2006;86(5) – ABC CARDIOL

Carta ao Editor

Symptoms-guided assessment of atrial fibrillation recurrence after radiofrequency pulmonary vein ablation: is it a reliable strategy?

P. R. Benchimol-Barbosa et al. José Barbosa Filho

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Symptoms-guided assessment of atrial fibrillation recurrence after radiofrequency pulmonary vein ablation: is it a reliable strategy?

[…]

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Artigo Original

Clinical impact of Positron Emission Tomography by coincidence system with 18F-FDG on therapeutic decision-making of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy after myocardial infarction

Renata Christian Martins Felix et al. Patrícia Lavatori Correa Jader Cunha de Azevedo Hans Fernando da Rocha Dohmann … Evandro Tinoco Mesquita Cláudio Tinoco Mesquita

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of the myocardium viability study by coincidence imaging using 18F-FDG in the clinical decision-making of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and left ventricular dysfunction. METHODS: Thirty-one patients were submitted to myocardial viability study with 18F-FDG by coincidence imaging between September 2003 and November 2004. The physician answered a questionnaire about the choice of therapeutic procedure before and after PET. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (87%) had myocardial viability. Twenty-one (68%) physicians thought that PET changed the therapeutic procedure for their patients and 27(87%) considered that PET added to the therapeutic decision. The current treatment decision (clinical or revascularization) correlated with myocardial viability (p=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Coincidence imaging is a useful tool to help physicians in a difficult decision about the best treatment for patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. Symptoms, electrocardiogram, ejection fraction and myocardial fibrosis area did not correlate with myocardium viability, so they should not be used to decide whether to perform a myocardial viability study or not.

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Case Report

Economy class syndrome after long duration bus travel

Múcio Tavares de Oliveira Jr et al. Marcelo de Faveri Cíntia Mara Rodrigues Farias Alfredo José Mansur Antonio Carlos Pereira-Barretto

A 65 year-old man with heart failure due to hypertensive and ischemic heart disease was admitted to the hospital with dyspnea, bloody sputum and pleuritic chest pain after a 52-hour bus trip. Clinical and laboratory evaluation included chest helical tomography that demonstrated a filling defect of the right main branch of the pulmonary artery and a regular peripheral opacity of triangular shape in the inferior lobe of the lower lung. The diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism was made and therapy with heparin, followed by warfarin was introduced. The patient was discharged from the hospital. The diagnosis of pulmonary embolism should be considered in patients with complaints like this patient after long-distance bus travel.

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Artigo Original

Exercise stress test: prognostic value for elderly patients with stable coronary atherosclerosis

Marcelo Eidi Ochiai et al. Otávio C. E. Gebara João Batista Serro-Azul Lígia B. Pinto … Amit Nussbacher Humberto Pierri Mauricio Wajngarten

OBJECTIVE: To study the prognostic value of exercise stress test variables in elderly patients with coronary atherosclerosis and exercise-induced ischemia. METHODS: Sixty-four elderly patients (61 men, 73 ± 5 years old) with coronary atherosclerosis, verified by cardiac catheterization, that were clinically stable, had a left ventricle ejection fraction greater than or equal to 0.40 and developed myocardial ischemia during the exercise stress test were studied. The patients were evaluated every six months for cardiac events (death, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, angioplasty and myocardial revascularization). RESULTS: After a mean follow-up period of 48 months, 23 (36%) patients suffered cardiac events. There was no clinical or angiographical differences among the patients that suffered cardiac events and those that did not. Using multivariate analysis, the presence of chest pain during the exercise stress test (relative risk 2.668, p = 0.031) and the heart rate at the onset of ischemia (relative risk 0.966, p = 0.009) were associated with cardiac events. CONCLUSION: In this elderly population, the presence of chest pain during the exercise stress test and the heart rate at the onset of ischemia were associated with cardiac events. These variables could be useful for risk evaluation in patients with stable coronary atherosclerosis.

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Artigo Original

Cardiovascular health profile of an adult population from the metropolitan region of São Paulo

Renata Furlan Viebig et al. Maria Pastor Valero Fernando Araújo Alice Tatsuko Yamada Alfredo José Mansur

OBJECTIVE: To describe the cardiovascular health profile of an adult population from the metropolitan region of São Paulo, according to the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) criteria. METHODS: Two hundred volunteers of both sexes enrolled in the “Cardiac Evaluation” project of a general outpatient clinic were studied. Data collected included socioeconomic status, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, anthropometric measurements, diet, physical activity, serum lipids, blood glucose and blood pressure. Average intake of dietary cholesterol and total lipids was estimated from a 24-hour dietary recall. Physical activity level was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-8) and exercise stress tests. RESULTS: Sample population composition was 61.5% female and 38.5% male, mean age 41.7 (median = 42.6) and 41.0 (median = 43.0%). Prevalence of smoking (22%) and daily alcohol consumption (14% males; no females) was low. The overweight prevalence was 47% (12% being obese), in addition to high levels of serum total cholesterol (> 190 mg/dl) in 56% and LDL-cholesterol (> 115 mg/dl) in 61%. The IPAQ-8 results showed that 6% were sedentary. CONCLUSION: The study population showed greater risk of cardiovascular diseases, according to ESC criteria, due especially to the high prevalence of overweight and hypercholesterolemia.

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Artigo Original

Radiofrequency catheter ablation of left accessory pathways by transeptal approach

Márcio Augusto Silva et al. Elenir Nadalin Alessandro Kraemmer Gel Roberto Marmitt Berardi … José Carlos Moura Jorge Cláudio L. Pereira da Cunha

OBJECTIVE: To study a series of patients submitted to radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) of left accessory pathways (AP) using the transeptal approach (TSA) as compared to the conventional retrograde arterial approach (RAA). METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients (56 male; mean age of 34.3 ± 11 years) with 100 left APs (62 overt and 38 concealed) underwent catheter ablation using the TS method (50 patients) and the RA method (50 patients) in an alternate fashion. The analysis was performed according to the intention-to-treat principle. RESULTS: The transeptal puncture was successfully performed in 48 patients (96%). This access allowed primary success in the ablation in all the patients without any complication. When we compared this approach with the RAA there was no difference as regards the primary success (p = 0.2), recurrence rate (p = 1.0), fluoroscopy time (p = 0.63) and total time (p = 0.47). One patient in the RAA group presented a vascular complication. The TSA allowed shorter ablation times (p=0.01) and smaller number of radiofrequency applications (p = 0.003) as compared to the conventional RAA. The patients who had recurrence and unsuccessful ablation in the first session in each approach underwent another session with the opposite technique (cross-over), with a final ablation success rate of 100%. CONCLUSION: The TS and RA approaches showed similar efficacy and safety for the ablation of left accessory pathways. The TSA allowed shorter ablation times and smaller number of radiofrequency applications. When the techniques were used in a complementary fashion, they increased the final efficacy of the ablation.

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Artigo Original

Mild pulmonary valve stenosis: the possible spontaneous cure in the natural history of the defect

Edmar Atik

OBJECTIVE: To determine the long-term natural history of patients with mild pulmonary valve stenosis METHODS: Throughout a 24-year evolutive period (1980 a 2004), 83 patients with pulmonary valve stenosis were evaluated, with 29 of them presenting a mild form of the defect. Of these 29, 13 patients had a long-term follow up. The mean age at the first and last follow-up visits was 34 months (1 month to 15 years) and 10.5 years (3 to 24 years), respectively. In addition to evolutive elements, those regarding clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic aspects were also assessed. RESULTS: All patients remained assymptomatic throughout the study. Regarding the pulmonary valve pressure gradient, 5 (38.4%) presented a decrease, 3 (23%) remained unchanged, 4 (30.7%) presented elimination and 1 (7.6%) presented accentuation to a moderate degree of involvement. The mean initial and final gradient was 24.2 mmHg (15-30) and 13.6 mmHg (0-54), respectively. The initial gradients of the 4 patients who achieved spontaneous cure were 30, 19, 30 and 20 mmHg. The systolic murmur and right ventricular overload had a direct correlation to the gradient pressure degree, subdivided at each 10 mmHg. CONCLUSION: The spontaneous cure of the mild pulmonary valve stenosis is possible to achieve, similarly to other acyanogenic anomalies.

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Artigo Original

Lipid profile and nutrition counseling effects in adolescents with family history of premature coronary artery disease

Gislaine A. Mendes et al. Tania L. Martinez Maria C. Izar Olga M. Amancio … Neil F. Novo Simone C. Matheus Marcelo C. Bertolami Francisco Antonio Helfenstein Fonseca

OBJECTIVE: To assess lipid profile and nutritional parameters from adolescents with family history of premature coronary artery disease (CAD) and assess the effects of nutritional counseling. METHODS: The study included 48 adolescents of both gender and with ages ranging from 10 and 19 years old (case group, n=18; control group, n=30). RESULTS: Offspring of young individuals with coronary artery disease showed higher values of total cholesterol (189 ± 30 vs. 167 ± 26 mg/dl, p < 0.01), LDL-C (144 ± 20 vs. 100 ± 27 mg/dl, p < 0.001) and apoB (80 ± 15 vs. 61 ± 18 mg/dl, p = 0.001) and lower values of HDL-C (45 ± 9 vs. 51 ± 13 mg/dl, p < 0.02) than control young individuals. Differences were not found for triglycerides and apoA-I. With a dietotherapeutic counseling, we obtained a reduction in alimentary consumption of saturated fatty acids (pre: 15.5 ± 4.7% vs. post: 6.6 ± 3.7%, p = 0.003) and an improvement in lipid profile: TC (-8%, p = 0.033), LDL-C (-18.2%, p = 0.001), TG (-53%, p = 0.002) rates in offspring of premature CAD patients who showed hyperlipidemia. CONCLUSION: The presence of dyslipidemia was more prevalent among offspring adolescents of premature CAD patients, but it was responsive to nutritional intervention.

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Artigo Original

Effects of rosiglitazone on endothelial function in non-diabetic subjects with metabolic syndrome

Luciana Bahia et al. Luiz Guilherme K. Aguiar Nivaldo Villela Daniel Bottino … Amélio F. Godoy-Matos Eliete Bouskela

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of rosiglitazone (ROSI), an insulin-sensitizer, on endothelial function and endothelial activation markers in a group of non-diabetic subjects with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: A group of eighteen subjects (12 women, 6 men), mean age 41.2 ± 9.7 and BMI 37.8 ± 6.1 Kg/m², was treated with rosiglitazone 8 mg/day for 12 weeks. Another group of nine healthy subjects, mean age 26.1 ± 4.4 and BMI 21.7 ± 1.7 Kg/m², was studied at baseline to compare vasodilator response. Endothelial function was evaluated by venous occlusion plethysmography after intra-arterial infusions of acetylcholine (Ach) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP). The following were measured: glucose, insulin, lipids, fibrinogen, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP). HOMA and Quicki indexes were calculated to quantify insulin resistance (IR). RESULTS: There was an improvement in insulin resistance, as evidenced by lower HOMA-R and higher QUICKI index, as well as a decrease in CRP and fibrinogen levels. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation also improved, as evidenced by greater increment in blood flow after Ach and greater decrement in vascular resistance. No difference in endothelium-independent vasodilation was noted. CONCLUSION: Rosiglitazone treatment reduced insulin resistance, fibrinogen, and CRP levels and improved endothelial function in non-diabetic subjects with metabolic syndrome. These data suggest that rosiglitazone plays a role in the regulation of endothelial function in patients at high cardiovascular risk.

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Artigo Original

Morphometry of human myocardium in senile individuals

José Antonio Cardoso et al. Ana Elisa Toscano Tetsuo Tashiro Cláudio Antonio Ferraz de Carvalho Sílvia Regina Arruda de Moraes

OBJECTIVE: To carry out a quantitative assessment in human myocardium cells of senile individuals, in right, left and septal ventricular regions. METHODS: Five hearts from corpses of individuals without heart diseases, of both sexes, with age between 67 and 87 years old were used. The following parameters were assessed: myocyte unit cross section area (myoc. a o); myocyte unit perimeter length (myoc. l o); myocyte unit volume (myoc. v o); myocyte volumetric density (myoc. Vv); number of myocytes per volume unit (Nmm ^³myoc.). The t-test of Student was used in statistic analysis. RESULTS: The analysis of differences (p < 0.05) among right (RV), left (LV) and septal (S) ventricular regions of human heart showed that myoc. a o values were lower in RV (1.51 ± 0.10 µm²) and in S (1.55 ± 0.07 µm²) in relation to LV (1.84 ± 0.24 µm²). Values of myoc. l o were also shown lower in S (5.11 ± 0.46 µm) comparing to LV (6.2 ± 0.97 µm). Likewise, myoc. v o and myoc. Vv showed lower values in RV (88.75 ± 25.37 µm ³; 0.39 ± 0.03%) in relation to LV (122.41 ± 16.31 µm ³; 0.41 ± 0.01%). CONCLUSION: Results obtained show that there may be changes in dimensions of left ventricular wall myocyte cell during senescent stage. However, those differences are subtle and seem to mean the adjustment of tissue to functional changes that install along life.

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Artigo Original

Balloon valvuloplasty outcome of a group previously submitted to mitral percutaneous or surgical valve repair versus first-time valvuloplasty patients: evolution of the group previously submitted to valve repair procedures

Edison Carvalho S. Peixoto et al. Rodrigo Trajano S. Peixoto Ivana Picone Borges Paulo Sergio de Oliveira … Mario Salles Netto Ronaldo Amorim Villela Marta Labrunie Pierre Labrunie Ricardo Trajano S. Peixoto

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate 501 procedures of mitral balloon valvuloplasty and the differences among the group already submitted the prior surgical or balloon valvuloplasty, with 59 procedures and the group without previous intervention, with 442 procedures. METHODS: It was used the single balloon in 403, Inoue balloon in 89 and a double balloon in six, with no difference between the 2 groups (p=0.6610). RESULTS: The prior surgical or balloon valvuloplasty group was older, with higher echo score and higher atrial fibrillation rate and of its 59 patients, 48 had been submitted only to mitral surgical commissurotomy, 8 only to mitral balloon valvuloplasty and 3 to surgical commissurotomy and after submitted to balloon valvuloplasty because of restenosis. In prior surgical or balloon valvuloplasty and mitral balloon valvuloplasty without previous intervention groups pre valvuloplasty there were respectively: echo mitral valve area 0.99±0.21 and 0.94±0.21 cm² (p=0.0802) and mitral valve area (Gorlin) 0.94±0.18 and 0.91±0.21 cm² (p=0.2518) and post mitral valvuloplasty 1.95±0.44 and 2.05±0.42 cm² (p=0.1059). CONCLUSIONS: The hemodynamic and angiographic outcome of the prior surgical or balloon valvuloplasty group were similar to the group without previous intervention. The evolution was satisfactory in the prior valvuloplasty subgroup with long-term follow-up.

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Carta ao Editor

Symptoms-guided assessment of atrial fibrillation recurrence after radiofrequency pulmonary vein ablation: is it a reliable strategy?

Mauricio Scanavacca et al. Eduardo Sosa

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Symptoms-guided assessment of atrial fibrillation recurrence after radiofrequency pulmonary vein ablation: is it a reliable strategy?

[…]

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Case Report

Cell therapy in dilated cardiomyopathy

Helena Furtado Martino et al. Paulo Sérgio Oliveira Edmilson Assunção Rita Villela … Miriam Gaze Patrícia C. dos Santos Costa Fernando César Castro Souza Luiz Henrique Weitzel Ana Paula R. Velloso Amarino Oliveira Júnior Antônio C. Campos de Carvalho

A forty-one-year-old male with systolic heart failure, FC-III NYHA, clinical stage C due to dilated cardiomyopathy was submitted to an autologous transplant of the mononuclear fraction of bone marrow via coronary artery system through heart catheterism. Two months after the procedure, there was a decrease in plasma BNP and cardiac area reduction at the thorax X-ray and nuclear magnetic resonance. The echocardiogram showed decrease of the secondary regurgitation and mitral ring dilatation. There was a better performance at the ergospirometry, with increase of the maximum oxygen consumption and consequent reduction in drug therapy. The absence of adverse events characterized by clinical/hemodynamic instability, enzymatic alteration or electrocardiogram demonstrate the safety and feasibility of this procedure carried out and described with pioneering spirit in dilated cardiomyopathy.

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