[Cardiac myxomas. Analysis of 78 cases]. / Mixoma cardíaco: experiencia de 28 años en resección quirúrgica.

BACKGROUND: The incidence rates of cardiac tumors are low. AIM: To report the clinical presentation of cardiac myxomas and long-term evolution after resection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of a database of surgical patients undergoing surgical resection of a cardiac myxoma in a public hospital between 1990 and 2018. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients aged 53 ± 15 years (65% females) were included. The most frequent comorbidities were arterial hypertension (40.5%), hypothyroidism (15%) and diabetes mellitus (12%). The main presenting symptoms were dyspnea (33%), neurological deficit secondary to embolism (30%) and acute pulmonary edema (5%). The most common location was the left atrium, in 87%. During surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp times were 50.2 ± 19.6 and 33.4 ± 15.2 min, respectively. One patient died due to severe neurological involvement. Follow-up was completed in seventy-seven patients, with a mean echocardiographic follow-up time of 10.4 ± 7.7 years. Thirty-four patients were followed for more than 10 years. Six patients (7.7%) died during the follow-up and in six patients (7%) a recurrence was identified. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac myxoma usually has nonspecific symptoms. Surgical excision offers excellent short and long-term results. Complications and recurrence rates are low in non-hereditary myxomas but obligates to perform echocardiographic follow-up for early diagnosis of recurrence.

Mixoma cardíaco: experiencia de 28 años en resección quirúrgica / Cardiac myxomas. Analysis of 78 cases

Background: The incidence rates of cardiac tumors are low. Aim: To report the clinical presentation of cardiac myxomas and long-term evolution after resection. Material and Methods: Review of a database of surgical patients undergoing surgical resection of a cardiac myxoma in a public hospital between 1990 and 2018. Results: Seventy-eight patients aged 53 ± 15 years (65% females) were included. The most frequent comorbidities were arterial hypertension (40.5%), hypothyroidism (15%) and diabetes mellitus (12%). The main presenting symptoms were dyspnea (33%), neurological deficit secondary to embolism (30%) and acute pulmonary edema (5%). The most common location was the left atrium, in 87%. During surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp times were 50.2 ± 19.6 and 33.4 ± 15.2 min, respectively. One patient died due to severe neurological involvement. Follow-up was completed in seventy-seven patients, with a mean echocardiographic follow-up time of 10.4 ± 7.7 years. Thirty-four patients were followed for more than 10 years. Six patients (7.7%) died during the follow-up and in six patients (7%) a recurrence was identified. Conclusions: Cardiac myxoma usually has nonspecific symptoms. Surgical excision offers excellent short and long-term results. Complications and recurrence rates are low in non-hereditary myxomas but obligates to perform echocardiographic follow-up for early diagnosis of recurrence.

Hipotiroidismo refractario a tratamiento / Refractory hypothyroidism

En pacientes con hipotiroidismo en tratamiento con levotiroxina (LT4) no es infrecuente encontrar un grupo que presenta niveles persistentemente elevados de tirotropina (TSH), fenómeno que se conoce como hipotiroidismo refractario. La causa más frecuente de éste es la falta de adherencia al tratamiento, sin embargo deben sospecharse otras causas como condiciones de malabsorción, pérdida urinaria aumentada de proteínas, entre otras, que si bien son menos frecuentes, no dejan de ser importantes. Un enfoque metodológico y escalonado permitirá identificar la causa, evitando así escalar innecesariamente en la dosis del medicamento para alcanzar niveles normales de TSH y el aumento del riesgo secundario a una exposición prolongada a niveles subterapéuticos

In patients undergoing treatment with levothyroxine it is not infrequent to find some whose thyrotropin (TSH) levels remain high, a phenomenon known as refractory hypothyroidism. The most frequent cause is poor compliance, however other causes such as malabsorption and proteinuria, although less common, should not be forgotten. Amethodological and staged approach should identify the cause, thereby avoiding unnecessary increases in medication in an effort to achieve normal TSH levels and diminishing the risk of prolonged exposure to sub-therapeutic levels.