Although cardiac involvement is an infrequent presentation in human hydatidosis, early diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention of cardiac hydatid cyst are of utmost importance for the prevention of potential complications. We report a young female patient who presented with a huge cardiac hydatid cyst and severe heart failure symptoms undergoing successful surgical cyst removal with late follow-up.

Background: Evidence suggests that the serum myeloperoxidase level has a diagnostic and predictive role in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). We evaluated the association between the serum myeloperoxidase level and the severity and prognosis of CHF.Patients and Methods: In a prospective observational study, patients with CHF were evaluated. The myeloperoxidase serum level was measured at baseline by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Transthoracic echocardiography was done at baseline and then after 6 months. History and duration of admission and also mortality were recorded during follow-up.Results: Fifty patients at a mean age of 64.7±1.8 years (70% male) were evaluated. The mean serum myeloperoxidase level was 51.0±6.5mg/dL. Accordingly, the patients were classified into two groups of A and B with a serum myeloperoxidase level of less and more than 51mg/dl, respectively. No differences were found between the two groups in New York heart Association functional class (NYHA III 20.5% vs.27.3%; p value=0.456), left ventricular ejection fraction (30.3±10.0 vs.29.8±10.1%; p value=0.873), systolic dysfunction (48.7% vs.54.5%; p value=0.500), or diastolic dysfunction (38.5% vs.63.6%; p value=0.127) neither at baseline, nor at 6 months’ follow-up. The serum myeloperoxidase level was not associated with admission history or mortality.Conclusion: We found no significant association between the serum myeloperoxidase level and echocardiography parameters, admission history, or mortality in patients with CHF. Further studies with larger samples of patients are required in this regard.

Hyperthyroidism has been associated with cardiomyopathy and heart failure (HF). This study aims to evaluate clinical, laboratory and echocardiographic para-meters, at admission and 12 months fol-lowing euthyroidism restoration, in patients with hyperthyroidism-associated HF. Mechanisms un-derlying hyperthyroidism-associated HF and the outcomes of echocardiographic parameters along the study period are both discussed.Materials & Methods: Patients with newly di-agnosed overt hyperthyroidism and HF (Group 1), age and sex-matched euthyroid HF subjects (Group 2), and a control group was enrolled. Results: In the 38-month study period, 56 pa-tients were admitted for hyperthyroidism-associated HF, of whom 71% had a pre-existing, mainly hypertensive, cardiomyopathy vs 68% of Group 2 subjects. Mean heart rate was signifi-cantly higher in Group 1 than Group 2 (127±38 vs 110±17bpm; P<0.02); 30 Group 1 (54%) and 16 (29%) Group 2 patients presented with atrial fi-brillation. At admission, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), end diastolic (LVEDD) and end systolic (LVESD) diameters were lower, whilst LV mass (LVM), interventricular septum thick-ness (IVST) and LV posterior wall thickness (LVPWT) were increased in both Groups com-pared to controls. At the end of the study, de-spite achievement of euthyroidism in all hyper-thyroid patients, mean LVEF was not significant-ly different in Group 2 but was significantly lower in Group 1 patients compared to controls; LVM, IVST and LVPWT did not change in both study groups.Conclusion: In our series, newly diagnosed hyperthyroidism-associated HF had 2.4% preva-lence. At the end of the study, LVEF significant-ly improved in euthyroid, but not in hyperthy-roidism-associated HF patients compared to con-trols.

Background: The role of micronutrients such as selenium is linked to the different types of cardiomyopathies. Given the paradoxes and limitations of previous studies, we designed a descriptive-analytic study with a greater sample size and more variables in Iran. Methods: Fifty-five patients suffering from heart failure (HF) with glomerular filtration rates of 60 mL/min or higher were selected. At the onset of admission, the serum levels of selenium, proBNP, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and iron, as well as the variable of estimating prognosis (ie, 5 years’ survival based on the Seattle heart failure Model calculator), and also a history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cerebrovascular accidents, cigarette use, atrial fibrillation, and previous admissions for HF, were registered. Three months later, the New York heart Association (NYHA) functional class, the left ventricular ejection fraction, and the proBNP level were rechecked. Results: Selenium deficiency (≤ 45μ g/L) was detected in 25. 4% of the patients. The mean serum level of selenium was 62 ± 24. 9 μ g/L, and it had no significant relationship with etiology; prognosis; the left ventricular ejection fraction; the proBNP level; the NYHA functional class; the dose of furosemide before admission; the consumption of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta-blockers, statins, and allopurinol; laboratory variables; age; sex; diabetes mellitus; hypertension; cerebrovascular accidents; atrial fibrillation; and cigarette use. Nonetheless, the mean serum level of selenium had significant reversed relationships with previous admissions for HF and potassium-sparing diuretic use (P = 0. 012 and P = 0. 026, respectively) (confidence interval = 95%). Conclusions: The prevalence of selenium deficiency in our patients with HF was considerable. The mean serum level of selenium was similar in both ischemic and nonischemic groups; nevertheless, the level had no significant relationship with the majority of clinical and paraclinical variables of HF severity and prognosis. Future studies should investigate the relationship between the serum level of selenium and the precise cumulative dose of diuretics at the end of the admission process and the interaction between selenium and mineralocorticoid receptors.