Taurolidine-containing solution for reducing cardiac implantable electronic device infection-early report from the European TauroPace™ registry.

Introduction: Infection is a significant complication of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) therapy. The European TauroPace™ Registry investigates the safety and efficacy of TauroPace™ (TP), an antimicrobial solution containing taurolidine, designed to prevent CIED infections.

Methods: This multicenter study included patients undergoing CIED procedures at participating centers where TP was used as a disinfectant for external hardware surfaces and an antiseptic for irrigating surgical sites.

The usefulness of QRS Index for prediction of echocardiographic response in cardiac resynchronization therapy: a multicenter study.

Background: The association between QRS narrowing and response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been investigated by several studies, but their findings remain inconclusive. Aim of our study was to explore the relationship between QRS Index and echocardiographic response to CRT.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective analysis included 326 consecutive patients (mean age was 70.

Quality of Life after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Sarcopenic Patients Using the Toronto Aortic Stenosis Quality of Life Questionnaire.

Background: Sarcopenia is the core component of frailty; however, its role in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a matter of debate. The Toronto Aortic Stenosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (TASQ) is a validated instrument for assessing quality of life (QoL) in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS).

Aims: We aim to evaluate the QoL of sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patients with severe AS undergoing TAVR.

Electrocardiographic predictors of echocardiographic response in cardiac resynchronization therapy: Update of an old story.

Background: A better selection of patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) might increase the response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The aim of the study was to investigate the association between the Strauss criteria, absence of S wave in V-V the Selvester score and response to CRT.

Methods And Results: The retrospective analysis included all consecutive patients having undergone implantation of biventricular defibrillators in primary prevention between 2018 and 2020.

The impact of UEFA Euro 2020 football championship on Takotsubo Syndrome: Results of a multicenter national registry.

Objectives: The UEFA 2020 European Football Championship held in multiple cities across Europe from June 11 to July 11, 2021, was won by Italy, providing an opportunity to examine the relationship between emotional stress and the incidence of acute cardiovascular events (ACE).

Methods And Results: Cardiovascular hospitalizations in the Cardiac Care Units of 49 hospital networks in Italy were assessed by emergency physicians during the UEFA Euro 2020 Football Championship. We compared the events that occurred during matches involving Italy with events that occurred during the remaining days of the championship as the control period.

An unusual case of a primary blood collection tube with floating separator gel.

We describe an unusual case of a primary evacuated blood collection tube with floating separator gel, which has been collected from a 50-year-old man submitted to a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The sample was collected from the femoral artery in a primary evacuated blood collection tube containing lithium-heparin. After centrifugation of the specimen, an unusual positioning of the separator gel was observed, which migrated at the topmost layer, whereas the packed blood cells remained in the middle and the plasma at the bottom.

Annual recurrence of acute Left Ventricular Apical Ballooning.

Left Ventricular Apical Ballooning (LVAB) or Tako-tsubo syndrome is an emerging clinical entity. Little data exists in the literature regarding recurrence of the disease. We present an interesting case of relapse of LVAB after exactly 1 year.

[Percutaneous coronary intervention and immediate re-transfer to the referring hospital for patients with acute coronary syndrome. A single-center experience].

Background: Current guidelines recommend early transfer of patients with acute coronary syndromes from primary care centers to hospitals with cath lab facilities. Few data exist about safety of re-transfer to primary care centers immediately after successful percutaneous coronary interventions.

Methods: We analyzed data regarding 102 consecutive patients (73 male, 29 female, mean age 69 +/- 10.

[Percutaneous coronary interventions in elderly patients: clinical indications and adjunctive medical treatment. The Italian Drug Evaluation in Angioplasty (IDEA) study].

Background: Specific guidelines for interventional cardiology in elderly patients are not available, and it appears that aged patients are treated more conservatively. Nevertheless data on the real clinical practice are lacking. The aim of the study was to describe different therapeutic strategies in elderly patients enrolled in the Italian Drug Evaluation in Angioplasty (IDEA) study.

[Can clopidogrel be responsible for neutropenia?].

We describe a case of neutropenia in an 80-year-old female patient. After a coronary intervention procedure with stent implantation, therapy with clopidogrel was started. Thirty-eight days after the beginning of this therapy, a serious lowering of neutrophil levels was found.

[Planar myocardial scintigraphy with technetium-99m-sestamibi in acute myocardial infarct treated with thrombolytic therapy].

Background: Nuclear cardiology permits the estimation of the myocardial infarction size and the result of the thrombolytic therapy. The aim of the study was to demonstrate the feasibility of the planar myocardial scintigraphy with Technetium-99-m-sestamibi in the coronary intensive care unit for the early identification of the infarct size and the result of the thrombolytic therapy.

Materials And Methods: We considered 10 patients affected by a first myocardial infarction (5 anterior and 5 inferior wall) then treated with thrombolytic therapy (APSAC 30 U.

[Left ventricular remodelling at 3 months from a first transmural infarct: the effect of physical activity and of the patency of the necrotic artery on changes in volume and segmental kinetics].

Objective: Aim of this perspective study was to assess in patients (pts) with a recent first transmural myocardial infarction (MI) the influence of a physical training, of MI location and of the patency of the infarct-related coronary artery on the modification of the left ventricle volumes and wall motion score.

Methods: One hundred and four consecutive pts with a first transmural MI without clinical contraindication (heart failure, moderate or severe mitral regurgitation, severe postinfarction angina, claudication or severe orthopedic problems) were randomly assigned to a rehabilitation group (A) and to a control group (B). Ten days after acute MI all pts underwent a coronary angiography.

[Exercise 201-thallium myocardial scintigraphy in left bundle branch block].

Background: Reduced septal uptake of 201-Thallium in patients with left bundle branch block is reported in literature as having a variable frequency (between 14% and 100%) and in such patients the value of exercise Thallium-scintigraphy for the diagnosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery disease is limited by the great number of false-positive tests. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and the diagnostic sensitivity of this septal defect in a group of patients with left bundle branch block.

Methods: We evaluated the exercise 201-Thallium myocardial scintigraphy of 54 patients with a stable left bundle branch block.

[Long-term follow-up in patients operated on for aortic coarctation. The echo-Doppler and MRI assessment of left ventricular function and the transisthmic gradient].

Background: Hyperdynamic left ventricular function and increased left ventricular mass has been recently reported in the long-term follow-up of patients after successful repair of aortic coarctation (AoCo).

Methods: We studied 35 patients, mean age 22.7 years (range 1-47), following repair of AoCo in order to evaluate: 1) left ventricular mass and systolic function by M-mode echocardiography in comparison with 20 healthy control subjects; 2) the prevalence of systemic hypertension; 3) systolic blood pressure and the trans-isthmic gradient by CW Doppler at rest and after exercise; 4) subjects with a hypertensive response and/or with a significant trans-isthmic gradient during exercise, correlating such parameters with indexes of left ventricular function and the ratio of aortic isthmus/aortic diaphragmatic diameters (AOI/AOD) by means of Magnetic Resonance (MR).