Feature and impact of guideline-directed medication prescriptions for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction accompanied by chronic kidney disease.

With respect to total mortality and cardiovascular mortality, the feature and impact of guideline-directed medication (GDM) prescriptions for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are unknown. Therefore, we aimed to determine these aspects. GDM prescriptions and their impact on discharged patients with and without CKD were analyzed.

Reduced effects of cardiac extracorporeal shock wave therapy on angiogenesis and myocardial function recovery in patients with end-stage coronary artery and renal diseases.

Background: Growing evidence have shown cardiac extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) improve clinical symptoms and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) for patients with end-stage diffuse coronary artery disease (EnD-CAD) unsuitable for coronary interventions. However, little is known whether cardiac ESWT remains effective on symptomatic relief and improvement of LVEF for the EnD-CAD patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

Methods: This was a small-scale prospective study.

2018 TSOC guideline focused update on diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized as a progressive and sustained increase in pulmonary vascular resistance, which may induce right ventricular failure. In 2014, the Working Group on Pulmonary Hypertension of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology (TSOC) conducted a review of data and developed a guideline for the management of PAH. In recent years, several advancements in diagnosis and treatment of PAH has occurred.

Left Atrial or Left Atrial Appendage Thrombus Resolution After Adjustment of Oral Anticoagulant Treatment.

Background: There are few reports about non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) treatment for resolution of left atrium (LA) or left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus. LAA thrombus is an important cause of cardiogenic cerebral thromboembolism, and the detection rate increases due to more and more patients receiving catheter ablation. However, the results from NOAC use for LA or LAA thrombus are still unknown in real-world practice.

Multiple intracardiac masses: myxoma, thrombus or metastasis: a case report.

Introduction: The incidence of multiple intracardiac mass is rare. The differential diagnosis of intracavitary mass lesions includes benign, malignant primary, secondary metastatic cardiac tumors, or thrombus.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 49-year-old Asian woman, who experienced a 2-week history of progressive exertional dyspnea, orthopnea, bilateral lower limb edema and palpitations.

Intracoronary Transfusion of Circulation-Derived CD34+ Cells Improves Left Ventricular Function in Patients With End-Stage Diffuse Coronary Artery Disease Unsuitable for Coronary Intervention.

Objective: This study tested the hypothesis that intra-coronary transfusion of circulation-derived autologous CD34+ cells can improve ischemia-related left ventricular dysfunction in patients with severe diffuse coronary artery disease refractory to medication and unsuitable for coronary intervention.

Design: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded phase I clinical trial.

Setting: Tertiary care center.

Isolated right ventricular infiltrating tumour: metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with intracavitary metastasis to the heart is rare. The incidence of HCC with right atrial metastasis is less than 6% at autopsy. Reports of HCC with right ventricular metastasis without inferior vena cava and right atrial metastasis are rarer.

High Flow-Mediated Vasodilatation Predicts Pulmonary Edema in Liver Transplant Patients.

Background: Early pulmonary edema is common after orthotopic liver transplantation. Associated pathogenic mechanisms might involve increased activity of cardiac-inhibitory systems due to increased vasodilator production, mainly nitric oxide (NO). NO is primarily responsible for flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD).

Valsartan impairs angiogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells through Akt pathway.

Background: Angiotensin II (AngII) reportedly enhances stem cell proliferation, and type 1 angiotensin II receptor (AT1R) antagonists reduce angiogenesis in a rodent hindlimb ischemic model. Whether AT1R antagonists can alter the angiogenic activity of bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether AT1R antagonists can alter the angiogenic activity of BMSCs and explore the potential mechanism for such an action.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy reverses ischemia-related left ventricular dysfunction and remodeling: molecular-cellular and functional assessment.

An optimal treatment for patients with diffuse obstructive arterial disease unsuitable for catheter-based or surgical intervention is still pending. This study tested the hypothesis that extracorporeal shock wave (ECSW) therapy may be a therapeutic alternative under such clinical situation. Myocardial ischemia was induced in male mini-pigs through applying an ameroid constrictor over mid-left anterior descending artery (LAD).

Autologous transplantation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells markedly reduced acute ischemia-reperfusion lung injury in a rodent model.

Background: This study tested the hypothesis that autologous transplantation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) can effectively attenuate acute pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury.

Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (n = 24) were equally randomized into group 1 (sham control), group 2 (IR plus culture medium only), and group 3 (IR plus intravenous transplantation of 1.5 × 106 autologous ADMSCs at 1h, 6h, and 24h following IR injury).

Enhanced protection against pulmonary hypertension with sildenafil and endothelial progenitor cell in rats.

Background: Sildenafil and bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (BMDEPCs) have been shown to ameliorate monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in the rat. We test whether combined sildenafil and BMDEPC treatment exerts additional protection against MCT-induced PAH in rats.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to receive saline injection only (group 1), MCT (70 mg/kg) only (group 2), MCT plus autologous BMDEPC (2.

Comparison of prognostic outcome between left circumflex artery-related and right coronary artery-related acute inferior wall myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: This study evaluated the 30-day clinical outcome of patients with acute inferior wall ST-elevation myocardial infarction (AIW-STEMI) from occlusion of the left circumflex artery (LCX) vs the right coronary artery (RCA) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Hypothesis: The clinical outcomes of AIW-STEMI caused by RCA and LCX occlusion may be different for patients undergoing primary PCI.

Methods: Between May 2002 and September 2009, 646 consecutive patients with AIW-STEMI undergoing primary PCI were enrolled.

Myocardium-derived conditioned medium improves left ventricular function in rodent acute myocardial infarction.

Background: We investigated whether myocardium-derived conditioned medium (MDCM) is effective in preserving left ventricular (LV) function in a rat acute myocardial infarction (AMI) model.

Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (n = 36) randomized to receive either left coronary artery ligation (AMI induction) or thoracotomy only (sham procedure) were grouped as follows (n = 6 per group): Group I, II, and III were sham-controls treated by fresh medium, normal rat MDCM, and infarct-related MDCM, respectively. Group IV, V, and VI were AMI rats treated by fresh medium, normal MDCM, and infarct-related MDCM, respectively.

Outcomes of patients with Killip class III acute myocardial infarction after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objectives: Little is known about the outcomes of patients with Killip class III acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in the reperfusion era. This study investigated the short- and long-term outcomes of these patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods: Between January 2002 and November 2009, a total of 1,278 consecutive patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Comparison of drug-eluting stent with bare metal stent for distal de novo unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis. A propensity score-matched cohort study.

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent implantation is now considered a safe and feasible treatment for stenosis of the unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA). Because few studies have focused on de novo distal ULMCA lesions, a propensity score-matched cohort study was conducted to compare bare metal stents (BMS) with drug-eluting stents (DES) for long-term outcomes following PCI.

Methods And Results: This study reviewed the outcomes of patients undergoing PCI with DES (n=127) or BMS (n=51) for distal de novo ULMCA stenosis.

Six-year clinical follow-up after treatment of diffuse in-stent restenosis with cutting balloon angioplasty followed by intracoronary brachytherapy with liquid rhenium-188-filled balloon via transradial approach.

Background: Long-term follow-up studies revealed a significant decline in the benefits of intracoronary radiation for in-stent restenosis.

Methods And Results: A total of 25 study and 25 contemporaneous control patients with diffuse in-stent restenosis who underwent cutting balloon angioplasty (CBA) transradially, followed by subsequent intracoronary irradiation with a liquid β-emitter Rhenium-188 (¹⁸⁸Re)-filled balloon were enrolled in the study. The mean clinical follow-up durations were 64.

Prognostic value of R-wave voltage in patients with anterior wall ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

The prognostic value of integrated R-wave voltages of precordial leads (V(1)-V(6)) in patients with acute anterior wall ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was investigated. Between July 2006 and October 2009, 292 patients with anterior wall STEMI with presentation < 12 hours underwent primary PCI. Thirty-four patients with electrocardiographic presentation of either complete right bundle branch block (BBB) or complete left BBB were categorized into group A, while the remaining 258 patients without BBB served as group B that was further subdivided into those with lower R-wave voltage (summation of V(1)-V(6) ≤ 1.

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention lowers the incidence of ischemic mitral regurgitation in patients with acute ST-elevated myocardial infarction.

Background: The impact of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) on the incidence of ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is unclear.

Methods And Results: Between January 2000 and December 2004, 318 patients presenting with first acute STEMI were enrolled in this study. Two hundred and twelve (66.