Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular mortality and catherization activity during the lockdown in central Germany: an observational study.

Aims: During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital admissions for cardiac care have declined. However, effects on mortality are unclear. Thus, we sought to evaluate the impact of the lockdown period in central Germany on overall and cardiovascular deaths.

Swinging heart in acute pancreatitis.

Pleural effusions and ascites are not uncommon in acute pancreatitis; however, pericardial effusions complicated by cardiac tamponade are extremely rare and definite treatment has yet to be established. This case report illustrates the findings in a 57-year-old patient, who was diagnosed of an acute alcoholic pancreatitis. The clinical course was complicated by recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis, and eventually, the patient developed acute circulatory failure that was caused by cardiac tamponade.

Enterococcus septicemia due to a pacemaker lead infection.

Pacemaker lead infections are rare but potentially life threatening. We report the case of an 80-year-old pacemaker-dependent female patient with complete heart block, who presented with subfebrile temperatures and chills due to a pacemaker lead infection by Enterococcus faecalis.

Clinical and immunologic characteristics in peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare disorder of dilated cardiomyopathy and left ventricular dysfunction occurring in the last month of pregnancy or within 5 months postpartum. Outcome of PPCM is highly variable, comprising clinical improvement and rapid deterioration unresponsive to medical treatment requiring heart transplantation or even death. In this study, we report the clinicopathologic findings of 10 patients with PPCM who were retrospectively identified in our cardiomyopathy registry.

Matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in malignant and autoreactive pericardial effusion.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes essentially involved in tissue remodeling and tumor invasion, and their activity is counterbalanced by endogenous antagonists, the tissue inhibitors of matrix proteinases (TIMPs). Recent reports have suggested a potential role of MMPs in the evolution of pericardial effusion (PE). In this study, we determined the levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and their inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in 19 patients who had malignant PE that was confirmed by histology or cytology and 30 patients who had nonmalignant, autoreactive PE compared with pericardial fluid of 19 patients who had preserved left ventricular function and who underwent aortocoronary bypass surgery for control.

Predictive value of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

We analyzed the serum concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) at the time of diagnostic cardiac catheterization in 198 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) to evaluate its prognostic value. Patients were dichotomized according to a median value of hsCRP of 2 mg/dL. Predefined study endpoints over 69 +/- 33 months of follow-up included major arrhythmic events and transplant-free survival.

Acute parvovirus B19 infection associated with myocarditis in an immunocompetent adult.

Inflammatory heart disease is causally linked with progressive left ventricular dysfunction and congestive heart failure. In childhood, infection with parvovirus B19 (PVB19) is usually benign, causing erythema infectiosum. However, severe fetal PVB19 infection may be associated with hydrops fetalis and fetal death caused by myocarditis.

[Pregnancy and cardiomyopathies].

This overview on the topic of cardiomyopathy and gestation comprises the diagnostic and therapeutic options of patients with preexistent cardiomyopathies (dilated, hypertrophic, inflammatory, and others) and with cardiomyopathies which have been discovered during or in the 6 months following delivery. CARDIOMYOPATHIES PREEXISTENT BEFORE GESTATION: If cardiomyopathy is present before an intended gestation, the couple should be advised against pregnancy because of the high risk of deterioration both during gestation and peripartum. If pregnancy occurs, according to ESC (European Society of Cardiology) recommendations termination should be advised if the ejection fraction is < 50% and/or the LV dimensions are definitely above normal.

Doxycycline and tissue repair in rats.

Iterations in collagen turnover are integral to tissue repair. Repair gone awry, as a result of excess collagen accumulation or degradation, can contribute to pathologic ventricular remodeling. Pharmacologic interventions that would attenuate either aspect of faulty repair have therefore attracted interest.