Soluble CD146 in the detection and grading of intravascular and tissue congestion in patients with acute dyspnoea: analysis of the prospective observational Lithuanian Echocardiography Study of Dyspnoea in Acute Settings (LEDA) cohort.

Objectives: To evaluate the potential of soluble cluster of differentiation 146 (sCD146) in the detection and grading of congestion in patients with acute dyspnoea.

Design: Subanalysis of the prospective observational Lithuanian Echocardiography Study of Dyspnoea in Acute Settings (LEDA) cohort.

Setting: Two Lithuanian university centres.

Risk Factors of Early Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence Following Electrical Cardioversion When Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Is Preserved.

Background and objectives: To identify clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory parameters that affect the early recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after restoring sinus rhythm (SR) by electrical cardioversion (ECV), and to determine whether left atrial (LA) strain, as a noninvasive indicator reflecting fibrosis, is associated with laboratory indicators affecting the development of fibrosis, interleukin 6 (IL-6) or tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). Materials and Methods: The study included 92 persistent AF patients who underwent elective ECV. The effective maintenance of SR was evaluated after 40 ± 10 days of ECV.

Biologically Active Adrenomedullin (bio-ADM) is of Potential Value in Identifying Congestion and Selecting Patients for Neurohormonal Blockade in Acute Dyspnea.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the role of biologically active adrenomedullin (bio-ADM) in congestion assessment and risk stratification in acute dyspnea.

Methods: This is a sub-analysis of the Lithuanian Echocardiography Study of Dyspnea in Acute Settings. Congestion was assessed by means of clinical (peripheral edema, rales) and sonographic (estimated right atrial pressure) parameters.

The association of biological sex and long-term outcomes in patients with acute dyspnea at the emergency department.

Background And Importance: Marked differences have been described between women and men in disease prevalence, clinical presentation, response to treatment and outcomes. However, such data are scarce in the acutely ill. An awareness of differences related to biological sex is essential for the success of clinical care and outcomes in patients presenting with acute dyspnea, the most frequent cause of emergency department (ED) admission.

Readmission following both cardiac and non-cardiac acute dyspnoea is associated with a striking risk of death.

Aims: Readmission and mortality are the most common and often combined endpoints in acute heart failure (AHF) trials, but an association between these two outcomes is poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to determine whether unplanned readmission is associated with a greater subsequent risk of death in patients with acute dyspnoea due to cardiac and non-cardiac causes.

Methods And Results: Derivation cohort (1371 patients from the LEDA study) and validation cohort (1986 patients from the BASEL V study) included acute dyspnoea patients admitted to the emergency department.

Differences between familial and sporadic dilated cardiomyopathy: ESC EORP Cardiomyopathy & Myocarditis registry.

Aims: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a complex disease where genetics interplay with extrinsic factors. This study aims to compare the phenotype, management, and outcome of familial DCM (FDCM) and non-familial (sporadic) DCM (SDCM) across Europe.

Methods And Results: Patients with DCM that were enrolled in the prospective ESC EORP Cardiomyopathy & Myocarditis Registry were included.

The Predictive Value of Tissue Doppler Indices for Early Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation After Electrical Cardioversion.

Purpose: Spectral tissue Doppler-derived E/e' ratio has been proposed as the best parameter for prediction of atrial fibrillation (AF). Relaxation and contraction are equivalent parts of a continuous cardiac cycle, where systolic and diastolic abnormalities have a variable contribution to the left ventricle (LV) failure. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the E/(e'xs') ratio is a better index than E/e' to predict AF recurrence and to determine the changes of spectral tissue Doppler indices 1 month after the electrical cardioversion (ECV).

Safety of diuretic administration during the early management of dyspnea patients who are not finally diagnosed with acute heart failure.

Objectives: Investigating whether it is safe or not to administrate diuretics to patients arriving at emergency departments in a stage of acute dyspnea but without a final diagnosis of acute heart failure.

Methods: We analyzed an unselected multinational sample of patients with dyspnea without a final diagnosis of acute heart failure from Global Research on Acute Conditions Team (France, Lithuania, Tunisia) and Basics in Acute Shortness of Breath Evaluation (Switzerland) registries. Thirty-day all-cause mortality and 30-day postdischarge all-cause readmission rate of treated patients with diuretics at emergency departments were compared with untreated patients by unadjusted and adjusted hazard and odds ratios.

The association of long-term outcome and biological sex in patients with acute heart failure from different geographic regions.

Aims: Recent data from national registries suggest that acute heart failure (AHF) outcomes might vary in men and women, however, it is not known whether this observation is universal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of biological sex and 1-year all-cause mortality in patients with AHF in various regions of the world.

Methods And Results: We analysed several AHF cohorts including GREAT registry (22 523 patients, mostly from Europe and Asia) and OPTIMIZE-HF (26 376 patients from the USA).

Multidisciplinary approach to rare primary cardiac sarcoma: a case report and review.

Background: Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma is a very rare and aggressive type of primary cardiac tumors. Most cardiac sarcomas result in rapid growth and quick death. According to different sources the median survival is typically 6 to 12 months.

Relationship of Natriuretic Peptides with Left Atrial Structure and Function within 1 Month after Electrical Cardioversion in Patients with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) despite the absence of heart failure is related to increased levels of natriuretic peptides (NPs). NPs have not been widely investigated in relation to left atrium (LA) function after sinus rhythm (SR) restoration and duration of AF. The aim of the study was to determine the changes of NPs levels and to define their relation with LA phasic function after electrical cardioversion (ECV).

The Cardiomyopathy Registry of the EURObservational Research Programme of the European Society of Cardiology: baseline data and contemporary management of adult patients with cardiomyopathies.

Aims: The Cardiomyopathy Registry of the EURObservational Research Programme is a prospective, observational, and multinational registry of consecutive patients with four cardiomyopathy subtypes: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), and restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM). We report the baseline characteristics and management of adults enrolled in the registry.

Methods And Results: A total of 3208 patients were enrolled by 69 centres in 18 countries [HCM (n = 1739); DCM (n = 1260); ARVC (n = 143); and RCM (n = 66)].

European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Long-Term Registry (ESC-HF-LT): 1-year follow-up outcomes and differences across regions.

Aims: The European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Long-Term Registry (ESC-HF-LT-R) was set up with the aim of describing the clinical epidemiology and the 1-year outcomes of patients with heart failure (HF) with the added intention of comparing differences between participating countries.

Methods And Results: The ESC-HF-LT-R is a prospective, observational registry contributed to by 211 cardiology centres in 21 European and/or Mediterranean countries, all being member countries of the ESC. Between May 2011 and April 2013 it collected data on 12 440 patients, 40.

What does the lay public know about heart failure? Findings from the Heart Failure Awareness Day Initiative.

Aim & Methods: One critical factor enhancing the implementation of successful diagnostic and therapeutic strategies into clinical practice is awareness among the lay public. We describe awareness in a contemporary, multinational convenience sample of subjects attending the Heart Failure Awareness (HFA) Day Initiatives in 2013.

Results: We analysed 2,438 subjects (Germany 33%, Lithuania 42%, Romania 8%, Slovenia 17%) : 53% were female, 58% were aged >60 years, 11% (had) worked in the medical sector, 82% heard about HF before.

Are hospitalized or ambulatory patients with heart failure treated in accordance with European Society of Cardiology guidelines? Evidence from 12,440 patients of the ESC Heart Failure Long-Term Registry.

Aims: To evaluate how recommendations of European guidelines regarding pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for heart failure (HF) are adopted in clinical practice.

Methods And Results: The ESC-HF Long-Term Registry is a prospective, observational study conducted in 211 Cardiology Centres of 21 European and Mediterranean countries, members of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). From May 2011 to April 2013, a total of 12,440 patients were enrolled, 40.

Organization of heart failure management in European Society of Cardiology member countries: survey of the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology in collaboration with the Heart Failure National Societies/Working Groups.

Aims: The aim of this document was to obtain a real-life contemporary analysis of the demographics and heart failure (HF) statistics, as well as the organization and major activities of the Heart Failure National Societies (HFNS) in European Society of Cardiology (ESC) member countries.

Methods And Results: Data from 33 countries were collected from HFNS presidents/representatives during the first Heart Failure Association HFNS Summit (Belgrade, Serbia, 29 October 2011). Data on incidence and/or prevalence of HF were available for 22 countries, and the prevalence of HF ranged between 1% and 3%.

Determinants of reduced tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion in patients with severe systolic left ventricular dysfunction.

Objective: Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is associated with poor exercise tolerance and prognosis, regardless of left ventricular (LV) function. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) is a non-invasive parameter of RV longitudinal function which can predict outcome in heart failure (HF) patients (pts). Our aim was to investigate the relation of TAPSE to clinical and echocardiographic parameters in severe LV dysfunction.

Congestive hepatopathy and hypoxic hepatitis in heart failure: a cardiologist's point of view.

In the setting of long-standing severe chronic heart failure, other organ systems are also involved. The liver is one of the organs that are very sensitive to haemodynamic changes. Differential diagnosis of the liver injury is extremely important in the cardiologist's clinical practice and calls for cardiologist's and hepatologist's collaboration because there are many other diseases that can affect the liver and mimic haemodynamic injury.

Characteristics and management of acute heart failure patients in a single university hospital center.

Objective: To evaluate the causes of acute heart failure, complications, management, and outcomes.

Material And Methods: A total of 200 patients with diagnosed de novo acute heart failure (27.5%) or worsening chronic heart failure (72.

The value of 99mTc-MIBI myocardial perfusion imaging in differentiation of heart failure conditioned by global left ventricular systolic impairment.

Objective: The global left ventricular systolic impairment with left ventricular dilatation can manifest due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy or ischemic heart disease and can present a similar clinical picture of severe heart failure. The aim of our investigation was to assess a differential diagnostic value of resting (99m)Tc-MIBI myocardial perfusion defects in evaluation of the etiology of heart failure.

Material And Methods: The data of 2D echocardiography, coronary angiography, and myocardial gated single photon emission computed tomography with (99m)Tc-MIBI investigation were evaluated in 43 patients with global left ventricular systolic impairment, characterized by left ventricular end-diastolic diameter of > or =65 mm and ejection fraction of < or =40%.

[Impact of a long-term complex rehabilitation on chronic fatigue and cardiorespiratory parameters in patients with chronic heart failure].

Unlabelled: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a long-term rehabilitation on chronic fatigue and cardiorespiratory parameters in patients with chronic heart failure.

Material And Methods: One hundred seventy patients with class III-IV (NYHA) chronic heart failure were examined. The study population was divided into two groups: long-term rehabilitation group and control group.

[Evaluation of a chronic fatigue in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic heart failure].

The Aim Of The Study: To evaluate the chronic fatigue and its relation to the function of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III-IV chronic heart failure.

Material And Methods: A total of 170 patients with NYHA functional class III-IV chronic heart failure completed MFI-20L, DUFS, and DEFS questionnaires assessing chronic fatigue and underwent echocardiography. Blood cortisol concentration was assessed at 8:00 am and 3:00 pm, and plasma N-terminal brain natriuretic pro-peptide (NT-proBNP) concentration was measured at 8:00 am.

[Ischemic cardiomyopathy: possibilities of surgical treatment].

The high morbidity and mortality in patients with serious heart failure is a therapeutic challenge for current medicine. The leading cause of left ventricular dysfunction remains ischemic heart disease. Coronary artery bypass surgery is a treatment of choice in moderate-to-severe ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Effects of beta blockers on left ventricular diastolic function: the importance of optimal heart rate reduction.

Unlabelled: Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction is an important cause of heart failure in hypertensive heart disease. The aim of this study is to establish the effects of beta blockers on LV diastolic function and long axis motion in patients with arterial hypertension.

Methods: Sixty patients (aged 55 +/- 8 y) with mild-to-moderate arterial hypertension were treated with beta blockers for 12 weeks.

[Left ventricular remodeling in ischemic heart disease patients with signs and symptoms of chronic heart failure: an impact of the long-term exercise training].

Our study aimed at determining the effects of long-term exercise training on cardiorespiratory function and left ventricular remodeling in ischemic heart disease patients with the evidence of chronic heart failure, who had undergone a successful coronary angioplasty. One hundred thirty-five patients were entered into one-year study: 70 patients were assigned to the long-term exercise training group, and the remaining 65 persons--to the control group. All the patients were subjected to ergospirometry and echocardiography at study entry and at 6 and 12 months.