Drug-Coated Balloon Venoplasty to Treat Iatrogenic Pulmonary Vein Stenosis.

Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is a condition that has seen a decrease in incidence in recent years. Whereas balloon angioplasty and stenting are both acceptable treatment options for PVS, they are limited by the high rate of restenosis. This research paper presents 4 cases of severe symptomatic PVS that were successfully treated with the use of drug-coated balloons, resulting in positive outcomes. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Subacute Cutaneous Lupus as a Paraneoplastic Manifestation of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Malignancies have been associated with paraneoplastic syndromes, such as dermatomyositis. Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) can occur due to a wide array of cancers. Paraneoplastic SCLE obeys McLean's criteria and often regresses after the underlying malignancy has been treated appropriately. Anti-Ro/SSA antibodies are often present in patients with paraneoplastic SCLE; however, there have been many instances where anti-Ro may not be present. We report a case of non-Hodgkin lymphoma causing SCLE, a malignancy not previously known to be associated with paraneoplastic SCLE. We also highlight the importance of perhaps prompt chemotherapy to treat the underlying malignancy, as a failure to do so may lead to worse patient outcomes.

A Case of Ruptured Giant Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm Into the Right Ventricle in a Patient With Both Atrial and Ventricular Septal Defects.

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SOVA) is a rare cardiac defect. In most cases, SOVA presents as an incidental finding during cardiac imaging. A dreadful complication of SOVA is spontaneous rupture, most commonly occurring into the right side of the heart resulting in an abrupt or insidiously progressive congestive heart failure. Ruptured SOVA is associated with poor prognosis with high mortality unless timely surgical intervention is deemed. We present a 23-year-old female who presented with a continuous heart murmur and exertional dyspnea. Transesophageal echocardiogram showed a ruptured 1.8 cm sinus of Valsalva aneurysm of the non-coronary cusp to the right ventricle, which resulted in a significant left-to-right shunt and pulmonary hypertension. Associated cardiac defects included ostium secundum atrial septal defect, peri-membranous ventricular septal defect, and moderate aortic and mitral valve insufficiency. The patient underwent successful surgical correction with significant resolution of the shunt and normalization of the pulmonary pressure. Despite being rare, SOVA can rupture spontaneously, resulting in decompensated heart failure. SOVA should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a continuous heart murmur. Early recognition and timely surgical intervention are pivotal in these cases to prevent further clinical deterioration or even death. LEARNING POINTS: Sinus of Valsalva aneurysms (SOVA) are usually silent until acute rupture. Rupture most commonly occurs into either the right ventricle or right atrium. A new continuous murmur is the most striking physical finding; it is always significant and must prompt urgent echocardiography to facilitate timely diagnosis and treatment. Ruptured SOVA has a poor prognosis with high mortality unless timely surgical intervention is deemed.

Adjunctive Vein of Marshall Ethanol Infusion During Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) can be associated with limited efficacy. Due to its autonomic innervation, the vein of Marshall (VOM) is an attractive target during AF ablation. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adjunctive ethanol infusion of VOM (VOM-EI) in AF ablation. METHODS: We performed a comprehensive literature search for studies that evaluated the efficacy and safety of VOM-EI in AF ablation compared to AF catheter ablation alone. The primary outcome of interest was late (≥3 months) AF or atrial tachycardia (AT) recurrence. The secondary outcomes included acute mitral isthmus bidirectional block (MIBB) and procedural complications (pericardial effusion, stroke, or atrio-esophageal fistula). Pooled relative risk (RR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the random-effects model. RESULTS: A total of four studies, including 804 AF patients (68.2% with persistent AF, the mean age of 63.5±9.9 years, 401 patients underwent VOM-EI plus CA vs. 403 patients who had CA alone), were included in the final analysis. VOM-EI group was associated with a lower risk of late AF/AT recurrence (RR:0.63; 95% CI:0.46-0.87; P = 0.005), and increased probability to achieve acute MIBB (RR:1.39; 95% CI:1.08-1.79; P = 0.009) without an increase in procedural complications (RR:1.05; 95% CI:0.57-1.94; P = 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that adjunctive VOM-EI strategy is more effective than conventional catheter ablation with similar safety profiles.

Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Warfarin in Morbidly Obese Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been increasingly preferred over warfarin; however, The International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis recommended avoiding the use of DOACs in morbidly obese patients (body mass index >40 or weight >120 kg) because of limited clinical data. STUDY QUESTION: Are DOACs effective and safe in morbidly obese patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). DATA SOURCES: We performed a comprehensive search for published studies indexed in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials that evaluated the efficacy and safety of DOACs in morbidly obese patients with NVAF. STUDY DESIGN: Information on patient characteristics, comorbidities, primary anticoagulation indications, pharmacologic treatment, and outcomes were collected. The primary outcome of interest was stroke or systemic embolism (SSE) rate. The secondary outcome was major bleeding (MB). RESULTS: A total of 10 studies including, 89,494 morbidly obese patients with NVAF on oral anticoagulation therapy (45,427 on DOACs vs. 44,067 on warfarin) were included in the final analysis. The SSE rate was significantly lower in DOACs group compared with warfarin group [odds ratio: 0.71; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.62-0.81; P < 0.0001; I2 = 0%]. MB rate was also significantly lower in DOACs group compared with the warfarin group (odds ratio: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.46-0.78; P < 0.0001; I2 = 86%). On subgroup analysis, SSE and MB event rates were significantly lower in rivaroxaban and apixaban than warfarin; however, dabigatran showed noninferiority to warfarin in SSE rate but superiority in the safety outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that DOACs are effective and safe with statistical superiority when compared with warfarin in morbidly obese patients. Large-scale randomized clinical trials are needed to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of DOACs in this cohort of patients.

Shock in the Setting of Diamond-Blackfan Anemia Relapse.

Adult intensivists have increasing exposure to individuals with congenital diseases surviving into adulthood. Solid knowledge bases and early recognition of the possible sequelae of congenital disorders are crucial in caring for these patients. We present a challenging case of shock and relapse of Diamond-Blackfan anemia in a 42-year-old man lost to follow-up for 18 years and highlighted the importance of healthcare transitions into adulthood and the challenges faced by health care systems to develop new strategies successfully transitioning complex pediatric patients to adult care.

Chronic elevation of cardiac troponin I predicts the extent of coronary disease in hemodialysis patients presenting with acute enzyme elevation.

Introduction: Elevation of cardiac troponin I (cTn-I) is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) in asymptomatic patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) receiving hemodialysis. We aim to investigate the diagnostic value of chronically elevated cTn-I in ESRD patients presenting with an acute rise in serum cTn-I levels. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 364 patients. Using coronary angiography, we correlated baseline elevation of cTn-I with the severity of CAD when hemodialysis patients present with acute symptomatic elevation in serum cTn-I. Results: In hemodialysis patients presenting with a rise in serum cTn-I above baseline levels, 59% had severe CAD, and 17% had no angiographic evidence of CAD. Hemodialysis patients with severe CAD had significantly higher baseline cTn-I levels compared to patients with non-severe CAD or normal coronaries (p < 0.0001). Baseline elevation of cTn-I in the severe CAD group was correlated with the degree of CAD occlusion (r2 0.56, p < 0.0001), fitting a positive linear model. Furthermore, baseline cTn-I differentiates between patients with and without severe CAD with a test accuracy of 0.72 (95% CI, 0.69-0.75, p < 0.001). At a value of ≥0.2 ng/mL (cutoff for myocardial necrosis), the specificity of baseline cTn-I for underlying severe CAD was 0.95. Conclusions: Elevated baseline cTn-I has good accuracy for anticipating more advanced angiographic CAD when hemodialysis patients present with a symptomatic rise in serum cTn-I above baseline levels. Baseline elevation of cTn-I can be used for cardiac disease risk management in hemodialysis patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of CAD.

Prevalence and risk factors of contralateral extraprostatic extension in men undergoing radical prostatectomy for unilateral disease at biopsy: A global multi-institutional experience.

INTRODUCTION: We assessed the incidence of contralateral prostate cancer (cPCa), contralateral EPE (cEPE) and contralateral positive surgical margins (cPSM) in patients diagnosed preoperatively with unilateral prostate cancer and evaluated risk factors predictive of contralateral disease extension. METHODS: The occurrence of cPCa, cEPE and cPSM and the side-specific nerve-sparing technique performed were collected postoperatively from 327 men diagnosed with unilateral prostate cancer at biopsy. Parameters, such as the localization, proportion, and percentage of cancer in positive cores, were prospectively collected. RESULTS: Overall, 50.5% of patients had bilateral disease, and were at higher risk when associated with a positive biopsy core at the apex (p = 0.016). The overall incidence of ipsilateral EPE and cEPE were 21.4% and 3.4%, respectively (p < 0.001). Compared to cPCa, ipsilateral disease was at an almost 4-fold higher risk of extending out of the prostate (p < 0.001). None of the criteria tested were identified as useful predictors for cEPE. The low incidence of cEPE in our cohort could limit our ability to detect significance. The overall incidence of ipsilateral PSM and cPSM were 15.3% and 5.8%, respectively (p < 0.001). More aggressive nerve-sparing was not associated with a higher incidence of PSM. Prostate sides selected for more aggressive nerve-sparing were associated with younger patients (p < 0.001), a smaller prostate (p = 0.006), and a lower percentage of cancer in biopsy material (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Although the risk of cPCa is high in patients diagnosed with unilateral prostate cancer at biopsy, the risk of cEPE and cPSM is low, yet not insignificant. Contralateral aggressive nerve-sparing should be used with caution and should not compromise oncological outcome.