The burden of malnutrition & frailty in patients with coronary artery disease: An under-recognized problem.

Elderly patients with coronary artery disease have a high prevalence of frailty and malnutrition. Frailty syndrome is associated with poor outcomes in patients with myocardial infarction. There is a known overlap between frailty and malnutrition, yet these are two different entities.

Impact of malnutrition and frailty on mortality and major amputation in patients with CLTI.

Objectives: To understand the prevalence of malnutrition and its association with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) outcomes; to clarify the differential impact of revascularization methods on outcomes; to assess the ability of the CLTI Frailty Risk Score (CLTI-FRS) to predict adverse events in patients hospitalized with CLTI.

Background: Despite advances in the management of CLTI, a majority still undergo major amputation, and a minority heal within 6 months. There is a lack of validated assessment tools for the identification and management of frailty and malnutrition in these patients.

Door-to-balloon Time for ST-elevation MI in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Era.

In patients presenting with ST-elevation MI, prompt primary coronary intervention is the preferred treatment modality. Several studies have described improved outcomes in patients with door-to-balloon (D2B) and symptom onset-to-balloon (OTB) times of less than 2 hours, but the specific implications of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on D2B and OTB times are not well-known. This review aims to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on D2B time and elucidate both the factors that delay D2B time and strategies to improve D2B time in the contemporary era.

Outcomes Among Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Minimally Invasive Strategy Versus Conventional Strategy.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of TAVR technique on in-hospital and 30-day outcomes in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and reduced ejection fraction (EF).

Background: Patients with AS and concomitant low EF may be at risk for adverse hemodynamic effects from general anesthesia utilized in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) via the conventional strategy (CS). These patients may be better suited for the minimally invasive strategy (MIS), which employs conscious sedation.

The use of drug-coated balloons in the treatment of femoropopliteal and infrapopliteal disease.

While the field of endovascular interventions has evolved in the last decade, technological advancements have rendered drug-coated balloons (DCBs) to be the first line therapy for femoropopliteal artery disease. As the knowledge continues to advance, the application of DCB to the infrapopliteal segments as well as its role in in conjunction with plaque modification to minimize stent utilization, will be further elucidated.

The effect of spatial auditory landmarks on ambulation.

The maintenance of balance and posture is a result of the collaborative efforts of vestibular, proprioceptive, and visual sensory inputs, but a fourth neural input, audition, may also improve balance. Here, we tested the hypothesis that auditory inputs function as environmental spatial landmarks whose effectiveness depends on sound localization ability during ambulation. Eight blindfolded normal young subjects performed the Fukuda-Unterberger test in three auditory conditions: silence, white noise played through headphones (head-referenced condition), and white noise played through a loudspeaker placed directly in front at 135 centimeters away from the ear at ear height (earth-referenced condition).

The effect of hearing aids on postural stability.

Objectives/hypothesis: In the United States, falls are the leading cause of accidental deaths in adults aged over 65 years. Epidemiologic studies indicate that there is a correlation between hearing loss and the risk of falling among older people. The vestibular, proprioceptive, and visual systems are known to contribute to postural stability, but the contribution of audition to maintaining balance has not yet been determined.