Multimodality Evaluation of Turner Syndrome With Right Ventricular Dilation and Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return.

Turner syndrome is a rare chromosomal abnormality in women that is caused by a partial or complete loss of one X chromosome and is often associated with a spectrum of congenital cardiac abnormalities, including cardiac shunts.  A 27-year-old woman with Turner syndrome was also found to have right ventricular dilation, partial anomalous pulmonary venous return, and possible atrial septal defect. She was scheduled for elective surgical repair.

Investigation of outcomes following transcatheter edge to edge repair of the mitral valve versus medical management alone in patients with cardiogenic shock and mitral regurgitation.

Study Objective: Assessing if Transcatheter Edge to Edge Repair (TEER) with Mitraclip™ in patients with moderate to severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and cardiogenic shock (CS) improves outcomes compared to medical management alone.

Design: A single-center, retrospective study was performed in an urban tertiary referral center.

Setting: Rush University Medical Center, United States.

Association between number of vasopressors and mortality in COVID-19 patients.

Study Objective: Study the clinical outcomes associated with the number of concomitant vasopressors used in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Design: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients admitted with COVID-19 to the intensive care unit (ICU) between March and October 2020.

Setting: Rush University Medical Center, United States.

A review of the impact, pathophysiology, and management of atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) have increased mortality and increased risk of stroke. Due to the heterogeneous nature of both disease processes, it is difficult to ascertain whether the diagnosis and progression of AF is the cause of deterioration or if it is a symptom of worsening heart failure. This presents physicians with a clinical conundrum of whether optimizing their heart failure will decrease the overall AF burden or if restoration of sinus rhythm is necessary to optimize patients with HFpEF.

Sex differences in trends and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction with mechanical complications in the United States.

Background: Mechanical complications (MC) are rare but significant sequelae of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Current data on sex differences in AMI with MC is limited.

Methods: We queried the National Inpatient Sample database to identify adult patients with the primary diagnosis of AMI and MC.

End-Of-Life Care for Patients With End-Stage Heart Failure, Comparisons of International Guidelines.

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic, debilitating condition associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic burden. Patients with end-stage HF (ESHF) who are not a candidate for advanced therapies will continue to progress despite standard medical therapy. Thus, the focus of care shifts from prolonging life to controlling symptoms and improving quality of life through palliative care ().

Clinical outcomes of COVID-19 infection in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

Introduction: Patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease may carry a higher risk for mortality from COVID-19. This study examined the association between individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease admitted for COVID-19 and their clinical outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients admitted with COVID-19 to Rush University System for Health (RUSH) to identify cardiovascular risk factors associated with increased mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; a composite of cardiovascular death, stroke, myocardial injury, and heart failure exacerbation).

Soluble Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor and Venous Thromboembolism in COVID-19.

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) contributes significantly to COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. The urokinase receptor system is involved in the regulation of coagulation. Levels of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) reflect hyperinflammation and are strongly predictive of outcomes in COVID-19.

Hyperdynamic left ventricular ejection fraction is associated with higher mortality in COVID-19 patients.

Study Objective: To compare the characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with a hyperdynamic LVEF (HDLVEF) to those with a normal or reduced LVEF.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Rush University Medical Center.

Prognostic value of HFPEF score in COVID-19.

Study Objective: This study sought to assess the predictive value of HFPEF score in patients with COVID-19.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Rush University Medical Center.

Echocardiographic predictors of mortality and morbidity in COVID-19 disease using focused cardiovascular ultrasound.

Background: Focused transthoracic echocardiography (fTTE) has emerged as a critical diagnostic tool during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing for efficient cardiac imaging while minimizing staff exposure. The utility of fTTE in predicting clinical outcomes in COVID-19 remains under investigation.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 2,266 hospitalized patients at Rush University Medical Center with COVID-19 infection between March and November 2020 who received a fTTE.

Cardiovascular findings on chest computed tomography associated with COVID-19 adverse clinical outcomes.

Study Objective: Chest computed tomography (chest CT) is routinely obtained to assess disease severity in COVID-19. While pulmonary findings are well-described in COVID-19, the implications of cardiovascular findings are less well understood. We evaluated the impact of cardiovascular findings on chest CT on the adverse composite outcome (ACO) of hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

The prognostic value of cardiac troponin for 60 day mortality and major adverse events in COVID-19 patients.

Background: The variability of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness severity has puzzled clinicians and has sparked efforts to better predict who would benefit from rapid intervention. One promising biomarker for in-hospital morbidity and mortality is cardiac troponin (cTn).

Methods: A retrospective study of 1331 adult patients with COVID-19 admitted to the Rush University System in Illinois, USA was performed.

Impact of pre-existing heart failure on 60-day outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Background: In the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic, patients with cardiovascular disease represent a vulnerable population with higher risk for contracting COVID-19 and worse prognosis with higher case fatality rates. However, the relationship between COVID-19 and heart failure (HF) is unclear, specifically whether HF is an independent risk factor for severe infection or if other accompanying comorbidities are responsible for the increased risk.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 1331 adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection between March and June 2020 admitted at Rush University System for Health (RUSH) in metropolitan Chicago, Illinois, USA.

COVID-19-associated takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

The novel COVID-19 has had an unprecedented and devastating spread internationally. COVID-19 infection can lead to a number of cardiovascular sequelae, including heart failure, which may portend worse clinical outcomes. Here, we report a rare case of a 57-year-old woman who developed acute left ventricular systolic dysfunction with apical ballooning consistent with takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM), and mixed cardiogenic and septic shock in the setting of COVID-19 disease.

Endocarditis Complicated by Severe Aortic Insufficiency in a Patient with COVID-19: Diagnostic and Management Implications.

A 38-year-old man presented with cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue. He was diagnosed with Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) as well as bacteremia. Imaging revealed a subaortic membrane with aortic valve endocarditis and severe aortic insufficiency.

Tropical Endomyocardial Fibrosis.

Tropical endomyocardial fibrosis is a common cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy worldwide, but is relatively rare in developed countries. We present a case of tropical endomyocardial fibrosis with right ventricular involvement initially mistaken as Ebstein's anomaly. We highlight the need for timely and accurate diagnosis to ensure appropriate management.

Sex Differences in Takotsubo Syndrome: A Narrative Review.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), or apical ballooning syndrome, is a transient and usually reversible form of cardiac dysfunction. It has classically been described in women with cardiac susceptibility when exposed to emotional or physical stress. Various hypotheses on the pathophysiology of TTS have been suggested, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown.

A Curious Case of Coronary Vasospasm with Cardiogenic Shock: Type 1 Kounis Syndrome Complicated by Eosinophilic Myocarditis.

Kounis syndrome is a rare but life-threatening form of coronary vasospasm, defined by the co-occurrence of acute coronary syndrome and hypersensitivity reaction. We present a case of refractory coronary vasospasm with aborted sudden cardiac arrest secondary to type 1 Kounis syndrome, which was complicated by eosinophilic myocarditis and cardiogenic shock. A 29-year-old Hispanic woman with history of vasospastic angina, presented with recurrent episodes of angina at rest.

Lactobacillus plantarum 299v Supplementation Improves Vascular Endothelial Function and Reduces Inflammatory Biomarkers in Men With Stable Coronary Artery Disease.

Rationale: A strong association has emerged between the gut microbiome and atherosclerotic disease. Our recent data suggest Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Lp299v) supplementation reduces infarct size in male rats. Limited human data are available on the impact of Lp299v on the vasculature.

Impact of DPP-4 inhibition on acute and chronic endothelial function in humans with type 2 diabetes on background metformin therapy.

Unlabelled: Cell culture and animal work indicate that dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibition may exert cardiovascular benefits through favorable effects on the vascular endothelium. Prior human studies evaluating DPP-4 inhibition have shown conflicting results that may in part be related to heterogeneity of background anti-diabetes therapies. No study has evaluated the acute response of the vasculature to DPP-4 inhibition in humans.

Dynamin-related protein 1 mediates low glucose-induced endothelial dysfunction in human arterioles.

Intensive glycemic regulation has resulted in an increased incidence of hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemic burden correlates with adverse cardiovascular complications and contributes acutely and chronically to endothelial dysfunction. Prior data indicate that mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to hypoglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction, but the mechanisms behind this linkage remain unknown.