Strain Longitudinal e Acidente Vascular Encefálico Isquêmico na Ausência de Cardiopatia Conhecida / Longitudinal Strain and Ischemic Stroke in the Absence of Known Heart Disease

Fundamento: O acidente vascular encefálico (AVE) é prevalente no mundo. Reconhecimento precoce da doença cardiovascular subclínica pode predizer um primeiro episódio de AVE isquêmico; o speckle tracking associado à ecocardiografia (STE) permite detecção precoce da disfunção miocárdica subclínica. Objetivo: Provar a associação entre deformação miocárdica avaliada pelo STE e primeiro episódio de AVE em indivíduos saudáveis. Método: Incluímos participantes entre 40-80 anos com primeiro episódio de AVE isquêmico sem cardiopatia conhecida, pareados por sexo, idade e hipertensão com grupo controle saudável na proporção 1:2. STE avaliou strain longitudinal (SL) do ventrículo esquerdo (VE), e ecocardiografia tradicional foi realizada. Análises univariada e multivariada avaliaram as relações do AVE com fatores de risco cardiovasculares e parâmetros derivados da ecocardiografia. Resultado: 29 casos e 62 controles foram incluídos. Média etária foi 60 ± 12 anos; 54% eram homens. Tabagismo foi mais prevalente em casos do que em controles (34% vs. 9%; p=0.001). Nenhum outro fator de risco evidenciou diferença estatística. Casos tiveram menor deformação miocárdica comparados aos controles (SL -16.7 ± 3.4% vs. -19.2 ± 2.8%; p < 0.001). Não houve diferença em relação aos parâmetros ecocardiográficos tradicionais. Após ajuste para tabagismo e hiperlipidemia, SL manteve-se independentemente associado com AVE (OR=1.3; 95% CI, 1.1 ­ 1.6; p=0.005). A área abaixo à curva ROC para AVE aumentou significativamente após adicionar SL ao tabagismo (0.65 para 0.78, respectivamente; p=0.009). Conclusão: SL tem independente associação com o primeiro episódio de AVE isquêmico em adultos de média idade com corações geralmente normais. SL pode ser potencial marcador de risco nesta população

Background: Stroke is prevalent worldwide, and early recognition of subclinical cardiovascular (CV) disease could predict a first ischemic stroke (IS) episode. Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) allows the detection of early subclinical myocardial dysfunction. Aim: To examine the association between myocardial deformation, evaluated by STE, and first episode of IS in a sample of otherwise healthy patients. Methods: We included individuals between 40­80 years old, with a first incidence of IS, with no known CV disease, matched to healthy controls by sex, age, and hypertension at a 1:2 ratio. STE was used to assess LV global longitudinal strain (GLS), and traditional echocardiography was performed. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to assess the relationship among stroke, CV risk factors, and echocardiographyderived parameters. Results: A total of 29 cases and 62 controls were included. The mean age of the patients was 60 ± 12 y/o, and 54% were males. Smoking was more prevalent in cases compared to controls (34% vs. 9%; p = 0.001), and there were no significant differences in the other examined risk factors. Cases had less myocardial deformation compared to controls (GLS: -16.7% ± 3.4% vs. -19.2 ± 2.8%; p < 0.001), and there was no

Giant bullous emphysema mistaken for traumatic pneumothorax.

INTRODUCTION: Giant bullous emphysema (GBE) is defined by giant bullae in one or both upper lobes, occupying at least one-third of the hemithorax and compressing the surrounding parenchyma [1]. Symptoms include dyspnea, hypoxia, chest pain and pressure, and hemoptysis [2], which can be complicated by pneumothorax and infection of the bullae [3]. CASE PRESENTATION: A 50-year-old male was brought to the emergency department after he fell 5 m in a suicide attempt. The patient was in respiratory distress and had bilateral absence of breath sounds. He was intubated and bilateral chest tubes were inserted. A computerized tomography (CT) scan showed bilateral giant bullous emphysema in the upper lobes, confirming a diagnosis of GBE. As a result of the insertion of chest tubes, he developed bilateral high flow fistulas. During his hospitalization, he developed sepsis secondary to ventilator-associated pneumonia. In an attempt to control the fistulas, a right bullectomy was performed. Despite antibiotic treatment and surgical intervention, the patient died due to septic shock. DISCUSSION: The clinical picture of a patient with GBE can be similar to that of pneumothorax, and GBE has been reported as being misdiagnosed as pneumothorax [4,5]. A CT scan can play an important role in differentiating these conditions [6], thus avoiding needle decompression, which can be catastrophic [6]. CONCLUSION: Giant bullous emphysema can represent a pitfall in trauma assessment. We recommend that in cases where pneumothorax is suspected, if the patient is clinically stable, imaging studies should be performed prior to chest tube placement.