[Affective temperaments (cyclothymic, hypertymic, depressive, anxious, irritable) are stable parts of personality and after adolescent only their minor changes are detectable. Their connections with psychopathology is well-described; depressive temperament plays role in major depression, cyclothymic temperament in bipolar II disorder, while hyperthymic temperament in bipolar I disorder. Moreover, scientific data of the last decade suggest, that affective temperaments are also associated with somatic diseases. Cyclothymic temperament is supposed to have the closest connection with hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension is higher parallel with the presence of dominant cyclothymic affective temperament and in this condition the frequency of cardiovascular complications in hypertensive patients was also described to be higher. In chronic hypertensive patients cyclothymic temperament score is positively associated with systolic blood pressure and in women with the earlier development of hypertension. The background of these associations is probably based on the more prevalent presence of common risk factors (smoking, obesity, alcoholism) with more pronounced cyclothymic temperament. The scientific importance of the research of the associations of personality traits including affective temperaments with somatic disorders can help in the identification of higher risk patient subgroups.]

[INTRODUCTION - Large hiatal hernias may result in cardiac space-occupying lesions. Our case study discusses the clinical aspects and the possible diagnostic approaches for such large hiatal hernias that cause cardiac compression. CASE REPORT - In an elderly patient with no cardiovascular symptoms, transthoracic echocardiography revealed a left atrial space-occupying mass. The diagnosis regarding the origin of the cardial mass was clarified by a glass of soda water drunk by the patient during echocardiography, as it resulted in a decrease in the inhomogenous echodensity of the mass and the appearance of “contrast bubbles” within it. This phenomenon suggested the presence of a large hiatal hernia compressing the heart, which was confirmed by gastroscopy and upper gastrointestinal barium examination. CONCLUSION - Drinking soda water during transthoracic echocardiography can help to diagnose lesions that look like intracardial tumours.]

[INTRODUCTION - Malignant tumours arising from the wall of the pulmonary artery or the aorta are very rare. Two types are known, leiomyosarcoma and intimal sarcoma. Intimal sarcoma is usually associated with a thrombus that may close the lumen, which complication being important in case of pulmonary artery tumours. Such tumours can be diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). CASE REPORT - A 42-year-old woman was hospitalized with an anamnesis of three months of subfebrility/fever, dyspnea and hemoptysis. Right-sided pulmonary thromboembolism and exudative pleuritis were diagnosed. MRI findings suggested a tumour of the right pulmonary trunk. She underwent surgery with extracorporeal circulation; and a compact mass with a connected thrombus filling the right pulmonary trunk and its hilar branches were removed by thromboendarterectomy. Histology revealed intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary artery. The patient died of this tumour’s progression four years later. CONCLUSION - In case of pulmonary thromboembolism the possibility of intimal sarcoma has to be considered. Vascular tumours can be proven or excluded by MRI.]

[Aim was to detect the mutations of alpha-galactosidase A gene in two Hungarian Fabry patients. Methods - Mutation analysis was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequencing of the seven exons and adjacent introns of the alpha-galactosidase A gene. Results - Case 1. (19 y. male patient) Mutation analysis was done for alpha-galactosidase gene, a missence mutation has been identified in the 5th exon, the aspartic acid at codon 266 has been substituted by a tyrosine (notation D266Y) due to a G-T transversion at position 10287 of the alpha GAL-A gene. Case 2. (28 y. male Fabry patient) The GAL-A mutation has been proven to be R220X mutation in exon 5 of the alpha-galactosidase A gene.]