Biventricular thrombi in dilated cardiomyopathy: massive simultaneous pulmonary and systemic embolisation

A rare case of atrial and biventricular thrombi with dilated cardiomyopathy as a delayed presentation in a patient with COVID-19

Introduction

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) can cause cardiovascular manifestations including myocardial injury and thromboembolic events.

Case presentation

Here, we report a case of a 27-year-old female with dilated cardiomyopathy, right atrial and biventricular thrombi infected with COVID-19.

Discussion

There are several complex coagulation abnormalities in COVID-19 patients that have been suggested to create a hypercoagulable state. Evidence have shown that endothelial injury potentially leading to thromboembolic events is caused by direct invasion of endothelial cell by SARS-CoV-2 and complement activation contributed by the virus spike protein.

Conclusion

DCM can be complicated by atrial and biventricular thrombi due to coagulation abnormalities that are likely to persist after recovery from COVID-19. Thus, long-term careful monitoring of cardiac function is necessary after recovery of COVID-19.

•

DCM can be complicated by atrial and biventricular thrombi due to coagulation abnormalities.

•

Long-term careful monitoring of cardiac function is necessary after recovery of COVID-19.

Case Report: An Unusual Case of Biventricular Thrombosis in a COVID-19 Patient With Ischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Assessment of Mass Mobility and Embolic Risk by Tissue Doppler Imaging

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor on vascular cells. As a consequence, patients with COVID-19 have an increased incidence of thromboembolic complications of the SARS-CoV-2 infection and subsequent endothelial cell damage with consequence of development of systemic vasculitis and diffuse intravascular coagulation. The present case describes a COVID-19 female patient with ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, who presented with congestive heart failure and echocardiographic evidence of biventricular apical thrombi. The peak antegrade longitudinal velocity (Va) of each thrombotic mass was measured by pulsed wave tissue Doppler imaging (PW-TDI). Both left ventricular and right ventricular apical thrombi were found with a TDI-derived mass peak Va < 10 cm/s. There was no clinical evidence of neither systemic nor pulmonary embolization, probably due to the hypomobility of both left and right ventricular masses.

Case Report: Dilated cardiomyopathy with biventricular thrombus secondary to impaired coagulation in a patient with HIV

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a known hypercoagulable state with venous thromboembolism with a high mortality rate compared to the general population. The homeostatic balance in HIV infected patients improves with treatment compared to those who are not.  A decreased hypercoagulable state noted by low levels of Von Willebrand factor, factor VIII and d-dimer levels along with higher protein C and S activity in patients on treatment suggests that hypercoagulable state is partially correctable with highly active antiretroviral therapy.  HIV with heart muscle involvement can present as myocarditis or as dilated cardiomyopathy with left or right ventricular dysfunction.  Here we present a case of a 57-year-old man with a known history of HIV infection, noncompliant with medical therapy presenting with dilated cardiomyopathy with biventricular thrombi with reduced protein C, protein S, and Antithrombin III levels.

Acute renal infarction, transient ischemic attack, and biventricular thrombi secondary to substance use disorder: A case report

Cocaine is the second most used illicit drug; cocaine induces platelet activation and formation of thrombus. Thrombotic effects of cocaine can lead to vascular injuries, cerebrovascular accident and myocardial infarct. Less common, cocaine use disorder leads to thrombi formation in both ventricles and renal artery infarct as seen in our patient.

A case of biventricular thrombi in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy: Utility of multimodality imaging for diagnosis and management of treatment strategy

A 54-year-old man was transferred to our hospital due to congestive heart failure and left ventricular thrombi. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed mobile "ball-like" not only left ventricular but also right ventricular thrombi associated with severe impaired left and right ventricular function. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) also detected biventricular apical thrombi complicated with right renal infarction. Coronary angiography showed non-significant stenosis. Due to the mobility of thrombi and complication of systemic infarction, the surgical transatrial video-assisted removal of biventricular thrombi was performed and postoperative course has been uneventful over a period of 6 months. Endomyocardial biopsy performed during an operation showed no specific findings such as endomyocarditis, indicating the diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). This is a rare case of DCM complicated with biventricular apical thrombi detected clearly by multimodality imaging such as TTE, contrast-enhanced CT and cardiac MRI, and surgical removal was performed successfully. <Learning objective: The incidence of biventricular thrombi is rare and has been reported to be associated with coagulation abnormality and severe ventricular dysfunction. The detection of ventricular thrombi using echocardiography is sometimes difficult, and treatment strategy often becomes a major topic of debate. The usefulness of multimodality imaging for the detection of ventricular thrombi leads to accurate diagnosis and provides helpful information regarding the selection of appropriate treatment.>.

Biventricular thrombi in dilated cardiomyopathy in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection: a case report

BACKGROUND

Sub-Saharan Africa is undergoing epidemiological transition with an increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases that will add to the already devastating burden of infectious diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus infection. Human immunodeficiency virus infection is increasingly being recognized as an important etiological factor for dilated cardiomyopathy with the potential complication of intraventricular thrombus. However, biventricular thrombi are extremely rare. We report on a rare finding of biventricular thrombi in dilated cardiomyopathy in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection in Cameroon.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 52-year old Cameroonian male patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection since 4 years, longstanding heavy alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking presented with gradually worsening shortness of breath, fatigue, persistent dry cough and lower extremity swelling of about two weeks duration. Congestive heart failure was diagnosed. Echocardiography showed left ventricular chamber enlargement with severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction and biventricular thrombi. The thrombi were immobile and regular in configuration, suggesting they were old. He was treated with a conventional heart failure treatment including loop diuretics and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and anticoagulants for the biventricular thrombi. Six months later, a control echocardiography showed a significant decrease in the size of the thrombi. There was no evidence of systemic or pulmonary embolization during follow up.

CONCLUSION

Dilated cardiomyopathy may be seen in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection, although other mechanisms needs to be assessed, but the occurrence of biventricular thrombi is rare.

Treatment of massive cardiac thrombi in a patient with protein C and protein S deficiency

Myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy is characterized by dilatation of all four cardiac chambers and decreased systolic function of the heart, especially in the left ventricle. In this report we presented a patient with myocarditis or dilated cardiomyopathy and deficiency of protein C and protein S with biventricular multiple intracardiac thrombi. Standard heparin infusion and acetyl salicylic acid was begun. On the 10th day of hospitalization the right ventricular thrombus disappeared, and on the 24th day all thrombi in the left ventricle disappeared. During the treatment we did not observe any complication such as hemorrhagia or embolism. We think that patients with dilated cardiomyopathy or myocarditis should be evaluated for hemostatic disorders, and should be anticoagulated if any of these disorders are presented.

Silent cerebral infarction in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: Echocardiographic correlates

BACKGROUND

Patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) have an increased risk of thromboembolic events. Incidence of silent cerebral infarction (SCI) has not been investigated in these patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of SCI in patients with DCM and to determine its associations with echocardiographic parameters.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Seventy-two patients (mean age 62+/-12 years) with DCM underwent cranial magnetic resonance imaging in addition to transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiographic examination. A total of 56 age-matched healthy volunteers served as a control group for comparison SCI prevalence. Prevalence of SCI was significantly higher in patients with DCM (35% vs. 3.6%; p<0.001). In DCM group, patients with SCI had significantly impaired left ventricular systolic function, higher frequency of restrictive diastolic filling, moderate to severe left atrial spontaneous echo contrast (SEC), aortic SEC, and complex atherosclerosis or calcified plaques in the aorta. In logistic regression analysis, type of diastolic filling emerged as the only independent risk factor for SCI (p<0.001). When the type of diastolic filling was removed from the analysis, ejection fraction, marked left atrial SEC, complex-calcified aortic atheroma and age appeared as the other independent risk factors (p = 0.003, p = 0.009, p = 0.013 and p = 0.018, respectively).

CONCLUSION

SCI is a frequent finding in DCM patients. Impaired systolic function, restrictive filling pattern, presence of moderate to severe left atrial SEC, and complex atherosclerosis in the aorta are the factors contributing to the development of SCI.

CASE REPORTS: Intracardiac Thrombosis in Multiple Chambers and Descending Aorta Manifested as Systemic and Pulmonary Thromboembolism

We report a case with multiple thrombosis that underwent sudden circulatory collapse due to acute pulmonary embolism and ischemic stroke. Further confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography, the thrombus in both atria was detected by transthoracic echocardiography. In addition, patent foramen ovale and another thrombus in the descending aorta were readily identified by transesophageal echocardiography. Aspirin was prescribed and thrombi disappeared 1 month later. Our case report suggests that patients undergoing sudden collapse with unexplained hypoxemia and new neurological deficit secondary to coexistence of pulmonary and systemic embolism should be promptly evaluated by echocardiography, especially transesophageal one, with high suspicion for paradoxical embolism.

Mast cells are augmented in deep vein thrombosis and express a profibrinolytic phenotype

A number of recent data suggest that mast cells (MC) and their products are involved in the pathophysiology of thrombosis. In the current study, we have evaluated the number, distribution, and phenotype of MC in patients with deep vein thrombosis of the lower limb (DVT) (n = 15). Contralateral nonthrombosed limb veins served as control (CO). MC were examined by Giemsa staining and by immunohistochemistry using antibodies against tryptase, chymase, tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), urokinase (uPA), urokinase receptor (uPAR), and plasminogen activator inhibitors (PAI-1, PAI-2). We found an increase in the number of tryptase-positive MC in DVT compared with CO (DVT: 9.1+/-1.0 v CO: 4.7+/-0.6 MC/mm2, P < .05). Most of these MC appeared to accumulate in the adventitia of the thrombosed veins, in vicinity of the vasa vasorum. In both DVT and CO, MC reacted with monoclonal antibodies to c-kit, tryptase, and chymase. MC also stained positive for tPA and urokinase receptor, but did not express detectable PAI-1 or PAI-2. As compared with CO, a decreased proportion of MC in DVT was found to stain positive for chymase and tPA. Together, our results show that MC increase in number in DVT and express a profibrinolytic phenotype. We hypothesize that MC and MC-derived profibrinolytic molecules play a role in the pathophysiology of DVT.

Expression of fibrinolytic antigens in redistributed cardiac mast cells in auricular thrombosis

Recent data suggest that auricular thrombosis is associated with an increase and accumulation of mast cells (MC) in the subendothelial region of the upper endocardium. However, the molecular basis and the functional role of MC in this process are not known. In the current study, expression of fibrinolytic and antifibrinolytic antigens in human cardiac MC was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. MC were found to react with antibodies against tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and urokinase receptor (uPAR/CD87), but not with antibodies against urokinase (uPA) or plasminogen activator inhibitors (PAI-1, PAI-2). Significant changes were observed when the phenotype of accumulated MC in the upper endocardium in patients with auricular thrombosis was compared with the phenotype of myocardial MC in the same patients or with MC in normal hearts. These redistributed MC stained less intensely with antibodies against tPA and chymase but retained their staining for tryptase and uPAR. Together, these data indicate that cardiac MC are a source of fibrinolytic antigens and that accumulation of MC in auricular thrombosis is associated with phenotypic changes of MC and loss of cellular tPA. It is hypothesized that MC and their products may play a role in endogenous fibrinolysis in auricular thrombosis.

Biventricular thrombi in diabetic nephrotic syndrome complicated by cerebral embolism

We present a case of diabetic nephrotic syndrome complicated with cerebral embolism in whom two intracardiac thrombi were found in both right and left ventricles without obvious abnormality echocardiographically. Both thrombi regressed after anticoagulant therapy. This represents an intracardiac thrombotic complication of nephrotic syndrome, presumably with hypercoagulable state as the sole mechanism of intracardiac thrombus formation.