Contemporary risk models for transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A narrative review.

Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common form of valvular heart disease in older adults requiring intervention. Severe symptomatic AS, if left untreated, is typically associated with a poor prognosis. Over the past two decades, there have been significant advances in the field of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), leading to its emergence as an alternative to the well-established surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for treating severe AS.

Atrial Functional Tricuspid Regurgitation: Contemporary Characteristics, Outcomes, and Novel Risk Score.

Background: Despite increasing clinical recognition of atrial functional tricuspid regurgitation (AF-TR), there remains limited literature regarding the characteristics, outcomes, and adverse prognosticators for this valve lesion.

Objectives: This study aimed to elucidate clinical and echocardiographic characteristics and outcomes and to develop a novel risk model in a large cohort of patients with significant AF-TR.

Methods: Consecutive patients with at least moderate-to-severe AF-TR seen between January 2004 and December 2018 were retrospectively studied.

Reference Ranges of Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain by Contemporary Vendor-Neutral Echocardiography Software in Healthy Subjects.

Background: Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) by speckle-tracking transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is an established measure of left ventricular systolic function with many clinical applications. Strain software has evolved to achieve vendor-neutrality in recent developments, although there is a notable absence of external validation studies. We assessed the normal ranges and associated factors of two-dimensional LVGLS quantification by TomTec, EchoPAC, VVI, and Epsilon contemporary strain software in a healthy cross-sectional cohort.

Comparisons of Risk Scores for Infective Endocarditis Surgery: A Meta-Analysis.

While multiple scoring systems exist to predict mortality in cardiac surgery, their utility in infective endocarditis (IE) remains uncertain, prompting this study to compare their prognostic accuracy. We conducted a comprehensive review using Ovid Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Data were pooled using Open-Meta[Analyst] software, and calibration analysis was performed with Review Manager 5.

GBT1118, a Voxelotor Analog, Ameliorates Hepatopathy in Sickle Cell Disease.

In sickle cell disease (SCD), hepatopathy is a cumulative consequence of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury from a vaso-occlusive crisis, tissue inflammation, and iron overload due to blood transfusion. Hepatopathy is a major contributing factor of shortened life span in SCD patients. We hypothesized that the voxelotor, a hemoglobin allosteric modifier, ameliorates sickle hepatopathy.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced diarrhea and colitis: an overview.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as an integral component of the management of various cancers and have contributed to significant improvements in overall survival. Most available ICIs target anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (anti-CTLA4), and anti-programmed cell death 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 (anti-PD1/PDL1). Gastrointestinal immune-related adverse events remain a common complication of ICIs.

Advances in the Multimodality Imaging and Management of Recurrent Pericarditis: A Contemporary Review.

Purpose Of Review: To outline recent advances in imaging and treatment for recurrent pericarditis (RP).

Recent Findings: Greater understanding of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the pathogenesis of RP has led to the development of several anti-interleukin (IL-1) agents, and technological advancements have increased the utility of multimodality imaging in RP. Multimodality imaging plays a crucial role in the assessment of RP, with echocardiography serving as the initial imaging modality; cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) as a pivotal test for diagnosis, grading severity, and surveillance; and cardiac computed tomography (CT) providing complimentary information and assisting operative assessment.

Brain Metastasis in the Emergency Department: Epidemiology, Presentation, Investigations, and Management.

Brain metastases (BMs) are the most prevalent type of cerebral tumor, significantly affecting survival. In adults, lung cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma are the primary cancers associated with BMs. Symptoms often result from brain compression, and patients may present to the emergency department (ED) with life-threatening conditions.

Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes of Venous and Arterial Thrombosis in COVID-19: A Nationwide Inpatient Analysis.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is known to increase the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and arterial thromboembolism (ATE). However, the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of clinical thrombosis for inpatients with COVID-19 are not well known. This study aimed to enhance our understanding of clinical thrombosis in COVID-19, its associated factors, and mortality outcomes.

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome: challenging case and importance of multidisciplinary evaluation and management.

Our case depicts a challenging diagnosis of catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome in a young patient with a heterogenous presentation with extensive clinical course, a wide range of investigations, including multimodality imaging, and multidisciplinary expertise, to initiate prompt treatment addressing multiorgan thrombotic injury.

Antibody-drug conjugates: Principles and opportunities.

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are immunoconjugates that combine the specificity of monoclonal antibodies with a cytotoxic agent. The most appealing aspects of ADCs include their potential additive or synergistic effects of the innate backbone antibody and cytotoxic effects of the payload on tumors without the severe toxic side effects often associated with traditional chemotherapy. Recent advances in identifying new targets with tumor-specific expression, along with improved bioactive payloads and novel linkers, have significantly expanded the scope and optimism for ADCs in cancer therapeutics.

Endari treatment ameliorates sickle cell-related disruption in intestinal barrier functions and is associated with prolonged survival in sickle cell mice.

Background: Endari (L-glutamine) is a conditional amino acid that reduces the frequency of vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) in sickle cell disease (SCD).

Aim: To investigate whether Endari could ameliorate intestinal barrier function and improve survival outcomes in SCD.

Methods: We treated female Townes SCD mice with Endari and evaluated their intestinal barrier functions by measuring the recovery of orally administered fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated dextran 4 kDa in serum, and serum intestinal fatty acid binding proteins (iFABP) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations by ELISA.

Intracardiac Thrombus in COVID-19 Inpatients: A Nationwide Study of Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes.

COronaVIrus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) is associated with a hypercoagulable state. Intracardiac thrombosis is a potentially serious complication but has seldom been evaluated in COVID-19 patients. We assessed the incidence, associated factors, and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with intracardiac thrombosis.

Utilization and outcome disparities in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant in the United States.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) is increasingly being used in the United States (US) and across the world as a curative therapeutic option for patients with certain high-risk hematologic malignancies and non-malignant diseases. However, racial and ethnic disparities in utilization of the procedure and in outcome following transplant remain major problems. Racial and ethnic minority patients are consistently under-represented in the proportion of patients who undergo allo-HSCT in the US.

Case report: Primary cardiac lymphoma manifesting as superior vena cava syndrome.

A 64-year-old man presented with symptoms indicative of superior vena cava syndrome. Imaging work-up revealed an obstructing right atrial mass, which was subsequently excised and diagnosed as primary cardiac lymphoma. Post-surgery, the patient showed significant clinical improvement and was started on a chemotherapy regimen with complete remission at 1 year.

Liquid biopsies and minimal residual disease in lymphoid malignancies.

Minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment using peripheral blood instead of bone marrow aspirate/biopsy specimen or the biopsy of the cancerous infiltrated by lymphoid malignancies is an emerging technique with enormous interest of research and technological innovation at the current time. In some lymphoid malignancies (particularly ALL), Studies have shown that MRD monitoring of the peripheral blood may be an adequate alternative to frequent BM aspirations. However, additional studies investigating the biology of liquid biopsies in ALL and its potential as an MRD marker in larger patient cohorts in treatment protocols are warranted.

Effects of GBT1118, a voxelotor analog, on intestinal pathophysiology in sickle cell disease.

Voxelotor is an allosteric haemoglobin (Hb) modulator that binds covalently and reversibly to Hb alpha chain to facilitate improved Hb-O affinity and arterial oxygen. It, therefore, reduces the susceptibility of erythrocytes carrying Haemoglobin S to sickle. In this study, we have used GBT1118, an analog of voxelotor, to treat male Townes sickle cell disease (SCD) mice to investigate whether the Hb modulator could attenuate the intestinal pathophysiologic changes associated with SCD.