No abstract

ObjectivesThe present study attempts to identify appropriate elements that may contribute to clarify the broad clinical features (diagnosis, care, complication and prognosis) of Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy for improving its management.Design studyObservational study.SettingPrimary level of care referred to the emergency department of Vannini Hospital, Rome, Italy.ParticipantsThe study population consisted of 75 patients, 72 of the them were women and 3 were men with a mean age of 71.9±9.6 years.MethodsFrom February 2004 to November 2010, prospectively included 84 consecutive patients diagnosed for suspected Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy. To be eligible, patients had to meet all the Mayo clinic criteria in the absence of neurological trauma or intracranial haemorrhage. Moreover, those patients that at follow-up still presented alteration of acute phase at ECG and echocardiogram were excluded. Thus, 75 patients comprised the study population. To follow-up 19 patients were lost.ResultsNone of 75 patients died in acute phase. All patients were promptly discharged (8.4±4.4 days), since they recovered their normal functional status without symptoms. Follow-up information was available for 56 patients. At a mean follow-up time of 2.2±2 years (range, 0.1–6.8 years) two octogenarian patients (2.6%) died because of sudden cardiac death and pulmonary embolism, respectively. The Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy recurred in one patient.ConclusionsThe results of this study support the previous reports about the good prognosis, also in critically ill patients, of Takotsubo-like cardiomyopathy. Further assessment will be needed to determine a careful and sustained follow-up for choosing the best care and foreseeing the recurrences of this emerging condition.

Background: Takotsubo syndrome is an increasingly recognised cardiac condition that clinically mimics an acute coronary syndrome, but data regarding its prognosis remain controversial. It is currently unknown whether acute coronary syndrome risk scores could effectively be applied to Takotsubo syndrome patients. This study aims to assess whether the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score can predict clinical outcome in Takotsubo syndrome and to compare the prognosis with matched acute coronary syndrome patients. Methods: A total of 561 Takotsubo syndrome patients was included in this prospective registry. According to the GRACE score, the population was divided into quartiles. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality and the secondary endpoints were cardiocerebrovascular events (a composite of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death, recurrence of Takotsubo syndrome and stroke). Results: The median GRACE risk score was 139±27. Takotsubo syndrome patients with a higher GRACE risk score mostly have a higher rate of physical triggers and lower left ventricular ejection fraction on admission. During long-term follow-up, all-cause mortality rates were 5%, 11%, 12% and 22%, respectively, in the first, second, third and fourth quartile ( P<0.001). After multivariate analysis, the GRACE risk score was found to be a strong predictor of all-cause mortality (odds ratio (OR) 1.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28–2.20; P=0.001) and cardiocerebrovascular events (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.26–2.11; P=0.001). Moreover, all-cause mortality in Takotsubo syndrome patients was comparable with the matched acute coronary syndrome cohort. Conclusion: In Takotsubo syndrome, the GRACE risk score allows us to predict all-cause mortality and cardiocerebrovascular events at long-term follow-up.

The present study demonstrates that atrial septal abnormalities and aortic atheromas are the most prevalent echocardiographic findings in young and elderly stroke patients, respectively. Complicated aortic atheroma is strictly correlated with recurrent cerebral vascular events or death.

No abstract