Endothelial dysfunction in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome assessed with positron emission tomography

Endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases: The role of human induced pluripotent stem cells and tissue engineering

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains to be the leading cause of death globally today and therefore the need for the development of novel therapies has become increasingly important in the cardiovascular field. The mechanism(s) behind the pathophysiology of CVD have been laboriously investigated in both stem cell and bioengineering laboratories. Scientific breakthroughs have paved the way to better mimic cell types of interest in recent years, with the ability to generate any cell type from reprogrammed human pluripotent stem cells. Mimicking the native extracellular matrix using both organic and inorganic biomaterials has allowed full organs to be recapitulated in vitro. In this paper, we will review techniques from both stem cell biology and bioengineering which have been fruitfully combined and have fueled advances in the cardiovascular disease field. We will provide a brief introduction to CVD, reviewing some of the recent studies as related to the role of endothelial cells and endothelial cell dysfunction. Recent advances and the techniques widely used in both bioengineering and stem cell biology will be discussed, providing a broad overview of the collaboration between these two fields and their overall impact on tissue engineering in the cardiovascular devices and implications for treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Non-invasive imaging in antiphospholipid syndrome to assess subclinical coronary artery disease

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (usually named antiphospholipid syndrome, APS) is an autoimmune disorder seen mainly in young people. Clinically, APS is described by pregnancy complications and/or a hypercoagulable state, including the venous or arterial vasculature, and strongly related to antiphospholipid antibodies. Although several cardiac manifestations have been involved with APS, and accelerated atherosclerosis is present in this condition, little is known about cardiovascular (CV) risk and the relation between APS. Several studies have used imaging markers to associate them with the main clinical features of patients with APS and the probability of having subclinical atherosclerosis. However, it has not yet been established which markers are most related to the risk of developing CV diseases (CVD) in these patients. In this narrative review, we focus on non-invasive imaging markers that can predict CVD, including carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaques assessed by carotid ultrasonography or coronary artery calcium score, which usually by computed tomography. We also examine the evidence about vascular function markers used in APS, such as arterial flow-mediated brachial dilation and artery stiffness measured by the velocity of the pulse wave. We present the current status of non-invasive imaging markers, which suggest the existence of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with APS. However, new prospective research is required to identify the predictive value of these findings and their modification by current treatments for APS.

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Accompanied with Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Leukemia

We report a rare spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) case accompanied by antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and leukemia which was treated successfully with drug-eluted stents (DES) implantation. This young SCAD patient was initially diagnosed of acute myocardial infarction (AMI); however, except for 6 pack-years of smoking, there were no risk factors or family history of coronary artery disease. Subsequently, we screened other clinical status like autoimmune diseases and finally found APS. In general, APS was associated with thromboembolism events, not coronary artery dissection. Our case indicated that SCAD could be a rare manifestation of APS which should draw our attention. In addition, our bail-out therapy acquired the expected effect.

Cardiac involvement in antiphospholipid syndrome: The diagnostic role of noninvasive cardiac imaging

OBJECTIVES

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disorder of acquired hypercoagulability characterized by vascular thrombosis, increased pregnancy morbidity, and elevated levels of antiphospholipid antibodies. Cardiac involvement in APS may be presented as heart valve disease affecting approximately a third of patients or less frequently as intracardial thombosis, pulmonary hypertension, right or left ventricular dysfunction, micro-vascular thrombosis, coronary artery, or micro-vascular disease with overt or silent clinical presentation.

METHODS

Noninvasive cardiovascular imaging plays a crucial role in the evaluation of heart involvement in APS. Transthoracic or transoesophageal echocardiography enable early, accurate diagnosis and severity assessment of HVD as well as of ventricular dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. Studies by echocardiography and nuclear imaging have detected abnormalities in myocardial perfusion in approximately 30% of primary APS. CT scan is the technique of choice for the assessment of pulmonary embolism and can effectively detect intracardiac thrombi. Myocardial perfusion defects have been detected by 13N-ammonia PET in 40% of APS. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has identified an unexpectedly high prevalence of occult myocardial scarring and endomyocardial fibrosis in APS, and is the technique of choice, if quantification of heart valve disease and stress myocardial perfusion-fibrosis is needed.

RESULTS

Noninvasive, nonradiating imaging techniques, such as echocardiography and CMR are superior to CT or nuclear techniques and are of great value for the diagnosis and follow-up of both clinically overt and silent cardiac disease in APS.

CONCLUSIONS

The high incidence of cardiac involvement in APS demands early diagnosis/treatment and multimodality cardiovascular imaging is of great importance.

Evaluation of the endothelial function in hypertensive patients with 13N-ammonia PET

BACKGROUND

Essential hypertension is one of the main risk factors for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). Hypertension causes endothelial dysfunction which is considered an early sign for the development of CAD. Positron emission tomography is a non-invasive imaging technique that measures myocardial blood flow (MBF), allowing us to identify patients with endothelial dysfunction.

METHODS AND RESULTS

19 patients without comorbidities recently diagnosed hypertensive, as well as 21 healthy volunteers were studied. A three-phase (rest, cold pressor test, and adenosine-induced hyperemia) (13)N-ammonia PET was performed, and MBF was measured. Endothelial-Dependent Vasodilation Index, ΔMBF, and coronary flow reserve (CFR) were calculated for each patient. Hypertensive patients had a significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures compared with the control group (134.6 ± 11.7/86.4 ± 10.6 mm Hg and 106.0 ± 11.8/71.4 ± 6.6 mm Hg, respectively, P < .001). The ENDEVI (1.28 ± 0.26 vs 1.79 ± 0.30, P < .001), the ΔMBF (0.81 ± 0.50 vs 0.25 ± 0.21, P < .001) and the CFR (2.18 ± 0.88 vs 3.17 ± 0.68, P = .001) were significantly lower in the hypertensive patients compared to the control group, 84% of the former group had endothelial dysfunction i.e., ENDEVI < 1.5 and 58% had vasomotor abnormalities, i.e., CFR < 2.5.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we showed that recently diagnosed hypertensive patients have coronary endothelial dysfunction and vasomotor disturbances which are early signs for the development of CAD.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection presenting as an ischaemic stroke in a middle-aged man with anti-cardiolipin antibodies: a case report

Introduction

Cerebrovascular disease is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Ischemic stroke is the most common manifestation, encompassing a wide variety of causative mechanisms. We present the case of a middle-aged male patient with spontaneous coronary artery dissection in the presence of anti-cardiolipin antibodies, leading to left ventricular thrombus and presenting with stroke.

Case presentation

A 56-year-old Caucasian man presented with dysarthria and right-sided weakness. There was a history of chest pain with autonomic symptoms four days earlier. Examination revealed right-sided hemiparesis. Electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm with anterior Q waves. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed large left parietal and smaller multiple cerebral infarcts. Echocardiogram showed anterior wall and apical akinesis with a large mural thrombus. Anti-cardiolipin antibodies immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M were strongly positive. Coronary angiography showed dissection of the mid left anterior descending artery with normal flow down the distal vessel. He was treated conservatively with anticoagulation and secondary prevention. He was in good health when seen in clinic four months later.

Conclusion

We highlight the importance of a comprehensive approach at obtaining the correct diagnosis, input of different specialities and the fact that the presence of anti-cardiolipin antibodies is associated with coronary artery dissection in a middle-aged male patient whose presentation was stroke.