Incessant Pericarditis With Recurrent Cardiac Tamponade as the Manifestation of Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome Type II.

A 23-year-old man was admitted for acute pericarditis that evolved to cardiac tamponade and shock with need of emergent pericardiocentesis and inotropic support. Corticosteroid therapy was successful, but despite a gradual tapering, the patient relapsed. Incidentally, the patient developed hyperkalemia with hyponatremia.

Prognostic Value of Isolated Elevated Troponin I Levels in Patients without Acute Coronary Syndrome Admitted to the Emergency Department.

Background: Although non-ischemic troponin elevation is frequently seen in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED), consensus regarding its management is lacking.

Objectives: This study aimed to characterize patients admitted to the ED with non-ischemic troponin elevation and to identify potential mortality predictors in this population.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included ED patients with a positive troponin test result between June and July of 2015.

Long-Term Clinical and Hemodynamic Outcomes after Heart Transplantation in Patients Pre-Treated with Sildenafil.

Background: Elevated pulmonary vascular resistance remains a major problem for heart transplant (HT) candidate selection.

Objective: This study sought at assess the effect of pre-HT sildenafil administration in patients with fixed pulmonary hypertension.

Methods: This retrospective, single-center study included 300 consecutive, HT candidates treated between 2003 and 2013, in which 95 patients had fixed PH, and of these, 30 patients were treated with sildenafil and eventually received a transplant, forming Group A.

Real-world analysis of acute decompensated heart failure outcomes in Portugal.

Aims: In Portugal, in the last 5 years, no study has published recent data regarding outcomes of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). We aimed to determine the characteristics and outcomes of a large contemporaneous Portuguese cohort of ADHF patients admitted to our emergency department (ED).

Methods And Results: We conducted a retrospective, study of all 1024 patients admitted to our ED with a discharge diagnosis of ADHF from November 2016 to December 2017.

Going beyond classic echo in aortic stenosis: left atrial mechanics, a new marker of severity.

Background: There is limited information regarding left atrial (LA) mechanics in aortic valve stenosis (AS). We assessed LA mechanics in AS through speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) according to severity and prognosis.

Methods: We included 102 patients diagnosed with severe AS (sAS) and 80 patients with moderate AS (mAS), all with preserved ejection fraction and no coronary artery disease.

Left atrial mechanics in moderate mitral valve disease: earlier markers of damage.

While the impairment of left atrial (LA) mechanics in mitral valve disease is well known, the exact onset of reservoir, conduit, and contractile dysfunction in mitral stenosis (MS) and mitral regurgitation (MR) remains unclear. We aimed to clarify the LA deformation mechanics in patients with moderate mitral valve disease. We conducted a prospective observational study of 80 patients with moderate isolated MR, 80 patients with moderate isolated MS, and 64 age-matched controls without mitral valve disease.

Ischemic stroke in patients previously anticoagulated for non-valvular atrial fibrillation: Why does it happen?

Introduction: Oral anticoagulants have proved to be highly effective in preventing atrial fibrillation (AF)-related strokes. The occurrence of stroke despite oral anticoagulation is unexpected and little is known about the mechanisms responsible. The aim of this study was to assess possible mechanisms for stroke occurrence, such as poor treatment adherence and inappropriate dosage, in patients chronically anticoagulated for AF.

Pacemaker implantation in familial amyloid polyneuropathy: when and for whom?

Background: Despite the important role of cardiac pacing in preventing syncope and sudden cardiac death in familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP), we lack clear guidelines as to the ideal timing and indications for permanent pacemaker implantation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ideal timing for pacemaker implantation in FAP patients submitted to liver transplantation.

Methods: Retrospective study of 258 FAP patients submitted to liver transplantation between 1992 and 2012.

Patient-specific 3D printing simulation to guide complex coronary intervention.

The field of three-dimensional printing applied to patient-specific simulation is evolving as a tool to enhance intervention results. We report the first case of a fully simulated percutaneous coronary intervention in a three-dimensional patient-specific model to guide treatment. An 85-year-old female presented with symptomatic in-stent restenosis in the ostial circumflex and was scheduled for percutaneous coronary intervention.