Impact of structural factors around the accessory nerve on the pathogenesis of essential neck and upper-back stiffness: a sonographic investigation.

Introduction: Neck and upper-back stiffness involves discomfort/ache in the trapezius muscle (TM). The pathogenesis of 'essential neck and upper-back stiffness' without obvious causes remains uncertain. In symptomatic subjects, TM hardness correlates with decreased transverse cervical artery (TCA) blood flow to the TM.

Close relationships between neck and upper-back stiffness and transverse cervical artery flow velocity.

Purpose: Neck and upper-back stiffness is encountered in daily life, with symptoms appearing as dullness or aches predominantly in the trapezius muscle (TM). Our previous study demonstrated that TM hardness as measured with a muscle hardness meter correlates well with transverse cervical artery (TCA) flow supplying the TM. Muscle hardness meters, however, cannot measure hardness in the TM alone.

Sex-dependent impact of a short rest after lunch on hemodynamics as assessed by Doppler sonography.

Purpose: Taking a short rest after lunch suppresses increases in blood flow to the digestive organs and maintains blood flow to the brain in the afternoon, possibly providing beneficial effects in preventing post-prandial drowsiness. The present study investigated sex-dependent influences on changes in hemodynamics produced by taking a short rest after lunch.

Methods: Subjects comprised 20 healthy young adults (10 men, 10 women; mean age 21 ± 1 years).

Predicting readmission for heart failure patients by echocardiographic assessment of elevated left atrial pressure.

Background: Pathophysiologically, an elevated left ventricular (LV) filling pressure is the major reason for heart failure (HF) readmission. The 2016 American Society of Echocardiography (ASE)/European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) guidelines provide a simplified algorithm for the echocardiographic assessment of LV filling pressure; however, this algorithm is yet to be sufficiently validated.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively studied 139 consecutive patients with acute decompensated HF.

Impact of hypoalbuminemia on in-hospital mortality in patients with takotsubo syndrome: A multicenter registry of the Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit Network.

Background: Hypoalbuminemia is common in critically ill patients and is associated with poor outcomes. However, the relationship between serum albumin levels and clinical outcomes in patients with takotsubo syndrome remains unclear. We examined the impact of hypoalbuminemia on in-hospital mortality in patients with takotsubo syndrome.

A study of takotsubo syndrome over 9 years at the Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit Network Registry.

Background: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an acute cardiovascular disease with clinical manifestations similar to those of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and TTS sometimes occurs just after catastrophes. Large-scale studies of TTS in Japan are scarce, so we examined data over 9 years from Tokyo metropolitan acute cardiovascular care hospital network registry.

Methods: A total of 1626 patients were diagnosed with TTS between 2010 and 2018 at Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit Network facilities, and data from all these patients were analyzed.

Right Atrial Appendage Thrombus in a Patient Undergoing Thoracoscopic Left Atrial Appendectomy for Atrial Fibrillation.

Left atrial appendage (LAA) closure may prevent atrial fibrillation (AF)-induced thromboembolism. We describe a rare case of right atrial (RA) thrombus after thoracoscopic left atrial appendectomy and pulmonary vein isolation. Careful evaluation for the presence of RA thrombus in patients with persistent AF after LAA occlusion may be necessary.

Reversible Cardiac Hypertrophy in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Treated With High-Dose Epoprostenol.

Although current guidelines recommend the use of prostanoid infusion that includes epoprostenol for high-risk pulmonary arterial hypertension patients, epoprostenol has many adverse effects. We report a case of a heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension patient who had transient biventricular hypertrophy during high-dose administration of epoprostenol. In this case, biventricular hypertrophy with worsening of dyspnea was observed during the uptitration of epoprostenol.

Exercise intolerance in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension after pulmonary angioplasty.

Introduction: Exercise pulmonary hypertension is common in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) who experience shortness of breath during exercise and reduced exercise capacity despite normalised pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) at rest; however, the relationship between exercise pulmonary hypertension and exercise capacity remains unclear. Here we aimed to determine whether exercise pulmonary hypertension is related to exercise capacity and ventilatory efficiency in CTEPH patients with normalised resting haemodynamics after pulmonary balloon angioplasty (BPA).

Patients And Methods: In total, 249 patients with CTEPH treated with BPA (mean±sd age 63±14 years; male:female 62:187) with normal mean PAP (mPAP) (<25 mmHg) and pulmonary arterial wedge pressure (≤15 mmHg) at rest underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing with right heart catheterisation.

Adult ALCAPA: from histological picture to clinical features.

Background: Anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital coronary anomaly that results in high mortality if left untreated. Our aim was to extend our knowledge of the histological, angiographic, and clinical characteristics of ALCAPA in order to deepen our understanding of this rare entity.

Case Presentation: We were involved in the assessment, treatment, and pathological evaluation of two adult ALCAPA patients who were rescued from ventricular fibrillation and then surgically treated to establish a dual coronary artery system.

Impact of body temperature at admission on inhospital outcomes in patients with takotsubo syndrome: insights from the Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit Network Registry.

Background: Takotsubo syndrome occasionally occurs in patients with fever due to underlying diseases. However, the impact of body temperature on inhospital prognosis of patients with takotsubo syndrome remains unknown.

Methods: Using the patient cohort in the Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit Network Registry from 2013 to 2015, we identified 421 eligible patients whose data on body temperature at admission were available and classified them into three groups: high body temperature group (≥37.

Etiology of Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension Can Be Differentiated by Echocardiography - Insight From Patients With Chronic Pulmonary Thromboembolism With Normal Resting Hemodynamics by Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty.

Background: Exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) is often seen in chronic thromboembolic PH (CTEPH) patients with normalized resting hemodynamics, but it is difficult to differentiate precapillary PH as pulmonary vascular dysfunction and post-capillary PH from occult-left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). The aim of this study was to examine whether the exercise-induced elevation of pulmonary arterial wedge pressure (PAWP) can be predicted by the echocardiographic index at rest.

Methods and results: A total of 71 CTEPH patients (67±11 years old, male/female=15/56) treated by pulmonary angioplasty with near-normal pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and normal PAWP at rest underwent symptom-limited exercise test using supine cycle ergometer with right heart catheterization.

Impact of Trigger on Outcome of Takotsubo Syndrome - Multi-Center Registry From Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit Network.

The relationship between outcome and trigger in takotsubo syndrome (TTS) has been recently discussed, but the data are still limited. We enrolled 745 consecutive patients with TTS from the Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit Network registry. The patients were divided into 4 groups based on trigger: (1) medical illness, 202 (27%); (2) physical activity, trauma and injury, 54 (7%); (3) emotional trigger, 199 (27%); and (4) unidentifiable trigger, 290 (39%).

Prognostic factors for one-year mortality in patients with acute heart failure with and without chronic kidney disease: differential impact of beta-blocker and diuretic treatments.

The pathophysiology and treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (HF) in the presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) remain ill defined. Here we compared the prognostic factors for 1-year mortality in patients with acute HF with and without CKD. We retrospectively studied 392 consecutive patients with acute decompensated HF.

Estimated Pulmonary Artery Systolic Pressure and Mortality in Older-Elderly Heart Failure Patients.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between high estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure (ePASP) obtained by echocardiography and 1-year mortality in patients with acute heart failure (HF), comparing findings in individuals aged 80 and older with those of individuals younger than 80.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Kyorin University Hospital.

Myocardial Injury Caused by Severe Blow: Importance of Carefulness in Accurate Diagnosis.

Blunt chest trauma may lead to cardiac involvement such as myocardial contusion, coronary artery dissection, cardiac rupture, or myocardial infarction. Early detection and treatment of complications such as these are essential. We describe a case status post collision with an iron ball and discuss how to detect myocardial infarction.

Apical Takotsubo syndrome versus anterior acute myocardial infarction: findings from the Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit network registry.

Background:: Although the typical apical form of Takotsubo syndrome and anterior acute myocardial infarction have similar electrocardiographic and echocardiographic presentations, data on the clinical differences between the two disorders are limited.

Methods:: Using the Tokyo Cardiovascular Care Unit network registry, we identified patients hospitalised with apical Takotsubo syndrome ( n=540; 2010-2014) or anterior acute myocardial infarction ( n=2,806; 2013-2014) and created 522 age and sex-matched pairs (mean age 74.1 years; women 78.

Considerations in cardio-oncology: Multiple mobile left-sided cardiac thrombi in chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy.

With advances in cancer chemotherapy, the importance of the new clinical discipline of cardio-oncology, which is concerned with the cardiac effects of chemotherapy, is increasing. Herein we describe the case of a 48-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer who presented with symptoms of heart failure due to chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy. Treatment for the patient's breast cancer had included surgery and chemotherapy with anthracyclines and trastuzumab.

Cardiac dysfunction of pulmonary artery aneurysm in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Pulmonary artery aneurysm (PAA) occurs in some patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We evaluated the characteristics of cardiac dysfunction in patients with PAH complicated by PAA.

Methods: Echocardiography and right-heart catheterization were performed in 130 PAH patients to measure the maximum dimensions of the main pulmonary artery (MPA) trunk and evaluate right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) function.

Predictive Value of QRS Duration at Admission for In-Hospital Clinical Outcome of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Prolonged QRS duration (pQRSd) on electrocardiogram (ECG) is a strong predictor of poor outcome in heart failure, myocardial infarction, and myocarditis, but it is unclear whether pQRSd also predicts poor outcomes of takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC).Methods and Results:Between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2012, we retrospectively enrolled 299 patients with TC (mean age, 73.5±11.

[Cerebral infarction in right pons during the course of mobile mitral annular calcification-related calcified amorphous tumor during a long time hemodialysis].

We report here a 70 year-old male on maintenance hemodialysis who presented non-paralytic pontine exotropia. Brain MRI showed new right pons infarct. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography revealed a mobile calcification at posterior mitral leaflet with rapid growing compared to 14 days ago.

Resolution of a warfarin and dabigatran-resistant left atrial appendage thrombus with apixaban.

The majority of embolisms associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) are from the left atrial appendage (LAA). To treat the existing thrombus, warfarin and novel anticoagulants have been used. However, there has been no clinical information regarding the difference of the effects of congealing the fibrinogenolysis system among these oral anticoagulants.