Clinical spectrum of skeletal abnormalities and mitral valve prolapse and their clinical implications

Fifty-six patients were diagnosed to have mitral valve prolapse [MVP] syndrome by auscultatory criteria, confirmed by cross-sectional echocardiography. Complete physical examination and x-ray of the bony thorax revealed bony deformities which were subdivided into four main groups according to the predominant deformity. Shallow chest with pectus excavatum, straight back, kyphoscoliosis and elliptical chest in marfanoid patients were reported in the cases studied. It is concluded that musculoskeletal abnormalities have to be considered as nonauscultatory features of MVP. Therefore, any patient with musculoskeletal deformity has to be screened for MVP by cross-sectional echocardiography to prevent life-threatening complications

Prevalence of bicuspid aortic valve and mitral valve prolapse in a healthy Saudi population and the clinical implications of their association

In this study, 103 Saudi males and 172 Saudi females were referred for medical check-up for employment purposes and/or as undergraduate students. Clinical evaluation of all participants included full cardiovascular examination, with the following investigations being performed: ECG, chest x-ray, and cross-sectional echocardiography. Bicuspid aortic valve was detected in three males and in four females, for a total percentage of 2.5%. Isolated mitral valve prolapse was detected in seven males [6.7%] and six females [3.5%]. Association with mitral valve prolapse was reported in five males and seven females, with a total percentage of 4.3%. This association seems to have important etiological, medical and surgical implications

nature and prognosis of thyroid disorders and the heart

This is an attempt to review the current major thyroid disorders that may affect the heart directly and/ or indirectly and their prognostic pattern. It is accepted that cardiac disability can occur in thyroid dysfunction in the absence of any other underlying cardiac abnormality. This "Thyrocardiac disease" occurs more commonly within creasing age and in the elderly and may reflect occult thyroid function impairment. The advent of non-invasive cardiology particularly cross-sectional echocardiography has demonstrated ability to assess ventricular internal dimensions and function and to detect various cardiac disorders in the so called thyroid heart disease. Nevertheless great awareness has been reached in the age long controversy regarding the magnitude of cardiac abnormality in thyroid disorders

spectrum of echocardiographic abnormalities in hypothyroidism and the effect of hormonal treatment

Cross-sectional echocardiography was used to identify and quantify different cardiac abnormalities in 85 patients with hypothyroidism. Pericardial effusion was the most common and was found in 32 patients [37.6%], while abnormal increase in left ventricular dimensions with impairment of function followed next in frequency [16.4%]. Asymmetrical septal hypertrophy as well as segmental wall motion abnormality were each detected in 11.76%. Holosystolic prolapse of the mitral valve was present in only 4.7% of the cases. Different combinations of abnormalities were observed in a total of 22 patients [25.76%], and pericardial effusion was a constant finding. Some of the abnormalities were reversed with physiological thyroxin replacement, but abnormal regional abnormal wall motion remained unimproved