Patent Foramen Ovale Closure in Older Patients With Stroke: Patient Selection for Trial Feasibility.

Background And Objectives: Whether patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure benefits older patients with PFO and cryptogenic stroke is unknown because randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have predominantly enrolled patients younger than 60 years of age. Our objective was to estimate anticipated effects of PFO closure in older patients to predict the numbers needed to plan an RCT.

Methods: Effectiveness estimates are derived from major observational studies (Risk of Paradoxical Embolism [RoPE] Study and Oxford Vascular Study, together referred to as the "RoPE-Ox" database) and all 6 major RCTs (Systematic, Collaborative, PFO Closure Evaluation [SCOPE] Consortium).

Impact of routine brain imaging on the prognosis of patients with left-sided valve infective endocarditis without neurological manifestations.

Background: There are limited data on the impact of routine use of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on the prognosis of neurologically asymptomatic patients with left-sided infective endocarditis (IE).

Methods: Among patients diagnosed with possible or definite IE in two tertiary referral centers between January 2005 and March 2019, we identified 527 left-sided IE patients without neurological symptoms or signs at the time of diagnosis. Patients who underwent brain MRI within 1 week after the IE diagnosis were classified as the routine brain imaging group (n = 216), and the rest were categorized as the control group (n = 311).

Path analysis of illness uncertainty and psychosocial adaptation of patients with Marfan syndrome.

Aims: Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a genetic disorder that causes sudden or chronic cardiovascular problems, which can be fatal. Since MFS patients require regular close medical observation, it is important to understand the factors and pathways associated with psychosocial adaptation to the disease. This study aimed to identify the relationships among illness uncertainty, uncertainty appraisal, and psychosocial adaptation in MFS patients using path analysis.

Association of citrullination with the progression of aortic stenosis.

Despite its clinical importance, biomarkers of disease activity in aortic stenosis (AS) are lacking. We investigated the association between anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies and AS. All 678 patients who underwent echocardiography and anti-CCP antibody testing were analysed.

Pearls and Pitfalls in the Transesophageal Echocardiographic Diagnosis of Patent Foramen Ovale.

Large randomized controlled trials have shown the benefits of percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in patients with cryptogenic stroke and PFO. Recent studies have highlighted the clinical significance and prognostic implication of various anatomical features of PFO and the adjacent atrial septum, such as atrial septal aneurysm (ASA), PFO size, large shunt, and hypermobility. Transthoracic echocardiography with contrast study is used for the indirect diagnosis of PFO, as it reveals the passage of the contrast into the left atrium.

Effect of race on pressure recovery adjustment for prevention of aortic stenosis grading discordance.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the potential impact of racial difference (Asians vs Caucasians) on the clinical usefulness of pressure recovery (PR) adjustment for preventing discordant aortic stenosis (AS) grading in patients with severe AS.

Methods: Data from 1450 patients (mean age, 70.2±10.

Differences in aortic valve area measured on cardiac CT and echocardiography in patients with aortic stenosis.

Background: A certain proportion of patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) present with discordant grading between different diagnostic modalities, which raises uncertainty about the true severity of AS. The aim of this study was to compare the aortic valve area (AVA) measured on CT and echocardiography and demonstrate the factors affecting AVA discrepancies.

Methods: Between June 2011 and March 2016, 535 consecutive patients (66.

Association of Atrial Septal Aneurysm and Shunt Size With Stroke Recurrence and Benefit From Patent Foramen Ovale Closure.

Importance: The Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO)-Associated Stroke Causal Likelihood classification system combines information regarding noncardiac patient features (vascular risk factors, infarct topography) and PFO features (shunt size and presence of atrial septal aneurysm [ASA]) to classify patients into 3 validated categories of responsiveness to treatment with PFO closure. However, the distinctive associations of shunt size and ASA, alone and in combination, have not been completely delineated.

Objective: To evaluate the association of PFO closure with stroke recurrence according to shunt size and/or the presence of an ASA.

Transcatheter versus surgical closure of atrial septal defect in adult patients with tricuspid regurgitation.

Objectives: Transcatheter closure using a device has been established as an effective atrial septal defect (ASD) treatment, but its value in treating patients with concomitant functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is relatively unknown. We sought to evaluate outcomes of patients with ASD and significant TR after transcatheter ASD closure or surgical treatment.

Methods: A total of 252 consecutive adult patients (53.

Network Analysis of Cardiac Remodeling by Primary Mitral Regurgitation Emphasizes the Role of Diastolic Function.

Background: Topological data analysis (TDA) can generate patient-patient similarity networks by analyzing large, complex data and derive new insights that may not be possible with standard statistics.

Objectives: The purpose of this paper was to discover novel phenotypes of chronic primary mitral regurgitation (MR) patients and to analyze their clinical implications using network analysis of echocardiographic data.

Methods: Patients with chronic moderate to severe primary MR were prospectively enrolled from 11 Asian tertiary hospitals (n = 850; mean age 56.

Classification of severe aortic stenosis and outcomes after aortic valve replacement.

Aortic valve calcium scoring by cardiac computed tomographic (CT) has been recommended as an alternative to classify the AS (aortic stenosis) severity, but it is unclear that whether CT findings would have additional value to discriminate significant AS subtypes including high gradient severe AS, classic low-flow, low gradient (LF-LG) AS, paradoxical LF-LG AS, and moderate AS. In this study, we examined the preoperative clinical and cardiac CT findings of different subtypes of AS in patients with surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) and evaluated the subtype classification as a factor affecting post-surgical outcomes. This study included 511 (66.

Incremental Prognostic Value of Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain in Patients with Preserved Ejection Fraction Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Background: Evaluation of left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) has allowed better characterization than left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of subtle differences in left ventricular performance. The aim of this study was to determine whether LVGLS has prognostic value in patients with severe aortic stenosis and preserved LVEF undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Methods: Among 412 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI, 344 patients (mean age, 78.

Computed Tomography Aortic Valve Calcium Scoring in Patients With Bicuspid Aortic Valve Stenosis.

Background: Sex-specific thresholds of computed tomography (CT)-derived aortic valve calcification (AVC) or AVC density (AVCd) to identify severe aortic stenosis (AS) have been established in populations that consisted mainly of Caucasians with a tricuspid aortic valve. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy (i.e.