Usefulness of the AHEAD score for prediction of all-cause death in patients with acute and chronic coronary syndromes.

Background: The AHEAD (A: atrial fibrillation; H: hemoglobin; E: elderly; A: abnormal renal parameters; D: diabetes mellitus) score was developed to predict all-cause death (ACD) in patients with heart failure. However, its predictive value for ACD compared to the CHADS score in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) remains unknown.

Methods: This retrospective multicenter cohort study analyzed data of the patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for acute (ACS) or chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) using the Clinical Deep Data Accumulation System (CLIDAS) database.

Incidental acute cholecystitis as a gateway to the diagnosis of AL cardiac amyloidosis.

Unlabelled: Amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis is characterized by the deposition of amyloid fibrils in various organs, although gallbladder involvement is rare. We present the case of a 62-year-old female patient initially diagnosed with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), who incidentally developed acute cholecystitis during her evaluation for HFpEF. Following a cholecystectomy, amyloid deposits were identified in the resected gallbladder.

Validation of N-Terminal Pro B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Threshold for Early Detection of Pre-Heart Failure in a General Japanese Population - Toon Health Study.

Background: An N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level above 125 pg/mL has been suggested as a universal marker for heart failure (HF). Furthermore, the Japanese Heart Failure Society (JHFS) advises follow-up when NT-proBNP exceeds 55 pg/mL, even if it remains below 125 pg/mL, for early HF detection. However, evidence supporting these thresholds remains limited.

Bilateral Venous Access for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in a Hemodialysis Patient With Cabozantinib-associated Heart Failure.

Background: Cabozantinib, a multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is widely used for the treatment of renal and hepatic cancers. While cabozantinib-associated cardiotoxicity is rare, it has been documented in several cases. In most instances, cancer therapeutics-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) is managed by discontinuing cabozantinib and initiating cardioprotective agents.

Impaired Left Atrial Reservoir Strain Causes Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension in Patients With Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction.

Purpose: Exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (EIPH), assessed using exercise stress echocardiography (ESE), is important in diagnosing early stage of heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (EF) and affects exercise tolerance and prognosis. Left atrial (LA) reservoir strain, which reflects the left ventricular filling pressure, is an associated factor with HF. This study aimed to investigate the association between the LA reservoir strain at rest and EIPH.

Role of a Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis in Predicting Anemia among Cardiovascular Disease Patients.

Objective Anemia frequently complicates cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is associated with high mortality rates. A bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a noninvasive method for measuring human body composition. A direct association between serum hemoglobin (Hb) levels and the extracellular water-to-total body water (ECW/TBW) ratio, as measured by a BIA in patients with diabetes, has been reported.

Retrieval of a dislodged leadless pacemaker: An example of the double-snare technique.

A video demonstration presents the retrieval of a dislodged leadless pacemaker using the double-snare technique. Sharing troubleshooting strategies in such cases is clinically important for managing rare pacemaker complications.

Safety and Efficacy of Imeglimin for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Patients With Heart Failure.

Background/aim: Imeglimin, a novel oral antidiabetic agent, was approved in 2021 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Phase III clinical trials demonstrated its safety and efficacy in managing T2DM. However, its safety profile in patients with heart failure has not been thoroughly evaluated in real-world clinical settings.

Severe restenosis after stentless treatment with coronary intravascular lithotripsy for calcified nodule lesions: a serial observation with IVUS.

An 82-year-old woman with a history of myocardial infarction presented with worsening effort angina. Coronary angiography (CAG) revealed 75% stenosis in the proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD), with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) identifying a severe calcified nodule near a previously implanted drug-eluting stent. The lesion was treated with intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) and a drug-coated balloon (DCB), avoiding left main crossover stenting.

Excessive supraventricular ectopic activity is a simple cutoff for predicting late recurrence of atrial fibrillation after ablation.

The relationship between post-ablation excessive supraventricular ectopic activity (ESVEA), a new marker for new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF), and late AF recurrence is uncertain. We enrolled 469 patients with AF who underwent initial radiofrequency catheter ablation and 24-h Holter monitoring the day after. Early AF recurrence (n = 57; 12%) and ESVEA (n = 242; 52%) were noted.

Remote dielectric sensing predicts elevated left atrial pressure in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: There are currently no established non-invasive indices of echocardiography for elevated left atrial pressure (LAP) especially in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Remote dielectric sensing (ReDS) is a novel non-invasive electromagnetic energy-based technology that quantifies total lung fluid, enabling the monitoring of volume status in patients with heart failure. The utility of ReDS for estimating LAP in patients with AF remains unknown.

Automated categorization of virtual reality studies in cardiology based on the device usage: a bibliometric analysis (2010-2022).

Aims: Currently, virtual reality (VR) constitutes a vital aspect of digital health, necessitating an overview of study trends. We classified type A studies as those in which health care providers utilized VR devices and type B studies as those in which patients employed the devices. This study aimed to analyse the characteristics of each type of studies using natural language processing (NLP) methods.

Premature atrial contraction immediately after catheter ablation was associated with late recurrence of atrial fibrillation.

Background: Although premature atrial contractions (PACs) just after catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) are common, their clinical significance is uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate whether the PAC burden after an initial CA for AF was associated with late recurrence.

Methods: We enrolled 346 patients with AF (median age, 65 years; 30% female; 57% with paroxysmal AF) who underwent an initial radiofrequency CA and a 24-h Holter monitoring the day after the procedure.

Transmediastinal, intrapericardial inferior vena cava approach based on anatomical landmarks for hepatectomy using total hepatic vascular exclusion.

Background: Total hepatic vascular exclusion (THVE) is an essential technique to control hemorrhage during surgical treatment of advanced liver tumors or injury. However, surgeons often have difficulty securing the intrapericardial inferior vena cava (IVC) because few reports have described the anatomy around the supra-diaphragmatic IVC or the techniques and surgical outcomes for this procedure. This study presents our safe and feasible intrapericardial IVC approach, which is based on anatomical landmarks, and reports the surgical outcomes of this procedure.

Left ventricular longitudinal strain is a major determinant of CT-derived three-dimensional maximum principal strain: comparison with two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography.

Computed tomography (CT)-derived three-dimensional maximum principal strain (MP-strain) can provide incremental value to coronary CT angiography for cardiac dysfunction assessment with high diagnostic performance in patients with myocardial infarction. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) measured using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is more sensitive than left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) for detecting early myocardial dysfunction. We aimed to compare CT-derived MP-strain with each of 2D-STE-derived strains (i.

Restricted left atrial dilatation can visually differentiate cardiac amyloidosis from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Aims: Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is an infiltrative myocardial disease that occasionally mimics hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The aim of this study is to investigate the discriminatory ability of visual assessment of left atrial (LA) function between CA and HCM on echocardiography.

Methods And Results: In total, 93 patients with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR)-confirmed HCM and 34 with cardiac biopsy-confirmed CA were retrospectively assessed.