A case of tricuspid valvular nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis associated with advanced ovarian cancer.

Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) is characterized by the deposition of thrombi on the heart valves without bacteremia and predominantly affects patients with hypercoagulable state. Since the lesion of NBTE often exists in the left-sided valves, involvement of the tricuspid valve (TV) is rare. We herein report a 34-year-old woman with advanced ovarian cancer and pulmonary embolization showing NBTE on the TV. Plasma D-dimer level was markedly elevated and echocardiography showed highly mobile masses on the TV with moderate to severe regurgitation. After the initiation of heparin therapy, reduction of plasma D-dimer levels along with shrinkage of the TV vegetations was observed. However, she was forced to discontinue the heparin because its supply was interrupted in association with coronavirus disease 2019. Coupled with systemic metastasis of ovarian cancer, elevated plasma D-dimer level and exacerbation of NBTE were observed. Thereafter, she resumed subcutaneous injection of heparin, resulting in re-improvement. Learning objective: Involvement of tricuspid valve (TV) by nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE) is rare, especially when they are associated with advanced cancer. Our case underlines the importance of listing the NBTE as a differential diagnosis in cancer patients showing valve vegetations even in the TV.

Effect of the local hemodynamic environment on the de novo development and progression of eccentric coronary atherosclerosis in humans: insights from PREDICTION.

BACKGROUND: Eccentric distribution of atheroma has been associated with plaques likely to rupture and cause an acute coronary syndrome, but the factors responsible for the development of eccentricity remain unknown. Endothelial shear stress (ESS) drives plaque formation. We aimed to investigate the role of the local ESS characteristics in the de novo development and progressive worsening of plaque eccentricity in humans. METHODS: Vascular profiling (3-vessel 3D coronary reconstruction by angiography/intravascular ultrasound, and blood flow simulation for ESS computation) was performed in 374 patients at baseline & 6-10 months follow-up. At baseline, we identified (i) disease-free segments (n=2157), and (ii) diseased regions of luminal obstructions (n=408). RESULTS: In disease-free regions, baseline low ESS magnitude (p<0.001), marked ESS circumferential heterogeneity (p=0.001), and their interaction (p=0.026) were associated with an increased probability of de novo eccentric plaque formation at follow-up. In diseased regions, baseline low ESS (odds ratio [OR]: 2.33, p=0.003) and large plaque burden (OR: 2.46, p=0.002) were independent predictors of substantially increasing plaque eccentricity index with worsening lumen encroachment. This combined outcome was more frequent in obstructions with both features vs. all others (33 vs. 12%; p<0.001). The incidence of percutaneous coronary intervention in worsening obstructions with increasing plaque eccentricity was higher (13.3 vs. 4.3%, p=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: The local hemodynamic environment has a critical effect on the development of eccentric coronary plaques at both an early and advanced stage of atherosclerosis. Local ESS assessment could help in predicting sites prone to plaque disruption and acute coronary syndromes in humans.

Prediction of progression of coronary artery disease and clinical outcomes using vascular profiling of endothelial shear stress and arterial plaque characteristics: the PREDICTION Study.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic plaques progress in a highly individual manner. The purposes of the Prediction of Progression of Coronary Artery Disease and Clinical Outcome Using Vascular Profiling of Shear Stress and Wall Morphology (PREDICTION) Study were to determine the role of local hemodynamic and vascular characteristics in coronary plaque progression and to relate plaque changes to clinical events. METHODS AND RESULTS: Vascular profiling, using coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound, was used to reconstruct each artery and calculate endothelial shear stress and plaque/remodeling characteristics in vivo. Three-vessel vascular profiling (2.7 arteries per patient) was performed at baseline in 506 patients with an acute coronary syndrome treated with a percutaneous coronary intervention and in a subset of 374 (74%) consecutive patients 6 to 10 months later to assess plaque natural history. Each reconstructed artery was divided into sequential 3-mm segments for serial analysis. One-year clinical follow-up was completed in 99.2%. Symptomatic clinical events were infrequent: only 1 (0.2%) cardiac death; 4 (0.8%) patients with new acute coronary syndrome in nonstented segments; and 15 (3.0%) patients hospitalized for stable angina. Increase in plaque area (primary end point) was predicted by baseline large plaque burden; decrease in lumen area (secondary end point) was independently predicted by baseline large plaque burden and low endothelial shear stress. Large plaque size and low endothelial shear stress independently predicted the exploratory end points of increased plaque burden and worsening of clinically relevant luminal obstructions treated with a percutaneous coronary intervention at follow-up. The combination of independent baseline predictors had a 41% positive and 92% negative predictive value to predict progression of an obstruction treated with a percutaneous coronary intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Large plaque burden and low local endothelial shear stress provide independent and additive prediction to identify plaques that develop progressive enlargement and lumen narrowing. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http:www.//clinicaltrials.gov. Unique Identifier: NCT01316159.