PET-CT Defined Micro-Vascular Dysfunction and Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy Risk Factors in Heart Transplant Recipients.

Microvascular dysfunction (MVD) is considered a form of cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), independently associated with poor prognosis after heart transplantation (HTX). It is unknown whether traditional risk factors for CAV are also applicable to MVD. We retrospectively analyzed factors associated with MVD in 94 HTX recipients who completed a PET scan after a normal baseline left heart catheterization excluding epicardial CAV.

Prediction of recurrent heart failure hospitalizations and mortality using the echocardiographic Killip score.

Aim: Examine the performance of a simple echocardiographic "Killip score" (eKillip) in predicting heart failure (HF) hospitalizations and mortality after index event of decompensated HF hospitalization.

Methods: HF patients hospitalized at our facility between 03/2019-03/2021 who underwent an echocardiography during their index admission were included in this retrospective analysis. The cohort was divided into 4 classes of eKillip according to: stroke volume index (SVI) < 35ml/m > and E/E' ratio < 15 > .

Successful conservative management of left ventricular assist device candidates.

Aims: Clinical trials comparing LVADs vs. conservative therapy were performed before the availability of novel medications or used suboptimal medical therapy. This study aimed to report that long-term stabilization of patients entering a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) programme is possible with the use of aggressive conservative therapy.

Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation to Facilitate Transcutaneous Mitral Valve Replacement in Critical Mitral Stenosis.

Biological mitral valve restenosis after replacement in rheumatic heart disease is a rare complication. This case illustrates venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to facilitate transcatheter mitral valve replacement in a patient with suprasystemic pulmonary pressure and cardiogenic shock with multiorgan failure secondary to critical mitral stenosis of a bioprosthetic valve.().

Repetitive milrinone therapy in ambulatory advanced heart failure patients.

Background: Advanced heart failure (HF) patients usually poorly tolerate guideline-directed HF medical therapy (GDMT) and suffer high rates of morbidity and mortality. The use of continuous inotropes in the outpatient settings is hampered by previous data showing excess morbidity. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of repetitive, intermittent, short-term intravenous milrinone therapy in advanced HF patients with an intention to introduce and up-titrate GDMT and improve functional class.

Intermittent inotropic therapy with levosimendan vs. milrinone in advanced heart failure patients.

Aims: Routine, intermittent inotropic therapy (IIT) is still applied in advanced heart failure (HF) patients either as a bridge to definitive treatment or as a mean to improve quality of life (QOL), despite limited evidence to support its' use. Given recent reports of improved QOL and reduced HF hospitalization, with levosimendan compared with placebo in advanced HF patients, we aimed to assess the effects of switching a small group of milrinone-treated patients to levosimendan. This was performed as part of a protocol for changing our ambulatory HF clinic milrinone-based IIT to levosimendan.

Echocardiographic Killip Classification.

Background: Although routine echocardiographic parameters such as ejection fraction are used to risk-stratify for death in patients referred for echocardiography, they have limited predictive value. The authors speculated that noninvasive hemodynamic echocardiographic data, assessing left ventricular filling pressure and output, stratified on the basis of the clinical Killip score, might have additive prognostic value on top of routine echocardiographic parameters. The authors created an echocardiographic correlate of this classification, using diastolic grade and stroke volume index (SVI) as indicators of pulmonary congestion and systemic perfusion, respectively, and evaluated the prognostic value of this correlate.

Correlation between CT-derived cardiac chamber volume, myocardial injury and mortality in acute pulmonary embolism.

Introduction: The release of troponin in patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is assumed to be secondary to elevated intracardiac chamber pressure. Since right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy does not develop in the acute setting, pressure overload correlates with chamber dilatation, causing myocardial injury. The aim of the present study was to investigate correlations between cardiac chamber volume, troponin and subsequent early mortality in patients with acute PE and refine risk stratification.

Outflow graft obstruction in patients with the HM 3 LVAD: A percutaneous approach.

Background: The use of the HeartMate 3 (HM3) left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is expanding. Despite being associated with lower rates of adverse events and increased survival, outflow graft obstruction (OGO) has been reported in patients with HM3. The incidence and best management of this serious complication remain unclear.

C-Reactive Protein Velocity and the Risk of New Onset Atrial Fibrillation among ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients.

Background: Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) was shown to be associated with an increased risk for new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI); however, the optimal time frame to measure CRP for risk stratification is not known.

Objectives: To evaluate the relation between the change in CRP over time (CRP velocity [CRPv]) and new-onset AF among STEMI patients treated with primary PCI.

Methods: We included 801 STEMI patients who underwent PCI between 2007 and 2017 and had their CRP measured with a wide range assay (wr-CRP) at least twice during the 24 hours after admission.

Diastolic function as an early marker for systolic dysfunction and all-cause mortality among cancer patients.

Background: Increased survival among active cancer patients exposes a wide range of side effects, including cardiotoxicity, manifested by systolic dysfunction and associated with morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis of subclinical function changes and cardiac damage is essential in the management of these patients. Diastolic dysfunction is considered common among cancer patients; however, its effect on systolic dysfunction or mortality is still unknown.

Cancer Therapeutics-Related Cardiac Dysfunction among Patients with Active Breast Cancer: A Cardio-Oncology Registry.

Background: Progress in the treatment of breast cancer has led to substantial improvement in survival, but at the cost of increased side effects, with cardiotoxicity being the most significant one. The commonly used definition is cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD), defined as a left ventricular ejection fraction reduction of > 10%, to a value below 53%. Recent studies have implied that the incidence of CTRCD among patients with breast cancer is decreasing due to lower doses of anthracyclines and low association to trastuzumab and pertuzumab treatment.

Familial history of heart disease and increased risk for elevated troponin in apparently healthy individuals.

Background: Family history of heart disease (FH-HD) is associated with an increase drisk of subsequent HD. High sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) is arecognized biomarker of myocyte injury even in HD free patients. We examined the association between FH-HD and hs-cTnT in apparently healthy individuals.

C-reactive protein velocity and the risk of acute kidney injury among ST elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing primary percutaneous intervention.

Background: Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) was shown to be associated with an increased risk for acute kidney injury (AKI) in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), however, the optimal time frame to measure CRP for risk stratification is not known. We evaluated the relation between the change in CRP over time (CRP velocity-CRPv) and AKI among STEMI patients treated with primary PCI.

Methods: We included 801 STEMI who presented between 2007 and 2017 and had their CRP measured with a wide range assay (wr-CRP) at least twice during the 24 h after admission.

Metabolic syndrome is associated to high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T elevation.

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-TnT) are associated with higher risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Our aim was to assess the relation between hs-TnT elevation and MetS in a general population sample.

Materials And Methods: Individuals participating in an annual health survey program between 2010 and 2016 were included in the study.

Usefulness of Global Longitudinal Strain for Early Identification of Subclinical Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients With Active Cancer.

Cardiotoxicity from cancer therapy has become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors. The most commonly used definition is cancer therapeutic related cardiac dysfunction defined as a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) reduction of >10%, to a value below 50%. However, according to the recent American and European Society of Echocardiography, global longitudinal strain (GLS) is the optimal parameter for early detection of subclinical left ventricular dysfunction.

Association of pre-admission statin therapy and the inflammatory response in ST elevation myocardial infarction patients.

Purpose: To demonstrate the possible association of statin therapy with C reactive protein (CRP) serial measurements in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients.

Materials And Methods: STEMI patients between 2008 and 2016 with available CRP data from admission were divided into two groups according to pre-admission statin therapy. A second CRP measurement was noted following primary coronary intervention (within 24 h from admission).