Interaction of risk of death and improvement in functional capacity after cardiac rehabilitation on Heart Failure prognosis.

Whether risk of death interacts with change in six-minute walking test (6MWT) distance after cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on heart failure (HF) prognosis is unknown. We studied 1,569 patients with HF admitted to six inpatient CR units. A 6MWT was performed at admission to and at discharge from CR.

Effects of Novel Nutraceutical Combination on Lipid Pattern of Subjects with Sub-Optimal Blood Cholesterol Levels.

: High concentration of plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is the predominant cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease progression and coronary heart disease. Nutraceutical combination together with a cholesterol-lowering action provides an alternative to pharmacotherapy in patients reporting intolerance to statins and in subjects with low cardiovascular risk. The effects on lipid parameters were evaluated over 6 months for a food supplement containing aqueous extract of and , fenugreek seed extract, water/ethanol extract of artichoke leaf and phytosterols from sunflower seeds (Ritmon Colesystem).

Retrograde benefit following mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair: medium- and long-term results from a single centre.

Aims: In patients with significant mitral regurgitation (MR), heart-lung interaction is decisive in defining symptoms and signs of heart failure. Little is known about the direct effects of mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (m-TEER) on pulmonary circulation and changes in lung congestion and function. This study directly evaluates, through the execution of pulmonary function tests, the mid- and long-term impact of m-TEER on lungs.

Serum Markers of Bone Turnover and Bone Remodeling in Children with Noonan Syndrome: Genotype-Phenotype Correlation.

Noonan syndrome (NS) is a genetic disorder characterized by distinctive craniofacial and skeletal features, short stature, mild to moderate developmental impairment, and multisystem involvement, notably affecting the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and endocrine systems. Although abnormalities of the bone matrix, as well as osteopenia and osteoporosis, are well recognized in individuals with NS and other RASopathies, the specific impact of RAS/MAPK pathway dysregulation on bone health remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone turnover and bone remodeling markers in a cohort of children with NS, to gain further insights into the bone status of these patients.

Retrospective Clinical Investigation into the Association Between Abnormal Blood Clotting, Oral Anticoagulant Therapy, and Medium-Term Mortality in a Cohort of COVID-19 Patients.

People affected by COVID-19 are exposed to abnormal clotting and endothelial dysfunction, which may trigger thromboembolic events. This study aimed at retrospectively investigating whether oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT), encompassing either direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), mainly apixaban, or the vitamin K antagonist (VKA) warfarin, could have impacted medium-term mortality in a cohort of SARS-CoV-2 patients. Among 1238 COVID-19 patients, hospitalized from 17 March 2020 to 15 June 2021, 247 survivors and 247 deceased within 90 days from hospitalization were matched 1:1 based on age, sex, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission within three days.

Prediction of mortality in heart failure by machine learning. Comparison with statistical modeling.

Background: Assessing the relative performance of machine learning (ML) methods and conventional statistical methods in predicting prognosis in heart failure (HF) still remains a challenging research field.

Methods: The primary outcome was three-year mortality. The following 5 machine learning approaches were used for modeling: Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting, Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Support Vector Machine, and Multilayer perceptron.

Cardioneuroablation for reflex syncope or functional bradyarrhytmias: new insight from a single center experience.

Background: Cardioneuroablation (CNA) is a new approach to treat reflex syncope and functional bradyarrhytmias caused by autonomic imbalance. We report our experience using CNA.

Method: From September 2022 to July 2023, we took care of 21 patients (mean age 42 ± 21 years; 62% male) affected by reflex syncope or functional bradyarrhythmias.

Functional limitation predicts mortality in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Background: While the prognostic value of six-minute walking test (6MWT) in patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction has been firmly established, there are few or no data correlating the distance walked during 6MWT (6MWD) with mortality in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) METHODS: We studied 482 patients with HFpEF who had been admitted to inpatients cardiac rehabilitation. The primary outcome was 3-year all-cause mortality. The association between 6MWD and the primary outcome was assessed using multivariable models.

Left atrial strain after paroxysmal atrial fibrillation linac-based cardiac radioablation in elderly population.

Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) may increase the risk of complication in aged patients. Stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation (STAR) is a non-invasive therapeutic alternative for cardiac arrhythmia. This sub-study evaluated left atrial strain (LAS) in elderly AF patients underwent STAR.

Clinical complexity of an Italian cardiovascular intensive care unit: the role of mortality and severity risk scores.

Aims: The identification of patients at greater mortality risk of death at admission into an intensive cardiovascular care unit (ICCU) has relevant consequences for clinical decision-making. We described patient characteristics at admission into an ICCU by predicted mortality risk assessed with noncardiac intensive care unit (ICU) and evaluated their performance in predicting patient outcomes.

Methods: A total of 202 consecutive patients (130 men, 75 ± 12 years) were admitted into our tertiary-care ICCU in a 20-week period.

Atrial Thrombosis Prevalence Before Cardioversion or Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Vitamin K Antagonists.

Left atrial or left atrial appendage thrombosis (LAT) is contraindicated for cardiac ablation (CA) or cardioversion (CV) of atrial fibrillation (AF). This study was aimed to compare the frequency of LAT detected by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) before CA or CV in patients with AF treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) or vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochran Library databases from inception through July 13, 2023 to select studies reporting data on LAT identification before CA or CV using TEE in patients with AF treated with DOACs or VKAs.

Incremental prognostic value of functional impairment assessed by 6-min walking test for the prediction of mortality in heart failure.

Natriuretic peptides (NP) are recognized as the most powerful predictors of adverse outcomes in heart failure (HF). We hypothesized that a measure of functional limitation, as assessed by 6-min walking test (6MWT), would improve the accuracy of a prognostic model incorporating a NP. This was a multicenter observational retrospective study.

Linear accelerator-based stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in elderly: a prospective phase II trial.

Aims: Stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation (STAR) is a novel therapeutic approach for cardiac arrhythmias. The aim of this trial is to investigate the feasibility of STAR for the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) in elderly patients.

Methods And Results: Inclusion criteria were age >70 years, symptomatic AF, antiarrhythmic drugs failure, or intolerance.

Prognostic Value of 6-Minute Walk Test in Advanced Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction.

There is limited evidence regarding the prognostic value of the 6-minute walk test for patients with advanced heart failure (HF). Accordingly, we studied 260 patients presenting to inpatient cardiac rehabilitation (CR) with advanced HF. The primary outcome was 3-year all-cause mortality after discharge from CR.

Functional outcome after cardiac rehabilitation and its association with survival in heart failure across the spectrum of ejection fraction.

Background: There is limited evidence regarding the effects of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Methods: We studied 1784 patients admitted to inpatient CR. The patients were grouped into HFpEF (EF≥0.

Cardiac Rehabilitation for Older Women with Heart Failure.

Background: the role that sex plays in impacting cardiac rehabilitation (CR) outcomes remains an important gap in knowledge. Methods: we assessed sex differences in clinical and functional outcomes in 2345 older patients with heart failure (HF) admitted to inpatient CR. Three outcomes were considered: (1) the composite outcome of death during the index admission to CR or transfer to acute care; (2) three-year mortality; (3) change in six-minute walking distance (6MWD) from admission to discharge.

SARS-CoV-2 antibody response after BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in healthcare workers: Nine-month of follow-up.

We collected sequential serum samples (0, 4, 12 weeks, 9 months) for the determination of S-RDB IgG levels from 103 vaccinated healthy subjects (age 45 ± 13 years; 60 women), in order to evaluate neutralizing antibody response against SARS-CoV-2 in healthy healthcare workers (HCWs) after the administration of two doses of BNT162b2 SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine. Every subject received two doses of mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech), 21 days apart (January-February 2021). Furthermore, antibody titer of 14 subjects who were hospitalized for symptomatic COVID-19 was evaluated.

Comparison of a full sternotomy with a minimally invasive approach for concomitant mitral and tricuspid valve surgery.

Objectives: The need for concomitant tricuspid surgery in patients who need mitral valve surgery casts doubt on its feasibility via a minimally invasive approach. Our goal was to evaluate the short-term outcomes of patients undergoing concomitant mitral and tricuspid valve surgery either with a standard full sternotomy (full-MTS) or a minimally invasive approach (mini-MTS).

Methods: The outcomes of patients who had combined mitral and tricuspid valve surgery in 11 centres were retrospectively evaluated.

Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation in Elderly: Worldwide Preliminary Data of LINAC-Based Stereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation Prospective Phase II Trial.

Unlabelled: Treatment approach for elderly patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is difficult. The present prospective phase-II trial evaluated LINAC-based stereotactic arrhythmia radioablation safety in this population. The reported data of the first 5 patients worldwide, showed no side effects, absence of AF episodes and without antiarrhythmic drugs.

Prognostic value of functional capacity after transitional rehabilitation in older patients hospitalized for heart failure.

Background: Poor functional status is highly prevalent among older patients hospitalized for HF and marks a downward inflection point in functional and prognostic trajectories. We assessed the prognostic value of 6-min walk test after transitional cardiac rehabilitation in older patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF).

Methods: We studied 759 patients aged ≥60 years who had been transferred to six inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRF) from acute care hospitals after a hospitalization for acute HF.