1.Echocardiographic and electrocardiographic presentations of patients with endomyocardial biopsy-proven cardiac amyloidosis
The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2018;73(6):388-392
Objective: Cardiac amyloidosis is under diagnosed and its
prevalence is unknown. This is a retrospective, nonrandomised,
single centre study of patients with
endomyocardial biopsy-proven cardiac amyloidosis
focusing on their echocardiographic and electrocardiogram
(ECG) presentations. This is the first case series in Malaysia
on this subject.
Methods: We identified all of our endomyocardial biopsyproven
cardiac amyloidosis patients from January 2010 to
January 2018 and reviewed their medical records. All
patients echocardiographic and ECG findings reviewed and
analysed comparing to basic mean population value.
Results: In total there are 13 biopsy-proven cardiac
amyloidosis patients. All of the biopsies shows light chain
(AL) amyloid. Majority of the patients (8, 61.5%) is male, and
most of our patients (8, 61.5%) is Chinese. All seven patients
on whom we performed deformation imaging have apical
sparing pattern on longitudinal strain echocardiogram.
Mean ejection fraction is 49.3%, (SD=7.9). All patients have
concentric left ventricular hypertrophy and right ventricular
hypertrophy. Diastolic dysfunction was present in all of our
patients with nine out of 13 patients (69.2%) having
restrictive filling patterns (E/A ≥2.0 E/e' ≥15). On
electrocardiogram, 12 (92%) patients have prolonged PR
interval (median 200ms, IQR 76.50ms) and 9 (69.2%) patients
have pseudoinfarct pattern.
Conclusion: Echocardiography plays an important role in
diagnosing cardiac amyloidosis. The findings of concentric
left ventricular hypertrophy with preserved ejection fraction
without increased in loading condition should alert the
clinician towards its possibility. This is further supported by
right ventricular hypertrophy and particularly longitudinal
strain imaging showing apical sparing pattern.
2.A comparison of dabigatran and warfarin for stroke prevention in elderly Asian population with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: An audit of current practice in Malaysia
Yap Swee HIEN ; Ng Yau PIAO ; Roslan ASLANNIF ; Kolanthaivelu JAYAKHANTAN ; Koh Kok WEI ; P’ng Hon SHEN ; Boo Yang LIANG ; Hoo Fan KEE ; Yap Lok BIN.
The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2017;72(6):360-364
Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commoncardiac arrhythmia with significant morbidity and mortalityin relation to thromboembolic stroke. Our study aimed toevaluate the safety and efficacy of dabigatran in strokeprevention in elderly patient with nonvalvular AF with regardto the risk of ischemic stroke and intracranial haemorrhage(ICH) in real-world setting.Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 200 patients ondabigatran and warfarin from January 2009 till September2016 was carried out. Data were collected for 100 patients ondabigatran and 100 patients on warfarin.Results: The mean follow-up period was 340.7±322.3 daysfor dabigatran group and 410.5±321.2 days for warfaringroup. The mean time in therapeutic range (TTR) was52±18.7%. The mean CHA2DS2 -VASc score for dabigatrangroup was 4.4±1.1 while 5.0±1.5 for warfarin group. None indabigatran group experienced ischemic stroke compared toone patient in warfarin group (p=0.316). There was onepatient in dabigatran group suffered from ICH compared tonone in warfarin group (p=0.316). Four patients in warfaringroup experienced minor bleeding, while none fromdabigatran group (p=0.043).Conclusion: Overall bleeding events were significantly lowerin dabigatran group compared to warfarin group. In thepresence of suboptimal TTR rates and inconveniences withwarfarin therapy, non-vitamin-K antagonist oralanticoagulants (NOAC) are the preferred agents for strokeprevention in elderly Asian patients for nonvalvula
3.Diastolic dysfunction grading, echocardiographic and electrocardiogram findings in 50 patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Aslannif Roslan ; Suraya Hani Kamsani ; Hui Beng Koh ; Yee Sin Tey ; Kin Leong Tan ; Chan Ho Tham ; Mohd Saad Jalaluddin ; Mohamed Nazrul Mohamed Nazeeb ; Nay Thu Win ; Ahmad Tantawi Jauhari Aktifanus ; Malini Kerisnan ; Wan Nabeelah ; Muhd Najmi Hakim Abdul Rani ; Ai Ming Tan ; Amin Ariff Nuruddin
The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2019;74(6):521-526
Introduction: Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (Apical
HCM) is an uncommon variant of hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy, but it is relatively more common in Asian
countries. This is a retrospective, non-randomised, single
centre study of patients with Apical HCM focusing on their
diastolic dysfunction grading, echocardiographic
parameters and electrocardiograms (ECG).
Methods: All Apical HCM patients coming for clinic visits at
the Institut Jantung Negara from September 2017 to
September 2018 were included. We assessed their
echocardiography images, grade their diastolic function and
reviewed their ECG on presentation.
Results: Fifty patient were included, 82% (n=41) were males
and 18% (n=9) females. The diastolic function grading of 37
(74%) patients were able to be determined using the updated
2016 American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) diastolic
guidelines. Fifty percent (n=25) had the typical ace-ofspades shape left ventricle (LV) appearance in diastole and
12% (n=6) had apical pouch. All patients had T inversion in
the anterior leads of their ECG, and only 52% (n=26) fulfilled
the ECG left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) criteria. Majority
of our patients presented with symptoms of chest pain (52%,
n=26) and dyspnoea (42%, n=21).
Conclusion: The updated 2016 ASE guideline makes it easier
to evaluate LV diastolic function in most patients with Apical
HCM. It also helps in elucidating the aetiology of dyspnoea,
based on left atrial pressure. Clinicians should have a high
index of suspicion for Apical HCM when faced with deep T
inversion on ECG, in addition to a thick LV apex with an aceof-spades appearance during diastole.