Echocardiographic and biomarker characteristics in diabetes, coronary artery disease or both: insights from HOMAGE trial.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) can induce changes in myocardial structure and function, thereby increasing the risk of heart failure (HF). We aimed to identify the alterations in echocardiographic variables and circulating biomarkers associated with DM, CAD, or both and to assess the effect of spironolactone on them.

Methods: The "Heart OMics in AGEing" (HOMAGE) trial evaluated the effect of spironolactone on circulating markers of fibrosis over 9 months of follow-up in people at risk for HF.

Standardized uptake value-based analysis of two-phase whole-body bone tomoscintigraphies recorded with a high-speed 360° CZT camera in patients with known or suspected inflammatory arthritis.

Purpose: 360° CZT-cameras provide whole-body bone SPECT/CT recordings at delayed (DEL) and blood-pool (BP) phases with short recording times but long visual analysis times. This study aims to determine whether a standardized uptake value (SUV)-based detection of inflammatory arthritis (IA) could facilitate this analysis.

Methods: We included 72 patients with known or suspected IA who underwent two-phase whole-body bone SPECT/CT after 550-650 MBq [Tc]Tc-HDP injection.

Association between ultra-processed food consumption and inflammation: insights from the STANISLAS cohort.

Purpose: High consumption of ultra-processed food (UPF) is associated with an increased risk of developing chronic diseases. Inflammation may be one of the underlying mechanisms behind this association. However, only a limited number of studies have investigated the association between UPF consumption and a few selected inflammation biomarkers, yielding inconsistent results.

Factors associated with heart failure events in patients with new-onset persistent left bundle branch block at discharge after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: New-onset persistent left bundle branch block (NOP-LBBB) at discharge after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is frequent, but its association with death and hospitalization for heart failure (HHF) remains unclear.

Objective: We aimed to assess the association of LBBB persistence or resolution after discharge and of permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation before discharge with these outcomes.

Methods: We analyzed consecutive patients undergoing TAVR at Nancy University Hospital from 2009 to 2021 with NOP-LBBB at discharge and available 1-year follow-up.

Circulating growth differentiation factor-15 levels are associated with early echocardiographic signs of diastolic function impairment in the STANISLAS cohort: A 20-year follow-up study.

Aims: Early identification of healthy subjects prone to develop cardiac dysfunction may be instrumental to prevention strategies. Our study aimed to evaluate whether circulating levels of growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) could predict adverse changes in echocardiographic indexes of cardiac structure and function in an initially healthy populational familial cohort with a long follow-up (STANISLAS cohort).

Methods And Results: We evaluated 1679 participants (49 ± 14 years, 48% males) included in the fourth visit (V4) of the STANISLAS cohort with available GDF-15 measurements (Olink proteomic analysis) and echocardiographic parameters.

Diagnostic accuracy of low-dose myocardial perfusion imaging in a real-world setting.

Background: This large-scale study analyzes factors affecting the diagnostic accuracy of low-dose myocardial perfusion imaging and correlation with coronary angiography in a real-world practice.

Methods: We compared data extracted from routine reports of (i) low-dose [Tc]sestamibi stress-MPI performed with no attenuation correction and predominantly exercise stress testing and (ii) the corresponding coronary angiography.

Results: We considered 1070 pairs of coronary angiography/stress-MPI results reported by 11 physicians.

Proteomic biomarkers and pathway analysis for progression to heart failure in three epidemiological representative cohorts.

Aims: Biomarkers associated with asymptomatic ventricular dysfunction might improve risk stratification and identify pathways leading to heart failure (HF). We explored the association between proteomic biomarkers and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), diastolic dysfunction (DD) and incident HF in three population-based cohorts.

Methods And Results: A chip was used to measure 92 protein biomarkers in blood samples from >1500 Malmö Preventive Project (MPP) participants, of whom 514 had LVH (34%), 462 had DD (32.

Advanced myocardial deformation echocardiography for evaluation of the athlete's heart: Functional and mechanistic analysis.

Background: Assessment of the athlete's heart is challenging because of a phenotypic overlap between reactive physiological adaptation and pathological remodelling. The potential value of myocardial deformation remains controversial in identifying early cardiomyopathy.

Aim: To identify the echocardiographic phenotype of athletes using advanced two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging, and to define predictive factors of subtle left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Factors Associated with Myocardial Uptake on Oncologic Somatostatin PET Investigations and Differentiation from Myocardial Uptake of Acute Myocarditis.

Myocardial somatostatin PET uptake is observed not only in most patients with acute myocarditis (AM) but also in some oncology patients referred for routine somatostatin PET. This raises concerns about the specificity of somatostatin PET for detecting myocarditis. The current study aims to identify factors associated with the detection of myocardial uptake on somatostatin PET scans recorded for oncology indications and differential PET criteria that characterize myocardial uptake in AM patients.

Systemic Inflammatory Indices and Liver Dysfunction in Turner Syndrome Patients: A Retrospective Case-control Study.

Context: Liver function abnormalities have been reported in patients with Turner syndrome (TS); however, the pathophysiological mechanisms have not been well elucidated. Low-grade inflammation has been associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Objective: We studied systemic inflammatory indices [aspartate transaminase to lymphocyte ratio index (ALRI), aspartate transaminase to platelet ratio index (APRI), gamma-glutamyl transferase to platelet ratio (GPR), neutrophil-lymphocyte-ratio (NLR), and platelet lymphocyte ratio and examined their associations with the hepatic abnormalities observed in these subjects.

Dietary inflammatory potential and arterial stiffness in a French cohort: Insights from the STANISLAS study.

Background And Aims: Chronic inflammation plays a key role in arterial stiffness pathogenesis. Dietary components can display anti- or pro-inflammatory properties. Nonetheless, the association between the diet's overall inflammatory potential and arterial stiffness is unclear.

Prognostic implication of lung ultrasound in heart failure: a pooled analysis of international cohorts.

Aims: Lung ultrasound (LUS) is often used to assess congestion in heart failure (HF). In this study, we assessed the prognostic role of LUS in patients with HF at admission and hospital discharge, and in an outpatient setting, and explored whether clinical factors [age, sex, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and atrial fibrillation] impact the prognostic value of LUS findings. Further, we assessed the incremental prognostic value of LUS on top of the following two clinical risk scores: (i) the atrial fibrillation, haemoglobin, elderly, abnormal renal parameters, diabetes mellitus (AHEAD) and (ii) the Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC) clinical risk scores.

Association between baseline hemodynamic indices, cardiotoxicity risk, and survival in women with breast cancer.

Background: The outcome of breast cancer (BrCa) women monitored by low-dose equilibrium radionuclide angiography (ERNA) remains challenging to predict.

Aim: This study aims to determine whether heart rate (HR)/blood pressure (BP) ratio-based indexes, previously confirmed to predict outcomes of various diseases, also predict BrCa-therapy-related cardiotoxicity and survival.

Methods: Predictors of cardiotoxicity and survival were determined among pre-therapy variables, including shock index ([SI HR/systolic BP) and age-adjusted SI (ASI), in a female BrCa cohort with normal baseline ERNA-left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Poor in-hospital congestion improvement in acute heart failure patients classified according to left ventricular ejection fraction: prognostic implications.

Aims: Residual congestion in acute heart failure (AHF) is associated with poor prognosis. However, there is a lack of data on the prognostic value of changes in a combined assessment of in-hospital congestion. The present study sought to assess the association between in-hospital congestion changes and subsequent prognosis according to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) classification.

Long-term changes in cardiac remodelling in prevalent kidney graft recipients.

Background: Approximately 15% of kidney transplant (KT) recipients develop de novo heart failure after KT. There are scarce data reporting the long-term changes in cardiac structure and function among KT recipients. Despite the improvement in renal function, transplant-related complications as well as immunosuppressive therapy could have an impact on cardiac remodelling during follow-up.

Multi-modality assessment of congestion in acute heart failure: Associations with left ventricular ejection fraction and prognosis.

Background: Integrating clinical examination with ultrasound measures of congestion could improve risk stratification in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure (AHF).

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of clinical, echocardiographic and lung ultrasound (LUS) signs of congestion according to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and their association with prognosis in patients with AHF.

Methods: We pooled the data of four cohorts of patients (N = 601, 74.

High Risk of Stroke in Patients With Worsening Heart Failure, Reduced Ejection Fraction, Coronary Heart Disease and Sinus Rhythm: Risk Prediction Score Analysis From the COMMANDER-HF Trial.

Background: Patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and sinus rhythm have a heightened risk of stroke. Whether anticoagulation benefits these patients is uncertain. In this post hoc analysis of the A Study to Assess the Effectiveness and Safety of Rivaroxaban in Reducing the Risk of Death, Myocardial Infarction, or Stroke in Participants with Heart Failure and Coronary Artery Disease Following an Episode of Decompensated Heart Failure (COMMANDER-HF) trial we evaluated how a previously validated risk model consisting of 3 variables (history of prior stroke, insulin-treated diabetes, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level) would perform, compared with plasma d-dimer, for stroke prediction and estimation of the benefit of low-dose rivaroxaban.

Risk of readmission and death after hospitalization for worsening heart failure: Role of post-discharge follow-up visits in a real-world study from the Grand Est Region of France.

Aims: Patients who experience hospitalizations due to heart failure (HF) face a significant risk of readmission and mortality. Our objective was to evaluate whether the risk of hospitalization and mortality following discharge from HF hospitalization differed based on adherence to the outpatient follow-up (FU) protocol comprising an appointment with a general practitioner (GP) within 15 days, a cardiologist within 2 months or both (termed combined FU).

Methods And Results: We studied all adults admitted for a first HF hospitalization from 2016 to 2020 in France's Grand Est region.

Parental acceptability of vaccinating young children against influenza and COVID-19.

Introduction: The struggle against influenza, and more recently against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), relies mostly on protective measures and vaccines. In France, COVID-19 vaccination campaigns include children over 5 years of age, whereas the influenza vaccine is reserved for children and infants older than 6 months with severe chronic disease. The final decision to vaccinate ultimately rests with the parents.

Role of aldosterone in mid- and long-term left ventricular remodelling after acute myocardial infarction: The REMI study.

Aims: Whether aldosterone levels after myocardial infarction (MI) are associated with mid- and long-term left ventricular (LV) remodelling in the era of systematic use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors is uncertain. We prospectively investigated the relationship between aldosterone levels and mid- and long-term LV remodelling in patients with acute MI.

Methods And Results: Plasma aldosterone was measured in 119 patients successfully treated by primary percutaneous coronary angioplasty for a first acute ST-elevation MI (STEMI) 2-4 days after the acute event.

Ventricular-arterial coupling and cardiovascular risk among young adults: The African-PREDICT study.

Ventricular-arterial coupling (VAC) has independent diagnostic and prognostic value for cardiovascular (CV) risk stratification, but studies on its association with anthropometric and CV factors are sparse in young individuals without overt CV disease. We aim to provide descriptive data regarding VAC and its associations with CV risk factors in young adults without overt CV disease. For 631 (mean age, 24 ± 3 yr; 51% female) individuals, VAC was determined by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV)/global longitudinal strain (GLS).

Volume of the proximal half of the thoracic aorta is the most comprehensive FDG-PET/CT indicator of arterial aging throughout adulthood.

Introduction: F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and computed tomography (CT) features of the proximal and more elastic half of the thoracic aorta are known to correlate with aorta stiffness in older populations. This prospective study aimed to analyze the changes in these FDG-PET/CT features between young, middle-aged, and older adults, and investigate associations with arterial stiffness and blood pressure (BP).

Methods: Young (< 40 years), middle-aged (40-to-60 years), and older (> 60 years) adults, who underwent an FDG-PET/CT, were prospectively recruited.

Layer myocardial strain is the most heritable echocardiographic trait.

Aims: Myocardial deformation assessed by strain analysis represents a significant advancement in our assessment of cardiac mechanics. However, whether this variable is genetically heritable or whether all/most of its variability is related to environmental factors is currently unknown. We sought to determine the heritability of echocardiographically determined cardiac mechanics indices in a population setting.