Chitinase-3-like protein-1 (YKL-40) before and after therapy in supraventricular arrhythmias.

BACKGROUND: The inflammatory glycoprotein chitinase-3-like protein 1 or YKL-40 has emerged as a potential biomarker of cardiovascular diseases, including atrial fibrillation (AFib). We sought to assess YKL-40 in a wide spectrum of supraventricular arrhythmias besides AFib in comparison with other inflammatory markers. METHODS: We determined serum levels of YKL-40, C-reactive protein (CRP) and IL-6 in 70 patients with AFib, atrial flutter, atrioventricular node reentry tachycardia or other supraventricular tachycardias before, immediately after therapy and 1 week after therapy; 20 healthy patients served as controls. Patients were subsequently followed for 6 months for arrhythmia recurrence. RESULTS: Baseline YKL-40 was significantly elevated in AFib patients [99.5 (65.5,194) ng/ml versus 47.2 (38.9,51.6) ng/ml in controls, P < 0.001], but not in patients with other arrhythmias. YKL-40 levels correlated positively with left atrial volume index (Spearman's rho = 0.853, P < 0.001). Its levels dropped significantly 1 week posttreatment only in AFib (P = 0.009 versus baseline); CRP and IL-6 remained practically stable throughout the study. Arrhythmia recurrence at 6 months occurred in 13 patients (19%), including 11 with AFib and 2 with atrial flutter. Baseline YKL-40 was independently associated with AFib recurrence (adjusted odds ratio = 1.02, 95% confidence interval = 1.00-1.04, P = 0.016). Neither CRP nor IL-6 was associated with AFib recurrence. CONCLUSION: Serum YKL-40 was elevated only in AFib and not in other supraventricular arrhythmias. In AFib, YKL-40 levels were responsive to therapy and predicted long-term recurrence.

Emergency department triage of acute heart failure triggered by pneumonia; when an intensive care unit is needed?

Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a frequent triggering factor for decompensation of a chronic cardiac dysfunction, leading to acute heart failure (AHF). Patients with AHF exacerbated by CAP, are often admitted through the emergency department for ICU hospitalization, even though more than half the cases do not warrant any intensive care treatment. Emergency department physicians are forced to make disposition decisions based on subjective criteria, due to lack of evidence-based risk scores for AHF combined with CAP. Currently, the available risk models refer distinctly to either AHF or CAP patients. Extrapolation of data by arbitrarily combining these models, is not validated and can be treacherous. Examples of attempts to apply acuity scales provenient from different disciplines and the resulting discrepancies, are given in this review. There is a need for severity classification tools especially elaborated for use in the emergency department, applicable to patients with mixed AHF and CAP, in order to rationalize the ICU dispositions. This is bound to facilitate the efforts to save both lives and resources.

Cardiology in Greece.

From its birth in 1954, Greek cardiology has been integrated with the European Society of Cardiology, while its Society predates the ACC and ESC.

Successful surgical repair of mitral valve prolapse endocarditis: a case report and review of the current literature.

We present the case of a 42-year-old man with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and infective endocarditis. He was referred to our hospital by his family physician for the evaluation of a cardiac murmur. A detailed medical history revealed that he had been feeling fatigue with occasional episodes of slight fever during the last two months. Echocardiography revealed MVP with a sizeable vegetation and severe mitral insufficiency. Serial blood cultures were positive for Streptococcus viridans, highly penicillin susceptible. He was put on appropriate antimicrobial therapy, but both the vegetation and the concomitant mitral insufficiency persisted after otherwise successful medical therapy. Thus, the patient underwent surgical vegetectomy with mitral valve repair. He had an uneventful postoperative course and remains free of disease at the 12-month follow up. Our case report reinforces the value of early diagnosis in the presence of a high clinical suspicion of MVP endocarditis. An extended clinical workup, including serial detailed echocardiography studies, is mandatory in such a patient. Medical treatment of infective endocarditis in the setting of MVP is often successful. However, cardiac surgical intervention plays an important role in the treatment of intracardiac complications. Mitral valve repair in the context of a healed and stable infective endocarditis is the treatment of choice.

Acute anterior myocardial infarction after multiple bee stings. A case of Kounis syndrome.

A 58-year-old man with no history of cardiac diseases or cardiovascular risk factors was stung by honeybees. Soon after, he gradually developed signs of an allergic reaction followed by severe retrosternal pain. Electrocardiographic, echocardiographic evidence and positive biochemical markers were consistent with an acute anterolateral myocardial infarction. Coronary arteriography showed a left anterior descending artery thrombotic lesion. This is a case of Kounis syndrome, which is the concurrence of acute coronary syndromes with conditions associated with mast cell activation including allergic or hypersensitivity reactions as well as anaphylactic or anaphylactoid insults. The clinical implications and pathophysiology of this dangerous association are discussed.

Diabetic myocardial disease: pathophysiology, early diagnosis and therapeutic options.

Diabetes mellitus is a powerful risk factor for cardiovascular disease associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Diabetic patients also have an increased incidence of heart failure which has been traditionally attributed to the concurrent presence of ischemic or hypertensive heart disease. Yet, nowadays, according to recent scientific evidence, diabetic myocardial disease (DMD) is more and more being considered as a distinct nosologic entity, independent of the co-existence of coronary artery disease, arterial hypertension or other risk factors, with the potential to lead to a self-existent progressive development of heart failure. In this article, we review the possible pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in the development of DMD as well as the structural and functional changes in the diabetic heart. We emphasize the importance of early detection of the syndrome, especially by novel echocardiographic techniques. Finally, we refer to the various therapeutic options for the optimal management of DMD according to the recent literature.