Long-Term Renal Function with Cardiac Contractility Modulation Therapy.

Introduction: Cardiac implantable electrical devices are able to affect kidney function through hemodynamic improvements. The cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) is a device-based therapy option for patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure (HF) despite optimized medical treatment. The long-term cardiorenal interactions for CCM treated patients are yet to be described.

Left atrial area index provides the best prediction of atrial fibrillation in ischemic stroke patients: results from the LAETITIA observational study.

Background And Aims: Left atrial (LA) enlargement has been repeatedly shown to be associated with the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF). In clinical practice, several parameters are available to determine LA enlargement: LA diameter index (LADI), LA area index (LAAI), or LA volume index (LAVI). We investigated the predictive power of these individual LA parameters for AF in patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).

[What is confirmed in the treatment of atrial fibrillation?].

Atrial fibrillation is the most common clinically relevant cardiac arrhythmia. Important goals in the treatment of atrial fibrillation are improvement of the quality of life, relief of symptoms and the prevention of stroke. New in the current European guidelines on atrial fibrillation from 2020 is a structured approach with the introduction of the 4S-AF scheme (4S estimation of the risk of stroke, severity of symptoms, degree of severity of atrial fibrillation load and substrate, AF atrial fibrillation) for better characterization of atrial fibrillation and the ABC pathway in the treatment.

Should HFrEF patients with NYHA class II expect benefit from CCM therapy? Results from the MAINTAINED observational study.

Background: Cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) is an FDA-approved device therapy for patients with refractory systolic heart failure and normal QRS width. Randomized trials demonstrated benefits of CCM primarily for patients with severe heart failure (> NYHA class II).

Purpose: To better understand individualized indication in clinical practice, we compared the effect of CCM in patients with baseline NYHA class II vs.

Treatment standards for direct oral anticoagulants in patients with acute ischemic stroke and non-valvular atrial fibrillation: A survey among German stroke units.

Background: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) despite oral anticoagulation (OAC) is a complex and insufficiently investigated setting. Potential strategies range from maintaining the current OAC to changing the substance class. We have queried the specific treatment standards on German stroke units (SUs).

Coronary Artery Disease in Patients Presenting With Acute Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack and Elevated Troponin Levels.

There is little information concerning the invasive coronary angiography (ICA) findings of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) with elevated troponin levels and suspected myocardial infarction (MI). This study analyzed patient characteristics associated with ICA outcomes. A total of 8,322 patients with AIS or TIA, treated between March 2010 and May 2020, were retrospectively screened for elevated serum troponin I at hospital admission.

Augmentation of myocardial I dysregulates calcium homeostasis and causes adverse cardiac remodeling.

HCN channels underlie the depolarizing funny current (I) that contributes importantly to cardiac pacemaking. I is upregulated in failing and infarcted hearts, but its implication in disease mechanisms remained unresolved. We generated transgenic mice (HCN4) to assess functional consequences of HCN4 overexpression-mediated I increase in cardiomyocytes to levels observed in human heart failure.

High Sensitivity Troponins Discriminate Different Morphologies of Coronary Artery Plaques Being Assessed by Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography.

Background: This study evaluates the association between high sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI) and T (hsTnT) and the morphology of coronary artery plaques detected by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: Patients undergoing CCTA were prospectively enrolled. CCTA was indicated by a low to intermediate pretest probability for CAD during routine clinical care.

Biomarkers in Cardiomyopathies and Prediction of Sudden Cardiac Death.

Background: Cardiomyopathies are a major cause of heart diseases in all age groups leading to heart failure and arrhythmias. Additionally, they are an important cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young people. Major advances have been made in the understanding of the complex and manifold underlying pathomechanisms and their correlating blood measured biomarkers.