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Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is a rare complication of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), an effective and safe treatment for severe cases of depression and psychosis. There are reports on 16 patients who developed TC after ECT, and these were predominantly female patients treated with antidepressants for depressive disorder. We describe a case of a 40-year-old male patient, with a history of schizophrenia and heavy caffeine and nicotine use, treated for acute psychotic episode with haloperidol and clozapine. Propranolol was administered because of clozapine-induced tachycardia. After 8 weeks without therapeutic response, the patient was referred for standard ECT procedure, which included premedication and bifrontotemporal stimulation. Two hours later, the patient experienced gastric pain and had increased troponin and natriuretic peptide levels and ST-elevation. After inotrope and anticoagulant treatment and replacement of antipsychotics, the patient remained stable. Contrary to common opinion, previous adrenergic blockade in this patient did not prevent TC occurrence. TC pathophysiology remains unclear although it has been related to the burst of norepinephrine neurons. Psychosis has also been associated with catecholamine dysfunction, and excessive psychological stress with long-term norepinephrine dysfunction. Animal models have shown that ECT, clozapine, and nicotine and caffeine use could considerably increase catecholamine levels. Clinical understanding of rare cardiac ECT complications could improve early recognition of patients at risk for TC and ensure safe ECT protocols.

ses of ischemic stroke. The risk of ischemic stroke increases with the degree of carotid stenosis and plaque vulnerability. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of circulating and plaque resistin levels with plaque vulnerability and ischemic stroke events in patients with moderate- to high-grade carotid artery stenosis. Methods: 40 patients with ischemic stroke events and 38 neurologically asymptomatic patients scheduled for carotid endarterectomy were recruited for this study. Fasting blood samples for laboratory analysis were collected preoperatively and serum resistin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Carotid endarterectomy specimens were analyzed according to the gold-standard procedure of histological classification. Plaque resistin expression was determined by standard immunohistochemical procedure. Results: Serum resistin levels and resistin plaque expression were found to be significantly higher in subjects with unstable carotid plaque (P < .001) while significantly higher serum resistin levels were also present in patients with ischemic stroke events (P < .001). In univariate stepwise logistic regression analysis, higher serum resistin levels were significantly associated with plaque instability (OR 2.223, 95% CI 1.488-3.320, P < .0001) and ischemic stroke events (OR 1.237, 95% CI 1.079-1.420, P = .002). There was also a significant association between higher serum and plaque resistin expression (OR 1.663, 95% CI1.332-2.077, P < .0001). These associations remained significant in all models of multivariate logistic regression analysis. High serum and plaque resistin levels were also significantly associated with specific histological features of plaque instability. Conclusion: The results suggests that serum resistin levels may be used as a potential biomarker of plaque vulnerability and ischemic stroke events in patients with moderate- to high-grade carotid artery stenosis and highlight the possible relationship that plaque resistin expression has with histological features of plaque vulnerability.

Cardiac tamponade caused by perforation of the cardiac wall is a rare complication related to central venous catheter (CVC) placement. A 71-year-old female with a previous history of moderate aortic stenosis and kidney transplantation was admitted to hospital due to global heart failure and worsening of allograft function. Intensified hemodialysis was commenced through a CVC placed in the right subclavian vein. Chest radiography revealed catheter tip in the right atrium and no signs of pneumothorax. Thorough diagnostics outruled immediate life-threatening conditions, such as myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism. However, not previously seen, 2 cm thick pericardial effusion without repercussion on the blood flow was visualized during echocardiography, predominantly reclining the free surface of the right atrium, with fibrin scar tissue covering the epicardium – it was the spot of spontaneously recovered cardiac wall perforation. Follow-up echocardiogram performed before the discharge showed regression of the previously found pericardial effusion.

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