SnO nanofibers prepared by wet spinning using an ordered porous alumina spinneret.

SnO nanofibers with uniform diameters were obtained by wet spinning using ordered anodic porous alumina as a spinneret, followed by heat treatment. Ordered alumina through-hole membrane is a suitable spinneret material for nanofiber spinning owing to its nanohole array structure with uniform-sizes holes. A polymer solution containing a Sn salt was used as a precursor solution for the wet spinning.

Effects of Smoking on Ischemic Stroke, Intracranial Hemorrhage, and Coronary Artery Events in Japanese Patients With Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation.

The effects of smoking on the prognosis of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients are unclear.The Shinken Database 2004-11 (n = 17,517) includes all new patients visiting the Cardiovascular Institute between June 2004 and March 2012. Among these cases, 2,102 NVAF patients were identified.

A nationwide survey of aortic valve surgery in Japan: current status of valve preservation in cases with aortic regurgitation.

Objective: Although aortic valve-sparing operations are performed throughout Japan, the indications, specific repair techniques, and outcomes have not been reported in full. Thus, we conducted the first nationwide survey of aortic valve-sparing surgery.

Methods: We mailed a questionnaire to 508 institutions across Japan to obtain information on elective aortic valve and aortic root surgeries performed in 2014.

Comparison of early outcomes of surgical ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation concomitant to non-mitral cardiac surgery: a Japan Adult Cardiovascular Surgery Database study.

Objective: Although the benefit of surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) performed concomitant to mitral valve surgery is established, whether that performed concomitant to non-mitral cardiac surgery is beneficial remains unclear. In non-mitral, non-left-atriotomy cardiac surgery, the optimal surgical approach for AF remains to be established. Therefore, using the Japan Adult Cardiovascular Surgery Database (JACVSD), we compared 2 surgical ablation procedures [the maze procedure and pulmonary vein isolation (PVI)] performed concomitant to non-mitral cardiac surgery.

An Adult Case of Unicommissural Unicuspid Aortic Valve Diagnosed Based on the Intraoperative Findings.

We herein report an adult case of unicommissural unicuspid aortic valve (UAV). A 59-year-old man, who was noted to have a cardiac murmur at 31 years of age, was admitted to our hospital due to acute heart failure. Severe calcification in the aortic valve with severe low-flow/low-gradient aortic stenosis and moderate aortic regurgitation was observed and thought to be the cause of heart failure, however, the etiology of aortic valve dysfunction was not clear.

Impact of BNP level and peak VO on future heart failure events: comparison between sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation.

This study aimed to examine the discrete impacts of peak oxygen consumption (VO) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels on future heart failure (HF) events in sinus rhythm (SR) and atrial fibrillation (AF). A total of 1447 patients who underwent symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing and whose BNP values were determined simultaneously were analysed (SR, N = 1151 and AF, N = 296). HF events were defined as HF hospitalization or HF death.

The predictive value of the borderline ankle-brachial index for long-term clinical outcomes: An observational cohort study.

Background And Aims: Low ankle-brachial index (ABI) is associated with increased mortality and an increased incidence of cardiovascular events. The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of borderline ABI in predicting clinical outcomes.

Methods And Results: The data were derived from the Shinken Database 2004-2012, from a single hospital-based cohort study (N = 19,994).

Left Atrial Remodeling Assessed by Transthoracic Echocardiography Predicts Left Atrial Appendage Flow Velocity in Patients With Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with an increased risk of stroke and other thromboembolic events. Left atrial (LA) thrombus formation is closely related to LA dysfunction, particularly to decreased LA appendage flow velocity (LAA-FV) in patients with AF. We estimated LAA-FV using parameters noninvasively obtained by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in patients with paroxysmal AF.

Nine-Year Trend of Anticoagulation Use, Thromboembolic Events, and Major Bleeding in Patients With Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation - Shinken Database Analysis.

Background: Trends of oral anticoagulant (OAC) prescription and incidence of thromboembolism (TE) and/or major bleeding (MB) in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in Japan are still unclear.

Methods and results: We used data from Shinken Database 2004-2012, which included all new patients attending the Cardiovascular Institute between June 2004 and March 2013. Of them, 2,434 patients were diagnosed with NVAF.

Midterm Outcome of Mitral Valve Repair with Artificial Chordae for Only Posterior Leaflet Disease-Comparison with the Resectional Technique in a Single Institute.

Objective: We compared the midterm results of mitral valve repair with and without leaflet resection, and revealed the effectiveness of this technique, even for in the posterior leaflet alone.

Patients: From August 2002 to March 2014, a total of 306 mitral valve repairs were carried out at our hospital. Of these patients, 50 cases did not undergo leaflet resection (Artificial Chordae; Group A) and 56 cases underwent leaflet resection (Resectional; Group R).

ABO Blood Type and Response of Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time to Dabigatran in Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation Patients.

Background: The association between ABO blood type and the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) under dabigatran therapy in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients is unclear.

Methods and results: Between 2011 March and 2015 May, data on ABO blood type and aPTT under dabigatran were obtained for 396 NVAF patients (baseline aPTT, 166). The prevalence of blood type O tended to increase or significantly increase according to baseline aPTT, aPTT under dabigatran, and their difference (∆aPTT) (P=0.

Association between smoking habits and the first-time appearance of atrial fibrillation in Japanese patients: Evidence from the Shinken Database.

Background: We previously reported a cross-sectional analysis regarding the relationship between smoking and atrial fibrillation (AF) in a single hospital-based cohort with Japanese patients, but the effect of cessation of smoking and/or total tobacco consumption were unclear.

Methods And Results: We used data from the Shinken Database 2004-2011 (men/women, n=10,714/6803, respectively), which included all new patients attending the Cardiovascular Institute between June 2004 and March 2012. After excluding those previously diagnosed with AF (n=2296), 15,221 patients (men/women, n=9016/6205) were analyzed.

Functional mitral regurgitation and left ventricular systolic dysfunction in the recent era of cardiovascular clinical practice, an observational cohort study.

Functional mitral regurgitation (MR) is frequently associated with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD). Ventricular volume overload that occurs in patients with MR may lead to a progression of myocardial dysfunction. However, the prevalence and clinical outcomes of functional MR in Japanese patients with LVSD remain unclear.

Rivaroxaban in clinical practice for atrial fibrillation with special reference to prothrombin time.

Background:  Prothrombin time (PT) distribution in Japanese nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients under rivaroxaban therapy remains to be clarified.

Methods And Results:  Between May 2012 and July 2013, 115 NVAF patients received rivaroxaban (PT was measured in 94; reagent: recombiplastin). In these patients, (1) PT values were distributed widely from patient to patient and from peak to trough, (2) the time-dependence was obscure with sampling at any time in the outpatient clinic, and (3) the incidence of adverse events was too low for analyzing the relation with PT.

[The surgical treatment using inverted graft insertion technique for left ventricular aneurysm combined with aortic stenosis; report of a case].

An 83-year-old female with congestive heart failure[ New York Heart Association(NYHA) classification III ] due to left ventricular aneurysm, aortic stenosis( AS) with an aortic valve area of 0.66 cm2 and moderate tricuspid regurgitation, underwent endoventricular circular patch plasty using inverted graft insertion technique, aortic valve replacement (AVR) and tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP) successfully. It is highly probable that moderate aortic stenosis and localized apical transmural infarction had been gradually getting worse and they coincidentally caused both progressed AS and ventricular aneurismal change in our case.

Prevalence and the long-term prognosis of functional mitral regurgitation in Japanese patients with symptomatic heart failure.

Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) is a common and critical condition in patients with heart failure (HF); however, the prevalence and clinical outcome of FMR in Japanese real-world clinical practice remain unclear. Within a single hospital-based cohort in the Shinken Database 2004-2011, which comprised all new patients (n = 17,517) who visited the Cardiovascular Institute, we followed symptomatic HF patients. A total of 1,701 patients were included: 104 FMR patients (who had moderate to severe FMR) and 1,597 non-FMR patients (who had none or mild FMR).

Effects of smoking habit on the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in Japanese patients with special reference to sex differences.

Background: Tobacco smoking is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but controversial results have been reported regarding its relationship with atrial fibrillation (AF). Moreover, no study on the relationship between smoking and AF has yet been undertaken in a Japanese context.

Methods And Results: We used data from the Shinken Database 2004-2011 (men/women, n=10,714/6,803, respectively), which included all new patients attending the Cardiovascular Institute between June 2004 and March 2012.

Preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate as a significant predictor of long-term outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting in Japanese patients.

Purposes: The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the effect of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and to determine whether preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) can be a predictor of long-term outcomes after CABG.

Methods: 486 Japanese patients who underwent isolated CABG between December 2000 and August 2010 were evaluated. Preoperative eGFR was estimated by the Japanese equation according to guidelines from the Japanese Society of Nephrology.

"Blue letter effects": Changes in physicians' attitudes toward dabigatran after a safety advisory in a specialized hospital for cardiovascular care in Japan.

Background: A blue letter (safety advisory) for dabigatran was issued by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in August 2011. Changes in physicians' attitudes toward dabigatran use before and after the blue letter have not been previously reported.

Methods And Results: Between March 2011 and July 2012, dabigatran was prescribed to 404 Japanese patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at The Cardiovascular Institute (Tokyo, Japan).

Usefulness of frequent supraventricular extrasystoles and a high CHADS2 score to predict first-time appearance of atrial fibrillation.

Frequent supraventricular extrasystoles (SVEs) are associated with the subsequent first-time appearance of atrial fibrillation (AF) and ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the combined role of SVEs and an AF-related risk score for ischemic stroke, the CHADS2 score, on the occurrence of new AF in patients in sinus rhythm. The Shinken Database 2004-2010 lists 3,263 patients who underwent 24-hour Holter monitoring.

Pelvic abscess following internal iliac artery embolization prior to endovascular aneurysm repair.

We describe a previously unreported case of abscess formation around the right internal iliac artery (IIA) after coil embolization prior to endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). A 75-year-old man was admitted for elective repair of a right common iliac aneurysm. The right IIA coil embolization and EVAR procedures were uncomplicated and assessment by postoperative computed tomography (CT) was satisfactory.

Efficacy of a heparin-coated closed circuit for intractable bleeding in adult cardiac surgery.

Hemostatic procedures and control of blood pressure concomitant with rapid transfusion of blood products aimed at recovery of coagulability are necessary for intractable bleeding during cardiac surgery. However, when the bleeding is massive and hemostasis is prolonged for several hours, operative maneuvers such as manual compression of the heart can affect hemodynamics, decrease cardiac output, and elevate atrial and venous pressure, with consequent hepatic, renal, and pulmonary dysfunction over time. Herein we present three cases of potentially fatal bleeding during open-heart surgery, in which we used a heparin-coated closed circuit for circulatory support after standard cardiopulmonary bypass.

Successful surgical repair for Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy valvular disease with long-term follow-up.

Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD) is an X-linked muscular dystrophy in which cardiac involvement can be serious. The disease progresses rapidly and the prognosis is strongly associated with cardiac involvement. We present the case of a 49-year-old man who was admitted with shortness of breath.