Health-related quality of life and self-care in heart failure patients under telecare-insights from the randomized, prospective, controlled AMULET trial.

Introduction: The growing population of heart failure (HF) patients places a burden on the healthcare system. Patient-centered outcomes such as health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and self-care behaviors are key elements of modern HF management programs. Thus, optimized strategies to improve these outcomes are sought.

Physical Fitness Is Directly Related to Exercise Capacity and Ventilatory Response to Exercise in Men with HFrEF.

: Heart failure (HF) patients experience reduced functional fitness level (determining the performance of routine, daily activities) and diminished exercise capacity (linked to more effortful activities). : The aim of the study is to assess this relationship using functional fitness tests compared to peak VO2 and VE/VCO2 slope in the context of exercise capacity and ventilatory response to exercise. : A total of 382 men with stable HFrEF (age: 61 ± 10, NYHA class I/II/III/IV: 16/50/32/2%, LVEF: 30.

Outcomes for patients with implanted cardioverter-defibrillators admitted to the Emergency Department due to electrical shock during the pre-pandemic and COVID-19 era.

Background: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD)/cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillation (CRT-D) recipients may be susceptible to the arrhythmic effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Aims: We aimed to evaluate characteristics and outcomes of patients hospitalized for ICD/CRT-D shocks during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed medical records of patients hospitalized for ICD/CRT-D shock in the pre-pandemic (January 1, 2018-December 31, 2019) and pandemic periods (March 4, 2020-March 3, 2022).

Redox imbalance in patients with heart failure and ICD/CRT-D intervention. Can it be an underappreciated and overlooked arrhythmogenic factor? A first preliminary clinical study.

Redox imbalance and oxidative stress are involved in the pathogenesis of arrhythmias. They also play a significant role in pathogenesis of heart failure (HF). In patients with HFand implanted cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D), the direct current shocks may be responsible for additional redox disturbances and additionally increase arrhythmia risk.

Intravenous iron supplementation improves energy metabolism of exercising skeletal muscles without effect on either oxidative stress or inflammation in male patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Background: Skeletal muscle dysfunction is a feature of heart failure (HF). Iron deficiency (ID) is prevalent in patients with HF associated with exercise intolerance and poor quality of life. Intravenous iron in iron deficient patients with HF has attenuated HF symptoms, however the pathomechanisms remain unclear.

Atrioventricular synchronous leadless pacing: Micra AV.

Since the arrival of leadless pacemakers (LPs), they have become a cornerstone in remedial treatment of bradycardia and atrioventricular (AV) conduction disorders, as an alternative to transvenous pacemakers. Even though clinical trials and case reports show indisputable benefits of LP therapy, they also bring some doubts. Together with the positive results of the MARVEL trials, AV synchronization has become widely available in LPs, presenting a significant development in leadless technology.

Impact of assisted exercises on skeletal muscle oxygenation levels in men with acutely decompensated heart failure.

Background: The complex clinical status of modern day patients hospitalized due to acute heart failure (AHF) results from their advanced age, comorbidities, frailty, heart failure symptoms (including massive swelling of the lower limb), and dramatic reduction of exercise tolerance. Hence, there is a need to implement physiotherapeutic procedures as early as possible, aiming to both accelerate the restoration of clinical stabilization and prevent post-hospital disability.

Objectives: We investigated whether assisted lower limb exercises have an impact on perfusion and oxygenation in skeletal muscle and if they are feasible in patients with AHF.

Induction of Day-Time Periodic Breathing is Associated With Augmented Reflex Response From Peripheral Chemoreceptors in Male Patients With Systolic Heart Failure.

Spontaneous day-time periodic breathing (sPB) constitutes a common phenomenon in systolic heart failure (HF). However, it is unclear whether PB during wakefulness could be easily induced and what are the physiological and clinical correlates of patients with HF in whom PB induction is possible. Fifty male HF patients (age 60.

Implantation of a Leadless Pacemaker after Incomplete Transvenous Lead Extraction in a 90-Year-Old Pacemaker-Dependent Patient.

Transluminal lead extraction (TLE) is a well-established procedure for the removal of damaged or infected pacing systems. Despite its high efficacy, the procedure is associated with significant risks, some of which may contribute to severe life-threatening complications. Herein, we present the case of a 90-year-old female who was 100% pacemaker-dependent (PM-dependent) and had ventricular lead fragmentation after the TLE procedure.

Acute hyperoxia reveals tonic influence of peripheral chemoreceptors on systemic vascular resistance in heart failure patients.

Peripheral chemoreceptors' (PCh) hyperactivity increases sympathetic tone. An augmented acute ventilatory response to hypoxia, being a marker of PCh oversensitivity, was also identified as a marker of poor prognosis in HF. However, not much is known about the tonic (chronic) influence of PCh on cardio-respiratory parameters.

Effects of an outpatient intervention comprising nurse-led non-invasive assessments, telemedicine support and remote cardiologists' decisions in patients with heart failure (AMULET study): a randomised controlled trial.

Aim: Prevention of heart failure (HF) hospitalisations and deaths constitutes a major therapeutic aim in patients with HF. The role of telemedicine in this context remains equivocal. We investigated whether an outpatient telecare based on nurse-led non-invasive assessments supporting remote therapeutic decisions (AMULET telecare) could improve clinical outcomes in patients after an episode of acute HF during 12-month follow-up.

Simple demographic characteristics and laboratory findings on admission may predict in-hospital mortality in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection: development and validation of the covid-19 score.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) constitutes a major health burden worldwide due to high mortality rates and hospital bed shortages. SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with several laboratory abnormalities. We aimed to develop and validate a risk score based on simple demographic and laboratory data that could be used on admission in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection to predict in-hospital mortality.

Iron deficiency contributes to resistance to endogenous erythropoietin in anaemic heart failure patients.

Aims: Abnormal endogenous erythropoietin (EPO) constitutes an important cause of anaemia in chronic diseases. We analysed the relationships between iron deficiency (ID) and the adequacy of endogenous EPO in anaemic heart failure (HF) patients, and the impact of abnormal EPO on 12-month mortality.

Methods And Results: We investigated 435 anaemic HF patients (age: 74 ± 10 years; males: 60%; New York Heart Association class I or II: 39%; left ventricular ejection fraction: 43 ± 17%).

Rationale and design of the AMULET study: A new Model of telemedical care in patients with heart failure.

Aims: Heart failure (HF) is characterized by high mortality and hospital readmission rates. Limited access to cardiologists restricts the application of guideline-directed, patient-tailored medical therapy. Some telemedicine solutions and novel non-invasive diagnostic tools may facilitate real-time detection of early HF decompensation symptoms, prompt initiation of appropriate treatment, and optimal management of medical resources.

Oxygenation pattern and compensatory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia following bilateral carotid body resection in humans.

Key Points: Five years after bilateral carotid body resection (bCBR) performed in four patients, the absence of the hypoxic ventilatory response persisted, suggesting no compensatory regrowth. Breathing hypoxic gas mixtures (15% and 12%) results in a lower (by ∼10%) minimal blood oxygen saturation ( ) in bCBR patients compared to heart failure subjects (CHF) with intact peripheral chemoreceptors. After bCBR, patients were characterized by a greater short-term variability in during mild hypoxia in comparison to the CHF group.