The safety of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors in patients with left ventricular assist device - a single center experience.

Aims: Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are used increasingly for patients with heart failure or chronic kidney disease to improve cardiac and renal outcomes. The use of these medications in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) is still limited and lacks evidence regarding the safety profile. In this study, we aimed to report our experience in treating 20 patients, supported by LVAD, with SGLT2 inhibitors.

[HEART TRANSPLANTATION: HUMORAL REJECTION - A CASE REPORT].

Allograft rejection is a major challenge in the treatment of heart transplant recipients. The rejection is pathophysiological categorized into cellular rejection, mediated by lymphocytes and antibody-medicated rejection (AMR). We will focus on this case report on AMR, mediated by recipient antibodies, directed against donor antigens on the allograft's vascular endothelium, mostly HLA-group antigens.

Self-care behaviours of patients with left ventricular assist devices in Israel: changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aims: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) support the hearts of patients with advanced heart failure. Following LVAD implantation, patients face a complex regimen of self-care behaviours including self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring and self-care management. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, symptoms of anxiety and depression may have interfered with their self-care.

Identification of protective biologic factors in patients with high cardiovascular risk, but normal coronary arteries (NormCorn).

Background: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have an important role in repair following vascular injury. Telomere length has been shown to be correlated with genome stability and overall cell health. We hypothesized that both EPCs and telomere size are related to protective mechanisms against coronary artery disease.

Combined mechanical circulatory support for ventricular fibrillation in left ventricular assist device patient.

Ventricular fibrillation, a life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia, may result in pulselessness, loss of consciousness and sudden cardiac death. In this case report, we describe our experience in managing a 54-year-old man with HeartMate3 left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as a bridge to transplantation due to dilated non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, presenting with incessant ventricular arrhythmia for 35 days despite multiple attempts to restore normal rhythm with external direct current cardioversion and anti-arrhythmic medications. The patient remained stable in ventricular arrhythmia with no progression to asystole, but hemodynamic collapse due to right heart failure occurred in the third week.

Improved immunogenicity following the third dose of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in heart transplant recipients.

Objectives: The immunogenicity of two-dose severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccine is lower among heart transplant (HTx) recipients, compared with the general population. Our aim was to assess the immunogenicity of a third-dose vaccine in HTx recipients.

Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of HTx recipients who received a third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine.

Metabolomic and microbiome profiling reveals personalized risk factors for coronary artery disease.

Complex diseases, such as coronary artery disease (CAD), are often multifactorial, caused by multiple underlying pathological mechanisms. Here, to study the multifactorial nature of CAD, we performed comprehensive clinical and multi-omic profiling, including serum metabolomics and gut microbiome data, for 199 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) recruited from two major Israeli hospitals, and validated these results in a geographically distinct cohort. ACS patients had distinct serum metabolome and gut microbial signatures as compared with control individuals, and were depleted in a previously unknown bacterial species of the Clostridiaceae family.

Six-months immunogenicity of BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in heart transplanted and ventricle assist device-supported patients.

Aims: To assess the 6 months immunogenicity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccine in a population of heart transplanted (HTx) recipients and left ventricular assist device (LVAD)-supported patients.

Methods And Results: A prospective single-centre cohort study of HTx recipients and LVAD-supported patients who received a two-dose SARSCoV-2 mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2, Pfizer-BioNTech). Whole blood for anti-spike IgG (S-IgG) antibodies were drawn at 6 months after the first vaccine dose.

Guidance on the management of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) supported patients for the non-LVAD specialist healthcare provider: executive summary.

The accepted use of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) technology as a good alternative for the treatment of patients with advanced heart failure together with the improved survival of patients on the device and the scarcity of donor hearts has significantly increased the population of LVAD supported patients. Device-related, and patient-device interaction complications impose a significant burden on the medical system exceeding the capacity of LVAD implanting centres. The probability of an LVAD supported patient presenting with medical emergency to a local ambulance team, emergency department medical team and internal or surgical wards in a non-LVAD implanting centre is increasing.

Natural History and Prognosis of Patients with Unrepaired Tricuspid Regurgitation Undergoing Implantation of Left Ventricular Assist Device.

We aimed to describe the natural history of left ventricular assist device (LVAD)-supported patients with preimplantation significant tricuspid regurgitation (TR) in a single-center retrospective analysis of LVAD-implanted patients (2008-2019). TR severity was assessed semiqualitatively using color-Doppler flow: insignificant TR (iTR) was defined as none/mild TR and significant TR (sTR) as ≥moderate TR. Included were 121 LVAD-supported patients of which 53% (n = 64) demonstrated sTR preimplantation.

Immunogenicity of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in heart transplant recipients - a prospective cohort study.

Aims: To assess the short-term immunogenicity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccine in a population of heart transplant (HTx) recipients. A prospective single-centre cohort study of HTx recipients who received a two-dose SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2, Pfizer-BioNTech).

Methods And Results: Whole blood for anti-spike IgG (S-IgG) antibodies was drawn at days 21-26 and at days 35-40 after the first vaccine dose.

Health-related quality of life in left ventricular assist device-supported patients.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the different health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) aspects in patients with both short-term and long-term duration LVAD support at pre-specified time intervals.

Methods And Results: We performed a single-centre HR-QoL analysis of short-term and long-term LVAD-supported patients using the short version of the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ-12) and the Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire along with a survey to evaluate patients' social and driving routines. Data were collected at baseline and at 6 or 12 month follow-up.

An 18-month comparison of clinical outcomes between continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to determine the comparative outcomes of patients supported with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs): HeartMate 2 (HM2), HeartWare (HW) and HeartMate 3 (HM3) in a real-world setting.

Methods: The study was an investigator-initiated comparative retrospective analysis of patients who underwent continuous-flow LVAD implantation at our institution between 2008 and 2017. The follow-up duration was 18 months after implantation.

Long-Term Outcomes of 560 Consecutive Patients Treated With Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation and Propensity Score-Matched Analysis of Early- Versus New-Generation Valves.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an established treatment for severe aortic stenosis in patients at high or prohibitive surgical risk. Nevertheless, long-term clinical and echocardiographic data are still lacking. We carried out an analysis of 560 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI at our institution from 2008 to 2016 to evaluate temporal changes in TAVI characteristics, predictors of 1-year and long-term outcomes, and to compare the performance of the early- and new-generation valve systems.

Aortic Valve Gradient and Clinical Outcome in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation for Severe Aortic Stenosis.

Objectives: To explore the relation between the baseline aortic valve gradient (AVG) as a continuous variable and clinical outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in general and specifically in patients with high-gradient aortic stenosis (AS).

Methods: We reviewed 317 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI at our institution. We investigated the relation between AVG as a continuous/categorical variable and outcome among all patients and in patients without low-flow low-gradient AS, using the Cox proportional hazard model adjusting for multiple prognostic variables.

Dynamic changes in left ventricular function after a percutaneous coronary intervention: prevalence, predictors, and prognosis.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence, identify predictors, and assess the prognostic implications of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) changes after an elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We included all consecutive patients who underwent elective PCI in our institution and were evaluated with echocardiography before and within 1 year of the procedure. Patients were grouped in terms of baseline LVEF.

Type of Atrial Fibrillation and Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: There are limited data available regarding the relationship between atrial fibrillation (AF) clinical type, oral anticoagulation (OAC) treatment, and clinical outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The study was designed to evaluate this relationship.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Rabin Medical Center TAVR registry, including 319 consecutive patients who underwent TAVR from 2008 to 2014.

Young patients with both type 1 diabetes mellitus and asthma have a unique IL-12 and IL-18 secretory pattern.

Background: The expression of the regulatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18 in patients with both Th1- and Th2-mediated diseases, type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and asthma, is unknown.

Objective: To investigate the in vivo and in vitro IL-12 and IL-18 secretion patterns in patients with both T1DM and asthma.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were collected from 44 patients.