Changes and Prognostic Implications of Myocardial Work in Aortic Stenosis Subtypes Undergoing Transcatheter Valve Implantation.

Background: Evaluation of left ventricle (LV) systolic function in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is challenging, as LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and global longitudinal strain are afterload dependent. LV global work indices (GWIs) estimate the afterload corrected systolic function.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in and prognostic implications of GWIs in subtypes of AS patients before and 1 month after TAVI.

Two Different Clinical Presentations and Stages of Loeffler Endocarditis Diagnosed by Multimodality Investigations.

• Loeffler endocarditis is a rare condition with various etiologies. • Timely diagnosis of Loeffler endocarditis through multimodal imaging is essential. • Treatment response in Loeffler endocarditis varies by disease stage.

Effect of remote ischaemic conditioning on left ventricular function in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients: The CONDI-2 echocardiographic sub-study.

Background: Remote ischaemic conditioning (RIC) applied to the arm by inflation and deflation of a pneumatic cuff has been shown to reduce myocardial infarct size in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). However, the effect of RIC on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) following infarct healing remains unknown.

Objective: To investigate whether RIC applied in the ambulance before PPCI can improve left ventricular (LV) function in STEMI patients 3 months following infarction.

Prognostic implications of residual left ventricular hypertrophy and systolic dysfunction in aortic stenosis following transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

The impact of left ventricle (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) regression on contractility-associated measures, the extent of residual cardiac dysfunction and prognostic implications after the initial remodeling process after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has not been investigated. We aimed to assess whether greater LV mass regression from pre-TAVR to 12-months after TAVR was associated with increased systolic function; and assess the prognostic value of residual LVH, systolic function and contractility-associated measures 12-months after TAVR. A total of 439 symptomatic patients were included and examined by echocardiography.

Clinical presentation and cardiac imaging findings in patient cases of perimyocarditis and pericarditis with a temporal association to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.

Aims: We aimed to investigate and present cases of perimyocarditis and pericarditis verified by cardiovascular resonance (CMR) imaging in patients with a strong temporal association to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. We sought to describe the clinical presentation including coronary artery angiography, CMR, transthoracic echocardiography, blood samples, electrocardiography, and symptoms.

Methods: We included 10 patients admitted with chest pain shortly after vaccination for SARS-CoV-2, who were diagnosed with pericarditis or perimyocarditis by CMR.

Rapid Rule-Out of Myocardial Infarction After 30 Minutes as an Alternative to 1 Hour: The RACING-MI Cohort Study.

Study Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether myocardial infarction can be safely ruled in or out after 30 minutes as an alternative to 1 hour.

Methods: This was a prospective, single-center clinical study enrolling patients admitted to the emergency department. Patients with chest pain suggestive of myocardial infarction were eligible for inclusion.

Reverse remodeling of tricuspid valve morphology and function in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients following pulmonary thromboendarterectomy: a cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and invasive hemodynamic study.

Background: To investigate changes in tricuspid annulus (TA) and tricuspid valve (TV) morphology among chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients before and 12 months after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PEA) and compare these findings to normal control subjects.

Methods: 20 CTEPH patients and 20 controls were enrolled in the study. The patients were examined with echocardiography, right heart catherization and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging prior to PEA and 12 months after.

External validation of a high-sensitive troponin I algorithm for rapid evaluation of acute myocardial infarction in a Danish cohort.

Aims: An accelerated diagnostic algorithm for ruling-in or ruling-out myocardial infarction (MI) after 1 hour (1 h) has recently been derived and internally validated for the Siemens ADVIA Centaur TNIH assay. We aimed to validate the diagnostic performance of the TNIH 0 h/1 h algorithm ad modum Boeddinghaus in a Danish cohort.

Methods And Results: Patients with chest pain suggestive of MI were prospectively enrolled.

Single troponin measurement to rule-out acute myocardial infarction in early presenters.

Background: A single high-sensitive cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) can be used to rule-out acute myocardial infarction (MI) in patients presenting >3 hours (3 h) after chest pain onset to the emergency department. This study aimed to investigate the safety of ruling-out MI in early presenters with chest pain ≤3 h using a single hs-cTnI at admission.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients presenting with chest pain suggestive of MI.

Clinical performance and exercise hemodynamics in patients with severe secondary tricuspid regurgitation and chronic atrial fibrillation.

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the functional capacity and hemodynamics at rest and during exercise in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation and severe functional symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation (AF-FTR).

Background: Symptoms and clinical performance of severe AF-FTR mimic the population of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Severe AF-FTR is known to be associated with an adverse prognosis whereas less is reported about the clinical performance including exercise capacity and hemodynamics in patients symptomatic AF-FTR.

A systematic approach to weaning from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with refractory cardiac failure.

Background: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) is commonly used to provide haemodynamic support for patients with severe cardiac failure. However, timing ECMO weaning remains challenging. We aimed to examine if an integrative weaning approach based on predefined haemodynamic, respiratory and echocardiographic criteria is associated with successful weaning.

Echocardiographic parameters during prolonged targeted temperature Management in out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest Survivors to predict neurological outcome - a post-hoc analysis of the TTH48 trial.

Background: Transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) indices of myocardial function among survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have been related to neurological outcome; however, results are inconsistent. We hypothesized that changes in average peak systolic mitral annular velocity (s') from 24 h (h) to 72 h following start of targeted temperature management (TTM) predict six-month neurological outcome in comatose OHCA survivors.

Methods: We investigated the association between peak systolic velocity of the mitral plane (s') and six-month neurological outcome in a population of 99 patients from a randomised controlled trial comparing TTM at 33 ± 1 °C for 24 h (h) (n = 47) vs.

A case report of isolated severe valve stenosis in a previous tricuspid valve repair: an integrated multimodality imaging and invasive haemodynamic evaluation.

Background: Tricuspid valve (TV) stenosis is a very rare condition and the aetiology is primarily due to rheumatic disease, carcinoid disease, congenital heart disease, endocarditis, and following degeneration of biological valve prosthesis.

Case Summary: We present a 45-year-old man with a rare case of symptomatic TV stenosis (TS) in a previously isolated TV repair. A meticulous multimodality diagnostic approach is presented in order to determine the severity of the TS and to evaluate the right ventricular function.

Point-of-care ultrasound induced changes in management of unselected patients in the emergency department - a prospective single-blinded observational trial.

Background: Point-of-Care ultrasound (POCUS) changes the management in specific groups of patients in the Emergency Department (ED). It seems intuitive that POCUS holds an unexploited potential on a wide variety of patients. However, little is known about the effect of ultrasound on the broad spectrum of unselected patients in the ED.

Learning Curves for Training in Ultrasonography-Based Examination of Umbilical Catheter Placement: A Piglet Study.

Background: The training required for accurate assessment of umbilical catheter placement by ultrasonography (US) is unknown.

Objective: To describe the learning curve and provide an estimate of the accuracy of physicians' US examinations (US skills) and self-confidence when examining umbilical catheter tip placement.

Methods: Twenty-one physicians with minimal experience in US completed a 1.

Rapid use of high-sensitive cardiac troponin I for ruling-in and ruling-out of acute myocardial infarction (RACING-MI): study protocol.

Introduction: The European Society of Cardiology has suggested an accelerated algorithm for ruling-in and ruling-out myocardial infarction (MI) with high-sensitive cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) measured at admission (0 hour) and after 1 hour (1 hour) as an alternative to standard measurements at 0 hour and 3 hours. However, the 0 hour/1 hour algorithm has only been tested in a limited amount of patient cohorts and not for all hs-cTn assays. Moreover, it is unknown if MI can be ruled-out faster than 1 hour.

Quantitative estimation of extravascular lung water volume and preload by dynamic 15O-water positron emission tomography.

Aims: Left ventricular filling pressure (preload) can be assessed by pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) during pulmonary arterial catheterization (PAC). An emerging method [pulse indexed contour cardiac output (PICCO)] can estimate preload by global end-diastolic volume (GEDV) and congestion as extravascular lung water (EVLW) content. However, no reliable quantitative non-invasive methods are available.

Point-of-care ultrasound findings in unselected patients in an emergency department -results from a prospective observational trial.

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) can improve patient management in the emergency department (ED). However, previous studies have focused only on selected groups of patients, such as trauma, shock, dyspnea, or critically ill patients, or patients with an already known diagnosis. Most patients seen in the ED do not match these criteria.

When appearances deceive: Echocardiographic changes due to common chest pathology.

Most indications for performing echocardiography focus on the evaluation of properties intrinsic to the heart. However, numerous extra-cardiac conditions indirectly convey changes to the echocardiographic appearance through alterations in the governing physiology. Pulmonary embolism increases pulmonary arterial pressure if a sufficient cross-sectional area of the pulmonary vascular bed is occluded.

Two Rare Manifestations of Cardiac Papillary Fibroelastoma Presenting with Dyspnea.

• CPFs in relation to the pulmonary valve are very rare. • Physical obstruction of the right coronary ostium by a tumor is a rare finding. • Three-dimensional TEE can demonstrate the pathophysiologic mechanism of a tumor.

Trauma facilities in Denmark - a nationwide cross-sectional benchmark study of facilities and trauma care organisation.

Background: Trauma is a leading cause of death among adults aged < 44 years, and optimal care is a challenge. Evidence supports the centralization of trauma facilities and the use multidisciplinary trauma teams. Because knowledge is sparse on the existing distribution of trauma facilities and the organisation of trauma care in Denmark, the aim of this study was to identify all Danish facilities that care for traumatized patients and to investigate the diversity in organization of trauma management.

Timing of focused cardiac ultrasound during advanced life support - A prospective clinical study.

Introduction: Focused cardiac ultrasound can potentially identify reversible causes of cardiac arrest during advanced life support (ALS), but data on the timing of image acquisition are lacking. This study aimed to compare the quality of images obtained during rhythm analysis, bag-mask ventilations, and chest compressions.

Methods: Adult patients in cardiac arrest were prospectively included during 23 months at a Danish community hospital.

Ultrasonography in trauma: a nation-wide cross-sectional investigation.

Background: The Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) protocol is considered beneficial in emergent evaluation of trauma patients with blunt or penetrating injury and has become integrated into the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocol. No guidelines exist as to the use of ultrasonography in trauma in Denmark. We aimed to determine the current use of ultrasonography for assessing trauma patients in Denmark.

Effect of prolonged targeted temperature management on left ventricular myocardial function after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest - A randomised, controlled trial.

Aim: To evaluate post-cardiac arrest myocardial dysfunction during prolonged targeted temperature management (TTM) compared with standard TTM in comatose out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors.

Methods: A randomised, controlled trial comparing myocardial function after TTM at 33 ±1°C for 48h compared with 24h. A total of 105 OHCA patients were computer-randomised to 24h (n=50) or 48h (n=55) of TTM.

Citric Acid Cycle Metabolites Predict the Severity of Myocardial Stunning and Mortality in Newborn Pigs.

Objectives: Myocardial infarction and chronic heart failure induce specific metabolic changes in the neonatal myocardium that are closely correlated to outcome. The aim of this study was to examine the metabolic responses to noninfarct heart failure and inotropic treatments in the newborn heart, which so far are undetermined.

Design: A total of 28 newborn pigs were instrumented with a microdialysis catheter in the right ventricle, and intercellular citric acid cycle intermediates and adenosine metabolite concentrations were determined at 20-minute intervals.