Acquired left ventricular-to-right atrial shunt (Gerbode defect) due to infective endocarditis.

Left ventricular-to-right atrial communications are a rare type of ventricular septal defect, known as the Gerbode defect. They are usually congenital, but rare cases have been described secondary to bacterial endocarditis. The authors present a rare case of Gerbode defect and severe pericardial effusion secondary to Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis, in a patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

Cardiac MICE--tumor or thrombus?

Introduction: Mesothelial/monocytic incidental cardiac excrescence (cardiac MICE) is a rare intracardiac lesion, which can cause severe disease and lead to misdiagnosis.

Material And Methods: A 66-year-old woman with floppy mitral valve and coronary atherosclerosis underwent diagnostic coronary angiography, mitral valve surgery and aortocoronary bypass. During surgery, a thrombus was detected inside the left atrium and sent for pathology analysis.

Revascularization and prognosis in female patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes.

Background: After an acute myocardial infarction, women have a higher risk of death or reinfarction. In unstable angina, female gender seems to be protective. On the other hand, studies suggest that women are less frequently given coronary angiography.

Prognostic impact of peak oxygen uptake and percentage of predicted value of peak oxygen uptake in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

Background: Comparing the prognostic value of peak oxygen uptake (VO2max) in absolute values and percentage of predicted VO2max (%PredVO2) in terms of prognostic stratification, contradictory references are found in the medical literature. In theory, the measurement of VO2max relative to a normal subject should improve its predictive capacity, because VO2max is influenced by gender, weight, physical activity and age.

Objectives: To compare the prognostic value of VO2max and %PredVO2 (Jones equation) in an adult population (> or = 20 years) of patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and to study the influence of age on these parameters.

Recovery kinetics of oxygen uptake after cardiopulmonary exercise test and prognosis in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

Introduction: The prognostic value of peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction is currently recognized and accepted. Some studies have shown that other cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) parameters have additional value.

Objectives: To evaluate whether our population of patients with left ventricular dysfunction had similar results to those found by other investigators who showed that a slow normalization of oxygen uptake (VO2) during the recovery period of a CPET has prognostic value, and whether the recovery phase parameters have additional prognostic value to peak VO2 in these patients.

Influence of prior medication on mode of presentation and prognosis of acute coronary syndromes.

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of prior medication on mode of presentation and short-term prognosis of acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Coronary intensive care unit in Santa Cruz Hospital.