Erratum to "Paradoxical coronary vasospasm and transient apical ballooning in a post-menopausal woman: An imaging case report of an unusual INOCA presentation" [Am. Heart J. Plus: Cardiol. Res. Pract. volume 13, January 2022, 100101].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.ahjo.2022.100101.].

Right Ventricular Involvement of an Aggressive Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor.

We present a case of a 58-year-old woman who had a painful right thigh mass for a few months. A transthoracic echocardiogram revealed no evidence of an intracardiac mass. She had a whole-body positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan two months later that revealed masses in her right lower extremity and a mass in her right ventricle that had not been initially reported. She had been initially diagnosed with an undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, but this diagnosis was changed to a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor with repeat pathology. She was subsequently hospitalized. An echocardiogram showed a mass covering 80% of her right ventricle (RV). Serial cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 9.4 × 5.6 cm RV mass with vascular and avascular portions and inflow and outflow tract obstruction. Computed tomography showed no other metastases. Due to a delay in diagnosis and a decline in left ventricular ejection fraction, the patient could not undergo palliative chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Cardiac Computed Tomography Angiography for Device-Related Thrombus Assessment After WATCHMAN FLX™ Occluder Device Implantation: A Single-Center Retrospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Device-related thrombosis (DRT) is one of the greatest challenges of transcatheter left atrial appendage device occlusion. Due to the invasive nature of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is being increasingly utilized in several centers for assessing adequate left atrial appendage closure and monitoring for DRT. There is a paucity of data regarding the standardized definition of DRT on CCTA for the WATCHMAN FLX™ device. METHODS/MATERIALS: A retrospective review was conducted on 43 patients receiving WATCHMAN FLX™ device implantation with CCTA performed at the first follow-up at our institution. A comparative review of DRT predictors was performed on 10 patients who had both CCTA and TEE at the time of follow-up. RESULTS: Hypoattenuated thickening (HAT) was a common finding on CCTA and was noted to be present in 95.35% of the patients. The combination of a large device size, peridevice gap >4 mm, and HAT located on the device gutter and 1 shoulder were characteristics present on CCTA observed in 2 patients with confirmed DRT on TEE. CONCLUSION: CCTA is a noninvasive imaging modality for DRT monitoring, with guidelines still in development. We report potential predictors of DRT on CCTA. Additional studies are needed to further determine standardized parameters for DRT detection on CCTA and the significance of HAT with multimodality correlation.

Paradoxical coronary vasospasm and transient apical ballooning in a post-menopausal woman: An imaging case report of an unusual INOCA presentation.

Ischemia with non-obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA), a common cause of angina, can occur due to coronary vasospasm, microvascular dysfunction, endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis or a combination of these mechanisms. We describe a case of adenosine-associated paradoxical coronary vasospasm and Takotsubo-like apical ballooning in a postmenopausal woman with underlying mild coronary atherosclerosis and microvascular dysfunction.

Fifteen-Year Trends in Incidence of Cardiogenic Shock Hospitalization and In-Hospital Mortality in the United States.

Background There is a lack of contemporary data on cardiogenic shock (CS) in-hospital mortality trends. Methods and Results Patients with CS admitted January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2018, were identified from the US National Inpatient Sample. We reported the crude and adjusted trends of in-hospital mortality among the overall population and selected subgroups. Among a total of 563 949 644 hospitalizations during the period from January 1, 2004, to December 30, 2018, 1 254 358 (0.2%) were attributed to CS. There has been a steady increase in hospitalizations attributed to CS from 122 per 100 000 hospitalizations in 2004 to 408 per 100 000 hospitalizations in 2018 (Ptrend<0.001). This was associated with a steady decline in the adjusted trends of in-hospital mortality during the study period in the overall population (from 49% in 2004 to 37% in 2018; Ptrend<0.001), among patients with acute myocardial infarction CS (from 43% in 2004 to 34% in 2018; Ptrend<0.001), and among patients with non-acute myocardial infarction CS (from 52% in 2004 to 37% in 2018; Ptrend<0.001). Consistent trends of reduced mortality were seen among women, men, different racial/ethnic groups, different US regions, and different hospital sizes, regardless of the hospital teaching status. Conclusions Hospitalizations attributed to CS have tripled in the period from January 2004 to December 2018. However, there has been a slow decline in CS in-hospital mortality during the studied period. Further studies are necessary to determine if the recent adoption of treatment algorithms in treating patients with CS will further impact in-hospital mortality.

Girl Who Cried Wolf: A Case of Prinzmetal Angina With Related ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Prinzmetal variant angina is characterized by episodic chest pain associated with transient ST changes seen on an electrocardiogram (EKG). A 51-year-old female with a pertinent history of non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) twice, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), Prinzmetal angina, ventricular tachycardia s/p implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement, and gastroesophageal reflux disease presented with 2.5 hours of left-sided chest pain with radiation to the left arm. Her initial EKG was not revealing. However, a subsequent EKG showed ST elevations in the inferior leads. A coronary angiogram was performed and revealed distal right coronary artery spasm that was relieved with intracoronary nitroglycerin. The nature of her chest pain in conjunction with her EKG and angiogram findings helped diagnose her with Prinzmetal angina that was significant enough to result in a STEMI. Thus, Prinzmetal angina and STEMI can be interconnected rather than being separate, mutually exclusive pathologies.

Lipid inclusions in cardiac myocytes - a rare case of cardiolipotoxicity.

The heart oxidizes fatty acids for its energy production. The physiological balance between fatty acid uptake and its oxidation prevents lipid accumulation in cardiac myocytes. However, accumulation of lipids due to various processes such as obesity, diabetes, heart failure, myocardial ischemia or infarction can result in damage to the heart tissue, also known as cardiolipotoxicity. We present a unique case of a 69-year-old gentleman with a history of heart failure and ventricular tachycardia. Endomyocardial biopsy to assess for restrictive cardiomyopathy/amyloid showed no evidence of amyloid, significant inflammation or fibrosis, but did show intracellular accumulation of significant amorphous material in most cardiac myocytes. We review the literature regarding the pathogenesis of cardiolipotoxicity, which has no definite cause or treatment yet identified.

AHA telemetry guidelines improve telemetry utilization in the inpatient setting.

OBJECTIVES: Overuse of telemetry among hospitalized patients results in poor patient care and wasted health care dollars. Guidelines addressing telemetry use have been developed by the American Heart Association (AHA) and are effective when applied to specific clinical practices and high-value care. The purpose of our intervention was to facilitate more effective utilization of telemetry in our hospital. We aimed to reduce patient days on telemetry through use of AHA guideline criteria for telemetry. STUDY DESIGN: We used Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles with chart review for pre- and postintervention measurement collection. METHODS: We included patients hospitalized at The Brooklyn Hospital Center on inpatient general medical wards from January 1, 2017, through July 31, 2018. The intervention consisted of a standard process of reviewing patients on telemetry based on AHA guidelines, educating teams on the guidelines, and changes to telemetry order sets. The primary outcome measured was the total number of days that patients remained on telemetry. Secondary measures included the daily number of telemetry downgrades and total number of patients on telemetry. Diagnosis-related group and case mix index were also noted. RESULTS: Patient average days on telemetry changed from 7.20 days preintervention to 3.51 days post intervention (P < .0001). The number of patients on telemetry with a diagnosis meeting AHA guidelines for telemetry increased. CONCLUSIONS: The stated intervention resulted in more effective use of telemetry, evidenced by fewer patient days on telemetry and increased numbers of patients on telemetry meeting AHA guidelines for telemetry.

Rare Acute Presentation of a Low-Grade Thymic Neuroendocrine Tumor.

Primary neuroendocrine tumor (NET) of the thymus is very rare. Here we report an unusual presentation of grade-I typical thymic NET in a 63-year-old female who presented with signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure (CHF) due to the mass effect from the huge tumor. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest revealed a mediastinal mass measuring 16.4 x 12 x 15.3 cm displacing most of the left lung parenchyma, with mass effect on the heart, and encasing the ascending aorta and main pulmonary trunk. Pathology report from the thymic mass biopsy showed tumor cells strongly expressing synaptophysin, chromogranin A, and cluster of differentiation (CD)56 markers. The diagnosis was consistent with grade-I typical thymic NET based on low Ki-67 and morphology. The patient was not in agreement for acute surgery or oncological treatment options. Thus, the plan was made to embolize the arteries from the right coronary artery that were feeding the mass in an effort to shrink the size with goals of future surgical resection. However, given the advanced stage of the diagnosis with mass effect on the heart and the patient's reluctance to consider the main definitive treatment options, the prognosis was extremely poor and the patient eventually passed away.

Adult Double-Chambered Right Ventricle Associated With Ventricular Tachycardia and New-Onset Heart Failure.

A double-chambered right ventricle is an uncommon form of congenital heart disease that is characterized by the division of the right ventricle into a proximal high-pressure chamber and a distal low-pressure chamber. A 70-year-old male presented to the emergency room from his outpatient doctor's office with unstable wide complex ventricular tachycardia with right axis deviation. His ventricular tachycardia was terminated using external cardioversion and intravenous amiodarone. He was subsequently found to have new-onset heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction and a right ventricular tract outflow obstruction on transthoracic echocardiography. A diagnosis of the double-chambered right ventricle was made. The patient was offered surgery to fix the anomalous tissue but he refused. He did agree to subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement and was then discharged home.

Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonist Use in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction and End-Stage Renal Disease Patients on Dialysis: A Literature Review.

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) are known to have a proven mortality benefit in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) without kidney disease. As patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring either peritoneal dialysis or hemodialysis were excluded in clinical trials of HFrEF, the data are scant on the appropriate use of MRAs in this population. The unknown efficacy, along with concerns of adverse effects such as hyperkalemia, has limited the willingness of clinicians to consider using MRAs in these patients. However, it is unclear whether the risk of hyperkalemia is present if a patient is oliguric or anuric. Current guidelines recommend against the use of MRAs in patients with chronic kidney disease, but do not address the use of MRAs in patients requiring dialysis. This article will review the epidemiology of heart failure in ESRD, the pathophysiological derangements of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in patients with kidney disease, and the results from case series and trials of the use of MRAs in ESRD with HFrEF. Although limited to several small trials using MRAs in peritoneal and hemodialysis patients with or without HFrEF, the current literature appears to show the potential for clinical benefits with little risk.

Management of pulmonary hypertension from left heart disease in candidates for orthotopic heart transplantation.

Pulmonary hypertension in left heart disease (PH-LHD) commonly complicates prolonged heart failure (HF). When advanced, the PH becomes fixed or out of proportion and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing orthotopic heart transplant (OHT). To date, the only recommended treatment of out of proportion PH is the treatment of the underlying HF by reducing the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) with medications and often along with use of mechanical circulatory support. Medical therapies typically used in the treatment of World Health Organization (WHO) group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have been employed off-label in the setting of PH-LHD with varying efficacy and often negative outcomes. We will discuss the current standard of care including treating HF and use of mechanical circulatory support. In addition, we will review the studies published to date assessing the efficacy and safety of PAH medications in patients with PH-LHD being considered for OHT.