When to set anticoagulant therapy in asymptomatic AF? looking for a cut-off duration.

The incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is progressively increasing, in line with the aging of the population and with the increase in chronic diseases. The care burden of the disease and above all to its consequences (i.e.

Slow Conduction Corridors and Pivot Sites Characterize the Electrical Remodeling in Atrial Fibrillation.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the progression of electrophysiological phenomena in a cohort of patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) and persistent atrial fibrillation (PsAF).

Background: Electrical remodeling has been conjectured to determine atrial fibrillation (AF) progression.

Methods: High-density electroanatomic maps during sinus rhythm of 20 patients with AF (10 PAF, 10 PsAF) were compared with 5 healthy control subjects (subjects undergoing ablation of a left-sided accessory pathway).

Predictors of fractional flow reserve/instantaneous wave-free ratio discordance: impact of tailored diagnostic cut-offs on clinical outcomes of deferred lesions.

Background: Patient-related and lesion-related factors may influence instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR)/fractional flow reserve (FFR) concordance, potentially affecting the safety of revascularization deferral.

Methods: Consecutive patients with at least an intermediate coronary stenosis evaluated by both iFR and FFR were retrospectively enrolled. The agreement between iFR and FFR at their diagnostic cut-offs (FFR 0.

An extracellular vesicle epitope profile is associated with acute myocardial infarction.

The current standard biomarker for myocardial infarction (MI) is high-sensitive troponin. Although powerful in clinical setting, search for new markers is warranted as early diagnosis of MI is associated with improved outcomes. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) attracted considerable interest as new blood biomarkers.

Prognostic incremental role of right ventricular function in acute decompensation of advanced chronic heart failure.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the additional prognostic value of echocardiography in acute decompensation of advanced chronic heart failure (CHF), focusing on right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and its interaction with loading conditions. Few data are available on the prognostic role of echocardiography in acute HF and on the significance of pulmonary hypertension in patients with severe RV failure.

Methods And Results: A total of 265 NYHA IV patients admitted for acute decompensation of advanced CHF (EF 22 ± 7%, systolic blood pressure 107 ± 20 mmHg) were prospectively enrolled.