Causes and predictors of recurrent unplanned hospital admissions in heart failure patients: a cohort study.

Despite progress in therapy, heart failure (HF) inflicts a heavy burden of hospital admissions. In this study, we identified among 1360 community-dwelling HF patients (mean age 70.7 ± 11.

Heart failure with improved ejection fraction: patient characteristics, clinical outcomes and predictors for improvement.

Background: Heart failure with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) is a recently recognized entity presenting a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Our aim was to characterize the profile of HFimpEF patients and evaluate predictors for EF lack of improvement among heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients.

Methods: We included ambulatory HFrEF patients (EF≤40%) between January 1, 2015, and September 1, 2022, with two consecutive echocardiography exams at least 6 months apart.

Sex related differences in the characteristics and outcomes of heart failure: A sub analysis of heart failure disease management study.

Aims: This is a sub-analysis of a randomized controlled trial on heart failure (HF) disease management (DM) in which patients with HF ( = 1,360; 27.5% women) were assigned randomly to DM ( = 682) or usual care (UC) ( = 678). Study intervention did not significantly affect the rate of hospital admissions or mortality.

Contemporary outcome of subsequent pregnancies in patients with previous peripartum cardiomyopathy.

Aims: To describe the effect of subsequent pregnancies (SSP) on left ventricular (LV) function and outcomes in patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).

Methods: Among146 women with PPCM who were prospectively followed at two medical centres in Israel (2007-2019), 75 SSPs (in 50 women) were identified: 8 miscarriages, 8 terminations, and 59 life birth.

Results: Forty-five patients with 59 full-term SSPs [mean age was 32.

The Prognostic Role of Mitral Valve Regurgitation Severity and Left Ventricle Function in Acute Heart Failure.

Aims: Data about the prognostic interplay between mitral regurgitation MR and left ventricular (LV) function in the outcome of patients admitted with acute heart failure (AHF) are scarce. We evaluated the prognostic impact of MR severity and LV function on mortality and on recurrent heart failure hospitalization (re-HFH) in patients admitted with AHF. Methods and Results: In total, 6843 patients admitted with AHF were evaluated: 2521 patients with LV ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 40% (reduced LVEF), 1238 of them (51%) having ≥moderate MR; and 4322 with LVEF > 40% (preserved LVEF), 1175 of them (27%) having ≥moderate MR.

The clinical course of patients with previous acute and recurrent pericarditis receiving the BNT162b2 vaccine.

Background: Vaccines against SARS-COV2 have been crucial in efforts against COVID19, yet there have been reports of pericarditis following vaccination with mRNA-based vaccines.

Methods: We questioned consecutive patients with a history of acute pericarditis (AP) evaluated in the pericardial disease clinic during 3-11/2020 in a single tertiary center. Patients with significant myocardial involvement or pericarditis secondary to another systemic disease were excluded.

Characterization of heart failure patients with reverse left ventricular remodelling post-angiotensin receptor blockers/neprilysin inhibitors therapy.

Aims: To assess the effect of angiotensin receptor blockers/neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI) on left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) and LV dimensions in a real-life cohort of heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients, while analysing patient characteristics that may predict reverse LV remodelling.

Methods And Results: The ARNI-treated HFrEF patients followed at a single tertiary medical centre HF-outpatient clinic were included in the study. Clinical and echocardiographic parameters were evaluated prior to ARNI initiation, and while on ARNI therapy, assessing patient characteristics associated with reverse LV remodelling.

Prevalence and clinical outcomes of dystrophin-associated dilated cardiomyopathy without severe skeletal myopathy.

Aims: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) associated with dystrophin gene (DMD) mutations in individuals with mild or absent skeletal myopathy is often indistinguishable from other DCM forms. We sought to describe the phenotype and prognosis of DMD associated DCM in DMD mutation carriers without severe skeletal myopathy.

Methods And Results: At 26 European centres, we retrospectively collected clinical characteristics and outcomes of 223 DMD mutation carriers (83% male, 33 ± 15 years).

Early post-stress decrease in cardiac performance by impedance cardiography and its relationship to the severity and extent of ischemia by myocardial perfusion imaging.

Background: While single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is a well-established noninvasive procedure for the evaluation of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), it is unable to detect the presence of, or underestimates the extent of CAD in certain patients. We aimed to show that a bio-impedance device can detect early post-stress changes in several hemodynamic parameters, thereby serving as a potential marker for the presence of significant ischemia.

Methods: Prospectively enrolled patients, referred to our Medical Center for clinically-indicated MPI, underwent testing using a Non-Invasive Cardiac System (NICaS) before and immediately after exercise.

Sex Differences in Clinical Characteristics and 1- and 10-Year Mortality Among Patients Hospitalized With Acute Heart Failure.

Background: The impact of sex on mortality in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) is unresolved. We aimed to investigate the impact of sex on both short- and long-term mortality outcomes after hospitalization for AHF.

Methods: We analyzed data of 2,328 patients with AHF who were enrolled in the multicenter national survey in Israel between March and April 2003 and followed up until December 2014.

Reduction in Filamin C transcript is associated with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy in Ashkenazi Jews.

Background: Filamin C is a cytoskeletal protein expressed in cardiac cells. Nonsense variations in the filamin C gene (FLNC) were associated with dilated and arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies.

Methods And Results: We identified an intronic variation in FLNC gene (c.

Relation of Low Serum Magnesium to Mortality and Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy Following Heart Transplantation.

Hypomagnesemia is commonly observed in heart transplant (HT) recipients receiving calcineurin inhibitors. Since low serum magnesium (s-Mg) has been implicated in the progression of atherosclerosis, potentially leading to worsening coronary heart disease, arrhythmias and sudden death, we investigated the association between s-Mg and HT outcomes. Between 2002 and 2017, 150 HT patients assessed for s-Mg were divided into high (≥1.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor Dapagliflozin attenuates diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) is a risk factor for developing heart failure but there is no specific therapy for diabetic heart disease. Sodium glucose transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2I) are recently developed diabetic drugs that primarily work on the kidney. Clinical data describing the cardiovascular benefits of SGLT2Is highlight the potential therapeutic benefit of these drugs in the prevention of cardiovascular events and heart failure.

Hypomagnesemia is associated with new-onset diabetes mellitus following heart transplantation.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality following heart transplantation (HT), with 21% and 35% of survivors being affected within 1 and 5 years following HT, respectively. Magnesium deficiency is common among HT patients treated with calcineurin inhibitors and is a known risk factor for DM in non-HT patients. We therefore investigated the association between serum Mg (s-Mg) levels and new-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT).

Efficacy and safety of exercise rehabilitation in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: While physical rehabilitation has been shown to be beneficial and safe for patients suffering from heart failure, data on rehabilitation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients are limited.

Methods: Forty-five HCM patients participated in an exercise rehabilitation program. Exercise capacity was measured in metabolic equivalent of task (METs) units and functional status was defined according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA).

Differences in Mortality of New-Onset (De-Novo) Acute Heart Failure Versus Acute Decompensated Chronic Heart Failure.

Minimal attention has been paid to understanding the implications of the chronicity of heart failure (HF) diagnosis on prognosis of hospitalized patients with acute HF (AHF). We aimed to assess the differences in outcomes between hospitalized patients with AHF that are new-onset (de-novo) AHF and acutely decompensated chronic HF (ADCHF). We analyzed data of 2,328 patients with AHF, who were enrolled in the HF survey in Israel.

Ethnic disparity in Israel impacts long-term results after heart transplantation.

Background: Ethnicity may affect graft longevity and recipient mortality after heart transplantation (HTx). We hypothesized that differences in ethnic origin between Arabs and Jews undergoing HTx in Israel may contribute to differences in long-term outcomes.

Methods: The study population comprised all 254 patients who underwent HTx between 1991 and 2017 in a tertiary medical center located in the center of Israel.