Management and long-term outcomes of patients with chronic inflammatory diseases experiencing ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: The SCALIM registry.

Background: Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases (CIDs) are at increased risk of cardiovascular events. However, the prognostic impact of CID after an acute coronary event has been poorly studied.

Aims: To examine the effect of history of CID on long-term outcome in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

The mortality rates in registries of patients with STEMI are highly affected by inclusion criteria and population characteristics.

Background: Different mortality rates are reported in registries of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but comparisons between registries are challenging.

Aims: To determine whether the higher mortality rate in our regional French registry (SCALIM) is related to different inclusion criteria and demographic characteristics.

Methods: The SCALIM registry included all patients with STEMI within the first 24 h in the region of Limousin, France (06/2011-01/2015).

Characteristics associated with patient delay during the management of ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction, and the influence of awareness campaigns.

Background: The delay between the occurrence of symptoms and the call seeking medical assistance is an important component of the pain-to-balloon delay in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Factors affecting this "patient delay" have been poorly studied, and campaigns to raise emergency call awareness have barely been evaluated.

Aims: To evaluate the factors related to patient delay, and the effects of public awareness campaigns undertaken in our region.

Impact of Pulmonary Hypertension on Outcome in Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis and Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction.

Aims: The prognostic impact of elevated pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) remains controversial in aortic stenosis (AS) and few studies focused on patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We aimed to investigate the impact of pulmonary hypertension (PH), invasively derived, on survival in severe AS with preserved LVEF.

Methods And Results: Between 2000 and 2010, 749 patients (74 ± 8 years, 57% males) with preserved LVEF and severe AS without other valvular heart disease underwent cardiac catheterization.

Prognostic impact of global left ventricular hemodynamic afterload in severe aortic stenosis with preserved ejection fraction.

Introduction: Global left ventricular (LV) afterload as assessed by valvulo-arterial impedance (Zva), may be an independent predictor of mortality in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and preserved LV ejection fraction (LVEF). However, its quantification using echocardiography may be subject to error measurement. We aimed to determine the prevalence and impact on long-term survival of high Zva, purposely measured by cardiac catheterization.

Prevalence and long-term outcome of aortic prosthesis-patient mismatch in patients with paradoxical low-flow severe aortic stenosis.

Background: Patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and paradoxical low flow (PLF) have worse outcome compared with those with normal flow. Furthermore, prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) after aortic valve replacement is a predictor of reduced survival. However, the prevalence and prognostic impact of PPM in patients with PLF-AS are unknown.

Cardiac amyloidosis: updates in diagnosis and management.

Amyloidosis is a severe systemic disease. Cardiac involvement may occur in the three main types of amyloidosis (acquired monoclonal light-chain, hereditary transthyretin and senile amyloidosis) and has a major impact on prognosis. Imaging the heart to characterize and detect early cardiac involvement is one of the major aims in the assessment of this disease.

Outcome and impact of surgery in paradoxical low-flow, low-gradient severe aortic stenosis and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction: a cardiac catheterization study.

Background: The clinical relevance and management of paradoxical low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis (LFLG-AS) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction remain debated. The aim of this study is to determine the features and outcome of LFLG-AS assessed using cardiac catheterization.

Methods And Results: Between 2000 and 2010, 768 patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (>50%) and severe AS (valve area ≤ 1 cm(2)) without other valvular disease underwent cardiac catheterization.

Left atrial size is an independent predictor of overall survival in patients with primary systemic amyloidosis.

Background: Primary systemic amyloidosis is a severe plasma cell disorder characterized by the extracellular deposition of amyloid fibrils in different organs. Echocardiography is usually performed to assess cardiac involvement. We hypothesized that in patients with systemic amyloidosis, simple echocardiographic measurement of the left atrial (LA) diameter indexed to the body surface area might provide an important risk marker for this disease.