Combined Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and N-Terminal pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptide after Sacubitril/Valsartan for Predicting Outcomes in Patients with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether a combined increase of ≥ 10% in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and decrease in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT pro-BNP) to < 1000 pg/mL after treatment with sacubitril/valsartan (SAC/VAL) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) translated to better treatment outcomes in a real-world Taiwanese population. Methods: This is a single-center, prospective, non-randomized, observational study. Consecutive patients with HFrEF were treated with SAC/VAL and followed up for at least 12 months. The primary endpoint was a change in LVEF and reduction in NT pro-BNP at 12 months. The secondary outcomes were death and heart failure (HF) rehospitalization. Results: A total of 105 patients were analyzed after 12 months of SAC/VAL treatment. The mean age was 66.0 ± 11.6 years, and the mean LVEF and NT pro-BNP were 33.6 ± 6.7% and 4462.7 ± 5851.7 pg/mL respectively. The mean LVEF significantly increased to 50.5 ± 10.3% (p < 0.001), while NT pro-BNP decreased to 1270.3 ± 2368.2 pg/mL (p = 0.001) at 12 months, with the greatest changes occurring in the first 3 months of treatment (p < 0.001). Five patients died and 12 were rehospitalized for HF. None of the patients in the responder group died compared to 5 deaths in the non-responder group (p = 0.039). Combined ≥ 10% LVEF increase and NT pro-BNP of < 1000 pg/mL was an independent predictor of death and HF rehospitalization (p = 0.019). Conclusions: SAC/VAL treatment resulted in significant improvements in LVEF, reduced NT pro-BNP level, death and HF hospitalization. Taken separately, an NT pro-BNP level of < 1000 pg/mL was a better predictor than ≥ 10% LVEF increase. Combining both variables predicted fewer deaths and HF rehospitalizations. Even with failure to reach the target dose, SAC/VAL still had significantly beneficial treatment outcomes in Taiwanese patients.

Coronary Aneurysm Formation After Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold Implantation Resulting in Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND Development of a true coronary aneurysm after percutaneous coronary intervention is a rare event, and a coronary aneurysm resulting in acute myocardial infarction is even rarer. Coronary aneurysm formation after bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) implantation, eventually leading to thrombosis, embolization, and myocardial infarction, has never been reported before in the literature. CASE REPORT A 62-year-old man received an elective BVS for a proximal left anterior descending lesion. Two months later, he suffered from a non-ST-segment myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography showed a non-significant distal stent edge restenosis over the left anterior descending artery and a small aneurysm after the first diagonal branch. A XIENCE Xpedition stent was used to cover both lesions and final angiography showed shrinkage of the aneurysm and resolution of the restenosis. CONCLUSIONS Since a consensus or an established treatment guideline for treating coronary aneurysms is currently lacking, each case should be treated with caution and should be guided by the accompanying circumstances presented during the procedure. Although size, rapidity of growth, and the presence of high-risk features are the main determinants of whether to treat the lesion, the inherent risk of restenosis or reocclusion after use of drug-eluting stents and the coronary intervention procedure itself should also be taken into consideration. However, one must not take lightly a small coronary aneurysm when discovered, as the abnormal fluid dynamics inside may result in thrombus formation and embolization. The fundamental technical aspects of stent deployment, such as avoiding overstretching during lesion preparation, use of balloons shorter than the implanted device, and normal-to-normal or healthy "landing zone" of the device, should be followed.

Glomus tumor of the trachea managed by spiral tracheoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Glomus tumors are usually found over the dermis of the extremities, particularly over the subungual region of the fingers, and occurrence in the trachea is an extremely rare event. To date, only 29 cases of tracheal and 2 main bronchus glomus tumors have been reported in the English literature. Our patient is the first ever reported case in Taiwan that was managed by spiral tracheoplasty. CASE REPORT: A 58-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of hemoptysis. Computed tomographic (CT) scan revealed a mass over the posterior wall of the trachea. Surgical resection with spiral tracheoplasty was performed due to uncontrolled bleeding and airway compromise. Histopathology and immunostaining confirmed a glomus tumor. Postoperative course was unremarkable and she was discharged in improved condition after 9 days of hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: Although chronic symptom presentation is the rule for tracheal glomus tumors, airway obstruction and bleeding are life-threatening presentations. Histopathological examination and staining are important to differentiate it from hemangiopericytoma or carcinoid tumors. Spiral tracheoplasty after tangential resection may be tried, as this preserves more tracheal tissue, decreases tension, and prevents postoperative leakage at the anastomotic site.

Gallbladder papillomatosis and cholecystocolonic fistula: a rare combination.

BACKGROUND: Biliary papillomatosis (BP) with sole involvement of the gall bladder or gall bladder papillomatosis (GBP) is very rare. Biliary-enteric fistula, particularly the cholecystocolonic fistula (CCF) type, is also very rare. The combination of both types of lesions in a single patient has never previously been reported in the English literature. CASE REPORT: We report herein the case of an 81-year-old woman who was diagnosed with both disease entities, which occurred in a cause-and-effect relationship. She underwent resection of the gall bladder with closure of the fistula, and was discharged improved afterwards. CONCLUSIONS: GBP is a premalignant condition that warrants extensive resection. An absent Murphy's sign or jaundice on physical examination should not rule out this disease or accompanying biliary tract infection because a biliary-enteric fistula may be present. Thorough review of the radiologic images should be performed, since subtle details could be easily missed or dismissed, thus affecting the postoperative course. A CCF should alert the physician that another disease entity is present.

Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (tirofiban) in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Studies have shown conflicting results for glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (tirofiban) use in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The authors aimed to determine if an upstream conventional dose of tirofiban in addition to a standard treatment regimen improved coronary patency and clinical outcomes in patients with STEMI. A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with STEMI, who underwent emergent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the authors' hospital from July 2000 to April 2006 was performed. All patients received loading doses of aspirin, clopidogrel or ticlopidine, and unfractionated heparin with or without tirofiban in the emergency department prior to PCI. It was found that adding a conventional dose of tirofiban to the standard treatment regimen prior to PCI did not improve coronary patency in STEMI patients. Tirofiban also failed to show favorable outcomes for 90 days of follow-up, but there was a favorable trend for short-term 30-day survival.

Transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome: the first series in Taiwanese patients.

Previously thought as exclusive in Japanese patients, cases of transient left ventricular apical ballooning from other countries have also been reported. The cause remains unknown. From January 1997 to December 2005, 25 patients presenting with signs and symptoms of acute myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries were analyzed. In all, 10 patients fulfilled all the criteria for transient left ventricular apical ballooning. In all, 6 patients had chest pain and diaphoresis, 5 patients had ST segment elevation, 7 had T wave inversions, and 5 had QT prolongation; 6 patients had normal coronary arteries and 4 had insignificant stenosis. In all, 2 patients died of sepsis, whereas the rest recovered. This is the first series in Taiwanese patients. Our series showed male preponderance, and most patients recovered with supportive treatment. Without any delineating preangiographic feature differentiating it from acute myocardial infarction, any patient should be treated as a case of myocardial infarction until proven otherwise.

Acute coronary syndrome due to high aortocoronary junction of the right coronary artery: the value of multislice CT.

High aortocoronary junction of the right coronary artery (RCA) above the sinus of Valsalva is not rare. There is controversy whether it is a benign finding or a life threatening condition. A 47-year-old male, who had recurrent acute coronary syndrome underwent coronary arteriogram twice showing only an aberrant origin of the RCA ostium from the left coronary cuspid. Sixty-four cut multislice computed tomogram (MSCT) of the coronary arteries showed the RCA ostium taking off above the right sinus of Valsalva. The RCA then shifted leftward and coursed between the great vessels. Compression of its proximal segment as it passed between the aorta and pulmonary artery explained the recurrent coronary attack. High take-off of the RCA ostium above its cuspid should be considered a risk factor for acute coronary attack under certain conditions. MSCT is valuable in providing better spatial images compared to the more invasive conventional coronary arteriography.

Persistent left superior vena cava: multi-slice CT images and report of a case.

Abnormalities of the vena cava system are usually asymptomatic and discovered incidentally during catheter placement or pacemaker implantation. Persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) is caused by failure of involution of the left anterior cardinal vein caudal to the left brachiocephalic vein during embryonic development. It is a benign condition, but becomes dangerous during pacemaker lead implantation, especially in emergency situations and when the right superior vena cava is absent. This is brought about by difficulty in pacemaker lead maneuvering into the right ventricle. A 64-cut multi-slice computed tomographic (MSCT) scan can show clear spatial relationship of the heart with its surrounding structures. We present a case of PLSVC discovered during pacemaker implantation, and viewed by 64-cut MSCT scan.

Thyroid storm and ventricular tachycardia.

A 34-year-old woman was brought to our emergency department because of sudden loss of consciousness. Ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation were noted on electrocardiographic monitoring and reverted to sinus rhythm after repeated defibrillation. She was treated as a case of thyroid storm. Although tachycardia and fever normalized after 2 days, she remained comatose and died. This is an unusual case because the patient's initial presentation was cardiac arrest without previous history of cardiac disease. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case where ventricular tachyarrhythmia was the initial presenting sign of thyroid storm.