Investigating the Shortcomings of the Flow Convergence Method for Quantification of Mitral Regurgitation in a Pulsatile In-Vitro Environment and with Computational Fluid Dynamics.

The flow convergence method includes calculation of the proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) and is widely used to classify mitral regurgitation (MR) with echocardiography. It constitutes a primary decision factor for determination of treatment and should therefore be a robust quantification method. However, it is known for its tendency to underestimate MR and its dependence on user expertise.

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.

Tumor Lysis Syndrome in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients Treated With a Venetoclax Based Regimen.

Venetoclax with hypomethylating agents (HMA) is the standard of care for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in patients ineligible for intensive chemotherapy and is associated with tumor lysis syndrome (TLS). TLS prophylaxis and the use of Cairo Bishop versus Howard diagnostic criteria are not standardized. Here we report TLS prophylaxis and incidence in a retrospective cohort of 100 consecutive AML patients treated with venetoclax and HMA.

The cardio-oncologic burden of breast cancer: molecular mechanisms and importance of preclinical models.

Breast cancer, the most prevalent cancer affecting women worldwide, poses a significant cardio-oncological burden. Despite advancements in novel therapeutic strategies, anthracyclines, HER2 antagonists, and radiation remain the cornerstones of oncological treatment. However, each carries a risk of cardiotoxicity, though the molecular mechanisms underlying these adverse effects differ.

Inconsistent Reporting and Definitions of Time-to-Event Endpoints in CAR T Clinical Trials: A Review.

Clinical trials evaluating chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR T) commonly report time-to-event (TTE) endpoints. However, definitions are not necessarily comparable across studies and variability can lead to misinterpretation of results or inappropriate comparisons across products and studies. Amid the rapidly increasing number of published CAR T trials-many of which were used for regulatory approval-this study aims to summarize the variation in the use and reporting of TTE endpoints in CAR T trials.

S100A1ct: A Synthetic Peptide Derived From S100A1 Protein Improves Cardiac Performance and Survival in Preclinical Heart Failure Models.

Background: The EF-hand Ca sensor protein S100A1 has been identified as a molecular regulator and enhancer of cardiac performance. The ability of S100A1 to recognize and modulate the activity of targets such as SERCA2a (sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca ATPase) and RyR2 (ryanodine receptor 2) in cardiomyocytes has mostly been ascribed to its hydrophobic C-terminal α-helix (residues 75-94). We hypothesized that a synthetic peptide consisting of residues 75 through 94 of S100A1 and an N-terminal solubilization tag (S100A1ct) could mimic the performance-enhancing effects of S100A1 and may be suitable as a peptide therapeutic to improve the function of diseased hearts.

RV-PA uncoupling is associated with increased mortality in transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy treated with tafamidis.

Background: The right ventricle to pulmonary artery coupling (RV-PAc) describes the right ventricle's ability to adjust to an increased afterload. In case of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), impaired RV-PAc can result from increased left ventricular diastolic stiffness due to fibril deposition.

Objectives: While RV-PAc is a validated prognostic parameter in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), its prognostic relevance in ATTR-CM remains unknown.

Absence of cardiac impairment in patients after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 infection: A long-term follow-up study.

Background: Concerns exist that long-term cardiac alterations occur after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, particularly in patients who were hospitalized in the acute phase or who remain symptomatic. This study investigates potential long-term functional and morphological alterations after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: The authors of this study investigated patients after SARS-CoV-2 infection by using a mobile 1.

Cardiac arrhythmias during and after thoracic irradiation for malignancies.

Background: Cardiac arrhythmia has been reported as a significant complication of thoracic radiotherapy. Both bradyarrhythmias and tachyarrhythmias have been reported, highlighting the arrhythmia-modulating potential of radiation in certain oncologic therapies. This study aimed to analyse the arrhythmic burden in patients with cardiac implantable electrical devices (CIEDs) undergoing thoracic irradiation, examining both immediate effects of radiotherapy and long-term sequelae post-therapy.

TET2 regulates early and late transitions in exhausted CD8 T cell differentiation and limits CAR T cell function.

CD8 T cell exhaustion hampers control of cancer and chronic infections and limits chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell efficacy. Targeting in CAR T cells provides therapeutic benefit; however, TET2's role in exhausted T cell (T) development is unclear. In chronic lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection, TET2 drove conversion from stem cell-like T progenitors toward terminally differentiated and effector (T)-like T.

Comparative Effectiveness of Devices for Interventional Patent Foramen Ovale Closure: Insights from a 23-Year Monocentric Analysis.

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a congenital heart defect affecting up to 25% of the population, associated with an increased risk of cryptogenic stroke. Percutaneous PFO closure is a minimally invasive procedure aimed at reducing stroke risk by eliminating the right-to-left shunt. This monocentric, retrospective study analyzed 716 patients who underwent PFO closure between January 2000 and February 2023.

Comparative evaluation of 2 pulsed field ablation systems for atrial fibrillation: insights from real-world clinical implementation and short-term outcomes.

Background: Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a safe and effective technology for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). Multiple PFA-platforms for AF ablation have been developed. However, evidence comparing the real-world implementation and performance of different PFA systems is still limited.

Physiologists as medical scientists: An early warning from the German academic system.

"Medical scientists" are postgraduate investigators who are engaged in biomedical research, and either hold a biomedical PhD or are qualified in medicine but do not participate in patient care. Medical scientists constitute ~40% of staff at medical faculties and >90% at nonuniversity medical research institutions in Germany. However, medical scientists in Germany face limited long-term career prospects and a lack of dedicated training and support programmes.

Timing of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support in patients with cardiogenic shock.

Aims: The optimal timing for implementing mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in cardiogenic shock (CS) remains indeterminate. This study aims to evaluate patient characteristics and outcome associated with the time interval between CS onset and veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) implementation.

Methods And Results: In this study, patients with CS treated with MCS at 15 tertiary care centres in three countries were enrolled.

Outcomes After Brexucabtagene Autoleucel Administered as a Standard Therapy for Adults With Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell ALL.

Purpose: On the basis of the results of the ZUMA-3 trial, brexucabtagene autoleucel (brexu-cel), a CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, gained US Food and Drug Administration approval in October 2021 for adults with relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-cell ALL (B-ALL). We report outcomes of patients treated with brexu-cel as a standard therapy.

Methods: We developed a collaboration across 31 US centers to study adults with B-ALL who received brexu-cel outside the context of a clinical trial.

2 Rare Syndromes in 1 Patient: Determining the Cause of Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

A 19-year-old man survived sudden cardiac arrest caused by ventricular fibrillation during physical activity. The initial suspicion that this was caused by electrolyte imbalance proved to be wrong. Cardiac computed tomography revealed congenital heart disease.

Improved diagnostic performance of high-sensitivity cardiac troponins in muscle dystrophies using comprehensive definition criteria for cardiac involvement: A longitudinal study on 35 patients.

Background And Purpose: Sparse information is available on the correct interpretation of elevated high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) in confirmed muscular dystrophies.

Methods: Serum concentrations of hs-cTn T (hs-cTnT) and hs-cTn I (hs-cTnI) were determined in 35 stable outpatients with confirmed skeletal muscle dystrophies. We calculated sensitivities, specificities, and positive and negative predictive values of hs-cTnT and hs-cTnI for identification of cardiac involvement using a comprehensive definition that included diastolic left ventricular and right ventricular function, strain analysis using two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiogram and magnetic resonance imaging, myocardial biopsies, and consideration of a variety of triggers for cardiac injury, including arrhythmias, conduction disorders, and hypoxemia due to respiratory failure.

Prognostic Value of Circulating Fibrosis Biomarkers in Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM): Insights into Clinical Outcomes.

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) involves myocardial remodeling, characterized by significant fibrosis and extracellular matrix expansion. These changes impair heart function, increasing the risk of heart failure and sudden cardiac death. This study investigates the prognostic value of circulating fibrosis biomarkers as a less invasive method in DCM patients.