Ryanodine Receptor Glycation Favors Mitochondrial Damage in the Senescent Heart.

Background: Senescent cardiomyocytes exhibit a mismatch between energy demand and supply that facilitates their transition toward failing cells. Altered calcium transfer from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) to mitochondria has been causally linked to the pathophysiology of aging and heart failure.

Methods: Because advanced glycation-end products accumulate throughout life, we investigated whether intracellular glycation occurs in aged cardiomyocytes and its impact on SR and mitochondria.

F-FDG-PET/CT angiography in the diagnosis of infective endocarditis and cardiac device infection in adult patients with congenital heart disease and prosthetic material.

Objectives: Infective endocarditis (IE) and cardiac device infection (CDI) are a major complication in the growing number of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) reaching adulthood. We aimed to evaluate the added value of F-FDG-PET/CT angiography (PET/CTA) in the diagnosis of IE-CDI in adults with CHD and intravascular or intracardiac prosthetic material, in whom echocardiography (ECHO) and modified Duke Criteria (DC) have limitations because of the patients' complex anatomy.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted in a referral center with multidisciplinary IE and CHD Units.

Neurological damage after transcatheter aortic valve implantation compared with surgical aortic valve replacement in intermediate risk patients.

Background And Purpose: The risk of neurological damage following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) vs. surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in severe aortic stenosis patients deemed to be at intermediate surgical risk is unknown. In this target population, the degree of neurological damage was compared using brain diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) and cognitive testing.

Ischemic postconditioning of the isolated human myocardium: Role of the applied protocol.

Background: Ischemic postconditioning (IPostC), has been proposed as a useful approach to reduce infarct size in all species, but its clinical utility remains unclear.

Objective: To investigate the role played by the protocol used on the efficacy of IPostC in protecting the diseased human myocardium.

Methods: Myocardial atrial samples from patients were subjected to a 90 min ischemia/120 min reoxygenation followed by different IPostC protocols to investigate the role of the time of ischemia (30, 60, 90 and 120 s) and the number of cycles (1, 2, 3 and 4) with 60 and 120 s of total ischemic time.

Impact of new-onset persistent left bundle branch block on late clinical outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation with a balloon-expandable valve.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of new-onset persistent left bundle branch block (NOP-LBBB) on late outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Background: The impact of NOP-LBBB after TAVI remains controversial.

Methods: A total of 668 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI with a balloon-expandable valve without pre-existing LBBB or permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) were included.