Thoracic Aortic Calcification and Complex Large Aortic Arch Plaque in Patients with Chronic Coronary Syndrome.

Aortic arch plaque (AAP) morphology and complexity can serve as markers of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This study investigated 1) the diagnostic value of the thoracic aortic calcification (TAC) score for detecting AAP and large complex AAP and 2) the prognostic significance of TAC in patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). The predictors of AAPs with large (≥ 4 mm in thickness) and complex (ulcerated or protruded) morphologies were evaluated in 412 symptomatic patients with CCS who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography and simultaneous assessment of the aortic arch.

Impact of epicardial adipose tissue on diastolic dysfunction in patients with chronic coronary syndrome and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

Aims: This study aims to investigate the association between left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) accumulation in patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Methods And Results: The study included 314 patients with preserved LVEF who underwent coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) and thoracic tissue Doppler echocardiography (TTDE). The EAT volume was measured using CCTA.

Impact of diabetes mellitus and triglyceride glucose index on mortality and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with chronic coronary syndrome undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography.

Background: There is limited knowledge regarding whether an elevated triglyceride glucose (TyG) index can serve as a prognostic marker for mortality and cardiovascular outcomes, independent of diabetes mellitus (DM) and plaque burden, in patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS).

Methods: Patients with CCS (n = 684) were categorized into subgroups based on the presence of DM, and patients without DM were further divided into two groups based on presence or absence of an elevation of TyG index >8.8.

Thoracic Aortic Plaque Burden and Prediction of Cardiovascular Events in Patients Undergoing 320-row Multidetector CT Coronary Angiography.

Aim: Wide volume scan (WVS) coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) enables aortic arch visualization. This study assessed whether the thoracic aortic plaque burden (TAPB) score can predict major cardiovascular adverse events (MACE) in addition to and independently of other obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) attributes.

Methods: This study included patients with suspected CAD who underwent CCTA (n=455).

Extent of coronary atherosclerosis is associated with deterioration of left ventricular global longitudinal strain in patients with preserved ejection fraction undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association between the extent and severity of coronary atherosclerosis, epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) accumulation, and left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) in patients with preserved LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and without LV regional wall motion abnormalities.

Methods: This study included 169 preserved LVEF patients without LV wall motion abnormalities who underwent coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography for the assessment of suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). The segment stenosis score (SSS) and segment involvement score (SIS) were calculated to evaluate CAD extent.

Aortic arch plaque morphology in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography with wide-volume scan.

Background: Wide-volume scanning with 320-row multidetector computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA-WVS) enables the assessment of the aortic arch plaque (AAP) morphology and coronary arteries without requiring additional contrast volume. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of AAPs and their association with coronary artery disease (CAD) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients who underwent CTCA-WVS.

Methods: This study included 204 patients without known CAD (mean age, 65 years; 53% men) who underwent CTCA-WVS.

Determinants of Non-calcified Low-Attenuation Coronary Plaque Burden in Patients Without Known Coronary Artery Disease: A Coronary CT Angiography Study.

Background: Although epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD), it is unclear whether EAT volume (EAV) can be used to diagnose high-risk coronary plaque burden associated with coronary events. This study aimed to investigate (1) the prognostic impact of low-attenuation non-calcified coronary plaque (LAP) burden on patient level analysis, and (2) the association of EAV with LAP volume in patients without known CAD undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study consisted of 376 patients (male, 57%; mean age, 65.

Reverse Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy as a Cause of Acute Chest Pain in a Young Woman Following COVID-19 Vaccination.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Organizing Pneumonia as the First Presentation in a Patient with Takayasu Arteritis: A Report of Rare Complication.

A 48-year-old woman without any medical history visited an outpatient clinic with a chief complaint of cough persisting for more than 1 year and was diagnosed with organizing pneumonia. Computed tomography showed wall thickening with luminal stenosis of the main branch vessels of the aorta, and a detailed examination including fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography revealed Takayasu arteritis. There have been some reports of combined organizing pneumonia in similar vasculitis cases, but Takayasu arteritis and organizing pneumonia have not been reported to be associated.

Severe obstructive sleep apnea is associated with coronary microvascular dysfunction and obstruction in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: Coronary microvascular dysfunction and obstruction (CMVO) is a strong predictor of a poor prognosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Although research has suggested that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) exacerbates CMVO after primary percutaneous coronary intervention, data supporting a correlation between OSA and CMVO are limited. This study was performed to investigate whether OSA is associated with CMVO, detected as microvascular obstruction on cardiovascular magnetic resonance images, in patients with STEMI.

A System That Uses Advanced Automatic Collision Notification Technology to Dispatch Doctors to Traffic Accidents by Helicopter: The First 4 Cases.

Introduction: To increase survival rates of patients with severe trauma from road traffic accidents, Japan launched the D-Call Net (DCN) system, which utilizes advanced automatic collision notification technology to dispatch doctors by helicopter. The DCN system began in November 2015 and, as of October 2019, has dispatched doctors 4 times.

Cases: Case 1-Canceled because trauma was mild.

Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor represents exercise tolerance and predicts adverse cardiac events in patients with heart failure.

Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a membrane-binding protein that is released into the blood stream by immune activation. Recent reports suggest that circulating suPAR levels are associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Exercise tolerance is an independent predictor of prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF); however, the relationship between serum suPAR level and exercise tolerance is unclear.

Successful catheter ablation improves exercise tolerance in persistent atrial fibrillation patients, especially those with reduced ventricular contraction, preserved atrial function, or a high CHADS score.

Background: It has been reported that rhythm control for persistent atrial fibrillation (per-AF) patients by catheter ablation improves their exercise tolerance, subjective symptoms, and quality of life (QoL). However, clinical factors that can predict future improvement of exercise capacity after successful catheter ablation in per-AF patients are unclear.

Methods: This study consisted of 62 patients (mean age 65.

Usefulness of pre- and post-stent optical frequency domain imaging findings in the prediction of periprocedural cardiac troponin elevation in patients with coronary artery disease.

Cholesterol crystals (CCs) are frequently found in high-risk plaques, such as thin-capped fibroatheromas. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of CCs, plaque morphologies, and post-stent optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) findings with periprocedural cardiac troponin (cTn) elevation in patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study consists of 119 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) with normal cTn levels who underwent OFDI-guided PCI.

Prognostic significance of renal dysfunction and its change pattern on outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome treated with emergent percutaneous coronary intervention.

Renal dysfunction and its change pattern are associated with short- and long-term mortality. However, it remains to be investigated whether or not worsening renal function (WRF) defined by baseline renal function identified from different time points would provide prognostic implication on outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. This study consists of 334 ACS patients (mean age 68 ± 11 years, 75% male) treated with emergent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Safety and Efficacy of Simultaneous Biplane Mode of 3-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography-Guided Antegrade Multiple-Inflation Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis.

Background: Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) is resurging as a bridge treatment in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) with a dissemination of transcatheter aortic valve implantation. However, the significantly high periprocedural mortality and complication rates still limit the indications of BAV. Further efforts are needed to improve the safety and efficacy of BAV.

New biofidelic corridor and biofidelity test procedure for pedestrian legform impactors.

The objectives of this research are to propose a new impact response corridor for the ISO legform impactor and to determine the biofidelity of the current legform impactor with rigid leg and thigh developed by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). The latest data obtained from Post Mortem Human Subject (PMHS) knee impact tests were analyzed in connection with the proposal, and biofidelity legform impact tests were conducted using the current rigid legform impactor. New normalized biofidelic corridors of impact force corresponding to adult male 50th percentile (AM50) are proposed.