Symptom-related screening programme for early detection of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension after acute pulmonary embolism: the SYSPPE study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is the most severe long-term complication of acute pulmonary embolism (PE). We aimed to evaluate the impact of a symptom screening programme to detect CTEPH in PE survivors. METHODS: This was a multicentre cohort study of patients diagnosed with acute symptomatic PE between January 2017 and December 2018 in 16 centres in Spain. Patients were contacted by phone 2 years after the index PE diagnosis. Those with dyspnoea corresponding to a New York Heart Association (NYHA)/WHO scale≥II, visited the outpatient clinic for echocardiography and further diagnostic tests including right heart catheterisation (RHC). The primary outcome was the new diagnosis of CTEPH confirmed by RHC. RESULTS: Out of 1077 patients with acute PE, 646 were included in the symptom screening. At 2 years, 21.8% (n=141) reported dyspnoea NYHA/WHO scale≥II. Before symptom screening protocol, five patients were diagnosed with CTEPH following routine care. In patients with NYHA/WHO scale≥II, after symptom screening protocol, the echocardiographic probability of pulmonary hypertension (PH) was low, intermediate and high in 76.6% (n=95), 21.8% (n=27) and 1.6% (n=2), respectively. After performing additional diagnostic test in the latter 2 groups, 12 additional CTEPH cases were confirmed. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of this simple strategy based on symptom evaluation by phone diagnosed more than doubled the number of CTEPH cases. Dedicated follow-up algorithms for PE survivors help diagnosing CTEPH earlier. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03953560.

Microangiopatía trombótica en paciente con cáncer de origen desconocido / Thrombotic microangiopathy in a patient with cancer of unknown origin

Resumen La microangiopatía trombótica asociada a cáncer (MTAC) comprende la presencia de anemia hemolítica microangiopática, trombocitopenia y lesión isquémica de órganos en pacientes con neoplasia de origen conocido o desconocido. Su diagnóstico es desafiante pues suele ser confundido con la púrpura trombocitopénica trombótica, que es la causa más frecuente de microangiopatía trombótica en pacientes sanos. La MTAC puede ser manifestación de la neoplasia en sí misma o manifestación de complicación de la quimioterapia, por lo que tiene un pronóstico pobre. A continuación se presenta el caso de una paciente que desarrolló MTAC en el contexto de cáncer metastásico de origen primario desconocido.

Abstract Cancer-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (CATM) consists of microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia, and ischaemic end organ-damage in patients with a known or unknown primary malignancy. Its diagnosis is challenging, as it is sometimes confused with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, which is the most common cause of thrombotic microangiopathy in healthy patients. CATM can be a manifestation of the malignancy itself or a chemotherapy-related complication, with these patients having a poor prognosis. A case is presented of a patient who developed CATM in the context of metastatic cancer with an unknown primary site.

Nuevas evidencias en la prevención secundaria de la enfermedad tromboembólica venosa / New evidence in the secondary prevention of thromboembolic disease

El riesgo de tromboembolia venosa recurrente se aproxima al 40% a los 10 años de seguimiento. Este riesgo es mayor en caso de factores de riesgo permanentes, los cuales deben de recibir anticoagulación indefinida con fármacos orales (acenocumarol o warfarina) mayoritariamente o con HBPM a dosis reducidas en el caso de los pacientes con cáncer. El resto de pacientes recibirá como mínimo 3 meses de tratamiento para entonces revaluar la necesidad de proseguirlo. Es en este momento cuando la decisión ha de ser individualizada para cada paciente y teniendo en cuenta el riesgo hemorrágico. La determinación del dímero D al final del período de anticoagulación, la presencia de trombosis venosa residual o de disfunción del ventrículo derecho pueden ser útiles para identificar a los pacientes en los que la retirada de la anticoagulación es segura porque tiene bajo riesgo de recurrencias. La emergencia de nuevos anticoagulantes orales los ponen a la vanguardia de las opciones para la prevención secundaria en los próximos años (AU)

The risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism is nearly 40% of all patients after 10 years of follow up. The risk is higher in patients with permanent risk factors, who should receive indefinite anticoagulation with acenocoumarol or warfarin, except cancer patients who should receive lower doses of low molecular weight heparin The remaining patients should receive a 3-month course of treatment, after which the need to continue this treatment should be reevaluated. The decision to continue should be individually tailored and balanced against hemorrhagic risk. Determination of D-dimer values at the end of treatment and the presence of residual vein thrombosis or right ventricular dysfunction could be useful to identify patients at low risk of recurrence, who can safely discontinue anticoagulation. The emergence of new oral anticoagulants has opened up a new scenario for secondary prevention in the next few years (AU)

[New evidence in the secondary prevention of thromboembolic disease]. / Nuevas evidencias en la prevención secundaria de la enfermedad tromboembólica venosa.

The risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism is nearly 40% of all patients after 10 years of follow up. The risk is higher in patients with permanent risk factors, who should receive indefinite anticoagulation with acenocoumarol or warfarin, except cancer patients who should receive lower doses of low molecular weight heparin The remaining patients should receive a 3-month course of treatment, after which the need to continue this treatment should be reevaluated. The decision to continue should be individually tailored and balanced against hemorrhagic risk. Determination of D-dimer values at the end of treatment and the presence of residual vein thrombosis or right ventricular dysfunction could be useful to identify patients at low risk of recurrence, who can safely discontinue anticoagulation. The emergence of new oral anticoagulants has opened up a new scenario for secondary prevention in the next few years.

Obstrucción de la vía aérea superior de origen infeccioso en pacientes adultos / Upper airway obstruction of infectious origin in adults

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Pacemaker lead infection caused by Aspergillus fumigatus.

We report a case of pacemaker lead infection caused by Aspergillus fumigatus that was successfully treated by surgery and with voriconazole. This infection is rare and dangerous. When it is suspected, transesophageal echocardiography should be performed to look for lead-attached vegetations and the entire pacing system should be removed.