[Severe persistent sub-shift of the ST segment following cardioversion in ventricular tachycardia]. / Grand sus-décalage du segment ST durable après cardioversion pour tachycardie ventriculaire.

The authors report a case of severe ST elevation after defibrillation which persisted for 6 days, suggesting acute myocardial infarction. The possible mechanisms of ST elevation after cardioversion and the unusually long duration of the ECG changes in this case are reviewed. The protective role of verapamil against myocardial damage is discussed.

[Unstable angina with threatening coronary lesions turned down for surgery. Outcome and prognostic factors]. / Les angors instables avec lésions coronariennes menaçantes récusés pour la chirurgie. Devenir et facteurs pronostiques.

The aim of this study based on a series of 200 patients, was to define the outcome and the prognostic factors of patients presenting with unstable angina, according to Bertolazi's criteria [3] and at least one stenosis greater than 80% on a proximal segment of a main coronary trunc, and to determine which factors should eventually be taken into consideration in the discussion of surgical indications. 70 out of 200 patients (35%) were turned down for direct revascularisation surgery because of an ejection fraction less than 0,35 and/or a poor arterial run off. Coronary arteriography showed 30% patients with a menacing stenosis (greater than 80%) on all three vessels, 36% on two vessels and 22% on a single vessel. The distribution and the extent of the lesions was about the same as in the operated patients. 20% patients had an ejection fraction less than 0,35, 24% between 0,34 and 0,50, and 56% greater than 0,50. At patient, the follow up period ranges from 22 to 66 months (average 32 months). In this group, the hospital mortality was 2,9%, the secondary cardiac deaths 16% and the global mortality 19% compared to 12,6% for the operated patients in the same period. The incidence of secondary non-fatal infarction was low (9%). 52% of survivors have persistent angina, 39% severe (Class II or III). Two prognostic factors were detected from this study: the type of angina: the intermediary syndrome had a bad prognosis, 38,5% mortality compared to 13% for aggravated chronic angina; and the ventriculography: patients with ejection fractions less than 0,35 had 64% mortality compared to 7,3% for those with ejection fractions greater than 0,40. The number of menacing lesions, the extent of the lesions of the artery involved did not affect the prognosis when severe abnormalities of left ventricular function were absent.

[Outcome of myocardial infarctions complicated by heart conduction disorders in the acute phase]. / Devenir des infarctus du myocarde compliqués en phase aiguë de troubles de la conduction.

Of 945 patients hospitalised for myocardial infarction between January 1st 1972 and December 31st 1975, 40 with anterior myocardial infarction (Group I-A) and 53 with posterior myocardial infarction (Group II-A) were complicated by atrioventricular and/or intraventricular arrhythmias. The average follow up period is now of 48 months (range 24 to 78 months). Their outcome was compared to two control groups of 50 anterior myocardial infarctions (Group I-B) and 50 posterior myocardial infarctions (Group II-B) uncomplicated by arrhythmias in the acute phase. The immediate (10%) and secondary (30%) mortality was identical in the two groups II-A and II-B with posterior wall necrosis. The immediate (32%) and secondary (40%) mortality in Group I-A was much higher than in Group I-B (22% and 28% respectively). Sudden death was the most frequent form of demise in all groups (I-A, II-A, II-B) except Group I-B in which heart failure predominated. Death occured earlier in Group I-A than in the control Group II-B. These results pose the problem of the indication of prophylactic permanent pacing to decrease the incidence of sudden death.

[Continuous ambulatory electrocardiographic recordings using the Holter system in the late phase of hospitalization for recent myocardial infarct. Value and limitations studied in a series of 100 patients]. / Enregistrements électrocardiographiques continus en ambulatoire par système Holter en phase tardive d'hospitalisation pour infarctus du myocarde récent. Intérêt et limite à propos d'une série de 100 patients.

Repeated continuous ambulatory electrocardiography by Holter monitoring was performed after early mobilisation post-myocardial infarction in 100 patients, without ventricular extrasystoles on classical ECG. Frequent ventricular arrhythmias were recorded in 58 p. 100 cases, unrelated to the localisation of the infarct. The observation of ventricular arrhythmias in the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) was not related to the occurrence of VEs during Holter monitoring. On the other hand, VEs were less frequent (38 p. 100 compared to 68 p. 100) in patients taking amiodarone or betablockers on transfer from the CCU. The reduced activity of patients during Holter monitoring minimises the frequency of arrhythmias, and 10 p. 100 patients were observed to have VEs only after exercise tolerance testing. These VEs seem to be a bad prognostic factor; the 9 patients who died in this series all presented VEs on ambulatory monitoring (7) or during exercise tolerance testing (2). However the number of patients with triple vessel disease was greater in the group with VEs on ambulatory monitoring (57 p. 100 compared with 13 p. 100). It is difficult to assess the precise role of the VEs amongst the other risk factors of sudden death. This is not a randomised study, but it would appear that long=term amiodarone or betablockers therapy may influence the medium-term prognosis.

[Reversible sinus dysfunction during treatment with lithium carbonate]. / Dysfonctionnement sinusal réversible au cours d'un traitement par le carbonate de lithium.

The case reported concerns a symptomatic transitory sinus node abnormality in a 75 years old woman treated with Lithium Carbonate (750 mg/d) for a manic-depressive psychosis. This patient, admitted to the hospital for bradycardia and repeated episodes of syncope was shown to present sinus pauses greater than 3 seconds. Lithium therapy was discontinued. 72 hours later electrophysiologic studies, performed to evaluate sinus node function, were normal. It is therefore the author's opinion that in patients receiving Lithium therapy who present syncope, dizziness, or bradycardia a sinus node abnormality of iatrogenic origin must be considered. The importance of this diagnosis is in the rapid reversibility of the sinus node dysfunction with discontinuation of therapy.

[Are stenoses of the common trunk of the left coronary artery at the root of unstable angina?]. / Les sténoses du tronc commun de la coronaire gauche s'individualisent-elles au sein des angors instables?

In a series of 200 cases of unstable angina who have had coronary arteriography carried out, a stenosis of more than 60% of the trunk of the left coronary artery was noted in 40 cases (20%). This sinister site of arteriosclerosis may be suspected in patients presenting with long-standing angina (mean for the group 44 months), an angina which has recently become worse, one which is not responding rapidly to rest and beta-blockers, and in particular one where there has been a previous infarction (50% of cases). Coronary arteriography shows that the lesions were more diffuse and more severe in the group with stenosis of the main trunk. Surgical prognosis becomes worse (31% mortality) because of the risk of vascular complications. Treatment by large doses of Propranolol improves the classically gloomy prognosis of these patients when treated medically.

[Progressive external ophthalmoplegia and disorders of ventricular conduction. Apropos of 3 recent cases]. / Ophtalmoplégie externe progressive et troubles de la conduction ventriculaire. A propos de 3 nouvelles observations.

The authors report 3 cases with an association of progressive external ophthalmoplegia (OEP) and disordered intracardiac conduction. These cases, and the twenty or so similar ones reported in the literature, show that this association is important for two reasons:--there is a therapeutic importance in that the condition affects young patients, who are at risk from sudden death due to the conduction defect; for this reason electrocardiographic follow-up must be regular, and an intracavitary pacemaker must be introduced definitively at the least indication;--there is a physiopathological importance in that the effect of the myopathies on the myocardium is well known, but most information relates to the diffuse cardiomyopathies, and in only 10% of cases are there conduction defects. By contrast, the conductive tissue appears to be involved in all cases of OEP, while cardiac failure is rare. It seems likely, therefore, that cases of OEP have a pathogenesis different from that of the diffuse myopathies, whether or not these involve the external occular muscles.