Utilization of Intensive Care Units and Outcomes Based on Admission Wards in Cardiovascular Emergencies.

Background: Cardiovascular emergencies often require intensive care unit (ICU) management, but there is limited data comparing outcomes based on the admission ward.

Methods And Results: We analyzed data from the Japanese Registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Diseases Diagnosis Procedure Combination (JROAD-DPC) database (2016-2020) for 715,054 patients (mean age, 75.4±14.

A case report of cardiogenic shock due to tachycardic atrial fibrillation: a life-saving catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation and prone position during veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Background: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is vital for acute cardio-respiratory failure, but challenges persist sometimes in weaning. Prone positioning, beneficial in veno-venous extracorporeal oxygenation (VV-ECMO), is generally avoided in VA-ECMO patients because of the risks such as bleeding from the catheter insertion site and dislodging of the perfusion cannula or tracheal tube.

Case Summary: A 71-year-old male with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) presented with dyspnoea.

Early-pregnancy N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide level is inversely associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy diagnosed after 35 weeks of gestation.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are among the major causes of high maternal and fetal/neonatal morbidity and mortality rates. Patients with HDP have significantly elevated N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels at diagnosis; however, the NT-proBNP levels during early pregnancy are largely unknown. This study aimed to validate the association between HDP and NT-proBNP levels.

Frailty, Sarcopenia, Cachexia, and Malnutrition in Heart Failure.

With global aging, the number of patients with heart failure has increased markedly. Heart failure is a complex condition intricately associated with aging, organ damage, frailty, and cognitive decline, resulting in a poor prognosis. The relationship among frailty, sarcopenia, cachexia, malnutrition, and heart failure has recently received considerable attention.

Analyzing drilling noise in rotational atherectomy: Improving safety and effectiveness through visualization and anomaly detection using autoencoder-A preclinical study.

Background And Aims: As the population of aging societies continues to grow, the prevalence of complex coronary artery diseases, including calcification, is expected to increase. Rotational atherectomy (RA) is an essential technique for treating calcified lesions. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of the drilling noise produced during rotablation as a parameter for evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the procedure.

Predictive Performance of Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin, Liver Type Fatty Acid Binding Protein, and Cystatin C for Acute Kidney Injury and Mortality in Severely Ill Patients.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common condition in severely ill patients associated with poor outcomes. We assessed the associations between urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL), urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (uLFABP), and urinary cystatin C (uCysC) concentrations and patient outcomes.

Methods: We assessed the predictive performances of uNGAL, uLFABP, and uCysC measured in the early phase of intensive care unit (ICU) management and at discharge from the ICU in severely ill patients for short- and long-term outcomes.

A case of giant cell myocarditis mimicking cardiac sarcoidosis successfully maintained by prednisolone and tacrolimus.

Unlabelled: A 45-year-old woman with no medical history underwent pacemaker implantation for a symptomatic complete atrioventricular block. On day 6, she noticed diplopia and then fever, general malaise, and elevation of serum creatinine kinase (CK). She was transferred to our hospital on day 21.

Optimal Timing of Serial F-Fluoro-2-Deoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography after Prednisolone Treatment Introduction for Cardiac Sarcoidosis.

Immunosuppressive therapy with prednisolone (PSL) is the first-line treatment for cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), and F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is used to evaluate its efficacy to guide treatment. However, the appropriate timing of FDG-PET in CS remains unknown. This single-center, retrospective, observational study included 15 consecutive CS patients who underwent 3 serial FDG-PET scans (at baseline, in the early phase [1-2 months after PSL introduction], and in the late phase [≥ 5 months after PSL introduction with a maintenance dose of PSL]).

Rationale and design of the Biventricular Evaluation of Gliflozins effects In chroNic Heart Failure: BEGIN-HF study.

Aims: Sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) represent a unique class of anti-hyperglycaemic agents for type 2 diabetes mellitus that selectively inhibit renal glucose reabsorption, thereby increasing urinary excretion of glucose. Several studies have demonstrated the cardioprotective effects of SGLT-2i in patients with heart failure (HF), unrelated to its glucosuric effect. It is unclear whether the benefits of SGLT-2i therapy also rely on the improvement of left ventricular (LV) and/or right ventricular (RV) function in patients with HF.

Atrial fibrillatory wave amplitude revisited: A predictor of recurrence after catheter ablation independent of the degree of left atrial structural remodeling.

Background: The fibrillatory wave amplitude (FWA) during atrial fibrillation (AF) is thought to reflect structural atrial remodeling, but it remains unclear what determines the FWA.

Methods: 114 consecutive patients were prospectively studied who underwent catheter ablation of AF. The mean FWA was computed by automated surface ECG analyses.

Baseline Blood Pressure and Left Ventricular Reverse Remodeling in Dilated Cardiomyopathy with Spontaneous Mechanical Alternans.

Objective Spontaneous mechanical alternans (MA), or pulsus alternans, has been observed in heart failure patients with hypertension or tachycardia for 150 years and is considered a sign of a poor prognosis. However, in some dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients with MA, optimal medical therapy (OMT) brings left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR), a preferable prognostic indicator. This study examined the probability of LVRR in DCM patients with spontaneous MA and whether or not LVRR can be predicted by the baseline blood pressure or heart rate.

Last Entrainment Sequence: A Novel Diagnostic Technique for Atrial Tachycardia Mimicking Other Supraventricular Tachycardias.

Background: Adenosine-sensitive re-entrant atrial tachycardia (AT) originating from near the atrioventricular (AV) node or AV annulus resembles other supraventricular tachycardias (SVTs), and the differential diagnosis is sometimes challenging.

Objectives: This study sought to develop a novel technique to distinguish adenosine-sensitive re-entrant AT from AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT) and orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia (ORT).

Methods: The study retrospectively studied 117 re-entrant SVTs that were successfully entrained by atrial overdrive pacing (AOP) (27 adenosine-sensitive re-entrant ATs, 63 AVNRTs, 27 ORTs).

Paradigm shift in heart failure treatment: are cardiologists ready to use gliflozins?

Despite recent advances in chronic heart failure (HF) therapy, the prognosis of HF patients remains poor, with high rates of HF rehospitalizations and death in the early months after discharge. This emphasizes the need for incorporating novel HF drugs, beyond the current approach (that of modulating the neurohumoral response). Recently, new antidiabetic oral medications (sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i)) have been shown to improve prognosis in diabetic patients with previous cardiovascular (CV) events or high CV risk profile.

Haemodynamic effects of the nitroxyl donor cimlanod (BMS-986231) in chronic heart failure: a randomized trial.

Aims: Nitroxyl provokes vasodilatation and inotropic and lusitropic effects in animals via post-translational modification of thiols. We aimed to compare effects of the nitroxyl donor cimlanod (BMS-986231) with those of nitroglycerin (NTG) or placebo on cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Methods And Results: In a randomized, multicentre, double-blind, crossover trial, 45 patients with stable HFrEF were given a 5 h intravenous infusion of cimlanod, NTG, or placebo on separate days.

Temporal trends in mortality and readmission after acute heart failure: a systematic review and meta-regression in the past four decades.

Aims: Acute heart failure (AHF) is frequent and life-threatening disease. However, innovative AHF therapies have remained limited, and care is based on experts' opinion. Temporal trends and benefits of long-term oral cardiovascular medications on AHF outcomes remain uncertain.

Differences in pharmacological property between combined therapy of the vasopressin V2-receptor antagonist tolvaptan plus furosemide and monotherapy of furosemide in patients with hospitalized heart failure.

Background: Tolvaptan has been shown to improve congestion in heart failure patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacology and clinical efficacy of combined tolvaptan and furosemide therapy.

Methods: This study included 40 patients with systemic volume overload who were hospitalized for heart failure.

Clinical significance of arterial stiffness as a factor for hospitalization of heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction: a retrospective matched case-control study.

Background: Previous studies have been conducted to identify characteristics of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), but the risk factors of HFpEF remain unclear. We investigated the associations between arterial stiffness and the risk of hospitalization for HFpEF patients.

Methods: For the case group, we enrolled patients with preserved EF who had been hospitalized for HF from April 2013 to March 2015 and examined the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI).

One-Year Prognosis of Kidney Injury at Discharge From the ICU: A Multicenter Observational Study.

Objectives: The association between outcome and kidney injury detected at discharge from the ICU using different biomarkers remains unknown. The objective was to evaluate the association between 1-year survival and kidney injury at ICU discharge.

Design: Ancillary investigation of a prospective observational study.

A new educational program in heart failure drug development: the Brescia international master program.

: Despite recent advances in chronic heart failure treatment, prognosis of acute heart failure patients remains poor with a heart failure rehospitalization rate or death reaching approximately 25% during the first 6 months after discharge. In addition, about half of these patients have preserved ejection fraction for which there are no evidence-based therapies. Disappointing results from heart failure clinical trials over the past 20 years emphasize the need for developing novel approaches and pathways for testing new heart failure drugs and devices.

New-onset atrial fibrillation in critically ill patients and its association with mortality: A report from the FROG-ICU study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is associated with adverse outcome in critical illness, but whether this effect is independent from other risk factors remains uncertain. New-onset AFib during critical illness may be independently associated with increased in-hospital and long-term risk of death.

Methods: FROG-ICU was a prospective, observational, multi-centre cohort study designed to investigate the outcome of critically ill patients.