Cardiac undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) associated with fever and inflammatory response is an extremely rare condition. Herein, we report a rare case of cardiac UPS with unusual clinical presentation and inflammatory response. A 67-year-old male complaining of progressive dyspnea and intermittent fever of unknown cause was referred to our hospital for surgical resection of a left atrial mass. Laboratory analysis showed leukocytosis (26 × 10³/μL) and high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (155.4 mg/L). Hemoculture tests and urine analysis were negative for infection. A contrast chest computed tomography revealed a mass measuring 5.5 × 4.5 cm, occupying the left atrium cavity. The patient underwent surgical excision of the mass, however, surgical margin of the resected tumor could not be evaluated, due to the multifragmented nature of the resection specimen. Postoperative CRP and leukocyte levels normalized, highlighting the relationship between the tumor and the inflammatory status. Early diagnosis is crucial for a proper management and favorable outcome, enabling patients to undergo chemotherapy and achieve complete surgical resection.

The aging process can have notable effects on the mitral valve. During life, the mitral valve undergoes various changes that can impact its structure and function. The purpose of this review is to present a comprehensive overview of the literature published up to February 2024 in the Medline database regarding the impact of aging on the mitral valve. The studies were combined with the personal experience of the authors. Until 2024, out of the 12,189 publications that deal with the mitral valve in elderly individuals, 308 refer to mitral valve aging. After reviewing these data, we selected and analyzed the 73 most informative works regarding the age-related transformation of the mitral valve. Understanding the mechanisms driving the aging of the mitral valve is crucial for enhancing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for reducing age-related valve dysfunction and the subsequent cardiovascular complications.

Valvular hemangiomas are uncommon vascular anomalies that appear on the surface of heart valves. They can cause an array of non-specific symptoms and are consequently rarely diagnosed, with only 31 such cases (including the present one) reported to date in the literature; the present case is the first report of an arteriovenous hemangioma with a tricuspid localization. During the preoperative echocardiographic examination for a ventricular septal defect, a mass was incidentally discovered on the tricuspid valve of a 9-month-old infant. The involved leaflet was surgically removed and sent to the pathology department for analysis and subsequently diagnosed as an arteriovenous hemangioma. The patient recovered well, with no local tumor recurrence or other complications. The microscopic examination showed multiple blood vessels which stained positive for the endothelial markers CD31 and CD34 and which did not express D2-40, normally found in lymphatic endothelia. Surprisingly, endothelial cells lining the vessels also showed positivity for SMA, a mesenchymal cell marker, indicating a possible involvement of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition and its opposite process, mesenchymal-to-endothelial transition, in the pathogenesis of these vascular anomalies.