Analysis of bioMARKer Distribution and Individual Reproducibility Under Rivaroxaban Treatment in Japanese Patients with Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation (R-MARK Study, CVI ARO2).

The "on-therapy range" of direct oral anticoagulants is the 90% interval of drug concentration. Previously, we reported the on-therapy range of rivaroxaban in a single-center cohort. The present study aimed to confirm the range and intraindividual reproducibility in a multicenter cohort.

Systolic blood pressure on admission as a marker of fluid re-distribution in acute heart failure.

Background: The relation between systolic blood pressure (sBP) on admission and the extent of fluid re-distribution in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate this relation.

Methods: We enrolled consecutive patients who were admitted for AHF in our cardiology department and divided them into three groups according to the tertiles of sBP on admission as follows: low, intermediate, and high sBP groups.

Axillofemoral Bypass Markedly Improved Acute Decompensated Heart Failure and Kidney Injury in a Patient with Severely Calcified Stenosis of Thoracoabdominal Aorta (Atypical Aortic Coarctation).

Atypical aortic coarctation (AAC) has been reported to occur anywhere along the aorta, except for the ascending aorta. The associated symptoms include hypotension in the lower half of the body, secondary hypertension in the upper half of the body, and heart failure. Here we present an 80-year-old Asian woman complaining of progressive exertional dyspnea.

Bilateral Subclavian Vein Occlusion in a SAPHO Syndrome Patient Who Needed an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator.

A 79-year-old Asian man was hospitalized because of progressive exertional dyspnea with decreasing left ventricular ejection fraction and frequent non-sustained ventricular tachycardia. Pre-procedure venography for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation showed occlusion of the bilateral subclavian veins. In consideration of subcutaneous humps in the sterno-clavicular area and palmoplantar pustulosis, we diagnosed him as having synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome and speculated that it induced peri-osteal chronic inflammation in the sterno-clavicular area, resulting in occlusion of the adjacent bilateral subclavian veins.

Acute Myocardial Infarction That Resulted From Poor Adherence to Medical Treatment for Giant Coronary Aneurysm.

Coronary arterial complications associated with Kawasaki disease (KD), such as a giant coronary aneurysm, determine the relative risk of future cardiac events and require lifelong medical treatment. Here, we describe a 24-year-old man who developed myocardial infarction due to poor adherence to medical treatment for a giant coronary aneurysm in the chronic phase of KD. He was hospitalized two hours after the onset of chest pain.

A Case of ST-elevated myocardial infarction resulting from obstructive intramural coronary amyloidosis.

A 49-year-old man presenting with ST-elevated myocardial infarction was brought to our emergency department with AL amyloidosis. Baseline coronary angiography showed no significant stenosis of the epicardial coronary arteries, however, coronary artery angiography in response to acetylcholine and coronary flow reserve in response to papaverine were abnormal, which suggested impairment of vascular endothelial function. Myocardial biopsy revealed amyloid deposition exclusively in intramural coronary arteries.

A case of transient left ventricular ballooning with pheochromocytoma, supporting pathogenetic role of catecholamines in stress-induced cardiomyopathy or takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

We experienced a case with severe acute heart failure showing "takotsubo"-like left ventricular asynergy. Subsequently, he was found to have pheochromocytoma, and underwent emergent adrenalectomy, which almost completely reversed his cardiac function and symptoms. His clinical course, supports the pathogenetic role of catecholamines in "takotsubo cardiomyopathy".