Modifiers of the Association between E/e' Ratio and Survival among Patients with No Apparent Structural or Functional Cardiac Abnormality.

Background: The ratio between early mitral flow wave to early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (E/e' ratio) varies according to age and sex and is associated with mortality in heart failure. We sought to describe the association between E/e' and mortality in patients with no apparent structural or functional cardiac abnormality and explore possible modifiers of this association.

Methods: A retrospective study of 104,315 patients who underwent echocardiographic evaluation during 2009-2021 in the largest tertiary center in Israel.

Comparison of Speckle Tracking Echocardiography During Different Pacing Modalities for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Response Prediction.

: The aim of this study was to evaluate left ventricular mechanical activation pattern by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) as a predictor of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients with heart failure. : Echocardiography was performed during no pacing, right ventricular pacing (RVP), biventricular pacing (BVP) and multipolar pacing (MPP) immediately after CRT implantation in 16 patients at a single centre. Seven patients were diagnosed as responders and 9 patients as non-responders after 6 months of standard CRT pacing.

Health Service Utilization Patterns Among Adults With Congenital Heart Disease: A Population-Based Study.

Background Several studies have examined hospitalizations among patients with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD). Few investigated other services or utilization patterns. Our aim was to study service utilization patterns and predictors among patients with ACHD.

Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis: Long-Term Follow-Up of Adult Patients with Nonsevere Initial Disease.

Introduction: There is no consensus regarding the natural history of rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) among adults presenting with nonsevere disease. This study aims to describe the progression of stenosis among adult rheumatic MS patients, to identify predictive factors for progression, and to assess the incidence of complications.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed among patients with rheumatic MS treated at a single center.

Echocardiographic evaluation of univentricular physiology and cavopulmonary shunts.

Since the surgical palliation of a univentricular congenital heart defect was first described in the early 1970s, thousands of lives were saved by this groundbreaking operation. Although initially described for the palliation of tricuspid valve atresia, the Fontan operation is now utilized for many other univentricular heart defects involving either hypoplastic right or left ventricles, and the number of babies who survive the surgery and the postsurgical hospitalization continues to grow. Echocardiography constitutes the mainstay follow-up imaging modality for patients with a Fontan system.

Depression and anxiety are associated with high health care utilization and mortality among adults with congenital heart disease.

Background: The significance of depression/anxiety among ACHD patients in terms of health care utilization is unknown and data on the association with mortality are scarce.

Methods: Analyses comprised 8334 ACHD patients, age ≥ 18 years, insured by a large healthcare organization (2007-2011). Depression/anxiety were determined by diagnoses and treatments recorded in the organization database.

Prospective study of the impact of diabetes mellitus newly diagnosed by glycated hemoglobin on outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: We sought to determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) newly diagnosed by elevated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and its association with 1-year clinical outcomes.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients undergoing PCI (2011-2013). HbA1c levels were assessed during the index hospitalization and newly diagnosed DM was defined as HbA1c≥6.

Impact of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Examination on Triage of Patients With Suspected Cardiac Disease.

Complementing the physical examination with a point-of-care ultrasound study (POCUS) can improve patient triage. We aimed to study the impact of POCUS on the diagnosis and management of outpatients and hospitalized patients with suspected cardiac disease. In this multicenter study, a pocket-sized device was used to perform POCUS when the diagnosis or patient management was unclear based on anamnesis, physical examination, and basic diagnostic testing.

Adult Congenital Heart Disease: Scope of the Problem.

This article reviews the changing epidemiology of congenital heart disease summarizing its impact on the demographics of the congenital heart disease population and the progress made in order to improve outcomes in this patient population. Birth prevalence of congenital heart disease can be modified by many factors. As a result of decreasing mortality and increasing survival in all forms of congenital heart disease, the median age of patients has increased and adults now compose two-thirds of patients with congenital heart disease.

Maternal urinary tract infection: is it independently associated with adverse pregnancy outcome?

Objective: This population-based study was aimed to determine whether there is an association between urinary tract infections (UTI) during pregnancy, among patients in whom antibiotic treatment was recommended, and maternal and perinatal outcome.

Methods: A retrospective population-based study comparing all singleton pregnancies of patients with and without UTI was performed. Multiple logistic regression models were performed to control for confounders.