Vera H. Rigolin

Carcinoid Heart Disease Correlation of High Serotonin Levels With Valvular Abnormalities Detected by Cardiac Catheterization and Echocardiography

BACKGROUND Although serotonin has been postulated as an etiologic agent in the development of carcinoid heart disease, no direct evidence for different ambient serotonin levels in cardiac and noncardiac patients has been reported to date. METHODS AND RESULTS The present study reviews our experience with 604 patients in the Duke Carcinoid Database. Nineteen patients with proven carcinoid heart disease (by cardiac catheterization and/or echocardiogram) were compared with the remaining 585 noncardiac patients in the database with regard to circulating serotonin and its principal metabolite, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA). No significant demographic differences existed between the cardiac and noncardiac groups; however, typical carcinoid syndrome symptoms (ie, flushing and diarrhea) were almost threefold more common in the cardiac group (P < .001). Compared with the noncardiac group, heart disease patients demonstrated strikingly higher (P < .0001) mean serum serotonin (9750 versus 4350 pmol/mL), plasma serotonin (1130 versus 426 pmol/mL), platelet serotonin (6240 versus 2700 pmol/mg protein), and urine 5-HIAA (219 versus 55.3 mg/24 h) levels. The spectrum of heart disease among the 19 patients showed a strong right-sided valvular predominance, with tricuspid regurgitation being the most common valvular dysfunction (92% by cardiac catheterization; 100% by echocardiogram). CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that serotonin plays a major role in the pathogenesis of the cardiac plaque formation observed in carcinoid patients.

Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Assessment of Myocardial Viability in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease and Left Ventricular Dysfunction

BACKGROUND The utility of contrast MRI for assessing myocardial viability in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) with left ventricular dysfunction is uncertain. We therefore performed cine and contrast MRI in 24 stable patients with CAD and regional contractile abnormalities and compared MRI findings with rest-redistribution 201Tl imaging and dobutamine echocardiography. METHODS AND RESULTS Delayed MRI contrast enhancement patterns were examined from 3 to 15 minutes after injection of 0.1 mmol/kg IV gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA). Comparable MRI and 201Tl basal and midventricular short-axis images were subdivided into 6 segments. Segments judged nonviable by quantitative and qualitative assessment of 201Tl scans showed persistent, systematically greater MRI contrast signal intensity than segments judged viable (P</=0.002). Delayed contrast hyperenhancement also occurred in segments judged nonviable by dobutamine echocardiography (P</=0.03). The presence or absence of hyperenhancement correlated most closely with nonviability and viability, respectively, in segments that were akinetic or dyskinetic under resting conditions (83% concordance with 201Tl in both cases). In segments with resting hypokinesis, 58% of segments showing hyperenhancement were judged viable by 201Tl and may have represented an admixture of scar tissue and viable myocardium. CONCLUSIONS Delayed (by 3 to 15 minutes) hyperenhancement of Gd-DTPA contrast-enhanced MRI images occurs frequently in dysfunctional areas of the left ventricle in patients with stable CAD. Hyperenhancement is associated with nonviability by rest-redistribution 201Tl scintigraphy and dobutamine echocardiography, particularly in regions exhibiting resting akinesis/dyskinesis. The absence of hyperenhancement correlates with radionuclide and echocardiographic determinations of viability, regardless of resting contractile function.

Valvular Heart Disease: Diagnosis and Management

Valvular heart disease (VHD) encompasses a number of common cardiovascular conditions that account for 10% to 20% of all cardiac surgical procedures in the United States. A better understanding of the natural history coupled with the major advances in diagnostic imaging, interventional cardiology, and surgical approaches have resulted in accurate diagnosis and appropriate selection of patients for therapeutic interventions. A thorough understanding of the various valvular disorders is important to aid in the management of patients with VHD. Appropriate work-up for patients with VHD includes a thorough history for evaluation of causes and symptoms, accurate assessment of the severity of the valvular abnormality by examination, appropriate diagnostic testing, and accurate quantification of the severity of valve dysfunction and therapeutic interventions, if necessary. It is also important to understand the role of the therapeutic interventions vs the natural history of the disease in the assessment of outcomes. Prophylaxis for infective endocarditis is no longer recommended unless the patient has a history of endocarditis or a prosthetic valve.

Mitral Valve Repair With Carpentier-McCarthy-Adams IMR ETlogix Annuloplasty Ring for Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation Early Echocardiographic Results From a Multi-Center Study

Background— Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is associated with asymmetric changes in annular and ventricular geometry. Surgical repair with standard symmetric annuloplasty rings results in a high incidence of residual or recurrent mitral regurgitation (MR). The Carpentier-McCarthy-Adams (CMA) IMR ETlogix annuloplasty ring is the first remodeling ring specifically designed to treat asymmetric leaflet tethering and annular dilatation. We used quantitative 2-dimensional echo to examine early results of mitral valve (MV) repair with the CMA IMR ETlogix annuloplasty ring in patients with IMR. Methods and Results— Fifty-nine patients (aged 68±12 years) with grade ≥2+ IMR (graded on a scale of 0 to 4+) underwent MV repair with the CMA IMR ETlogix annuloplasty ring. We assessed the mitral annular diameter (MAD), tethering area (TA), and tenting height (TH) of the MV in 4-chamber, 2-chamber, and long axis views at mid-systole before and 3 to 10 days after surgery. After surgery, 57 of 59 (97%) patients had grade 0 or 1+ MR, whereas 2 patients had 2+ MR. MV repair with the CMA IMR ETlogix ring significantly reduced MAD, TA, and TH (P<0.001, for all 3 echo views), particularly in the long axis and 4-chamber views. Conclusion— Surgical repair of IMR with the novel asymmetric CMA IMR ETlogix annuloplasty ring provided excellent early results with effective reduction of MR, MAD, and leaflet tethering. This novel etiology-specific strategy may result in improved outcomes in IMR patients.

Contemporary Perioperative Results of Isolated Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic Stenosis

BACKGROUND Transcatheter aortic valve implantation may become a potential treatment for high-risk patients with aortic stenosis (AS). We analyzed our contemporary series of isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) for AS to determine implications for patients referred for AVR. METHODS From April 2004 through December 2008, 190 patients (mean age, 68 years; 68% men) underwent isolated AVR for AS. Mean ejection fraction was 0.58. Sixty-one percent underwent minimally invasive AVR and 18% were reoperations. Twenty-one percent were aged 80 years or older, and 34% were in New York Heart Association functional class III-IV. Estimated operative mortality was 3.6%. RESULTS Thirty-day mortality was 0%. One in-hospital death (0.5%) occurred from complications of an esophageal perforation. Reoperation for bleeding occurred in 4.7%. Acute renal failure developed in 2.1%. Actuarial survival was 97% at 1 year and 94% at 3 years. Hospital length of stay was 7.0 days for patients aged 80 and older vs 5.0 days (p < 0.001), and they were less likely to be discharged to home (50% vs 83%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Contemporary results show that AVR for AS can be performed with low operative mortality and morbidity, although patients aged 80 years and older are at increased risk of prolonged recovery. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation may be an alternative for high-risk patients, but AVR is still appropriate for low-risk patients. The low risk of AVR supports the argument that asymptomatic patients who have a high likelihood of progression of AS may be considered for earlier surgical referral.

Predictors of outcome of tricuspid valve replacement in carcinoid heart disease.

The cardiac valvular surgical experience of patients in the Duke Carcinoid Database was reviewed to assess operative outcome. Of the 604 patients in the database, 19 patients with carcinoid heart disease were identified by cardiac catheterization or echocardiography, or both. Eight of these underwent tricuspid valve replacement surgery with bioprostheses (2 also had open pulmonic valvuloplasty). Compared with patients medically managed, surgically treated patients were similar with the exception that they had higher right atrial mean (17 +/- 6 vs 9 +/- 4 mm Hg, p = 0.03) and v-wave (27 +/- 6 vs 17 +/- 7 mm Hg, p = 0.04) pressures. Of the 8 surgical patients, 5 (63%) died within 30 days. Causes of death included tricuspid valve thrombosis, cerebral vascular accident, coagulopathy, renal failure, and intractable right heart failure. High comorbidity was present in all 8 patients. There was a weak trend (p = 0.17) toward lower Charlson comorbidity indexes in survivors (6.7 +/- 0.6) compared with nonsurvivors (7.6 +/- 0.9). Age was significantly lower (p = 0.036) in survivors (46 +/- 13 years) compared with nonsurvivors (69 +/- 4 years). Extended follow-up revealed 2 patients who survived beyond a decade. Review of 47 carcinoid valve replacement cases (Duke Carcinoid Database and 39 published cases) revealed a 30-day mortality of 56% for patients > 60 years of age, and 0% for those < or = 60 years of age (p < 0.0001). Although valve replacement surgery can afford prolonged palliation from carcinoid heart disease, it is associated with a significant mortality risk. Careful preoperative risk stratification by age and comorbidity may provide a means for optimal selection of surgical candidates.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is more diagnostic than 2-dimensional echocardiography in determining the presence of bicuspid aortic valve

OBJECTIVE This study compares 2-dimensional, transthoracic echocardiography with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in the preoperative identification of bicuspid aortic valve before aortic valve surgery. METHODS Of 1203 patients who underwent an aortic valve operation, 218 had both preoperative transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Patients in the study group were aged 56 years and had an ejection fraction of 56%, 76% were male, and 29% had associated coronary artery disease. The results of transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging were classified as bicuspid aortic valve, trileaflet aortic valve, or nondiagnostic. Of the 218 patients, 123 (56%) had bicuspid aortic valve as determined at the time of surgery and 116 (53%) had an ascending aortic aneurysm. RESULTS Of the 123 patients with bicuspid aortic valve confirmed at surgery, by transthoracic echocardiography 76 (62%) were identified preoperatively with bicuspid aortic valve, 12 (10%) were misidentified with trileaflet aortic valve, and 35 (28%) were nondiagnostic for valve morphology. In the same patients with bicuspid aortic valve, by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging 115 (93%) were identified with bicuspid aortic valve, 5 (4%) were misidentified with trileaflet aortic valve, and 3 (2%) were nondiagnostic. The difference between transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to determine the presence of bicuspid aortic valve was statistically significant (P<.001). In the entire cohort of patients, transthoracic echocardiography was diagnostic for valve morphology in 155 patients (71%) compared with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, which was diagnostic in 212 patients (97%) (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is more diagnostic than transthoracic echocardiography in determining the presence of bicuspid aortic valve. A significant factor is the rate of nondiagnostic transthoracic echocardiography for aortic valve morphology. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging can be performed as a complementary test when transthoracic echocardiography is nondiagnostic for aortic valve morphology.

Initial clinical experience with Myxo-ETlogix∗ mitral valve repair ring

OBJECTIVE Complexity of mitral valve repair for myxomatous disease has led to low adoption. We report initial experience with a new ring designed specifically for myxomatous disease, the Myxo-ETlogix (Edwards Lifesciences LLC, Irvine, Calif). METHODS From March 15, 2006, through November 19, 2007, 129 patients underwent mitral valve surgery for pure myxomatous disease, and 124 valves (96.1%) were repaired. The Myxo-ETlogix ring was used in 100 cases and the Physio ring (Edwards) in 24. The Myxo-ETlogix design includes a 3-dimensional shape to reduce systolic anterior motion and a larger orifice to accommodate elongated leaflets and decrease need for sliding plasty. Direct mitral valve measurements were made. Sizing was based on A2 height, and choice of ring type was based on unresected leaflet heights. RESULTS There was no operative mortality or lasting perioperative morbidity. The Myxo-ETlogix group had taller A2, P1, P2, and P3 leaflet segments than the Physio group (P < or = .003). Only 1 sliding plasty was performed for asymmetry in the Myxo-ETlogix group. Predischarge and follow-up echocardiograms (n = 338 in 124 patients) disclosed transient nonobstructive chordal systolic anterior motion in 3 echocardiograms in 3 patients. No patients had 2+ or greater mitral regurgitation. At discharge, 5.7% had 1+ mitral regurgitation; this proportion was 17.3% at last follow-up (mean 6.1 +/- 4.4 months). CONCLUSION In initial experience with the Myxo-ETlogix ring, nonobstructive systolic anterior motion has been rare and obstructive systolic anterior motion not observed. Ongoing prospective echocardiographic and clinical studies will elucidate the role of this etiology-specific ring.

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Induced by Dobutamine Infusion: A New Phenomenon or an Old Disease with a New Name

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy mimics acute myocardial infarction but is a separate clinical entity characterized by distinct wall motion abnormalities in the absence of obstructive coronary lesions. The prevalence of this condition is relatively uncommon yet has gained increasing recognition in recent years. It has rarely been associated with the use of dobutamine infusion during cardiac stress testing. We present in detail two cases of dobutamine‐induced Takotsubo cardiomyopathy from our case series, one from 2002 and the other from 2008. While both cases display the typical features of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, the former was initially diagnosed as dobutamine‐induced vasospasm. These cases may provide insight into the pathophysiological mechanism of the condition and suggest that the increasing recognition of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy results from increasing familiarity of the condition. (Echocardiography 2010;27:E30‐E33)

Left ventricular performance improves late after aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic stenosis and reduced ejection fraction

EF in patients with aortic stenosis and reduced EF who underwent aortic valve replacement did not improve by 1 week postoperatively despite rectification of afterload mismatch. By 6 months, however, EF significantly improved without any further change in ventricular loading conditions. This implies that the benefit from aortic valve replacement (when measured by LV ejection performance) may not be evident until late postoperatively.