Circulating platelet aggregates indicative of in vivo platelet activation in pulmonary hypertension

The authors investigated the existence of circulating cellular aggregates in 12 patients with moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension, using scanning electron microscopy. Peripheral venous blood was collected in the presence of 11.5 mM buffered ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, in order to disperse freshly formed disaggregable aggregates. Irreversible aggregates represented by platelet clusters and/or platelet attachment to either leukocytes or red cells were identified in 7 patients with pulmonary hypertension. Endogenous platelet activation was further confirmed by a significant increase in plasma levels of beta-thromboglobulin in comparison with controls (33.8 +/- 14.1 vs 22.7 +/- 11.5 ng/mL respectively, p < 0.025). The presence of irreversible aggregates in the blood stream strongly suggests that cell-cell interactions actually occur in vivo in these patients. If so, therapeutic measures aimed at preventing in situ thrombosis and its consequences may be beneficial in this disorder.

[Aortic arch interruption with restrictive ductus arteriosus]

Interruption of the aortic arch is an uncommon cardiovascular anomaly. It is usually associated with a large ductus arteriosus (DA) and interventricular septal defects. Two cases of one and two month old girls with restrictive DA are reported. The clinical, anatomical and surgical findings are discussed.

[Transposition of the great arteries with posterior aorta]

Two cases of transposition of the great arteries (TGA) with posterior aorta are reported. The first was submitted to the Senning procedure with good outcome; the other had the diagnosis of double outlet right ventricle with severe pulmonary stenosis, and a Blalock-Taussig shunt was accomplished for hypoxic crisis. The patient died 11 days after surgery and the necropsy demonstrated TGA with posterior aorta. In both cases there was a sub-pulmonary infundibulum. The presence of ventricular septal defects allowed aortic-mitral fibrous continuity, a finding previously described in anatomical reports. Clinical and angiographic aspects are discussed.

[Ischemic cardiomyopathy in a child. Case report with accentuated coronary disease]

Ischemic cardiomyopathy in childhood is related with congenital and acquired pathologies which could lead to serious cardiac sequelae as myocardial infarction and sudden death. Unfortunately, when coronary artery malformations are excluded, it is difficult in some cases to be completely certain on the etiology of the arterial coronary disease, due the lack of pathognomonic diagnostic tests. Case report of 6 year old child, with severe coronary artery disease: aneurysm of main branch of left coronary artery; left anterior descending branch and right coronary artery occlusions with accentuated myocardial dysfunction. We believe that the diagnosis of Kawasaki disease is presumptive in this patient. The principal aspects to elucidate the etiology of coronary artery disease are analysed, as well as the importance of identifying patients without known previous illness, but with severe coronary artery lesions, as in this reported case.

Persistence of hypoplastic and recoarcted fifth aortic arch associated with type A aortic arch interruption: surgical and balloon angioplasty results in an infant

A rare aortic malformation, the persistence of the fifth aortic arch (PFAA) associated with coarctation of the aorta, is reported in a 3-month-old male infant who underwent an emergency surgical intervention at 10 days of life, to relieve a severe aortic coarctation by pericardial patch technique. A successful balloon angioplasty was performed 2 months later eliminating a recoarctation. The gradient fell from 77 mmHg to 0, but a definitive surgical intervention for recoarctation was necessary 14 months after angioplasty.

[Functional atresia of the pulmonary valve]

Three newborn children with cyanosis due to Ebstein's anomaly of tricuspid valve with an important hemodynamic repercussion presented features of imperforation of pulmonary valve. On the follow-up, clinical and laboratory findings verified that pulmonary atresia was functional resulting from a combination of low right ventricular pressure and high pulmonary vascular resistance.

[Dissection in an adult with dilatation of the ascendent aorta diagnosed in childhood]

Dilatation of the ascending aorta is relatively infrequent during childhood. Besides the Marfan syndrome, the congenital origin should be considered. We report a patient with dilatation of the ascending aorta diagnosed at the age of 10 who presented acute aortic dissection and rupture after a 13-year period of follow-up. Several aspects of the proper diagnosis are discussed.

Ebstein's malformation of the tricuspid and mitral valves associated with hypoplasia of the ascending aorta

The clinical and morphological features of Ebstein's malformation were well defined many years ago. This report analyses the clinical and morphological aspects of an unusual case which presented Ebstein's malformation of both the tricuspid and mitral valves in association with hypoplasia of the ascending aorta.

Atresia of the left atrioventricular valve with patency of the aorta: anatomico-functional analysis of 23 patients

We analyzed the findings in 23 patients with atresia of the left atrioventricular valve and a patent aorta seen in the period from January 1980 to July 1989. Having divided the cases according to the anatomical findings, we made a subsequent analysis of the clinical and surgical results with the aim of establishing the management most likely to diminish risks, still high, in treatment of this complex anomaly. From the anatomical viewpoint, three variants were observed. In the first, made up of 15 cases, there was absence of the left atrioventricular connexion. The characteristic finding in the second group, with five cases, was an imperforate left atrioventricular valve in the setting of concordant atrioventricular connexions. The third group, of these cases, was dominated by the presence of isomerism of the atrial appendages, both appendages being of left morphology in one case, and of right morphology in the other two. Further anatomical variation was then found in each group. Nine of the 15 with absence of the left atrioventricular connexion had the right atrium connected to a dominant left ventricle in presence of a rudimentary and incomplete right ventricle associated with discordant ventriculo-arterial connexions, all of them being in usual atrial arrangement and three with pulmonary stenosis. The remaining six in this first variant had the right atrium connected to a dominant right ventricle. In the five patients with imperforate left atrioventricular valves, two had discordant and three had concordant ventriculo-arterial connexions. In the three cases with isomerism, two had absence of the left atrioventricular connexion, with a dominant right ventricle. The last patient had an imperforate left atrioventricular valve and a discordant ventriculo-arterial connexion. From the functional viewpoint, there were 14 patients (10 with absence of an atrioventricular connexion, four with imperforate atrioventricular valve) with congestive heart failure and nine patients (five from the first, one from second, and three from the third variant) with hypoxia. Long-term follow-up (median 16.4 months--varying from 1 to 41 months--in the group with congestion and 27.7 months--varying from 12 to 57 months--in those with hypoxia) showed favorable clinical evolution in 11 (91%). We conclude that an anatomico-functional division can point towards the most appropriate management in this complex anomaly.

[Origin of left coronary artery from right and left pulmonary arteries--clinical, anatomico surgical and follow-up evaluation of 3 cases]

Three infants with anomalous origin of left coronary artery, being two from the right pulmonary artery and one from the left, without other congenital defects, ages of 5, 15 and 3 months old, presented with early congestive heart failure due to anterolateral myocardial infarction. Anatomical characteristic was peculiar in two cases since the left coronary artery, before the anastomosis with the right pulmonary artery, presented a wy, 15 mm extension path within the aortic wall which has facilitated the surgical correction by the proximity of these structures. In the third case, the left coronary artery was anastomosed with the left pulmonary artery, 2 cm from its origin and anterior to the left atrium being the surgical correction by direct implant at the ascending aorta. Post-operative follow-up, 36, 30 and 33 months respectively, showed clinical and laboratorial normalization except for the second case in which ST segment remained upward due to ventricular aneurysm. Myocardial recovery, even after extensive infarction, in this anomaly, emphasizes the need for earlier diagnosis and management.

[Mitral valve dysfunction caused by papillary muscle necrosis in patients with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary trunk]

The clinical evolution of mitral valve disfunction caused by papillary muscle necrosis in patients with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary trunk was analysed in three children (one 42-day-old male, one five-month-old female and one seven-year-old female). Two patients had been submitted to surgical repair of the anomalous origin of the coronary artery; one of them without mitral repair had a bad evolution in the postoperative period, was reoperated for mitral valve replacement and died two days after surgery. The other patient with plastic of mitral valve had a good outcome. The data indicated that the surgical repair of mitral valve should be provided in cases of mitral valve incompetence secondary to anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary trunk.

Coexistence of divided left atrium (cor triatriatum) and tetralogy of Fallot

The association of a partitioned left atrium (cor triatriatum) and tetralogy of Fallot has been reported a few times in the literature. In all of these cases, there was no clinical evidence of an obstructive lesion in the left heart, raising difficulties in establishing the proper diagnosis. We call attention to this rare combination of anomalies and to the particular morphological presentation of the dividing atrial shelf, which was partially formed by the wall of the left superior caval vein.

Lung beta-adrenoceptors in pulmonary hypertension. A study of biopsy specimens in children with congenital heart disease

Characteristics of beta-adrenoceptors were analyzed using radioligand-binding techniques with 3H-dihydroalprenolol in lung specimens from 11 children with pulmonary hypertension (median age, three years) undergoing surgical repair of congenital heart defects and four pediatric control subjects (median age, five years) undergoing thoracotomy for removal of neoplasms or cysts. Scatchard analysis of 3H-DHA binding to lung membranes showed similar values of the dissociation constant in both groups (Kd = 0.72 +/- 0.22 nM in patients vs 1.22 +/- 0.22 nM in controls; p = NS). The receptor density was significantly increased in patients in comparison with controls, with respective values of 164 +/- 19 and 95 +/- 13 fmol/mg of protein (p less than 0.025), and correlated directly with mean pulmonary arterial pressure (r = 0.82; p less than 0.0005). No significant relationship was observed between receptor number and pulmonary arterial medial thickness. Thus, the increase in receptor density in these patients may be related to adaptative changes in cells other than vascular smooth muscle.

[Immunosuppressive drugs for the treatment of active myocarditis in children. Hemodynamic evaluation]

PURPOSE

To analyse hemodynamic parameters (left ventricles ejection fraction, cardiac index, mean pulmonary wedge pressure and left ventricle diastolic diameter, in a group of children with active myocarditis (diagnosed by endomyocardial biopsy) pre and post treatment with conventional therapy and immunosuppressive drugs (isolated prednisone or prednisone associated with azathioprine or cyclosporine).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty-four pediatric patients with active myocarditis were studied. Twenty males and 24 females from 10 months to 15 years old (median = 1.3 years). All patients were submitted to hemodynamic study and endomyocardial biopsy. The hemodynamic parameters mentioned above were analysed before and after the proposed therapy. The patients were distributed in group according to the admission in the protocol, group I (9 pts)--conventional therapy (CT); group II (12 pts)--CT plus prednisone; group III (16 pts)--CT plus prednisone plus azathioprine; group IV (13 pts)--CT plus prednisone plus cyclosporine.

RESULTS

Forty-four patients were submitted to four different groups of therapeutic protocol. The hemodynamic parameters were analysed in each of them. Left ventricle ejection fraction were no significantly different in the pre and post therapeutic scheme in group I and II, they were significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in group III and IV. The same happened with cardiac index. The mean pulmonary wedge pressure no presented statistical differences in group I and II before and after treatment but significantly lower lends were observed in group III and IV. The same behavior were noted in the left ventricle end diastolic diameter.

CONCLUSION

The association of azathioprine or cyclosporine to prednisone presented better results in the left ventricle function, when compared with conventional drugs or isolated use of prednisone, based in the analysis of same hemodynamic parameters.

Correlation between gallium-67 imaging and endomyocardial biopsy in children with severe dilated cardiomyopathy

Fourty-four patients (aged 10 months to 15 years) were assessed in a double-blind study to observe the correlation between myocardial uptake of 67-gallium and endomyocardial biopsy in the detection of moderate to severe myocardial inflammation. The sensitivity and specificity of gallium-67 imaging were 87 and 81%, respectively. Based on these findings, immunosuppressive therapy can be assigned to children with dilated cardiomyopathy and positive myocardial uptake, since moderate and severe myocardial inflammation may be detected by this non-invasive method.

[Hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Clinical evaluation of 40 patients]

PURPOSE

To study the hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) emphasizing clinical aspects and therapeutic measures.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty patients, 24 male, ages ranging between one to 120 days (mean six days). Diagnosis was established by clinical elements, eletrocardiogram, chest X-ray and Doppler echocardiogram. Eight patients underwent cardiac catheterization. In 21 patients anatomical diagnosis was confirmed by necropsy.

RESULTS

Twenty-two patients (55%) died, in spite of all possible clinical measures. In 16 (40%) palliative surgery was performed, Norwood technique in 14 and pulmonary artery banding with Dacron graft interposition between pulmonary trunk and brachiocephalic trunk in two. Immediate postoperative results were favorable in three patients (Norwood technique). Both patients underwent the other described technique died at 12th and 30th postoperative day due to infection.

CONCLUSION

HLHS is a severe cardiac anomaly with a fast downhill evolution mostly at first week of life. The good results depend basically of early diagnosis as well as of an adequate clinical management for an appropriate time in indication of the palliative surgical technique.

[Histologic response of the myocardium to various immunosuppressor schedules in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and diagnosis of myocarditis at endomyocardial biopsy]

PURPOSE

To analyse the histological evolution of endomyocardial biopsies from children with active myocarditis, submitted or not to immunosuppressive therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Four groups of patients were compared, clinically treated as follows: group I--anticongestive drugs (4 patients); group II--prednisone (5 patients); group III--prednisone plus azathioprine (9 patients); group IV--prednisone and cyclosporine (5 patients).

RESULTS

No patient from group I presented any histological improvement during a mean period of 9 months, while evident histological improvement occurred in 25% of patients from group I, 67% from group III and 80% from group IV. The microscopical aspect of resolving myocarditis was only observed in patients from groups III and IV, after treatment.

CONCLUSION

The immunosuppressive therapy with azathioprine or cyclosporine plus prednisone leads to decrease of active myocarditis intensity in a higher proportion of cases than the treatment with only prednisone or no immunosuppressive drugs.

[Transluminal angioplasty of aortopulmonary anastomosis by the Jatene surgical technique. Report of 2 cases]

Two patients with transposition of the great arteries submitted to Jatene surgery at ages of 6 days and 6 months respectively, presented in the postoperative period stenosis of the aorto-pulmonary anastomosis. The diagnosis was made three and six years after the surgery. In both patients successful percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) was performed, respectively six months and immediately after the diagnosis. Pressure gradients decreased from 83 mmHg to 24 mmHg in the first case, and from 76 mmHg to 13 mmHg in the other case, with clear improvement of the angiographic image. Complications of the procedure did not occur in any case. This application for PTA was not previously reported and should be considered as an alternative to the surgical correction of the "new" pulmonary trunk stenosis in the Jatene surgery.

[Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart in children. A case report]

The authors report a case of a child, 10 years old with a primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the heart that obstructed both caval veins. The clinical picture that lasted just three months before the admission was characterized by persistent fever, accentuated loss of weight and a very deteriorated general aspect. We emphasize the clinical aspects and other subsidiary elements that easily allowed to make the precise diagnosis in life as well as the therapeutic measures and follow up, besides a review of the literature, where it was confirmed the rarity of this pathological entity.

[Endomyocardial biopsy and myocardial imaging with 67-gallium in the diagnosis of active myocarditis in children with dilated myocardiopathy]

PURPOSE

This study was designed to compare 67Ga imaging and endomyocardial biopsy (EB) in children with severe dilated cardiomyopathy (DC), as well as to evaluate the results in a group of patients with active myocarditis submitted to immunosuppressive therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty-four pediatric patients with severe DC were studied. Twenty males and 24 females from 10 months to 15 year old (median = 2.6 years). All patients were submitted to a protocol including 67Ga uptake and EB. In patients submitted to immunosuppressive therapy these procedures were repeated after six months.

RESULTS

In 32 patients (72.7%) the EB revealed presence of inflammatory process; 21 (65.6%) of these had a positive 67Ga uptake and 11 (34.4%) negative. Twelve patients with no evidence of inflammatory process in the EB, nine (75%) presented negative 67Ga uptake. However, when the intensity of myocardial inflammatory was analysed (mild, moderate and severe) and correlated with 67Ga imaging, was observed that the majority of patients with negative 67Ga uptake (11 patients) had mild inflammatory infiltration (nine patients). In this way the 67Ga uptake demonstrated a good correlation in the diagnosis of moderate and severe inflammatory process in children with DC. This is important because the use of immunosuppressive drugs is indicated only in these group.

CONCLUSION

The 67Ga imaging is a noninvasive diagnostic method with a good sensitivity to the diagnostic method with a good sensitivity to the diagnosis of AM in children with severe DC, demonstrating to be very useful in the therapeutic approach.

[Transluminal angioplasty in total anomalous drainage of obstructed pulmonary veins. A case report]

Transluminal balloon angioplasty has been successfully used in the treatment of various congenital heart diseases, specially in pulmonary valve stenosis. Dilation angioplasty has also been used in venous obstructions in children, but the results have been contradictory. This report describes the case of a three-month-old female infant with obstructed total anomalous pulmonary venous return into the right superior vena cava. Percutaneous angioplasty was performed with two 4 mm diameter balloon catheters (Simpson Ultra Low Profile), with success. Right ventricular systolic pressure decreased from 68 to 49 mmHg and mean pulmonary vein pressure decreased from 41 to 17 mmHg. There was significant clinical improvement. Although it would be an unique experience in our Department, authors suggest that transluminal balloon angioplasty could be an initial therapeutic alternative in infants with obstructive total anomalous pulmonary venous return, a high-risk group for total surgical repair.

[Goldenhar syndrome. Report of 5 cases in association with cardiac malformations]

The paper presents five cases of the Syndrome described by Goldenhar, which consists in oculo-auriculo-vertebral alterations. Classic descriptions relate the presence of epibulbar dermoid, pre-auricular appendixes, mandible hypoplasia and vertebral anomalies. Excepting by some vertebral alterations, all the other anomalies were common to the five cases. This syndrome may be accompanied by congenital cardiopathy in a percentage varying from 15 to 50%, depending on the publications. The reason of hospitalization was the real presence of congenital cardiopathy of important clinical repercussion. Three patients had Tetrad of Fallot, one transposition of the great arteries, and the last one total annomalous pulmonary venous connection, which died due to clinical complications. The four patients were submitted to surgical correction of their cardiac defects, being the face defects programmed to the corrected later on.

[Treatment using balloon catheterization of pulmonary valve stenosis]

From October 84 to September 88 we performed pulmonary valvuloplasty with balloon catheter (PVBC) in 90 patients (pt) with pulmonary valve stenosis (PVS). The patients were divided in 3 groups (Gr) by their ages: group I (Gr. I) 7 pt (8%) aged 4 days to 11 months, Gr. II 66 pt (73%) aged 1 year to 12 years and Gr. III 17 pt aged 13 to 34 years. This study consists of clinical and echocardiographic evaluation adopting the following parameters of indication: a) transvalvar pulmonary gradient (G); b) absence of dysplasia or hypoplasia of the pulmonary annulus. There were associated lesions which were found in each group: Gr. I atrial septal defect (ASD) in 2 pt and tricuspid insufficiency (TI) in 1 pt, in Gr. II supra valvar stenosis (SVS) in 1 pt and patent arterial ductus (PAD) in 1 pt and in the Gr. III (ASD) in 1 pt. The results after pulmonary valvuloplasty with balloon catheter (PVBC) were: (Gr.I) in 5 pt the G were reduced below 50 mmHg and the average of right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) changed from 92 to 62 mmHg and the average of G from 76 to 44 mmHg. One of these pt was submitted to surgery 1 month after the procedure and 2 developed restenosis in 2 and 3 years respectively, being submitted to another dilatation with good results. The 2 pt in which the procedure was not effective were submitted to surgery. In the second group the PVBC was effective in 61 pt (92%) showing the RVSP changed from 118 to 64 mmHg and G changed from 86 to 23 mmHg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Right ventricular dysplasia associated with Ebstein type malformation of the tricuspid valve. A case report]

Right ventricular dysplasia, also named right ventricular cardiomyopathy, cardiac lipidosis and partial absence of the right ventricular myocardium, is an uncommon disease in which the myocardium is partially replaced by fat and fibrous tissue. The clinical picture is usually characterized by complex arrhythmias, causing sudden death in adolescents and young adults, and cardiac failure. In this report, an association between this disease and "Ebstein-type" tricuspid valve malformation has been diagnosed in a 22 year old female patient with cianosis and dyspnea on exertion.