Hypertension in Syrian refugees: prevalence, awareness, and access to care in Denmark and Lebanon.

Background: Hypertension significantly contributes to global morbidity and mortality rates. Refugees are often exposed to significant risk factors that increase their chances of developing hypertension; however, the prevalence of hypertension among resettled refugees remains understudied. This study estimates and compares the prevalence of hypertension, levels of awareness, and access to care between two groups of Syrian refugees residing in humanitarian settings in Lebanon and Denmark.

Single-center perioperative management and 1-year heart transplantation outcomes for patients with adult congenital heart disease.

Background: Additional data are needed to define the optimal listing strategy and peri-transplant management for adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD). In this study, we evaluated the perioperative management and 1-year outcomes for 30 patients who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) for ACHD.

Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective case series of all patients who received an OHT at our institution for ACHD from January 1, 2017 through June 30, 2024.

The Wire Twisting/Locking Technique to Facilitate Precise PDA Stent Delivery in Neonates with Ductal-Dependent Pulmonary Blood Flow.

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) stenting is an established alternative to systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunts for neonates with ductal-dependent pulmonary blood flow, offering a less invasive approach. However, the procedure remains technically challenging and prone to complications. We evaluated the wire twisting/locking technique to improve precision and safety during PDA stenting.

Characteristics of left ventricular dysfunction in repaired tetralogy of Fallot: A multi-institutional deep learning analysis of regional strain and dyssynchrony.

Background: Patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF) are commonly followed with cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and frequently develop right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, which can be severe enough to impact left ventricular (LV) function in some patients. In this study, we sought to characterize patterns of LV dysfunction in this patient population using deep learning synthetic strain (DLSS), a fully automated deep learning algorithm capable of measuring regional LV strain and dyssynchrony.

Methods: We retrospectively collected cine steady-state free precession (SSFP) MRI images from a multi-institutional cohort of 198 patients with rTOF and 21 healthy controls.

Three-dimensional regional evaluation of right ventricular myocardial work from cine computed tomography: A pilot study.

Background: Evaluating regional variations in right ventricular (RV) performance can be challenging, particularly in patients with significant impairments due to the need for 3D spatial coverage with high spatial resolution. ECG-gated cineCT can fully visualize the RV and be used to quantify regional strain with high spatial resolution. However, strain is influenced by loading conditions.

Pulmonary Atresia with Intact Ventricular Septum, an Evolving Strategy in the Era of PDA Stenting: Single Center Experience.

Repair or palliation of pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA/IVS) often falls into one of 4 categories: cardiac transplant, 2-ventricular circulation, 1.5 ventricle circulation, or single ventricle circulation. The optimal management strategy has been an area of much debate.

3D regional evaluation of right ventricular myocardial work from cineCT.

Background: Regional myocardial work (MW) is not measured in the right ventricle (RV) due to a lack of high spatial resolution regional strain (RS) estimates throughout the ventricle. We present a cineCT-based approach to evaluate regional RV performance and demonstrate its ability to phenotype three complex populations: end-stage LV failure (HF), chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), and repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF).

Methods: 49 patients (19 HF, 11 CTEPH, 19 rTOF) underwent cineCT and right heart catheterization (RHC).

Valvular Heart Disease in Pregnancy.

Valvular heart disease is a common cause of peripartum cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The hemodynamic changes of pregnancy and their impact on preexisting valvular lesions are described in this paper. Tools for calculation of maternal and fetal risk during pregnancy are also discussed.

Adults with Congenital Heart Disease and Transplant: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy.

The rate of heart transplantation in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) is rising, but the 1-year mortality posttransplantation remains higher than non-ACHD patients. A robust pretransplant assessment and operative and postoperative planning can mitigate much of the perioperative risk. Importantly, ACHD patients who survive the first year have significantly better 10-year survival compared with non-ACHD patients.

Corrigendum to 'The role of sensitization in post-transplant outcomes in adults with congenital heart disease sensitization in adults with congenital heart disease', Int. J. Cardiol. Congenit. Heart Dis., , June 2022, 100384.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcchd.

Simultaneous Stenting With Edwards SAPIEN Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement.

Background: Prestenting of the landing zone for transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement (TPVR) with a balloon-expandable valve can dilate a stenotic right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), prevent paravalvar leak (PVL), and protect against conduit tear. Simultaneous stenting (SS) with the Melody valve has been described, but to our knowledge, SS with a SAPIEN valve has not been reported. We report our experience with this novel technique.

Priorities and Understanding of Pregnancy Among Women With Congenital Heart Disease: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Background: Many women with congenital heart disease (CHD) desire safe and successful pregnancies, but a significant proportion does not seek prepregnancy counseling.

Objectives: This study aims to distinguish the personal priorities and perceptions about pregnancy in this growing population.

Methods: Women aged 18 to 50 years with CHD were enrolled from 2 sites.

Metabolomic Profiles Differentiate Scleroderma-PAH From Idiopathic PAH and Correspond With Worsened Functional Capacity.

Background: The prognosis and therapeutic responses are worse for pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc-PAH) compared with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). This discrepancy could be driven by divergence in underlying metabolic determinants of disease.

Research Question: Are circulating bioactive metabolites differentially altered in SSc-PAH vs IPAH, and can this alteration explain clinical disparity between these PAH subgroups?

Study Design And Methods: Plasma biosamples from 400 patients with SSc-PAH and 1,082 patients with IPAH were included in the study.

The role of sensitization in post-transplant outcomes in adults with congenital heart disease sensitization in adults with congenital heart disease.

Introduction: The number of heart transplants in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) is increasing, though outcomes remain unfavorable compared to those without CHD. The etiology of this mortality difference remains uncertain. Panel reactive antibody (PRA) is a predictor of survival post-transplantation, and adult CHD patients have been observed to have higher PRA levels.

Transvenous laser lead extraction in patients with congenital complete heart block.

Background: Data on lead management in patients with congenital complete heart block (CCHB) with cardiac implantable electronic devices are lacking.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the natural history and outcomes in patients with CCHB with cardiac implantable electronic devices undergoing transvenous lead extraction (TLE).

Methods: Data on all attempted TLE procedures in patients with CCHB at 2 institutions between 2011 and 2021 were collected from a retrospective registry.

Epidemiology of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors among refugees and asylum seekers: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis assessing cardiovascular disease incidence and risk factors among refugees and asylum seekers.

Methods And Results: PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Embase databases were searched for studies in English from January 1, 1977, to March 8, 2020. Inclusion criteria were (1) observation of refugee history in participants; (2) diagnosis of CVD (coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, or CVD mortality) and risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, tobacco use, hyperlipidemia, obesity, psychosocial factors); (3) assessment of effect size and spread, (4) adjustment for sex; and (5) comparison with non-refugee migrants or natives.

Alcohol use is prevalent among adults with the fontan circulation but does not correlate with liver disease.

Background: Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of liver disease. There are limited studies on the epidemiology of alcohol use and its effects on Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD) in adulthood.

Methods: In this single-center prospective cohort study, patients were enrolled from the Fontan clinic between November 2019 and November 2020, excluding those with chronic hepatitis C or B.

Prevalence of Venovenous Shunting and High-Output State Quantified with 4D Flow MRI in Patients with Fontan Circulation.

Purpose: To assess the ability of four-dimensional (4D) flow MRI to quantify flow volume of the Fontan circuit, including the frequency and hemodynamic contribution of systemic-to-pulmonary venovenous collateral vessels.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with Fontan circulation were included from three institutions (2017-2021). Flow measurements were performed at several locations along the circuit by two readers, and collateral shunt volumes were quantified.

Selective Valve Removal for Melody Valve Endocarditis: Practice Variations in a Multicenter Experience.

Guidelines for management of Melody transcatheter pulmonary valve (TPV) infective endocarditis (IE) are lacking. We aimed to identify factors associated with surgical valve removal versus antimicrobial therapy in Melody TPV IE. Multicenter retrospective analysis of all patients receiving Melody TPV from 10/2010 to 3/2019 was performed to identify cases of IE.