Caution in the use of sedation and endomyocardial biopsy for the management of pediatric acute heart failure caused by endocardial fibroelastosis

Endocardial fibroelastosis(EFE)is commonly considered to be an inflammatory reactive lesion of hyperplasia and deposition of tissue fibers and collagen in the endocardium and/or subendocardium,which is strongly associated with endocardial sclerosis,ventricular remodeling and acute and chronic heart failure,and is one of the important causes for pediatric heart transplantation.Early diagnosis and treatment are the key factors in determining the prognosis of the children.In this paper,we would like to highlight the potential unintended consequences of the use of sedation and biopsy for pediatric acute heart failure caused by EFE and the comprehensive considerations prior to clinical diagnosis.

Myocarditis—Personalized Medicine by Expanded Endomyocardial Biopsy Diagnostics

Myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are acute or chronic disorders of myocardium. The gold standard for final confirmation of causative reasons of these heart muscle diseases is the endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) analysis. Due to focal pathology, diagnostics are failing if the EMB does not contain the area of interest. Personalized medicine comprises the genetic information together with the phenotypic and environmental factors to yield a tailored healthcare for each individual and removes the limitations of the “one-size-fits-all” therapy approach. This provides the opportunity to translate therapies from bench to bedside, to diagnose and predict disease, and to improve patient-tailored treatments based on the unique signatures of a patient’s disease. Furthermore, novel treatment schedules can be identified which have eventually the chance to enhance long-term survivals. Global biomarkers such as specific gene expression signatures or miRNA profiles not only have the potential to reduce this problem but also add valuable information for individualized therapy decisions. In future, multiplex approaches allowing rapid and absolutely reliable identification of inflammatory or virally-induced myocardial diseases will replace singleplex methods such as direct detection of viral genomes in one single biopsy. Gene or miRNA profiles are upcoming diagnostic biomarkers for cardiomyopathies which are not only detectable in tissue samples but in body fluids as well. Consequently, a systemic diagnostic approach by determination of distinct expression pattern in e.g., peripheral blood samples will support the characterization of distinct cardiomyopathies by means of non-invasive methods.

DETECTION OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS GENOME BY IN SITU HYBRIDIZATION IN PARAFFIN EMBEDDED ENDOMYOCARDIAL BIOPSY SPECIMENS OF VIRAL MYOCARDITIS

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) genes were detected by in situ hybridization in 25 Chinese patients with viral myocarditis (VMC). The positive hybridization signals werre found in cardiomyocytes (6 cases, 24%), capillary endothelial cells (4 cases, 16%) and interstitial cells (7 cases, 28%). The difference between VMC and control group (16 cases died of brain trauma and 10 cases of congenital heart diseases was statistically significant. There was no definite pathomorphological relationship between the detection of CMV genes and myocardial lesions. The results suggest that CMV infection may be one of the causes of myocarditis and chronic stimulation of the immune system induced by CMV may be a possible pathogenesis of this disease.

Autoradiographic Analysis of β-Adrenoceptors in Endomyocardial Biopsy Samples

We have studied the [125I] Pindolol ([125I]-PIN) binding to β-adrenergic receptors on endomyocardial biopsy samples through autoradiographic analysis. Minusculc amount of human endomyocardial tissues Was sectioned and incubated in [125I]-PIN, emulsion-coatcd covcrslips Were attached to the slides and then developed, fixed and staincd after exposure. The grain density was quantified using a computer image analyzer.The autoradiograms demonstrated the sites of cardiac β-receptorbinding with clear grains, and the non-specific binding was below 10%-20%' of the total binding. Linearregression analysis for the plot of specific cpm against specific grains at each concentration of [125I]-PINgave ay value of 0.99. Using this technique, we identified down-regulation of cardiac β-receptors inpatients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) as compared with that of normal human subjects.

Standard Operation Procedure of Percutaneous Endomyocardial Biopsy in Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Percutaneous endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is a technique that biopsy samples are obtained using bioptome through peripheral blood vessel. This technique has been used and refined more than 50 years in clinical application. Now EMB has become an important diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of myocarditis and cardiomyopathy. Department of cardiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) has performed more than 500 cases of EMB and accumulated abundant practical experience. The clinical practice guideline of percutaneous EMB in PUMCH was also established, including indications, contradictions, operation key points, sample handling and processing, post-procedure monitoring, and treatment strategy for potential complications, etc. Due to the limitation of EMB, cardiologists should collaborate with experts in echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance and cardiac pathology to avoid missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. Cardiologists should pay more attention to the value of EMB and actively perform EMB to improve the diagnosis level for myocarditis and cardiomyopathy in China.

Recent Advances in Molecular Diagnostics and Treatment of Heart Muscle Diseases--From Biopsy-Focused to Systemic Diagnostics

Cardiomyopathies are acute or chronic disorders of myocardium. Diagnostic characterization of disease entities demands endomyocardial biopsy analyses with histological, immunohistochemical and molecular biological tissue evaluations to establish a final diagnosis. Only such biopsy-based information allows so far a specific treatment of distinct cardiomyopathy subgroups. In order to reduce sampling error, tissue specimens have to be obtained and analyzed to get clinically relevant data for specific treatment options. Specific gene expression and microRNA (miRNAs) profiles as well as genetic markers add additional valuable information which not only reduce the sampling error but also improve patient management. Advantages of such biomarkers result from their general expression within the entire altered myocardium. Thus, obtained information does not depend on small tissue areas reached by biopsy. This very fact allows prediction of a myocardial infection even in virus-negative areas adjoining positive biopsy specimen. The combination of multiple deregulated miRNAs or genes into one disease specific diagnostic profile demands the integration of new profiling technologies in the routine workflows of cardiological laboratories. In future, multiplex approaches allowing rapid and absolutely reliable identification of inflammatory or virally-induced myocardial diseases will replace singleplex methods such as direct detection of viral genomes in one single biopsy. miRNAs are stable biomarkers which are not only detectable in tissue samples but also in body fluids. Consequently, the determination of distinct miRNA patterns in e.g. peripheral blood samples will provide a systemic diagnostic approach for the characterization of distinct cardiomyopathies by means of non-invasive methods. This will reduce the number of undiagnosed patients who have to undergo endomyocardial biopsy for final confirmation of their myocardial complaints. The resulting molecular diagnostics will pave the way from biopsy focused interpretation to systemic analysis of cardiomyopathies. To reach this goal, the set-up of modern diagnostics harks back to the broad portfolio of high-end analytical techniques and tools.

Pomolidomide for relapsed/refractory light chain amyloidosis after resistance to both bortezomib and daratumumab:A case report

BACKGROUND Immunoglobulin light chain(AL)amyloidosis is a rare disease characterized by deposition of ALs essentially in any organ or tissue,with cardiac involvement being very frequent(61%).Early diagnosis is of high importance because early initiation of treatment in AL amyloidosis may improve outcomes.Despite the administration of immunotherapeutic agents,in particular bortezomib and daratumumab,which have improved the outcomes of AL amyloidosis,antiplasma cell therapy remains suboptimal for some patients.CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a 55-year-old man presenting with heart failure who was diagnosed with cardiac AL amyloidosis by an endomyocardial biopsy.He experienced a short-term hematological remission with no organ response after being administered a bortezomib-daratumumab containing regimen.The treatment was switched to pomolidomide due to pulmonary involvement and progressive pleural effusion,in which flow cytometry analysis showed abnormal plasma cells.After two cycles of this regimen,the pleural effusion was controlled effectively with no recurrence.CONCLUSION This case emphasizes the crucial role of endomyocardial biopsy in early diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis and suggests that pomolidomide may be an effective treatment for patients with AL amyloidosis that is relapsed/refractory to both bortezomib and daratumumab.

Protective Effects of Berberine on Cerebral Ischemia in Mice and Rats

We have studied the [125I] Pindolol ([125I]-PIN) binding to β-adrenergic receptors on endomyocardial biopsy samples through autoradiographic analysis. Minusculc amount of human endomyocardial tissues Was sectioned and incubated in [125I]-PIN, emulsion-coatcd covcrslips Were attached to the slides and then developed, fixed and staincd after exposure. The grain density was quantified using a computer image analyzer.The autoradiograms demonstrated the sites of cardiac β-receptorbinding with clear grains, and the non-specific binding was below 10%-20%' of the total binding. Linearregression analysis for the plot of specific cpm against specific grains at each concentration of [125I]-PINgave ay value of 0.99. Using this technique, we identified down-regulation of cardiac β-receptors inpatients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) as compared with that of normal human subjects.

Monitoring of Acute Rejection after Orthotopic Heart Tranplantation

Objectives To study the monitoting of rejection after orthotopic heart thansplantation. Methods From 1998 to 2005, 10 othotopic heart thansplans were performed, and acute rejection was monitored by endomyocardial biopsy as well as by clinical features, ECG, ultrasonocardiography and blood serum determination of Tropin Ⅰ, and by the combination of these methods, we analysed the monitoring of acute rejection after the heart transplantation. Results With the combination of clinical features, ECG, ultrasonocardiography and blood serum test, 5 occurences of acute rejection were judged in the postoperative course, which were comfirmed by endomyocardial biopsy to be 2 acute rejections in Ⅰ b degree, 3 acute rejections in Ⅲa degree. Endomyocardial biopsy were routinely performed 21 times postoperatively in which there were 1 acute rejection in Ⅰa degree and 5 acute rejections in Ⅰ b degree. Conclusions Acute rejection is an important factor influencing the postoperative course of heart transplantation, so it is imperative to have an intime, effective and planned monitoring procedure for acute rejection. Endomyocardial biopsy is a sensitive and reliable method in diagnosis of acute rejection, but it is invasive and probable for some complications. The noninvasive method such as clinical features, ECG, ultrasonocardiography and blood serum test can be used as additive means in the diagnosis of acute rejection. Endomyocardial biopsy should be combined with some noninvasive methods in monitoring acute rejection after the heart transplantation.

EXPRESSION OF MHC-Ⅰ AND MHC-Ⅱ ANTIGENS IN ENDOMYOCARDIAL BIOPSIES FROM PATIENTS WITH VIRAL MYOCARDITIS AND CARDIOMYOPATHY

In situ expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) Ⅰ and Ⅱ antigens were examined in endomyocardial biopsy samples from 35 patients with viral myocarditis (VMC) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Increased expressions of these 2 antigens were observed on endocardia, capillary endothelia, dentritic and mononuclear cell membranes. The expression of sarcolemma was also found in specimens of VMC and DCM. Thus the abnormal expression of MHC is a new marker of autoimmune reactivity directed against cardiac structures.