Amyloid deposit corresponds to technetium-99m-pyrophosphate accumulation in abdominal fat of patients with transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND: Radionuclide imaging using bone-avid tracers plays a critical role in diagnosing transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA), but technetium-99m-pyrophosphate (PYP) rarely allows the detection of extracardiac amyloid infiltration. We retrospectively investigated the frequency of PYP uptake in the subcutaneous abdominal fat of patients with ATTR-CA and its relevance to the results of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of this tissue. METHODS: Chest-centered images of PYP scintigraphy were obtained 2 h after the intravenous injection of the tracer (20 mCi), and the frequency of PYP uptake in the subcutaneous abdominal fat was evaluated. Amyloid deposits of fat smears taken by subcutaneous abdominal fat FNAB were assessed by Congo red staining. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients with ATTR-CA were included. Ten (41.7%) patients showed some PYP uptake in the subcutaneous abdominal fat (positive PYP group), and 14 patients did not (negative PYP group). Amyloid deposits were detected by subcutaneous abdominal fat FNAB in 7/10 patients (70.0%) of the positive PYP group versus 0/14 patients (0%) of the negative PYP group, and the difference was significant. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ATTR-CA, abnormal PYP uptake in the subcutaneous abdominal fat could reflect the regional amyloid deposition confirmed by FNAB of this tissue.

Full-scale application of a down-flow hanging sponge reactor combined with a primary sedimentation basin for domestic sewage treatment.

The down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) reactor is advantageous for sewage treatment since it produces an effluent quality that complies with the standards for reuse and there is little excess sludge. A full-scale DHS module was efficiently employed for the treatment of domestic sewage (200 m3 day-1) flowing from a primary sedimentation basin (PSB), which was used to reduce the suspended solids loading rate and enhance the oxidation of organics by heterotrophs. The combined PSB-DHS was successfully operated at a total hydraulic retention time of 3.4 h (2.4 h for PSB and 1.0 h for DHS) for the relatively long period of 600 days at sewage temperatures of 10 °C to 32 °C. The PSB-DHS consistently produced an effluent quality with minimum values of chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, and suspended solids of 59 ± 15, 12 ± 3.0, and 15 ± 7 mg L-1, respectively. The proposed system performed exceptionally well at removing organics and particulate matter over a short hydraulic retention time.

Suppression of amiodarone-induced torsade de pointes by landiolol in a patient with atrial fibrillation-mediated cardiomyopathy.

An elderly Japanese woman developed acute decompensated heart failure caused by persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Approximately 6 days after starting intravenous administration of amiodarone (600 mg/day) for maintaining sinus rhythm after cardioversion of AF, electrocardiograms revealed a prolonged QT interval associated with torsade de pointes (TdP). The amiodarone-induced TdP disappeared after intravenous administration of landiolol plus magnesium and potassium, without discontinuation of amiodarone or overdrive cardiac pacing, although the prolonged QT interval persisted. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that landiolol could be effective for amiodarone-induced TdP.

Defining microbial community composition and seasonal variation in a sewage treatment plant in India using a down-flow hanging sponge reactor.

The characteristics of the microbial community in a practical-scale down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) reactor, high in organic matter and sulfate ion concentration, and the seasonal variation of the microbial community composition were investigated. Microorganisms related to sulfur oxidation and reduction (2-27%), as well as Leucobacter (7.50%), were abundant in the reactor. Anaerobic bacteria (27-38% in the first layer) were also in abundance and were found to contribute to the removal of organic matter from the sewage in the reactor. By comparing the Simpson index, the abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE) index, and the species composition of the microbial community across seasons (summer/dry, summer/rainy, autumn/dry, and winter/dry), the microbial community was found to change in composition only during the winter season. In addition to the estimation of seasonal variation, the difference in the microbial community composition along the axes of the DHS reactor was investigated for the first time. Although the abundance of each bacterial species differed along both axes of the reactor, the change of the community composition in the reactor was found to be greater along the vertical axis than the horizontal axis of the DHS reactor.

Characterization of sludge properties for sewage treatment in a practical-scale down-flow hanging sponge reactor: oxygen consumption and removal of organic matter, ammonium, and sulfur.

The characteristics of sludge retained in a down-flow hanging sponge reactor were investigated to provide a better understanding of the sewage treatment process in the reactor. The organic removal and sulfur oxidation conditions were found to differ between the first layer and the following three layers. It was found that 63% and 59% of the organic matter was removed in the first layer, even though the hydraulic retention time was only 0.2 h. It is thought that the organic removal resulted from aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation on the sponge medium. The sulfate concentration increased 1.5-1.9-fold in the first layer, with almost no subsequent change in the second to fourth layers. It was shown that oxidation of sulfide in the influent was completed in the first layer. The result of the oxygen uptake rate test with an ammonium nitrogen substrate suggested that the ammonium oxidation rate was affected by the condition of dissolved oxygen (DO) or oxidation-reduction potential (ORP).

Evaluation of the resilience of a full-scale down-flow hanging sponge reactor to long-term outages at a sewage treatment plant in India.

Resilience to process outages is an essential requirement for sustainable wastewater treatment systems in developing countries. In this study, we evaluated the ability of a full-scale down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) reactor to recover after a 10-day outage. The DHS tested in this study uses polyurethane sponge as packing material. This full-scale DHS reactor has been tested over a period of about 4 years in India with a flow rate of 500 m(3)/day. Water was not supplied to the DHS reactor that was subjected to the 10-day outage; however, the biomass did not dry out because the sponge was able to retain enough water. Soon after the reactor was restarted, a small quantity of biomass, amounting to only 0.1% of the total retained biomass, was eluted. The DHS effluent achieved satisfactory removal of suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, and ammonium nitrogen within 90, 45, and 90 min, respectively. Conversely, fecal coliforms in the DHS effluent did not reach satisfactory levels within 540 min; instead, the normal levels of fecal coliforms were achieved within 3 days. Overall, the tests demonstrated that the DHS reactor was sufficiently robust to withstand long-term outages and achieved steady state soon after restart. This reinforces the suitability of this technology for developing countries.

Recovery of partial nitrification in a down-flow hanging sponge reactor by salt shock loading.

Partial nitrification of ammonium-containing artificial wastewater was achieved using a down-flow hanging sponge (DHS) reactor with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2 h by adjusting the influent salinity to 25 g Cl L(-1) with NaCl. The effect of HRT on partial nitrification was examined by varying HRT from 1 to 4 h. Extending HRT from 2 to 4 h had the effect of decreasing nitrite production and increasing nitrates. Since partial nitrification was not completely recovered after returning the HRT to 2 h, we examined the effect of salt shock loading on the recovery of partial nitrification. Salt shock loading with 150 gCl L(-1) for 72 h resulted in the fraction of NO2-N to total inorganic nitrogen in the effluent reaching 83.0% as much as 83 days after returning the salinity to the original level. Thus, despite the time required for the restoration of partial nitrification, the effectiveness of salt shock loading to achieve this aim was verified.

Bilateral isolated coronary ostial stenosis in a middle-aged premenopausal woman with vasospastic angina: a case report.

Background: Vasospastic angina (VSA) is uncommon in premenopausal women who have less chronic endothelial injury causing vascular remodelling, considered to play a primary role in the pathogenesis for coronary vasospasms. Furthermore, vasospasms rarely occur in the bilateral coronary ostia. Isolated coronary ostial stenosis (ICOS), which often causes severe effort angina and requires surgical intervention, is more commonly reported in middle-aged women, with causes including fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) and large-vessel vasculitis. However, ICOS associated with VSA is extremely rare. Case summary: A 50-year-old premenopausal Japanese woman presented with a complaint of typical chest pain due to angina during light exertion daily in the early morning hours since 3 years. Coronary angiography (CAG) revealed bilateral mild-to-moderate ICOS in addition to multi-vessel spasms involving the bilateral coronary ostia confirmed by the vasospasm provocation test using intracoronary acetylcholine injection. Tests to determine the cause of ICOS did not identify FMD or any other disease. The angina attacks alleviated after calcium channel blocker (CCB) administration without intervention for bilateral ICOS for 24 years since the first presentation. Moreover, coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) performed 24 years after the first presentation showed no ICOS. Discussion: In our patient with typical and frequent VSA symptoms, CAG revealed both mild-to-moderate ICOS and the vasospasms in the bilateral coronary ostia. Fibromuscular dysplasia or large-vessel vasculitis was ruled out as the causes of ICOS. Vasospastic angina rarely occurred after the prescription of CCB, and coronary CTA 24 years after the first presentation showed no ICOS. Bilateral ICOS in our patient might be VSA related.

Accidental Hypothermia-Induced J Wave Coupled With Giant R Wave Augmented by Premature Atrial Contraction: A Case Report.

The 12-lead electrocardiographic findings in hypothermia include the presence of J waves; prolongation of the PR, QRS, and QT intervals; and atrial and ventricular dysrhythmias. Among these findings, the J wave, known as the Osborn wave, is considered pathognomonic. In 1953, the J wave was reported as a specific response to hypothermia in dogs, representing the current at the site of injury instead of a widening of the QRS complex that occurs caused by a conduction delay. The J wave is often accompanied by ventricular fibrillation. For the past 28 years, it was assumed that the hypothermia-induced J wave was mediated by the transient outward current. However, it was recently been reported that the J waves in some patients with hypothermia can be considered delayed conduction-related waveforms. Here, we present a case of hypothermia-induced J waves together with giant R waves, which have not been previously reported during hypothermia, augmented by short RR intervals arising from premature atrial contractions. Our observations indicate that the underlying mechanism for the genesis of J waves is indeed conduction delay and not transient outward currents.

Downsloping TP Segment in the Precordial Leads on a Standard 12-lead Electrocardiogram: Suspected Cardiac Impulse-tapping Artifact.

We herein report an 80-year-old man showing a downsloping TP segment together with an increase in the height of the T wave in the precordial leads on a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). Separately, an 87-year-old woman showed only a downsloping TP segment in the precordial leads on a standard 12-lead ECG. Neither patient reported chest pain or dyspnea when ECGs was obtained. This downsloping TP segment in the precordial leads on the standard 12-lead ECG is thought to be due to a cardiac impulse-tapping artifact. Differential diagnoses are also discussed.

Technetium-99m-pyrophosphate imaging-based computed tomography-guided core-needle biopsy of internal oblique muscle in wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND: Technetium-99m-pyrophosphate (99mTc-PYP) uptake in the internal oblique muscle (IOM), which is often observed in patients with wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA), indicates amyloid transthyretin (ATTR) deposition. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of 99mTc-PYP imaging-based computed tomography (CT)-guided core-needle biopsy of the IOM as a new extracardiac screening biopsy for confirming the presence of ATTR deposits. METHODS: Patients with suspected ATTR-CA in whom myocardial tracer uptake was detected on chest- and abdomen-centered images of 99mTc-PYP scintigraphy underwent CT-guided core-needle biopsy at the site with the highest tracer uptake in the IOM between September 2021 and November 2022. RESULTS: All 18 consecutive patients (mean age, 86.3 years ± 6.5; 61.1% male) enrolled in the study showed 99mTc-PYP uptake into the IOM. Adequate tissue samples were obtained from all patients except one without serious complications. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed ATTR deposits in 16/18 (88.9%) patients. In the remaining two patients, ATTR deposits were observed via endomyocardial biopsy. All patients were diagnosed with wild-type ATTR-CA based on transthyretin gene sequence testing results. CONCLUSION: In wild-type ATTR-CA, 99mTc-PYP imaging-based CT-guided core-needle biopsy of the IOM could be used as an extracardiac screening biopsy to confirm the presence of ATTR deposits.

Identification of the Vessels Causing Myocardial Ischemia by a Synthesized 18-Lead Electrocardiogram Obtained After the Master Two-Step Exercise Test in a Patient With Effort Angina.

A synthesized 18-lead electrocardiograph is a specialized technology that mathematically computes the virtual electrocardiographic waveforms of the right chest leads (V3R, V4R, and V5R) and posterior leads (V7, V8, and V9) based on a standard 12-lead electrocardiograph input without additional lead placement or techniques. Synthesized 18-lead electrocardiography is a useful test for the identification of the culprit coronary arteries in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction of the right ventricular wall or the posterior/lateral left ventricular wall, which are often missed on standard 12-lead electrocardiography. However, few studies have examined the usefulness of this modality during exercise stress testing. We present a case of a 78-year-old man with a two-month history of typical angina. The synthesized 18-lead electrocardiogram obtained just after the Master two-step exercise test revealed ST-segment shifts in multiple leads, including synthesized V4R, V5R, and V7-9 leads, and U-wave changes in some leads, including the synthesized V9 lead. The diagnosis of the culprit coronary arteries causing exercise-induced myocardial ischemia is discussed with reference to coronary angiographic findings. This modality could potentially increase the sensitivity and specificity for the detection of coronary artery disease and accurately pinpoint the site of the lesion. If an electrocardiograph can display a synthesized 18-lead electrocardiogram, it should be used when evaluating the waveform due to myocardial ischemia.

99mTc-Pyrophosphate Scintigraphy Can Image Tracer Uptake in Skeletal Trunk Muscles of Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis.

PURPOSE: 99mTc-pyrophosphate (99mTc-PYP) uptake in the skeletal muscles is minimal in patients with transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) when assessed qualitatively and quantitatively. We previously demonstrated moderate- to high-grade 99mTc-PYP uptake in the subcutaneous abdominal fat of some patients with ATTR-CA and showed that this abnormal finding could reflect the regional amyloid burden of this tissue. We aimed to investigate the frequency of 99mTc-PYP uptake in skeletal trunk muscles of patients with ATTR-CA. METHODS: Chest- and abdomen-centered 99mTc-PYP scintigraphy images were obtained 2 hours after IV injections of the tracer (20 mCi) in 36 patients with ATTR-CA. The frequency of 99mTc-PYP uptake in the following 11 skeletal trunk muscles was investigated: pectoralis major, deltoid, subscapularis, infraspinatus, trapezius, latissimus dorsi, erector spinae, psoas major, abdominal oblique, rectus abdominis, and the gluteus muscles. RESULTS: Ten of the 11 muscles were involved in patients with the highest number of 99mTc-PYP uptake in the skeletal trunk muscles examined, whereas no muscle was involved in a patient with the least uptake. The muscle with the highest rate of 99mTc-PYP uptake, observed in 34 of 36 patients (94.4%), was the abdominal oblique. No tracer uptake was observed in the psoas major. The frequency of radiotracer uptake in the remaining examined muscles was between those of abdominal oblique and psoas major muscles. CONCLUSIONS: Radiotracer uptake was often detectable in some skeletal trunk muscles of ATTR-CA, although the muscles of patients examined and the skeletal trunk muscles of 1 patient showed heterogeneity in the uptake of 99mTc-PYP.

A Gluteus Medius Muscle Biopsy to Confirm Amyloid Transthyretin Deposition in Wild-type Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis: A Report of Two Cases.

In patients with wild-type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTRwt-CA), the uptake of the tracer on technetium-99m-labeled pyrophosphate (99mTc-PYP) scintigraphy, which indicates amyloid transthyretin (ATTR) per se, is often observed in skeletal muscles, such as the abdominal oblique and gluteal muscles. Among extracardiac biopsies for confirming ATTR deposition in ATTRwt-CA, a 99mTc-PYP imaging-based computed tomography (CT)-guided core needle biopsy of the internal oblique muscle has relatively high sensitivity. In some patients, the 99mTc-PYP uptake is more pronounced in the gluteal muscles than in oblique muscles. We herein report two cases of ATTRwt-CA in which a CT-guided biopsy of the gluteus medius muscle with 99mTc-PYP uptake confirmed the presence of ATTR deposits.

Bradycardia, Renal Failure, Atrioventricular Nodal Blockade, Shock, and Hyperkalemia Syndrome as a Clinical Profile Leading to the Diagnosis of Transthyretin Amyloidosis: A Report of Two Cases.

We describe two cases in which the onset of bradycardia, renal failure, atrioventricular (AV) nodal blockade, shock, and hyperkalemia (BRASH) syndrome led to the diagnosis of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis. In Case 1, BRASH syndrome developed shortly after a therapeutic dose of AV nodal blockers was prescribed for new-onset atrial flutter. BRASH syndrome improved with intravenous dopamine infusion and temporary cardiac pacing. In Case 2, BRASH syndrome developed immediately after bronchopneumonia followed by worsening heart failure, despite no change in medications such as AV nodal blockers. Intravenous injection of calcium dramatically improved BRASH syndrome.

Variant Angina with Spontaneously Documented Ischemia- and Tachycardia-induced "Lambda" Waves.

In a patient with variant angina of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery, myocardial ischemia changed the QRS-ST-T configurations without J-waves into those resembling "lambda" waves at maximal ST-segment elevation, and couplets or triplets of supraventricular extrasystole (SVE) changed the ischemia-induced "lambda" waves into QRS-ST-T configurations resembling a "tombstone" morphology or "monophasic QRS-ST complex." At the resolution phase of coronary spasm, the QRS-ST-T configurations returned to those without J-waves and were changed by SVE into "lambda" waves. Interestingly, neither ischemia- nor SVE-induced "lambda" waves or SVE-induced "tombstone" morphology or "monophasic QRS-ST complex" were complicated by ventricular tachyarrhythmia.

Extracardiac Accumulation of Technetium-99m-Pyrophosphate in Transthyretin Cardiac Amyloidosis.

This report presents a rare case of acute decompensated heart failure with technetium-99m-pyrophosphate accumulation in extracardiac sites, such as chest and abdominal walls, in addition to intense myocardial uptake of the tracer. Subsequently, an abdominal fat pad fine-needle aspiration biopsy, which provided positive findings for transthyretin amyloidosis, was performed. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Premature atrial contractions with multiple patterns of aberrant conduction followed by torsade de pointes in a patient with polymyalgia rheumatica: A case report.

RATIONALE: Recent studies have shown that QT interval prolongation is associated with disease severity and predicts mortality in systemic inflammatory diseases, particularly rheumatoid arthritis. Systemic pro-inflammatory cytokines released from synovial tissues in rheumatoid arthritis, such as interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, could have direct effects on cardiac electrophysiology, particularly changes in the expression and function of potassium and calcium channels, resulting in QT interval prolongation on surface electrocardiogram (ECG) and an increased predisposition to develop lethal ventricular arrhythmias. However, reports on torsade de pointes (TdP) due to acquired long QT syndrome in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are limited. PATIENT CONCERNS: An 85-year-old Japanese woman with active PMR developed first syncope. DIAGNOSIS: Frequent premature atrial contractions (PACs) with multiple patterns of aberrant conduction, QT interval prolongation, and morphological T-U wave variability followed by TdP were documented. PACs were the first beat of TdP. INTERVENTIONS: Amiodarone, together with magnesium and potassium, was intravenously administered. However, TdP resulted in a ventricular arrhythmic storm, for which sedation with mechanical ventilatory support, temporary overdrive cardiac pacing, and intravenous landiolol administration in addition to multiple direct current shocks were effective. OUTCOMES: Approximately 2 years later, the patient was treated with amiodarone, propranolol, and prednisolone. She did not undergo implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation and was quite well, with no recurrence of ventricular tachyarrhythmia. LESSONS: IL-6 hyperproduction in inflamed tissues has been widely confirmed in PMR. Frequent PACs with various patterns of aberrant conduction, QT interval prolongation, and morphological T-U wave variability followed by TdP, for which IL-6-mediated enhancement of L-type Ca2+ current and inhibition of the rapid component of the delayed rectifier K+ current are the most likely mechanisms, were documented in an elderly Japanese woman with PMR. ECG may be recorded once in patients with active PMR even when these patients do not complain of palpitation or syncope. If QT interval prolongation or arrhythmia, including even PACs, is observed, follow-up ECG may be warranted, particularly for patients with some risk factors for QT prolongation that could lead to TdP, such as advanced age, female sex, hypopotassemia, and polypharmacy.