Left atrial spontaneous echo contrast occurring in patients with low CHADS2 or CHA2DS2-VASc scores.

BACKGROUND: Left atrial spontaneous echo contrast (LASEC) is common in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), although scarce information exists on LASEC occurring in nonvalvular AF patients who have low thromboembolic risk scores. We therefore examined prevalence and determinants of LASEC under low CHADS2 or CHA2DS2-VASc scores in these patients. METHODS: Among 713 patients who underwent transesophageal echocardiography, 349 with a CHADS2 score < 2 (CHADS2 group) (93 women, mean age 65 years) and 221 with a CHA2DS2-VASc score < 2 (CHA2DS2-VASc group) (39 women, mean age 62 years) were separately examined for clinical and echocardiographic findings. RESULTS: LASEC was found in 77 patients of CHADS2 group (22%) and in 41 of CHA2DS2-VASc group (19%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusted for several parameters including non-paroxysmal AF, LA enlargement (LA diameter ≥ 50 mm), left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, and an elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) (BNP ≥200 pg/mL) revealed that for CHADS2 group, non-paroxysmal AF (Odds ratio 5.65, 95%CI 3.08-10.5, P < 0.001), BNP elevation (Odds ratio 3.42, 95%CI 1.29-9.06, P = 0.013), and LV hypertrophy (Odds ratio 2.26, 95%CI 1.19-4.28, P = 0.013) were significant independent determinants of LASEC, and that for CHA2DS2-VASc group, non-paroxysmal AF (Odds ratio 3.38, 95%CI 1.51-7.54, P = 0.003) and LV hypertrophy (Odds ratio 2.53, 95%CI 1.13-5.70, P = 0.025) were significant independent determinants of LASEC. CONCLUSIONS: LASEC was present in a considerable proportion of patients with nonvalvular AF under low thromboembolic risk scores. Information on AF chronicity, BNP, and LV hypertrophy might help identify patients at risk for thromboembolism, although large-scale studies are necessary to confirm our observations.

A Case of Aortic Stenosis with Serum IgG4 Elevation, and IgG4-Positive Plasmacytic Infiltration in the Aortic Valve, Epicardium, and Aortic Adventitia.

A 74-year-old man was admitted for preoperative screening of aortic stenosis. Five months before this admission, he was found to have elevated serum immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4; 2,010 mg/dL). Computed tomography (CT) showed a soft tissue mass surrounding the abdominal aorta, suggestive of IgG4-related periaortitis. CT coronary angiography showed perivascular thickening of the right coronary artery, and subsequent coronary angiography showed a multi-vessel disease. The patient underwent aortic valve replacement and coronary bypass surgery. Immunohistochemical analysis showed IgG4-positive plasmacytic infiltration in specimens from the aortic valve, epicardium, and aortic adventitia, suggestive of the possible role of IgG4-related immune inflammation for the pathogenesis.

The Prevalence and Findings of Subclinical Influenza-associated Cardiac Abnormalities among Japanese Patients.

Objective Although life-threatening cardiac complications in influenza infection are rare, subclinical influenza-associated cardiac abnormalities may occur more frequently. We investigated the prevalence of subclinical cardiac findings. Methods After obtaining their written informed consent, 102 subjects were enrolled in the present study. The study subjects underwent a first set of examinations, which included electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, and the measurement of their cardiac enzyme levels. Those with one or more abnormal findings among these examinations were encouraged to undergo a repeat examination 2 weeks later. Results Among the 102 subjects enrolled, 22 (21.6%) were judged to have cardiac findings, including ST-T abnormalities, pericardial effusion, diastolic dysfunction, and cardiac enzyme elevation. Eighteen of these 20 subjects underwent a second screening at a median of 14 days later, and it was found that 11 of the 18 subjects were free from cardiac findings on this second examination. This suggested that the abnormalities were only transient and they therefore might have been associated with influenza. Approximately 20% of the influenza patients enrolled had cardiac findings, including ST-T segment abnormalities, pericardial effusion, and cardiac enzyme elevation. Conclusion Among the 102 patients who were studied, the cardiac findings were only mild and transient; however, physicians should be aware of influenza infection-associated cardiac abnormalities because such abnormalities may not be rare.

High serum bilirubin is associated with lower prevalence of peripheral arterial disease among cardiac patients.

Several studies have shown that subjects with higher serum bilirubin may have a lower risk of cardiovascular disorders. We herein investigated whether serum bilirubin concentration is associated with lower extremity ischemia among cardiology patients. In total, 935 patients without a history of angioplasty or bypass surgery of the lower limb arteries and who had bilateral ankle-brachial index measurements were included in the study. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) was defined to be present when ABI of either or both sides was <0.9. Overall, the serum total bilirubin concentration ranged between 0.1 and 2.7mg/dL (normal range, 0.1-1.0mg/dL). Across the bilirubin tertiles, age did not differ significantly. On the other hand, male patients (median 0.6mg/dL, interquartile range (IQR) 0.4-0.7mg/dL) had significantly higher bilirubin levels than female patients (median 0.5mg/dL, IQR 0.4-0.7mg/dL, P=0.014). Logistic regression analysis showed that, as compared with the lowest bilirubin tertile (0.1-0.4mg/dL), the highest tertile (0.7-2.7mg/dL) was significantly negatively associated with prevalent PAD after adjusting for sex, age, eGFR, white blood cell count, inorganic phosphate, HbA1C, total and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, current smoking, diabetic medication, and statin use. This association remained significant when only those with serum bilirubin in the normal range were included in the analysis. Among cardiology patients, serum bilirubin concentration was significantly negatively associated with prevalence of PAD. The underlying mechanism and therapeutic indications should be investigated in further investigations.

Changes in Serum Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) induces cardiac remodeling. We investigated the changes in serum FGF23 levels in patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods and Results:A total of 44 patients diagnosed with AMI were included in the current study. All patients underwent emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The median of peak creatine kinase (CK) and CKMB values was 1,816 U/L and 159 U/L, respectively. Serum levels of FGF23, calcium, and inorganic phosphate (iP) were measured before PCI, and on days 1, 3, 5, 7 after PCI. Serum FGF23 levels showed a slight, but significant decrease on days 1 and 3 after PCI, and a 1.5- and 2.0-fold increase on days 5 and 7, respectively, after PCI. As compared with propensity score-matched patients without AMI, serum FGF23 was significantly lower among the current cohort of AMI patients. In 22 subjects who underwent a follow-up echocardiographic examination at 6 months after the onset of AMI, the log-transformed relative increase in FGF23 on day 7 significantly and negatively correlated with changes between LVEF on admission and that at 6 months afterward. CONCLUSIONS: After a slight decrease on days 1 and 3 after admission, serum FGF23 increased significantly on days 5 and 7. The underlying mechanism and potential clinical importance of these observations require further investigation.

Basal wall hypercontraction of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a patient who had been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is characterized by the basal hypercontractility and apical ballooning of the left ventriculum and T-wave inversion in the electrocardiogram. It has been suggested that Takotsubo cardiomyopathy might underlie the pathogenesis of persistent cardiac dysfunction; however, few reports are present demonstrating the advent of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in patients with idiopathic cardiomyopathy. CASE PRESENTATION: A 64-year-old women was admitted due to dyspnea on effort and lower extremity edema. She had been diagnosed with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy 2.5 years before owing to the reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (24%), normal coronary artery, and interstitial fibrosis of the myocardial samples. On admission, her electrocardiogram showed giant negative T wave in II, III, aVF, and precordial leads. Echocardiography showed dyskinesis of the left ventricular apex and hypercontraction of the basal wall, which had not been observed in the previous examinations. Coronary angiography showed normal coronary arteries, and apical ballooning and basal hypercontractility was confirmed by left ventriculography. On day 15 of admission, contraction of apical wall was recovered, and basal hypercontraction was disappeared. CONCLUSION: The present case is the first report demonstrating appearance the transient basal wall hypercontraction along with the advent of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a patient diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. Whether such findings are indicative of fair prognosis and have the utility of understanding the pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy needs further investigation.

Association between absolute blood eosinophil count and CKD stages among cardiac patients.

Elevated eosinophil count was shown to be associated with the development of cholesterol embolization syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition, after catheter-based procedures. We investigated the association between stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the absolute eosinophil count (AEC) among cardiac patients. CKD stages were determined solely on the estimated glomerular filtration rate or requirement for hemodialysis. Eosinophilia is defined as an eosinophil count exceeding 500/µL. A total of 1022 patients were enrolled in the current study, and eosinophil counts (/µL) in the first through fourth eosinophil count quartiles were <88, 88 to 154, 155 to <238, and 238 ≤, respectively, and 29 patients (2.8 %) had eosinophilia. Correlation coefficient between the AEC and age was -0.188 (P = 0.001) in women and -0.042 (n.s.) in men (by Spearman's correlation test). Patients with higher CKD stages had a higher prevalence of the highest AEC quartile or eosinophilia. Logistic regression analysis using severe renal dysfunction (i.e., CKD stage 4 or 5) as the dependent variable, the highest AEC quartile had a significant positive association with an odds ratio of 1.99 (95 % confidence interval, 1.20-3.31, P < 0.01) after adjustment for sex, age, systolic blood pressure, and total white blood cell count. Similarly, after adjustment for the same variables, eosinophilia was associated with severe renal dysfunction with an odds ratio of 2.60 (95 % confidence interval, 1.08-6.26, P < 0.05). Eosinophil count was positively associated with higher CKD stages among cardiology patients, some fraction of which might be related to subclinical cholesterol embolization.

Acute cholecystitis mimicking or accompanying cardiovascular disease among Japanese patients hospitalized in a Cardiology Department.

BACKGROUND: Acute cholecystitis sometimes displays symptoms and electrocardiographic changes mimicking cardiovascular problems. It may also coexist with cardiovascular disorders. We analyzed the clinical characteristic of the cardiac patients who were diagnosed with acute cholecystitis during hospitalization in the cardiology department. METHODS: Using the department database, we identified 16 patients who were diagnosed with acute cholecystitis during the hospitalization in the cardiology department between June 2010 and June 2014. RESULTS: Five patients who were initially suspected to have cardiac problems (acute coronary syndrome, four patients; Adams-Stokes syndrome, one patient) owing to their symptoms were subsequently diagnosed with acute cholecystitis. Two of these patients showed electrocardiographic changes mimicking myocardial ischemia, and three tested positive for a biomarker (heart-type fatty acid binding protein) of acute myocardial injury. The 11 remaining cardiac patients were diagnosed with acute cholecystitis during their hospitalization or at the time of admission. Prolonged fasting and/or staying in an intensive care unit (ICU) may have contributed to their condition. Among these 11 patients, aortic dissection was the most prevalent underlying cardiac condition, affecting 5 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although it is a rare condition, acute cholecystitis may coexist with or be misdiagnosed as a cardiovascular disorder. This possibility should not be overlooked in cardiac patients because a delay in treatment may result in critical complications.

Gender Specific Association between Serum Fibroblast Growth Factor 23/α-Klotho and Coronary Artery and Aortic Valve Calcification.

AIM: Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) and α-Klotho have been recently identified to play a crucial role in calcium/phosphate metabolism. We herein investigated the possible relation between serum FGF23/α-Klotho levels and coronary artery calcification (CAC) and aortic valve calcification (AVC). METHODS: Among subjects with diagnosed or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD), CAC and AVC were estimated via the Agatston score of 320-detector computed tomography images, and serum FGF23 and α-Klotho levels were measured. RESULTS: In total, 157 subjects were enrolled (75 women and 82 men). We performed logistic regression using CAC as a dependent variable; the highest FGF23 tertile (＞ 52.5 pg/mL) was significantly positively associated with CAC with an odds ratio of 6.61 versus the lowest FGF23 tertile (＜ 35.3 pg/mL) in women after the adjustment for potential confounding variables including age, renal function, hypertension, statin use, diuretic use, and calcium/phosphate metabolism related factors. In addition, the highest α-Klotho tertile (＞ 561 pg/mL) was significantly associated with AVC with an odds ratio of 6.31 versus the lowest α-Klotho tertile (＜ 306 pg/mL) in men after adjusting for the same variables. On the other hand, the association between FGF23 and CAC/AVC in men or that between α-Klotho and CAC/AVC in women was nonsignificant. CONCLUSION: Among subjects with diagnosed or suspected CAD, serum FGF23 was positively associated with CAC in women and serum α-Klotho was positively associated with AVC in men independent of the confounding variables, including the renal function and calcium/phosphate metabolism-related factors.

Association of serum levels of FGF23 and α-Klotho with glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria among cardiac patients.

BACKGROUND: Expression and/or excretion of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) and its co-receptor Klotho are altered in patients with end-stage renal disease. The possibility that the FGF23/α-Klotho system mediates the aggravated cardiovascular outcome among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been suggested. We determined whether FGF23 and α-Klotho concentrations are altered among patients with reduced renal function and proteinuria. METHODS: Serum FGF23 and α-Klotho were measured in cardiology patients who were not undergoing chronic hemodialysis. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was correlated negatively with FGF23 and positively with α-Klotho. RESULTS: The correlation between FGF23 and the renal tubular maximum reabsorption rate of phosphate to the GFR (TmP/GFR) was not significant, but that between FGF23 and serum calcium or inorganic phosphate was significant among patients with an estimated GFR of less than 60 mL/min/m(2). By stepwise multivariate regression analysis, eGFR was selected as significant predictor for FGF23 or α-Klotho among patients with an estimated GFR of less than 60 mL/min/m(2); however, urine albumin/creatinine ratio was not selected as a predictor for FGF23 or α-Klotho irrespective of the eGFR levels. In patients with eGFR of <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2), UACR was significantly associated with log(FGF23); but, this association did not remain statistically significant in a multivariate model. CONCLUSIONS: Among cardiology patients with various stages of CKD, serum concentrations of FGF23 and α-Klotho were associated with renal function, but not with the extent of proteinuria.