Sacubitril/valsartan for cardioprotection in breast cancer (MAINSTREAM): design and rationale of the randomized trial.

Aims: In recent years, survival in patients with breast cancer has increased. Despite the improvement in outcomes of those patients, the risk of treatment-related cardiotoxicity remains high, and its presence has been associated with a higher risk of treatment termination and thus lower therapeutic efficacy. Prior trials demonstrated that a preventive initiation of heart failure drugs, including the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone inhibitors, might reduce the risk of treatment-related cardiotoxicity.

Post-COVID‑19 complications in hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients: the Silesian database of COVID‑19 complications (SILCOV‑19).

Introduction: Due to the extent of the pandemic, high prevalence and severity of complications in the early post‑recovery period are expected.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the scope of early post-COVID‑19 complications in patients who had the disease and were or were not hospitalized.

Patients And Methods: This was a prospective, observational, registry‑based cohort study conducted at a tertiary cardiovascular hospital in Silesia, Poland.

Temporary Trends Concerning the Extent and Efficacy of Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Using Radiofrequency Energy in a Polish Single-Center Experience.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common supraventricular arrhythmia. Currently, catheter ablation is a preferred treatment strategy. The main objective of our study was a temporary trends analysis of patients' data undergoing a single AF ablation procedure using radiofrequency energy (RF).

Long-term outcomes in patients after left atrial appendage occlusion: The results from the LAAO SILESIA registry.

Background: The benefits of oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy are undeniable. However, such treatment is contraindicated in 2%-10% of patients. According to the latest guidelines, percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) may be considered in stroke prevention.

One-Year Outcome of Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitor Therapy in Patients with Myocardial Infarction-Related Cardiogenic Shock.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the effect of intravenous glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors (GPIs) on in-hospital survival and mortality during and at the 1-year follow-up in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for myocardial infarction (MI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS), who were included in the Polish Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes (PL-ACS).

Methods: From 2003 to 2019, 466,566 MI patients were included in the PL-ACS registry. A total of 10,193 patients with CS received PCI on admission.

De novo and pre-existing atrial fibrillation in acute coronary syndromes: impact on prognosis and cardiovascular events in long-term follow-up.

Aims: The aim of the study was to compare in-hospital and long-term prognosis in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and de novo vs. pre-existing atrial fibrillation (AF). Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of serious adverse events including death in patients with ACS.

New hope for patients and challenges for the multidisciplinary arrhythmia team: a hybrid convergent approach for atrial fibrillation treatment.

Background: Available data suggest the important role of ablation of the left atrial posterior wall and epicardial myocardial layers in rhythm control therapy in patients with persistent drug‑refractory atrial fibrillation (AF). However, endocardial ablation is not always effective in transmural substrate modification. The alternative treatment option is minimally invasive hybrid approach (HABL) combining the strengths of surgical and catheter ablation.

Temporal trends in the availability and efficacy of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter in a highly populated urban area.

Background: Pulmonary vein isolation has become one of the core modalities of the rhythm control strategy in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Aims: The aim of the study was to analyze temporal trends in the availability and efficacy of AF and atrial flutter (AFL) catheter ablation in an urban area of Upper Silesia in Poland.

Methods: The source data were obtained from the SILCARD (Silesian Cardiovascular Database) covering an adult population of 3.

The influence of ablation power reduction associated with oesophagus location on pulmonary vein isolation results in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: six-month follow-up.

Background: Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) could be associated with a thermal oesophageal (EO) injury. To avoid this complication intraluminal EO temperature monitoring and ablation power reduction at the areas with excessive heating could be used. However, the reduced energy could limit the ablation lesion depth, without creation of lasting transmural scar and influence on long-term ablation results.

Clinical and laboratory determinants of low serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D during escalation of pharmacotherapy in heart failure patients.

Introduction: The activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone (RAA) system is a main element of the pathophysiology of chronic heart failure (CHF), determining its symptoms and prognosis. Vitamin D is an RAA inhibitor, and its deficiency frequently accompanies CHF. The factors determining the concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in CHF are not well understood, although an association has been suggested between the deficiency and the advancement of CHF.

Prospective, multicenter validation of a clinical risk score for left atrial arrhythmogenic substrate based on voltage analysis: DR-FLASH score.

Background: Left atrial (LA) low-voltage areas (LVAs) are frequently observed in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and may predict AF recurrence after catheter ablation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and validate a clinical tool to identify LVAs that are associated with AF recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI).

Methods: In a cohort of 238 patients, voltage maps were created during LA procedures.