Early Pacemaker Dependency After Heart Transplantation Is Associated with Permanent Pacemaker Implantation, Graft Failure and Mortality.

Aims: Patients after heart transplantation (HTX) often experience post-transplant bradycardia, but little is known about the outcomes of early pacemaker dependency after HTX. We compared post-transplant mortality, graft failure, and the requirement for the permanent pacemaker implantation of patients with and without early pacemaker dependency after HTX.

Methods: We screened all adult patients for early pacemaker dependency after HTX (defined as immediately after surgery) who underwent HTX at Heidelberg Heart Center between 1989 and 2022.

Spontaneous pregnancy-associated coronary artery dissection: a case report on diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.

Background: One of the main causes of myocardial infarction during pregnancy is spontaneous coronary artery dissection. This is ascribed to hormonal changes during pregnancy leading to a weakening of the vessel wall and haemodynamic changes especially during childbirth. Management options include conservative medical treatment and percutaneous coronary intervention, depending on clinical presentation.

Oral Anticoagulants after Heart Transplantation-Comparison between Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants.

Aims: Patients after heart transplantation (HTX) often require oral anticoagulants (OACs) due to atrial arrhythmias or thromboembolic events but little is known about the post-transplant use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). We investigated the frequency, indications, and complications of DOACs and vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) after HTX.

Methods: We screened all adult patients for the use of post-transplant OACs who underwent HTX at Heidelberg Heart Center between 2000 and 2021.

Genotype Complements the Phenotype: Identification of the Pathogenicity of an LMNA Splice Variant by Nanopore Long-Read Sequencing in a Large DCM Family.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a common cause of heart failure (HF) and is of familial origin in 20−40% of cases. Genetic testing by next-generation sequencing (NGS) has yielded a definite diagnosis in many cases; however, some remain elusive. In this study, we used a combination of NGS, human-induced pluripotent-stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) and nanopore long-read sequencing to identify the causal variant in a multi-generational pedigree of DCM.

Frequency, Risk Factors, and Clinical Outcomes of Late-Onset Atrial Flutter in Patients after Heart Transplantation.

Aims: Atrial flutter (AFL) is a common late-onset complication after heart transplantation (HTX) and is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Methods: This study investigated the frequency, risk factors, and outcomes of late-onset post-transplant AFL. We analyzed 639 adult patients undergoing HTX at the Heidelberg Heart Center between 1989 and 2019.

Pre-transplant Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Is Associated With Higher Graft Failure and Increased 5-Year Mortality After Heart Transplantation.

Aims: Cardiac transplant recipients often suffer from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) but its influence on graft failure and post-transplant mortality remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of pre-transplant T2DM in patients after heart transplantation (HTX).

Methods: This study included a total of 376 adult patients who received HTX at Heidelberg Heart Center between 01/01/2000 and 01/10/2016.

Risk Factors, Treatment and Prognosis of Patients with Lung Cancer after Heart Transplantation.

Long-term survival after heart transplantation (HTX) is impacted by adverse effects of immunosuppressive pharmacotherapy, and post-transplant lung cancer is a common occurrence. This study aimed to examine the risk factors, treatment, and prognosis of patients with post-transplant lung cancer. We included 625 adult patients who received HTX at Heidelberg Heart Center between 1989 and 2018.

Atrial fibrillation before heart transplantation is a risk factor for post-transplant atrial fibrillation and mortality.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) after heart transplantation (HTX) is associated with worse clinical outcomes. The current study aimed to analyse the association between AF before HTX and AF within 30 days after HTX.

Methods And Results: This study included 639 adults who received HTX at Heidelberg Heart Center.

Newly acquired complete right bundle branch block early after heart transplantation is associated with lower survival.

Aims: Right bundle branch block (RBBB) after heart transplantation (HTX) is a common finding, but its impact on post-transplant survival remains uncertain. This study investigated the post-transplant outcomes of patients with complete RBBB (cRBBB) ≤ 30 days after HTX.

Methods: This registry study analysed 639 patients receiving HTX at Heidelberg Heart Center between 1989 and 2019.

Combined amiodarone and digitalis therapy before heart transplantation is associated with increased post-transplant mortality.

Aims: Amiodarone and digitalis are frequently used drugs in patients with heart failure. Both have separately been linked to reduced post-transplant survival, but their combined impact on mortality after HTX remains uncertain. This study investigated the effects of combined amiodarone and digitalis use before HTX on post-transplant outcomes.

Five-year results of heart rate control with ivabradine or metoprolol succinate in patients after heart transplantation.

Background: Cardiac graft denervation causes inadequate sinus tachycardia in patients after heart transplantation (HTX) which is associated with reduced survival. This study investigated the 5-year results of heart rate control with ivabradine or metoprolol succinate in patients after HTX.

Methods: This registry study analyzed 104 patients receiving either ivabradine (n = 50) or metoprolol succinate (n = 54) within 5 years after HTX.

The diagnostic benefit of 16S rDNA PCR examination of infective endocarditis heart valves: a cohort study of 146 surgical cases confirmed by histopathology.

Aims: Upon suspicion of infective endocarditis, the causative microorganism must be identified to optimize treatment. Blood cultures and culturing of removed valves are the mainstay of this diagnosis and should be complemented by growth-independent methods. We assessed the diagnostic benefit of examining removed endocarditis valves by broad-range bacterial PCR to detect causative bacteria in cases where culturing was not available, negative, or inconclusive because a skin commensal was detected, in patients from our clinical routine practice.

Elevated pre-transplant pulmonary vascular resistance is associated with early post-transplant atrial fibrillation and mortality.

Aims: Severely elevated pre-transplant pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) has been linked to adverse effects after heart transplantation (HTX). The impact of a moderately increased PVR before HTX on post-transplant outcomes remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an elevated pre-transplant PVR ≥ 300 dyn·s·cm (≥3.

Risk factors and survival of patients with permanent pacemaker implantation after heart transplantation.

Background: Permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation after heart transplantation (HTX) may be required due to severe bradycardia. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors, indications, perioperative outcomes and complications of PPM implantation after HTX as well as the underlying effect on post-transplant mortality including causes of death.

Methods: This registry study included 621 patients receiving HTX at Heidelberg Heart Center between 1989 and 2018.

The chameleon of cardiology: cardiac sarcoidosis before and after heart transplantation.

Cardiac sarcoidosis is a chronic inflammatory disease with a large spectrum of symptoms that can mimic diseases such as dilated, hypertrophic, or arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies. It can be asymptomatic but can also present with ventricular arrhythmias, conduction disease, and heart failure (HF) or even sudden cardiac death (SCD). We present here the case of a patient transplanted due to end-stage arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), fulfilling the task force criteria.

A novel risk score to predict survival in advanced heart failure due to cardiac amyloidosis.

Background: Cardiac amyloidosis, caused by deposition of immunoglobulin light chains (AL) or transthyretin (ATTR), carries a poor prognosis. Established risk scores for amyloidosis may not predict outcomes in those patients who develop advanced heart failure and who are potential candidates for heart transplantation. Here, we aimed to identify predictive parameters for patients with severe heart failure due to amyloidosis.

The impact of technical and clinical factors on fecal microbiota transfer outcomes for the treatment of recurrent infections in Germany.

Introduction: Fecal microbiota transfer (FMT) is highly effective in the treatment and prevention of recurrent infection (rCDI) with cure rates of about 80% after a single treatment. Nevertheless, the reasons for failure in the remaining 20% remain largely elusive. The aim of the present study was to investigate different potential clinical predictors of response to FMT in Germany.

[Atrioventricular block and left ventricular wall mobility disorder in a 44-year-old female patient : A case report of a rarity with pitfalls].

Eosinophilic myocarditis is a rare condition with good treatment options, which can be difficult to diagnose. The clinical presentation can vary from asymptomatic to life-threatening forms. This article describes the case of a 44-year-old woman who suffered from vertigo, chest pain and dyspnea.

Clinical and genetic insights into non-compaction: a meta-analysis and systematic review on 7598 individuals.

Background: Left ventricular non-compaction has been increasingly diagnosed in recent years. However, it is still debated whether non-compaction is a pathological condition or a physiological trait. In this meta-analysis and systematic review, we compare studies, which investigated these two different perspectives.

Implementation of an intensified outpatient follow-up protocol improves outcomes in patients with ventricular assist devices.

Background: Ventricular assist devices (VAD) are increasingly used as long-term treatment for advanced heart failure. However, survival after VAD implantation is still unsatisfactory, and no specific outpatient follow-up algorithms have been formally established. Here, we evaluate the effect of an intensified follow-up protocol (IFUP) on survival rates and VAD-associated complications.

Pathophysiological background and prognostic implication of systolic aortic root motion in non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Recordings of aortic root movement represent one of the first accomplishments of ultrasound in medicine and mark the beginning of functional cardiac imaging. However, the underlying mechanism is not completely understood. Since the aortic root is directly connected to the cardiac skeleton we hypothesize, that the amplitude of systolic aortic root motion (SARM) may be mainly caused by displacement of the cardiac base towards the apex and might therefore be used as measure of left ventricular longitudinal function (LV-LF).

Transfemoral aortic valve replacement for severe aortic valve regurgitation in a patient with a pulsatile-flow biventricular assist device.

Severe aortic regurgitation (AR) is a rare but significant complication of ventricular assist device therapy. Experience with transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in this setting of patients is very limited, while the scarcely reported cases exclusively refer to TAVR under continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices. Here, we present the first successful TAVR while running a pulsatile-flow biventricular assist device (PF-BiVAD).

COPD in patients after heart transplantation is associated with a prolonged hospital stay, early posttransplant atrial fibrillation, and impaired posttransplant survival.

Objectives: COPD is associated with reduced physical activity, an increased risk for pulmonary infections, and impaired survival in nontransplant patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of COPD in patients after heart transplantation (HTX).

Methods: We performed an observational retrospective single-center study of 259 patients receiving HTX at Heidelberg University Hospital between 2003 and 2012.

Bromocriptine treatment in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy and right ventricular dysfunction.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction predicts adverse outcome in peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). We recently demonstrated beneficial effects associated with the prolactin release inhibitor bromocriptine at different doses when added to standard heart failure therapy in PPCM. Here, we evaluated for the first time the therapeutic potential of bromocriptine particularly in PPCM patients with RV involvement.