title: Severe left ventricular dysfunction in left atrial myxoma--report of 2 cases.
abstract: We report 2 patients with left atrial (LA) myxoma with associated severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Both presented with progressive effort intolerance without a history suggestive of acute coronary event. LA myxoma was diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography, which also detected severe systolic dysfunction and LV dilatation. Regional wall motion abnormality and thinning were absent. Coronary angiograms also showed no occlusive disease, but distal ectasia was seen in 1 patient. Metabolic and endocrine causes of reversible LV dysfunction were excluded. Cardiac function improved following surgery for myxoma in 1 patient. LV dysfunction, thus far, has not been directly attributed to myxoma. Coronary embolization leading to myocardial infarction and coexisting coronary atherosclerosis are the recognized methods by which LV dysfunction manifests in myxoma. Our report suggests the possibility of reversible severe global LV dysfunction due to cardiodepressant effect of myxoma through as yet unclear mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Madras Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai, India. drcanands@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Anand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chockalingam
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jaganathan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gnanavelu
authors.forename: Smrita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dorairajan
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chockalingam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006325:Heart Atria; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009232:Myxoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013318:Stroke Volume; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology