Elías Baduí

Cardiovascular Manifestations in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Prospective Study of 100 Patients

One hundred consecutive female patients with active systemic lupus erythe matosus (SLE) were studied from the cardiovascular point of view by means of non invasive methods. Seventy percent of the cases presented some type of car diovascular anomaly. Seventy four percent of the resting electrocardiograms were abnormal as well as 72% of the M mode echocardiograms and 55% of the cardiac X ray series. The most frequent observed complications were: pericar ditis and or pericardial effusion (39%), arterial hypertension (22%), ischemic heart disease (16%), myocarditis (14%), congestive heart failure (10%), pulmo nary hypertension (9%), valvular heart disease (9%), pleural effusion (7%) and cerebro vascular accident (3%). We analized each one of these complications and found of special interest the high incidence of ischemic heart disease which is more frequent than has been hitherto reported. Ischemic heart disease was observed in two types of patients: a) Those with long term steroid therapy. In these, the mechanism seems to be an atherosclerotic disease probably induced by the chronic use of steroids. The management of these cases do not differ from other types of coronary heart disease due to atherosclerosis. b) Those with frank episodes of vasculitis in whom the basic mechanism is an inflammatory process of the coronary arteries and its treatment is fundamentally that of the vasculitis. We consider necessary to study routinely all patients with SLE through non invasive cardiological methods.

Acute myocardial infarction during pregnancy and puerperium review

The purpose of this review is to analyze the possible parameters that lead to the devel opment of what is a rare event—acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during pregnancy and puerperium. Through the Index Médicus, 109 publications on the subject were obtained. Since the first well-documented case by Katz in 1922, 136 patients have been reported, and from these reports the following data have been gathered: the average age was 32.1 years. This event is more frequent during the third trimester and puerperium of the first and second pregnancies. In 42.6% of the patients no coronary risk factors were observed, but when present, hypertension and cigarette smoking were the most common. The anterior wall along or in combination with any other anatomic area was affected in 73% of cases. Coronary angiograms, when taken, appeared normal in 47%. The maternal mortality rate was 26/136 (19.1%) and was higher during the third trimester, labor, and puerperium. Eight patients (8/26) (30.7%) had sudden death. In 5 of these, (62.5%) coronary thrombosis was found. In 18/26 deaths, an autopsy was performed; 9/18 (50%) had coronary thrombus formation and in 7/18 (39%) variable degrees of atherosclerosis were detected. On the other hand, the fetal mortality rate was 16.9%; however, in only 52% was death coincidental with that of the mother. Coronary artery spasm associated with a probable hypercoagulability state was the most likely mechanism in the majority of these patients, followed by atherosclerotic heart disease and coronary dissection—the last being secondary most likely to hormonal changes. During the AMI these patients should be studied by a medical team composed of a cardiologist, gynecologist, and anesthesiologist. A complete cardiologic work-up should be made to decide individually about further pregnancies.

Myocardial Infarction in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Normal Findings from Coronary Arteriography and Without Coronary Vasculitis Case Reports

The authors present the cases of two young patients, a man and a woman, who presented with myocardial infarction, in the absence of ischemic heart disease or stenosis of the coronary arteries. The woman was known to have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for the past 3 years (the immunoglobulin M [IgM] anticardiolipins antibodies were positive), without a history of coronary risk factors. Suddenly she presented with acute chest pain on rest that lasted 4 hours and culminated in anterior wall myocardial infarction. She was admitted to the coronary care unit, where no thrombolysis was given. She did not have echocardiographic evidence of Libman-Sacks endocarditis, but myocardial infarction was evident at the electrocardiogram (ECG) . The young man had SLE (the IgM anticardi olipins were absent, but he was positive for lupus anticoagulant antibodies), he was hyperlipidemic, was a moderate smoker and moderately obese, and had no history of ischemic heart disease. He suddenly presented with an acute myocardial infarction docu mented by ECG, enzymes, and gammagraphy. In both patients, coronary angiography findings were normal and myocardial biopsy did not show evidence of arteritis. The relevance of these cases is the rare association of ischemic heart disease in SLE, with normal coronary arteries and without evidence of arteritis or verrucous endocarditis.

Diverse Clinical Manifestations of Pheochromocytomas

Many difficulties are encountered by clinicians in attempting to diagnose pheochromocytomas. We describe several patients with unusual clinical features. These include sudden death, cerebral hemorrhage, refractory con gestive heart failure, acute abdominal pain, and hypercalcemia. In 2 patients, the rare association of this tumor and pregnancy was observed. Two subjects had sudden death, 1 during a pneumoencephalogram and another during an epidural block. The clinicians should be aware of these manifestations of pheochromocytomas.

Silent Giant Left Atrium A Case Report

A sixty-two-year-old white woman with a 14.5 cm (145 mm) silent giant left atrial enlargement secondary probably to rheumatic heart disease is presented. Aside from mild progressive shortness of breath during the past year, the patient had been asymptomatic all her life. Her clinical picture was manifested for the first time by syncope secondary to slow atrial fibrillation, for which a permanent pacemaker was required. The correct diagnosis of the enlarged chamber was not possible through the routine chest roentgenogram. In this case, the echocardiogram, nuclear angiogram, and computed tomography were the pertinent studies needed to reach the diagnosis.

Right coronary ostium agenesis with anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from an ectasic circumflex artery. A case report.

In this report the authors present a case with right coronary ostium agenesis with anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from an ectasic circumflex artery, which, according to the literature review, they consider to be a unique case.

Acute Myocardial Infarction During Pregnancy and Puerperium in Athletic Women Two Case Reports

The authors present 2 cases: 1 of a thirty-two-year-old woman and another of a thirty- eight-year-old woman, both Hispanic and athletic, with no identifiable precipitating or coronary risk factors, such as previous heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking, hyperlipoproteinemia, oral contraceptive use, coagulation disorders, thyroid disease, collagen tissue disorder, or family history of premature myocardial infarc tion, who both developed an acute posteroinferior wall myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries, one during pregnancy, from which normal twin girls were born, and another, during the postpartum period. After reviewing the literature the authors consider the present cases as unique due to the rare association of pregnancy with intrapartum and postpartum acute myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries in athletic women.

Traumatic coronary arteriovenous fistula communicating the left main coronary artery to pulmonary artery, associated with pulmonary valvular insufficiency and endocarditis: case report.

The authors present a case of a seventeen-year-old white male who suffered from a knife chest wound and secondarily developed a traumatic coronary arteriovenous fistula communicating the left main coronary artery to the pulmonary artery, associated with pulmonary valvular insufficiency and endocarditis.

Heart Block in Dextrocardia with Situs Inversus A Case Report

The authors report a case of a forty-one-year-old white woman with dextrocardia with situs inversus who presented episodes of prolonged sinus arrest and syncopal episodes secondary to possible idiopathic degeneration of the conduction system, managed successfully with a permanent bicameral pacemaker. In their literature review they found that this case represents a very rare association.

Acute myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries in a patient with dermatomyositis. Case report.

The authors present a forty-year-old man, with a history of dermatomyositis for the past twelve years, managed intermittently with prednisone. During an exacerbation of his illness he developed an acute anterior wall myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteries. A literature review indicates this represents a rare association.