Clinical management of takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Biventricular Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Secondary to COVID-19

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is a heart failure syndrome characterized by acute and transient dysfunction of the apical segment of the left ventricle. Since the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the diagnosis of TCM has increased in prevalence. Here we present an intriguing case of a patient who initially presented to the hospital with respiratory failure and received a diagnosis of COVID-19. During the patient's hospital course, he was also diagnosed with biventricular TCM and subsequently experienced complete resolution of TCM before discharge. Providers should be cognizant of the potential cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 and consider those heart failure syndromes, including TCM, could be causing some of the respiratory dysfunction in these patients.

Impact of family history of coronary artery disease on clinical outcomes in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Family history of coronary artery disease (FHxCAD) is a critical risk factor for CAD, underscoring the contribution of genetic factors to disease pathogenesis and susceptibility. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) simulates the clinical features of and frequently coexists with CAD. However, the association between FHxCAD and TCM is unclear. Here, we retrospectively examined the impact of FHxCAD on in-hospital outcomes of patients with TCM. Using the National Inpatient Sample database (2016-2018), we identified 4733 patients admitted to hospital with a primary diagnosis of TCM. We compared in-hospital outcomes and complications between TCM patients with (n=646, 13.7%) and without FHxCAD (n=646) in the unmatched and in a propensity-score matched cohort (1:1 ratio). TCM with FHxCAD patients had a reduced incidence of cardiogenic shock, acute kidney injury (AKI), and acute respiratory failure (ARF); lower mortality rates; shorter length of stay (LOS); and decreased total charge compared with TCM without FHxCAD patients (p<0.05). In the matched cohort, TCM with FHxCAD patients (vs TCM without FHxCAD patients) had a lower incidence of cardiogenic shock (2.2% vs 6.3%, p<0.001; OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.61), AKI (5.1% vs 8.7%, p=0.016; OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.88), and ARF (5.7% vs 12.7%, p<0.001; OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.63); decreased in-hospital mortality (<11% vs 3.1%, p=0.002; OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.57); shorter LOS (2.66±1.96 days vs 3.40±3.05 days, p<0.001); and a reduced total charge (p=0.001), respectively. FHxCAD was associated with favorable outcomes in both unmatched and propensity-matched cohorts.

Takotsubo Syndrome: Optimizing Care with a Multidisciplinary Approach

Symptoms of takotsubo syndrome (TTS) include acute and transient regional systolic dysfunction of the left ventricle, as well as a variety of wall-motion abnormalities. The clinical features of TTS, including initial symptoms, cardiac biomarkers, and electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, are similar to those of acute coronary syndrome, with the exception that TTS patients typically have no obstructive coronary artery disease. TTS primarily affects elderly women, and emotional or physical stress is a common cause of the disease. Exaggerated sympathetic stimulation associated with dysfunction of the limbic system has also been reported to be related to TTS occurrence. Cancer also induces emotional and physical stress. Therefore, optimization of TTS care should involve cardiac, neurological, psychiatric, and oncological approaches. The first step in optimizing TTS care is to diagnose it by cardiac means. Multimodality imaging, including ECG, echocardiogram, angiography, ventriculography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, is indispensable for diagnosis, therapy management, and the evaluation of prognosis in the acute and chronic phases of TTS. The current cardiac approach during the acute phase is primarily supportive, with the goal of preventing life-threatening complications. As central nervous system diseases frequently trigger TTS, a neurological approach is also required. Appropriate psychiatric medication may reduce the risk of TTS recurrence, as not only psychiatric disorders themselves but also psychiatric medications can be the trigger for TTS. Several conditions are associated with TTS, including the novel coronavirus disease 2019. We present current knowledge of TTS in this review and describe how to optimize TTS care through a multidisciplinary approach.

Perioperative takotsubo cardiomyopathy: Implications for anesthesiologist

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is characterized by transient ventricular dysfunction in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease that may be triggered by an acute medical illness or intense physical or emotional stress. TCM is often confused with acute myocardial infarction given the similar electrocardiographic changes, cardiac enzymes, hemodynamic perturbations, and myocardial wall motion abnormalities. In the perioperative setting, the clinical picture may be more confusing because of the effect of anesthesia as well as hemodynamic changes related to the surgery itself. However, awareness of various other diagnostic modalities may enable clinicians to distinguish between the two, more systematically and with greater certainty. Despite the large body of literature, there still seems to be an overall paucity in our understanding of the etiopathogenesis, clinical characteristics, natural history, and management of this syndrome, especially in the perioperative setting. This narrative review seeks to present and synthesize the most recent literature on TCM and to identify gaps in current knowledge which can become the basis for future research.

The Impact of COPD on in-Hospital Outcomes in Patients with Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

PURPOSE

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a known comorbidity of takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM), and COPD exacerbation is a potential triggering factor of TCM. The association between COPD and in-hospital outcomes and complications among TCM patients is not well established. We sought to assess the effect of COPD on hospitalized patients with a primary diagnosis of TCM.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study in patients with a primary diagnosis of TCM with or without COPD using the latest National Inpatient Sample from 2016-2017. We identified 3139 patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of TCM by the ICD-10-CM coding system; 684 of those patients also had a diagnosis of COPD. We performed propensity score matching in a 1:2 ratio (n=678 patients, matched COPD group; n=1070, matched non-COPD group) and compared in-hospital outcomes and complications between TCM patients with and without a COPD diagnosis.

RESULTS

Before matching, the COPD group had worse outcomes compared with the non-COPD group in inpatient death (2.9% vs 1.3%, p=0.006), length of stay (LOS) (4.02±2.99 days vs 3.27±3.39 days, p<0.001), hospitalization charges ($55,242.68±47,637.40 vs $48,316.97±47,939.84, p=0.001), and acute respiratory failure (ARF) (22.5% vs 7.7%, p<0.001), respectively. After propensity score matching, the matched COPD group, compared with the matched non-COPD group, had a higher inpatient mortality rate (2.9% vs1.0%, p=0.005), longer LOS (4.02±3.00 days vs 3.40±3.54 days, p<0.001), higher hospitalization charges ($55,409.23±47,809.13 vs $46,469.60±42,209.10, p<0.001), and a higher incidence of ARF (22.6% vs 8.2%, p<0.001) and cardiogenic shock (5.6% vs 3.3%, p=0.024), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Patients with COPD who are hospitalized for TCM have higher rates of inpatient mortality, ARF, cardiogenic shock, as well as a longer LOS, and higher charges of stay than those without COPD. Prospective studies are warranted to examine the effect of early intervention or treatment of COPD on short- and long-term outcomes of TCM.

[Acute Stress and Broken Heart Syndrome. A Case Report]

INTRODUCTION

Stress has been associated with an acute heart failure syndrome of important morbidity and mortality.

METHODS

Case report and non-systematic review of the relevant literature.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 65-year-old woman with a history of an untreated generalized anxiety disorder, whom after the violent death of her son presented with oppressive chest pain irradiated to neck and left superior extremity, lasting for more than 30minutes, initial clinical suspect suggests acute coronary syndrome.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy is characterized by a reversible left ventricular dysfunction and wall movement abnormalities, without any compromise of the coronary arteries, associated to high plasma levels of catecholamines which in most cases correlates with an acute stress of emotional or physical type.

CONCLUSIONS

Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy has to be considered by physicians among the differential diagnosis when facing a patient with suspected acute coronary syndrome, especially in post-menopausal women with a history of psychiatric comorbidities such as a generalized anxiety disorder.

Acute Pulmonary Edema in an Eclamptic Pregnant Patient: A Rare Case of Takotsubo Syndrome

Patient: Female, 35

Final Diagnosis: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Symptoms: Seizures

Medication: —

Clinical Procedure: Cesarean section

Specialty: Critical Care Medicine

Nationwide Trends in Reported Incidence of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy from 2006 to 2012

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is believed to be an increasingly diagnosed syndrome; however, data on its incidence are limited. The purpose of this study was to determine the reported incidence of TC in the United States and to examine its trend over several years. Data was obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, created by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, for each of the years from 2006 to 2012. Hospital discharges with principal diagnosis of TC, identified using Internal Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, code 429.83, were included. We tabulated estimated total numbers of discharges, incidence per 100,000 persons, mean length of stay, inhospital death rates, and diagnoses stratified by age group and gender. The reported incidence of TC based on principal diagnosis at hospital discharge increased significantly over the study period, with 315 cases ± 43 (standard error) in 2006 and 6,230 cases ± 232 (standard error) in 2012 (p <0.001 for trend). Mean length of hospital stay was stable over the study period (3.4 days in 2006 vs 3.6 days in 2012; p = 0.74 for trend). The diagnosis was most frequent in patients aged 65 to 84 years (50% of all diagnoses in 2012), followed by those aged 45 to 64 years (39% of all diagnoses in 2012). Women accounted for >90% of diagnoses throughout the study period. In conclusion, the reported incidence of TC has increased significantly from 2006 to 2012, most likely because of increasing recognition of the syndrome.

A New Insight Into Sudden Cardiac Death in Young People: A Systematic Review of Cases of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) causes sudden cardiac death and has garnered increased attention worldwide in recent years. However, few studies have clearly classified the risk factors for this disease, including gender, race and morbidity, as well as the physical and mental stressors that can exacerbate the disease, particularly in young patients. To better analyze the characteristics of young TTC patients, we performed a systematic review of reported cases involving young patients.A computer-assisted search was performed using prominent electronic medical information sources to identify literature published between January 1965 and December 2013. Relevant studies containing clinical data of young TTC patients were included.Ninety-six records that included information about 104 cases were ultimately selected for our review. Several of the following results were noted: First, physical stress was more likely to exacerbate TTC than was mental stress in young patients. Second, more female than male TTC patients were noted among both young patients and the general population. Third, ethnicity appears to play no role in the disease, as no significant differences were noted among individuals of different races with respect to clinical characteristics, morbidity or stressors. Fourth, the clinical manifestations of TTC were similar to those of other cardiac diseases, including coronary heart disease. However, TTC may be detected using the combination of echocardiography and ventriculography.Clinicians should consider TTC if young patients present with symptoms similar to those of coronary heart disease so that harmful treatments such as coronary artery stent placement may be avoided. Moreover, the answers to questions regarding the clinical diagnostic criteria, etiology, pathophysiology, and the management of this syndrome in youth remain unclear; therefore, further research is needed.

Low prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients with Takotsubo syndrome: A plausible 'protective' effect with pathophysiologic connotations

AIMS

The pathophysiology of Takotsubo syndrome is still elusive; coronary vasospasm, microvascular dysfunction, or catecholamine-mediated injury to the cardiomyocytes, effected by local release from the autonomic nerves and/or blood-borne catecholamines, are considered as tentative cause(s). Diabetes mellitus-induced autonomic neuropathy leads to a brain-heart disconnection, and it can conceivably ameliorate/block the effect of an unbridled adrenergic storm to the heart, and the emergence of Takotsubo syndrome. This study sought to evaluate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients with Takotsubo syndrome.

METHODS AND RESULTS

All the papers accessed in PubMed were reviewed, to evaluate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension in Takotsubo syndrome patients, employing the rate of the latter as an index of how representative of the general population were the study patients, and the rate of the former as the focus of this investigation. Out of the 1932 papers, 959 were suitable for analysis, reporting on 33,894 patients (88.9% women) with Takotsubo syndrome. In five subanalyses, of all patients, patients reported individually, patients reported collectively in case series, patients ⩾ 60 years old reported individually, and patients ⩾ 65 years old reported individually, the prevalence of hypertension was 57.4%, 42.8%, 57.9%, 50.4%, and 52.2%, correspondingly, and comparable to the 65.4% shown by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the five subgroups was 16.8%, 10.2%, 17.0%, 11.9%, and 12.5%, correspondingly, and lower than the 26.9% found by the NHANES.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients with Takotsubo syndrome is low. This insight may be useful for the diagnosis, pathophysiology unraveling, and employment of autonomic adrenergic blocking agents in the management of patients with Takotsubo syndrome.

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: Typical and Atypical Variants, A Two-Year Retrospective Cohort Study

Background

Typical or classical takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is associated with the characteristic abnormality of a ballooned left ventricular apex with basal segmental hyperkinesis. TCM may not present with the “classical” wall motion abnormalities but can have a variety of segmental wall motion abnormalities. The aim of our work was to assess for any unique identifying factors that can help distinguish typical and atypical variants of TCM.

Methods

We studied 11 consecutive patients between 2010 and 2012 admitted with chest pain, electrocardiographic and cardiac biomarker changes consistent with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who underwent left heart angiography and were clinically diagnosed to have TCM.

Results

Our study found no specific features distinguishing typical and atypical variants of TCM. In our study, all patients were female and all had excellent outcome. One patient was in fourth decade of life, three patients in fifth and sixth decade of life, while remaining were older. One patient had diabetes mellitus, five had hypertension, four had concurrent coronary artery disease, but no patient had any family history of TCM. Nine of 11 patients had immediate clear-cut stressors. Three patients had normal ECG, two with ST segment elevation, with nine patients having only modest troponin elevations. One patient had an anomalous RCA take-off from the right coronary cusp, otherwise remaining patients had normal anatomy. One patient had only apical involvement, remaining had multiple wall motion abnormalities, and all patients had involvement of the anterior wall. Four patients had apical sparing. No inverted TCM pattern with basal akinesis with normal wall motion in the midventricular and apical regions was found among our patients.

Conclusions

We report that the classification of TCM as typical versus atypical is probably not clinically meaningful. The regional wall motion abnormalities are related to catecholamine excess and to the susceptibility of that particular region to excess catecholamine. We do not know why such differences in regional susceptibility exist, and agree with the other authors that sub-classification would only add to confusion, and a delay in understanding of the disease process.

A single pathophysiological pathway in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: Catecholaminergic stress

BACKGROUND

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) continues to be under-diagnosed, due to its varying presentation, with potentially serious consequences if treatment is delayed.

AIMS

To demonstrate the consistent involvement of catecholaminergic stress in TTC, regardless of the trigger.

METHODS

Between 01 July 2009 and 31 August 2013, patients managed in our centre for thoracic pain syndrome, with or without troponin release, were followed up prospectively. TTC was diagnosed from the apical ballooning seen on left ventricular imaging (angiography or transthoracic echocardiography) in the absence of a significant coronary artery lesion. Triggers (emotional trauma, surgical stress and β2-mimetic intoxication) were recorded; catecholamine-secreting tumours were screened for with a urinary methoxylate-derivative assay.

RESULTS

TTC was diagnosed in 40 out of 2754 (1.5%) patients with thoracic pain syndrome, with or without troponin release. Triggers were emotional trauma (n=29, 72.5%), surgical stress (n=5, 12.5%), adrenergic intoxication (n=3, 7.5%) and catecholaminergic tumour (n=3, 7.5%). Mean left ventricular ejection fraction at admission was 38.0 ± 15.7%. Eight (20%) patients initially showed cardiogenic shock. In-hospital mortality was 7.5%, with no deaths from cardiogenic causes. Thirty-five (94.6%) of the survivors had recovered a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (> 55%) by discharge.

CONCLUSION

Whatever the trigger, the common denominator in TTC is catecholaminergic stress. Classically suggested after emotional trauma, TTC may also be induced by surgical stress or endogenous or iatrogenic β2-mimetic intoxication. The various contexts all have a similarly excellent cardiovascular prognosis if treated early.