Correlation between donor-derived cell-free DNA and tissue gene expression in heart transplant patients undergoing for-cause endomyocardial biopsies.

Background: The introduction of donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) and the Molecular Microscope Diagnostic System (MMDx) is changing how we diagnose rejection following heart transplantation (HT). This study aims to assess the accuracy of dd-cfDNA in detecting rejection as identified by MMDx and histology, with a focus on determining an optimal dd-cfDNA threshold to improve diagnostic performance.

Methods: Single-center prospective study of HT recipients undergoing for-cause biopsies with paired MMDx results and dd-cfDNA levels.

Increasing Access: Reducing Referral Delay in Patients With Ambulatory Advanced HF.

Background: Referral to advanced heart failure care (AHFC) is advocated to ensure favorable outcomes, and it has been shown to improve prognosis and quality of life in patients at advanced stages of disease. Nevertheless, it may occur later than desired; the rate of eligible patients referred in a timely manner is unknown. We sought to describe the current state of referral for AHFC, highlight potential factors leading to delayed referral and discuss strategies to increase access to AHFC.

Long Term Efficacy and Safety of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Adult Congenital Heart Disease Patients: A Single Center Cohort Study.

Heart failure constitutes a major cause for morbidity amongst patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD). Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a recommended therapeutic measure for patients with heart failure. Data on the efficacy and safety of CRT amongst patients with ACHD is limited.

Pregnancy and cardiovascular outcomes among patients post Fontan surgery: a 25-year single-centre retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Data on the characteristics and outcomes of pregnancy and among patients with Fontan physiology are limited. We aimed to evaluate the immediate and long-term outcomes among these patients who were followed at our centre.

Methods: We included adult patients who had undergone Fontan surgery for congenital heart disease and were pregnant between 1994 and 2021.

Long-Term Outcomes and Characteristics Associated With Mortality of Adult Patients Post Fontan Surgery: 27-Year Single-Center Experience.

Data on the characteristics and long-term outcomes of patients who underwent Fontan surgery and surviving into adulthood are limited. We aimed to describe our center's long-term experience with this unique patient population. Included were adult patients who had undergone Fontan surgery and were followed up at our Adult Congenital Heart Disease clinic between the years 1994 and 2021.

Hemoglobin decline as a signal for hyperprolactinemia onset prior to prolactinoma diagnosis in hypogonadal men.

Background: Men harboring prolactinomas frequently suffer from central hypogonadism with secondary anemia. They present insidious and nonspecific symptoms of hypogonadism, making it difficult to diagnose the disease and determine its duration. The result is a delay in diagnosis, which may have harmful hormonal and metabolic consequences.

Outcomes of Redo Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement According to the Initial and Subsequent Valve Type.

Background: As transcatheter aortic valve (TAV) replacement is increasingly used in patients with longer life expectancy, a sizable proportion will require redo TAV replacement (TAVR). The unique configuration of balloon-expandable TAV (bTAV) vs a self-expanding TAV (sTAV) potentially affects TAV-in-TAV outcome.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to better inform prosthesis selection, TAV-in-TAV outcomes were assessed according to the type of initial and subsequent TAV.

Self-Reported Mental and Physical Measures in Adult Fontan Patients.

Introduction: The Fontan procedure is a palliative operation for patients with single functional ventricles, arising from a heterogeneous group of heart defects. There is a considerable gap in evidence regarding the self-reported physical and mental health of these patients surviving to adulthood. Methods and Results: We administered the PROMIS® Global Short Form (v 1.

Center Valve Preference and Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Insights From the AMTRAC Registry.

Background: Data on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using balloon-expandable valves (BEVs) or self-expandable valves (SEVs) as well as the impact of center valve preference on these outcomes are limited.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare outcomes of TAVR procedures using third-generation BEVs and SEVs stratified by center valve preference.

Methods: In a multicenter registry (n = 17), 13 centers exhibited valve preference (66.

Temporal Trends in the Characteristics, Treatment, and Outcomes of Conservatively Managed Patients With Non-ST Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome (from the ACSIS Registry 2000 to 2016).

Despite advances in percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), a subgroup of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients are still managed medically by a conservative approach. We sought to characterize a contemporary, large-scale, real-world cohort of ACS patients treated conservatively via pharmacological management, without PCI. Data was gathered from the ACS Israeli Survey (ACSIS) between 2000 and 2016, encompassing all consecutive patients admitted to cardiology wards with an ACS diagnosis.

Myocarditis after Covid-19 Vaccination in a Large Health Care Organization.

Background: Reports have suggested an association between the development of myocarditis and the receipt of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), but the frequency and severity of myocarditis after vaccination have not been extensively explored.

Methods: We searched the database of Clalit Health Services, the largest health care organization (HCO) in Israel, for diagnoses of myocarditis in patients who had received at least one dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech). The diagnosis of myocarditis was adjudicated by cardiologists using the case definition used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.