Fuelling aortic stenosis: the integral role of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3-mediated glycolysis in Lp(a)-induced valve inflammation.

Aims: Calcific aortic valve disease is the most common valvular heart disease characterized by an inflammatory response in the leaflets followed by fibro-calcific remodelling of valvular interstitial cells (VICs). Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a well-recognized risk factor for CAVD, however the role of metabolism in driving Lp(a)-induced inflammation remains largely elusive. Therefore, we aim to investigate the role of Lp(a) in driving inflammatory and metabolic changes in VICs and examine how alterations in cellular metabolism can alter their inflammatory phenotype.

Anemia and Transfusion in Infective Endocarditis.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a severe condition characterized by a predominantly bacterial infection of the heart valves or endocardial surface, often leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Anemia is very common in patients with IE, which may be explained by factors such as chronic inflammation, hemolysis, kidney disease, and pre-existing iron deficiency. This review aimed to comprehensively examine the prevalence, causes, and clinical impact of anemia in IE patients and the role of blood transfusion in managing these patients.

Left Atrial Diverticula Detected on Cardiac CT in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Substudy of Mind the Heart.

Background: Left atrial (LA) diverticula are focal outpouchings of the LA wall and may increase ischemic stroke risk. We studied recurrent ischemic stroke in patients with acute ischemic stroke and LA diverticula detected on cardiac computed tomography.

Methods: We used data from a prospective cohort study of patients with acute ischemic stroke undergoing cardiac computed tomography acquired during the acute stroke imaging protocol.

Extreme phenotypes of the female athlete's heart: a sports-specific cardiac magnetic resonance imaging study.

Aims: Differentiating physiological exercise-induced cardiac remodelling (EICR) from pathology is challenging, especially in female athletes, where studies using state-of-the-art imaging techniques are lacking. We aimed to investigate extreme phenotypes of EICR in female elite athletes using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods And Results: Cross-sectional, multicentre study in female elite athletes using contrast-enhanced cardiac MRI.

Sex-specific performance of electrocardiographic criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy in elite athletes.

Background: In athletes, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) criteria based on electrocardiograms (ECGs) have been validated almost exclusively in men using echocardiography. Sex-specific cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) validation is lacking.

Objective: To evaluate ECG-LVH criteria against contrast-enhanced CMR in male and female elite athletes.