Prognostic Role of Residual Thrombus Burden Following Thrombectomy: Insights From the TOTAL Trial.

Background: It is unclear whether more effective forms of thrombus removal than current aspiration catheters would lead to improved outcomes. We sought to evaluate the prognostic role of residual thrombus burden (rTB), after manual thrombectomy, in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention with routine manual thrombectomy in the TOTAL trial (Thrombectomy Versus PCI Alone).

Methods: This is a single-arm analysis of patients from the TOTAL trial who underwent routine manual aspiration thrombectomy.

Aspergillus Endocarditis of Pulmonary Homograft in a Congenital Heart Disease Patient.

Aspergillus endocarditis (AE) is a life-threatening condition with mortality rates approximating 80%. Herein, we describe the case of a 19-year-old patient with congenitally corrected transposition of great arteries, ventricular septal defect, and pulmonary atresia, who underwent seven cardiac surgical procedures in the past. The patient was operated for AE of a previously implanted pulmonary valve homograft associated with septic pulmonary embolism and right heart failure but succumbed to multi-organ failure three months later.

Meta-Analysis of Intensive Lipid-Lowering Therapy in Patients With Polyvascular Disease.

Background Polyvascular atherosclerotic disease is associated with an increased risk of future cardiovascular events. Intensive lipid-lowering therapy (ILT) may mitigate this risk. The aims of this study-level meta-analysis were to examine the effects of ILT in patients with polyvascular disease and whether baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) may determine the level of benefit.

Rapid right ventricular pacing for balloon aortic valvuloplasty: expanding its routine use in neonates and infants.

Objective: Rapid right ventricular pacing during balloon aortic valvuloplasty is commonly used to achieve balloon stability in children and adults. There is no consensus for the use of the technique in neonates and infants. We sought to review our institutional experience with rapid right ventricular pacing-assisted balloon aortic valvuloplasty across all age groups and evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the technique in the sub-group of neonates and infants <12months.

Intracardiac echocardiography for percutaneous patent foramen ovale and atrial septal defect occlusion.

Background: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) plays a unique role in transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO). However, problems such as the need for general anesthesia, possible trauma from endotracheal intubation, presence of "blind spots," and occasional inadequate imaging of some cardiac structures have necessitated better imaging techniques. Our study aimed to compare the findings of TEE during the initial diagnostic examination with those from intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) acquired during the interventional procedure.

Association between anxiety and depression in patients with acute coronary syndromes due to financial crisis.

Background: The effect of anxiety and depression on patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) warrants investigation, especially during periods of economic crisis.

Aim: To investigate the relation between anxiety and depression in patients presenting with ACS due to financial crisis and to investigate whether these two entities could predict long-term cardiovascular mortality.

Methods And Results: Anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed in 350 patients (210 men) presenting with ACS, with 70 (20%) patients showing elevated scores (Hellenic Heart Failure Protocol).

Drug-induced Brugada syndrome by noncardiac agents.

Drug-induced Brugada syndrome (BrS) represents a great challenge for the prescribing clinicians as well as for those involved in the development of novel pharmaceuticals and in the regulatory bodies responsible with monitoring drug safety. Apart from well-known cardiac agents (mainly Class I antiarrhythmics), an increasing number of noncardiac agents, including psychotropic and anesthetic drugs, have been shown to induce the characteristic Brugada electrocardiogram pattern predisposing to fatal ventricular arrhythmias. Up to now, both repolarization and depolarization abnormalities are thought to be related to the development of ventricular fibrillation in BrS patients.