Helical distribution of hypertrophy in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: prevalence and clinical implications.

Recently a novel pattern of helical distribution of hypertrophy has been described in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Our aim was to determine its prevalence and potential implications in an unselected cohort. One-hundred- and eight consecutive patients diagnosed with HCM by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) were included (median clinical follow up of 1718 days). All clinical and complementary test information was prospectively collected. The presence of a helical pattern was assessed by a simple measurement of the maximal left ventricle (LV) wall thickness (LVWT) for each of the 17 classical LV segments and it was classified in one of three types according to its extension. A helical distribution was detected in 58% of patients, and was associated to a higher incidence of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOT; 35% vs. 10%; p = 0.005) and systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve (SAM; 30% vs. 13%, p = 0.053). No significant difference in the maximal LVWT was observed. However, the presence of a helical pattern showed a significant association with non sustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT; 22% vs. 7%; p = 0.029) and was associated to a higher risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) calculated with the European society of cardiology (ESC) calculator (p = 0.006). Notably, patients with a more extense spiral had a higher incidence of heart failure (75% vs. 34%, p = 0.012) and all-cause death (21 vs. 3%, p = 0.049). A helical pattern is frequent in HCM and can be readily assessed on CMR standard cine sequences. In conclusion, a helical pattern carries negative clinical implications and is associated to a higher estimated risk of SCD.

Early gadolinium enhancement in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a potential premature marker of myocardial damage.

Early gadolinium enhancement (EGE), one CMR diagnostic criteria in acute myocarditis, has been related with hyperemia and capillary leakage. The value of EGE in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) remains unknown. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of EGE in patients with HCM, and its relation with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). The association of EGE with morphological and clinical parameters was also evaluated. Sixty consecutive patients with HCM and CMR from our center were included. All the clinical and complementary test information was collected prospectively in our HCM clinic. Left ventricular (LV) measurements were calculated from cine sequences. EGE and LGE were quantified with a dedicated software. Clinical events were collected from medical records. A slow wash-out pattern on EGE was detected in up to 68 % of the patients, being an isolated finding without LGE in 10 (16 %). This cohort showed a greater maximal LV wall thickness (20.1 ± 4 vs. 18.1 ± 3.5 mm, p = 0.010) and asymmetry ratio (1.86 ± 0.42 vs. 1.62 ± 0.46; p = 0.039). The percentage of EGE/slice and the difference with the percentage LGE/slice demonstrated a significant positive correlation with the maximal LV wall thickness (Rho 0.450 and 0.386 respectively). EGE also correlated with number of segments with LVH (LV hypertrophy) and the asymmetry ratio. Neither EGE nor LGE were associated with classical risk factors, the risk score for sudden cardiac death, or with major clinical events. EGE was a frequent finding in HCM, even in absence of LGE. This phenomenon showed a positive correlation with morphological markers of disease burden.

Patient-centered medical home intervention at an internal medicine resident safety-net clinic.

IMPORTANCE: The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model holds promise for improving primary care delivery, but it has not been adequately tested in teaching settings. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We implemented an intervention guided by PCMH principles at a safety-net teaching clinic with resident physician providers. Two similar clinics served as controls. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Using a cross-sectional design, we measured the effect on patient and resident satisfaction using the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey and a validated teaching clinic survey, respectively. Both surveys were conducted at baseline and 1 year after the intervention. We also measured the effect on emergency department and hospital utilization. RESULTS: Following implementation of our intervention, the clinic's score on the National Committee for Quality Assurance's PCMH certification tool improved from 35 to 53 of 100 possible points, although our clinic did not achieve all must-pass elements to qualify as a PCMH. During the 1-year study period, 4676 patients were exposed to the intervention; 39.9% of these used at least 1 program component. Compared with baseline, patient-reported access and overall satisfaction improved to a greater extent in the intervention clinic, and the composite satisfaction rating increased from 48% to 65% in the intervention clinic vs from 50% to 59% in the control sites (P = .04). The improvements were particularly notable for questions relating to access. For example, satisfaction with urgent appointment scheduling increased from 12% to 53% in the intervention clinic vs from 14% to 18% in the control clinics (P < .001). Resident satisfaction also improved in the intervention clinic: the composite satisfaction score increased from 39% to 51% in the intervention clinic vs a decrease from 46% to 42% in the control clinics (P = .01). Emergency department utilization did not differ significantly between the intervention and control clinics, and hospitalizations increased from 26 to 27 visits per 1000 patients per month in the intervention clinic vs a decrease from 28 to 25 in the control clinics (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Our PCMH-guided intervention, which represented a modest but substantive step toward the PCMH vision, had favorable effects on patient and resident satisfaction at a safety-net teaching clinic but did not reduce emergency department or hospital utilization in the first year. Our experience may provide lessons for other teaching clinics in safety-net settings hoping to implement PCMH-guided reforms.

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Surveillance in Marginalized Populations, Tijuana, Mexico.

To detect early cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infection, in 2009 we surveyed 303 persons from marginalized populations of drug users, sex workers, and homeless persons in Tijuana, Mexico. Six confirmed cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 were detected, and the use of rapid, mobile influenza testing was demonstrated.