Assessment of left atrial appendage function by echocardiography.

The left atrial appendage (LAA) is considered not only to be the most frequent site of thrombus formation, but also to play a pivotal role in maintaining normal cardiac function. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is widely used to assess LAA function. The LAA flow velocity has been used as a surrogate for LAA function, and it varies with multiple interrelated factors including age, hemodynamics, type of arrhythmia, and antiarrhythmic interventions. Relatively great importance of LAA function is involved with intraatrial thrombus formation and subsequent thromboembolism, and thus, understanding of characteristics and behaviors of the LAA under various clinical conditions may help determine strategies against atrial thrombosis. Also, techniques other than TEE-derived Doppler to assess LAA function, such as tissue Doppler imaging, have been proposed. In this review, we introduce clinical and echocardiographic correlates of LAA function, the LAA flow velocity in particular, its significance, and how to interpret functional patterns of the LAA each relevant to specific clinical settings.

A case of persistent severe sequelae of COVID-19 infection: potential role in sudden death?

Depending on the stage of the disease, autopsy findings of COVID-19 may include a spectrum of cardiopulmonary pathologies including alveolar hyaline membrane formation, vascular thrombosis, and intracardiac thrombi. Identification of a COVID-19 positive decedent in the absence of clinical history relies primarily on post-mortem nasopharyngeal (NP) or oropharyngeal (OP) swabs for real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In the absence of definitive microbiology testing, post-mortem computed tomography (PMCT) may be a powerful adjunct tool for screening. Persistence of pathological changes may prolong physiological alterations and increase the risk of cardiopulmonary compromise. This current case outlines the forensic presentation, utilization of screening tools including PMCT, and the autopsy findings of a recent toxicology related sudden death case in the context of severe sequelae of COVID-19 pneumonia. This case demonstrates the limitation of NP and OP swabs in the post-mortem setting, the value of PMCT as an adjunct screening tool, and raises the consideration of COVID-19 sequelae as a potential contributing risk factors in sudden death cases in the community.

Recurrent intra-cardiac thrombosis: A rare manifestation of Behçet's disease.

Behçet's disease is a systemic vasculitis characterized by recurrent bipolar aphtosis and ophthalmic disorders. Cardiac involvement is rarely reported and could be associated to poor prognosis. Intracardiac thrombosis is exceptional and represents a therapeutic issue. We report the case of a young man admitted in internal medicine department for management of prolonged fever and recurrent mouth ulcers.

Incidence of Thrombosis at Different Sites During the Follow-Up Period in Essential Thrombocythemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Thrombotic events are the most frequent manifestations of essential thrombocythemia (ET). The objective of this study is to determine the incidence of thrombosis at different sites on follow-up in patients with ET. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library databases and calculated the incidence of thrombosis by pooling and analyzing the extracted data using a random-effects model. A total of 70 studies (N = 25,805) were included in the analysis. The total and annual incidences of arterial thrombosis on follow-up were 13.4% and 2.0%, respectively. The total and annual incidences of the different manifestations of arterial thrombosis were as follows: stroke (5.3% and 0.8%), transient ischemic attack (5.1% and 1.2%), myocardial infarction (2.4% and 0.5%), unstable angina (0.9% and 0.2%), and peripheral arterial thrombosis (2.0% and 0.2%), respectively. In contrast, the total and annual incidences of arterial thrombosis in JAK2-positive patients were 18.4% and 2.7%, respectively. The total and annual incidences of arterial thrombosis in JAK2-negative patients were 5.9% and 0.8%, respectively. The total and annual incidences of venous thrombosis were 5.5% and 0.7%, respectively, and the incidences of the different manifestations of venous thrombosis at different sites were as follows: peripheral venous thrombosis (2.9% and 0.5%), superficial venous thrombosis (1.8% and 0.7%), deep venous thrombosis (1.6% and 0.3%), abdominal venous thrombosis (0.8% and 0.1%), pulmonary embolism (0.3% and 0.1%), and cerebral venous thrombosis (0.2% and 0%), respectively. The total and annual incidences of venous thrombosis in JAK2-positive patients were 7.4% and 1.2%, respectively. The total and annual incidences of venous thrombosis in JAK2-negative patients were 1.6% and 0.4%, respectively. The incidence of arterial thrombosis was higher than that of venous thrombosis in patients with ET. Arterial thrombosis manifested with cerebral arterial thrombosis, followed by cardiac thrombosis. Venous thrombosis events were mainly peripheral and superficial venous thrombosis. JAK2-positive patients have a higher incidence of arterial and venous thromboses than JAK2-negative patients, the sequence of thrombsis sites was similar to that of the overall patients.

Incidental diagnosis of a large cardiac thrombus swinging through an interatrial communication in a COVID-19 patient: Case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: The hypercoagulability state induced by COVID-19 has been well established and various forms of subsequent thromboembolic events have been reported throughout literature including multiple cases of intracardiac thrombi, four of which in our center alone, this case being the fifth. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 38-year-old male with no prior cardiovascular history who -subsequently to a COVID-19 infection-developped a right atrial thrombosis associated to a pulmonary embolism, and in whom cardiography revealed an interatrial communication. Management relied upon curative doses of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) with favourable outcome. DISCUSSION: In our discussion, we lay out the various physiopathological mechanisms incriminated throughout literature in the genesis of a hypercoagulability state distinctive of COVID-19, before highlighting the incidence of an interatrial communication (whether a Potent Foramen Ovale or Atrial Septal Defect) discovered in patients with COVID-19, and the potential paradoxical embolization risks they imply as well as reported cases. A mention of hemostatic parameters monitored was also warranted. Finally we discuss the guidelines in terms of prophylactic and therapeutic anticoagulation in hospitalized patients before discussing cardiac thrombosis's therapeutic options. CONCLUSION: Our case highlights various key points which could change the prognosis of COVID-19 patients, whether related to the underdiagnosis of interatrial abnormalities or with regards to the diagnosis to thromboembolic events, but also the indisputable place of anticoagulation in COVID-19 management.

T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma with extensive thrombi and cardiac thrombosis: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: T-lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL), a neoplasm of immature T-cell precursors or lymphoblasts, is a clinically aggressive disease. In general, patients with T-LBL have a poor prognosis and often have high-risk clinical features, such as mediastinal masses, central nervous system infiltration, or other indications of high tumor burden; however, extensive thrombi are not common. CASE SUMMARY: A 27-year-old woman presented to the Department of General Surgery with cervical lymph node enlargement accompanied by cough, wheezing, and palpitation for 3 mo. A complete blood count showed a white blood cell count of 1.6 × 109/L, a hemoglobin concentration of 135 g/L, and a platelet count of 175 × 109/L. A biopsy sample of the lymph node mass indicated T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, and the bone marrow immunophenotype indicated early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ETP-ALL). Abdominal and chest enhanced computed tomography showed thrombi in the superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, right hepatic vein, azygos vein, and right atrium. The ultrasonic cardiogram showed a thrombus in the right atrium of 5.23 cm × 4.21 cm. The patient was first treated with low-dose dexamethasone and low-molecular-weight heparin followed by 2 cycles of chemotherapy. Then, the ultrasonic cardiogram showed that thrombus in the right atrium had disappeared and the patient had achieved complete cytological remission. The maintenance therapy of the patient included chidamide 30 mg/wk, and she survived for 6 mo. CONCLUSION: The incidence of venous thromboembolism is high in lymphoma; however, extensive thrombi with heart thrombosis is rare. Chemotherapy is the major method of treatment for lymphoma with thrombosis. We successfully treated a patient with T-LBL complicated by extensive thrombi, including a large right atrial thrombus, with combined chemotherapy containing liposomal doxorubicin, and the patient achieved complete remission. Maintenance therapy with chidamide was also effective.

Role of Transesophageal Echocardiography in the Diagnosis of Multi-chamber Intracardiac Thrombosis During Liver Transplantation: A Case Series.

Intra-cardiac thrombosis is one of the most devastating complications during liver transplantation. In the majority of cases, ICT, followed by massive pulmonary embolism, is commonly occurring shortly after liver graft reperfusion, but it has been reported to occur at any stage of the surgery. We present a series of 3 cases of intra-cardiac thrombosis during orthotopic liver transplantation surgery, including a case of four-chamber intra-cardiac clot formation during the pre-anhepatic stage. This article represents a single-centre 14 year-long experience. Intra-operative TEE is the gold standard to diagnose intra-cardiac thrombosis, monitoring its size, location and dynamics, as well as myocardial performance and the effects of resuscitation efforts.

Biventricular thrombosis and survival after two different mechanical supports before heart transplantation.

Patient survival from biventricular thrombosis is possible using mechanical support followed by cardiac transplantation.

Severe biventricular thrombosis in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), formerly known as Churg-Strauss syndrome, is a rare multisystem disease characterized by asthma, rhinosinusitis, and eosinophilia. Cardiac involvement, present in half the patients, may be life threatening. CASE SUMMARY: A young woman with long-standing asthma and nasal polyposis was admitted with new-onset dyspnoea, sinus tachycardia, and eosinophilia. She had severe biventricular thrombosis and severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) on echocardiography, with preserved ejection fraction of both ventricles. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging showed diffuse subendocardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). She had a positive test for perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (p-ANCA) confirming the diagnosis of ANCA positive EGPA. She was treated with anticoagulation, high-dose corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab with gradual resolution of her symptoms. Follow-up echocardiography showed significant improvement in ventricular thrombi and TR but could not reliably exclude residual ventricular thrombus. Repeat CMR at 11 months confirmed complete resolution of both ventricular thrombi and near complete resolution of LGE. DISCUSSION: Cardiac involvement in EGPA, a rare cause of heart failure, can manifest as severe biventricular thrombosis and severe TR, resulting in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Combined immunosuppression and anticoagulation can lead to complete remission within a year. CMR is instrumental for both diagnosis and follow-up of EGPA, allowing for safe discontinuation of oral anticoagulation.

Left ventricular thrombosis in acute anterior myocardial infarction: Evaluation of hospital mortality, thromboembolism, and bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular thrombosis (LVT) is a well-known complication of acute myocardial infarction, most commonly seen in anterior wall ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). It is associated with systemic thromboembolism. HYPOTHESIS: Our aim was to evaluate the impact of LVT on in-hospital mortality, thromboembolism, and bleeding in patients with anterior STEMI. METHODS: Data was collected from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample where patients with a primary diagnosis of "Anterior STEMI" [ICD9-CM code 410.1] were included. Comparisons were made between patients with LVT [ICD9-CM code 429.79] vs those without using propensity score matching (PSM). RESULTS: From 2002 to 2014, there were 157 891 cases of anterior STEMI. Among these, 649 (0.4%) had LVT. Post-PSM, there was no difference in in-hospital mortality between the groups with LVT and without (7.3% vs 8.6%). Thromboembolic event rate was higher with LVT compared to those without LVT (7.3% vs 2.1%). There was no difference in bleeding events between patients with LVT and those without (2.9% vs 3.2%). The baseline average length of stay in the group with LVT was longer than the group without LVT (7.9 ± 6.7 days vs 5.1 ± 6.0 days). The average hospitalization-related costs were also significantly higher among patients with LVT compared to those without (95 598 USD vs 66 641 USD per stay) at baseline. CONCLUSION: Among patients hospitalized with anterior STEMI, presence of LVT is associated with increased thromboembolic events, average length of hospital stay and average cost of hospitalization. However, it is not associated with increased in-hospital mortality or bleeding events.

Congenital Thrombophilia and Intracardiac Thrombosis: Probably an Underdiagnosed Event.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the number of patients with congenital thrombophilia who presented an intracardiac thrombosis. METHODS: Personal files were reevaluated together with a time-unlimited search of the literature. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients with intracardiac thrombosis and congenital thrombophilia have been gathered from the literature including the two personal cases. The distribution observed in thrombophilia patients is similar for left side or right side heart (9 vs 11 cases). The left ventricle and the right ventricle were involved in six or five instances, respectively. In one case, both ventricles were involved. On the contrary, the left atrium was involved in three cases whereas the right atrium was affected in six cases. In the remaining cases, more than one heart chamber was involved. CONCLUSIONS: In "normal" subjects, left side thromboses are predominant once catheter-associated thrombi are excluded. The reason of this discrepancy lies in the greater prothrombotic effect exercised by congenital thrombophilia on venous thrombosis compared to arterial thrombosis. The relative high prevalence of cardiac thrombosis seen in patients with antithrombin and protein C deficiencies indicated that a cardiac evaluation should be carried out in all patients with these two defects.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria presenting with a left intraventricular thrombus in a patient with prior thymoma and aplastic anemia.

We report the case of a 37-year old man presenting with a left ventricular cardiac thrombus in the setting of subclinical paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinura (PNH) developing two years after immunosuppressive therapy for thymoma-associated aplastic anemia. The literature regarding the interplay between autoimmunity and immunosuppression, aplastic anemia, thymoma and the emergence of PNH is reviewed.