Abstract
Introduction
Radiation therapy is one of the cornerstones of treatment for many types of cancer. These patients can later in life develop cardiovascular complications associated with radiation treatment. Late cardiovascular effects of radiation treatment include coronary artery disease (CAD), valvular heart disease, congestive heart failure, pericardial disease and sudden death. The most common sign of radiation-induced valvular heart disease is the calcification of the intervalvular fibrosa between the aortic and mitral valve.
Case presentation
A 71-year-old male patient with a history of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy 20 years ago, CAD, arterial hypertension, diabetes type II, dyslipidemia, obesity and currently smoking presented in the emergency room in our medical facility with acute pulmonary edema. The patient had unstable angina pectoris in 2018, the coronary angiography showed two-vessel disease with a non-significant stenosis of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) and 70% stenosis of the left anterior descending artery (LAD), for which he refused the percutaneous coronary intervention. At the same time, a transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed severe aortic stenosis and moderately severe mitral stenosis, at that time the patient refused the operation. After the initial treatment for pulmonary edema, TTE and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) were performed and showed a tricuspid aortic valve with calcification of the cusps and a very severe aortic stenosis (planimetric aortic valve area 0.74 cm², functional aortic valve area 0.55 cm², indexed functional aortic valve area 0.25 cm²/m², mean gradient 61 mmHg, peak gradient 100 mmHg, stroke volume (SV) 69 ml, stroke volume index (SVI) 31 ml/m², flow rate 221 ml/s, aortic annulus 20x26 mm). The left ventricle was severely dilated (end diastolic volume 268 ml) with diffuse hypokinesia and severe systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction 32%). We appreciated a calcification of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa and the mitral annulus, without mitral stenosis but with moderate mitral regurgitation. The calcification of the intervalvular fibrosa suggested our final diagnosis of radiation-induced valvular heart disease with a severe aortic stenosis in low-flow conditions. The patient was successfully treated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).
Conclusion
Radiation-induced heart disease is a common reality and is destinated to raise due to the increasing number of cancer survivors. Effects are seen also many years after the radiation treatment. The exact primary mechanism of radiation injury to the heart is still unknown. The treatment of radiation-induced valve disease is the same as the treatment of valve disease in the general population.
Abstract P1692 Figure. Radiation-induced valvular heart disease
Aortic Valve Area Index
