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Prolonged QRS complexes, PR and QTc intervals in LVHT are associated with heart failure and left ventricular dilatation, but not with NMD. The prognostic role of QEMs in LVHT needs further investigations in larger series.

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Objectives: Disappearance of left ventricular hypertrabeculation (LVHT) over time has been occasionally recognized, but absence on echocardiography and autopsy and presence on histological examination after autopsy has not been reported. Methods: Routine investigations such as chocardiography, cardiac MRI and coronary angiography were applied. Autopsy studies included macroscopic inspection and dissection but also histological work-up. Results: In a 64-year-old male, LVHT was diagnosed at age 51 years during diagnostic work-up for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. He had a history of mitochondrial myopathy which was diagnosed long before the cardiac problem became evident. Thickening of the left ventricular myocardium increased over years, resulting also in thickening of the trabeculations and the disappearance of the intertrabecular recesses. This is why LVHT was no longer visible on echocardiography shortly before death at age 64 years. The autopsy revealed that macroscopically no LVHT was visible but upon histological work-up the preformed recesses were still visible but had become unfolded. Conclusions: This case shows that LVHT may disappear due to thickening of the trabeculations but may remain visible on postmortem histological examination in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy from a mitochondrial myopathy.

LVHT-patients develop frequently new ECG abnormalities of prognostic relevance.

Animal-assisted activities (AAAs) are mainly carried out in institutions. The aim of this prospective pilot study was to assess the willingness of patients with cardiac implanted electronic devices (IEDs) to participate in AAA. The sample included 75 ambulatory patients (18 females, M age = 69 years), who attended an outpatient clinic for control of antibradycardic pacemakers (n = 15) or implanted cardioverter defibrillators (n = 60). Twenty-three percent were current and 48% were previous pet-owners. Current pet-owners were younger than non-pet-owners (63.5 vs. 72.0 years, p = .0003). Twelve patients (16%) showed interest in AAA visits. However, only two patients agreed to an AAA visit. Both patients were visited once, but declined further visits. Hence, AAA sessions at home were poorly accepted, mainly because the patients considered themselves too busy or healthy, or due to a general disinterest in AAA. Potential health benefits associated with AAA may not be feasible to investigate during home visits of AAA-teams in patients with IEDs who are healthy enough to leave their homes. For further studies concerning AAA in patients with cardiovascular diseases, we suggest focusing on institutions like rehabilitation centers or day care centers and on more severely sick, homebound patients.

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