Native Valve Infective Endocarditis Caused by Histoplasma capsulatum in an Immunocompetent Host: The First Case in Asia and Literature Review in Asia and Australia

Background. Infective endocarditis caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum is extremely rare, occurring predominantly in individuals with prosthetic heart valves and HIV infection. To our knowledge, no case of H. capsulatum native valve endocarditis has been reported in Asia. Methodology. A descriptive study was carried out at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, in 2020. Results. A previously healthy 34-year-old man developed fever, umbilicated skin lesions, oral ulcers, hoarseness of voice, severe weight loss, and progressive dyspnea over the course of one week. Facial umbilicated papules, nodular ulcers in his tongue and palate, a diastolic rumbling murmur at the mitral valve, diffuse fine crackles in both lungs, and engorged neck veins were detected during the examination. Skin scraping of the facial lesion revealed both extracellular and intracellular yeasts with buddings, 2–4 μm in size on Wright’s stain. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated a left ventricular ejection fraction of 54 percent, severe rheumatic mitral stenosis, and multiple oscillating masses in the anterior mitral valve leaflet ranging in dimension from 1.5 to 2.4 cm. The HIV antibody test was negative. H. capsulatum endocarditis was diagnosed, and liposomal amphotericin B was administered. Due to cardiogenic shock, emergency open-heart surgery was conducted one day after admission. However, he died of multiorgan failure four days after the operation. The skin and vegetation cultures finally grew H. capsulatum after 1 week of incubation. Conclusions. To date, there has been handful of cases of H. capsulatum native valve endocarditis in non-HIV-infected patients. We report herein the first case in Thailand. Umbilicated skin lesions, especially combined with oral mucosal lesions, are a clinical clue that leads to the correct diagnosis of the causative organism.

Download Full-text

Native Valve Endocarditis due toVeillonellaSpecies: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Case Reports in Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1155/2017/4896186 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-3

Author(s):

Lakshmi Saladi ◽

Cosmina Zeana ◽

Manisha Singh

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Tract Infections ◽

Empiric Therapy ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Transesophageal Echocardiogram ◽

Native Valve ◽

Mitral Valve Leaflet ◽

Once Daily ◽

First Case ◽

Serious Infections ◽

Tract Infections

Veillonellaspecies are fastidious bacteria that have been isolated from skin, dental, and respiratory tract infections and rarely have been implicated in serious infections like meningitis, endocarditis, and osteomyelitis. A 76-year-old woman presented to our hospital with fever, vomiting, and generalized weakness for 3 days. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed a mobile structure on anterior mitral valve leaflet measuring 0.9 cm suggestive of vegetation. Empiric therapy with vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam was started with clinical resolution of her symptoms. On day 6, the blood culture drawn at admission grewVeillonellaspecies. A transesophageal echocardiogram confirmed a 1.2×0.4 cm echo dense structure attached to the left ventricular side of the anterior mitral leaflet. The patient was discharged home after 10 days of inpatient antibiotic therapy and completed 4 weeks of IV ceftriaxone at home without any adverse events. She was reevaluated in the clinic after completion of treatment and repeat blood cultures remained negative. We report the first case of successful treatment of endocarditis due toVeillonellaspecies with once daily ceftriaxone.

Download Full-text

Native Valve Endocarditis due toRalstonia pickettii: A Case Report and Literature Review

Case Reports in Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1155/2015/324675 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Joseph Orme ◽

Tomas Rivera-Bonilla ◽

Akil Loli ◽

Negin N. Blattman

Keyword(s):

Case Report ◽

Infective Endocarditis ◽

Aortic Valve ◽

Literature Review ◽

Heart Block ◽

Complete Heart Block ◽

Healthy Individuals ◽

Native Valve ◽

Native Valve Endocarditis ◽

First Case

Ralstonia pickettiiis a rare pathogen and even more rare in healthy individuals. Here we report a case ofR. pickettiibacteremia leading to aortic valve abscess and complete heart block. To our knowledge this is the first case report ofRalstoniaspecies causing infective endocarditis with perivalvular abscess.

Download Full-text

P337 Edge-to-edge mitral valve repair in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation: impact of tethering pattern on clinical, echocardiographic and procedure-related characteristics

European Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Imaging ◽

10.1093/ehjci/jez319.190 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

M J Oneto Fernandez ◽

M Ruiz Ortiz ◽

M Delgado Ortega ◽

A M Rodriguez Almodovar ◽

R Gonzalez Manzanares ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mitral Valve ◽

Mitral Regurgitation ◽

Mitral Valve Repair ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Valve Repair ◽

Mitral Valve Leaflet ◽

Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽

Secondary Mitral Regurgitation ◽

The Impact

Abstract Edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (E2E-MVR) has emerged as a therapeutical option in patients with secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR). Two tethering patterns (TP) have been described in SMR: symmetric and asymmetric. However, information on the implications of these TP on E2E-MVR is limited. Our aim was to assess the impact of mitral valve TP on clinical, echocardiographic and procedure-related characteristics in patients undergoing E2E-MVR. We consecutively recruited 62 patients with at least moderate SMR who underwent E2E-MVR in our center between 2011 and 2019 and analysed clinical, echocardiographic and procedure-related characteristics according to TP, which we classified into symmetric and asymmetric considering jet direction and mitral valve leaflet position during systole by means of two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (Figure 1). In our series, 43 patients (69.3%) had symmetric TP and 19 (30.7%) had asymmetric TP. Asymmetric TP was associated with ischemic aetiology (52.6% vs 23.3%, p = 0.02) and a non-significant trend to higher frequency of male sex (89.5% vs 67.4%, p = 0.07), diabetes mellitus (52.6% vs 27.9%, p = 0.06), massive regurgitation (78.9% vs 58.1%, p = 0.11) and higher values of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (34 ± 9% vs 28 ± 11%, p = 0.06). There were no differences in procedure-related characteristic between groups, in particular in number of devices (1.63 [IQR 1-2] vs 1.52 [IQR 1-2], p = 0.27), number of graspings (3.21 [IQR 2-4] vs 2.78 [IQR 2-3], p = 0.16) and time of procedure (95 ± 38min vs 107 ± 43min, p = 0.29). Procedural success (defined as SMR severity reduction≥2) was high in both groups (89.5% vs 74.4%, p = 0.18). At discharge, there was a significant reduction in effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) in (0.36 ± 0.16cm² vs 0.15 ± 0.10cm², p < 0.001) and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) (46 ± 12mmHg vs 40 ± 12mmHg, p = 0.004). LVEF was impaired in patients with asymmetric TP but not in patients with symmetric TP (difference in LVEF after procedure: -5 ± 9% vs -0 ± 8%, p = 0.03). In our study, asymmetric TP was related to the ischemic aetiology of left ventricular dysfunction. Procedural characteristics, and EROA and PASP reductions at discharge were similar regardless of TP. However, patients with asymmetric TP had a significantly impairment in LVEF, probably because of afterload mismatch phenomenon. Abstract P337 Figure 1: example of tethering patterns

Download Full-text

Slope of the Anterior Mitral Valve Leaflet: A New Measurement of Left Ventricular Unloading for Left Ventricular Assist Devices and Systolic Dysfunction

Texas Heart Institute Journal ◽

10.14503/thij-13-3604 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 41 (3) ◽

pp. 262-272 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sara C. Martinez ◽

Elisa A. Bradley ◽

Eric L. Novak ◽

Ravi Rasalingam ◽

Ari M. Cedars ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Congestive Heart Failure ◽

Mitral Valve ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Ventricular Assist Devices ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Valve Leaflet ◽

Mitral Valve Leaflet ◽

Ventricular Assist ◽

Left Ventricular Assist

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD)-supported patients are evaluated routinely with use of transthoracic echocardiography. Values of left ventricular unloading in this unique patient population are needed to evaluate LVAD function and assist in patient follow-up. We introduce a new M-mode measurement, the slope of the anterior mitral valve leaflet (SLAM), and compare its efficacy with that of other standard echocardiographically evaluated values for left ventricular loading, including E/e′ and pulmonary artery systolic pressures. Average SLAM values were determined retrospectively for cohorts of random, non-LVAD patients with moderately to severely impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (<0.35, n=60). In addition, pre- and post-LVAD implantation echocardiographic images of 81 patients were reviewed. The average SLAM in patients with an LVEF <0.35 was 11.6 cm/s (95% confidence interval, 10.4–12.8); SLAM had a moderately strong correlation with E/e′ in these patients. Implantation of LVADs significantly increased the SLAM from 7.3 ± 2.44 to 14.7 ± 5.01 cm/s (n=42, P <0.0001). The LVAD-supported patients readmitted for exacerbation of congestive heart failure exhibited decreased SLAM from 12 ± 3.93 to 7.3 ± 3.5 cm/s (n=6, P=0.041). In addition, a cutpoint of 10 cm/s distinguished random patients with LVEF <0.35 from those in end-stage congestive heart failure (pre-LVAD) with an 88% sensitivity and a 55% specificity. Evaluating ventricular unloading in LVAD patients remains challenging. Our novel M-mode value correlates with echocardiographic values of left ventricular filling in patients with moderate-to-severe systolic function and dynamically improves with the ventricular unloading of an LVAD.

Download Full-text

The Role of the Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) in Infective Endocarditis; A Narrative Review from 2000 to 2020

Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology ◽

10.2174/1389201021666200423110359 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (12) ◽

pp. 1140-1153 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mohammad A. Noshak ◽

Mohammad A. Rezaee ◽

Alka Hasani ◽

Mehdi Mirzaii

Keyword(s):

Foreign Body ◽

Infective Endocarditis ◽

Prosthetic Valve ◽

Human Life ◽

Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis ◽

Surgical Site Infections ◽

Coagulase Negative Staphylococci ◽

Native Valve ◽

Native Valve Endocarditis

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are part of the microbiota of human skin and rarely linked with soft tissue infections. In recent years, CoNS species considered as one of the major nosocomial pathogens and can cause several infections such as catheter-acquired sepsis, skin infection, urinary tract infection, endophthalmitis, central nervous system shunt infection, surgical site infections, and foreign body infection. These microorganisms have a significant impact on human life and health and, as typical opportunists, cause peritonitis in individuals undergoing peritoneal dialysis. Moreover, it is revealed that these potential pathogens are mainly related to the use of indwelling or implanted in a foreign body and cause infective endocarditis (both native valve endocarditis and prosthetic valve endocarditis) in patients. In general, approximately eight percent of all cases of native valve endocarditis is associated with CoNS species, and these organisms cause death in 25% of all native valve endocarditis cases. Moreover, it is revealed that methicillin-resistant CoNS species cause 60 % of all prosthetic valve endocarditis cases. In this review, we describe the role of the CoNS species in infective endocarditis, and we explicated the reported cases of CoNS infective endocarditis in the literature from 2000 to 2020 to determine the role of CoNS in the process of infective endocarditis.

Download Full-text

Ventricular arrhythmias in patients with functional mitral regurgitation and implantable cardiac devices: implications of mitral valve repair with Mitraclip

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/ehjci/ehaa946.2636 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽

Author(s):

T Benito Gonzalez ◽

X Freixa ◽

C Godino ◽

M Taramasso ◽

R Estevez-Loureiro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mitral Valve ◽

Mitral Regurgitation ◽

Mitral Valve Repair ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Functional Mitral Regurgitation ◽

Valve Repair ◽

One Year ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Limited information has been reported regarding the impact of percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) on ventricular arrhythmic (VA) burden. The aim of this study was to address the incidence of VA and appropriate antitachycardia implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) therapies before and after PMVR. Methods We retrospectively analyzed all consecutive patients with heart failure with reduce left ventricular ejection fraction, functional mitral regurgitation grade 3+ or 4+ and an active ICD or cardiac resynchronizer who underwent PMVR in any of the eleven recruiting centers. Only patients with complete available device VA monitoring from one-year before to one year after PMVR were included. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic characteristics were collected before PMVR and at 12-months follow-up. Results 93 patients (68.2±10.9 years old, male 88.2%) were enrolled. PMVR was successfully performed in all patients and device success at discharge was 91.4%. At 12-months follow-up, we observed a significant reduction in mitral regurgitation severity, NT-proBNP and prevalence of severe pulmonary hypertension and severe kidney disease. Patients also referred a significant improvement in NYHA functional class and showed a non-significant trend to reserve left ventricular remodeling. After PMVR a significant decrease in the incidence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) (5.0–17.8 vs 2.7–13.5, p=0.002), sustained VT or ventricular fibrillation (0.9–2.5 vs 0.5–2.9, p=0.012) and ICD antitachycardia therapies (2.5–12.0 vs 0.9–5.0, p=0.033) were observed. Conclusion PMVR was related to a reduction in arrhythmic burden and ICD therapies in our cohort. Proportion of patients who presented ven Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Download Full-text

Familial dilated cardiomyopathy with RBM20 mutation in an Indian patient: a case report

The Egyptian Heart Journal ◽

10.1186/s43044-021-00165-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 73 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Soumi Das ◽

Sandeep Seth

Keyword(s):

Ejection Fraction ◽

Dilated Cardiomyopathy ◽

Age Of Onset ◽

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Early Age ◽

Indian Patient ◽

Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽

First Case

Abstract Background Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a disease of the heart muscle characterized by ventricular dilation and a left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 40%. Unlike hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), DCM-causing mutations are present in a large number of genes. In the present study, we report a case of the early age of onset of DCM associated with a pathogenic variant in the RBM20 gene in a patient from India. Case presentation A 19-year-old Indian male diagnosed with DCM was suggested for heart transplantation. His ECG showed LBBB and echocardiography showed an ejection fraction of 14%. He had a sudden cardiac death. A detailed family history revealed it to be a case of familial DCM. Genetic screening identified the c.1900C>T variant in the RBM20 gene which led to a missense variant of amino acid 634 (p.Arg634Trp). Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, the variant p.Arg634Trp has been earlier reported in the Western population, but this is the first case of p.Arg634Trp in an Indian patient. The variant has been reported to be pathogenic at an early age of onset; therefore, close clinical follow-up should be done for the family members caring for the variant.

Download Full-text

MIDA mortality risk score in patients undergoing percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral repair

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/ehjci/ehaa946.1965 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽

Author(s):

R Kavsur ◽

C Iliadis ◽

C Metze ◽

M Spieker ◽

V Tiyerili ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mitral Valve ◽

Mitral Valve Repair ◽

Risk Score ◽

Patient Selection ◽

Mortality Risk ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Left Ventricular Ejection ◽

Valve Repair ◽

Ventricular Ejection Fraction

Abstract Background Recent studies indicate that careful patient selection is key for the percutaneous edge-to-edge repair via MitraClip procedure. The MIDA Score represents a useful tool for patient selection and is validated in patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR). Aim We here assessed the potential benefit of the MIDA Score for patients with functional or degenerative MR undergoing edge-to-edge mitral valve repair via the MitraClip procedure. Methods In the present study, we retrospectively included 520 patients from three Heart Centers undergoing MitraClip implantation for MR. All parameters of the MIDA Score were available in these patients, consisting of the 7 variables age, symptoms, atrial fibrillation, left atrial diameter, right ventricular systolic pressure, left-ventricular end-systolic diameter, left ventricular ejection fraction. According to the median MIDA-Score of 9 points, patients were stratified in to a high and a low MIDA Score group and association with all-cause mortality was evaluated. Moreover, MR was assessed in echocardiographic controls in 370 patients at discharge, 279 patients at 3-months and 222 patients at 12 months after MitraClip implantation. Results During 2-years follow-up after MitraClip implantation, 69 of 291 (24%) patients with a high MIDA Score and 25 of 229 (11%) patients with a low MIDA Score died. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log rank test showed inferior rates of death in patients with a low score (p<0.001) and multivariate cox regression revealed an odds ratio of 0.54 (0.31–0.95; p=0.032) regarding 2-year survival in this group. Moreover, one point increase in the MIDA Score was associated with a 1.18-fold increase in the risk for mortality (1.02–1.36; p=0.025). Comparing patients with a high MIDA Score and patients with a low score, post-procedural residual moderate/severe MR tended to be more frequent in patients with a high MIDA Score at discharge (53% vs 43%; p=0.061), 3-months (50% vs 40%; p=0.091) and significantly at 12-months follow-up (52% vs 37%; p=0.029). Conclusion The MIDA Mortality Risk Score remained its predictive ability in patients with degenerative or function MR undergoing transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair. Moreover, a high MIDA score was associated with a higher frequency of post-procedural residual moderate/severe MR, indicating a lower effectiveness of this procedure in these patients. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Download Full-text