Accuracy of quality of life questionnaire as a diagnostic tool for SARS-CoV-2 pulmonary sequelae.

Background: Follow-up after hospital discharge of SARS-CoV-2 survivors represents a huge burden on the healthcare system. We attempt to assess the utility of symptoms and health-related quality of life questionnaire (SF-12) to identify SARS CoV2 pulmonary sequelae.

Methods: Prospective, non-interventional follow-up study.

Accuracy of quality of life questionnaire as a diagnostic tool for SARS-CoV-2 pulmonary sequelae.

Background: Follow-up after hospital discharge of SARS-CoV-2 survivors represents a huge burden on the healthcare system. We attempt to assess the utility of symptoms and health-related quality of life questionnaire (SF-12) to identify SARS CoV2 pulmonary sequelae.

Methods: Prospective, non-interventional follow-up study.

Debut of an unusual liver cirrhosis.

Secondary or metastatic cardiac tumors are about 20-40 times more common than primary benign or malignant cardiac tumors. Cardiac metastases are more frequent in carcinomas, they usually appear in patients over 50 years and the involvement by gender is similar. Any tumor can cause cardiac or pericardial metastasis, although isolated or combined tumor invasion of the pericardium is more common.

Cardiac Relapse of Acute Myeloid Leukemia after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Secondary or metastatic cardiac tumors are much more common than primary benign or malignant cardiac tumors. Any tumor can cause myocardial or pericardial metastasis, although isolated or combined tumor invasion of the pericardium is more common. Types of neoplasia with the highest rates of cardiac or pericardial involvement are melanoma, lung cancer, and breast and mediastinal carcinomas.

Drug-eluting stents in patients on chronic hemodialysis: paclitaxel-eluting stents vs. limus-eluting stents.

Background: Patients requiring chronic hemodialysis (HD) are at high risk for restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with bare metal stents. Outcome data on drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in HD patients are limited and suggest superiority of paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) over limus-eluting stents (LES).

Methods: In total, 218 consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled.

Clinical outcomes after treating acute coronary syndrome patients with a drug-eluting stent: results from REWARDS-EMI (Endeavor for Myocardial Infarction Registry).

Background: Drug-eluting stents have shown promising clinical results in the treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. We aimed to evaluate the long-term outcome of Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stent (EZES) implantation in an ACS population and to compare these results with those obtained in patients treated with sirolimus-eluting (SES) and paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES).

Methods: This prospective study included 1481 consecutive ACS patients (72% myocardial infarction, age 65 ± 13 years, 62% male) treated with a drug-eluting stent: (SES, n=925; PES, n=417; EZES, n=139).

The independent value of a direct stenting strategy on early and late clinical outcomes in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with direct stenting (DS) to balloon predilatation (PD) for patients undergoing elective PCI to determine whether there is an independent value for DS with regard to clinical outcomes.

Background: The safety of PCI with DS has been established, but the independent advantages of this technique are not entirely clear.

Methods: Patients undergoing elective PCI from January 2000 to December 2010 were included.

Utility of intravascular ultrasound guidance in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for type C lesions.

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of complex lesions (i.e., American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association class type C) remains challenging and the outcome may be compromised.

Impact of drug-eluting stents on distal vessels.

Background: Previous studies have not addressed vessel response >5 mm distal to the stent edge. Therefore, we investigated the impact of paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) versus bare metal stents (BMS) on distal vessels in the serial intravascular ultrasound substudies of TAXUS IV, V, and VI.

Methods And Results: TAXUS IV, V, and VI were double-blind, randomized, multicenter, controlled trials comparing PES with BMS.

Clinical outcomes and treatment after drug-eluting stent failure: the absence of traditional risk factors for in-stent restenosis.

Background: The optimal percutaneous treatment of drug-eluting stent (DES) in-stent restenosis (ISR) and the correlates for recurrent DES ISR remain unclear.

Methods And Results: From 2003 to 2008, 563 patients presenting with recurrent symptoms of ischemia and angiographic ISR after DES implantation were included. Of these, 327 were treated with re-DES (58.

Comparison of outcome of higher versus lower transvalvular gradients in patients with severe aortic stenosis and low (<40%) left ventricular ejection fraction.

Left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) is associated with poor outcome. This analysis was designed primarily to describe the clinical course of a large series of consecutive patients with severe AS and low ejection fraction (EF) (<40%) who, because of high surgical risk, were referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation consideration. A cohort of 270 patients with severe AS and low EF (<40%) who were referred to participate in a clinical trial of transcatheter aortic valve implantation was studied.

Outcome of percutaneous coronary intervention utilizing drug-eluting stents in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction.

Ischemic cardiomyopathy with depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is predictive of death after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), but its association with stent thrombosis (ST) and the need for repeat revascularization is less clearly defined. In total 5,377 patients undergoing PCI were retrospectively evaluated. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression and competitive outcome analysis were employed.

Association between bleeding severity and long-term mortality in patients experiencing vascular complications after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Vascular complications (VCs) occur in 3% to 8% of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs). However, only a portion of patients who experience VCs bleed significantly. The aim of this study was to assess the covariates associated with the amount of blood loss in patients experiencing postprocedural VCs as well as the effect of the degree of blood loss on long-term mortality.

Changes in mitral regurgitation after balloon aortic valvuloplasty.

The coexistence of mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) is not infrequent and has been associated with adverse outcome. The aims of this study were to evaluate the change in MR severity and to identify the correlates of MR improvement in patients with severe AS and moderate to severe MR who underwent balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV). Patients with severe AS and at least moderate MR who underwent their first BAV procedures (n = 74) were divided into 2 groups: patients with improved- (n = 34 [46%]) and those without improved (n = 40 [54%]) MR after BAV on transthoracic echocardiography.

Outcomes of coronary arterial perforations during percutaneous coronary intervention with bivalirudin anticoagulation.

Coronary perforation (CP) is a rare but catastrophic event that may be influenced by the procedural anticoagulation regimen. This study compared the consequences of CP in patients who underwent anticoagulation with bivalirudin (BIV; a nonreversible direct thrombin inhibitor with a shorter 1/2-life than heparin) to those in patients who underwent anticoagulation with heparin (HEP) at time of CP. Patients with CP were identified from 33,613 procedures available in our institutional angioplasty registry.

Comparison between Society of Thoracic Surgeons score and logistic EuroSCORE for predicting mortality in patients referred for transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Background: The primary inclusion criteria from both the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score and the logistic EuroSCORE are currently used to identify high-risk and inoperable patients eligible for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We aimed to examine the correlation between STS and logistic EuroSCOREs and their performance characteristics in patients referred for TAVI.

Methods: The study cohort consisted of 718 high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis who were considered for participation in a TAVI clinical trial.

Impact of smoking on acute phase outcomes of myocardial infarction.

Objectives: Previous studies have found an apparent paradox in smokers: acute phase outcomes after an acute myocardial infarction are superior to those of nonsmokers. Furthermore, it is reported that smoking has an impact on the metabolism of clopidogrel. This study aimed to examine whether this paradoxical finding exists in patients who undergo drug-eluting stent implantation and are treated with clopidogrel.

Non-invasive assessment of coronary artery bypass grafts and native coronary arteries using 64-slice computed tomography: comparison with invasive coronary angiography.

Introduction And Objectives: Although the diagnostic accuracy of CT in the non-invasive assessment of coronary arteries and grafts is known to be high, only a few studies have investigated the technique's reliability for the combined assessment of native coronary arteries, grafts, and vessels lying distal to anastomoses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 64-slice CT for assessing coronary grafts and native coronary arteries.

Methods: In the study, 64-slice CT was used to evaluate 36 patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery and had a clinical indication for angiographic graft assessment.