Endomyocardial fibrosis associated with massive calcification of the left ventricle.

This is the report of a rare case of endomyocardial fibrosis associated with massive calcification of the left ventricle in a male patient with dyspnea on great exertion, which began 5 years earlier and rapidly evolved. Due to lack of information and the absence of clinical signs that could characterize impairment of other organs, the case was initially managed as a disease with a pulmonary origin. With the evolution of the disease and in the presence of radiological images of heterogeneous opacification in the projection of the left ventricle, the diagnostic hypothesis of endomyocardial disease was established. This hypothesis was later confirmed on chest computed tomography. The patient died on the 16th day of the hospital stay, probably because of lack of myocardial reserve, with clinical findings of refractory heart failure, possibly aggravated by pulmonary infection. This shows that a rare disease such as endomyocardial fibrosis associated with massive calcification of the left ventricle may be suspected on a simple chest X-ray and confirmed by computed tomography.

[Heart failure at a large tertiary hospital of São Paulo]. / Insuficiência cardíaca em grande hospital terciário de São Paulo.

PURPOSE: To study the incidence, main causes, aggravating factors and secondary diagnoses of heart failure (HF) during 1995 at the Instituto do Coração of São Paulo. METHODS: Data from hospitalized patients according to the PRODESP data base were analyzed. The following data were studied; age, sex, principal and secondary diagnoses, surgical procedures and mortality. To analyze the data, tables according to sex, age and main cause were built. Analysis of variance and t test were employed to verify differences between groups. RESULTS: In 1995, 903 out of 9620 patients were hospitalized due to HF. The majority were male (60.4%) and the patients' age was between two days and 98 years old (mean 52.6). Ischemic (32.6), dilated (25.8%) and valvar heart disease (22%) were the main causes of HF. 32.1% were submitted to correction of the HF main cause, specially those with valvar heart disease (62.3%). There was greater incidence of multiple diagnoses in aged patients. The mortality was greater in patients younger than 20 and in those older than 80 years old. CONCLUSION: The incidence of HF at INCOR during 1995 was 9.38%. Ischemic myocardiopathy was the most frequent HF cause. The mortality was greater among children, probably because of heart disease complexity and, in the above-80 group due to the greater comorbidity.

Insuficiência cardíaca em grande hospital terciário de São Paulo / Heart failure in a large tertiary hospital of São Paulo

OBJETIVO - Verificar a incidência, principais causas, fatores desencadeantes ou de piora da insuficiência cardíaca (IC) no ano de 1995, no Instituto do Coração de São Paulo. MÉTODOS - Foram analisados os registros referentes a pacientes internados, obtidos do banco de dados da PRODESP. Analisaram-se nos pacientes co IC os dados: idade, sexo, diagnóstico principal e secundários, procedimentos executados e óbitos. Para fim de análise, construiram-se tabelas de distribuição conforme o sexo, idade e diagnóstico principal. Análise de variância e teste do qui-quadrado foram empregados para verificar diferença entre os grupos estudados. RESULTADOS - Dos pacientes internados (903 de 9620) 9,38 'por cento' apresentaram IC. As idades variaram de 2 dias a 98 (média 52,6) anos e a maioria era do sexo masculino (60,4 'por cento'). Miocardiopatia isquêmica (32,6 'por cento'), miocardiopatia dilatada (25,8 'por cento') e valvopatias (22,0 'por cento') foram as principais causas de IC. Foram submetidos à cirurgia, angioplastia, ou implante de marcapasso, 32,1 'por cento' dos pacientes, sendo os valvopatas na maioria submetidos à correção de sua cardiopatia de base (63,3 'por cento'). Houve maior incidência de múltiplos diagnósticos secundários com o aumento da idade. A mortalidade foi maior nos com idade <20 anos e nos >80anos. CONCLUSÄO - A incidência de IC foi de 9,38 'por cento', sendo miocardiopatia isquêmica a causa mais freqüente. Foi possível corrigir a causa da IC em 32,1 'por cento'. A mortalidade foi maior nas crianças provavelmente pela maior complexidade de sua cardiopatia e nos mais idosos devido à maior associação de diagnósticos secundários ou fatores agravantes.

[When does the treatment with captopril show a better improvement in physical performance in patients with heart failure?]. / Em que momento do tratamento o uso do captopril determina melhora mais acentuada do desempenho físico em pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca?

PURPOSE: Considering that heart failure reduces exercise capacity and that converting enzyme inhibitor increases this capacity, using the 6 min walk test we try to demonstrate when the treatment with captopril shows a better improvement in exercise capacity in patients with heart failure. METHODS: Twenty one patients with functional class II or III heart failure (NYHA), left ventricular diastolic diameter greater than 55 mm and with ejection fraction less than 45% were studied. Twelve were male, and the patients mean age was 48 years. The patients were first treated with digital and diuretics and after stabilized they received captopril 25 mg three times a day and underwent the 6 min walk test before the treatment and after four and 16 weeks. RESULTS: The use of captopril showed important improvement in exercise capacity in patients with heart failure. The mean walking distance on the 6 min test was 451 m at the beginning, 476 m in four weeks and 504 in 16 weeks of treatment (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Our data show important improvement in exercise capacity with 16 weeks of treatment and that 50% of this improvement occurred after four weeks of treatment. We concluded that the results are already observed within four weeks of treatment and continues to improve during at least four months of treatment.