The Automated Subcutaneous Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Screening in Patients With Leadless Pacemakers.

Background: The number of leadless pacemakers (LPMs) implantations has seen a major growth in recent years. Indications for LPMs often overlap with indications for subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (sICDs), as they are mostly recommended in patients in whom transvenous devices are deemed ineligible or contraindicated. Before sICD implantation, the patient should pass screening to verify the stability of QRS morphology in intrinsic and paced rhythms.

HLA-A29 Negative Birdshot-like Chorioretinopathy Associated with Vitiligo-Case Report.

A 54-year-old, one-eyed Caucasian male was admitted to the Ophthalmology Clinic due to a gradual deterioration of vision in the right eye for approximately two weeks. The patient denied any trauma or viral infection during this time. On the day of admission, the patient's best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the right eye was 0.

Is the last before-death alert remote monitoring transmission in patients with heart failure life-threatening?

Background: Remote monitoring (RM) of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) allows for a regular analysis of the occurrence of arrhythmias and functioning of the devices.

Aims: To date, no study investigated the characteristics of the alert-triggered ultimate transmissions before death, which was the aim of the present analysis.

Methods: Patients monitored remotely in our center, whose baseline characteristics were obtained from the COMMIT-HF Registry (NCT02536443) were analyzed and divided according to the occurrence of alert transmissions during the RM.

The impact of complications related to transvenous lead extraction on the 12-month prognosis: Insights from the SILCARD registry.

Background: Scant data exist on long-term outcomes, including death, in patients with complica-tions related to transvenous lead extractions (TLE).

Aims: We sought to characterize the population and examine the outcomes including risk factors for in-hospital complications and 12-month mortality and morbidity related to the complications in a large administrative database of patients undergoing TLE.

Results: From the database of patients hospitalized for cardiovascular diseases and included in the Silesian Cardiovascular Database (SILCARD) registry, we selected the admissions of those who underwent TLE according to the appropriate ICD-9 codes.

Impaired Brain Energy Metabolism: Involvement in Depression and Hypothyroidism.

Although hypothyroidism appears to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of depression, the impact of thyroid hormones on the bioenergetics of the adult brain is still poorly known. Since metabolic changes are reported to be a key player in the manifestation of depressive disorder, we investigated whether there are differences in selected metabolic markers in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY; an animal model of depression) compared to those of control Wistar rats and whether the induction of hypothyroidism by propylthiouracil (PTU) elicits similar effects in these animals or intensifies some parameters in the WKY rats. In our study, we used WKY rats as a model of depression since this strain exhibits lower levels of monoamines in the brain than control rats and exhibits behavioral and hormonal alterations resembling those of depression, including increased reactivity to stress.

Radiation therapy in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices.

Background: The number of patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) treated with radiation therapy (RT) as an oncological treatment is expected to increase.

Aims: The aim of the study was to assess whether cancer treatment with radiation therapy is associated with any device dysfunctions and device‑related threats in patients with CIEDs.

Methods: The risk of all patients with CIEDs undergoing RT was assessed according to guidelines.

Multicentre early experience with totally subcutaneous cardioverter-defibrillators in Poland.

Introduction: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) have a strong position in the prevention of sudden death. Nowadays, the most commonly used high-energy cardiac devices are transvenous ICDs. A new technology of totally subcutaneous ICDs (S-ICD) was invented and recently introduced into clinical practice in order to reduce lead-related complications of conventional ICDs.

Remote Supervision to Decrease Hospitalization Rate (RESULT) study in patients with implanted cardioverter-defibrillator.

Aims: The number of patients with heart failure (HF) and implantable cardiac electronic devices has been growing steadily. Remote monitoring care (RC) of cardiac implantable electronic devices can facilitate patient-healthcare clinical interactions and prompt preventive activities to improve HF outcomes. However, studies that have investigated the efficacy of remote monitoring have shown mixed findings, with better results for the system including daily verification of transmission.

Brain Metabolic Alterations in Rats Showing Depression-Like and Obesity Phenotypes.

Current data suggest an important role of brain metabolic disturbances in the pathogenesis of depression and obesity, diseases that frequently co-occur. Our aim was to determine whether there are changes in markers characterizing glucose metabolism in prenatal stress (PS; animal model of depression), in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD), and especially in the model of depression and obesity co-occurrence. The changes in glucose-6-phosphate, glycogen, glucose transporters (GLUT1, GLUT4), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R), and mitochondrial complexes levels in the frontal cortex and/or hippocampus were observed.

Inflammatory Consequences of Maternal Diabetes on the Offspring Brain: a Hippocampal Organotypic Culture Study.

Gestational diabetes is a disorder associated with abnormal chronic inflammation that poses a risk to the developing fetus. We investigated the effects of experimentally induced diabetes (streptozotocin model) in Wistar female rats on the inflammatory status of the hippocampi of their offspring. Additionally, the impact of antidiabetic drugs (metformin and glyburide) on inflammatory processes was evaluated.

Hypothalamic insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 levels in an animal model of depression and their effect on corticotropin-releasing hormone promoter gene activity in a hypothalamic cell line.

Background: In depression, excessive glucocorticoid action may cause maladaptive brain changes, including in the pathways controlling energy metabolism. Insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), besides regulation of glucose homeostasis, also possess neurotrophic properties. Current study was aimed at investigating the influence of prenatal stress (PS) on insulin, GLP-1 and their receptor (IR and GLP-1R) levels in the hypothalamus.

In-hospital and long-term prognosis in patients after implantation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy: 10-year results of the SILCARD registry.

Introduction During the last 20 years, there has been a considerable increase in the number of implanted implantable cardioverter‑defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices. However, there have been only single reports on clinical events, including rehospitalizations, in the long‑term follow‑up. Objectives We analyzed the baseline clinical characteristics, medical procedures used, and complications of patients with implantation of an ICD or CRT device.

Mitral Regurgitation in Dachshund Dogs without Heart Murmurs.

Introduction: Older small breed dogs are considered at risk for heart failure secondary to chronic mitral valve disease. However, few data are available on the onset of this disease in such dogs. This study was performed to determine if auscultation alone can be used to eliminate clinically relevant mitral valve regurgitation seen in echocardiography in Dachshund dogs.