Unusual cardiovascular manifestations of sarcoidosis, a report of three cases: coronary artery aneurysm with myocardial infarction, symptomatic mitral valvular disease, and sudden death from ruptured splenic artery

[Régurgitation mitrale sévère due à la sarcoïdose cardiaque : une présentation clinique inhabituelle ; une étude de cas et des recherches antérieures]

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous inflammatory disease that may involve multiple organ systems, including the heart. Cardiac manifestations are not rare and include atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, conduction abnormalities, congestive heart failure, valvular dysfunction, pericarditis, and sudden death. Although, cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. This article describes a case of a patient with a history of pulmonary sarcoidosis who presented with congestive heart failure, on the basis of severe mitral regurgitation secondary to cardiac infiltration and summarizes the published evidence regarding CS and mitral regurgitation.

Sarcoid heart disease and imaging

Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) can mimic any cardiomyopathy due to its ability to manifest with a variety of clinical presentations. The exact prevalence of CS remains unknown but has been reported ranging from 2.3% to as high as 29.9% among patients presenting with new onset cardiomyopathy and/or atrioventricular block. Early and accurate diagnosis of CS is often challenging due to the nature of disease progression and lack of diagnostic reference standard. The current diagnostic criteria for CS are lacking in sensitivity and specificity. Here, we review the contemporary role of advanced imaging modalities such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography/computed tomography imaging in diagnosing and prognosticating patients with CS.

The Mechanism and Natural History of Mitral Regurgitation in Cardiac Sarcoidosis

Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is an infl/ammatory cardiomyopathy that can present with mitral regurgitation (MR), but few studies describe the mechanisms and natural history of MR in CS. We queried an institutional registry of 512 patients with CS for moderate or greater MR at diagnosis. Baseline demographic and echocardiography (TTE) data were collected. MR was classified by Carpentier type. Positron emission tomography was analyzed for 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18] fluoro-d-glucose (FDG) avidity of anterolateral and posteromedial papillary muscles. Follow-up TTE and positron emission tomography imaging of patients treated with immunosuppression was analyzed for MR severity and FDG avidity changes. Fifty-four patients were identified. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 39.3%, effective regurgitant orifice 0.34 cm², and MR regurgitant volume 46.3 ml. Carpentier type I was the most common MR mechanism (46.3%). Forty-one patients had follow-up TTE (median follow-up 1.7 years, interquartile range 2.6 years). Evaluating preprocedural follow-up TTE only, MR severity was significantly reduced, with 37% of patients showing reduction by at least 1 severity grade (p = 0.04). With postprocedural TTE included, 61% of patients showed alleviation of MR severity with mean decrease in grade - 0.98 (p <0.001). Sixty-eight percent of patients had anterolateral/posteromedial FDG avidity. Papillary muscle FDG avidity resolved in 80% of patients (n = 20, median follow-up 1.6 years, interquartile range 2.5 years). In conclusion, Carpentier type I functional MR is the most common MR mechanism in CS. MR severity and papillary muscle FDG avidity decrease after treatment, and MR resolution is further strengthened by procedural intervention in a minority of patients, suggesting an overall favorable natural history of MR in CS.

Infrequent cardiac manifestations of sarcoidosis

Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is found in 2-7% of patients with systemic sarcoidosis (SS). Its diagnosis and treatment is challenging, notwithstanding the poor prognosis and treatment. Hereby, we present a case of systemic sarcoidosis with rare cardiac manifestations of severe mitral incompetence and large coronary aneurysm in a previously healthy woman. She underwent successful mitral valve replacement and coronary artery bypass surgery and was maintained on low dose glucocorticoid therapy.

Diffuse lymphadenopathy as the presenting manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus

We report the case of a 27-year-old African American man who presented with 6 months of generalized lymphadenopathy and nothing in his history or examination to suggest systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). He was thought to have lymphoma, syphilis, or tuberculosis, and an extensive workup was done. Laboratory investigation finally revealed leukopenia (4.0), proteinuria (1.87 g), antinuclear antibodies (640 speckled), anti-double-stranded DNA (640), anticardiolipin immunoglobulins G and M, anti-Smith, Coombs, anti-Ro, anti-La, CK (531 U/L), aldolase (8.5 U/L), high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (130 mm/h), and low complement (C3 15 mg/dL and C4 3 mg/dL). A kidney biopsy showed diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis, International Society of Nephrology class IV. Generalized lymphadenopathy as the first and only manifestation for 6 months made the diagnosis of SLE challenging. Generalized diffuse lymphadenopathy has been associated with SLE but is much less frequent now than in the past. The differential diagnosis of lymphadenopathy relevant to rheumatologists includes Kikuchi histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, Castleman disease, syphilis, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, and lymphoma.

Sarcoidosis in an Athlete

Background

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disorder of unknown etiology, characterized by “noncaseating granulomas” in different organs. Clinical signs are variable and dependent on the organ involved. Although it is often asymptomatic in athletes, considering the high level of athletic performance and the related risks due to the potential heart involvement, a particular diagnostic flow-chart to consider some other diagnoses is required. The present case report aimed to focus on the clinical approach in case of a progressive weakness associated with a reduction in global performance of an athlete.

Case Presentation

Since October 2008 a 33-year-old Scandinavian professional soccer player has shown splitting headache, fever and impaired exercise tolerance. Despite some clinical aspects and symptoms that could address diagnosis of granulomatosis according to the current guidelines, the first hypothesis was indicative of a possible viral infection. Therefore, the athlete had received a drug-therapy resolving the headache and fever. However, because of the persisting weakness, several other clinical possibilities were evaluated following a more complete diagnostic flow-chart, blood and instrumental exams.

Conclusion

This case report focuses on the substantial absence of symptoms during the granulomatosis disease, which makes the differential diagnosis to be often complicating. Indeed, several additional exams are required in order to establish the presence of “Non-evolutive sarcoidosis- stage I”, for which the therapy is not mandatory.