Athlete's heart or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: usefulness of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide.

Background: Distinguishing physiological hypertrophy from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in athletes remains difficult, but vital in view of the risk of sudden death under effort. NT-proBNP was previously reported to be usually normal in healthy athletes, but often elevated in case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Objectives: To assess the interest of NT-proBNP in differential diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in athletes.

[Recurrent septicaemia following incomplete removal of pacemaker leads].

Introduction: Septicaemia on endocardial pacemaker leads is very rare but the presentation is insidious and the prognosis very bad if all the implanted materiel is not completely removed.

Observation: A 55 year-old woman presented three episodes of Staphylococcus epidermidis septicaemia in three years, after incomplete removal of the pacing system. Permanent cure was finally obtained after complete removal of the pacemaker material.