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Cardiomyopathy with Inverted Tako-Tsubo Pattern in the Setting of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Series of Four Cases

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Abstract

Background

Severe subarachnoid hemorrhage may be associated with regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA) in the absence of epicardial coronary occlusion. The RWMA extends beyond the distribution of a single coronary artery and may present in a typical tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy pattern. Other variants have also been recognized, including an inverted tako-tsubo pattern of severe basal hypokinesis that spares the apex. The mechanism of this cardiomyopathy is not well understood but likely involves catecholamine excess. While classic tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy from emotional stress carries a favorable prognosis, cardiac dysfunction from subarachnoid hemorrhage is a marker of overall poor prognosis.

Methods

We collected cases over a period of 4 years at a large teaching hospital. The cases represent cardiac dysfunction in the setting of subarachnoid hemorrhage in the unusual distribution of basal hypokinesis with relative sparing of the apex (inverted tako-tsubo pattern).

Results

A total of four cases were identified. All cases were female between the ages 43–67 years and had echocardiographic evidence of basal hypokinesis after suffering from an intracranial hemorrhage.

Conclusions

The typical and inverted patterns may represent a spectrum within the same disease process or distinct clinical entities with dramatically different prognostic implications. Larger studies comparing the two presentations will help elucidate this further.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365 Clifton Road, NE, 30322, Atlanta, GA, Georgia

    Sana Shoukat, Ahmed Awad, Douglas K. Nam, Michael H. Hoskins, Jason Higginson & Stephen D. Clements Jr

  2. Department of Neurocritical Care, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia

    Owen Samuels

Authors
  1. Sana Shoukat
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  2. Ahmed Awad
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  3. Douglas K. Nam
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  4. Michael H. Hoskins
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  5. Owen Samuels
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  6. Jason Higginson
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  7. Stephen D. Clements Jr
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Correspondence to Sana Shoukat.

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Shoukat, S., Awad, A., Nam, D.K. et al. Cardiomyopathy with Inverted Tako-Tsubo Pattern in the Setting of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Series of Four Cases. Neurocrit Care 18, 257–260 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-011-9658-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-011-9658-9

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