Absence of cardiac damage induced by long-term intensive endurance exercise training: A cardiac magnetic resonance and exercise echocardiography analysis in masters athletes.

OBJECTIVES: It is under debate whether the long-term practice of intensive endurance exercise induces chronic cardiac damage such as myocardial fibrosis and ventricle contractile dysfunction. Multimodality analysis was performed to evaluate myocardial damage induced by long term intensive endurance training in master athletes. METHODS: Thirty-three asymptomatic endurance master athletes (47 ± 6 year-old, 9,6 ± 1,7 h training/week for 26 ± 6 years), were compared to 18 sedentary controls (49 ± 7 year-old). They underwent a CMR protocol including 4 chambers morphological and late gadolinium-enhancement (LGE) analysis, left (LV) and right ventricular (RV) T1 mapping and calculation of cardiac extracellular volume (ECV). A maximal exercise echocardiography with left and right ventricular longitudinal global strain (LGS) analysis was performed. Cardiac biomarkers of fibrosis (high sensitive cardiac Troponin T, N-Terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide, N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I and N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type III) were analysed. RESULTS: Athletes had larger left and right atrial volume, LV and RV end diastolic volume and increased LV and RV mass compared to controls. LGE was not found in athletes. Native T1 values of LV and RV were not significantly different in athletes compared with controls. ECV was normal in both groups (21,5%± 1,6% [18.3 - 23%] in athletes, 22%± 2,2% [18.5 - 27%] in controls). LV and RV peak exercise LGS values were higher in athletes. Cardiac biomarkers levels were normal. CONCLUSION: Despite significant physiological cardiac remodelling, consistent with previous descriptions of athlete's heart, there was no evidence of myocardial fibrosis or exercise left or right ventricular dysfunction or cardiac fibrosis in endurance athletes. Our results are not supporting the hypothesis of deleterious cardiac effects induced by long term and intensive endurance exercise training.

Seven years follow-up of early repolarisation patterns in French elite special forces.

BACKGROUND: The early repolarization pattern (ERP) may be a marker of increased risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD). Influence of ethnicity on the ERP has not been extensively studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology of ERP in a male multiethnic population. METHODS: ECG analysis was performed among consecutive recruits from the French Foreign Legion. ERP was characterized by a J-point elevation ≥0.1 mV in two continuous inferior-lateral leads, and high amplitude early repolarization (HAER-potentially malignant pattern) by an elevation ≥0.2 mV. Ethnical affiliation and level of physical activity were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 2508 healthy men (24 ± 5 years old) from 105 different native countries were divided into three ethnic groups: 1689 Whites, 388 Afro-Caribbean, and 431 Asians. ERP was found in 489 recruits (19%), 14% in Whites, 33% in Afro-Caribbeans, and 27% in Asians without any difference according to age and physical activity. Sub-Saharan Africans or Caribbeans had the highest rate of ERP (30%), and Hispanics the lowest (8%). People from occidental countries, Middle East, Central Asia or India had a rate of 12%-18%, East and South-Asia 20%-25%. Madagascar was an exception with only 16% of ERP. HAER (2.9%) was more frequent among Asian recruits. After 5 ± 2 years of follow up, one SCD occurred in the ERP group (p = 0.042). CONCLUSION: This study reports a large multiethnic analysis of ERP. HAER was more frequent in recruits from East and South-East Asia where sudden unexplained nocturnal death syndrome is endemic.

Bilateral leg oedema after bariatric surgery: A selenium-deficient cardiomyopathy.

This report describes a case of selenium-deficient cardiomyopathy secondary to bariatric surgery (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery). A 40 year-old woman presented with bilateral leg oedema nine months after the surgical procedure. Timely diagnosis of selenium-deficient cardiomyopathy was due to the recognition of symptoms of heart failure, increased NT pro-BNP level, detection of myocardial diastolic dysfunction and impaired left ventricular global longitudinal strain by echocardiography, and early identification of selenium deficiency. Symptoms resolution, cardiac biomarkers and echocardiographic abnormalities normalization were observed after 3 months of oral selenium supplementation and conventional heart failure therapy. Any sign of heart failure after bariatric surgery should require screening for a nutrient-deficient cardiomyopathy.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Emergency Physician-Performed Ultrasound for Acute Appendicitis in a Remote Location.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative imaging for suspected acute appendicitis (AA), such as ultrasonography (US), was shown to improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes. Criteria for diagnosis of AA by US are well established and reliable. In previous studies, US assessments were always performed by skilled radiologist physicians. However, a radiologist and computed tomography scanning equipment are not always available in the community hospitals or remote sites of developing countries. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess a diagnostic pathway using clinical evaluation, routine US performed by an emergency physician, and clinical re-evaluation for patients suspected of having AA. METHODS: Patients suspected of having AA admitted to the emergency department in a developing country were prospectively enrolled between November 2010 and January 2011. Clinical and US data were studied. A noncompressible appendix with a diameter ≥6 mm was the main US diagnosis criterion. RESULTS: Among the 104 included patients, surgery was performed on 28. Of the 25 patients with positive US, 22 actually had AA, matching the surgical report. The remaining 76 patients without US appendicitis criteria underwent clinical follow-up and had medical conditions. Sensitivity of US was 88%, specificity was 96%, positive predictive value was 88%, and negative predictive value was 96%. The likelihood ratios for our US assessment highlight the need for a test with enhanced diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: A diagnostic strategy using clinical evaluations, routine US performed by emergency physicians, and clinical re-evaluation of patients with acute abdominal pain is appropriate to provide positive results for the diagnosis and treatment of appendicitis in remote locations.

[Cardiac disease at risk in the young athlete]. / Pathologies cardiaques à risque chez le jeune sportif.

Physical training significantly reduces all cause mortality in the general population. Eligibility for competitive sport participation in athletes with cardiovascular diseases is based on recommendations. Incidence of sudden cardiac death in young athletes is low (0.5 to 2/100,000 athletes/year). The most common cardiac diseases at risk are hypertrophic cardiomyopathies, congenital coronary arteries abnormalities, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and acute myocarditis. Pre-participation screening is based on the cardiovascular evaluation, including ECG (repeated every 3years since the age of 12 and every 5years since the age of 20 to the age of 35). Some events are unpredictable (idiopathic ventricular fibrillation, sudden death related to congenital coronary arteries abnormalities or commotio cordis). A better access to public defibrillation is needed.

Exercise-induced acute coronary syndrome in a 24-year-old man with massive cannabis consumption.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a major public health problem in the world. Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) mainly affect patients with cardiovascular risk factors. We report the case of an exercise-induced ACS in a 24-year-old soccer player without any classic cardiovascular risk factor, but with a history of massive cannabis addiction. Coronary angiography showed complete occlusion of the proximal right coronary artery and intravascular ultrasound revealed an atherosclerotic plaque disruption. Thromboaspiration and antithrombotic treatment were successful and coronary stenting was not performed. The respective roles of cannabis toxicity and physical activity as triggers for ACS in young people are discussed.

Cardiovascular disease in children in Djibouti: a single-centre study.

INTRODUCTION: Few data are available about pediatric cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the Horn of Africa. The objective of this study was to describe the spectrum of CVD in children in Djibouti. METHODS: Clinical features and management of Djiboutian children between 1 month-old and 15 year-old with CVD were prospectively recorded over a two-year period in Bouffard Military Hospital in Djibouti (January 2009- December 2010). RESULTS: Clinical examination and echocardiography were performed on 156 patients: 32 of them (20%) had CVD. Three (10%) of them had Down's syndrome. The median age was 5 years (male 53%). Congenital heart disease was observed in 27 (84%) patients and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in 5 (16%) patients including 2 patients with rheumatic valvular disease. Ventricular septal defect was frequent (28%). Other abnormalities were atrial septal defect (13%), Tetralogy of Fallot (9%), pulmonary stenosis (6%) and 3 other patients had multiple congenital anomalies condition. Surgical management was required in 22 (69%) patients and was performed on 15 (47%) cases. During follow up (mean 11.3 ± 6.8 months), 5 (16%) patients died. Absence of surgery was associated with significant mortality (p > 0.05) but age, sex and mean follow up were not. CONCLUSION: Pediatric CVD is at least as common in this Djiboutian community as in other African cohorts. The absence of surgery was a major mortality risk factor. DCM was frequent in this study. Much work remains to be done to discover the size and nature of genetic and environmental contributions to these various forms of heart diseases in the Horn of Africa.

Use of a Fogarty catheter after tracheobronchial inhalation of a bead.

We describe a case of tracheobronchial inhalation of a bead by a five-year-old girl in Djibouti. The bead was extracted using a Fogarty balloon catheter passed through the rigid bronchoscope without complication. This kind of accident is not exceptional and we discuss the management of such cases with limited diagnostic tools and therapeutic environments.

Significance of the identification in the Horn of Africa of an exceptionally deep branching Mycobacterium tuberculosis clade.

Molecular and phylogeographic studies have led to the definition within the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) of a number of geotypes and ecotypes showing a preferential geographic location or host preference. The MTBC is thought to have emerged in Africa, most likely the Horn of Africa, and to have spread worldwide with human migrations. Under this assumption, there is a possibility that unknown deep branching lineages are present in this region. We genotyped by spoligotyping and multiple locus variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) 435 MTBC isolates recovered from patients. Four hundred and eleven isolates were collected in the Republic of Djibouti over a 12 year period, with the other 24 isolates originating from neighbouring countries. All major M. tuberculosis lineages were identified, with only two M. africanum and one M. bovis isolates. Upon comparison with typing data of worldwide origin we observed that several isolates showed clustering characteristics compatible with new deep branching. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of seven isolates and comparison with available WGS data from 38 genomes distributed in the different lineages confirms the identification of ancestral nodes for several clades and most importantly of one new lineage, here referred to as lineage 7. Investigation of specific deletions confirms the novelty of this lineage, and analysis of its precise phylogenetic position indicates that the other three superlineages constituting the MTBC emerged independently but within a relatively short timeframe from the Horn of Africa. The availability of such strains compared to the predominant lineages and sharing very ancient ancestry will open new avenues for identifying some of the genetic factors responsible for the success of the modern lineages. Additional deep branching lineages may be readily and efficiently identified by large-scale MLVA screening of isolates from sub-Saharan African countries followed by WGS analysis of a few selected isolates.

Porridge-like tuberculous cardiac tamponade: treatment difficulties in the Horn of Africa.

A 16-year-old boy was hospitalized for fever, chest pain, and cardiovascular collapse. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a 30-mm circumferential echogenic "porridge-like" pericardial effusion with signs of cardiac tamponade. Tuberculosis (TB) was suspected because of its prevalence in Djibouti. Emergency pericardiocentesis was attempted, but only 10 ml of pericardial fluid was obtained. Subxiphoid pericardiotomy and drainage were then performed, and pericardial fibrinous pockets were surgically collapsed. Antituberculosis chemotherapy was given, and the pericardial effusion progressively disappeared without corticosteroids. The diagnosis of TB was subsequently confirmed by cultures of the pericardial fluid. A pericardial biopsy was normal. After 3 months of follow-up, there was no sign of constrictive pericarditis. Pericardiocentesis may fail in cases of advanced-stage fibrinous TB pericardial effusion. Thus, pericardiotomy with complete open draining is the only lifesaving procedure.

Tachycardia-induced right ventricular cardiomyopathy: epicardial radiofrequency ablation of an unusual and unexpected ventricular tachycardia.

A 38-year-old man without prior medical history was hospitalized for sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) left bundle branch block pattern with inferior QRS axis resistant to beta blockers. Right ventricular (RV) ejection fraction (EF) was 28%. Left ventricular EF was normal. Right and left endocardial ablation failed. Percutaneous epicardial radiofrequency application at the lateral mitral annulus was successful. The RVEF later normalized. Some VTs originating from the left ventricular epicardium are potential mimickers of benign VTs originating from the ventricular outflow tract (right or left) or arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy VT and they may induce isolated RV dysfunction.

[Atrial fibrillation in elderly patients]. / Fibrillation auriculaire du sujet âgé.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in elderly patients: its prevalence increases with age up to 6-8% in octogenarians. A cardiomyopathy is associated in 50%, hypertension in 60%. Severity is attributed to the risk of ischaemic stroke with rates increasing up to 7% per year after 75 years old. Quality of life is impaired and associated with numerous comorbidities in the elderly. Antiarrhythmic therapy is useful to slow down cardiac rate in AF. To reduce first or recurrent emboli, antithrombotic therapy is necessary, whatever the type of AF (paroxysmal or permanent). Anticoagulation is the current treatment modality in AF patients at high or intermediate risk, which is the case of most of the elderly patients. Major hemorrhage risk must be systematically evaluated.