Echocardiographic Parameters for Predicting the Outcome of Patients Undergoing Surgery for Severe Tricuspid Regurgitation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to identify echocardiographic parameters related to postoperative clinical outcome (PCO) in patients undergoing surgery for severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) following mitral valve surgery. The indications for surgery due to severe TR following mitral valve surgery are not well defined largely because of a lack of knowledge of the prognostic factors of PCO in these patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients (male/female; 2/16, mean age 58 years) with severe TR associated with prior mitral valve surgery were prospectively enrolled. Comprehensive echocardiographic examinations were performed before and 15+/-7 months after surgery. Favorable PCO was defined as an improvement of > or =1 in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class or a >25% increase in respiratory variation of IVC diameter. Non-survivors and survivors without a favorable PCO were defined as having an unfavorable PCO. RESULTS: The operative mortality was 11% (2/18). Of the 16 survivors, nine (9/16, 56%) achieved a favorable PCO. NYHA functional class, age, left ventricular ejection fraction, right ventricular fractional area change, severity of TR and pulmonary artery pressure were not related to PCO. Only systolic tricuspid annulus velocity (ST') was found to be associated with PCO (favorable vs unfavorable PCO; 12.9+/-2.1cm/s vs 9.7+/-1.7cm/s, p<0.05). For ST' value (9.5 cm/s, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for predicting an unfavorable PCO were 67%, 100%, 100% and 75%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study shows that ST' can predict PCO in patients undergoing surgery for severe TR following mitral valve surgery.

Evaluation of Endotheial Function in Normal Korean Adults and in Patients with Essential Hypertension

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Flow-mediated brachial artery vasoactivity has been recently proposed as a noninvasive means for assessing endotheial function. This endothelial function is impaired in certain cardiovascular conditions, including essential hypertension. METHODS: The study population included 50 healthy subjects aged 22 to 62 years (mean+/-SD, 42+/-12 years), all normotensive, nondiabetic with cholesterol level 0.05). 4) Flow-mediated dilatation was significantly lower in patients with essential hypertension than in normotensive control subjects (4.2+/-0.8 vs. 7.3+/-1.3 %, p0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated that 1) in men older than 40 years, flow-mediated, endothelium-dependent vasodilation of the brachial artery was declined, 2) longer brachial artery occlusion resulted in more vasodilation despite similar hyperemic responses, 3) using low (30 mm Hg higher than systolic pressure) and high (70-90 mm Hg higher than systolic pressure) pressure, each pressure of occlusion was similar hyperemic response, and 4) in patients with essential hypertension, flow-medeiated vasodilation was significantly impaired and IMT was increased than in normotensive control subjects.

A Case of Liver Abscess Due to Klebsiella pneumoniae Complicated with Bacteremia, Endophthalmitis and Prostatic Abscess / 감염

Metastatic infections were rare complications of Klebsiella p neumoniae liver abscess and bacteremia. However, over the past 15 years, they have become prevalent infectious complications in diabetic patients in Taiwan. A 72-year old man was admitted to Kyung-Hee University Hospital with fever, chill, dysuria, and frequency. On rectal examination the prostate gland was tender. Abdominal sonogram showed liver abscess. On hospital day 3, orbital pain, eyelid edema, conjunctival chemosis, hypopyon, and absence of light perception were noted in the right eye. K. pneumoniae was isolated from blood culture. The antimicrobial susceptibility test showed susceptibility to all antibiotics, except ampicillin. He was treated with ceftriaxone and astromicin intravenously for 3 weeks and follow up-transrectal sonogram revealed formation of prostatic abcess. We report a case of K. p neumoniae liver abscess complicated with bacteremia, endophthalmitis, and prostatic abscess.