Clinical and prognostic implications of left ventricular dilatation in heart failure.

Aims: To assess the agreement between left ventricular end-diastolic diameter index (LVEDDi) and volume index (LVEDVi) to define LV dilatation and to investigate the respective prognostic implications in patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: Patients with HF symptoms and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50% undergoing cardiac magnetic resonance were evaluated retrospectively. LV dilatation was defined as LVEDDi or LVEDVi above the upper normal limit according to published reference values.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a virtual community of practice to improve the empowerment of patients with ischaemic heart disease: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Virtual Communities of Practice (VCoP) or knowledge-sharing virtual communities offer ubiquitous access to information and exchange possibilities for people in similar situations, which might be especially valuable for the self-management of patients with chronic diseases. In view of the scarce evidence on the clinical and economic impact of these interventions on chronic conditions, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a VCoP in the improvement of the activation and other patient empowerment measures in patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD).

Methods And Analysis: A pragmatic randomised controlled trial will be performed in Catalonia, Madrid and Canary Islands, Spain.

Short- and long-term mortality in patients with left-sided infective endocarditis not undergoing surgery despite indication.

Introduction And Objectives: In infective endocarditis (IE), decisions on surgical interventions are challenging and a high percentage of patients with surgical indication do not undergo these procedures. This study aimed to evaluate the short- and long-term prognosis of patients with surgical indication, comparing those who underwent surgery with those who did not.

Methods: We included 271 patients with left-sided IE treated at our institution from 2003 to 2018 and with an indication for surgery.

[Associated factors and descriptive analysis of healthcare-related infective endocarditis in a tertiary reference hospital].

Introduction And Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate associated factors, clinical features and prognosis of healthcare-related infective endocarditis cases compared with community-acquired and intravenous drug user-related episodes. Changes in the distribution of healthcare-related infective endocarditis were also analysed over time in our setting.

Methods: A prospective, observational, comparative study was performed.

An intracardiac ectopic thyroid mass.

Ectopic thyroid tissue is a rare congenital anomaly that results from multiple events during development. The ectopic thyroid may lie in several human organs including the tongue and mediastinum. It is rarely seen as an intracardiac mass.

[Ventricular tachycardia and long QT associated with clarithromycin administration in a patient with HIV infection].

Prolongation of the QT interval is associated with a high risk of serious ventricular tachyarrhythmias, usually torsade de pointes (TdP) polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, although monomorphic ventricular tachycardia may also develop. Both congenital and acquired forms have been reported, acquired forms being much more prevalent. An association between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and a higher rate of dilated cardiomyopathy has also been recognized.