Recurrent myocardial infarctions secondary to luetic coronary arteritis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. A case report.
A 43-year-old coloured man had no risk factors for atheromatous coronary artery disease but suffered two acute myocardial infarctions (MIs) in rapid succession. Serological reactions for previous syphilitic (luetic) infection were positive. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) without obstruction was verified, although right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy specimens did not demonstrate histological features of this disease. Extensive MI was verified on left ventricular cine angiography. Selective coronary arteriography showed that the coronary arterial tree was diffusely aneurysmal in the absence of any obstruction. We postulate that syphilitic coronary arteritis, in the absence of the more pathognomonic coronary ostial stenotic lesions, was present and may have predisposed to coronary thrombus formation and repeated acute MI. Recurrent coronary vasospasm, associated with the HCM, cannot be excluded with certainty.
J Z
JZ
Przybojewski
J
J
Hunter
J
J
Laubscher
D000328:Adult; D001167:Arteritis / Q000150:complications; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000150:complications*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology*; D012008:Recurrence; D013589:Syphilis, Cardiovascular / Q000150:complications*