Colchicine in patients with heart failure and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction: rationale and design of a prospective, randomised, open-label, crossover clinical trial.

Introduction: Systemic low-grade inflammation is a fundamental pathophysiological mechanism of heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF). The efficacy of anti-inflammatory therapy in HFpEF is largely understudied. The aim of the study is to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of colchicine in HFpEF by looking at inflammatory biomarkers: high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hsCRP) and soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2).

Unexpected clinical case of infectious endocarditis in a patient with iv drug abuse: why epidemiological history matters.

Introduction: Right-sided lesions caused by staphylococci are the most common clinical entity of infectious endocarditis (IE) among iv drug abusers. But some aspects of the epidemiological history are critical in terms of early detection of uncommon pathogens.

Case Report: We describe a clinical observation of native aortic valve IE caused by in a 37-year-old female with a history of heroin addiction, alcohol abuse and liver cirrhosis.