Phenotype of severe tricuspid regurgitation induced by intracardiac pacing devices.

Introduction And Aims: Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) induced by the implantation of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) is an increasingly common cause of severe TR. Our aim was to describe the echocardiographic phenotypic characteristics of CIED-induced severe TR.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study that included patients with severe TR related to CIED diagnosed in the cardiac imaging unit of a Spanish tertiary hospital.

Superiority of 3D planimetry over pressure half-time method for the assessment of mitral valve area after percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral repair.

Introduction And Objectives: There is limited evidence to identify the most accurate method for measuring the mitral valve area (MVA) after percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral repair. Our objective was to evaluate the optimal method in this context and its correlation with the mean transmitral gradient.

Methods: A registry of patients undergoing percutaneous mitral repair was conducted, analyzing different methods of measuring MVA and their correlation with the mean gradient.

Current Usefulness of Transesophageal Echocardiography in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

This review article describes in depth the current usefulness of transesophageal echocardiography in patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Pre-intervention, 3D-transesophageal echocardiography allows us to accurately evaluate the aortic valve morphology and to measure the valve annulus, helping us to choose the appropriate size of the prosthesis, especially useful in cases where the computed tomography is not of adequate quality. Although it is not currently used routinely during the intervention, it remains essential in those cases of greater complexity, such as for patients with greater calcification and bicuspid valve, mechanical mitral prosthesis, and "valve in valve" procedures.

The Incidence, Impact, and Techniques of Commissural Alignment in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: A Review.

In current clinical practice, commissural alignment of the transcatheter heart valve (THV) during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is seldom achieved. Orientation of the THV within the aortic root and the subsequent influence upon leaflet haemodynamic function, coronary blood flow, and ease of access to the coronary ostia are gaining significant interest. Herein, we review the incidence and clinical implications of commissural misalignment in TAVI and offer thorough descriptions of how optimal alignment can be achieved with several different contemporary THV devices.

Correlation of Intraprocedural and Follow Up Parameters for Mitral Regurgitation Grading after Percutaneous Edge-to-Edge Repair.

Background: There is no consensus on the best intraprocedural parameter to evaluate residual mitral regurgitation (MR) after transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral repair (TEER). Thus, our aim was to evaluate the predictive value of different MR parameters from intraprocedural transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) for grading in consecutive transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) during the follow up. Methods: All the consecutive patients who underwent TEER with MitraClip between 2010 and 2020 in our center were considered.

Circumflex Artery Arising From the Pulmonary Artery: Always a Malignant Coronary Anomaly?

Some coronary artery anomalies are associated with increased risk of sudden cardiac death and myocardial infarction in young patients. There are few data on the clinical and prognostic relevance of isolated origin of the left circumflex artery from the pulmonary artery, an extraordinarily rare variant of anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery. ().

Coronary plaque burden, plaque characterization and their prognostic implications in familial hypercholesterolemia: A computed tomographic angiography study.

Background And Aims: Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is associated with premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Semi-automated plaque characterization (SAPC) by coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) provides information regarding coronary plaque burden and plaque characterization. Our aim was to quantify and characterize the coronary plaque burden of patients with FH using SAPC analysis and to identify which factors are related to plaque burden and plaque characteristics.

Big data and new information technology: what cardiologists need to know.

Technological progress in medicine is constantly garnering pace, requiring that physicians constantly update their knowledge. The new wave of technologies breaking through into clinical practice includes the following: a) mHealth, which allows constant monitoring of biological parameters, anytime, anyplace, of hundreds of patients at the same time; b) artificial intelligence, which, powered by new deep learning techniques, are starting to beat human experts at their own game: diagnosis by imaging or electrocardiography; c) 3-dimensional printing, which may lead to patient-specific prostheses; d) systems medicine, which has arisen from big data, and which will open the way to personalized medicine by bringing together genetic, epigenetic, environmental, clinical and social data into complex integral mathematical models to design highly personalized therapies. This state-of-the-art review aims to summarize in a single document the most recent and most important technological trends that are being applied to cardiology, and to provide an overall view that will allow readers to discern at a glance the direction of cardiology in the next few years.

Myocardial strain in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy with feature tracking. Feasibility and prognostic implications.

Introduction And Objectives: Myocardial strain analysis could provide additional information to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDC). Our aim was to analyze the feasibility of left ventricular strain evaluation using cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking (FT) in NIDC, and to determine its clinical and prognostic impact.

Methods: We retrospectively included consecutive patients with NIDC who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance.

Social media in cardiology: Reasons to learn how to use it.

Social media has changed the way we learn, educate, and interact with our peers. The dynamic nature of social media and their immediate availability through our portable devices (smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, .) is quickly transforming the way we participate in society.

Discongruence Index - Simple Indicator to Predict Prosthesis-Patient Mismatch After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains an important issue. The aim of this study was to assess the value of a new discongruence index, to predict PPM after TAVR.

Methods and results: A total of 185 patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent TAVR with the Edwards Sapien prosthesis or CoreValve Revalving system were included (Edwards valve, n=119; Core Valve Revalving system, n=66).

Mitral valve navigator. A new diagnostic tool for effective regurgitant orifice quantification in mitral regurgitation.

Introduction: Mitral regurgitation severity assessment is usually carried out using qualitative, semiquantitative, and quantitative parameters. The mitral valve navigation (MVN) tool allows to measure the mitral effective regurgitant orifice (MERO) from 3D echo datasets. Our aim was to validate the MVN as a new tool to quantify MERO.

Three-dimensional Tricuspid Area. A New Criterion to Improve Patient Selection for Annuloplasty in Tricuspid Regurgitation.

Introduction And Objectives: Late functional tricuspid regurgitation after rheumatic left-sided valve surgery is an important predictor of poor prognosis. This study investigated the usefulness and accuracy of 3-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography tricuspid area compared with conventional 2-dimensional diameter (2DD) for assessing significant tricuspid annulus dilatation, providing cutoff values that could be used in clinical practice to improve patient selection for surgery.

Methods: We prospectively included 109 patients with rheumatic heart disease in the absence of previous valve replacement.

Coronary computed tomographic angiography findings and their therapeutic implications in asymptomatic patients with familial hypercholesterolemia. Lessons from the SAFEHEART study.

Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) confers an increased risk of premature atherosclerotic disease. Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) can assess preclinical coronary atherosclerosis.

Objectives: To describe coronary CTA findings in asymptomatic molecularly defined FH individuals, to identify those factors related to its presence and extension, and to assess the impact of these results in patients' care and estimated risk.

Comparison of the Hemodynamic Performance of the Balloon-expandable SAPIEN 3 Versus Self-expandable Evolut R Transcatheter Valve: A Case-matched Study.

Introduction And Objectives: The SAPIEN 3 (S3) valve and the Medtronic Evolut R (EVR) are second-generation transcatheter valves, designed to further reduce the rate of paravalvular aortic regurgitation (AoR). The aim of this study was to compare the 2 devices in terms of valve performance in a case-matched study with independent echocardiographic analysis.

Methods: Of a population of 201 patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation, 144 patients (S3, n = 80; EVR, n = 64) were matched according to aortic annulus diameter and aortic valve calcium score, as assessed by computed tomography.

Dronedarone produces early regression of myocardial remodelling in structural heart disease.

Background And Aims: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in hypertension is associated with a greater risk of sustained supraventricular/atrial arrhythmias. Dronedarone is an antiarrhythmic agent that was recently approved for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. However, its effect on early regression of LVH has not been reported.

Long term effects of fetal undernutrition on rat heart. Role of hypertension and oxidative stress.

Background And Aims: Fetal undernutrition is a risk factor for heart disease in both genders, despite the protection of women against hypertension development. Using a rat model of maternal undernutrition (MUN) we aimed to assess possible sex differences in the development of cardiac alterations and the implication of hypertension and cardiac oxidative stress.

Methods: Male and female offspring from rats fed ad libitum (control) or with 50% of the normal daily intake during the second half of gestation (MUN) were used.