Global real-world data on Heart Failure with reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF): challenges in optimisation and sex disparities.

Background And Aims: Despite the advancements in the treatment of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), clinical inertia regarding the prescription of the four classes of guidelines-directed medical therapies (GDMT) remains prevalent. This study aims to assess how adherence and time of prescription to GDMT in HFrEF impact mortality. Additionally, it seeks to evaluate sex differences in prescription, and outcome.

Dobutamine stress cardiac magnetic resonance role in patients with anomalous aortic origin of coronary arteries.

Aims: Anomalous Aortic Origin of Coronary Arteries (AAOCA) is associated with myocardial ischaemia and sudden cardiac death, particularly in young athletes. Although inducible myocardial ischaemia investigation is generally recommended, there is no clear indication of the most appropriate stress test, as the ECG exercise stress test presents low diagnostic accuracy. Dobutamine-stress cardiac magnetic resonance (dsCMR) has been proposed as a promising diagnostic tool, but its application has been limited to paediatric populations.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance semi-automated threshold-based post-processing of right ventricular volumes in repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

Background: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is the gold-standard to estimate right ventricular (RV) volumes, which are key for clinical management of patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF). Semi-automated threshold-based methods (SAT) have been proposed for CMR post-processing as alternatives to fully manual standard tracing. We investigated the impact of SAT on RV analysis using different thresholds in rTOF patients.

When Paying Attention Pays Back: Missense Mutation c.1006G>A p. (Val336Ile) in Gene Causing Left Ventricular Hypertrophy and Conduction Abnormalities in a Caucasian Patient: Case Report and Literature Review.

cardiomyopathy is a rare genetic disorder that manifests early in life with an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. It harbors left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), ventricular pre-excitation and progressively worsening conduction system defects. Its estimated prevalence among patients with LVH ranges from 0.

Left ventricle diastolic vortex ring characterization in ischemic cardiomyopathy: insight into atrio-ventricular interplay.

Diastolic vortex ring (VR) plays a key role in the blood-pumping function exerted by the left ventricle (LV), with altered VR structures being associated with LV dysfunction. Herein, we sought to characterize the VR diastolic alterations in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) patients with systo-diastolic LV dysfunction, as compared to healthy controls, in order to provide a more comprehensive understanding of LV diastolic function. 4D Flow MRI data were acquired in ICM patients (n = 15) and healthy controls (n = 15).

"Interstitial fibrosis is associated with left atrial remodeling and adverse clinical outcomes in selected low-risk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy".

Background: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) extracellular volume (ECV) allows non-invasive detection of myocardial interstitial fibrosis, which may be related to diastolic dysfunction and left atrial (LA) remodeling in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). While the prognostic role of LGE is well-established, interstitial fibrosis and LA dysfunction are emerging novel markers in HCM. This study aimed to explore the interaction between interstitial fibrosis by ECV, LA morpho-functional parameters and adverse clinical outcomes in selected low-risk patients with HCM.

The use of dedicated long-axis views focused on the left atrium improves the accuracy of left atrial volumes and emptying fraction measured by cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Background: The use of apical views focused on the left atrium (LA) has improved the accuracy of LA volume evaluation by two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography. However, routine cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) evaluation of LA volumes still uses standard 2- and 4-chamber cine images focused on the left ventricle (LV). To investigate the potential of LA-focused CMR cine images, we compared LA maximuml (LAVmax) and minimum (LAVmin) volumes, and emptying fraction (LAEF), calculated on both standard and LA-focused long-axis cine images, with LA volumes and LAEF obtained by short-axis cine stacks covering the LA.