Long COVID syndrome after SARS-CoV-2 survival in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients have a more severe COVID-19 course than the general population. Many patients report different persistent symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of our study is to analyze the prevalence of long COVID-19 symptoms and assess if COVID-19 affects pulmonary hypertension (PH) prognosis.

Outcomes of COVID-19 in patients vaccinated and unvaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 and suffering from pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Introduction: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) lead to progressive right heart failure. The mortality rates in PAH and CTEPH patients due to COVID‑19 are high, and vaccination against COVID‑19 is recommended in this group.

Objectives: We analyzed the incidence and outcomes of COVID‑19in the PAH/CTEPH patients for 2 years of the pandemic, as well as the predictors of worse outcomes of COVID‑19 in this group.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pulmonary Hypertension Patients: Insights from the BNP-PL National Database.

We aimed to evaluate the clinical course and impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the rate of diagnosis and therapy in the complete Polish population of patients (pts) with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH-1134) and CTEPH (570 pts) treated within the National Health Fund program and reported in the national BNP-PL database. Updated records of 1704 BNP-PL pts collected between March and December 2020 were analyzed with regard to incidence, clinical course and mortality associated with COVID-19. Clinical characteristics of the infected pts and COVID-19 decedents were analyzed.

COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: Safety Profile and Reasons for Opting against Vaccination.

The incidence of COVID-19 infection in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is similar to that in the general population, but the mortality rate is much higher. COVID-19 vaccination is strongly recommended for PAH/CTEPH patients. The aim of our cross-sectional study was to identify reasons why PAH/CTEPH patients refused vaccination against COVID-19.

Predictors of COVID-19 outcomes in adult congenital heart disease patients - anatomy versus function.

Background: It is unclear whether patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) should be considered as an increased risk population with poor outcomes when suffering from COVID-19.

Aims: This study aimed to collect clinical outcome data and to identify risk factors of a complicated course of COVID-19 among ACHD patients.

Methods: Among all outpatients who came to medical attention via telemedicine or direct physician contact at our institution between September 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, we included all with a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Fear of COVID-19, Anxiety and Depression in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension during the Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the physical and mental health of people around the world. This may be particularly true for patients with life-threatening diseases. We analyzed the level of fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S), the prevalence of anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D) in pulmonary arterial and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (PAH and CTEPH) patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Galectin-3 plasma levels in adult congenital heart disease and the pressure overloaded right ventricle: reason matters.

To assess galectin-3 (Gal-3) levels and their relationship with clinical status and right ventricular (RV) performance in adults with RV pressure overload of various mechanisms due to congenital heart disease. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Patients underwent clinical examination, blood testing and transthoracic echocardiography.

Morning blood pressure surge and markers of cardiovascular alterations in untreated middle-aged hypertensive subjects.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the degree of morning blood pressure surge (MBPS) and its relationship with markers of cardiovascular alterations in untreated middle-aged hypertensives. We studied 241 patients (mean age, 36.6 ± 10.

Relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and markers of cardiovascular alterations in never-treated hypertensive patients.

We addressed a question if there is a relationship between severity of newly diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and markers of cardiovascular alterations in middle-aged untreated hypertensive patients. In 121 consecutive patients with never-treated essential hypertension (mean age 35.9±10.

Influence of exercise training on left ventricular diastolic function and its relationship to exercise capacity in patients after myocardial infarction.

Background: The study's aim was to examine the effect of exercise training on left ventricular diastolic function (LVDF) and whether LVDF could predict an improvement in exercise capacity (EC) in post-myocardial infarction patients.

Methods: Forty-eight males, aged 56.4 +/- 7.

The risk of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia after percutaneous alcohol septal ablation in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Background: Percutaneous alcohol septal ablation (ASA) becomes an alternative option of treatment for symptomatic patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). The procedure relieves left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, but produces a myocardial scar in patients who already have a substrate for life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia.

Objectives: To examine the effect of ASA on the occurrence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (nsVT) on 24 h ambulatory Holter monitoring in HOCM patients.

Relationship between renal resistive index and early target organ damage in patients with never-treated essential hypertension.

The aim of our study was to evaluate renal resistive index (RI) value in never treated hypertensive patients in relation to ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM) values and early target organ damage. The study included 318 subjects: 223 patients with never treated essential hypertension (mean age 37.1 years) and 95 normotensive healthy subjects (mean age 37.

Left ventricular diastolic function assessed with cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging and exercise capacity in patients with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: In patients with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and preserved left ventricular (LV) systolic function, diastolic dysfunction is one of the major factors contributing to limited exercise capacity. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has become a useful tool in diagnosis, risk stratification and treatment monitoring in patients with HCM.

Aim: To assess the relationship between simple CMR parameters of LV diastolic function at rest and exercise capacity measured by means of cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a treadmill in patients with non-obstructive HCM and preserved LV systolic function.

Aortic regurgitation and unusual diastolic mitral regurgitation.

In patients with infective endocarditis affecting the aortic valve, a secondary involvement of subaortic structures may occur in a mechanism of direct extension or as a result of an infected jet of aortic regurgitation striking the ventricular surfaces of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa and the anterior mitral leaflet (AML). We present a 29-year-old male with infective endocarditis of the bicuspid aortic valve, who developed a secondary infection of the subaortic tissues complicated by a perforation of the AML. Echocardiographic examination revealed not only systolic, but also diastolic mitral regurgitation.

Dilated cardiomyopathy caused by LMNA mutations. Clinical and morphological studies.

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is familial in about 20-35% of patients. The most frequently encountered mutations associated with DCM are found in LMNA.

Aim: To define the frequency of LMNA mutations in a series of consecutive DCM patients and to evaluate the phenotype of mutation carriers.

[Thrombus or myxoma?].

A case of a 70 year old female with permanent atrial fibrillation and a history of stroke is presented. Echocardiography showed the presence of an oval mass in the left atrium which suggested thrombus or atrial myxoma. The patient underwent urgent cardiac surgery during which a long thrombus, originating from the left atrial appendage, was successfully removed.

[Which echocardiographically unrecognised complications of native aortic valve endocarditis may be found during operation?].

The aim of the study was to determine the type and localisation of complications of aortic valve endocarditis, that have not been recognised on transthoracic (TTE) and/or transesophageal (TEE) echocardiographic study. The echocardiographic findings were retrospectively compared and contrasted with direct surgical inspection in 156 consecutive adults operated on native aortic valve endocarditis in our institute during the last 8 years. We analysed recognition of abscess, pseudoaneurysm, fistula and cusp rupture.

Early and long-term results of non-surgical septal reduction in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Non-surgical septal reduction (NSMR) is a new method of treatment in patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). The long-term outcome of patients undergoing this procedure has not yet been well established.

Aim: To assess the short- and long-term results of NSMR in HOCM.

Familial dilated cardiomyopathy: evidence for clinical and immunogenetic heterogeneity.

Background: There is increasing awareness of the familial nature of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Mutations in the genes coding for cytoskeletal and sarcomere proteins have been identified. Phenotyping of familial DCM (FDCM) may help to improve genetic diagnosis.

[Influence of insertion-deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene on left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with aortic stenosis--differences in men and women].

Unlabelled: The role of different parameters (including genetic factors) on the timing and extend of left ventricle hypertrophy in patients with aortic stenosis is not defined. In our study we analyze the influence of clinical, echocardiographic parameters and I/D polymorphism of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene on the left ventricle hypertrophy (left ventricle mass index) in this group of patients. The study was done with the group of 302 pts with aortic stenosis--120 women and 182 men; mean age 58 +/- 11 yrs.