The MOGE(S) classification : A TNM-like classification for cardiomyopathies.

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle resulting from genetic defects, cardiac myocyte injury, or infiltration of the myocardium. Cardiomyopathies are traditionally defined as dilated, restrictive, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Today, the genetic basis of most diseases has been clearly defined and has influenced the approach to familial diseases such as cardiomyopathies. Traditional definitions of cardiomyopathies, such as those by the American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology, do not consider the genetic basis of cardiomyopathies. In 2013, the World Heart Federation added the genetic basis of cardiomyopathies and proposed a descriptive genotype-phenotype nosology system termed "MOGE(S)." The MOGE(S) system resembles the TNM classification system for malignancy, and therefore it can be useful for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of cardiomyopathies in a similar manner to cancer management.

Pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa. A new comprehensive review.

Pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa (P-MAIVF) is an infrequent but potentially life-threatening condition. Both transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) can detect P-MAIVF with sensitivity rates of 43 and 90 %, respectively. The typical finding of echocardiography is a pulsatile echo-free sac that expands in systole and collapses in diastole. Our review comprises 166 patients with P-MAIVF, including eight cases in our hospital and 158 cases from the literature. P-MAIVF is often associated with infection or surgical trauma. While it is likely to maintain an asymptomatic course, symptoms of shortness of breath, heart failure, valvular disease, chest pain, endocarditis, and cerebrovascular events are common clinical presentations. The recommended treatment is surgery. However, conservative therapy is an alternative approach for high-risk patients or when surgical treatment is refused. With the increasing incidence of cardiac surgery and infective endocarditis, a likely increment in the new diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm is expected.

Right ventricular outflow tract function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: It is clinically important to evaluate the severity of right ventricular (RV) overload in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is often associated with changes in the structure and the function of the right ventricle. Noninvasive and reliable assessment of RV function would be an essential determinant of RV load and a clinically useful factor for assessing cardiovascular risk in COPD patients. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical application value of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) systolic function measured by transthoracic echocardiography in patients with COPD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively investigated COPD male patients and compared them with healthy controls. In addition to RV conventional echocardiographic parameters, RVOT size and fractional shortening (RVOT-FS) parameters were also assessed. RESULTS: Fifty-five COPD patients (all men; mean age, 62 ± 9 years) participated in the study, and were compared with a control group consisting of 21male, healthy, nonsmoking subjects with a mean age of 58 ± 11 years. The RVOT-FS was impaired in COPD patients than healthy controls (27.8 ± 15.5 vs. 57.5 ± 8.6, p < 0.001), and was correlated positively with tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE; r = 0.583, p < 0.001) and pulmonary acceleration time (r = 0.666, p < 0.001) and inversely with pulmonary artery systolic pressure (r = 0.605, p < 0.001) and functional capacity(r = - 0.589, p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in RVOT-FS among the COPD subgroups with regard to New York Heart Association functional classification (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The RVOT-FS is a noninvasive easily applicable measure of RV systolic function and is well correlated with functional capacity in COPD patients. Its combination with long-axis measurements via TAPSE and transtricuspid Doppler analysis may provide a comprehensive evaluation of the RV performance in COPD patients.

Syncope as the primary manifestation of hydatid cyst. Report of two cases with different etiologies.

Hydatid disease is a parasitic infestation that is caused by the larvae of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. Clinical manifestations are extremely variable and related to the location and the size of the cysts. Syncope as the first clinical presentation of hydatid cyst is a very rare condition. Herein, we report two cases of patients with cardiac and pleural hydatid cysts who had syncope as the initial symptom.