Different Impact of Immunosuppressive Therapy on Cardiac Outcomes in Systemic Versus Isolated Cardiac Sarcoidosis.

Isolated cardiac sarcoidosis (iCS) is increasingly recognized; however, its prognosis and the efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy remain undetermined. We aimed to compare the prognosis of iCS and systemic sarcoidosis including cardiac involvement (sCS) under immunosuppressive therapy.We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 42 patients with sCS and 30 patients with iCS diagnosed at Kyushu University Hospital from 2004 through 2022.

Long-term outcomes after catheter ablation for idiopathic atypical atrial flutter.

Background: Idiopathic atypical (non-cavotricuspid isthmus-dependent) atrial flutter (IAAFL) may be seen in patients without structural heart disease and without previous cardiac surgery or ablation.

Objective: This study sought to determine the patient characteristics, electrophysiologic and electroanatomic properties, and clinical outcomes after ablation in patients with IAAFL.

Methods: We retrospectively compared IAAFL patients with cavotricuspid isthmus-dependent AFL (C-AFL) patients undergoing catheter ablation.

Visibility of Pulmonary Valve and Pulmonary Regurgitation on Intracardiac Echocardiography in Adult Patients with Tetralogy of Fallot.

Pulmonary regurgitation (PR) is a risk factor for sudden cardiac death in adult patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). However, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) cannot fully visualize the pulmonary valve (PV) and PR. We investigated whether intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) could visualize the PV and PR better than TTE.

Valvular and aortic surgery in an adult patient late after repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

Background: The most common complication after tetralogy of Fallot repair is pulmonary valve regurgitation. However, concomitant surgery for tricuspid valve regurgitation and/or aortic dilatation is occasionally required.

Case Presentation: A 56-year-old woman who underwent surgery for tetralogy of Fallot at age 29 years was diagnosed with progressive tricuspid valve regurgitation, hepatosplenomegaly, and thrombocytopenia.

Immunomodulatory Cell Therapy Using αGalCer-Pulsed Dendritic Cells Ameliorates Heart Failure in a Murine Dilated Cardiomyopathy Model.

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a life-threatening disease, resulting in refractory heart failure. An immune disorder underlies the pathophysiology associated with heart failure progression. Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell activation is a prospective therapeutic strategy for ischemic heart disease.

Fatal Pulmonary Hemorrhagic Infarction Caused by Pulmonary Vein Thrombotic Occlusion During Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

A 20-year-old man with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) was resuscitated from ventricular fibrillation. He was transferred to our hospital because of progressive multiorgan dysfunction despite mechanical circulatory support with peripheral venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). At admission to our hospital, chest X-ray showed bilateral complete lung opacification, and echocardiography revealed a massive thrombus occupying the left atrium (LA) and left ventricle (LV).

Systemic-to-Pulmonary Collateral Flow Correlates with Clinical Condition Late After the Fontan Procedure.

In the Fontan circulation, there is a substantial degree of systemic-to-pulmonary collateral flow (SPCF), which can be measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). However, the correlation between the degree of SPCF and long-term outcomes is not fully understood. We retrospectively studied 321 patients who underwent the Fontan procedure and CMR at a single center.

A Rare Manifestation of Right Ventricular Dysfunction in an Adult Patient With Mucolipidosis Type III α/β.

Mucolipidosis type III α/β is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease, caused by the deficient activity of UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine-1-phosphotransferase. The resultant intralysosomal accumulation of partly degraded mucopolysaccharides and sphingolipids causes multiple-organ damage, including the heart. The most documented cardiac manifestation is the thickening and insufficiency of mitral and aortic valves, but there are very few reports about the myocardial involvement.

Impact of Hospital Practice Factors on Mortality in Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure in Japan - An Analysis of a Large Number of Health Records From a Nationwide Claims-Based Database, the JROAD-DPC.

Background: An inverse relationship exists between hospital case volume and mortality in patients with heart failure (HF). However, hospital performance factors associated with mortality in HF patients have not been examined. We aimed to identify these using exploratory factor analysis and assess the relationship between these factors and 7-day, 30-day, and in-hospital mortality among HF patients in Japan.

Takotsubo syndrome in a heart transplant recipient with poor cardiac sympathetic reinnervation.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), also referred to as stress cardiomyopathy, is characterized by transient left ventricular apical ballooning in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease. Catecholamine-induced cardiac injury or vasospasm has been implicated in this pathophysiology. We present a case of a 67-year-old man 10 years after heart transplantation diagnosed with TTS.

Left Ventricular Noncompaction with Multiple Thrombi in Apical Aneurysm.

A 44-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to heart failure. Transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated global hypokinesis with an ejection fraction of 25%, prominent trabeculation and deep intertrabecular recesses, and apical aneurysm with multiple thrombi (10×13 mm in the inferior wall, 15×8 mm in the anterior wall). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed an increased ratio of noncompacted (NC) to compacted (C) myocardium (NC/C ratio >2.

Cilostazol Is Useful for the Treatment of Sinus Bradycardia and Associated Hemodynamic Deterioration Following Heart Transplantation.

Bradycardia is a common complication at the early postoperative period after heart transplantation (HT). The heart rate (HR) usually recovers within a few weeks; however, several patients need a temporary pacemaker or chronotropic agents to stabilize their hemodynamics. Here, we report the first case of transient bradycardia associated with hemodynamic deterioration following HT, which was successfully treated with cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase-3-inhibiting agent.

Flow Pattern of Outflow Graft is Useful for Detecting Pump Thrombosis in a Patient with Left Ventricular Assist Device.

Pump thrombosis (PT) is a serious complication after continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. To detect PT, echocardiographic ramp test using left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) is known to be useful. However, this method has several limitations.

Outcome of patients with functional single ventricular heart after pacemaker implantation: What makes it poor, and what can we do?

Background: Pacemaker implantation in patients with single ventricle is associated with poor outcomes.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the reasons for the poor outcomes of pacemaker implantation.

Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with single ventricle who had undergone permanent pacemaker implantation.

Cardioprotective effect of renin-angiotensin inhibitors and β-blockers in trastuzumab-related cardiotoxicity.

Background: Trastuzumab-related cardiotoxicity (TRC) has been considered as reversible. However, recent studies have raised concern against reversibility of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction in breast cancer patients treated with trastuzumab. In addition, the efficacy of medical treatment for heart failure (HF) including renin-angiotensin inhibitors and β-blockers has not been defined in TRC.

Ivabradine for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases.

Higher heart rate (HR) is independently related to worse outcomes in various cardiac diseases, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, and heart failure (HF). HR is determined by the pacemaker activity of cells within the sinoatrial node. The hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) 4 channel, one of 4 HCN isoforms, generates the I current and plays an important role in the regulation of pacemaker activity in the sinoatrial node.