Thomas J. Donohue

Endocarditis Complicating Central Venous Catheter Bloodstream Infections: A Unique Form of Health Care Associated Endocarditis

Endocarditis complicating central venous catheter blood stream infection (CVC‐BSI) is a serious complication and is being seen with increasing frequency.

Long-term Outcome of Tako-tsubo Cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND Current data suggest an excellent outcome for patients with Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (TC). The objectives of this study were to evaluate the long-term outcome and the prognostic implication of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) in patients with TC. METHODS Retrospective analysis of all patients diagnosed with TC at our hospital between 2003 and 2008. RESULTS During the five-year period, we identified 27 patients with TC out of 1374 cases of emergent left heart catheterisation (2%). Mean follow-up was 27 ± 16 months. The majority were Caucasian (81%) female (96%), postmenopausal (96%), with a mean age of 68 ± 14 years. A precipitating stressor event was found in 74% of the patients, 30% being gastrointestinal triggers. Fourteen patients (52%) reached a combined end point of all cause death, cardiogenic shock, sudden cardiac death and rehospitalisation for cardiac reasons. TMPG was abnormal in 37% cases with no correlation with the outcome. CONCLUSIONS The long-term outcome of patients with TC is worse than previously reported. TMPG does not correlate with the outcome in TC.