AA Amyloidosis Secondary to Horton's Disease Complicated by Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Very Challenging Diagnosis and Therapy

AA amyloidosis is a classic and serious complication of many chronic inflammatory processes, whether of infectious, autoimmune, or neoplastic origin. It is frequently complicated by kidney damage, often in the form of a nephrotic syndrome. Giant cell arteritis is a common inflammatory arteritis in the elderly; however, it rarely causes AA amyloidosis. We report a rare case of Horton disease causing AA amyloidosis in an elderly patient with history of myopericarditis and repeated episodes of congestive heart failure. Patient was treated initially with dual therapy based on corticosteroids and anti TNF therapy (Tocilizumab) associated with heart failure therapy recommended by the European society of cardiology (ESC 2021 guidelines on Heart Failure). The initial outcome was favorable but later complicated by the involvement of the lungs; pulmonary fibrosis, responsible for repeated episodes of pleural effusion non controlled in spite of high dose of loop diuretics and repeated pleural punction. Patient died shortly after her second hospitalization due to respiratory insufficiency.

Coronaro Cameral Fistula: Literature Review, Diagnosis and Management, about a Case

A coronary fistula is defined as a direct connection between a coronary artery and a heart chamber, great vessel, or other vascular structure that "bypasses" the myocardial capillary bed. This is a rare pathology that is usually not discovered until later in life, and exceptionally not during childhood. We report the case of a young patient who was hospitalized for chest pain and shortness of breath and who was found to have a coronary fistula on angiography. A 66-year-old patient. Hypertension on dual therapy for 16 years and diabetes on OAD (Oral Antidiabetic) for 4 years. He was hospitalized with typical angina pectoris and dyspnea, and the stress test was positive. Laboratory examination revealed a good general condition with NYHA stage 3 dyspneic angina pectoris extending to the upper extremities and no evidence of heart failure. Looking at the balance, we see a slight increase in troponin. ECG returns to regular sinus rhythm, with electrical LVH (left ventricular hypertrophy) and ambient negative waves, no rhythm or conduction abnormalities. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) reverses hypertensive heart disease with good global and partial contractility without significant valvular disease associated with systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (SPAP) at 35 mmHg. Coronary angiography is performed and shows evidence of minor involvement of the central CX artery and a coronary camera fistula from the first diagonal artery draining into the left ventricle. Management was about optimizing medical care. The patient received an appointment and was declared discharged. Coronary camera fistulae are rare, found in approximately 0.3% of coronary angiographic studies performed. Most are congenital and may occur primarily due to trauma, erosive infection of the vessel wall, or iatrogenicity during transluminal coronary angioplasty, myocardial biopsy, or valve replacement. In many cases, simple but complex forms can be described. The gold standard for confirming the diagnosis remains coronary angiography, which highlights both the affected arteries and drainage sites. Cardiac scanners occupy an increasingly important position, especially as they provide morphologically accurate information. Surgical or percutaneous treatment of the fistula with a coil is recommended in symptomatic adult patients, especially those with significant or complicated right-to-left shunts. The authors suggest treatment with ?-blockers when multiple sinusoidal fistulas associated with ventricular wall hypertrophy are present. Close monitoring is recommended for asymptomatic small fistula. Corneal fistula is a rare congenital or acquired condition that is mostly asymptomatic and discovered in adulthood. Coronary angiography and heart scan can be used to confirm the diagnosis. Treatment is usually surgical or endovascular. However, in some cases, drug treatment with beta-blockers may help.

Echocardiographic and Etiopathogenic Features of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Casablanca University Hospital Experience

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common non-ischemic cardiomyopathy with a prevalence of 1:500 in the general population, based on the recognition of the phenotype. HCM is defined by the presence of increased left ventricular (LV) wall thickness that is not solely explained by abnormal loading conditions and the phenotype also includes disorganized myocyte arrangement, fibrosis, small-vessel disease, and abnormalities of the mitral valve apparatus. In particular to this pathology, we have conducted a one-year prospective study to determine clinical, echocardiographic features and etiopathogenic aspects of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the Casablanca university hospital. The results concluded that 50% of the causes was due to amyloidosis 35%, sarcomeric HCM and 15% Fabry disease in which 2 cases were related with pregnancy. Transthoracic echocardiography and cardia MRI plays an important role in HCM diagnosis and prognosis.

Stenosing Intracardiac Mass of the Mitral Valve: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Introduction: Benign intracardiac tumours are the most common of the 5% of primary tumours and account for 90% of intracardiac tumours. Myxoma, which is the main benign tumour, rarely localizes to the mitral valve, in the order of 1-5%, associated with severe symptoms and enormous complications. The objective is to report a rare and severe case of mitral valve myxoma resulting in severe obstruction of the valve orifice. Presentation of Case: A 65-year-old Moroccan woman, without profession, the diabetic patient presented with progressive dyspnoea, in whom transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) completed by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a cerebro-throracoabdominopelvic Positron emission tomography-scan (PET-scan) showed a cauliflower-shaped mass embedded in the small mitral valve, evoking the diagnosis of myxoma, confirmed by the anatomopathological examination. A lumpectomy with mitral valve plasty was performed in association with coronary artery bypass surgery for a tri truncal lesion. The evolution was marked by an improvement in the clinical and echographic state. Discussion: Myxoma is the first benign tumour encountered in women between the 3rd and 6th decade, whose diagnosis is evoked by a TTE, better by a TEE or more, by a computed tomography (CT scan) or even a cardiac MRI which specifies the visualization of the soft parts with all the internal details of the myxoma, whose confirmation is carried out on the histopathological analysis of the operating room. Conclusion: The management was based on complete resection of the tumor associated with mitral valve plasty.

Takayasu's Arteritis with Aortic Insufficiency as Initial Presentation: A Case Report

Takayasu's disease is the first cause of inflammatory aortitis in young subjects. The disease preferentially affects the women. Takayasu's disease could be a mode of non-specific reaction of the aorta to various infectious or dysimmune etiological factors. Aortic insufficiency is present in 7 to 10% of cases. It is usually moderate. Its mechanism is not unambiguous: direct damage to the aortic valves or dilation of the aortic annulus. Coronary damage responsible for angina or even myocardial infarction are also possible. We report the case of a severe aortic insufficiency secondary to takayasu disease complicated by acute coronary syndrome in a 42-year-old woman.

Ischemic Stroke Following Thrombolytic Therapy for Acute Inferior Myocardial Infarction: The Third Reported Case

Background: Ischemic stroke following thrombolysis for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI) is a rare and perplexing complication. We present an intriguing case of ischemic stroke following fibrinolytic therapy with tenecteplase for a STEMI. This is an extremely rare condition, and our case appears to be the third one reported in our departement. The three cases had one thing in common: ST-segment elevation in the inferior leads. Case Presentation: We describe the case of a 50-year-old north-african woman who suffered an acute inferior STEMI 6 hours after chest pain onset. Thrombolysis with tenecteplase was performed and few hours later an extensive right sylvian artery stroke occurred with subfalcine herniation. Decision-Making: The refractory intracranial hypertension despite medical therapy compelled a decompressive craniectomy. On the follow up, neurological deficits had increased, congestive heart failure developed, and finally the patient died on the tenth day in the intensive care unit. Conclusion: Hemorrhagic complications are not the only one, ischemic stroke can also occur after thrombolysis even if it is extremely odd. The pathophysiology is still poorly established. The prevalent implication of the inferior territory in the three cases described in the literature may open to future research prospects.