Psychological features of takotsubo cardiomyopathy: report of four cases

Takotsubo or stress-induced cardiomyopathy is a cardiomyopathy in which the patient has a sudden onset, reversible left ventricular systolic dysfunction without any significant coronary artery disease. Four women, who were at a mean age of 64 years and suffered from chest pain exacerbated by emotional stress, were admitted as cases of acute coronary syndrome and were completely evaluated through precise history taking, physical examination, and ECG. Coronary angiography or coronary multidetector computed tomography was used to exclude significant coronary artery disease. In these patients with confirmed Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, in addition to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association [DSM-IV] criteria, a 71-item form of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory [MMPI]-Mini-Mult-was employed for psychological assessment. The main common elevated scale was hypochondriasis. Individuals with high scores on this scale are obsessed with themselves, especially in regard to their body, and often use their disease symptoms in order to manipulate others. They are mainly passive aggressive, critical, and demanding, which stems from their lack of effective verbal abilities as a means of communication, specifically when it comes to anger or hostility expression. To the best of our knowledge, there is no available study evaluating patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy using the Mini-Mult questionnaire for psychological assessment

Plasma vitamin D status and its correlation with risk factors of thrombosis, P-selectin and hs-CRP level in patients with venous thromboembolism; the first study of iranian population

Low plasma level of vitamin D is linked to the increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and peripheral vascular diseases. Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide problem that involves Iranian population. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first investigation on venous thromboembolism [VTE] subjects that assessed the correlation of vitamin D level with plasma P-selectin, hs-CRP, and risk factors of thrombosis. In this prospective study, patients with diagnosis of acute deep vein thrombosis and or pulmonary eboembolism were enrolled. All patients' clinical data, demographics and risk factors of thrombosis were evaluated. Plasma level of P-selectin and hs-CRP were measured by ELISA method. Radio immune assay method was used to determine plasma level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D. In this study, 60 subjects were included. The mean +/- SD plasma 25-hydroxy vitamin D level [25[OH] D] of participants was 21.4 +/- 14.6 ng/mL. The vitamin D deficiency was reported in 60% of patients. No significant relation was found between the plasma 25[OH]D level and P-selectin and hs-CRP. In multiple regression analysis, there was a significant relationship between the level of 25[OH]D and the patients' age [beta = 0.452; p = 0.001], diabetes [beta = 0.280; p = 0.036] and positive family history of cardiovascular diseases [beta = 0.373; p = 0.003]. Vitamin D deficiency is a frequent problem in Iranian VTE patients. Moreover, Plasma level of vitamin D is not associated with increase level of P-selectin and hs-CRP in VTE patients

Recurrence of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: role of multi-detector computed tomography coronary angiography

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy [TCM], also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy, is a clinical syndrome of transient left ventricular [LV] apical wall motion abnormality with relative preservation of the basal heart segments in the absence of any significant atherosclerosis. Recurrence of this condition is rare. We report a postmenopausal woman, who experienced two episodes of TCM within 4 months following emotional and physical stress. In the first episode, she was admitted due to severe dyspnea, accompanied by sudden-onset, prolonged, burning chest pain and palpitation. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed akinesia of the LV, with the exception of the basal regions. Coronary angiography demonstrated no significant coronary artery disease, and follow-up echocardiography showed normalization of the LV wall motion abnormalities. In the second episode, she experienced similar symptoms and echocardiography revealed similar changes. Multi-detector computed tomography revealed normal coronary arteries. After 9 days, she was discharged in good condition; and at 3 months' follow-up, she was symptom-free with normal echocardiography

Broken heart syndrome: a case report

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a recently increasing diagnosed disease manifested by transient apical or mid left ventricular dilation and dysfunction. This sign is similar to acute myocardial infarction but without significant coronary artery stenosis. There are important and essential differences between Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and acute myocardial infarction in terms of management, necessitating a good understanding of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the former. We report a case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy which presented with dizziness and near syncope after an intense emotional stress. Electrocardiogram showed ST-T changes in V1-V3 and echocardiography revealed severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction with marked regional wall motion abnormalities. Coronary angiography demonstrated minimal coronary artery disease. The patient was treated with beta -blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, Aspirin, Clopidogrel, and diuretics. At the follow-up visit, all the symptoms had disappeared and control echocardiography showed significant improvement in the left ventricular systolic function with a normal ejection fraction and normal wall motion.

Doppler tissue imaging: a non-invasive technique for estimation of left ventricular end diastolic pressure in severe mitral regurgitation

Conventional Doppler measurements, including mitral inflow and pulmonary venous flow, are used to estimate left ventricular end diastolic pressure [LVEDP]. However, these parameters have limitations in predicting LVEDP among patients with mitral regurgitation. This study sought to establish whether the correlation between measurements derived from tissue Doppler echocardiography and LVEDP remains valid in the setting of severe mitral regurgitation. Thirty patients [mean age: 57.37 +/- 13.29 years] with severe mitral regurgitation and a mean left ventricular ejection fraction [EF] of 46.0 +/- 14.95 were enrolled; 16 [53.4%] patients were defined to have EF < 50% and 14 [46.6%] patients had EF >/= 50%. Doppler signals from the mitral inflow, pulmonary venous flow, and Doppler tissue imaging indices were obtained, and LVEDP was measured invasively through cardiac catheterization. The majority of the standard Doppler and Doppler tissue imaging indices were not significantly correlated with LVEDP in the univariate analysis. In the multiple linear regression, however, early [E] transmitral velocity to annular E' [E/E'] ratio [beta=1.09, p value < 0.01], E wave velocity to propagation velocity [E/Vp] ratio [beta=7.87, p value < 0.01], and isovolumic relaxation time [beta=0.21, p value=0.01] were shown as independent predictors of LVEDP [R[2]=91.7%]. The ratio of E/Vp and E/E' ratio and also the isovolumic relaxation time could be applied properly to estimate LVEDP in mitral regurgitation patients even in the setting of severe mitral regurgitation

Coronary artery fistula with double outlet right ventricle: a case report

The majority of coronary artery fistulas [CAFs] are congenital. The anomaly accounts for 0.4% of congenital heart defects and approximately 50% of pediatric coronary vasculature anomalies. Twenty percent of people with congenital CAFs have other concomitant cardiac anomalies, most frequently aortic and pulmonary atresia and patent ductus arteriosus. It is worthy of note that CAF with the tetralogy of Fallot has also been reported. Here we describe a patient with a double outlet right ventricle in association with a coronary artery fistula