Vasohibin inhibition improves myocardial relaxation in a rat model of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a complex syndrome associated with increased myocardial stiffness and cardiac filling abnormalities. Prior studies implicated increased α-tubulin detyrosination, which is catalyzed by the vasohibin enzymes, as a contributor to increased stabilization of the cardiomyocyte microtubule network (MTN) and stiffness in failing human hearts. We explored whether increased MTN detyrosination contributed to impaired diastolic function in the ZSF1 obese rat model of HFpEF and designed a small-molecule vasohibin inhibitor to ablate MTN detyrosination in vivo.

Risk of Pacemaker Implantation After Degenerative Mitral and Concomitant Tricuspid Valve Surgery.

Background: A recent multicenter trial showed a reduction in tricuspid regurgitation (TR) progression when tricuspid annuloplasty was performed at the time of surgery for degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR), but with a 14% permanent pacemaker (PPM) rate. We present real-world outcomes at a high-volume center for degenerative MR surgery with/without tricuspid annuloplasty.

Methods: Patients undergoing first-time degenerative mitral surgery between 2011 and 2021 were identified (n = 1738).

Extended criteria donor organ use for heart-lung transplantation in the modern era.

Background: Demand for donor hearts and lungs exceeds their supply. Extended Criteria Donor (ECD) organs are used to help meet this demand, but their impact on heart-lung transplantation outcomes is poorly characterized.

Methods And Results: The United Network for Organ Sharing was queried for data on adult heart-lung transplantation recipients (n = 447) from 2005‒2021.

Antithrombotic therapy for durable left ventricular assist devices - current strategies and future directions.

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) improve survival and quality of life for patients with advanced heart failure but are associated with high rates of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications. Antithrombotic therapy is required following LVAD implantation, though practices vary. Identifying a therapeutic strategy that minimizes the risks of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications is critical to optimizing patient outcomes and is an area of active investigation.

Waitlist Trends in Heart-Liver Transplantation With Updated US Heart Allocation System.

Background: In October 2018, the United States implemented a change in the donor heart allocation policy from a three-tiered to a six-tiered status system. The purpose of the current study was to examine changes in waitlist patterns among patients listed for concomitant heart-liver transplantation with implementation of the new allocation system.

Methods: Patients listed for heart-liver transplantation between January 1, 2012, and June 30, 2021, were identified from the United Network for Organ Sharing database.