A prospective cohort study of SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced seroconversion and disease incidence in German healthcare workers before and during the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.

We assessed the seroepidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) before and during the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, in a prospective observational cohort study on healthcare workers (HCWs) in a large tertiary hospital in Mainz, Germany. Antibody status was assessed during six visits between September 2020 and February 2022. Self-reported symptoms were collected using a smartphone application; symptomatic HCWs were tested using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays for SARS-CoV-2.

Outcome of MRI in Patients with Nonconditional Devices with Mismatch between Manufacturer of Leads and Generator.

In a series of 35 MRI examinations with non-MRI-conditional devices with a mismatch between the manufacturer of the device generators and leads, there were no adverse events.

Prospective evaluation of the effect of smartphone electrocardiogram usage on anticoagulant medication compliance.

Purpose: Compliance with anticoagulation treatment for atrial fibrillation is highly variable. Smartphone electrocardiograms that allow patients to have greater insight into their arrhythmia burden may improve anticoagulant compliance.

Methods: Patients were enrolled if they had atrial fibrillation with a CHADS-VASc score of 2 or more, were eligible for anticoagulation and had a smartphone.

Switching from warfarin to direct-acting oral anticoagulants: it is time to move forward!

Oral vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), warfarin, have been in routine clinical use for almost 70 years for various cardiovascular conditions. Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) have emerged as competitive alternatives for VKAs to prevent stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and have become the preferred choice in several clinical indications for anticoagulation. Recent guidelines have limited the use of DOACs to patients with non-valvular AF to reduce the risk of cardioembolic complications and to treat venous thromboembolism (VTE).