Heart failure due to primary hypothyroidism. Case report and review / Insuficiencia cardiaca por hipotiroidismo primario. Revisión a propósito de un caso

BACKGROUND: There are well-recognized relationships between thyroid hormones, heart and peripheral vascular system. Thyroid hormones have relevant actions on the heart and circulation, generate multiple effects including hemodynamic changes and exert mediated effects on cardiac cells through gene expression. CLINICAL CASE: We present a 64-year-old woman with diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy with reduced ejection fraction, in whom coronary disease was thought of as the most probable etiology by clinical antecedents but in the evolution, other possible etiologies were to appear. CONCLUSIONS: Numerous complementary diagnostic studies were carried out, such as cinecoronariography, cardiac nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, laboratory analysis, to name a few, and it was concluded that the etiological cause was due to primary hypothyroidism.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Se reconoce la relación existente entre las hormonas tiroideas, el corazón y el sistema vascular periférico. Las hormonas tiroideas tienen relevantes acciones sobre el corazón y la circulación, y generan múltiples cambios, incluyendo alteraciones hemodinámicas y efectos mediados sobre las células cardiacas a través de la expresión génica. CASO CLÍNICO: Presentamos el caso de una paciente de 63 años con diagnóstico al ingreso de miocardiopatía dilatada con fracción de eyección reducida, en quien se pensó en enfermedad coronaria como primera causa, debido a sus antecedentes, pero en su evolución se fueron presentando otras posibles etiologías. CONCLUSIONES: Se realizaron numerosos estudios diagnósticos complementarios, como cinecoronariografía, resonancia magnética cardiaca y análisis de laboratorio, entre otros, y se llegó a la conclusión de que la causa fue hipotiroidismo primario.

[Subaortic membrane in adults. A brief review of literature apropos of one case]. / Membrana subaórtica en adultos. Breve revisión de la literatura a propósito de un caso.

A 54-year-old man, ex smoker with high blood pressure and a history of possible Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome was admitted for presenting an episode suggestive of acute coronary syndrome with immediate syncope and left bundle branch block, while performing physical activity. Angioplasty and a drug-eluting stent were performed in the left circumflex artery. Subsequently, Doppler echocardiography disclosed an image suggestive of a subaortic membrane. Given these findings, the patient underwent a 3D transesophageal echocardiogram and a magnetic resonance study, which confirmed the diagnosis of a subaortic membrane. In turn, in the Holter monitoring a paroxysmal pattern of Wolff-ParkinsonWhite was observed. The patient presented three possible causes of syncope. A stress echocardiogram elicited a gradient of 126 mm Hg, which could be possibly related to the syncopal episode that the patient suffered.

Paciente masculino de 54 años, ex fumador, hipertenso y con el antecedente no confirmado de síndrome de Wolff-Parkinson-White, que ingresó por haber presentado, mientras realizaba actividad física, un cuadro sugestivo de síndrome coronario agudo con inmediato episodio de síncope y bloqueo de rama izquierda, por lo que se le realizó una angiografía coronaria con posterior angioplastia y la colocación de un stent liberador de drogas en la arteria circunfleja. En el ecocardiograma Doppler se observó una imagen compatible con membrana subaórtica. Ante estos hallazgos se realizó un ecocardiograma transesofágico 3D y una resonancia magnética cardiaca que confirmaron el diagnóstico. A su vez se evidenció en el monitoreo Holter y de forma paroxística el patrón de Wolff-Parkinson-White. De esta manera, el paciente presentó tres posibles causas de síncope. Se realizó un ecocardiograma de esfuerzo, en el que el gradiente intraesfuerzo alcanzó los 126 mm Hg, lo que podría justificar el episodio del síncope.

[Endomyocardial fibrosis associated to Antiphospholipid syndrome. Case report and review]. / Fibrosis endomiocárdica asociada a síndrome antifosfolipídico. Revisión a propósito de un caso.

A 29-year-old man with a history of seizures, was admitted due to an episode of unconsciousness recovered and hypertension with renal disfunction. The electrocardiogram mimicked a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, but, by Doppler echocardiography, this was discarded because it suggested endomyocardial fibrosis which was confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with late enhancement. Since the episode of unconsciousness, brain imaging studies were performed showing vascular sequelae and microangiopathic lesions. These vascular lesions asocciated with renal disfunction with proteinuria within nephrotic range, intensified the search for the etiology arriving to the diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome. The patient was discharged with antihypertensive therapy, acenocoumarol, antiepileptic and immunosuppressive drugs.

Paciente masculino de 29 años con antecedentes de convulsiones que ingresa por episodio de pérdida de conocimiento recuperado e hipertensión arterial con deterioro de la función renal. El electrocardiograma simulaba una miocardiopatía hipertrófica que se descartó por ecocardiografía Doppler ya que sugirió una fibrosis endomiocárdica que se confirmó por resonancia magnética nuclear cardíaca con realce tardío. Dado el episodio de pérdida de conocimiento, se realizaron estudios de imágenes cerebrales que mostraban lesiones secuelares vasculares y microangiopáticas. Esto, sumado a la alteración de la función renal con proteinuria en rango nefrótico, intensificó la búsqueda de la causa etiológica y se llegó al diagnóstico de síndrome antifosfolipídico. El paciente fue dado de alta con tratamiento antihipertensivo, acenocumarol, anticonvulsivantes e inmunosupresores.

Mejoría de la capacidad funcional tras tratamiento con levotiroxina en pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca crónica e hipotiroidismo subclínico / Improvement in functional capacity after levothyroxine treatment in patients with chronic heart failure and subclinical hypothyroidism

OBJETIVO: Evaluar si el tratamiento con levotiroxina mejora la capacidad funcional en pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca crónica clase funcional i-iii de la New York Heart Association e hipotiroidismo subclínico. MÉTODOS: Se incluyeron 163 pacientes ambulatorios con insuficiencia cardíaca crónica estable y con un mínimo de seguimiento de 6 meses. Se realizó un examen clínico y se solicitaron pruebas de laboratorio que incluyeron hormonas tiroideas, ecocardiograma con doppler, ventriculografía radioisotópica y un estudio Holter. La capacidad funcional se evaluó por medio de una caminata de 6min. Se detectaron los pacientes con hipotiroidismo subclínico que recibieron tratamiento sustitutivo y, una vez con valores normales de tirotropina (TSH), se les realizó una nueva caminata de 6min. Se registraron los metros recorridos en cada prueba y se analizó la diferencia de los metros caminados en cada paciente. RESULTADOS: Observamos una prevalencia de hipotiroidismo subclínico del 13% en pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca. Mientras se encontraban hipotiroideos, los metros recorridos fueron de 292 ± 63, y una vez alcanzados valores normales de TSH, de 350 ± 76. La diferencia en metros fue de 58 ± 11 (p < 0,011). Los pacientes con valores normales de TSH no mostraron diferencias significativas entre las 2 pruebas. CONCLUSIONES: Los pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca crónica e hipotiroidismo subclínico, una vez eutiroideos, mejoraron de forma significativa su rendimiento físico

AIM: To assess whether levothyroxine treatment improves functional capacity in patients with chronic heart failure (New York Heart Association class i-iii) and subclinical hypothyroidism. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-three outpatients with stable chronic heart failure followed up for at least 6 months were enrolled. A physical examination was performed, and laboratory tests including thyroid hormone levels, Doppler echocardiogram, radionuclide ventriculography, and Holter monitoring were requested. Functional capacity was assessed by of the 6-min walk test. Patients with subclinical hypothyroidism were detected and, after undergoing the s6-min walk test, were given replacement therapy. When they reached normal thyrotropin (TSH) levels, the 6-min walk test was performed again. The distance walked in both tests was recorded, and the difference in meters covered by each patient was analyzed. RESULTS: Prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in patients with heart failure was 13%. These patients walked 292 ± 63 m while they were hypothyroid and 350 ± 76m when TSH levels returned to normal, a difference of 58 ± 11 m (P < .011). Patients with normal baseline TSH levels showed no significant difference between the 2 6-min walk tests. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with chronic heart failure and subclinical hypothyroidism significantly improved their physical performance when normal TSH levels were reached

[Improvement in functional capacity after levothyroxine treatment in patients with chronic heart failure and subclinical hypothyroidism]. / Mejoría de la capacidad funcional tras tratamiento con levotiroxina en pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca crónica e hipotiroidismo subclínico.

AIM: To assess whether levothyroxine treatment improves functional capacity in patients with chronic heart failure (New York Heart Association class i-iii) and subclinical hypothyroidism. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-three outpatients with stable chronic heart failure followed up for at least 6 months were enrolled. A physical examination was performed, and laboratory tests including thyroid hormone levels, Doppler echocardiogram, radionuclide ventriculography, and Holter monitoring were requested. Functional capacity was assessed by of the 6-min walk test. Patients with subclinical hypothyroidism were detected and, after undergoing the s6-min walk test, were given replacement therapy. When they reached normal thyrotropin (TSH) levels, the 6-min walk test was performed again. The distance walked in both tests was recorded, and the difference in meters covered by each patient was analyzed. RESULTS: Prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in patients with heart failure was 13%. These patients walked 292±63m while they were hypothyroid and 350±76m when TSH levels returned to normal, a difference of 58±11m (P<.011). Patients with normal baseline TSH levels showed no significant difference between the 2 6-min walk tests. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with chronic heart failure and subclinical hypothyroidism significantly improved their physical performance when normal TSH levels were reached.