Authorship: From credit to accountability. Reflections from the Editors' Network.

The Editors' Network of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) provides a dynamic forum for editorial discussions and endorses the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) to improve the scientific quality of biomedical journals. Authorship confers credit and important academic rewards. Recently, however, the ICMJE emphasized that authorship also requires responsibility and accountability.

Authorship: From Credit to Accountability Reflections From the Editors´ Network.

The Editors´ Network of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) provides a dynamic forum for editorial discussions and endorses the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) to improve the scientific quality of biomedical journals. Authorship confers credit and important academic rewards. Recently, however, the ICMJE emphasized that authorship also requires responsibility and accountability.

Authorship: from credit to accountability. Reflections from the Editors' Network.

The Editors' Network of the European Society of Cardiology provides a dynamic forum for editorial discussions and endorses the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) to improve the scientific quality of biomedical journals. Authorship confers credit and important academic rewards. Recently, however, the ICMJE emphasized that authorship also requires responsibility and accountability.

Authorship: from credit to accountability. Reflections from the Editors' Network.

The Editors' Network of the European Society of Cardiology provides a dynamic forum for editorial discussions and endorses the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) to improve the scientific quality of biomedical journals. Authorship confers credit and important academic rewards. Recently, however, the ICMJE emphasized that authorship also requires responsibility and accountability.

Data Sharing: A New Editorial Initiative of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Implications for the Editors´ Network.

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides recommendations to improve the editorial standards and scientific quality of biomedical journals. These recommendations range from uniform technical requirements to more complex and elusive editorial issues including ethical aspects of the scientific process. Recently, registration of clinical trials, conflicts of interest disclosure, and new criteria for authorship -emphasizing the importance of responsibility and accountability-, have been proposed.

Data Sharing: A New Editorial Initiative of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Implications for the Editors´ Network.

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides recommendations to improve the editorial standards and scientific quality of biomedical journals. These recommendations range from uniform technical requirements to more complex and elusive editorial issues including ethical aspects of the scientific process. Recently, registration of clinical trials, conflicts of interest disclosure, and new criteria for authorship - emphasizing the importance of responsibility and accountability-, have been proposed.

Data Sharing: A New Editorial Initiative of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Implications for the Editors' Network.

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides recommendations to improve the editorial standards and scientific quality of biomedical journals. These recommendations range from uniform technical requirements to more complex and elusive editorial issues including ethical aspects of the scientific process. Recently, registration of clinical trials, conflicts of interest disclosure, and new criteria for authorship - emphasizing the importance of responsibility and accountability -, have been proposed.

Optimal duration of dual anti-platelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention: 2016 consensus position of the Italian Society of Cardiology.

Definition of the optimal duration of dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT) is an important clinical issue, given the large number of patients having percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the costs and risks of pharmacologic therapy, the consequences of stent thrombosis, and the potential benefits of DAPT in preventing ischaemic outcomes beyond stent thrombosis. Nowadays, the rationale for a prolonged duration of DAPT should be not only the prevention of stent thrombosis, but also the prevention of ischaemic events unrelated to the coronary stenosis treated with index PCI. A higher predisposition to athero-thrombosis may persist for years after an acute myocardial infarction, and even stable patients with a history of prior myocardial infarction are at high risk for major adverse cardiovascular events.

Echocardiographic evaluation of asymptomatic patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with increased mortality and morbidity because of accelerated atherosclerosis. The study assessed the prevalence of left and right ventricle diastolic and systolic dysfunction in outpatients with RA.

Methods: The study included 93 outpatients with RA.

Elastic properties of the ascending aorta in patients with α1-antitrypsin deficiency (Z homozygotes).

Objective And Design: α1-Antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a genetic disorder that may be a pathogenic factor in vascular aneurysms and dissection. The aim of this study was to measure the diameters of the Valsalva sinuses (VS), sinotubular junction (STJ), ascending aorta (AA) and aortic arch (AAr) and elastic properties of the AA (distensibility, stiffness and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI strain)) in AATD subjects.

Patients: 33 AATD subjects (all Z-homozygous, 17 male, 16 female) were examined.

Metabolic exercise test data combined with cardiac and kidney indexes, the MECKI score: a multiparametric approach to heart failure prognosis.

Objectives: We built and validated a new heart failure (HF) prognostic model which integrates cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) parameters with easy-to-obtain clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic variables.

Background: HF prognostication is a challenging medical judgment, constrained by a magnitude of uncertainty.

Methods: Our risk model was derived from a cohort of 2716 systolic HF patients followed in 13 Italian centers.

When oral anticoagulation therapy is needed in patients with cardiomyopathies: a review of literature.

The question whether to anticoagulate patients with cardiomyopathy or not is over 50 years old. Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated the superior therapeutic effect of warfarin compared with placebo in the prevention of thromboembolic events amongst patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. The purpose of our work is to review literature about the role of anticoagulation in the main cardiomyopathies.

Old and new intravenous inotropic agents in the treatment of advanced heart failure.

Inotropic agents are administered to improve cardiac output and peripheral perfusion in patients with systolic dysfunction and low cardiac output. However, there is evidence of increased mortality and adverse effects associated with current inotropic agents. These adverse outcomes may be ascribed to patient selection, increased myocardial energy expenditure and oxygen consumption, or to specific mechanisms of action.

Prevalence of comorbidities and associated cardiac diseases in patients with valve aortic stenosis. Potential implications for the decision-making process.

Objectives: Aortic valve replacement (AVR) is recommended in patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS). However a large number of elderly patients remain untreated because of a high operative risk. The aim of this study was to assess the risk profile of a group of AS patients, evaluating the prevalence of comorbidities and associated cardiac diseases and their impact on therapeutic decisions.

Can we improve the treatment of congestion in heart failure?

Introduction: Dyspnoea and peripheral oedema, caused by fluid redistribution to the lungs and/or by fluid overload, are the main causes of hospitalization in patients with heart failure and are associated with poor outcomes. Treatment of fluid overload should relieve symptoms and have a neutral or favorable effect on outcomes.

Areas Covered: We first consider the results obtained with furosemide administration, which is still the mainstay of treatment of congestion in patients with heart failure.

Low cerebrovascular event rate in subjects with patent foramen ovale and different clinical presentations: results from a prospective non randomized study on a population including patients with and without patent foramen ovale closure.

Background: There are conflicting data on the role of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) in the pathogenesis of cryptogenic stroke. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of cerebrovascular events associated with PFO in a large population of patients during mid-term follow-up.

Methods And Results: We prospectively investigated 446 consecutive patients (58% female, age 50 ± 14 years) in whom PFO was detected by contrast echocardiography following cryptogenic stroke (30.

Differences between nitrates: role of isosorbide 2-mononitrate.

Introduction: Nitrates are used in the treatment of coronary heart disease and heart failure. The major drawback of their therapeutic use is the rapid development of tolerance.

Aim Of The Study: To investigate the effect of different nitrates on isolated rabbit hearts and aortic strips and the mechanism responsible for nitrate tolerance, using nitroglycerine (NTG), isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN), 5-mononitrate (5MN) and 2-mononitrate (2MN).

Tricuspid valve myxoma in a patient with congestive heart failure.

Myxomas are the most frequent benign primary cardiac tumours (50% of benign heart tumours). This kind of tumour is most likely to be localized in the left atrium, followed by the right atrium, right ventricle and left ventricle. Quite exceptional is the presence of a myxoma originating from the tricuspid valve or from the Eustachian valve.

Imaging of caseous calcification of the mitral annulus.

Caseous calcification of the mitral annulus is a rare form of periannular calcification that generally appears as a calcified mass with a central echolucent area that may lead to diagnostic errors. The case is reported of a 65-year-old woman in whom a suspicious mass was detected with transthoracic echocardiography performed for dyspnea.

Multiorgan paradoxical embolism consequent to acute pulmonary thromboembolism with patent foramen ovale: a case report.

Paradoxical embolism is defined as a systemic arterial embolism requiring the passage of a venous thrombus into the arterial circulatory system through a right-to-left shunt. It is a relatively rare phenomenon, representing about 2% of all cases of arterial embolism. We report a case of a 79-years-old woman admitted to hospital because of dyspnea and lower left limb pain.

Agents with inotropic properties for the management of acute heart failure syndromes. Traditional agents and beyond.

Treatment with inotropic agents is one of the most controversial topics in heart failure. Initial enthusiasm, based on strong pathophysiological rationale and apparent empirical efficacy, has been progressively limited by results of controlled trials and registries showing poorer outcomes of the patients on inotropic therapy. The use of these agents remains, however, potentially indicated in a significant proportion of patients with low cardiac output, peripheral hypoperfusion and end-organ dysfunction caused by heart failure.

Measurement of the myocardial performance index in ambulatory patients with heart failure: correlation with other clinical and echocardiographic parameters and independent prognostic value.

Background: Many echocardiographic parameters have been proposed for the assessment of the patients with heart failure (HF). Recently, the myocardial performance index (MPI) has been shown to be an accurate index of myocardial function. We assessed the correlation with other clinical and echocardiographic measurements and the prognostic value of MPI in patients with HF.