[Cardiac tumor epidemiology in adults in Lebanpn]

Primary cardiac tumors are rare but potentially fatal. No studies have discussed this issue yet on the national level. We describe the epidemiology of cardiac tumors in adults in Lebanon. The data were taken from the hospitals, the patients and/or their doctors by means of a questionnaire. Fifty-seven cases of cardiac tumors were found, mainly myxomas in the left atrium. Dyspnea was the most frequent symptom. Transthoracic echocardiography was the main diagnostic tool. Transesophageal echocardiography was inconstantly made, scanner and MRI rarely while contrast echocardiography has never been used. Almost half of the patients had a follow-up and none had a familial screening. The collected data urged us to propose a unique and homogenous strategy for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of cardiac tumors in Lebanon

[Value of the tilt test in the management of unexplained syncope]

Syncope is a frequent medical problem that causes much difficulty in order to explain its etiology. Recently, tilt table testing became an investigation of choice in patients presenting with unexplained syncope. To present a series of patients presenting an unexplained syncope, investigated with a tilt test and to compare our results to the literature. 257 patients [mean age of 42.7 +/- 15.4 years] presenting an unexplained syncope between 1997 and 2002 were assessed with a usual tilt test, then in case of negative test a sensitization with iso-proterenol intravenously or sublingual trinitrin was realized. 88 patients [34.2%] had spontaneous positive test, 79 patients [30.8%] had positive test after sensitization and 90 patients [35%] had negative test in spite of sensitization. With a diagnostic return of 65% in this series, the tilt test seems to be the non-invasive investigation of choice in unexplained syncope

Nouveau protocole d'amiodarone dans le traitement des arythmies rebelles

The new protocol of amiodarone was proposed to treat and to prevent some paroxysm and refractory arrhythmias with classic treatments. It is to administrate an oral charge dose of 30mg/kg/day of amiodarone taken in one time during three days, then reduce progressively that posology. This protocol was applied on 60 patients with a success of 75% and a recur of 3.5%. few secondary effects were observed all reversible with the end of protocol. But no cardiac decompensation, no pro-arrhythmogene effect were signaled and especially no cardiac failure