Infective endocarditis complicated with coronary artery septic embolization: is it worth to be mentioned? Case presentation and review of the literature

Role of toll-like receptor-mediated pyroptosis in sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy

Sepsis, a life-threatening dysregulated status of the host response to infection, can cause multiorgan dysfunction and mortality. Sepsis places a heavy burden on the cardiovascular system due to the pathological imbalance of hyperinflammation and immune suppression. Myocardial injury and cardiac dysfunction caused by the aberrant host responses to pathogens can lead to cardiomyopathy, one of the most critical complications of sepsis. However, many questions about the specific mechanisms and characteristics of this complication remain to be answered. The causes of sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction include abnormal cardiac perfusion, myocardial inhibitory substances, autonomic dysfunction, mitochondrial dysfunction, and calcium homeostasis dysregulation. The fight between the host and pathogens acts as the trigger for sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy. Pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death, plays a critical role in the progress of sepsis. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) act as pattern recognition receptors and participate in innate immune pathways that recognize damage-associated molecular patterns as well as pathogen-associated molecular patterns to mediate pyroptosis. Notably, pyroptosis is tightly associated with cardiac dysfunction in sepsis and septic shock. In line with these observations, induction of TLR-mediated pyroptosis may be a promising therapeutic approach to treat sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy. This review focuses on the potential roles of TLR-mediated pyroptosis in sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy, to shed light on this promising therapeutic approach, thus helping to prevent and control septic shock caused by cardiovascular disorders and improve the prognosis of sepsis patients.

Postpartum Endocarditis and Left Main Embolization

Postpartum infective endocarditis is a rare disease, especially in people with no risk factors (ie, intravenous drug use), that can be followed by severe morbidity and mortality. Here, we report a case of postpartum infective endocarditis with an unusual acute coronary syndrome-like presentation in a patient with minimal risk factors. In addition to lesions on the aortic valve causing severe aortic insufficiency, the patient's case was also complicated by left main coronary artery embolization, which was subsequently aspirated during surgery. Repeat angiography demonstrated complete removal, with no evidence of downstream embolization.

When Enterococcus faecalis becomes a murderer

We describe the case of a 64 years old patient, known for an Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis on a 25 mm Edwards-Carpentier biological aortic valve in 2020, who was re-hospitalized one year later in cardiac surgery for a recurrence of Enterococcus faecalisbacteriemia. During hospitalization, the patient presented a cardiac arrest. The coronarography revealed an acute occlusion of the left coronary artery. The autopsy confirmed an Enterococcus faecalis thrombus on aortic valve and left coronary artery. Although systemic embolism is a common complication of infective endocarditis, septic embolism is an unsual cause of acute coronary syndrome and a very rare cause of cardiac arrest. Our case highlights a rare and potentially fatal complication of infective endocarditis: acute coronary syndrome on septic coronary embolism.

Mitral Valve Infective Endocarditis Complicated With Coronary Artery Embolization

Infective endocarditis is a multisystem and potentially fatal disease. Systemic embolization is a relatively common complication, the spleen and central nervous system being the most frequent sites for septic emboli formation. Coronary artery septic embolization is extremely uncommon and its management remains controversial.

We present the case of a 50-year-old male diagnosed with mitral valve infective endocarditis complicated with spleen and central nervous system embolization, who developed acute myocardial infarction two weeks after disease onset. The patient was successfully treated with combined mitral valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting.