Correction to: Vitamin D and Heart Failure.

The original version of this article, published in Current Heart Failure Reports, Volume 14, Issue 5, October 2017, erroneously cited an author's name as Marshall Brinkley, D" when it should be "Brinkley, DM."

Vitamin D and Heart Failure.

PURPOSE: Vitamin D is principally known for its role in calcium homeostasis, but preclinical studies implicate multiple pathways through which vitamin D may affect cardiovascular function and influence risk for heart failure. Many adults with cardiovascular disease have low vitamin D status, making it a potential therapeutic target. We review the rationale and potential role of vitamin D supplementation in the prevention and treatment of chronic heart failure. RECENT FINDINGS: Substantial observational evidence has associated low vitamin D status with the risk of heart failure, ventricular remodeling, and clinical outcomes in heart failure, including mortality. However, trials assessing the influence of vitamin D supplementation on surrogate markers and clinical outcomes in heart failure have generally been small and inconclusive. There are insufficient data to recommend routine assessment or supplementation of vitamin D for the prevention or treatment of chronic heart failure. Prospective trials powered for clinical outcomes are warranted.

Bedside cardiac testing in acute cor pulmonale.

We present a case where an ECG and echocardiogram suggested pulmonary embolism and early treatment led to a positive outcome.

A hiding in the lining: painful pericardial cyst.

A pericardial cyst is a rare and benign congenital malformation, usually discovered in the third or fourth decade of life. Its clinical presentation is variable, as it may be asymptomatic or present with chest pain, shortness of breath, or rarely with cardiac tamponade and arrhythmias. We present an interesting case of a woman presenting with chest pain who was found to have a pericardial cyst.

Platypnea orthodeoxia: a 'laid-back' case of dyspnoea.

A man with end-stage liver disease who presented with shortness of breath. He exhibited clinical platypnea (worsening shortness of breath on sitting up) and orthodeoxia (oxygen desaturation on sitting up). Follow-up investigations led to the diagnosis of hepatopulmonary syndrome.

Trapdoor ischaemia: coronary ostial occlusion by an aortic dissection.

We present an interesting case of an elderly man with acute myocardial infarction due to retrograde dissection of the aortic root occluding the coronary ostia.

Acute pre-renal failure: acquired chloride diarrhea after bowel resection.

A 58-year old male with a history of small bowel resection and ileostomy presented with severe dehydration and high ostomy output. Laboratory investigation indicated hypochloremia, hypokalemia, hyponatremia, metabolic alkalosis, chloride-rich diarrhea, acute renal failure, and low urinary chloride excretion. Due to striking similarities to congenital chloridorrhea (CCD) reported in neonates, we empirically diagnosed acquired chloridorrhea (ACD, chloride diarrhea). This is a rare disorder resulting in profuse chloride-rich diarrhea and classic metabolic derangements affecting adults with chronic intestinal inflammation, often in association with bowel surgery. In this report, we review the relevant literature and discuss the genetic defects likely contributing to both the congenital and acquired forms of chloridorrhea.