Myocardial Infarction and Complete Heart Block in a Patient With Anomalous Origin of the Left Coronary Artery From the Pulmonary Artery (ALCAPA).

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital malformation. We present a case of an elderly patient with ALCAPA presenting with complete heart block and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction years after diagnosis and surgical correction. An 81-year-old female with a history of ALCAPA presented to the emergency department with chest pain and progressive mental deterioration.

Cardiotoxicity Induced by Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin in Gastric Cancer Treatment: A Rare Case of Cardiac Arrest and Cardiogenic Shock.

Introduction: Combination-based adjuvant chemotherapy utilising capecitabine and oxaliplatin is widely used in gastric cancer treatment. Rare but severe cardiac events such as prolonged QT, cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock can result from their use.

Case Description: A 45-year-old female with gastric adenocarcinoma was started on capecitabine-oxaliplatin chemotherapy one week before presenting to the emergency department with weakness.

Active Surveillance and Contact Precautions for Preventing Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Healthcare-Associated Infections During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Statistically significant decreases in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) occurred in Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals from 2007 to 2019 using a national policy of active surveillance (AS) for facility admissions and contact precautions for MRSA colonized (CPC) or infected (CPI) patients, but the impact of suspending these measures to free up laboratory resources for testing and conserve personal protective equipment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on MRSA HAI rates is not known.

Methods: From July 2020 to June 2022 all 123 acute care VA hospitals nationwide were given the rolling option to suspend (or re-initiate) any combination of AS, CPC, or CPI each month, and MRSA HAIs in intensive care units (ICUs) and non-ICUs were tracked.

Results: There were 917 591 admissions, 5 225 174 patient-days, and 568 MRSA HAIs.

Lack of correlation between standardized antimicrobial administration ratios (SAARs) and healthcare-facility-onset infection rates in Veterans Affairs medical facilities.

We detected no correlation between standardized antimicrobial administration ratios (SAARs) and healthcare facility-onset infection (HO-CDI) rates in 102 acute-care Veterans Affairs medical centers over 16 months. SAARs may be useful for investigating trends in local antimicrobial use, but no ratio threshold demarcated HO-CDI risk.

Healthcare-associated infections in Veterans Affairs acute-care and long-term healthcare facilities during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Objective: To assess the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) reported from 128 acute-care and 132 long-term care Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities.

Methods: We compared central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), ventilator-associated events (VAEs), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), methicillin-resistant (MRSA), and infections and rates reported from each facility monthly to a centralized database before the pandemic (February 2019 through January 2020) and during the pandemic (July 2020 through June 2021).

Results: Nationwide VA COVID-19 admissions peaked in January 2021.

Hospital coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health reporting: Lessons from validation of an automated surveillance tool to facilitate data collection.

A comparison of computer-extracted and facility-reported counts of hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients for public health reporting at 36 hospitals revealed 42% of days with matching counts between the data sources. Miscategorization of suspect cases was a primary driver of discordance. Clear reporting definitions and data validation facilitate emerging disease surveillance.

Association between infection testing results and decision to treat.

We sought to determine how often patients with a negative toxin enzyme immunoassay following a positive nucleic acid amplification test for infection (CDI) were treated for CDI in Veterans Affairs facilities. From October 2018 through March 2021, 702 (29.5%) of 2,374 unique patients with these test results were treated.

MitraClip for Secondary Mitral Regurgitation: Approach to the 2020 ACC/AHA Valvular Heart Disease Guidelines.

We describe the case of an 83-year-old man with a history of ischemic cardiomyopathy and severe secondary mitral regurgitation. This case highlights the role of transcatheter edge-to-edge repair with the MitraClip in the management of symptomatic functional mitral regurgitation in a surgically unfavorable patient. ().

Hemodynamic effects of left atrial appendage occlusion.

Background: Percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) devices have emerged as alternatives to anticoagulation for embolic stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). The left atrial appendage is known to produce vasoactive neuroendocrine hormones involved in cardiovascular homeostasis. The hemodynamic impact of LAA occlusion on cardiac function remains poorly characterized.

Effect of testing methods on incidence of infection rates in Veterans' Affairs medical centers.

Clostridioidesdifficile infection rates from 7 facilities that used nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) alone for 12 months then switched to NAAT plus toxin enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and reported the latter result for 12 months were compared to 70 facilities that used NAAT alone for all 24 months. There was no significant difference in rates between facility groups over the first 12 months (P = .21, linear regression), but we detected a decrease in rates for the facilities that changed to NAAT+EIA (P < .

Aortic Valve Calcification as a Predictor of Post-Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Pacemaker Dependence.

Background: Atrioventricular block requiring permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation is a common complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The mechanism of atrioventricular (AV) block during TAVR is not fully understood, but it may be due to the mechanical stress of TAVR deployment, resulting in possible injury to the nearby compact AV node. Aortic valve calcification (AVC) may worsen this condition and has been associated with an increased risk for post-TAVR PPM implantation.

Sudden death in a patient with long QT syndrome presenting with an epileptic phenotype.

Patients with epilepsy suffer from a higher mortality rate than the general population, a portion of which is not due to epilepsy itself or comorbid conditions. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a common but poorly understood cause of death in patients with intractable epilepsy and often afflicts younger patients. The pathophysiology of SUDEP is poorly defined but does not appear to be related to prolonged seizure activity or resultant injury.

A targeted assessment for prevention strategy to decrease infections in Veterans Affairs acute-care medical centers.

Objective: A guideline for the prevention of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in 127 Veterans Health Administration acute-care facilities was implemented in July 2012. Beginning in 2015, a targeted assessment for prevention strategy was used to evaluate facilities for hospital-onset healthcare-facility-associated CDIs to focus prevention efforts where they might have the most impact in reaching a reduction goal of 30% nationwide.

Methods: We calculated standardized infection ratios (SIRs) and cumulative attributable differences (CADs) using a national data baseline.

Molecular signatures of X chromosome inactivation and associations with clinical outcomes in epithelial ovarian cancer.

X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is a key epigenetic gene expression regulatory process, which may play a role in women's cancer. In particular tissues, some genes are known to escape XCI, yet patterns of XCI in ovarian cancer (OC) and their clinical associations are largely unknown. To examine XCI in OC, we integrated germline genotype with tumor copy number, gene expression and DNA methylation information from 99 OC patients.

Spectral analysis of heart rate variability predicts mortality and instability from vascular injury.

Background: Spectral analysis of continuous blood pressure and heart rate variability provides a quantitative assessment of autonomic response to hemorrhage. This may reveal markers of mortality as well as endpoints of resuscitation.

Methods: Fourteen male Yorkshire pigs, ranging in weight from 33 to 36 kg, were included in the analysis.

Leadless Cardiac Pacemakers: The Next Evolution in Pacemaker Technology.

Implantable pacemakers stand as a mainstay in our therapeutic arsenal, affording those suffering from advanced cardiac conduction system disease both an improved quality of life and reduced mortality. Annually, over 225,000 new pacemakers are implanted in the United States for bradyarrhythmias and heart block. The first implantable transvenous pacemakers appeared in 1965; they were bulky devices, hobbled by a short battery life, and a single pacing mode.

Minimally Invasive Closure of the Left Atrial Appendage: A Non-Pharmacologic Approach to Prevention of Stroke in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial Fibrillation's (AF) role in the pathogenesis of thromboembolic stroke has been well established, with estimates from trials of approximately 15-20% of all strokes in the U.S. Research shows more than 90% of atrial thrombi originate from the left atrial appendage (LAA).

Kaolin-based hemostatic dressing improves hemorrhage control from a penetrating inferior vena cava injury in coagulopathic swine.

Background: Retrohepatic inferior vena cava (RIVC) injuries are often lethal due to challenges in obtaining hemorrhage control. We hypothesized that packing with a new kaolin-based hemostatic dressing (Control+; Z-Medica, Wallingford, CT) would improve hemorrhage control from a penetrating RIVC injury compared with packing with standard laparotomy sponges alone.

Methods: Twelve male Yorkshire pigs received a 25% exchange transfusion of blood for refrigerated normal saline to induce a hypothermic coagulopathy.

Biochemical evidence of mild hepatic dysfunction identifies decompensated heart failure patients with reversible renal dysfunction.

Background: Differentiation of HF-induced renal dysfunction (RD) from irreversible intrinsic kidney disease is challenging, likely related to the multifactorial pathophysiology underlying HF-induced RD. In contrast, HF-induced liver dysfunction results in characteristic laboratory abnormalities. Given that similar pathophysiologic factors are thought to underlie both conditions, and that the liver and kidneys share a common circulatory environment, patients with laboratory evidence of HF-induced liver dysfunction may also have a high incidence of potentially reversible HF-induced RD.

Timing of hemoconcentration during treatment of acute decompensated heart failure and subsequent survival: importance of sustained decongestion.

Objectives: This study sought to determine if the timing of hemoconcentration influences associated survival.

Background: Indicating a reduction in intravascular volume, hemoconcentration during the treatment of decompensated heart failure has been associated with reduced mortality. However, it is unclear if this survival advantage stems from the improved intravascular volume or if healthier patients are simply more responsive to diuretics.

Estimation of oxygen consumption in elderly patients with aortic stenosis.

Background: Invasive evaluation of aortic stenosis requires measuring cardiac output. With the Fick equation, a measure of oxygen consumption (VO₂) is required. Standard equations for estimating VO₂ were derived in younger and healthier populations than the ones referred for possible transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio identifies a high-risk but potentially reversible form of renal dysfunction in patients with decompensated heart failure.

Background: Identifying reversible renal dysfunction (RD) in the setting of heart failure is challenging. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether elevated admission blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio (BUN/Cr) could identify decompensated heart failure patients likely to experience improvement in renal function (IRF) with treatment.

Methods And Results: Consecutive hospitalizations with a discharge diagnosis of heart failure were reviewed.

Comparison of invasive and noninvasive assessment of aortic stenosis severity in the elderly.

Background: Aortic valve area (AVA) in aortic stenosis (AS) can be assessed noninvasively or invasively, typically with similar results. These techniques have not been validated in elderly patients, where common assumptions make them most prone to error. Accurate assessment of AVA is crucial to determine which patients are appropriate candidates for aortic valve replacement.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with improvement in renal function during the treatment of decompensated heart failure.

Background: In the setting of acute decompensated heart failure, worsening renal function (WRF) and improved renal function (IRF) have been associated with similar hemodynamic derangements and poor prognosis. Our aim was to further characterize IRF and its associated mortality risk.

Methods And Results: Consecutive patients with a discharge diagnosis of congestive heart failure at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania were reviewed.