Hemangioma of the Mitral Valve and Aortomitral Curtain in an Adolescent.

A hemangioma of the mitral valve and aortomitral curtain was incidentally discovered in an adolescent. The lesion was surgically excised, and the mitral valve was reconstructed with complete preservation of valvular function. Pertinent principles of multimodality imaging-based diagnosis and nuances of operative management of this rare, vascular tumor are discussed.

The chicken or the egg? complicated by left ventricle thrombus and anterior myocardial infarction: a case report.

Background: can be associated with extrapulmonary manifestations, including vasculitis, myocarditis, and thrombosis. In rare cases, it has also been implicated in intracardiac thrombus formation.

Case Summary: A previously healthy 25-year-old male presented with worsening abdominal pain, an episode of acute chest pain, new lightheadedness, and gait instability in the setting of .

Validation of American Society of Echocardiography Guideline-Recommended Parameters of Right Ventricular Dysfunction Using Artificial Intelligence Compared With Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) function is important in the evaluation of cardiac function, but its assessment using standard transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) remains challenging. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is considered the gold standard. The American Society of Echocardiography recommends surrogate measures of RV function and RV ejection fraction (RVEF) by TTE, including fractional area change (FAC), free wall strain (FWS), and tricuspid annular planar systolic excursion (TAPSE), but they require technical expertise in acquisition and quantification.

Left Ventricular Thrombus Following Acute Myocardial Infarction: JACC State-of-the-Art Review.

The incidence of left ventricular (LV) thrombus following acute myocardial infarction has markedly declined in recent decades caused by advancements in reperfusion and antithrombotic therapies. Despite this, embolic events remain the most feared complication of LV thrombus necessitating systemic anticoagulation. Mechanistically, LV thrombus development depends on Virchow's triad (ie, endothelial injury from myocardial infarction, blood stasis from LV dysfunction, and hypercoagulability triggered by inflammation, with each of these elements representing potential therapeutic targets).

Assessment and validation of a novel fast fully automated artificial intelligence left ventricular ejection fraction quantification software.

Background: Quantification of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is operator-dependent, time-consuming, and error-prone. LVivoEF by DIA is a new artificial intelligence (AI) software, which displays the tracking of endocardial borders and rapidly quantifies LVEF. We sought to assess the accuracy of LVivoEF compared to cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) as the reference standard and to compare LVivoEF to the standard-of-care physician-measured LVEF (MD-EF) including studies with ultrasound enhancing agents (UEAs).

Echocardiography in the time of Covid-19: Ultrasound enhancing agents save time and augment diagnostic information.

Background: There are currently no clear guidelines regarding the use of ultrasound enhancing agents (UEAs) with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for patients hospitalized with Covid-19. We investigated whether the performance of TTE with UEAs provides more diagnostic information and allows for shorter acquisition time compared to unenhanced TTE imaging in this patient population.

Methods: We analyzed the TTEs of 107 hospitalized Covid-19 patients between April and June 2020 who were administered UEAs (Definity®, Lantheus).

Racial and ethnic differences in severity of coronary calcification among patients undergoing PCI: Results from a single-center multiethnic PCI registry.

Background: Although population-based studies have demonstrated racial heterogeneity in coronary artery calcium (CAC) burden, the degree to which such associations extend to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) cohorts remains poorly characterized. We sought to evaluate the associations between race/ethnicity and CAC in a PCI population.

Methods: This single center retrospective study analyzed 1025 patients with prior CAC who underwent PCI between January 1, 2012 and May 15, 2020.

Prognostic Value of Electrocardiographic QRS Diminution in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 or Influenza.

During the clinical care of hospitalized patients with COVID-19, diminished QRS amplitude on the surface electrocardiogram (ECG) was observed to precede clinical decompensation, culminating in death. This prompted investigation into the prognostic utility and specificity of low QRS complex amplitude (LoQRS) in COVID-19. We retrospectively analyzed consecutive adults admitted to a telemetry service with SARS-CoV-2 (n = 140) or influenza (n = 281) infection with a final disposition-death or discharge.

Cardiogenic Shock and Mitral Valve Chord Rupture: A Rare Presentation of Libman-Sacks Endocarditis.

Distinguishing Libman-Sacks endocarditis from other valvular heart disease etiologies has important implications for management. We present a case of a 23-year-old man who presented in extremis with fever and cardiogenic shock caused by Libman-Sacks endocarditis with associated mitral valve chord rupture. ().

Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19: Incidence, Predictors, Outcomes, and Comparison to Influenza.

Objectives: The goal of this study is to determine the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) in patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

Background: COVID-19 results in increased inflammatory markers previously associated with atrial arrhythmias. However, little is known about their incidence or specificity in COVID-19 or their association with outcomes.

A Personalized Approach to Chronic Kidney Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: JACC Review Topic of the Week.

Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The initiation of dialysis for treatment of ESRD exacerbates chronic electrolyte and hemodynamic perturbations. Rapid large shifts in effective intravascular volume and electrolyte concentrations ultimately lead to subendocardial ischemia, increased left ventricular wall mass, and diastolic dysfunction, and can precipitate serious arrhythmias through a complex pathophysiological process.

Transcatheter embolic coils to treat peridevice leaks after left atrial appendage closure.

Background: Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has proven to be an effective alternative to long-term oral anticoagulation in the prevention of thromboembolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation. In a minority of patients, inadequate seal may result in persistent peridevice flow and inability of the appendage to fully thrombose, thereby representing a potential source for thromboembolism.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to study the use of endovascular coiling of the appendage to address persistent peridevice leak in patients undergoing LAAC with the Watchman device.

Abnormal left ventricular global longitudinal strain by speckle tracking echocardiography in COVID-19 patients.

COVID-19 infection can affect the cardiovascular system. We sought to determine if left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) is affected by COVID-19 and if this has prognostic implications. Retrospective study, with LVGLS was measured in 58 COVID-19 patients.

Trimming the need for invasive ventilation: pragmatic critical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 has challenged all medical professionals to optimise non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIV) as a means of limiting intubation. We present a case of a middle-aged man with a voluminous beard for religious reasons who developed progressive hypoxic respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19 infection which became refractory to NIV. After gaining permission to trim the patient's facial hair by engaging with the patient, his family and religious leaders, his mask fit objectively improved, his hypoxaemia markedly improved and an unnecessary intubation was avoided.