Different profiles of advanced heart failure among patients with and without diabetes mellitus. Findings from the EPICTER study.

Aim: This work aims to compare the characteristics of advanced heart failure (HF) in patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and to determine the relevance of variables used to define advanced HF.

Patients And Methods: This cross-sectional, multicenter study included patients hospitalized for HF. They were classified into four groups according to presence/absence of advanced HF, determined based on general and cardiac criteria, and presence/absence of DM.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) as an Extension of the Physical Examination in Patients with Bacteremia or Candidemia.

Background: In general, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the first diagnostic test used for patients with bacteremia or candidemia and clinical signs of Infective Endocarditis (IE). Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) may be used in addition to physical examination for the detection of structural heart disease and valve abnormalities.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of POCUS for the detection of signs suggestive of IE, including vegetation, valvular regurgitation, structural heart disease, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and septic embolisms, in patients with bacteremia or candidemia.