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Ley L, Messmer F, Vaisnora L, Ghofrani HA, Bandorski D, Kostrzewa M. Electrocardiographic Changes after Endovascular Mechanical Thrombectomy in a Patient with Pulmonary Embolism-A Case Report and Literature Review. J Clin Med 2024; 13:2548. [PMID: 38731076 PMCID: PMC11084833 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13092548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common disease with an annual incidence of about 1/1000 persons. About every sixth patient dies within the first 30 days after diagnosis. The electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the first diagnostic tests performed, and is able to confirm the suspicion of PE with typical electrocardiographic signs. Some ECG signs and their regression are also prognostically relevant. Endovascular mechanical thrombectomy is one option for PE treatment, and aims to relieve right heart strain immediately. The first studies on endovascular mechanical thrombectomy using a dedicated device (FlowTriever System, Inari Medical, Irvine, CA, USA) yielded promising results. Methods: In the following, we report the case of a 66-year-old male patient who presented with New York Heart Association III dyspnea in our emergency department. Among typical clinical and laboratory results, he displayed very impressive electrocardiographic and radiological findings at the time of PE diagnosis. Results: After endovascular mechanical thrombectomy, the patient's complaints and pulmonary hemodynamics improved remarkably. In contrast, the ECG worsened paradoxically 18 h after intervention. Nevertheless, control echocardiography 4 days after the intervention no longer showed any signs of right heart strain, and dyspnea had disappeared completely. At a 4-month follow-up visit, the patient presented as completely symptom-free with a high quality of life. His ECG and echocardiography were normal and excluded recurrent right heart strain. Conclusions: Overall, the patient benefitted remarkably from endovascular mechanical thrombectomy, resulting in an almost complete resolution of electrocardiographic PE signs at the 4-month follow-up after exhibiting multiple typical electrocardiographic PE signs at time of diagnosis and initial electrocardiographic worsening 18 h post successful intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Ley
- Department of Radiology, Baden Cantonal Hospital, 5404 Baden, Switzerland; (F.M.); (M.K.)
- Campus Kerckhoff, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Florian Messmer
- Department of Radiology, Baden Cantonal Hospital, 5404 Baden, Switzerland; (F.M.); (M.K.)
| | - Lukas Vaisnora
- Department of Cardiology, Baden Cantonal Hospital, 5404 Baden, Switzerland;
| | | | - Dirk Bandorski
- Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University Campus Hamburg, 20099 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Michael Kostrzewa
- Department of Radiology, Baden Cantonal Hospital, 5404 Baden, Switzerland; (F.M.); (M.K.)
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Waligóra M, Smorąg M, Bukała N, Zygmunt M, Kachnic N, Lis E, Zaczyńska K, Wilczek Ł, Wziątek B, Kopeć G. ECG patterns to predict pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation. J Electrocardiol 2024; 82:52-58. [PMID: 38035654 DOI: 10.1016/j.jelectrocard.2023.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Echocardiographic evaluation of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) velocity is a key measure in screening for pulmonary hypertension. Based on its value and additional features of right ventricle overload patients are classified into low, intermediate or high probability of pulmonary hypertension which transfers into decisions of further invasive evaluation. However, in the presence of severe TR echocardiography underestimates pulmonary artery pressure and therefore pulmonary hypertension may be overlooked in some patients. Accordingly, in the present study we aimed to assess the role of electrocardiography in predicting the presence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients with severe TR. RESULTS We analysed 83 consecutive patients with severe TR who were diagnosed in our centre between February 2008 and 2021 and who underwent right heart catheterization. Of them 58 had PAH while 25 had isolated TR (iTR). We found that the following ECG criteria supported the diagnosis of PAH as opposed to the diagnosis of iTR: R:SV1 > 1.0, max RV1 or 2 + max S I or aVL -SV1 > 6 mm, SI/RI > 1 in I. For these parameters using ROC analysis we found that the optimal thresholds suggesting the presence of pulmonary hypertension were: R:SV1 > 1.5 (AUC = 0.74, p = 0.0004, sensitivity 57.1%,specificity of 85%), max RV1 or 2 + max S I or aVL - SV1 > 3 mm (AUC = 0.76, p < 0.0001, sensitivity 91.4%, specificity of 60%) and for SI:RI > 0.71 (AUC = 0.79, p < 0.0001, sensitivity 82.5%,specificity of 70.8%). Presence of atrial fibrillation predicted iTR with 76% sensitivity and 81% specificity. CONCLUSIONS ECG analysis can improve the diagnostic process for patients with severe TR. The presence of atrial fibrillation facilitates the diagnosis of isolated tricuspid regurgitation (iTR), while increased values of R:SV1, R:SI, and increased max RV1 or 2 + max SI or aVL - SV1 favor the diagnosis of TR secondary to PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Waligóra
- Pulmonary Circulation Centre, Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, John Paul II Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland; Center for Innovative Medical Education, Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Maria Smorąg
- Pulmonary Circulation Centre, Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, John Paul II Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Natalia Bukała
- Pulmonary Circulation Centre, Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, John Paul II Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Marianna Zygmunt
- Pulmonary Circulation Centre, Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, John Paul II Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Natalia Kachnic
- Pulmonary Circulation Centre, Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, John Paul II Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Emilia Lis
- Pulmonary Circulation Centre, Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, John Paul II Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Klaudia Zaczyńska
- Pulmonary Circulation Centre, Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, John Paul II Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Łukasz Wilczek
- Pulmonary Circulation Centre, Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, John Paul II Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Barbara Wziątek
- Pulmonary Circulation Centre, Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, John Paul II Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Kopeć
- Pulmonary Circulation Centre, Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, John Paul II Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland.
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Ley L, Grimminger F, Richter M, Tello K, Ghofrani A, Bandorski D. The Early Detection of Pulmonary Hypertension. DEUTSCHES ARZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 120:823-830. [PMID: 37882345 PMCID: PMC10853922 DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.m2023.0222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Up to 1% of the world population and 10% of all persons over age 65 suffer from pulmonary hypertension (PH). The latency from the first symptom to the diagnosis is more than one year on average, and more than three years in 20% of patients. 40% seek help from more than four different physicians until their condition is finally diagnosed. METHODS This review is based on publications retrieved by a selective literature search on pulmonary hypertension. RESULTS The most common causes of pulmonary hypertension are left heart diseases and lung diseases. Its cardinal symptom is exertional dyspnea that worsens as the disease progresses. Additional symptoms of right heart failure are seen in advanced stages. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) are rare, difficult to diagnose, and of particular clinical relevance because specific treatments are available. For this reason, strategies for the early detection of PAH and CTEPH have been developed. The clinical suspicion of PH arises in a patient who has nonspecific symptoms, electrocardiographic changes, and an abnormal (NT-pro-)BNP concentration. Once the suspicion of PH has been confirmed by echocardiography and, if necessary, differential-diagnostic evaluation with a cardiopulmonary stress test, and after the exclusion of a primary left heart disease or lung disease, the patient should be referred to a PH center for further diagnostic assessment, classification, and treatment. CONCLUSION If both the (NT-pro-)BNP and the ECG are normal, PH is unlikely. Knowledge of the characteristic clinical manifestations and test results of PH is needed so that patients can be properly selected for referral to specialists and experts in PH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Ley
- Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Campus Kerckhoff, Bad Nauheim
| | | | | | | | | | - Dirk Bandorski
- Semmelweis University, Department of Medicine, 20099 Hamburg
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