Acute myocardial infarction due to spontaneous, localized, acute dissection of the sinus of Valsalva detected by intravascular ultrasound and electrocardiogram-gated computed tomography.

A 58-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of chest pain. The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed ST-segment elevation in II, III, and a Vf with advanced heart block. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated aortic root dilatation at the sinus of Valsalva, moderate aortic regurgitation, and decreased wall motion in the inferior part of the left ventricle. Non-ECG-gated enhanced computed tomography (CT) did not reveal an aortic dissection. The patient underwent emergent coronary angiography, which revealed a severely narrowed ostium of the right coronary artery (RCA). Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed under intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance. IVUS images demonstrated an intimal flap extending from the aortic wall to the proximal RCA, suggesting that a periaortic hematoma in the false lumen compressed the ostium of the RCA, leading to acute myocardial infarction. To recover hemodynamic stability, the RCA ostium was stented. Subsequent ECG-gated enhanced CT clearly depicted the entry point and extension of the dissection localized within the sinus of Valsalva. The dissection likely involved the left main coronary artery and an emergent Bentall procedure was performed. Intraoperative findings confirmed an intimal tear and extension of the dissection. Thus, ECG-gated CT can clearly depict the entry site and extension of a dissection occurring in the localized area that cannot be detected by conventional CT.

Impact of an angulated aorto-septal relationship on cardio-cerebrovascular outcomes in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Aortic and valvular calcification are well-known risk factors for cardio-cerebrovascular events in patients undergoing hemodialysis. We investigated the clinical impact of an angulated aorto-septal angle as a result of aortic elongation due to aortic calcification on cardio-cerebrovascular outcomes in patients undergoing hemodialysis. We investigated 306 patients (mean age 65.4 years, 68% male) who underwent pre-scheduled routine echocardiography between April and September 2018. The angle between the anterior wall of the aorta and the ventricular septal surface (ASA) was quantified. We determined aortic and mitral valve calcification scores based on calcified cardiac changes; the aortic and mitral valve scores ranged between 0-9 and 0-6, respectively. The primary endpoint was a composite including cardio-cerebrovascular events and cardio-cerebrovascular death. The mean duration of dialysis among the patients in this analysis was 9.6 years. The primary endpoint was observed in 54 patients during the observational period (median 1095 days). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses identified left ventricular ejection fraction (per 10% increase: hazard ratio [HR] 0.67; 95% confidential interval [CI] 0.53-0.84, P = 0.001), left ventricular mass index (per 10 g/m2 increase: HR 1.14; 95% CI 1.05-1.24, P = 0.001), ASA (per 10 degree increase: HR 0.69; 95% CI 0.54-0.88; P = 0.003), and aortic valve calcification score (HR 1.15; 95% CI 1.04-1.26, P = 0.005) as independent determinants of the primary endpoint. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a higher incidence of the primary endpoint in patients with ASA <119.4 degrees than those with ASA ≥119.4 degrees (Log-rank P < 0.001). An angulated aorto-septal angle is an independent risk factor for cardio-cerebrovascular events and cardio-cerebrovascular death in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Non-A Blood Type Is a Risk Factor for Poor Cardio-Cerebrovascular Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Dialysis.

The clinical impact of ABO blood type on cardio-cerebrovascular outcomes in patients undergoing dialysis has not been clarified. A total of 365 hemodialysis patients participated in the current study. The primary endpoint was defined as a composite including cardio-cerebrovascular events and cardio-cerebrovascular death. The primary endpoint was observed in 73 patients during a median follow-up period of 1182 days, including 16/149 (11%) with blood type A, 22/81 (27%) with blood type B, 26/99 (26%) with blood type O, and 9/36 (25%) with blood type AB. At baseline, no difference was found in the echocardiographic parameters. Multivariable Cox regression analyses revealed that blood type (type A vs. non-A type; hazard ratio (HR): 0.46, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.26-0.81, p = 0.007), age (per 10-year increase; HR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.18-1.84), antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy (HR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.07-3.41), LVEF (per 10% increase; HR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.63-0.96), and LV mass index (per 10 g/m2 increase; HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01-1.13) were the independent determinants of the primary endpoint. Kaplan-Meier curves also showed a higher incidence of the primary endpoint in the non-A type than type A (Log-rank p = 0.001). Dialysis patients with blood type A developed cardio-cerebrovascular events more frequently than non-A type patients.

Coronary Artery Spasm during Cryoballoon Ablation in a Patient with Atrial Fibrillation.

The patient was a 63-year-old man with drug-resistant atrial fibrillation who developed coronary spasm during cryoballoon ablation (CBA). CBA was started from the left inferior pulmonary vein. ST elevations in II, III, and aVf, with reciprocal ST depressions in V2-5, occurred in association with chest pain just after balloon rewarming and deflation, and the patient's blood pressure fell to 50 mmHg. Coronary angiography revealed 90% diffuse stenosis from the orifice of segment 1 to segment 4 in the right coronary artery. The stenosis and ST elevations improved after the intracoronary injection of nitroglycerine. Using continuous peripheral intravenous coronary vasodilation, we electrically isolated the other pulmonary veins with CBA without incident.

Two cases with renal infarction diagnosed in the early course using contrast-enhanced CT.

We experienced two cases of renal infarction with atrial fibrillation who presented with acute abdominal pain. On initial urinalysis, both patients showed no hematuria, but the plasma lactate dehydrogenase level was markedly elevated with little or no rise in plasma transaminases. Their diagnosis was confirmed by contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen on the second and third days of the crisis. We immediately initiated anticoagulant therapy, resulting in successful prevention of new embolism. Contrast-enhanced CT should be considered if abdominal symptoms develop in patients with atrial fibrillation. Renal infarction could be diagnosed in the early course, even in cases with incomplete occlusion of the renal arteries and normal renal function.