The American journal of cardiology
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Comparative Study
Frequency and prognostic significance of hemoptysis in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Data concerning the prevalence, risk factors, and prognostic significance of hemoptysis in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are scarce. A Dutch national cohort of 74 children with either idiopathic or heritable PAH (IPAH/HPAH, n = 43) or PAH associated with congenital heart disease (PAH-CHD, n = 31) were followed from 1993 to 2012. During a median follow-up of 3.5 years (range 0.1 to 19.2), hemoptysis occurred in 13 children (17.6%). ⋯ Univariate Cox regression analysis indicated that older age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 1.30, p = 0.031), World Health Organization functional class IV (HR 0.28, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.95, p = 0.042), higher mean pulmonary arterial pressure (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.07, p = 0.028), and higher indexed pulmonary vascular resistance (HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.15, p = 0.009), all at the time of PAH diagnosis, were associated with increased risk of hemoptysis during follow-up. Ten of 13 patients with hemoptysis died or underwent (heart-) lung transplantation; in 6 patients, this was directly related to hemoptysis. In conclusion, the occurrence of hemoptysis in pediatric IPAH/HPAH and PAH-CHD increases with time since diagnosis, is a serious condition, and is, in case of life-threatening hemoptysis, associated with poor outcome.
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Comparative Study
Diagnosis and treatment of early bioprosthetic malfunction in the mitral valve position due to thrombus formation.
Bioprosthetic valve thrombosis is uncommon and the diagnosis is often elusive and may be confused with valve degeneration. We report our experience with mitral bioprosthetic valve thrombosis and suggest a therapeutic approach. From 2002 to 2011, 149 consecutive patients who underwent mitral valve replacement with a bioprosthesis at a single center were retrospectively screened for clinical or echocardiographic evidence of valve malfunction. ⋯ Clinical awareness followed by an initial trial with anticoagulation is warranted. Surgery should be reserved for those who are not responsive or patients in whom the hemodynamic status does not allow delay. Nonresection of the native valve at the initial operation may play a role in the origin of this entity.
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Comparative Study
Effect of body mass index on outcome in patients with suspected coronary artery disease referred for stress echocardiography.
In patients with hypertension, heart failure, or coronary artery disease (CAD), obese patients have been shown to have a lower cardiac event rate compared with normal weight counterparts. This phenomenon has been termed the "obesity paradox." We sought to determine whether the obesity paradox exists in a cohort of patients referred for stress echocardiography. We evaluated 4,103 patients with suspected CAD (58 ± 13 years; 42% men) undergoing stress echocardiography (52% exercise and 47% dobutamine). ⋯ Patients with a BMI of >30 kg/m(2) had the lowest death rate (1.2%/year) compared with those with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m(2) (1.75%/year) and 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m(2) (2.9%/year; p <0.001). After adjusting for significant clinical variables including exercise capacity, patients with higher BMI (>30 kg/m(2) and 25 to 29.9 kg/m(2)) had less risk of mortality compared with those with a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m(2) (hazard ratio 0.58, 95% confidence interval 0.47 to 0.72, p <0.0001 and hazard ratio 0.69, 95% confidence interval 0.57 to 0.82, p <0.0001, respectively). In conclusion, higher survival rate in patients with higher BMI as previously described in patients with hypertension, heart failure, and CAD extends to patients with suspected CAD referred for stress echocardiography, independent of exercise capacity.
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Comparative Study
Impact of aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis on dynamic mitral annular motion and geometry.
The impact of aortic valve replacement (AVR) on the dynamic geometry and motion of the mitral annulus remains unknown. We analyzed the effects of AVR on the dynamic geometry and motion of the mitral annulus. We used 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography to analyze 39 consecutive patients undergoing elective surgical AVR for aortic stenosis. ⋯ Mitral annular nonplanarity angle (154 ± 1.5° vs 161 ± 1.6°) and aorto-mitral angle (133 ± 3.3° vs 142 ± 2.0°) were both increased after AVR, suggesting reduced nonplanar shape of the mitral annulus and reduced aorto-mitral flexion. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that mitral annular size is reduced immediately after AVR and that the dynamic motion of the mitral annulus is restricted. These findings may have important clinical implications for patients undergoing AVR with concurrent mitral regurgitation.