Publications by authors named "Louay Taha"
Introduction: Cardiac troponin I is routinely measured in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome. However, when a high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) test is ordered without a clear clinical indication, unexpectedly elevated levels can lead to unnecessary diagnostic workups and inappropriate management. This study aimed to investigate physicians' rationale for performing hs-cTnI tests in an emergency department (ED).
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- Platelets have a significant impact on aortic stenosis (AS) and patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), prompting an analysis of their indices in relation to AS stages.
- In a study involving 220 TAVI patients, they were categorized into 5 AS stages based on cardiac damage, revealing a correlation between higher mean platelet volume (MPV) and advanced AS staging, as well as lower hemoglobin levels.
- The findings indicate that while MPV and immature platelet fraction (IPF) show variations across stages, only MPV and body mass index (BMI) were significant predictors of higher AS staging in the logistic regression analysis.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates the relationship between peak high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) levels and one-year mortality in patients admitted to intensive cardiovascular care units (ICCU) from 2019 to 2023.
- - A total of 4149 patients were analyzed, revealing that those with hs-cTnI levels ≥100,000 ng/L had a significantly higher risk of mortality compared to lower levels, particularly in non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) cases.
- - The findings suggest that while high hs-cTnI levels indicate poor prognosis, the impact on mortality rates varies notably between patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and NSTEMI, indicating a need
Article Synopsis
- Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a significant global health issue, with younger patients often affected by genetic and electrical disorders, while older patients commonly suffer from ischemic heart disease.
- A study involving 92 patients revealed that the majority had acute coronary syndrome, with many undergoing treatments like targeted temperature management and coronary angiography, but only half received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
- Despite the challenges, most patients survived hospitalization, suggesting that improving awareness and treatment guidelines could enhance outcomes for those experiencing OHCA.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the incidence of fatal heart complications, specifically ventricular fibrillation (VF) and sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT), in patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) admitted to an intensive coronary care unit (ICCU).
- Out of 732 NSTEMI patients monitored, only three (0.4%) developed VF/VT during their stay, with none of the patients experiencing mortality in a year following treatment.
- The findings indicate that VF/VT occurrences in NSTEMI patients under current treatment guidelines are infrequent, suggesting that routine ICCU monitoring may not be necessary for these patients.
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- The study investigates how the Israel-Hamas war in 2023 impacted cardiovascular health, focusing on the admissions and outcomes in a specialized cardiac care unit.
- Researchers analyzed data from 556 patients admitted during the war's initial three months and compared it to a similar timeframe in 2022.
- The findings showed a decline in Arab patient admissions and an increase in STEMI cases during the war, yet the overall in-hospital mortality rates remained comparable between the two periods.
Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted to explore sex differences in in-hospital mortality rates among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), highlighting that women face higher mortality and complications despite efforts to reduce sex bias in treatment.
- The research involved analyzing data from 2,346 ACS patients, with a focus on 453 female patients, who showed greater prevalence of non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and longer wait times for urgent procedures compared to males.
- The study developed predictive models using artificial intelligence, finding that the gradient boosting classifier performed best in predicting in-hospital mortality, indicating age, type of myocardial infarction, and inflammatory markers as key risk factors.
Atherosclerosis is an insidious and progressive inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of lipid-laden plaques within the intima of arterial walls with potentially devastating consequences. While rupture of vulnerable plaques has been extensively studied, a distinct mechanism known as plaque erosion (PE) has gained recognition and attention in recent years. PE, characterized by the loss of endothelial cell lining in the presence of intact fibrous cap, contributes to a significant and growing proportion of acute coronary events.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Immature platelets or reticulated platelets are newly released thrombocytes. They can be identified by their large size and high RNA cytoplasm concentration. Immature platelet fraction (IPF) represents the percentage of immature circulative platelets relative to the total number of platelets.
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- Timely reperfusion within 120 minutes is crucial for patients with NSTEMI who have high-risk features, but there's limited data on how using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) levels at admission can help improve treatment outcomes.
- A study involving 544 NSTEMI patients examined the relationship between initial hs-cTn levels and all-cause mortality over three years, dividing patients into quartiles based on their hs-cTnI levels upon admission.
- The findings revealed that patients in the highest hs-cTnI quartile had a significantly higher mortality rate compared to those in the lowest quartile, emphasizing the need for more research on early treatment strategies for
Background: Vasopressors are frequently utilized for blood pressure stabilization in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS), although with a questionable benefit. Obtaining central venous access is time consuming and may be associated with serious complications. Hence, we thought to evaluate whether the administration of vasopressors through a peripheral venous catheter (PVC) is a safe and effective alternative for the management of patients with CS presenting to the intensive cardiovascular care unit (ICCU).
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- Coronary calcium score (CCS) is an effective marker for assessing coronary artery calcification (CAC) and identifying coronary artery disease (CAD), with this study focusing on the link between mean platelet volume (MPV) and CAC in patients tested for chest pain.
- The analysis included 290 patients from 2017 to 2020, with 251 qualifying for the study; results showed a strong association where higher MPV correlated with increased CAC severity, particularly among patients with diabetes, hypertension, and those on statin therapy.
- The study concluded that MPV can serve as an independent predictor of CAC severity, suggesting that a simple blood test could help clinicians identify individuals at risk for CAD.
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on nonagenarians (people aged 90 and older) with cardiovascular disease, highlighting that they are often underrepresented in clinical trials, leading to a lack of effective management strategies.
- Researchers compared nonagenarians admitted to a tertiary care coronary care unit with other patients over a three-year period, analyzing factors such as admission causes and in-hospital mortality rates.
- Results showed nonagenarians had higher rates of comorbidities and a two-fold higher in-hospital mortality rate compared to younger patients, yet they showed generally positive outcomes post-admission, indicating the need for more targeted research on this age group.
Background: Acutely ill patients treated with blood transfusion (BT) have unfavorable prognoses. Nevertheless, data regarding outcomes in patients treated with BT admitted into a contemporary tertiary care medical center intensive cardiac care unit (ICCU) are limited. The current study aimed to assess the mortality rate and outcomes of patients treated with BT in a modern ICCU.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Hypoalbuminemia is common in acute and chronic diseases. It has been proposed as a potential biomarker of frailty, which itself is associated with worse outcomes. However, data regarding the level of hypoalbuminemia and its prognosis in contemporary intensive coronary care unit (ICCU) patients is scarce.
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- A nationwide study in Israel investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on admissions and outcomes for patients with non-ST-segment myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) over an 8-week period.
- Results showed that 56% of NSTEMI patients were admitted during the pandemic compared to 44% in the same period two years prior, with no significant differences in demographics between the two groups.
- Despite a longer time from symptom onset to hospital admission during the pandemic, in-hospital mortality rates and 30-day mortality rates were similar across both time periods, indicating that care quality for NSTEMI may not have been adversely affected.
Article Synopsis
- Cardiogenic shock, often following a heart attack, leads to poor outcomes and high mortality rates, making timely treatment critical.
- Early revascularization of the affected blood vessel is the best approach to improve survival, but it doesn’t eliminate the risk of death.
- Temporary circulatory support devices can help manage the condition, yet there is a lack of solid evidence on their effective use, highlighting the need for expert care from multiple disciplines.
D-Dimer as a Prognostic Factor in a Tertiary Center Intensive Coronary Care Unit.
Clin Appl Thromb Hemost
July 2022
Article Synopsis
- - D-dimer is a protein fragment that indicates the breakdown of blood clots and high levels are tied to poorer outcomes in critically ill patients, particularly in coronary care units.
- - A study of 959 patients in an intensive coronary care unit identified that those with elevated D-dimer levels (≥500 ng/ml) were older and had more health issues compared to those with lower levels.
- - High D-dimer levels were linked to a significantly higher risk of mortality within one year after hospitalization, suggesting that elevated levels serve as an important prognostic marker for patient outcomes.
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- Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) is a measure of blood sugar control in diabetics, and its impact on patients in intensive cardiac care is not well-studied.
- A study of 1412 patients found that those with pre-diabetes and diabetes had higher mortality rates compared to those without diabetes: 10.6% vs. 5.4%.
- Surprisingly, pre-diabetes was linked to the highest mortality risk, although this finding was not statistically significant.
Article Synopsis
- - The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recommends immediate PCI for very-high-risk NSTEMI patients and early PCI for high-risk patients, but adherence to these guidelines is poor.
- - In a nationwide survey in Israel, only a small percentage of very-high-risk (6.4%) and high-risk (43.9%) NSTEMI patients received the recommended timely coronary interventions.
- - Factors such as age and comorbidities were associated with delays in PCI, indicating a need for further research to understand the reasons behind noncompliance with the guidelines.
Objective: To assess the role of the computerized tomography (CT) scanner in cross-transmission of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii between hospitalized patients undergoing CT scan.
Methods: A single-centre retrospective observational analysis of inpatients undergoing CT scans. Patient-unique CT scans were defined as 'index cases' (patients undergoing CT scan with carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) colonization documented during the previous 60 days), 'incident cases' (patients found colonized with CRAB within 14 days following CT scan), and 'negative cases' (negative for CRAB before and after CT scan).
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- * The research reviewed 48 definitive cases of lead perforation, finding that conservative management led to more complications, especially cardiac tamponade, compared to early lead revision.
- * The conclusion suggests that early lead revision may be the better management strategy, particularly for patients on antiplatelets or anticoagulants.