Tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for severe symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Severe tricuspid regurgitation is associated with elevated morbidity and mortality. In recent years, tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) has emerged as a promising procedure for the treatment of this valvular disease. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness of T-TEER with optimized medical therapy (OMT) versus OMT alone for the treatment of severe tricuspid regurgitation.

The Genetic Puzzle of the Stress-Induced Cardiomyopathy (Takotsubo Syndrome): State of Art and Future Perspectives.

Takotsubo syndrome (TS), also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy, is classically characterized by an acute onset mimicking myocardial infarction and by distinctive transient wall motion abnormalities detectable via echocardiography, often resembling a Japanese octopus trap (the so-called "takotsubo"). The possibility that a genetic background may contribute to TS susceptibility emerged early, supported by several familial case reports. Despite a large number of investigations, no definitive genetic markers associated with TS risk have been conclusively identified.

Coronary Revascularization in Patients with Hemophilia and Acute Coronary Syndrome: Case Report and Brief Literature Review.

The current management of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia, is supported by small retrospective studies or expert consensus documents. Moreover, people with hemophilia are less likely to receive invasive treatments like percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for ACS compared to those without hemophilia, which could affect their cardiovascular outcomes. A multidisciplinary team with an expert hematologist is essential to properly define the therapeutic strategy, which should balance both the thrombotic and bleeding risks.

Procedural Impact of Advanced Calcific Plaque Modification Devices Within Percutaneous Revascularization of Chronic Total Occlusions.

Background: Significant calcifications within a coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) increase procedural complexity and the risk for complications. Expert consensus documents recommend the use of advanced calcific plaque modification devices (ACPMDs) for calcified CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), whereas data on their procedural impact are limited.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe trends, settings, and outcomes of PCI of severely calcified CTO performed with and without ACPMDs.

Effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors in patients with cancer and diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aims: Cardiovascular disease and cancer represent significant global health challenges. An overlap between oncology and cardiology is compounded by cancer therapies, which are known to have cardiotoxic effects. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), initially developed for treating diabetes, have shown promising cardiovascular benefits in non-cancer populations, particularly in preventing heart failure (HF) and reducing HF-related hospitalization and mortality in large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) across the spectrum of left ventricular ejection fraction.

Gastrointestinal Bleeding During Long-Term Left Ventricular Assist Device Support: External Validation of UTAH Bleeding Risk Score.

Background: Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is a common complication of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support. The UTAH bleeding risk score (UBRS) is the only dedicated GIB prediction model, but its efficacy has not been confirmed in an external validation cohort. Furthermore, the reliability of other bleeding risk scores, such as ARC-HBR and HASBLED, has never been tested in this specific population.

Genetic Background in Patients with Cancer Therapy-Induced Cardiomyopathy.

Emerging evidence indicates that specific genetic variants are associated with an increased risk of toxicity from anticancer treatments and cancer-related cardiovascular complications. These genetic factors influence drug metabolism, efficacy, and susceptibility to adverse effects. For cancer patients, the genetic background can have two major cardiovascular implications, namely therapy-related cardiotoxicity and cancer-related cardiovascular complications.

ANOCA, INOCA, MINOCA: The New Frontier of Coronary Syndromes.

The growing prevalence in the diagnosis of INOCA (Ischemia with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries), ANOCA (Angina with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries), and MINOCA (Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries) highlights the need to reassess their clinical relevance. Historically regarded as benign syndromes, emerging evidence suggests that these conditions may cause serious cardiovascular events and considerable long-term disability. Additionally, emerging studies suggest that non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) may have a higher prevalence compared to traditional obstructive forms of CAD.

Biomarkers for Congestion in Heart Failure: State-of-the-art and Future Directions.

Congestion in patients with heart failure (HF) predicts adverse outcomes and is a leading cause of hospitalisation. Understanding congestion mechanisms helps in HF management and underscores the importance of tailored therapies to treat vascular and tissue congestion, improving patient outcomes. In this setting, several tools are available to detect congestion.

Advancing Cardiovascular Diagnostics: The Expanding Role of CMR in Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has become a cornerstone in the diagnosis, risk stratification, and management of cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly heart failure (HF) and cardiomyopathies. Renowned as the gold standard for non-invasive quantification of ventricular volumes and ejection fraction, CMR delivers superior spatial and temporal resolution with excellent tissue-blood contrast. Recent advancements, including T1, T2, and T2* mapping, extracellular volume quantification, and late gadolinium enhancement, enable precise tissue characterization, allowing early detection of myocardial changes such as fibrosis, edema, and infiltration.

Elevated Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts Prognosis in Acute Myocarditis.

Background: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an easy-to-use inflammatory biomarker. Baseline NLR is independently associated with incident cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. However, whether this applies to acute myocarditis (AM) has not been evaluated.

Cardiovascular toxicity induced by TKIs in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia: Are women and men different?

Aims: Knowledge of the effects of sex in cardio-oncology is limited, particularly in patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). This study aims to evaluate the influence of gender differences on the incidence of cardiovascular toxicity in patients with CML.

Methods: The study population consisted of 148 patients (45% women, mean age: 58 ± 14.

The Impact of Triglyceride-Glucose (TyG) Index on Future Cardio and Cerebrovascular Events in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome, During 3 Years of Follow-Up.

The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a new alternative insulin resistance (IR) biomarker. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the TyG index can have a prognostic value in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Moreover, we wanted to compare the TyG index with HOMA index.

The ANOCA/INOCA Dilemma Considering the 2024 ESC Guidelines on Chronic Coronary Syndromes.

Cardiovascular disease remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and its manifestations continue to pose a challenge in clinical practice [...

Artificial intelligence in cardiology: a peek at the future and the role of ChatGPT in cardiology practice.

Artificial intelligence has increasingly become an integral part of our daily activities. ChatGPT, a natural language processing technology developed by OpenAI, is widely used in various industries, including healthcare. The application of ChatGPT in healthcare is still evolving, with studies exploring its potential in clinical decision-making, patient education, workflow optimization, and scientific literature.

Dysfunctional High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Coronary Artery Disease: A Narrative Review.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is traditionally viewed as protective against cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, emerging evidence reveals that dysfunctional HDL, characterized by impaired reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), reduced anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities and increased endothelial dysfunction, which can contribute to coronary artery disease (CAD). Dysfunctional HDL, resulting from oxidative modifications of Apolipoprotein A-1 (Apo A-1) and enzyme inactivation, fails to effectively remove cholesterol from peripheral tissues and may promote inflammation and atherosclerosis.

Prognosis of myocarditis stratified by initial clinical presentation: Does "intermediate" risk still play a role?

Background/aims: Myocarditis is an inflammatory disease with diverse clinical presentations. It is known that low-risk patients have a good prognosis compared to high-risk patients. There are few data regarding the prognosis of intermediate-risk patients.

Optimal Timing of Angiography-Guided Complete Revascularization of Non-Culprit Lesions in STEMI Patients with Multivessel Disease.

There are many questions regarding the optimal approach to treating non-culprit lesions in STEMI patients. Several questions still need to be answered, such as identifying the lesions to be revascularized and the optimal timing. We conducted a single-center analysis.

SGLT2 inhibitor therapy in patients with advanced heart failure and reduced ejection fraction.

Aims: Sodium-glucose cotransporter inhibitors (SGLT2-i) improve outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, evidence in patients with advanced HF is lacking. We aimed to determine the effect of SGLT2-i in advanced HFrEF compared to their effect on a non-advanced population.

Left Ventricular Deformation and Myocardial Work Parameters in Patients with Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis Treated with Patisiran: A Single-Center Study.

In recent years, many advances have been made in the treatment of hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv). Patisiran is a small-interfering RNA used to treat ATTRv with only polyneuropathy or polyneuropathy and cardiomyopathy. The aim of our study was to assess the effect of patisiran on cardiac function in ATTRv patients using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) analysis.

What happened to the left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy? to be or not to be: This is the question.

For several years, left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) was considered as a true cardiomyopathy and several definitions have followed one another. Particularly, LVNC was characterized by prominent left ventricular trabeculae separated from deep intertrabecular recesses. Several echocardiographic criteria and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) criteria have been used to diagnose LVNC, leading to overestimate the diagnosis of LVNC in patients with other diseases and/or physiological conditions.