Case Report: Two Myxomas of Different Echodensities on Transthoracic Echocardiography in One Patient

Current status of diagnosis and treatment of primary benign cardiac tumors in children

Primary cardiac tumors in children are exceedingly rare overall, which benign account for most part. The onset of the disease is occult, while the clinical manifestations are non-specific-patients may be asymptomatic or show a range of obstructive, arrhythmic, embolic or systemic symptoms. The clinical presentations generally depend on the tumors’ size, localization, and pace of growth of the tumor. Moreover, the diagnosis needs comprehensive judgment based on imaging results and pathological examination. With advances in cardiac imagining and the introduction of cardiopulmonary support, the diagnosis and treatment of these rare tumors have improved the prognosis and outlook for benign tumors. To sum up the above, we sought to integrate articles from recent years for the latest comprehensive review of the clinical manifestations, imaging characteristics, clinic pathologic features and treatment of benign cardiac tumors in children to provide a broader idea for pediatricians to recognize and treat such diseases.

Glycemic control and atrial fibrillation: an intricate relationship, yet under investigation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and diabetes mellitus (DM) constitute two major closely inter-related chronic cardiovascular disorders whose concurrent prevalence rates are steadily increasing. Although, the pathogenic mechanisms behind the AF and DM comorbidity are still vague, it is now clear that DM precipitates AF occurrence. DM also affects the clinical course of established AF; it is associated with significant increase in the incidence of stroke, AF recurrence, and cardiovascular mortality. The impact of DM on AF management and prognosis has been adequately investigated. However, evidence on the relative impact of glycemic control using glycated hemoglobin levels is scarce. This review assesses up-to-date literature on the association between DM and AF. It also highlights the usefulness of glycated hemoglobin measurement for the prediction of AF and AF-related adverse events. Additionally, this review evaluates current anti-hyperglycemic treatment in the context of AF, and discusses AF-related decision-making in comorbid DM. Finally, it quotes significant remaining questions and sets some future strategies with the potential to effectively deal with this prevalent comorbidity.