Publications by authors named "Juan Carlos Lopez-Azor"
Background: The definition of early prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) remains controversial. This study aims to refine the definition of early PVE by analysing data from the Spanish endocarditis registry (Spanish Collaboration on Endocarditis).
Methods: From 2008 to 2022, 1305 consecutive cases of PVE were included.
Background: Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are an increasingly common cause of infective endocarditis (IE) and lack recent data from large studies.
Objectives: Our aim was to describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of staphylococcal IE in a contemporary nationwide cohort study, while comparing coagulase-negative staphylococcal IE (CoNSIE) to IE from Staphylococcus aureus (SAIE), and among IE caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis (SE), S. lugdunensis (SL), and other CoNS.
Clinical features and prognosis of prosthetic valve endocarditis due to Staphylococcus aureus.
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis
October 2024
Purpose: Staphylococcus aureus prosthetic valve endocarditis (SAPVE) is a serious infection with high mortality. The main objective of this study was to identify factors associated with in-hospital mortality.
Methods: From January 2008 to December 2021, consecutive patients from a Spanish cohort of infective endocarditis with a definitive diagnosis of SAPVE were analyzed.
Impact of natriuresis on worsening renal function during episodes of acute heart failure.
Rev Esp Cardiol (Engl Ed)
March 2025
Introduction And Objectives: Worsening renal function (WRF) is a frequent complication in acute heart failure (AHF) with a controversial prognostic value. We aimed to study the usefulness of natriuresis to evaluate WRF.
Methods: We conducted an observational, prospective, multicenter study of patients with AHF who underwent a furosemide stress test.
Article Synopsis
- Information on infective endocarditis (IE) caused by Cutibacterium spp. is scarce, and the effectiveness of new Duke-ISCVID criteria for diagnosis is still under study.
- A national study from 2008 to 2023 found that 1% of IE cases were caused by Cutibacterium, predominantly in men, leading to serious intracardiac complications and significant mortality rates.
- The new diagnostic criteria and molecular testing show promise for identifying Cutibacterium IE, highlighting the importance of cardiac surgery and device removal in reducing patient mortality.
Background: Management of patients with refractory congestion, is one of the most important challenges in the field of heart failure (HF). Diuretic therapy remains the most widely used therapy to achieve euvolemia. However, some patients experience fluid overload despite the use of high-dose diuretics and new strategies to overcome diuretic resistance are needed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAssessment of frailty before heart transplant (HT) is recommended but is not standard in most HT protocols. Our objective was to evaluate frailty at inclusion in HT list and during follow-up and to assess the influence of baseline frailty on prognosis. A prospective multicenter study in all adults included in the nonurgent HT waiting list.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction And Objectives: The impact of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on health care resource utilization (HCRU) and cost in heart failure (HF) patients is not well known. We aimed to compare outcomes, HCRUs and costs according to LVEF groups.
Methods: Retrospective, observational study of all patients with an emergency department (ED) visit or admission to a tertiary hospital in Spain 2018 with a primary HF diagnosis.
Article Synopsis
- - The LEONE-HT study investigates the poor heart transplant (HT) survival rates and the role of anti-HLA antibodies, which may cause cardiac allograft dysfunction in patients receiving heart transplants.
- - It involves a cohort of HT patients, comparing those with positive anti-HLA antibodies to those without, utilizing advanced assessment methods like imaging and immunological analyses to understand the extent of myocardial damage.
- - Ethical standards for the study are met, adhering to global guidelines, and findings will be shared through patient associations and registered on clinicaltrials.gov for transparency.
Article Synopsis
- - Telemonitoring using cardiac devices, like the HeartLogic algorithm from Boston Scientific, can enhance follow-up care for heart failure patients by tracking various health metrics, such as heart rate and physical activity.
- - The HeartLogic algorithm monitors factors such as nocturnal heart rate and thoracic impedance to predict serious health events, showing high sensitivity in detecting heart failure issues.
- - Despite promising detection abilities, the impact of HeartLogic on hospitalizations and mortality rates has not yet been confirmed in clinical trials, prompting a review of its functionality and real-world application.
Response by Caravaca Pérez et al to Letter Regarding Article, "Potential Role of Natriuretic Response to Furosemide Stress Test During Acute Heart Failure".
Circ Heart Fail
January 2022
Background: Poor natriuresis has been associated with a poorer response to diuretic treatment and worse prognosis in acute heart failure. Recommendations on how and when to measure urinary sodium (UNa) are lacking. We aim to evaluate UNa quantification after a furosemide stress test (FST) capacity to predict appropriate decongestion during acute heart failure hospitalization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: Sacubitril/valsartan is safe when initiated during hospitalization in a clinical trial setting. Its safety in real-life population is not stablished. We compared the initiation of sacubitril/valsartan during hospitalization in a non-selected population, in the PIONEER-HF trial, and in non-selected outpatients.
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