Nomograms of the fetal heart between 16 and 39 weeks of gestation.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the normal fetal cardiac measurement from 16 to 39 weeks' gestation in Thai fetuses. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Four hundred and eighty normal singleton pregnant women were recruited into the present study. The sonographic measurements were obtained from axial scans at the level of the four-chamber view. RESULTS: The regression model for cardiac circumference (CC), thoracic circumference (TC), thickness of left ventricular wall during diastole (LVW), diameter of left ventricle during diastole (LVD) and systole (LVS) and thickness of interventricular septum during diastole (IVS) were best fit by allowing a polynomial for gestational age. The cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) and shortening fraction of left ventricle (SFLV) were not statistically different with advancing gestation. CONCLUSION: The normal values of fetal CC, TC, CTR, LVW, LVD, LVS, IVS and SFLV during gestation were established These data could serve as a standard to investigate cardiac change in pregnancies with fetuses at risk.

Comparison of the Clinical Features of Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Versus Asymmetric Septal Hypertrophy in Korea

BACKGROUND: We sought to test whether patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (APH) have different clinical features compared to those with typical asymmetric septal hypertrophy (ASH). METHODS: Among 32, 534 patients who underwent routine echocardiography at Asan Medical Center from January 2000 to December 2001, 305 patients (0.9%), who were finally diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCMP), were evaluated. The type of HCMP was classified according to the echocardiographic findings. RESULTS: ASH was the most frequent type (n=160, 53%, group I), and APH was the second most frequent (n=91, 30%, group II). Mean age (60.8 +/- 10 vs. 48.2 +/- 14 years, p< 0.001) and prevalence of hypertension (32% vs. 19%, p=0.022) were significantly higher in group II than in group I. Family history of HCMP (4.4% vs. 0% p=0.043) and sudden cardiac death (8.8% vs. 1.1% p=0.014) was more prevalent in group I. During the follow-up period of 32.0 +/- 37.2 months, cardiac events occurred at a significantly higher rate in group I (25.5% vs. 8.8%, p=0.003). CONCLUSION: APH comprises a significant proportion of HCMP in Korea and patients with APH show different clinical features compared to those with ASH.

Stenting of a septal perforator for post-myocardial infarction angina.

Occlusion of a septal perforator branch alone, without the involvement of the left anterior descending coronary artery, leading to acute myocardial infarction is unusual. We report a case in which an isolated severely stenotic thrombus-containing first septal artery causing intractable post-myocardial infarction angina was successfully dilated and stented.

Isolated right ventricular hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Two cases of isolated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy of right ventricle without any involvement of interventricular septum or left ventricle are reported. Two cases reported in literature are also reviewed. In these cases symptoms are those of left ventricular hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. Right ventricular dominance on clinical examination and electrocardiogram and inspiratory increase in intensity of murmur are helpful clues. 2-Dimensional echocardiography with Doppler evaluation can confirm the diagnosis noninvasively.

Symptomatic atrial septal defect in infancy.

Isolated ostium secundum atrial septal defect (OS-ASD) may rarely lead to severe symptoms in infancy. Over a period of four years, 12 infants admitted to our hospital with severe congestive heart failure had an isolated OS-ASD. Their echocardiographic findings, clinical course, and outcome were outlined. All 12 infants had atypical findings including a holosystolic murmur parasternally and absence of wide fixed splitting of the second heart sound, and none were clinically suspected to have an ASD. M-mode echocardiography in all infants showed a greater than normal diastolic right ventricular internal diameter in the absence of pulmonary hypertension, indicating an increased right ventricular distensibility. Ten out of 12 infants responded well to medical decongestive treatment, and none developed pulmonary hypertension. Two infants who failed to improve with drugs, successfully underwent surgical closure, while two other infants revealed clinical and echocardiographic evidence of spontaneous closure.