Boxer's pericardium.

A 65-year-old retired professional boxer presented with progressively worsening shortness of breath, peripheral oedema and mild abdominal swelling over a period of 6 months. His only past medical history was hypertension. Subsequent investigations revealed chylous ascites, pericardial constriction and bilateral chylothorax. He had uneventful pericardectomy, and post-operatively the chylothorax resolved only after administration of octreotide for 10 days. The histopathological features of fibrosis, haemosiderin deposition in the pericardium and abundant haemosiderin-laden macrophages are consistent with chronic resolving haemopericardium. These findings suggested that the cause of pericardial constriction was repeated chest trauma from boxing.

Dipyridamole is superior to dobutamine for thallium stress imaging: a randomised crossover study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of dobutamine over dipyridamole as a pharmacological stressing agent in myocardial perfusion imaging with thallium-201. DESIGN: Stress and redistribution tomographic images were taken in a group of patients in a randomised crossover study of both agents. The scans were scored to give a value for the stress and redistribution images and a reversibility score (redistribution--stress). All patients had coronary angiography that was also scored. Differences between the two agents were compared by a paired t test. PATIENTS: 30 patients aged 51-70 years with chest pain thought to be caused by myocardial ischaemia. 11 had had previously myocardial infarction. RESULTS: Dipyridamole caused adverse symptoms in six patients whereas dobutamine caused symptoms in 21 patients (chi 2 = 15.15, p < 0.0001). Dobutamine stress took considerably longer than dipyridamole (31 v 6 minutes) and cost more (17 pounds v 1.50 pounds). There were no significant differences between the agents in terms of total stress or redistribution scores, but regional analysis showed that dipyridamole showed significantly more defects during stress at the apex and lateral wall (p < 0.05), with no significant difference at redistribution. Dipyridamole stress also caused significantly more reversible defects at the apex (p < 0.05) and gave a better correlation than dobutamine with coronary score (dipyridamole r = 0.80, p < 0.001 v dobutamine r = 0.64, p < 0.001). In six patients who had continued to take beta blockers the results of dobutamine stress did not correlate with coronary score, r = 0.34 (NS), whereas dipyridamole studies were not affected. CONCLUSION: Compared with dobutamine, dipyridamole was as effective in producing overall perfusion defects and more effective in provoking defects at the apex and lateral segment. The dipyridamole study correlated better with coronary score and was not affected by concurrent beta blocker treatment. It was also better tolerated by the patients, was less time consuming, and was much cheaper.

Scorpion venom cardiomyopathy.

Cardiac function was evaluated by serial echocardiography in 30 children affected by scorpion stings. They could be separated into two groups on the basis of the initial echocardiogram. Group 1, consisting of 18 children, had normal left ventricular function, whereas group 2, consisting of 12 children, showed compromised left ventricular function (ejection fraction less than 0.55; fractional shortening less than 27%). In group 2 the left ventricular end-systolic dimension was increased significantly and the interventricular septal thickening fraction was depressed significantly, compared with group 1. Nine children in group 2 showed improvement in all measurements of contractility, usually within 24 to 48 hours. Of the remaining children, one showed no echocardiographic changes and subsequently died. Another child made a slow improvement over several weeks. We conclude that myocardial toxicity is a common and serious complication of scorpion stings in children. Systolic function appears to be affected predominantly. Serial echocardiography is useful to follow changes in left ventricular function, which are generally matched by clinical improvement. Patients who fail to improve within 24 to 48 hours require particularly close observation.

Adenotonsillar hypertrophy and cor pulmonale: clinical and echocardiographic correlation.

It is well recognized that upper airways obstruction by adenotonsillar hypertrophy can lead to cor pulmonale, but delays in diagnosis still occur, leading to an appreciable morbidity and even occasional mortality. In the case presented, echocardiographic recognition of right ventricular enlargement and abnormal pulmonary valve motion served to complement and confirm the clinical diagnosis. Following surgical relief of the airways obstruction, the echocardiographic examination usefully documented the regression in right ventricular size and the return to normality of pulmonary valve motion.

Intrapericardial heart and great vessel injuries

Eighteen patients with intrapericardial penetrating injuries of the heart or great vessels are reviewed, and the results compared with other published material. The majority presented with injuries of the left anterior chest wall and with clinical evidence of cardiac tamponade. Most of the injuries resulted from stab wounds, and there were two deaths which occurred in the immediate peri-operative period. The importance and clinical recognition of cardiac tamponade is stressed. Immediate thoracotomy and repair of the cardiac wound is advocated, and pericardiocentesis is recommended only as a temporary measure to allow transportation of the patient to definitive care. (AU)

Isolated torsion of the fallopian tube

Isolated torsion of the fallopian tube is an uncommon and ill-understood condition which presents as an acute abdominal emergency. It has not been previously reported from this region. The diagnostic difficulties, pathophysiology and management are discussed. It is suggested that better awareness of the condition may result in earlier diagnosis and treatment, with possible salvage of the affected tube (AU)

Circulatory dose-response effects of hydrochlorothiazide at rest and during dynamic exercise in essential hypertension.

The immediate and sustained circulatory effects of hydrochlorothiazide were evaluated at rest and during dynamic exercise in 24 patients with essential hypertension. Twenty-four hours after the first dose (50mg) there was a reduction in the resting systolic blood pressure, with attenuation of exercise tachycardia. During sustained therapy at two dose levels (50mg and 100mg), each of one month's duration, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure were reduced, both at rest and during dynamic exercise, without substantial difference between the two doses. Exercise tachycardia was attenuated during longterm treatment, without alteration of the pressor responses to exercise. The reduction in exercise tachycardia at the same workload in this study suggests that thiazides, in addition to their diuretic action, have a vascular component that augments the fall in systemic vascular resistance during dynamic exercise.

Spontaneous rupture of the diaphragm during delivery

True spontaneous rupture of the diaphragm, as a consequence of pregnancy or delivery, is exceptionally rare; one only case has been recorded. We report a further case where diaphragmatic rupture was followed by herniation and subsequent infarction of the caecum, ascending colon and most of the transverse colon. The diagnostic difficulties, pathophysiology and management are discussed (AU)

Cardiac arrhythmias 48 hours before, during, and 48 hours after discharge from hospital following acute myocardial infarction.

The cardiac rate and rhythm were studied by 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic recording in 44 patients before, during, and after being discharged from hospital following an acute myocardial infarction. The first recordings were started 48 hours before discharge, the second on the morning of the day of discharge, and the third 48 hours after discharge (at home). While in hospital and after returning home the heart rate fell during sleep but there was no diurnal variation in the frequency of ventricular extrasystoles. Daytime heart rate and both the frequency and grade (severity) of ventricular arrhythmias were significantly raised 48 hours after discharge. The frequency of ventricular extrasystoles during sleep was also increased in the 48 hours post-discharge recording. Rises in heart rate and frequency and severity of ventricular extrasystoles were observed on the morning of the day of discharge, increasing up to the time of leaving hospital, but during the journey home they all diminished. No relation was found between ventricular arrythmias during early convalescence and (i) ventricular arrhythmias during the acute phase of acute myocardial infarction (including ventricular fibrillation); (ii) peak aspartate aminotransferase; (iii) the level of anxiety; or (iv) the personality type. Six patients taking beta-blocking drugs behaved similarly. Five patients taking anxiolytic drugs has significantly raised frequency of ventricular extrasystoles during each 24-hour electrocardiogram. In spite of the above findings, at the time of leaving hospital after acute myocardial infarction there does not appear to be a serious risk from the development of major cardiac arrhythmias.

Sinoatrial disorders, the "sick sinus" syndrome. Experience with implanted cardiac pacemakers.

The long term results of permanent pacemaker implantation in patients with disorders of the sinoatrial node and atrial conduction pathways were studied. In a consecutive series of 300 patients treated by pacemaker implantation, 68 ((22.3%) had sinoatrial disorders. Mean age of the group was 54 years (33-82 years); 37 were male, 31 female. Diagnosis was confirmed by serial electrocardiography with overdrive suppression of sinoatrial node function as indicated. Twenty-two patients presented with sinus bradycardia alone (Type I disorder) and 46 with bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome (Type II disorder) were completely controlled. of the 46 Type II patients, in 30 (65.2%) tachyarrhythmias were controlled by pacing alone and in 14 (30.4%) by pacing and antiarrhythmic drug therapy. Congestive cardiac failure was relieved in 80% and anginal pain in 70% of patients with rate control alone. Systemic embolisation did not recur after pacemaker implantation. The average duration of pacemaker therapy was 52 months (12-96 months). In this series, long term ventricular demand pacing proved beneficial in both types of sinoatrial disorders.