Supraventricular Arrhythmia Following Patent Foramen Ovale Percutaneous Closure.

Background: Randomized studies have reported low rates of atrial fibrillation (AF) after patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure (<6%) but have relied on patient-reported symptomatic episodes, so the true incidence and timing of AF after PFO closure remain unknown.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to prospectively determine the incidence, timing, and determinants of supraventricular arrhythmia following PFO closure on the basis of loop recorder monitoring.

Methods: Cardiac monitoring was proposed to all patients after PFO closure from June 2018 to October 2021 at a single center by means of implantable loop recorder monitoring in patients considered at higher risk for AF (age ≥ 55 years, associated cardiovascular risk factors, prior palpitations, or documented supraventricular ectopic activity) or 4-week external loop recorder monitoring in other patients.

Cardiac involvement in Wilson disease: Review of the literature and description of three cases of sudden death.

Wilson disease (WD) is a rare genetic condition that results from a build-up of copper in the body. It requires life-long treatment and is mainly characterized by hepatic and neurological features. Copper accumulation has been reported to be related to the occurrence of heart disease, although little is known regarding this association.

Echocardiography in Confirmed and Highly Suspected Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients and Its Impact on Treatment Change.

Background: COVID-19 interacts at multiple levels with the cardiovascular system. The prognosis of COVID-19 infection is known to be worse for patients with underlying cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, the virus is responsible for many cardiovascular complications.

Left Ventricular End Diastolic Volume and Ejection Fraction Calculation: Correlation between Three Echocardiographic Methods.

Background: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and end diastolic volume (EDV) are measured using Simpson's biplane (SB), 3-dimensional method (3DE), and speckle tracking (STE). Comparisons between methods in routine practice are limited. Our purpose was to compare and to determine the correlations between these three methods in clinical setting.

Could quantitative longitudinal peak systolic strain help in the detection of left ventricular wall motion abnormalities in our daily echocardiographic practice?

Background: Transthoracic echocardiography is the most commonly used tool for the detection of left ventricular wall motion (LVWM) abnormalities using "naked eye evaluation". This subjective and operator-dependent technique requires a high level of clinical training and experience. Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE), which is less operator-dependent, has been proposed for this purpose.