BACKGROUND: Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) adversely affects prognosis following mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER). We aimed to derive a risk stratification tool for patients undergoing TEER for mitral regurgitation while exhibiting significant TR. METHODS: This is a single-center, retrospective analysis of 217 consecutive individuals referred to an isolated mitral TEER who had moderate-to-severe or greater TR at baseline. The primary outcome was the 1-year composite of all-cause mortality or heart failure hospitalizations. The cohort was randomly split in a 75%-to-25% ratio, creating train (n = 163) and test (n = 54) datasets. Model development, discrimination, and calibration were based on the train dataset. Internal validation was applied to the test dataset. RESULTS: Overall, 81 (37.3%) patients experienced the primary outcome. After multivariable analysis, a score for predicting the primary outcome was constructed that utilized a 0-to-3 scale, in which each point represented one of three baseline variables independently associated with this combined endpoint: serum B-natriuretic peptide (BNP) level >1,000 pg/mL, qualitative right ventricular (RV) dysfunction on transthoracic echocardiogram, and cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED). C-statistic of the model was 0.66 (95% CI, 0.57-0.75, p = 0.002) and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.61-0.89, p = 0.004) in the train and test datasets, respectively-representing comparable performance to current, more complex tools. Neither this BNP-RV-CIED (BRC) score nor other models were prognostically meaningful in 32 patients excluded from the main analysis who underwent a combined mitral-tricuspid TEER. CONCLUSION: The BRC score is a simple clinical prediction tool that may aid in the triage of isolated mitral TEER candidates with significant pre-existing TR.
In the American Southwest, a common problem can be diagnosed with the knowledge of the local environment and its inhabitants.
Cellulitis/diagnosis , Cellulitis/surgery , Scorpion Stings/diagnosis , Scorpion Stings/physiopathology , Scorpion Stings/surgery , Ulcer/diagnosis , Ulcer/surgery , Cellulitis/physiopathology , Edema/diagnosis , Edema/physiopathology , Edema/surgery , Erythema/diagnosis , Erythema/physiopathology , Erythema/surgery , Hand Injuries/diagnosis , Hand Injuries/physiopathology , Hand Injuries/surgery , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Texas , Treatment Outcome , Ulcer/physiopathology
INTRODUCTION: Cardiac masses have a wide range of etiologies with the most common being thrombi and less commonly tumors. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa other etiologies not commonly seen in developed countries such as endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) must be considered. EMF is a disease process associated with poverty, a poor diet, and eosinophilia although its pathology is poorly understood. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 53-year-old male with a history of dilated cardiomyopathy who presented to a Ugandan Emergency Department in respiratory distress. Bedside echocardiography was performed which revealed a large mass in the apex of the left ventricle. The patient was subsequently given supplemental oxygen and intravenous furosemide, however he later died while in the emergency department due to limited resources and lack of definitive care. DISCUSSION: The list of potential etiologies of cardiac masses is widely variable, and in settings such as Sub-Saharan Africa, this list must be expanded to include possible diagnoses such as EMF. EMF is a diagnosis that should be considered in patients presenting with respiratory distress and a cardiac mass present on echocardiography, such as the case presented here. The limited opportunities for medical personnel to diagnose cardiovascular disease can be made more efficient by the use of diagnostic imaging devices which are portable, yet capable of diagnosing the most common local pathologies [9-11].
