Multiple Red Flags of Cardiac Amyloidosis in a Single Patient: Clinical Manifestations of an Underdiagnosed Disease.

Cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis is an underdiagnosed disorder with significant diagnostic difficulties due to its non-specific clinical manifestations. It is caused by the deposition of protein aggregates with an abnormal tertiary structure in the extracellular matrix. Their accumulation leads to the development of hypertrophic and restrictive cardiomyopathy and, at a later stage, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction syndrome.

Validation of EuroSCORE II, ACEF Score, CHADS-VASc, and CHADS-VA in Patients Undergoing Left Main Coronary Artery Angioplasty: Analysis from All-Comers BIA-LM Registry.

: Simple surgical and clinical risk scores are useful in mortality prediction. : The study's aim was to validate three scores in real-world registry of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for the left main coronary artery (LMCA). : All data were obtained from the BIA-LM Registry.

Association between exposure to air pollution and increased ischemic stroke incidence: a retrospective population-based cohort study (EP-PARTICLES study).

Aims: Short-term effects of Polish smog, particularly benzo(alpha)pyrene (B(a)P), are unclear. We aimed to examine the association between short-term exposure to air pollution and ischemic stroke (IS) incidence.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study including an EP-PARTICLES cohort of 8 million inhabitants in the years 2011-2020 (80 million person-years of observation).

A Comprehensive Review of Percutaneous and Surgical Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia worldwide, and is associated with a significant risk of thromboembolic events. Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) has emerged as a promising alternative for patients with contraindications or intolerance to anticoagulant therapy. This review summarises the current evidence, indications, and technical advancements in surgical and percutaneous LAAO.

Regional antibiotic delivery for sternal wound infection prophylaxis a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Despite evidence suggesting the benefit of prophylactic regional antibiotic delivery (RAD) to sternal edges during cardiac surgery, it is seldom performed in clinical practice. The value of topical vancomycin and gentamicin for sternal wound infections (SWI) prophylaxis was further questioned by recent studies including randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to comprehensively assess the safety and effectiveness of RAD to reduce the risk of SWI.

Effect of air pollution exposure on risk of acute coronary syndromes in Poland: a nationwide population-based study (EP-PARTICLES study).

Background: Air pollution (AP) is linked up to 20% of cardiovascular deaths. The aim of this nationwide study was to investigate subpopulations vulnerable to AP for non-ST- (NSTEMI) and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) incidence.

Methods: We analysed short- (lags up to seven days) and mid-term (0-30 days moving average) influence of particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide (SO), nitrogen dioxide (NO) and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) on hospitalizations due NSTEMI and STEMI in 2011-2020.

Surgical Coronary Revascularization in Patients With Underlying Atrial Fibrillation: State-of-the-Art Review.

The number of individuals referred for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with preoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) is reported to be 8% to 20%. Atrial fibrillation is a known marker of high-risk patients as it was repeatedly found to negatively influence survival. Therefore, when performing surgical revascularization, consideration should be given to the concomitant treatment of the arrhythmia, the clinical consequences of the arrhythmia itself, and the selection of adequate surgical techniques.

Additional bypass graft or concomitant surgical ablation? Insights from the HEIST registry.

Background: Surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation at the time of isolated coronary artery bypass grafting is reluctantly attempted. Meanwhile, complete revascularization is not always possible in these patients. We attempted to counterbalance the long-term benefits of surgical ablation against the risks of incomplete revascularization.

Hyperuricemia as a Risk Factor in Hypertension among Patients with Very High Cardiovascular Risk.

Hypertension remains a global threat to public health, affecting the worldwide population. It is one of the most common risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Today's treatments focus on creating a hypotensive effect.

Validation of EuroSCORE II in atrial fibrillation heart surgery patients from the KROK Registry.

The study aimed to validate the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score (EuroSCORE II) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). All data were retrieved from the National Registry of Cardiac Surgery Procedures (KROK). EuroSCORE II calibration and discrimination performance was evaluated.

Tricuspid intervention for less-than-severe regurgitation simultaneously with minimally invasive mitral valve surgery in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: While tackling moderate tricuspid regurgitation (TR) simultaneously with left-side heart surgery is recommended by the guidelines, the procedure is still seldom performed, especially in the minimally invasive setting. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a known marker of both mortality and TR progression after mitral valve surgery.

Aims: This study aimed to investigatev the safety of performing tricuspid intervention and minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) in patients with preoperative AF.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Chronic Total Occlusion-Contemporary Approach and Future Directions.

In the aging society, the issue of coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) has become a challenge for invasive cardiologists. Despite the lack of clear indications in European and American guidelines, the rates of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) for CTO increased over the last years. Well-conducted randomized clinical trials (RCT) and large observational studies brought significant and substantial progress in many CTO blind spots.

Growth Differentiation Factor 15 as a Predictor of the No-Reflow Phenomenon in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) and the no-reflow phenomenon are predictors of mortality after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We aimed to assess the relation between GDF-15 concentration on admission and the no-reflow phenomenon. The study was conducted prospectively among 80 consecutive STEMI patients who underwent primary PCI.

Left Main Coronary Artery Disease-Current Management and Future Perspectives.

Due to its anatomical features, patients with an obstruction of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) have an increased risk of death. For years, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been considered as a gold standard for revascularization. However, notable advancements in the field of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) led to its acknowledgement as an important treatment alternative, especially in patients with low and intermediate anatomical complexity.

Exposure to air pollution and its effect on ischemic strokes (EP-PARTICLES study).

It is well known that exceeded levels of particulate matter in the air and other air pollutants harmfully affect the cardiovascular system. Empirical analyses of the effects of these factors on stroke incidence and mortality are still limited. The main objective of our analyses was to determine the association between short-term exposure to air pollutants and stroke incidence in non-industrial areas, more specifically in north-eastern Poland.

The 10-Year Study of the Impact of Particulate Matters on Mortality in Two Transit Cities in North-Eastern Poland (PL-PARTICLES).

The detrimental influence of air pollution on mortality has been established in a series of studies. The majority of them were conducted in large, highly polluted cities-there is a lack of studies from small, relatively clean regions. The aim was to analyze the short-term impact of particulate matters (PMs) on mortality in north-eastern Poland.