Sudden cardiac death after acute myocarditis with arrhythmic presentation: hunting for risk predictors - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) frequently occur in the acute phase of myocarditis. Possible arrhythmic recurrences and the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in this setting are reasons for concern, and limited data have been published to guide clinical management of these patients. The aim of the present paper is to report the incidence of major arrhythmic events, defined as sustained VA, SCD and appropriate implantable cardiac-defibrillator (ICD) treatment, in patients with acute myocarditis and ventricular arrhythmic phenotype.

DAG-MAG-ΒHB: A Novel Ketone Diester Modulates NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in Microglial Cells in Response to Beta-Amyloid and Low Glucose AD-like Conditions.

Background: A neuroinflammatory disease such as Alzheimer's disease, presents a significant challenge in neurotherapeutics, particularly due to the complex etiology and allostatic factors, referred to as CNS stressors, that accelerate the development and progression of the disease. These CNS stressors include cerebral hypo-glucose metabolism, hyperinsulinemia, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, impairment of neuronal autophagy, hypoxic insults and neuroinflammation. This study aims to explore the efficacy and safety of DAG-MAG-ΒHB, a novel ketone diester, in mitigating these risk factors by sustaining therapeutic ketosis, independent of conventional metabolic pathways.

Ultrasound-Guided Axillary Vein Puncture Versus Landmark-Guided Approach for Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Placement.

Introduction: Ultrasound (US)-guided axillary vein puncture is a safe and effective approach for cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation, and it is highly recommended by the current consensus document. However, only reports on small populations are available in the current literature regarding the comparison of this technique with other traditional approaches (subclavian vein blind puncture and cephalic vein surgical cutdown).

Purpose: We aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of US- guided axillary vein puncture using a microintroducer kit for CIED implantation as compared to the aforementioned traditional approaches.

Twin Pregnancy in Patient With Fontan Circulation and Homozygous Mutation.

Singleton pregnancy in Fontan patients is burdened by a significant maternal cardiovascular and obstetric risk. The cardiac workload in a twin pregnancy is greater and could place Fontan-palliated patients at an increased risk of complications. We report a case of a woman with Fontan circulation and homozygous mutation who had a twin pregnancy.

Characteristics and Outcome of Patients with or without Previous Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Interventions Undergoing Ablation for Ventricular Tachycardia.

Catheter ablation (CA) is a well-established treatment in patients with ventricular tachycardia and appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapies. We enrolled 57 consecutive carriers of ICD undergoing CA for electrical storm (ES). Our aim was to investigate differences in clinical, device-related, and electroanatomic features among patients who had history of appropriate ICD interventions before the ES compared to those who had not.

Remote Monitoring of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices in Very Elderly Patients: Advantages and Specific Problems.

Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) offer the benefit of remote monitoring and decision making and find particular applications in special populations such as the elderly. Less transportation, reduced costs, prompt diagnosis, a sense of security, and continuous real-time monitoring are the main advantages. On the other hand, less physician-patient interactions and the technology barrier in the elderly pose specific problems in remote monitoring.

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide: The Redox Sensor in Aging-Related Disorders.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) represents the reduced form of NAD, and together they constitute the two forms of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide whose balance is named as the NAD/NADH ratio. NAD/NADH ratio is mainly involved in redox reactions since both the molecules are responsible forcarrying electrons to maintain redox homeostasis. NADH acts as a reducing agent, and one of the most known processes exploiting NADH function is energy metabolism.

Cost-utility of cardiac contractility modulation in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in Italy.

Aims: Cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) is a device therapy for heart failure, based on the delivery of high-voltage biphasic impulses to the right ventricular septum during the myocardial absolute refractory period. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of CCM therapy plus optimal medical therapy (OMT) vs. OMT alone in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Mechanisms, prevalence and management of cardiac arrhythmias in cancer patients: a comprehensive review.

Recently, prognosis and survival of cancer patients has improved due to progression and refinement of cancer therapies; however, cardiovascular sequelae in this population augmented and now represent the second cause of death in oncological patients. Initially, the main issue was represented by heart failure and coronary artery disease, but a growing body of evidence has now shed light on the increased arrhythmic risk of this population, atrial fibrillation being the most frequently encountered. Awareness of arrhythmic complications of cancer and its treatments may help oncologists and cardiologists to develop targeted approaches for the management of arrhythmias in this population.

Takotsubo syndrome and its linkage to neuroendocrinological disorders: a case report.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an increasingly diagnosed entity, however the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and their clinical implications are incompletely understood. An 82-year-old female, diagnosed with pituitary apoplexy, presented with ECG abnormalities and hsTnI levels consistent with an acute coronary syndrome and therefore underwent urgent coronary angiography that showed no significant stenosis and apical ballooning at left ventricle angiogram and therefore a TTS diagnosis was made. Moreover, during catheterization a 20 s torsade de pointes was registered.

Role of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) in Patients with Mycosis Fungoides.

Background: The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) at baseline has been demonstrated to correlate with higher stages of disease and to be a prognostic factor in numerous cancers. However, its function as a prognostic factor for mycosis fungoides (MF) has not been yet clarified.

Objective: Our work aimed to assess the association of the NLR with different stages of MF and to outline whether higher values of this marker are related to a more aggressive MF.

Incidence of ventricular arrhythmias related to COVID infection and vaccination in patients with Brugada syndrome: Insights from a large Italian multicenter registry based on continuous rhythm monitoring.

Introduction: Brugada syndrome (BrS) has a dynamic ECG pattern that might be revealed by certain conditions such as fever. We evaluated the incidence and management of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) related to COVID-19 infection and vaccination among BrS patients carriers of an implantable loop recorder (ILR) or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and followed by remote monitoring.

Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective study.

Clinical Impact of Cardiac Fibrosis on Arrhythmia Recurrence after Ablation in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease.

Background: Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) are often affected by cardiac arrhythmias requiring catheter ablation. Catheter ablation in this setting represents the treatment of choice but is flawed by frequent recurrencies. Predictors of arrhythmia relapse have been identified, but the role of cardiac fibrosis in this setting has not been investigated.

Non-classical HLA class I molecules and their potential role in viral infections.

Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) are classified in three different classes I, II and III, and represent the key mediators of immune responses, self-tolerance development and pathogen recognition. Among them, non-classical subtypes (HLA-Ib), e.g.

Ventricular tachycardia ablation through radiation therapy (VT-ART) consortium: Concept description of an observational multicentric trial matched pair analysis.

Introduction: Monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a life-threatening condition often observed in patients with structural heart disease. Ventricular tachycardia ablation through radiation therapy (VT-ART) for sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia seems promising, effective, and safe. VT-ART delivers focused, high-dose radiation, usually in a single fraction of 25 Gy, allowing ablation of VT by inducing myocardial scars.

Mortality after transvenous lead extraction: A risk prediction model for sustainable care delivery.

Background And Aims: Transvenous lead extraction (TLE) has become a pivotal part of a comprehensive lead management strategy, dealing with a continuously increasing demand. Nonetheless, the literature about the long-term impact of TLE on survivals is still lacking. Given these knowledge gaps, the aim of our study was to analyse very long-term mortality in patients undergoing TLE in public health perspective.

Different Phases of Disease in Lymphocytic Myocarditis: Clinical and Electrophysiological Characteristics.

Background: Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is required to make a definite diagnosis of lymphocytic myocarditis (LM), to identify its etiology, and to classify LM into different phases.

Objectives: This study aims to characterize and compare clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of different biopsy-proven LM phases, namely acute myocarditis (AM), chronic active myocarditis (CAM), and healed myocarditis (HM).

Methods: All patients with a diagnosis of LM at 3 Italian referral centers were prospectively enrolled.

Matching Ablation Endpoints to Long-Term Outcome: The Prospective Multicenter Italian Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation Registry.

Background: Multicenter ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation studies have shown poorer outcomes compared with single-center experiences. This difference could be related to heterogeneous mapping and ablation strategies.

Objectives: This study evaluated a homogenous simplified catheter ablation strategy for different substrates and compared the results with those of a single referral center.