Rapid regression of primary pulmonary hypertension

Etiology, diagnosis, and pharmacologic treatment of pediatric pulmonary hypertension

Major advances have been made in the understanding and treatment of pulmonary hypertension in the last few years. Without treatment (medication) for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, which is a rare and potentially fatal condition, the survival time is only about 3 years after diagnosis. However, if pulmonary hypertension is secondary to other causes such as congenital heart disease, it is possible to survive for 30 years or more without treatment. The condition can affect children at any age, from fetal life to adulthood. Patients with pulmonary hypertension can present to the respiratory pediatrician with unresponsive asthma, to the neurologist with faints, or to the general pediatrician with failure to thrive. Over the last few years there have been significant developments in the available therapy for managing this complicated disease. There is now a generally recognized ladder of long-term therapy for chronic pulmonary hypertension. Treatment can start with oxygen at home at night or even during the day. Next is the use of oral phosphodiesterase inhibitors, mostly type V, such as sildenafil, which enhance endogenous nitric oxide. More potent are the endothelin receptor antagonists and the most potent are the prostanoids, especially epoprostenol, which is given by constant intravenous infusion. In addition to interventional catheterization with atrial septostomy, these agents have improved the prognostic outlook. This article reviews the current knowledge about the etiology, investigation, and treatment of children with pulmonary hypertension in the clinical setting.

Management and therapeutic options in pediatric pulmonary hypertension

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension is a rare and potentially fatal condition. Without treatment, survival is only approximately 2.8 years from diagnosis. However, if the pulmonary hypertension is secondary to other causes, especially to congenital heart disease, it is possible to survive for 30 years or more without treatment. In recent years, remarkable progress has been made, risk factors have been identified and improved imaging techniques, including echocardiography, computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, are available. The condition can affect children at any age from fetal life through to adulthood. Patients can present to the respiratory pediatrician with unresponsive asthma, to the neurologist with faints or to the general pediatrician with failure to thrive. Over the last few years there have been significant developments in the available therapy for managing this complicated disease, which have improved the prognostic outlook, such as oral bosentan and sildenafil, intravenous epoprostenol and interventional catheterization with atrial septostomy. This article reviews the current knowledge about causation, investigation and treatment of children with pulmonary hypertension in the clinical setting.

Pulmonary vein antrum isolation guided by phased-array intracardiac echocardiography: A third way to do PV ablation

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has emerged as an important strategy in the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The two most frequently used techniques are segmental PVI and left atrial circumferential ablation.

AIM

To describe and discuss pulmonary vein antrum isolation guided by phased-array intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) as an alternative approach, and to present initial results.

METHODS

Patients with symptomatic AF were included. The antra (the larger circumferential area around the PVs) were isolated guided by ICE. ICE was also used to titrate the ablation energy.

RESULTS

38 patients (3 with persistent AF) were included. Of the 35 patients with paroxysmal AF, 24 are without recurrences, and in six the incidence of paroxysms was significantly reduced after one procedure and a mean follow-up of 201 days. No major complications occurred.

CONCLUSION

Pulmonary vein antrum isolation guided by ICE is a promising technique in AF ablation and has the potential to avoid severe complications.

[Lung function testing in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension]

OBJECTIVE

The main objective was to describe the results of lung function testing in a series of 120 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, and the secondary objective was to compare these findings with hemodynamic variables.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a descriptive study of lung function in 120 patients with stable pulmonary arterial hypertension (Evian/Venice groups 1 and 4) studied until January 2002 in the Pulmonary Hypertension and Lung Transplant Working Group attached to the Cardiology Department of the Hospital Universtario 12 de Octubre in Madrid, Spain. Data were collected retrospectively for the first 47 patients (1981 to 1995) and prospectively thereafter for the remaining 73 patients. The diagnosis was idiopathic arterial hypertension or hypertension associated with collagenosis, chronic pulmonary embolism, cardiac shunt, or toxic oil syndrome (30 cases).

RESULTS

In the group as a whole, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and total lung capacity were normal; mean (SD) values revealed low carbon dioxide diffusing capacity (67.6% [23.2%]), and moderate hypoxemia (65.8 [15.4] mm Hg). No significant associations were observed between lung function and hemodynamic parameters. Mean age in the toxic oil syndrome group was lower (33.7 [11.4] years), and these patients had higher mean scores on the New York Heart Association scale (3.3 [0.5]) and for pulmonary vascular resistance (20.3 [8.1] kPa.L(-1).s).

CONCLUSIONS

Lung function was studied in a series of 120 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (Evian/ Venice groups 1 and 4), 30 of whom had toxic oil syndrome. No significant associations were found between lung function and hemodynamic parameters.

Mechanically induced complete atrioventricular block during retrograde catheter ablation of a left-sided incessant tachycardia

Concern for potentially lethal complications related to transseptal catheterisation, such as perforation of the aorta, has made this approach less attractive over the last decades. Nevertheless, this method is now increasingly being used for ablation of left-sided arrhythmias. We report a transient complication of a retrograde procedure in a patient with a left-sided 'Coumel-type' incessant tachycardia. We had to proceed to transseptal catheterisation, as the complication recurred during the second attempt even when using a less rigid transaortic radiofrequency catheter. The transseptal approach using a less stiff cryoenergy catheter was performed without complications.