Propafenone hepatotoxicity: report of a new case and review of the literature.

Propafenone is a class Ic antiarrhythmic drug. It is a beta-adrenergic blocker that causes bradycardia and bronchospasm. It is metabolized primarily in the liver. Its bioavailability and plasma concentration differ among patients under long-term therapy. They are genetically determined by the hepatic cytochrome P-450 2D6. Hepatic toxicity is highly uncommon. To date, only eight patients were reported in the reviewed world literature. In this article, one new case will be reported emphasizing the importance of medication history taking in patients presenting with new-onset liver enzymes abnormalities.

Plasma myeloperoxidase concentration predicts the presence and severity of coronary disease in patients with chest pain and negative troponin-T.

BACKGROUND: A non-negligible proportion of patients with chest pain with negative cardiac troponin may harbor a disrupted coronary plaque. A marker of plaque rupture upstream from myocardial necrosis may help identify high-risk patients among this patient population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO) concentration and angiographic coronary disease among patients with suspected troponin-negative coronary syndromes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients presenting with chest pain and negative cardiac troponin-T concentration and undergoing coronary angiography were enrolled in our study. Plasma MPO concentration was measured using a single blood sample collected prior to cardiac catheterization. The primary angiographic endpoint was the presence of at least one coronary stenosis causing a 70% or more diameter reduction; secondary endpoints were number of diseased vessels, presence of coronary thrombus, and lesion ulceration. The main clinical endpoint was coronary revascularization. RESULTS: Three hundred and eighty-nine patients were enrolled. Presence of coronary stenosis causing a 70% or more diameter reduction increased with increasing quartiles of myeloperoxidase concentration (P<0.0001), as did the presence of coronary thrombus (P<0.0001) and plaque ulceration (P<0.0001). The need for percutaneous coronary revascularization also increased with increasing quartiles of systemic myeloperoxidase levels (P<0.0001). Coronary surgical revascularization did not differ among myeloperoxidase quartiles. CONCLUSION: Among patients with chest pain without troponin elevation, a single measurement of plasma MPO concentration can help identify patients with a higher risk of having significant coronary stenoses and high-risk angiographic features.

Successful treatment of pacemaker related endocarditis with acute embolic stroke without device removal.

Pacemaker related endocarditis is a rare potentially fatal condition, most commonly acquired during manipulation of the pacemaker system. Most patients have involvement of the right heart. Only rarely has involvement of the left-heart been documented. In the absence of controlled studies regarding management of such cases, many recommend complete removal of the pacing system along with intravenous antibiotics. We present a patient with documented pacemaker related left-sided endocarditis associated with an acute embolic stroke who was treated with antibiotics with complete recovery and its two-year follow up.