Causes of death among non-urgent patients in the emergency department who die within 30 days.

Introduction: Patients triaged as non-urgent in the emergency department constitute a diverse group with a low mortality rate assumed to be able to wait three hours for a physician. Little is known about the causes of death of non-urgent patients who die shortly after admission. We examined whether deaths among non-urgent patients were preventable.

Clinical implementation of partial oral treatment in infective endocarditis: the Danish POETry study.

Background And Aims: In the Partial Oral Treatment of Endocarditis (POET) trial, stabilized patients with left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) were randomized to oral step-down antibiotic therapy (PO) or conventional continued intravenous antibiotic treatment (IV), showing non-inferiority after 6 months. In this study, the first guideline-driven clinical implementation of the oral step-down POET regimen was examined.

Methods: Patients with IE, caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus spp.

Effect on cardiac function among patients with type 2 diabetes following high-dose mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist using echocardiography; data from the MIRAD randomized clinical trial.

Background: Early heart failure prevention is central in patients with type 2 diabetes, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) have shown to improve prognosis. We investigated the effect of high-dose MRA, eplerenone, on cardiac function and structure in patients with type 2 diabetes and established or increased risk of cardiovascular disease but without heart failure.

Methods: In the current randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 140 patients with high-risk type 2 diabetes were randomized to high-dose eplerenone (100-200 mg daily) or placebo as add-on to standard care for 26 weeks.

Left-sided heart disease and risk of death in patients with end-stage kidney disease receiving haemodialysis: an observational study.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in patients with end-stage kidney disease on haemodialysis. The potential clinical consequence of systematic echocardiographic assessment is however not clear. In an unselected, contemporary population of patients on maintenance haemodialysis we aimed to assess: the prevalence of structural and functional heart disease, the potential therapeutic consequences of echocardiographic screening and whether left-sided heart disease is associated with prognosis.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with standard imaging planes for mitral valve scallop pathology: interrater agreement and comparison with echocardiography.

Magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is applied in mitral valve regurgitation (MR) to quantify regurgitation volume/fraction and cardiac volumes, but individual scallop pathology is evaluated by echocardiography. To evaluate CMR for determination of individual scallop pathology, interrater variability on evaluation of scallop pathology from echocardiography and a standard clinical CMR protocol including a transversal stack was compared. 318 mitral scallops from 53 patients with primary MR were evaluated by two cardiologists evaluating echocardiography scans and two other cardiologists evaluating CMR scans (blinded).

Quantification of mitral valve regurgitation by 2D and 3D echocardiography compared with cardiac magnetic resonance a systematic review and meta-analysis.

By means of systematic literature review and meta-analysis, we compared results of studies examining different echocardiographic methods assessing severity of mitral valve regurgitation volume (MVR) with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) as standard reference. A systematic search of electronic databases revealed twenty studies eligible for meta-analysis. Results of 2D- and 3D-trans-thoracic (TTE) and trans-esophageal echocardiographic (TEE) proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) and volumetric methods were compared with CMR.

Prevalence of Infective Endocarditis in Enterococcus faecalis Bacteremia.

Background: Enterococcus faecalis is the third most frequent cause of infective endocarditis (IE). Despite this, no systematic prospective echocardiography studies have examined the prevalence of IE in patients with E. faecalis bacteremia.

Changes in left ventricular filling parameters before and after dialysis in patients with end stage renal disease.

The aim of this study was to investigate the grading of diastolic dysfunction (DD) in relation to hemodialysis in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD) Cardiovascular disease is prevalent in patients with ESRD and accounts for significant morbidity and mortality. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is common in ESRD but little is known about the impact of HD on currently recommended grading schemes for DD. Comprehensive echocardiographic data was obtained in consecutive patients with ESRD before (n = 247) and immediately after (n = 239) standard HD regimen.

[Patent foramen ovale closure in patients with apoplexia].

Epidemiological studies have shown a larger prevalence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in patients with cryptogenic ischaemic stroke (CIS) than in patients without CIS. In 2017, three randomised clinical trials showed a beneficial effect of PFO closure in patients with CIS. Among patients with CIS and PFO, those who underwent PFO closure, had a lower risk of stroke recurrence than those treated with antithrombotic therapy alone.

YKL-40 in patients with end-stage renal disease receiving haemodialysis.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine serum YKL-40 in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on haemodialysis (HD) and to evaluate the prognostic value of serum YKL-40.

Methods: Patients >18 years on maintenance HD were included. Serum YKL-40 was measured using ELISA before and after a single HD treatment.

The prognostic significance of lung function in stable heart failure outpatients.

Background: This study investigated the impact on all-cause mortality of airflow limitation indicative of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or restrictive spirometry pattern (RSP) in a stable systolic heart failure population.

Hypothesis: Decreased lung function indicates poor survival in heart failure.

Methods: Inclusion criteria: NYHA class II-IV and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 45%.

The inflammatory biomarker YKL-40 decreases stepwise after exercise stress test.

Background: Serum YKL-40 is an inflammatory biomarker associated with disease activity and mortality in diseases characterized by inflammation such as coronary artery disease (CAD). Exercise has a positive effect on CAD, possibly mediated by a decreased inflammatory activity. This study aimed to compare serial measurements of serum YKL-40 before and after exercise in patients with stable CAD versus controls.

Prevalence of airflow obstruction in patients with stable systolic heart failure.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an important differential diagnosis in heart failure (HF). However, routine use of spirometry in outpatient HF clinics is not implemented. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of both airflow obstruction and non obstructive lung function impairment in patients with HF and to examine the effect of optimal medical treatment for HF on lung function parameters.

Iron Deficiency in COPD Associates with Increased Pulmonary Artery Pressure Estimated by Echocardiography.

Objectives: Iron deficiency (ID) might augment chronic pulmonary hypertension in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This observational study investigates the association between ID and systolic pulmonary artery pressure estimated by echocardiography in non-anaemic COPD outpatients.

Methods: Non-anaemic COPD patients (GOLD II-IV) with no history of cardiovascular disease were recruited from outpatient clinics.

Effects of liraglutide and ischemic postconditioning on myocardial salvage after I/R injury in pigs.

Objectives: Acute STEMI is routinely treated by acute PCI. This treatment may itself damage the tissue (reperfusion injury). Conditioning with GLP-1 analogs has been shown to reduce reperfusion injury.

5-Fluorouracil-induced acute reversible heart failure not explained by coronary spasms, myocarditis or takotsubo: lessons from MRI.

A 69-year-old woman presented with arterial hypotension, pulmonary oedema and a severely depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 25% only 3 days after having received her first treatment for colorectal cancer with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based therapy. The ECG demonstrated widespread ST-segment depression and echocardiography showed uniform hypokinesia of all left ventricular (LV) myocardial segments without signs of regional LV ballooning. Coronary angiography was normal and the patient gained full recovery after receiving treatment with heart failure medication.

Prognostic value of multi-detector computed tomography in asymptomatic aortic valve stenosis.

Background: Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) is a high-resolution imaging technique with potential additive value in the evaluation of patients with aortic valve stenosis (AS). We aimed to assess the prognostic value of MDCT in asymptomatic patients with AS compared to conventional transthoracic echocardiography (TTE).

Methods: 116 patients with asymptomatic AS (Vmax>2.

Influence of acute glycaemic level on measures of myocardial infarction in non-diabetic pigs.

Objective: Patients with diabetes are at increased risk of experiencing myocardial infarction. The influence of the prevailing plasma glucose level on infarction and mortality after acute ischaemia is however unknown. The aim was to study the effect of the acute plasma glucose level on the myocardial infarction size in a closed-chest pig model.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis.

The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in hemodialysis patients with spirometry and to examine the effects of fluid removal by hemodialysis on lung volumes. Patients ≥18 years at two Danish hemodialysis centers were included. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1 ), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1 /FVC ratio were measured with spirometry before and after hemodialysis.

Tissue Velocities and Myocardial Deformation in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Aortic Stenosis.

Background: Assessment of myocardial longitudinal function has proved to be a sensitive marker of deteriorating myocardial function in aortic stenosis, demonstrated by both color Doppler tissue imaging and recently by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography. The aim of this study was to compare velocity (color Doppler tissue imaging) and deformation (two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography) in relation to global and regional longitudinal function in asymptomatic and severe symptomatic aortic stenosis.

Methods: In a cross-sectional design, 231 patients with aortic stenosis were divided into four groups: asymptomatic moderate aortic stenosis (aortic valve area, 1.

Usefulness of the electrocardiogram in predicting cardiovascular mortality in asymptomatic adults with aortic stenosis (from the Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis Study).

Hypertension and coronary heart disease are common in aortic stenosis (AS) and may impair prognosis for similar AS severity. Different changes in the electrocardiogram may be reflective of the separate impacts of AS, hypertension, and coronary heart disease, which could lead to enhanced risk stratification in AS. The aim of this study was therefore to examine if combining prognostically relevant electrocardiographic (ECG) findings improves prediction of cardiovascular mortality in asymptomatic AS.

Stroke in patients with aortic stenosis: the Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis study.

Background And Purpose: There are limited data on risk stratification of stroke in aortic stenosis. This study examined predictors of stroke in aortic stenosis, the prognostic implications of stroke, and how aortic valve replacement (AVR) with or without concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting influenced the predicted outcomes.

Methods: Patients with mild-to-moderate aortic stenosis enrolled in the Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis (SEAS) study.

Risk stratification in emergency patients by copeptin.

Background: Rapid risk stratification is a core task in emergency medicine. Identifying patients at high and low risk shortly after admission could help clinical decision-making regarding treatment, level of observation, allocation of resources and post discharge follow-up. The purpose of the present study was to determine short-, mid- and long-term mortality by plasma measurement of copeptin in unselected admitted patients.

Echocardiographic findings suggestive of infective endocarditis in asymptomatic Danish injection drug users attending urban injection facilities.

Injection drug users (IDUs) account for a considerable number of the hospitalizations for infective endocarditis (IE), but the prevalence of diagnosed and unrecognized IE in IDUs is unknown. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of valvular abnormalities suggestive of IE in IDUs attending a supervised injection facility. We performed transthoracic echocardiographic examinations on-site in the injection facilities.

Short-term hemodynamic effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition in patients with severe aortic stenosis: a placebo-controlled, randomized study.

Background: In patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS), treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors has previously been considered contraindicated. However, there is a lack of clinical evidence to confirm these potential hemodynamic risks and benefits.

Methods: Forty-four patients with severe AS (aortic valve area <1 cm(2)) were randomized to treatment with trandolapril 22 mg daily/placebo (1:1).