Pseudotumeur cardiaque révélant une maladie de Behçet

Recurrent intra-cardiac thrombosis: A rare manifestation of Behçet's disease

Behçet's disease is a systemic vasculitis characterized by recurrent bipolar aphtosis and ophthalmic disorders. Cardiac involvement is rarely reported and could be associated to poor prognosis. Intracardiac thrombosis is exceptional and represents a therapeutic issue. We report the case of a young man admitted in internal medicine department for management of prolonged fever and recurrent mouth ulcers.

Autoimmune Heart Disease: A Comprehensive Summary for Forensic Practice

Autoimmune heart disease is a non-random condition characterised by immune system-mediated aggression against cardiac tissue. Cardiac changes often exhibit nonspecific features and, if unrecognised, can result in fatal outcomes even among seemingly healthy young individuals. In the absence of reliable medical history, the primary challenge lies in differentiating between the various cardiopathies. Numerous immunohistochemical and genetic studies have endeavoured to characterise distinct types of cardiopathies, facilitating their differentiation during autopsy examinations. However, the presence of a standardised protocol that forensic pathologists can employ to guide their investigations would be beneficial. Hence, this summary aims to present the spectrum of autoimmune cardiopathies, including emerging insights such as SARS-CoV-2-induced cardiopathies, and proposes the utilisation of practical tools, such as blood markers, to aid forensic pathologists in their routine practice.

Giant right ventricular thrombus as the revealing form of Behçet's disease

BACKGROUND

Behçet's disease BD is a rare multisystemic disease, with rare cardiac involvement. This case illustrates a rare cardiac involvement as a giant intracavitary thrombus which was the revealing form of Behçet disease.

CASE PRESENTATION

An 15-year-old male admitted to the emergency department for progressive dyspnoea, hemoptysis for which an echocardiogram displayed a large echogenic mass in the right ventricle and angio CT revealed associated bilateral pulmonary embolism. The patient was then proposed for surgery for removal and pathological study the later confirmed its fibrin thrombotic nature. Behçet disease was suspected based on past history of recurrent oral aphthosis and confirmed with a positive pathergy test. Further management by anticoagulants, immunosuppressants and corticosteroids seemed effective to avoid relapse.

CONCLUSIONS

Cardiac involvement during BD can be life-threatening as it is not always diagnosed in timely manner. However, intracardiac thrombus is uncommon with only few case reports. Echocardiography is the key tool for the diagnosis of intracardiac thrombus.

Anasarca Revealing Severe Cardiac Involvement Due to Behçet's Disease (BD): A Case Report

Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis which is most often manifested by recurrent oral aphthosis, genital aphthosis, and ocular involvement with sometimes visceral damage, in particular neurological, digestive, vascular, or renal. We report the case of a 21-year-old man admitted for anasarca who revealed severe cardiac involvement associating endomyocardial fibrosis, intracardiac thrombi and involvement of the tricuspid valve in the context of BD diagnosed a posteriori. Cardiac involvement is exceptional during BD, especially as a mode of entry into the disease. It can be particularly severe, hence the need for early diagnosis, rapid and sometimes aggressive management. Close monitoring is also necessary in order to watch for the occurrence of visceral manifestations, particularly in young patients.

Cardiac and vascular complications of Behçet disease in the Tunisian context: clinical characteristics and predictive factors

BACKGROUND

Cardiac and vascular involvement in Behçet disease (BD), also referred as vasculo BD, is frequent. We aimed to describe clinical characteristics, predictive factors and management of vasculo BD in the Tunisian context.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied 213 records of all BD patients followed between January 2004 and May 2016 in the Internal Medicine Department and who fulfilled the ISGBD criteria. We described first clinical features of BD with cardiac and vascular involvement then predictive factors were studied in univariate then multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Among the 213 patients, 64 (30%) were diagnosed as having vasculo BD. The mean age at diagnosis was 31.5 years. About 81.25% of them were males and 18.75% females. Vascular involvement associated or not with cardiac involvement was found in 64 patients (30%). Deep venous thromboses are most common (62.5%) compared with superficial ones (23.4%), pulmonary arterial thrombosis (14.1%) or aneurysms (9.4%). Cardiac involvement is ranging from pericarditis (1.6%) to intra cardiac thrombosis (3.1%) and myocardial infarction (1.6%). Predictive factors associated with cardiac and vascular involvement in BD are male gender (OR = 3.043, 95% CI = 1.436-6.447, p = 0.004), erythema nodosum (OR = 4.134, 95% CI = 1.541-11.091, p = 0.005) and neurologic involvement (OR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.02-5.89, p = 0.043).

CONCLUSION

Cardiac and vascular involvement in BD is frequent in the Tunisian context with a broad spectrum of manifestations ranging from vascular involvement to cardiac one. Male gender, patients with erythema nodosum or neurologic involvement are prone to develop cardiac or vascular features of BD needing therefore a close monitoring.

[Superior vena cava thrombosis or stricture secondary to implanted central venous access: Six cases of endovascular and direct surgical treatment in cancer patients]

Superior vena cava (SVC) stenosis or thrombosis is a well-known complication of central venous catheterization for endocavitary treatments, hemodialysis, or chemotherapy. In cancer patients, these SVC lesions are often symptomatic due to intimal damage and chemotherapy toxicity. We report our experience with six patients treated between 2007 and 2012 via an endovascular approach (n=5) or a direct surgical approach (n=1). All patients had SVC syndrome with facial edema, headache and upper limb edema. In three cases, the catheter was in place when the clinical symptoms occurred. Duplex Doppler and computed tomography (CT)-angiography identified the following lesions: isolated SVC stenosis (n=2); SVC stenosis with right Pirogoff confluence stenosis (n=1); SVC stenosis associated with left innominate vein thrombosis and right Pirogoff confluence stenosis (n=1); SVC thrombosis affecting azygos flow (n=2). In one patient, the thrombus extended into the right atrium. Five patients underwent endovascular repair via a right jugular approach (n=2) or a double jugular approach (n=3). Treatment involved: SVC angioplasty with stent (n=2); right Pirogoff angioplasty and SVC stent (n=1); kissing angioplasty of both innominate trunks with a SVC stent (n=1); and SVC angioplasty without stent because of an incomplete result with a residual lumen less than 8mm (n=1). One patient had a complete SVC occlusion with extension of thrombus into the right atrium. She was treated via a median sternotomy for open surgical control of both innominate trunks and lateral clamping of the right atrium. A long cavotomy prolonged on the right atrium allowed thrombo-intimectomy and pericardial patch angioplasty. Postoperative follow-up was uneventful in five cases. However, postoperative hemorrhage required pericardial drainage in one patient. The CT scan showed a good morphological aspect in five patients and an incomplete result in one case. Patients have been followed up annually with a duplex scan from two to six years. One patient had a restenosis at 7 months treated by a new angioplasty via a femoral approach. A new catheter was positioned via a cervical approach. Two patients died of metastatic diffusion at 8 and 32 months. The other four patients have remained asymptomatic, with a satisfactory duplex scan. In conclusion, VCS lesions after implanted central access for chemotherapy can often be treated endovascularly. Conventional surgery still has indications when lesions extend into the right atrium.

[Cardiac pseudotumor revealing Behçet's disease]

La thrombose intracardiaque est une complication rare de la maladie de Behçet (MB), qui peut se présenter comme une tumeur intracardiaque. Sa découverte précède, dans la moitié des cas, le diagnostic de MB. La mortalité élevée peut être en rapport avec des complications post-chirurgicales et/ou une atteinte associée des artères pulmonaires. Nous rapportons l’observation d’un jeune patient de 29 ans, aux antécédents d’aphtose bipolaire, qui a bénéficie d’une intervention chirurgicale après la découverte d’une tumeur de l’atrium et du ventricule droits. Il s’agissait d’un thrombus à l’examen anatomopathologique et dans les suites opératoires nous avons diagnostiqué une MB. L’évolution a été favorable sous traitement médical associant une corticothérapie, de la colchicine et des antivitamines K (AVK). La découverte d’une masse intracardiaque chez un sujet jeune doit faire évoquer le diagnostic de thrombus cardiaque et de maladie de Behçet, même en l’absence de facteur ethnique ou géographique prédisposant.

Intracardiac Thrombus in Behçet's Disease

Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic multisystem disease that presents with recurrent oral and genital ulceration and recurrent uveitis. The patients are often diagnosed in the range of 20-30 years of age and BD are more common in men.[1] BD has a worldwide distribution, but it is mainly observed in Mediterranean areas and Japan.[2] Involvement of skin, joints, nervous, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular systems is also recognised.[34] Although the vascular lesions are frequently observed in this disease, the cardiac involvement is rare and is associated with the poor prognosis.[5]

Value of certain echocardiographic findings in the initial suspicion of Behçet's disease

PURPOSE

To describe the echocardiographic findings detected as first manifestations of Behçet's disease (BD) and compare these findings with those detected in established cases of BD receiving regular medical treatment.

METHODS

Two groups of patients were studied. Group 1 comprised 41 patients with BD on regular medical treatment. Group 2 comprised 5 previously healthy patients who presented to the cardiology department because of cardiac symptoms and were diagnosed in retrospect during hospitalization as BD. Thirty-two age- and sex-matched individuals served as control subjects (control group). All patients and controls underwent complete M-mode, two-dimensional, and Doppler transthoracic echocardiographic examinations.

RESULTS

Of the 41 treated patients with BD (mean age: 32 ± 8 years, 90% males, mean duration since diagnosis: 14.5 years), only 1 patient was found to have severe aortic regurgitation secondary to aortic root dilation. On the other hand, the 5 previously healthy patients who presented with cardiac symptoms (mean age: 24 ± 6 years, all males) had significant cardiac involvement and evident echocardiographic findings (P < 0.001). Four cases had intracardiac masses: 3 in the right atrium (RA), 1 in the right ventricle (RV), while the last patient had pericardial effusion (PE). All these patients were diagnosed in retrospect as BD. The RA masses disappeared on medical therapy, while the RV mass was surgically excised and proved to be multiple thrombi histopathologically. The patient with PE had recurrent attacks of massive effusion so a pericardial window was performed surgically.

CONCLUSION

Diagnosis of BD might be initially suspected by the cardiologists based on certain echocardiographic findings, namely the presence of right-sided masses. Diagnosis of BD in such patients has important therapeutic implications and accordingly prognostic value.

Cardiac manifestations in Behcet's disease

Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder, with vasculitis underlying the pathophysiology of its multisystemic effects. Venous pathology and thrombotic complications are hallmarks of BD. However, it has been increasingly recognised that cardiac involvement and arterial complications are also important aspects of the course of the disease. Cardiac lesions include pericarditis, endocarditis, intracardiac thrombosis, myocardial infarction, endomyocardial fibrosis, and myocardial aneurysm. Treatment of cardiovascular involvement in BD is largely empirical, and is aimed towards suppressing the vasculitis. The most challenging aspect seems to be the treatment of arterial aneurysms and thromboses due to the associated risk of bleeding. When the prognosis of cardiac involvement in BD is not good, recovery can be achieved through oral anticoagulation, immunosuppressive therapy, and colchicine use. In this review, we summarise the cardiovascular involvement, different manifestations, and treatment of BD.

A rare case of behçet disease presenting with pyrexia of unknown origin, pulmonary embolism, and right ventricular thrombus

Behçet disease is a systemic vasculitis characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcers and uveitis. We describe a rare case of a 43-year-old woman with Behçet disease who was admitted for pyrexia of unknown origin, cough, dyspnea, and chest pain. Her computerized tomography scan revealed pulmonary embolism and right ventricular thrombus. She was treated with anticoagulation for pulmonary embolism and right ventricular thrombus. She was well during her last follow-up.

[Cardiovascular involvement in Behçet's disease]

Vascular involvement is a common complication of Behçet's disease (BD) and affects up to 40% of BD patients. These complications worsen the prognosis of BD. The concept of vasculo-Behçet has been adopted for cases in which vascular complications dominate the clinical features. Vascular manifestations affect particularly young men, during the first years following onset of the disease. Venous complications are the most frequent vascular complications, affecting 14 to 40% of BD patients. Superficial and deep lower limb thrombosis is the most frequent venous complications but one third of venous thrombosis concern large vessels (such as cerebral venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and inferior or superior vena cava, etc.). Budd-Chiari syndrome is the worst prognostic factor increasing mortality by 9 times. Arterial complications (2 to 17% of BD patients) include aneurysms and occlusions/stenosis. Main locations of arterial lesions are aortic (abdominal and thoracic), femoral, pulmonary and iliac arteries. Aneurysms are the most severe arterial complications, particularly pulmonary aneurysms associated with a high risk of massive bleeding. Cardiac complications (up to 6% of BD patients) include pericarditis, endocardial lesions (aortic regurgitation and less often mitral insufficiency), myocardial lesions (myocardial infarction, myocarditis and endomyocardial fibrosis) and intracardiac thrombosis (right ventricle and atrium). Coronary lesions complicated to myocardial infarction are the most severe cardiac complications. Treatment is based on corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs. The use of anticoagulation in venous thrombosis is still controversial.

[Hemoptysis revealing pulmonary artery aneurysm associated with intracardiac thrombosis: a delicate anticoagulation situation (a case report of Behçet's disease)]

Behçet's disease is a vasculitis affecting both arteries and veins. Cardiac involvement is less well known. The association of an aneurysm of the pulmonary artery and intracardiac thrombosis is rare, and a therapeutic challenge. We report the case of a 26-year-old patient hospitalized for moderately abundant hemoptysis and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III dyspnea, which illustrates the difficulty encountered when using anticoagulants in this complex situation.

[Cardiac thrombosis, pulmonary artery aneurism and pulmonary embolism revealed Behçet's disease]

Intracardiac thrombosis is a rare complication of Behçet's disease. It may be isolated or associated with arterial disease. We report a case of a patient from northern Morocco, aged 23, without specific medical history. He consulted for recurrent hemoptysis of middle abundance, associated with bipolar aphthosis. Chest radiography showed a left basal opacity fuzzy and right paracardiac opacity. The thoracic CT objectified left segmental lower lobe embolism, an aneurysm of a segmental branch of the right lower lobe and right intraventricular thrombus. Echocardiography confirmed the intracardiac thrombus. The patient was treated by oral corticosteroids, azathioprine, colchicine, and anticoagulants. The outcome was favorable with complete resolution of intraventricular thrombus and the aneurysm.

Spectrum of cardiac lesions in Behçet disease: a series of 52 patients and review of the literature

Cardiac abnormalities in patients with Behçet disease (BD) include pericarditis, myocarditis, endocarditis with valvular regurgitation, intracardiac thrombosis, endomyocardial fibrosis, coronary arteritis with or without myocardial infarction, and aneurysms of the coronary arteries or sinus of Valsalva. Data regarding the clinical spectrum, prevalence, and outcome of cardiac lesions in BD are lacking. In this study, we report the main characteristics, treatment, and long-term outcomes of 52 patients with cardiac lesions from a cohort of 807 (6%) BD patients. Forty-five (86.5%) patients were male, with a mean (±SD) age at BD diagnosis of 29.3 ± 10.3 years.Cardiac involvement was the first feature of BD in 17 (32.7%) patients. Cardiac lesions included pericarditis (n = 20; 38.5%), endocarditis (mostly aortic insufficiency) (n = 14; 26.9%), intracardiac thrombosis (n = 10; 19.2%), myocardial infarction (n = 9; 17.3%), endomyocardial fibrosis (n = 4; 7.7%) and myocardial aneurysm (n = 1; 1.9%). Patients with cardiac involvement were more frequently male (86.5% vs. 64.9%; p < 0.01) and had more arterial (42.3% vs. 11.1%; p < 0.01) and venous lesions (59.6% vs. 35.8%; p < 0.01) compared to those without cardiac manifestations. Factors associated with complete remission of cardiac involvement were treatment regimens with oral anticoagulants, immunosuppressants, and colchicine. The 5-year survival rate was 83.6% and 95.8% (p = 0.03) in BD patients with and without cardiac involvement, respectively. After a median (Q1-Q3) follow-up of 3.0 (1.75-4.2) years, 8 patients had died, in 3 cases directly related to cardiac involvement.In conclusion, cardiac lesions affected 6% of our large cohort of BD patients. The prognosis of cardiac involvement in BD is poor and improves with oral anticoagulation, immunosuppressive therapy, and colchicine.

Cardiovascular involvement in Behçet's disease

Behçet's disease is a chronic relapsing systemic vasculitis that can involve almost every organ and systems in the body with extremely different diverse manifestations. Cardiovascular involvement is one of these manifestations, the involvement of which might present in various patterns in itself. Cardiovascular involvement is relatively uncommon in Behçet's disease; however, Behçet's disease is relatively rather common in certain parts of the world. Therefore, especially in these locations recognizing such miscellaneous presentations are of critical importance, since cardiovascular involvements exceed other presentation in mortality and morbidity rates. Based on these facts, in this review, we summarized the cardiovascular involvements and its different manifestations in Behçet's disease.

Intracardiac thrombus, superior vena cava syndrome, and pulmonary embolism in a patient with Behçet's disease: a case report and literature review

A 26-year-old woman with intermittent fever was admitted to our hospital, and gradually developed facial edema. Examinations including computed tomography, transesophageal echocardiography, digital subtraction angiography, and pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy revealed intracardiac thrombus, superior vena cava syndrome, and pulmonary embolism. Clinical findings and laboratory data led us to make a diagnosis of Behçet's disease. Combination of intracardiac thrombus, superior vena cava syndrome, and pulmonary embolism are rare complications in Behçet's disease. Behçet's disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intracardiac mass of the right heart, and early diagnosis and treatment are essential for the management of Behçet's disease especially with large-vessel manifestations. In addition to a case report, we review the literature and report the characteristics of intracardiac thrombus in Behçet's disease.