• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.209-211
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• 2015

An 8-year-old spayed female Maltese (2.5 kg of body weight) presented with the primary complaint of loud heart murmur and exercise intolerance. Diagnostic imaging revealed severe pulmonic stenosis (peak velocity 5.2 m/s) with right ventricular hypertrophy. The dog revisited after 2 years, at which time, diagnostic imaging revealed severe biventricular hypertrophy, dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, left atrial dilation and pulmonary hypertension with worsened pre-existing pulmonic stenosis. Postmortem investigation revealed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and regional myocardial infarction. The case was diagnosed as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy secondary to severe right and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.180-182
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• 2022

Surgical septal myectomy is the preferred treatment option for patients with medically intractable obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Extended transaortic septal myectomy is a widely performed surgical procedure for patients with subaortic obstruction. The transapical approach may provide an alternative surgical option in less common phenotypes, such as apical hypertrophy or long-segmental septal hypertrophy. In this report, we describe a case of a procedure performed to achieve left ventricular enlargement procedure using a combined transaortic and transapical dual approach in a patient with diffuse-type hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with apical aneurysm and mid-cavity obstruction.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics Conference
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• 2009.04a
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• pp.127-133
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• 2009

Cardiomyopathies were previously defined as "an idiopathic myocardial disease that is not secondary to any other type of congenital/acquired heart disease or systemic diseases." With increasing understanding of etiology and pathogenesis in human medicine, the difference between cardiomyopathy and specific heart muscle disease has become indistinct. Cardiomyopathies are now classified by the dominant pathophysiology or, if possible, by etiological/pathogenetic factors. The American Heart Association recently advocated the following new definition of cardiomyopathy: Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of diseases of the myocardium associated with mechanical and/or electrical dysfunction that usually (but not invariably) exhibit inappropriate ventricular hypertrophy or dilatation and are due to a variety of causes that frequently are genetic. Cardiomyopathies either are confined to the heart or are part of generalized systemic disorders, often leading to cardiovascular death or progressive heart failure-related disability. Because the understanding of etiology or pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy has been limited in veterinary medicine, the previous classification is generally used. It is considered a dilated, hypertrophic and restrictive group on the basis of the predominant morphological and functional abnormalities. In addition, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and unclassified cardiomyopathy were also recognized in dogs and/or cats.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.581-597
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• 2022

Left ventricular (LV) wall thickening, or LV hypertrophy (LVH), is common and occurs in diverse conditions including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), hypertensive heart disease, aortic valve stenosis, lysosomal storage disorders, cardiac amyloidosis, mitochondrial cardiomyopathy, sarcoidosis and athlete's heart. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging provides various tissue contrasts and characteristics that reflect histological changes in the myocardium, such as cellular hypertrophy, cardiomyocyte disarray, interstitial fibrosis, extracellular accumulation of insoluble proteins, intracellular accumulation of fat, and intracellular vacuolar changes. Therefore, CMR imaging may be beneficial in establishing a differential diagnosis of LVH. Although various diseases share LV wall thickening as a common feature, the histologic changes that underscore each disease are distinct. This review focuses on CMR multiparametric myocardial analysis, which may provide clues for the differentiation of thickened myocardium based on the histologic features of HCM and its phenocopies.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.52-56
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• 2010

Idiopathic peripartum cardiomyopathy is an uncommon malady disease. Making the diagnosis is often difficult and it is always necessary to exclude other prior heart disease and other causes of left ventricular dysfunction in pregnant women. Heart failure in these women ensues when the cardiovascular demands of normal pregnancy are further amplified when the common complications of pregnancy complications superimposed upon these underlying conditions that cause compensated ventricular hypertrophy. This may be aggravated by making a late diagnosis and providing inappropriate treatment. We experienced a 38-year-primigravida who has diagnosed with idiopathic peripartum cardiomyopathy and underwent elective cesarean section with general anesthesia.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2023

BACKGROUND: The function of left atrium (LA) is difficult to assess because of its ventricle-dependent, dynamic movement. The aim of this study was to assess LA function using velocity vector imaging (VVI) and compare LA function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCMP) and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) with normal controls. METHODS: Fourteen patients with HCMP (72% male, mean age of 52.6 ± 9.8), 15 hypertensive patients with LVH (88% male, mean age of 54.0 ± 15.3), and 10 age-matched controls (83% male, mean age of 50.0 ± 4.6) were prospectively studied. Echocardiographic images of the LA were analyzed with VVI, and strain rate (SR) was compared among the 3 groups. RESULTS: The e' velocity (7.7 ± 1.1; 5.1 ± 0.8; 4.5 ± 1.3 cm/sec, p = 0.013), E/e' (6.8 ± 1.6; 12.4 ± 3.3; 14.7 ± 4.2, p = 0.035), and late diastolic SR at mid LA (-1.65 ± 0.51; -0.97 ± 0.55; -0.82 ± 0.32, p = 0.002) were significantly different among the groups (normal; LVH; HCMP, respectively). The e' velocity, E/e', and late diastolic SR at mid LA were significantly different between normal and LVH (p = 0.001; 0.022; 0.018), whereas LA size was similar between normal and LVH (p = 0.592). The mean late diastolic peak SR of mid LA was significantly correlated with indices of diastolic function (E/e', e', and LA size). CONCLUSIONS: The SR is a useful tool for detailed evaluation of LA function, especially early dysfunction of LA in groups with normal LA size.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.295-303
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• 2023

Background: The use of Adriamycin (ADR), also known as doxorubicin, as a chemotherapy agent is limited by its detrimental adverse effects, especially cardiotoxicity. Recent studies have emphasized the crucial role of angiotensin II (Ang-II) in the development of ADR-induced cardiomyopathy. This study aimed to explore the potential cardioprotective effects of losartan in a rat model of ADR-induced cardiomyopathy. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: a control group (group C), an ADR-treated group (ADR 5 mg/kg/wk for 3 weeks via intraperitoneal injections; group A), and co-treatment of ADR with losartan group (same dose of ADR and losartan; 10 mg/kg/day per oral for 3 weeks; group L). Western blot analysis was conducted to demonstrate changes in brain natriuretic peptide, collagen 1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin-6, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, B-cell leukemia/lymphoma (Bcl)-2, Bcl-2-associated X (Bax), and caspase-3 protein expression levels in left ventricular (LV) tissues from each group. Results: Losartan administration reduced LV hypertrophy, collagen content, and the expression of pro-inflammatory factors TNF-α and MMP-2 in LV tissue. In addition, losartan led to a decrease in the expression of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and caspase-3 and an increase in the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Moreover, losartan treatment induced a reduction in the apoptotic area compared to group A. Conclusion: In an ADR-induced cardiomyopathy rat model, co-administration of ADR with losartan presented cardioprotective effects by attenuating LV hypertrophy, pro-inflammatory factors, and apoptosis in LV tissue.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.34.1-34.8
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• 2023

Background: Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic substance that humans can be exposed to occupationally, and cases of hydrogen sulfide poisoning of workers in industrial sites are commonly reported. However, there have been no cases of poisoning of the public due to an unauthorized discharge of wastewater, so it is important to describe this incident. Case presentation: In a small village in Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea, accounts of a terrible stench had been reported. A 26-year-old man who lived and worked in a foul-smelling area was taken to the emergency room with a headache, dizziness, nausea, and repeated syncope. A subsequent police and Ministry of Environment investigation determined that the cause of the stench was the unauthorized discharge of 9 tons of wastewater containing hydrogen sulfide through a stormwater pipe while the villagers were sleeping. The patient had no previous medical history or experience of symptoms. Leukocytes and cardiac markers were elevated, an electrocardiogram indicated biatrial enlargement, left ventricular hypertrophy, and corrected QT interval prolongation. Myocardial hypertrophy was detected on a chest computed tomography scan, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was confirmed on echocardiography. After hospitalization, cardiac marker concentrations declined, symptoms improved, and the patient was discharged after 7 days of hospitalization. There was no recurrence of symptoms after discharge. Conclusions: We suspect that previously unrecognized heart disease manifested or was aggravated in this patient due to exposure to hydrogen sulfide. Attention should be paid to the possibility of unauthorized discharge of hydrogen sulfide, etc., in occasional local incidents and damage to public health. In the event of such an accident, it is necessary to have government guidelines in place to investigate health impact and follow-up clinical management of exposed residents.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.81-87
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• 2014

Chronic pressure-overload cardiac hypertrophy is associated with an increased risk of morbidity/mortality, largely due to maladaptive remodeling and dilatation that progresses to dilated cardiomyopathy. Alternative splicing is an important biological mechanism that generates proteomic complexity and diversity. The recent development of next-generation RNA sequencing has improved our understanding of the qualitative signatures associated with alternative splicing in various biological conditions. However, the role of alternative splicing in cardiac hypertrophy is yet unknown. The present study employed RNA-Seq and a bioinformatic approach to detect the RNA splicing regulatory elements involved in alternative splicing during pressure-overload cardiac hypertrophy. We found GC-rich exonic motifs that regulate intron retention in 5' UTRs and AT-rich exonic motifs that are involved in exclusion of the AT-rich elements that cause mRNA instability in 3' UTRs. We also identified motifs in the intronic regions involved in exon exclusion and inclusion, which predicted splicing factors that bind to these motifs. We found, through Western blotting, that the expression levels of three splicing factors, ESRP1, PTB and SF2/ASF, were significantly altered during cardiac hypertrophy. Collectively, the present results suggest that chronic pressure-overload hypertrophy is closely associated with distinct alternative splicing due to altered expression of splicing factors.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.189-194
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• 2012

We report a case of cardiac lymphoma in a 40-year-old man, who had a mediastinal mass which was diagnosed as sclerosing mediastinitis pathologically. The mediastinal mass caused right pulmonary arterial stenosis. The patient developed myocardial hypertrophy and echocardiography showed restrictive physiology and severely decreased left ventricle ejection fraction, 6 months later. MRI showed global left ventricular myocardial hypertrophy and diffuse late gadolinium hyperenhancement after administration of contrast material. Thus, non-ischemic cardiomyopathy was suspected on MRI. However, pathology confirmed the myocardial abnormality as lymphoma after myocardial biopsy. Because a basal part of the left ventricle and global subendocardial myocardium were not involved on contrast-enhanced delayed MRI, the MRI abnormalities could be differentiated from amyloidosis and other myocardial diseases. The peculiar non-mass forming diffuse hypertrophy pattern of cardiac lymphoma has not been known in the MRI literature.