ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical characteristics of Behcet's disease with intracardiac thrombus.MethodsThe data of 8 patients diagnosed as Behcet's disease with intracardiac thrombus in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January,1990 to January,2011 were studied retrospectively.ResultsBehcet's disease with intracardiac thrombus was found in 8 patients (5 men and 3 women) with a median age of 28.5 years.Most of them were young men.Thrombus was mostly found in the right side of the heart.Most of the patients had pulmonary thromboembolism with negative anticardiolipid antibody and basically normal C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate.ConclusionIntracardiac thrombus associated with Behcet's disease most commonly occurs in young men and usually involves the right side of the heart.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics and risk factors in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).Methods A total of 35 patients admitted in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and diagnosed with PPCM between January 1995 and December 2014 was included and analyzed in this study.The subjects were divided into two groups:the early recovery and delayed recovery.Early recovery was defined as normalization of left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 50％ before 6 months post-diagnosis.Delayed recovery was defined if the length of time required for recovery of LVEF was longer than 6 months or death was reported during follow-up.Risk factors for delayed recovery were assessed.Results The incidence of PPCM was 1 per 1 067 deliveries between the study periods.The age of the 35 patients was (28.9±5.6) years old.Among them,20 (57.1％) patients were not in the first pregnancy,13 (37.1％) had delivered before,and 5 (14.3％) patients had twin pregnancies.The LVEF at diagnosis was (34.1 ±8.0) ％.62.9％ (22 cases) of the subjects were in the early recovery,while 37.1％ (13 cases) of the subjects were in the delayed recovery group,2 of whom suffered death.Multivariate logistic regression indicated that LVEF (OR =1.339,95％ CI 1.063-1.688,P =0.013) and left ventricle end-dilated diameter(OR 0.763,95％CI 0.607-0.960,P =0.021)were independent risk factors for delayed recovery.Conclusions PPCM is a rare but life-threatening complication of pregnancy.LVEF and left ventricle end-dilated diameter at diagnosis were two independent factors associated with the prognosis of PPCM.

Objective To analyze the risk factors of pulmonary hypertension in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE-PH).Methods Echo data of 598 SLE patients were collected,clinical characteristics of 107 suspected SLE-PH (PASP ≥40 mmHg,estimated by Echo) and 64 suspected moderate to severe PH (PASP ≥50 mmHg) were retrospectively analyzed.T-test,x2-test and Logisticregression were used for statistical analysis.Results Out of 598 patients 70.7％(423 patients) had abnormal Echo findings,and pericardial effusion in 45.5％(272 cases),valvular insufficiency in 31.3％(187 cases),suspected PH in 17.9％(107 cases),left ventricular enlargement in 5.9％(35 cases),left ventricular hypertrophy in 4.3％(26cases).In addition 1.7％ had mitral valve prolapse,1.5％ had mitral valve vegetation,and right ventricular enlargement in 6.5％(39 cases),LVEF＜50％ in 6.0％(36 cases),right ventricular systolic dysfunction in 2.2％(13 cases).Logistic regression analysis showed Raynaud's phenomenon (OR=3.205,95％CI:1.911-5.375,P=0.000),thrombocytopenia (OR=1.680,95％CI:1.049-2.689,P=0.031),hyperuricemia (OR=3.643,95％CI:2.154-6.164,P=0.000),and anti-U1RNP antibody positivity (OR=1.777,95％CI:1.099-2.874,P=0.019)were independent risk factors for suspected SLE-PH,fever (OR=0.576,P=0.029)and rash (OR=0.558,P=0.017) were independent protective factors for suspected SLE-PH.SLE duration (OR=1.145,95％CI:1.016-1.290,P=0.026) and Raynaud's phenomenon (OR=3.371,95％CI:1.126-10.086,P=0.030)were independent risk factors for suspected moderate to severe PH,nephritic syndrome (OR=0.042,P=0.009) was the in dependent protective factor for suspected moderate to severe PH.Conclusion Cardiac involvement is common in SLE patients.Screening for PH should be considered in SLE patients with thrombocytopenia,hyperuricemia,anti-U1RNP antibody positivity,particularly with Raynaud's phenomenon.

Objective To prospectively analyze the impact of frailty on the short-term outcomes of coronary heart disease (CHD) and its related factors.Methods A total of 505 patients aged ≥65 years,with diagnosis of CHD in Cardiology Department and Geriatrics Department in our hospital were selected.Clinical data including geriatrics syndromes were collected by using Comprehensive Geriatrics Assessment (CGA).Frailty was defined according to the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS).The impact of the comorbid conditions on the risk was quantified by the coronary artery disease-specific index.Patients were followed up by clinic visit or telephone consultation.Following-up items included recurrence of all-cause mortality,recurrence of cardiovascular events,and unscheduled returned visit.The impact of frailty on the prognosis of coronary heart disease was analyzed by Cox regression.Results Of the 505 patients,221 patients (43.76％) were considered to be frail elderly,in whom 126 patients (24.95％) were assessed as moderately to severely frail elderly.The incidences of comorbidities and geriatrics syndrome including incontinence,fall history,visual impairment,hearing impairment,constipation,chronic pain,sleeping disorder,dental problems,anxiety or depression,and delirium were higher in frail patients than in non-frail patients[51.1％ (113/221) vs.30.6％ (87/ 284),31.2％ (69/221) vs.19.0％ (54/284),43.9％ (97/221) vs.29.9％ (85/284),49.3％ (109/221) vs.29.6％ (84/284),60.2％ (133/221) vs.33.8％ (96/284),62.0％ (137/221) vs.46.8％ (133/284),49.3％ (109/221) vs.37.7％ (107/284),79.2％ (175/221) vs.55.6％ (158/284),11.3％ (25/221) vs.6.0％ (17/284),2.7％ (6/221) vs.0 (0/284),x2=21.831,10.053,10.510,20.519,34.894,11.481,6.886,30.695,4.624,7.803,respectively,all P＜0.05].After adjusting for sex,age,severity of illness and other coexist factors,the Cox survival analysis showed that frailty was the independent risk predictor for the all-cause mortality and unscheduled return visit in CHD patients (HR=2.881 and 1.835,95％CI:1.591-5.215 and 1.458-2.311,both P＜0.001).Conclusions Comprehensive Geriatrics Assessment and Clinical Frail Scale are useful to evaluate the clinical features in elderly CHD patients.Frailty is the independent risk predictor for the short-term prognosis including all-cause mortality and unscheduled return visit in elderly CHD patients.

objecfive To analyze ventricular myocardial function in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).Methods Thirtv female SSc patients and fifteen age-and sex-comparable healthy subjects underwent standard echo and tissue Doppler imaging(TDI)examination.T-test and Pearson's analysis were used.Results Both left and right atrial and ventricular diameters,left ventricular eiection fraction and right ventricular fraction of area change were comparable between the two groups.Mitral and tricuspid inflow E/A ratio was almost the same in both groups,while systolic pulmoHary pressure was increased in SSc [(38±16)vs (23.9±4.8)mm Hg,P=0.008].TDI detected impaired right ventricular myocardial function in SSc:eartydiastolic peak velocity Em [(10.7±4.8)vs(15.0±2.1)cm/s,P=0.01],peak systolic strain[(-16.3±3.9)%vs (-20.9±2.0)%,P=0.001]and strain rate[(-1.4±0.4) vs(-2.4±0.5)/s,P<0.01] were reduced significantly.Left ventricular myocardial function was not impaired in SSc patients.Conclusion TDI iS a valuable noninvasive tool for early detecting of ventricular myocardial involvement caused by SSc.

Objective To explore the potential role of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) in the assessment of patients with connective tissuediseases(CTD) associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Methods Thirty patients with CTD associated PAH were evaluated by WHO function, echocardiography, right heart catheterization and blood biomarkers. All the clinical data was analyzed statistically. Results All patients [age (39.5 ± 11.6) yr]were female. Both NT-proBNP and BNP were significantly increased and significantly correlated ( all P ＜0. 05 ) respectively with mean pulmonary arterial pressure ( r = 0. 53 and r = 0. 40 ), right arterial pressure ( r = 0. 55 and r = 0. 42 ), pulmonary vascular resistance ( r = 0. 69 and r = 0. 61 ), cardiac index ( r = - 0. 58and r = - 0. 46), mixed venous blood oxygen saturation ( r = - 0. 62 and r = - 0. 54 ), pericardial effusion ( r = 0. 46 and r = 0. 43 ), right atrial sizes ( r = 0. 40 and 0. 53, and r = 0. 39 and 0. 45 ) and right ventricular size ( r = 0. 55 and r = 0. 37 ). Furthmore, NT-proBNP, but not BNP, significantly correlated with WHO function class ( r = 0. 55 ). Conclusion Blood NT-proBNP and BNP were elevated in patients with CTD associated PAH and paralleled the extent of function class, pulmonary hemodynamic changes and right ventricular remodeling.

Objective To investigate the clinical and pathological features of eosinophilic diseases with cardiac involvement Methods We analyzed the clinical and cardiac pathological data of 7 patients with eosinophilic diseases with cardiac involvement under endomyocardial biopsy or autopsy.Results Seven patients (5 male, average age 51 years) were enrolled.Four patients were diagnosed as idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome and three were Churg-Strauss syndrome.Peripheral blood eosinophila count increased significantly in all patients.Cardiac involvement included angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, heart failure, presyncope and sudden death.Electrocardiogram showed cardiac ischemia, bundle branch block and third degree atrioventricular block.Echocardiography suggested ventricular and atrial enlargement, decreased ventricular systolic function, pulmonary hypertension, valvular prolapse and insufficiency and endocarditis.Pathology displayed infiltration of eosinophils, formation of granulomata, necrotizing vasculitis, myocardial necrosis and endomyocardial fibrosis in heart.Coronary artery could be also affected and led to myocardial infarction.Conclusions Cardiovascular complications of eocinophilic diseases are a major source of morbidity and mortality in these disorders.The manifestations are multiple and early recognition and treatment with steroid and immunosuppressant can improve prognosis.

Objective To study the clinical,cardiopulmonary functional and hemodynamic profiles of systemic sclerosis patients with pulmonary hypertension (SSc-PAH) compared with those of idiopathic pulmonary hypertension (IPAH).Methods Patients diagnosed with SSc-PAH or IPAH by right heart catheterization were consecutively enrolled into the study between 2011 and 2013 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH).Cases with pulmonary hypertension related to other diseases were excluded.Demographic data,laboratory parameters,6 minutes walk distance (6MWD),pulmonary function and hemodynamic variables at the time of diagnosis were collected and compared between the two groups.Results A total of 20 SSc-PAH patients including 19 females and one male with age of (43.1 ± 12.2) years,and 18IPAH patients including 16 females and 2 males with age of (38.4 ± 12.4) years were enrolled in this study.Subjects in both groups had similar mean pulmonary arterial pressure,cardiac index and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) when recruited.Compared with IPAH patients,SSc-PAH patients showed significantly decreased all parameters including forced vital capacity (FVC)％ [(77.1 ± 13.2)％ vs (88.6 ± 14.9)％,P =0.026],diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) ％ [(46.2 ±13.1) ％ vs (66.6± 13.3)％,P ＜0.001],DLCO/alveolar ventilation(VA) [(55.1 ± 14.3)％ vs (75.1 ± 11.5)％,P ＜0.001],and 6MWD [(365.6 ±85.1) m vs (454.3 ± 136.8) m,P =0.034].In subgroup analysis of SSc-PAH patients,elevated PVR (OR 2.122,95％ CI 1.093-4.119,P =0.026) and decreased DLCO％ (OR 0.916,95％ CI 0.842-0.996,P =0.040) were independently associated with reduced 6MWD.Conclusions Under the similar hemodynamic condition,SSc-PAH patients had more severe restrictive ventilation dysfunction and diffusion capacity dysfunction.Decreased 6MWD in SSc-PAHpatients was probably related to the impairment of pulmonary function.

Objective To explore the association between Doppler echocardiography parameters and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) obtained by right heart catheterization (RHC) in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH).Methods RHC and a simultaneous echocardiography were performed in 86 PH patients.The correlation between the echocardiographic parameters and PCWP was analyzed.Results The early diastolic velocity(E) of mitral valve blood flow was significantly correlated with PCWP ( γ =0.36,P ＜0.01 ).Tissue Doppler imaging measured the diastolic velocity of mitral annulus on the lateral(E'L)and the septal (E'S) wall.Then the average E'M was calculated.The ratio of E to E'L,E'S and E'M showed a strong correlation with PCWP ( γ =0.62,0.34 and 0.47 respectively,P ＜ 0.01 ).E/E'L ＜ 6 accurately predicted 100％ PCWP≤ 15 mm Hg (1 mm Hg =0.133 kPa),and E/E'L ＞ 15 could predict PCWP ＞ 15 nun Hg with specificity of 98.5％.Conclusion There are positive correlation between E/E' and PCWP obtained by RHC in PH patients.

The clinical data were collected from medical record of 749 patients admitted into Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2008 to March 2013.They were diagnosed with primary Sj(o)gren's syndrome (PSS) at discharge.Clinical manifestations,laboratory results and outcomes were compared between PSS patients with pulmonary hypertension (PSS-PH) and those without (PSS-non PH).PSS-PH group had higher proportions of Renault phenomenon (36.8％ vs.20.0％,P =0.05),pericardial effusion (55.3％ vs.0.0％,P＜0.01),leukocytopenia (42.1％ vs.30.0％,P =0.03),elevated IgG level [(28.8 ±11.2) vs.(21.5 ±10.0) g/L,P=0.01] and hypothyroidism(34.2％ vs.12.5％,P=0.05) with significant significance.The PSS patients had leukocytopenia low thyroid function,rising IgG and pericardial effusion with pulmonary hypertension.