Emerging roles of left ventricular assist device therapy as bridge to transplant in an Asian city with scarce heart transplant donor.

Background: Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has been increasingly used in patients with advanced heart failure. This study aimed to assess the impact of implementation of LVAD therapy on heart transplantation (HTx) service in Hong Kong (HK).

Methods: LVAD program was started in 2010 in HK and patients who had been put on HTx waiting list since the start of HTx program in HK from 1992 to 2020 were included for analysis.

Guideline-Based Critical Care Pathway Improves Long-Term Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Implementation of a critical care pathway (CCP) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been shown to improve early compliance to guideline-directed therapies and reduce early mortality. Nevertheless its long-term impact on the compliance with medications or clinical outcomes remains unknown. Between 2004 and 2015, 2023 consecutive patients were admitted to our coronary care unit with ACS.

TIMI risk score for secondary prevention of recurrent cardiovascular events in a real-world cohort of post-non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients.

Background: Patients who survive non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) are at heightened risk of recurrent cardiovascular events. Data on long-term secondary atherothrombotic risk stratification are limited.

Objectives: To stratify post-NSTEMI patients for risk of recurrent cardiovascular events to maximise benefit from aggressive secondary prevention strategies using the TIMI Risk Score for Secondary Prevention (TRS 2°P) score in a real-world cohort of NSTEMI patients.

Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Risk Score for Secondary Prevention of Recurrent Cardiovascular Events in a Real-World Cohort of Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients.

Background: Patients who survive myocardial infarction (MI) are at risk of recurrent cardiovascular (CV) events. This study stratified post-MI patients for risk of recurrent CV events using the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Risk Score for Secondary Prevention (TRS 2°P).

Methods and results: This was an observational study that applied TRS 2°P to a consecutive cohort of post-MI patients.

Rationale and design of the screening of pulmonary hypertension in systemic lupus erythematosus (SOPHIE) study.

Current guideline-recommended screening for pulmonary hypertension in patients with systemic sclerosis has not been evaluated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which is disproportionately prevalent in Asians. This multicentre, cross-sectional screening study aims to study the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension among SLE patients using these guidelines, and identify independent predictors and develop a prediction model for pulmonary hypertension in SLE patients. SLE patients from participating centres will undergo an echocardiography- and biomarker-based pulmonary hypertension screening procedure as in the DETECT study.

Prognostic implications of early monomorphic and non-monomorphic tachyarrhythmias in patients discharged with acute coronary syndrome.

Background: The prognostic implication of early ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTs) after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains unclear.

Objective: We sought to investigate the clinical outcomes of early monomorphic and non-monomorphic VTs that occur within 48 hours in patients after ACS.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes of 2033 [mean age 67.

Angiographic study of the clinical liaison of drug-eluting stent and paclitaxel-eluting balloon in unifocal side branch ostium stenosis (ASCLEPIUS).

A reliable stenting strategy for treating isolated side branch (SB) ostium stenosis is not well established. The purpose of this study was to examine the 6-month angiographic outcome of a novel technique, called the shoulder technique, on this lesion subtype. Symptomatic patients with isolated SB ostium stenosis, defined as ≥75% diameter stenosis at SB ostium and <50% diameter stenosis in main vessel (MV), were treated with paclitaxel-eluting balloon in MV and drug-eluting stent in SB using the shoulder technique.

Long-term clinical outcomes after deployment of femoral vascular closure devices in coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention: an observational single-centre registry follow-up.

Objectives: There are few data evaluating the long-term effect of femoral vascular closure devices (FCDs) on patients' clinical outcome. We aim to evaluate the incidence of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) in patients who received FCD following its deployment in coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures.

Design And Setting: Observational study of a single-centre registry.

Side differences of carotid intima-media thickness in predicting cardiovascular events among patients with coronary artery disease.

Population-based studies have demonstrated differences in intima-media thickness (IMT) measured from the left and right common carotid arteries (CCAs). However, its prognostic implications among patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD) remain unknown. Correlations between the left and right CCAs and the composite end point of cardiac death or nonfatal acute coronary syndrome among 149 patients with angiographically confirmed stable CAD were studied.