The impact of the multidisciplinary Endocarditis Team on the management of infective endocarditis.

Background: In their latest guidelines for infective endocarditis (IE) (2015), the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) introduced the implementation of the Endocarditis Team (ET) to facilitate the management of IE. This study presents our experiences and the diagnostic and therapeutic impact of the ET on the management of IE.

Methods: From 2016-2020, data of all patients with suspected IE referred to the ET were prospectively collected.

A microcosting study of diagnostic tests for the detection of coronary artery disease in The Netherlands.

Objective: The primary aim of the present study was to calculate the actual costs of four diagnostic tests for the detection of coronary artery disease in the Netherlands using a microcosting methodology. As a secondary objective, the cost effectiveness of eight diagnostic strategies was examined, using microcosting and reimbursement fees subsequently as the cost estimate.

Design: A multicenter, retrospective cost analysis from a hospital perspective.

Evaluation of cardiac ischaemia in cardiac asymptomatic newly diagnosed untreated patients with primary hypothyroidism.

Background: Hypothyroidism is regarded as a risk factor for coronary artery disease. Possible factors involved in this association are hyperlipidaemia and hypertension, both occurring with increased frequency in hypothyroid patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate signs/symptoms of cardiac ischaemia in untreated hypothyroid patients without angina pectoris, since this has never been performed before.

Myocarditis and primary Sjögren's syndrome.

We describe congestive heart failure caused by autoimmune myocarditis in a patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome. Only after corticosteroids were given did the symptoms and laboratory abnormalities disappear.

Functional assessment of ALCAPA syndrome by dobutamine stress thallium-201 SPECT and echocardiography.

Exercise 201TI SPECT has been used as a useful method for the assessment of patients with anomalous left coronary artery communicating to the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA syndrome). In this study, we described an adult patient with this anomaly who was evaluated by dobutamine stress testing in conjunction with simultaneous 201Tl SPECT and echocardiography before and after surgery. A large perfusion defect in the anterior wall, septum and apex was detected on the preoperative stress scan with partial reversibility on reinjection scan.