Le foramen ovale reste permeable chez 30 % des sujets normaux. L'injection de contraste ainsi que l'echographie transœsophagienne ont considerablement facilite ce diagnostic. Dans l'AVC ischemique du sujet jeune, le diagnostic est souvent porte, sans que les implications therapeutiques pour un sujet donne soient clairement definies, car l'embolie paradoxale est rarement prouvee. Le diagnostic a egalement un interet dans certaines hypoxemies refractaires inexpliquees, par exemple apres pneumectomie

L'etude prospective ALSACE evalue les delais de prise en charge des IDM aigus avec sus-decalage du segment ST, hospitalises dans les dix USIC, du 1 er avril au 1 er octobre 2004 pour les 326 sujets inclus. Le delai median entre le debut de la douleur thoracique et l'appel du premier intervenant est de 60 min. Le premier appel concerne le generaliste dans 41 % des cas ; le 15 (groupe 15) dans 33 %, le cardiologue dans 3 %. Onze pour cent des patients se rendent spontanement vers la structure de soins. Le delai median entre le debut de la douleur et l'appel initial n'est que de 44 min pour le groupe 15 et de 75 min dans les autres situations (p = 0,003). Le delai median entre l'appel du premier intervenant et l'admission dans un service est de 119 min. Si l'admission a lieu dans une USIC ou dans une salle de KT, ce delai median est de 91 min. En revanche, toute autre modalite d'admission allonge considerablement ce delai (246 min ; p < 0,001). Par ailleurs, pour le groupe 15, l'admission dans la structure appropriee est encore optimisee: 75 versus 150 min; p < 0,001. Le delai median d'acces a une procedure de revascularisation est de 240 min (a partir du debut de la douleur) pour les 271 patients qui en ont beneficiee. Cette duree est moindre pour le groupe 15 (170 vs 286 min groupe non-15; p < 0,001) et selon la technique de reperfusion: 190 min pour la thrombolyse et 245 min pour l'angioplastie seule; p = 0,007. Si le delai median d'acces a une procedure de revascularisation est apprecie a partir de la premiere intervention medicale, la technique pharmacologique est mise en oeuvre en 91 min versus 157 min pour la methode mecanique (p < 0,003), methode qui represente 75 % du mode de reperfusion. L'ensemble des delais est reduit en cas d'appel premier au 15. Toute filiere autre que la prise en charge cardiologique immediate est prejudiciable.

OBJECTIVE:to determine the time delay from symptom onset to diagnosis and treatment of patients with persistant ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).DESIGN:prospective observational study.METHOD:patients with symptoms onset < 24 h admitted in all 10 cardiac intensive care units in one French administrative region (Alsace). Data were recorded by doctors on duty soon after hospital admission. Patients with STEMI during hospital stay or as a complication of cardiac interventional procedure were excluded. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to assess statistical differences between the groups (p value < 0.05).RESULT:from April to October 2004, 326 patients were admitted for STEMI. Median time between the symptoms onset and the patient's call for medical help was 60 minutes. General practitioners were the first medical contact in 41%. The time from symptoms onset to first medical intervention and from first medical intervention to coronary care unit admission were markedly shorter in patients who had directly called the Emergency Medical Services (group 15-110 patients i.e. 33% of the study population): 44 min vs 75 min otherwise (p=0,003). Median transport time was 60 min. Sixty two percent of the pts were transported by the Emergency Medical Services. The median time from symptoms onset to initiation of reperfusion therapy was 240 min. It was significantly lower in group 15 (170 min vs 286 min - p < 0,001) and for thrombolytic therapy (190 min versus 245 min for primary angioplasty, p=0,007). When thrombolysis (THL) was used, 89% of the pts could be treated during 6 hours of symptoms onset and 44% in 3 hours. For angioplasty only 4% of the pts were treated in the first 90 minutes, 9% in the 2 hours and 30% in the 3 hours of symptoms onset. If the time delay is evaluated from the 1 st medical intervention, call to reperfusion intervention was significatly shorter for THL: 91 versus 157 min, p< 0,003. Angioplasty represented 75% of reperfusion strategy in our area and THL alone only 2,7% and combine therapy 5,4%.CONCLUSION:our study documents the beneficial effect of a direct call to Emergency Medical Services. Our results also underscore the need for an effort to reduce the time to offer the best appropriate reperfusion techniques in STEMI pts: speed up the admission in the cath-lab, think about pre-hospital thrombolysis followed by coronary angioplasty if necessary.

A retrospective analysis without exclusion of 369 consecutive cases of myocardial infarction admitted between January 1988 and March 1992 studied the risk factors, previous medical history and treatment in this period during which medical practice seemed to be standardised with acknowledged benefits of thrombolysis, beta-blockade and aspirin therapy. The population observed is divided in three age groups (< 65, > 65 < 75 and > 75). A Cox model multivariate analysis for age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, tobacco smoking, previous infarction, coronary artery disease and cardiac failure underlined the risk related to age which was 3.2 for patients 65-75 years of age and 4 for patients over 75 years of age. The risk was high in women (1.4), diabetes (1.5) and previous infarction (1.7). The excess mortality of the elderly age groups could also have been related to medical management as the most effective treatments were less commonly used. Thrombolysis was used in 44% of patients under 65 years of age but in only 9.7% of patients over 75 years; betablockers were prescribed in 77.6% of the younger but only in 27.4% of the older patients. The same tendency was observed in the administration of aspirin, with 81.6% receiving this drug in the younger patients compared to only 61% in older patients. Differences in survival at 6 months according to age (93.6%, 74% and 54.9%) show that there is a clearly defined therapeutic objective over 65 years of age with a large field of action and a probability of significant improvement in mortality and morbidity.

The authors undertook a retrospective study of 41 patients in whom an atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) had been diagnosed at transoesophageal echocardiography performed for ischaemic cerebrovascular events in 26 cases. No significant differences in this size, thickness or mobility of the ASA or the associated cardiac abnormalities were demonstrated in this context. However, patients presenting with cerebrovascular accidents were older, had several cardiovascular risk factors and more cardiac arrhythmias. These arrhythmias were usually related to other cardiac pathology such as ventricular hypertrophy or chronic cor pulmonale. Moreover, the probability of the cerebrovascular accident being related to the ASA was only acknowledged in 11 cases. These results mean a certain degree of discretion in diagnostic investigation and therapeutic management of these cases.

The authors undertook a retrospective study of 41 patients in whom an atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) had been diagnosed at transoesophageal echocardiography performed for ischaemic cerebrovascular events in 26 cases. No significant differences in the size, thickness or mobility of the ASA or the associated cardiac abnormalities were demonstrated in this context. However, patients presenting with cerebrovascular accidents were older, had several cardiovascular risk factors and more cardiac arrhythmias. These arrhythmias were usually related to other cardiac pathology such as ventricular hypertrophy or chronic cor pulmonale. Moreover, the probability of the cerebrovascular accident being related to the ASA was only acknowledged in 11 cases. These results mean a certain degree of discretion in diagnostic investigation and therapeutic management of these cases.

After five recurrences of idiopathic pericarditis over a period of 8 months on steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy, a splenectomized patient aged 31 years benefited from treatment with colchicine. He was treated for one year without any recurrence. A relapse occurred 6, 7 and 17 months after having stopped the drug. This observation raises the question whether colchicine might be beneficial in recurrent benign pericarditis with or without corticodependence and have a prophylactic action against recurrences.

Usefulness of computerized mechanocardiography and echocardiography in the diagnosis of impaired left ventricular diastolic function is shown in a study comparing 17 hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and 17 hypertensive cardiomyopathy patients to 20 normal subjects. Mechanocardiography allows the evaluation of three different parameters of diastolic function: isovolumic relaxation evaluated by S2a-O or better by t-dr/dt and dr/dt/A2 ratio, left ventricular compliance by the A/H ratio and time of rapid filling. All the parameters are impaired in both pathological populations. Isovolumic relaxation being more depressed in hypertensive cardiomyopathy and duration of rapid filling being prolonged especially in the hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy patients. Although the differences are small indicating only trends computerized mechanocardiography gives some evidence for difference in the alteration of diastolic function in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and hypertensive cardiomyopathy.

Imagery by magnetic resonance (IMR) represents a new modality of medical imagery based on the interaction between the magnetic fields produced by radio-frequency waves and living substance. IMR finds an interesting application in the study of different stages of myocardial infarction. In 30 cases of myocardial infarction IMR was compared with thallium tomoscintigraphy and echocardiography. In the acute stage, myomalacia appears in IMR as a superbrilliant zone, and in the chronic stage parietal thinning and dyskinesias are apparent. Intraventricular thromboses, but also hemostasis in aneurysmatic or akinetic sites are visualised as a high-intensity signal within these areas. IMR represents therefore a new means of evaluation of size and evolution of the necrosis. This procedure provides also functional informations about the contraction and flow anomalies.

Left ventricular thrombi are the source of much concern in numerous conditions affecting the ventricles. Refinement in echocardiographic and isotopic techniques is enabling earlier diagnosis and a more rational approach to therapy. These thrombi occur very frequently, and are most often asymptomatic (more than 2 to 3 times out of 4), and their natural course is not well known. Recent studies have dealt with acute ischemic cardiopathies, but these should not obscure the fact that thrombi occur with similar frequency in chronic conditions, in particular, hypokinetic cardiomyopathies. Three recent cases emphasize this, demonstrate the frequency of these thrombi, and help illustrate available diagnostic methods and a practical approach to this condition. These recent developments only confirm the importance of effective anticoagulation in all patients at risk and the necessity of optimal treatment with inotropic agents which do not suppress thrombus formation, but appear to prevent their complications.

: Left ventricular thrombi are the source of much concern in numerous conditions affecting the ventricles. Refinement in echocardiographic and isotopic techniques is enabling earlier diagnosis and a more rational approach to therapy. These thrombi occur very frequently, and are most often asymptomatic (more than 2 to 3 times out of 4), and their natural course is not well known. Recent studies have dealt with acute ischemic cardiopathies, but these should not obscure the fact that thrombi occur with similar frequency in chronic conditions, in particular, hypokinetic cardiomyopathies. Three recent cases emphasize this, demonstrate the frequency of these thrombi, and help illustrate available diagnostic methods and a practical approach to this condition. These recent developments only confirm the importance of effective anticoagulation in all patients at risk and the necessity of optimal treatment with inotropic agents which do not suppress thrombus formation, but appear to prevent their complications.