Paced P-wave morphology templates to guide atrial tachycardia localization: A derivation and validation study.

Background: Surface ECG is a useful tool to guide mapping of focal atrial tachycardia (AT).

Objectives: We aimed to construct 12-lead ECG templates for P-wave morphology (PWM) during endocardial pacing from different sites in both atria in patients with no apparent structural heart disease (derivation cohort), with the goal of creating a localization algorithm, which could subsequently be validated in a cohort of patients undergoing catheter ablation of focal AT (validation cohort).

Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients who underwent electrophysiology study, had no structural heart disease and no atrial enlargement.

Correlation of echocardiographic parameters in prone and supine positions in normal adults using a novel approach.

Background: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in prone position is challenging. Innovative use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe to perform TTE for such patients has been described; but reproducibility and correlation of the TTE measurements by this technique with those obtained by the standard supine TTE study are still unknown.

Methods: We enrolled 30 non-COVID-19 individuals, with a mean (SD) age 35 (10.

Nourin-Dependent miR-137 and miR-106b: Novel Biomarkers for Early Diagnosis of Myocardial Ischemia in Coronary Artery Disease Patients.

Background: Although cardiovascular imaging techniques are widely used to diagnose myocardial ischemia in patients with suspected stable coronary artery disease (CAD), they have limitations related to lack of specificity, sensitivity and "late" diagnosis. Additionally, the absence of a simple laboratory test that can detect myocardial ischemia in CAD patients, has led to many patients being first diagnosed at the time of the development of myocardial infarction. Nourin is an early blood-based biomarker rapidly released within five minutes by "reversible" ischemic myocardium before progressing to necrosis.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) as independent predictors of outcome in infective endocarditis (IE).

Background: Early and accurate risk assessment is an important clinical demand in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are independent predictors of prognosis in many infectious and cardiovascular diseases. Very limited studies have been conducted to evaluate the prognostic role of these markers in IE.

Correction: Aspergillus endocarditis: Diagnostic criteria and predictors of outcome, A retrospective cohort study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Correction: Aspergillus endocarditis: Diagnostic criteria and predictors of outcome, A retrospective cohort study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Aspergillus endocarditis: Diagnostic criteria and predictors of outcome, A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Fungal Endocarditis (FE), a relatively rare disease, has a high rate of mortality and is associated with multiple morbidities. Aspergillus endocarditis (AE) is severe form of FE. Incidence of AE has increased and is expected to rise due to an increased frequency of invasive procedures, cardiac devices and prosthetic valves together with increased use of immune system suppressors.

Segmental peri-coronary epicardial adipose tissue volume and coronary plaque characteristics.

Aims: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) has been proposed to modulate underlying coronary plaque features. The study aimed to determine the relation between segmental EAT (sEAT) volume, assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and underlying coronary plaque characteristics, as estimated by multidetector computed tomography (CT) (MDCT).

Methods And Results: The study included 32 male patients with stable angina pectoris and 11 age-matched healthy controls.

Association between surgical indications, operative risk, and clinical outcome in infective endocarditis: a prospective study from the International Collaboration on Endocarditis.

Background: Use of surgery for the treatment of infective endocarditis (IE) as related to surgical indications and operative risk for mortality has not been well defined.

Methods And Results: The International Collaboration on Endocarditis-PLUS (ICE-PLUS) is a prospective cohort of consecutively enrolled patients with definite IE from 29 centers in 16 countries. We included patients from ICE-PLUS with definite left-sided, non-cardiac device-related IE who were enrolled between September 1, 2008, and December 31, 2012.

Evaluation of broad-range 16S rRNA PCR for the diagnosis of bloodstream infections: two years of experience.

Introduction: Diagnosis of bloodstream infections using bacteriological cultures suffers from low sensitivity and reporting delay. Advanced molecular techniques introduced in many laboratories provide rapid results and may show improvements in patient outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of a molecular technique, broad-range 16S rRNA PCR followed by sequencing for the diagnosis of bloodstream infections, compared to blood culture in different patient groups.

In-hospital and 1-year mortality in patients undergoing early surgery for prosthetic valve endocarditis.

Importance: There are limited prospective, controlled data evaluating survival in patients receiving early surgery vs medical therapy for prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE).

Objective: To determine the in-hospital and 1-year mortality in patients with PVE who undergo valve replacement during index hospitalization compared with patients who receive medical therapy alone, after controlling for survival and treatment selection bias.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Participants were enrolled between June 2000 and December 2006 in the International Collaboration on Endocarditis-Prospective Cohort Study (ICE-PCS), a prospective, multinational, observational cohort of patients with infective endocarditis.