Ferritin Levels on Hospital Admission Predict Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in Patients After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Prospective Observational Single-Center Study.

Aim: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major health concern in Western societies. Poor outcome after OHCA is determined by the extent of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Dysregulation of iron metabolism has prognostic relevance in patients with ischemic stroke and sepsis.

Incidence of ablation-induced esophageal lesions and gastroparesis in patients undergoing ablation index guided high power short duration atrial fibrillation ablation.

Introduction: Aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of ablation-induced endoscopically detected esophageal lesions (EDEL) and gastroparesis in patients undergoing high-power short-duration (HPSD) atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation using different target ablation index (AI) values.

Methods And Results: Consecutive patients undergoing AF ablation were included. Radiofrequency (RF) ablation was performed using HPSD ablation (50 W, target AI of 320 and 350 (group 1) and 380 (group 2) at posterior wall).

Proof of SARS-CoV-2 genomes in endomyocardial biopsy with latency after acute infection.

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has reached pandemic levels. Cardiovascular complications in COVID-19 have been reported frequently, however evidence for a causal relationship has not been established. This report describes the detection of SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes in a patient with symptoms of heart failure, in whom endomyocardial biopsy was investigated following a latency period of 4 weeks after the onset of pulmonary symptoms.

Detection of viral SARS-CoV-2 genomes and histopathological changes in endomyocardial biopsies.

Aims: Since December 2019, the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly throughout China and keeps the world in suspense. Cardiovascular complications with myocarditis and embolism due to COVID-19 have been reported. SARS-CoV-2 genome detection in the heart muscle has not been demonstrated so far, and the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain to be investigated.

Genetic polymorphism of the type A human natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR-A) gene contributes to the interindividual variability in the BNP system.

Aims: To analyse the contribution of recently described genetic polymorphisms in the human natriuretic peptide receptor (NPR-A) to the interindividual variability in the BNP system.

Methods And Results: We evaluated NT-proBNP in 402 subjects, including healthy controls (n=93), patients with acute coronary syndrome (n=194) and heart failure (n=115). Three polymorphic sites encoding six common haplotypes of the NPR-A receptor gene, including three haplotypes in the 5' region (CT11, CT10 and CT6) and three haplotypes in the 3' region (3-plus, 4-minus and 4-plus), were studied.

Image quality on dual-source computed-tomographic coronary angiography.

Multi-detector CT reliably permits visualization of coronary arteries, but due to the occurrence of motion artefacts at heart rates >65 bpm caused by a temporal resolution of 165 ms, its utilisation has so far been limited to patients with a preferably low heart rate. We investigated the assessment of image quality on computed tomography of coronary arteries in a large series of patients without additional heart rate control using dual-source computed tomography (DSCT). DSCT (Siemens Somatom Definition, 83-ms temporal resolution) was performed in 165 consecutive patients (mean age 64 +/- 11.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation.

Background: BNP and its N-terminal fragment NT-proBNP have proven to be of diagnostic and prognostic value in patients with valvular aortic stenosis. Data regarding those biomarkers in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (AR) are sparse. Thus it was the aim of the present study to evaluate the diagnostic and the long term prognostic value of NT-proBNP in patients presenting with AR.

Influence of sample type and storage conditions on soluble CD40 ligand assessment.

Background: Several studies have consistently shown that soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) concentrations are increased in patients with acute coronary syndromes and can serve as a biomarker for risk stratification. However, few data are available on preanalytic conditions that impact sCD40L values. Thus, the aim of our prospective study was to evaluate the impact of sampling techniques and storage conditions on sCD40L concentrations.

Diagnostic utility of new immunoassays for the cardiac markers cTnI, myoglobin and CK-MB mass.

Objectives: We investigated the diagnostic value of a new system, the Innotrac Aio! immunoassays for troponin, myoglobin and CK-MB, in 270 samples from patients with ACS, after bypass surgery (CABG) or with stable heart failure in comparison to the respective Roche assays.

Results: The values of the cardiac markers assessed by the respective assays correlated (cTnT/cTnI Rho = 0.94, myoglobin Rho = 0.

Relation of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide to progression of aortic valve disease.

Aims: Recently an elevation of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and its N-terminal fragment (NT-proBNP) in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and aortic regurgitation (AR) has been described. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relation of NT-proBNP values to the progression of aortic valve disease.

Methods And Results: One hundred and sixty-eight patients were included.