Strain Reversus Sign: Diagnostic Role and Correlation With Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Findings in Constrictive Pericarditis.

Background: A typical echocardiographic longitudinal strain (LS) pattern of the left ventricle called strain reversus (SR) has been described in patients with constrictive pericarditis (CP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of SR among pericardial diseases, its diagnostic role in CP, and its correlation with pericardial involvement assessed using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).

Methods: Eighty-five patients (mean age, 57 ± 17 years; 32.

Addressing Endothelial Dysfunction in Heart Failure: The Role of Endothelial Progenitor Cells and New Treatment Horizons.

Heart failure (HF) is closely linked to endothelial dysfunction, which contributes significantly to its progression. Endothelial dysfunction in HF is marked by reduced nitric oxide bioavailability, increased oxidative stress and inflammation, all of which impair vascular function. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) - vital for vascular repair - are particularly affected, with their dysfunction further exacerbating HF outcomes.

NPPA-Associated Atrial Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Genotypic and Phenotypic Insights From an Ultrarare Inherited Disorder.

Background: Atrial standstill is a rare arrhythmogenic disorder characterized by complete atrial electrical and mechanical inactivity. We report the 15th documented case of atrial dilated cardiomyopathy associated with the homozygous c.449G>A (p.

Kinetics of Procalcitonin, CRP, IL-6, and Presepsin in Heart Transplant Patients Undergoing Induction with Thymoglobulin (rATG).

: Heart transplantation (HTx) is a lifesaving procedure for end-stage heart failure patients; however, postoperative infections remain a major challenge due to immunosuppressive therapy and surgical complications. Traditional biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) have limitations in distinguishing infections from systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Emerging markers such as Presepsin and interleukin-6 (IL-6) may improve diagnostic accuracy.

Redefining the risk of major arrhythmic events in non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy: insights from the DERIVATE-NICM study.

Aims: Selection of the patients for implantable cardioverter defibrillator primary prevention therapy in non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) needs to be improved. To evaluate the additional prognostic value of a new cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) score based on late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) pattern distribution (DERIVATE Risk Score 2.0) when compared with previously published DERIVATE Risk Score 1.

Sailing Across Contraception, Pregnancy, and Breastfeeding: The Complex Journey of Women with Cardiomyopathies.

Gender-specific cardiology has gained increasing recognition in recent years, emphasizing the need for tailored management strategies for women with cardiovascular disease. Among these, cardiomyopathies-dilated, arrhythmogenic, hypertrophic, and restrictive-pose unique challenges throughout a woman's reproductive life, affecting contraception choices, pregnancy outcomes, and breastfeeding feasibility. Despite significant advances in cardiovascular care, there is still limited guidance on balancing maternal safety and neonatal well-being in this complex setting.

Myosin-ATPase inhibitor in real-world patients with obstructive HCM: a report by the Cardiomyopathies and Pericardial Diseases WG of the Italian Society of Cardiology.

Introduction: Approximately two-thirds of patients suffering from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy present with an obstructive (HOCM) physiology. For years, medical therapy has been limited to beta blockers, verapamil and/or disopyramide. Recently, a novel class of drugs, the allosteric inhibitors of the cardiac-specific myosin head adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), have been demonstrated to be effective in relieving the dynamic obstruction and related clinical condition.

Integrative Approaches in the Management of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Comprehensive Review of Current Therapeutic Modalities.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is often associated with left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction, which affects a substantial proportion of patients. This obstruction results from a range of anatomical abnormalities involving both the valvular and subvalvular structures. Pharmacological therapies play a pivotal role in the management of LVOT obstruction, with a range of drug classes exhibiting distinct mechanisms of action.

Resource and OUTcome Impact of routiNE availability of Computed Tomography Perfusion.

Aims: Stress computed tomography perfusion (Stress-CTP) is a functional technique added on top of coronary computed tomography angiography (cCTA) to improve the management of subjects with coronary artery disease (CAD). The ROUTINE-CTP Registry is a prospective study aimed at evaluating the impact of routine implementation of combined cCTA plus Stress-CTP for the assessment of patients with intermediate to high CAD risk or known CAD symptomatic for chest pain in a real-world setting.

Methods And Results: Data collected during follow-up included radiation exposure, reclassification rates between cCTA alone and cCTA with Stress-CTP, subsequent non-invasive testing, referral rates for invasive coronary angiography (ICA), prevalence of non-obstructive CAD at ICA, rates of revascularization, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE).

Right ventricular strain predicts outcome in patients receiving sacubitril/valsartan: A sub-analysis of DISCOVER-ARNI.

Aims: Angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI) have emerged as a pivotal medical treatment considerably improving the clinical outcome of patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Identifying individuals who stand to benefit the most from ARNI could markedly enhance patient management strategies. The aim of this sub-analysis of DISCOVER-ARNI register was to evaluate the prospective prognostic significance of speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) parameters in patients undergoing ARNI therapy.

Intersections and Challenges in the Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome and Stroke: Pathophysiology, Treatment Dilemmas, and Integrated Prevention Strategies.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and stroke are interconnected conditions that often share risk factors such as atherosclerosis, thrombosis, and systemic inflammation. When these events occur simultaneously, they present unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This review explores the pathophysiological mechanisms linking ACS and stroke, including common pathways like plaque instability, cardioembolism, and endothelial dysfunction, while highlighting the distinct features of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes.

Non-Anticoagulation Strategies Aimed at Primary Stroke Prevention in Nascent Atrial Fibrillation.

At its earliest appearance, atrial fibrillation (AF) is often unnoticed, asymptomatic, and/or merely device-detected. Widespread use of heart-rate monitoring technologies has facilitated such "nascent atrial fibrillation (nAF)" recognition. Consequently, clinicians face a growing number of patients affected by new-onset AF in the absence of a definite indication for anticoagulation due to several counterarguments: (1) a CHADS-VA score ≤ 1 in otherwise apparently healthy subjects; (2) an uncertain embolic/hemorrhagic benefit/risk ratio with anticoagulation; (3) EKG demonstration and confirmation of AF; and (4) existence of a pathogenic mechanism other than atrial hypercoagulability.

Predicting New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Review.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a condition characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy, with physiopathological remodeling that predisposes patients to atrial fibrillation (AF). The electrocardiogram is a basic diagnostic tool for evaluating heart electrical activity. Key electrocardiographic features that correlate with AF onset are P-wave duration, P-wave dispersion, and electromechanical delay in left atrium (LA).

Eligibility of Outpatients with Chronic Heart Failure for Vericiguat and Omecamtiv Mecarbil: From Clinical Trials to the Real-World Practice.

: Several drugs are emerging as potential therapeutic resources in the context of chronic heart failure (CHF), although their impact on daily clinical practice remains unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the theoretical eligibility for vericiguat and omecamtiv mecarbil (OM) in a real-world outpatient setting. : A cross-sectional observational study was conducted, enrolling all patients with CHF who had at least one visit between January 2023 and January 2024 in a dedicated outpatient clinic of a tertiary referral center.

CarDiac magnEtic Resonance for prophylactic Implantable cardioVerter defibrillAtor ThErapy in Non-Dilated Left Ventricular Cardiomyopathy: a sub-study from the DERIVATE registry.

Aims: Accurate risk stratification for patients with non-dilated left ventricular cardiomyopathy (NDLVC) remains challenging due to lack of dedicated clinical trials. This post hoc analysis aims to delineate the arrhythmic risk and assess the incremental value of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in the CarDiac magnEtic Resonance for prophylactic Implantable-cardioVerter defibrillAtor ThErapy (DERIVATE) study cohort meeting the NDLVC diagnostic criteria.

Methods And Results: Patients with NDLVC from the DERIVATE registry were identified in the absence of left ventricular (LV) dilatation and in the presence of non-ischaemic LV scarring ('fibrotic NDLVC') or isolated LV systolic dysfunction (LV ejection fraction < 50%) without fibrosis ('hypokinetic NDLVC').

How to perform and evaluate a myocardial perfusion imaging by computed tomography.

Stress computed tomography perfusion (CTP) delivers a comprehensive evaluation of both the anatomical and functional aspects in a single examination. It stands out as the only non-invasive technique capable of quantifying coronary stenosis and assessing its functional impact, offering a consolidated diagnostic and management approach for patients with confirmed or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). This very practical review ('How to.

Prognostic value of myocardial computed tomography-derived extracellular volume in severe aortic stenosis requiring aortic valve replacement: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Computed tomography (CT)-derived extracellular volume (ECV) fraction is a non-invasive method to quantify myocardial fibrosis. Evaluating CT-ECV during aortic valve replacement (AVR) planning CT in severe aortic stenosis (AS) may aid prognostic stratification. This meta-analysis evaluated the prognostic significance of CT-ECV in severe AS necessitating AVR.

Overcoming Resistance in Anderson-Fabry Disease: Current Therapeutic Challenges and Future Perspectives.

Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD) remains a therapeutic challenge despite advances in early diagnosis and the availability of enzyme replacement therapies (ERTs). While early initiation of therapy can mitigate disease progression, resistance mechanisms-such as the development of anti-drug antibodies-limit the efficacy of current treatments, particularly in patients with severe genetic variants. Chaperone therapy provides a targeted option for a subset of patients, yet significant gaps remain in treating those with complete enzyme deficiency.

Clinical parameters of death and heart failure hospitalization in biventricular systolic dysfunction assessed via cardiac magnetic resonance.

Aims: While factors associated with adverse events are well elucidated in setting of isolated left ventricular dysfunction, clinical and imaging-based prognosticators of adverse outcomes are lacking in context of biventricular dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to establish role of clinical variables in prognosis of biventricular heart failure (HF), as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods: Study cohort consisted of 840 patients enrolled in DERIVATE registry with coexisting CMR-derived right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, as defined by RV and LV ejection fractions ≤45 % and ≤ 50 %, respectively.