incidentally. The pathology may lead to serious complications such as incarceration of cardiac tissue, myocardial ischemia, aortic dissection or valvular insufficiency. Diagnosis is not difficult so long as some tips are remembered.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy resembling acute high lateral myocardial infarction.

A 65-year-old female patient admitted to the emergency department was diagnosed with acute high lateral myocardial infarction, but later Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) was discovered. She had squeezing chest pain that started shortly after an emotional stress. The electrocardiogram revealed a loss of R wave voltage in leads V1 to V4 and an ST-segment elevation in I and aVL.