Outcomes in acute carotid-related stroke eligible for mechanical reperfusion: SAFEGUARD-STROKE Registry.

Background: Carotid-related strokes (CRS) are largely unresponsive to intravenous thrombolysis and are often large and disabling. Little is known about contemporary CRS referral pathways and proportion of eligible patients who receive emergency mechanical reperfusion (EMR).

Methods: Referral pathways, serial imaging, treatment data, and neurologic outcomes were evaluated in consecutive CRS patients presenting over 18 months in catchment area of a major carotid disease referral center with proximal-protected CAS expertise, on-site neurology, and stroke thrombectomy capability (Acute Stroke of CArotid Artery Bifurcation Origin Treated With Use oF the MicronEt-covered CGUARD Stent - SAFEGUARD-STROKE Registry; companion to SAFEGUARD-STROKE Study NCT05195658).

Temporal progression of replacement and interstitial fibrosis in optimally managed dilated cardiomyopathy patients: A prospective study.

Background: To prospectively examine the dynamic evolution of fibrotic processes within a one-year in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Methods: Between May 2019 and September 2020, 102 DCM patients (mean age 45.2 ± 11.

Misclassification of carotid stenosis severity with area stenosis-based evaluation by computed tomography angiography: impact on erroneous indication to revascularization or patient (lesion) migration to a higher guideline recommendation class as per ESC/ESVS/ESO/SVS and CMS-FDA thresholds.

Intoduction: Despite a growing understanding of the role played by plaque morphology, the degree of carotid lumen reduction remains the principle parameter in decisions on revascularization in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is a widely used guideline-approved imaging modality, with "percent stenosis" commonly calculated as %area reduction (area stenosis - AS).

Aim: We evaluated the impact of the non-linear relationship between diameter stenosis (DS) and AS (area = π • (diameter/2), so that in concentric lesions 51%AS is 30%DS and 75%AS is 50%DS) on stenosis severity misclassification using calculation of area reduction.

Infarct size and long-term left ventricular remodelling in acute myocardial infarction patients subjected to transcoronary delivery of progenitor cells.

Introduction: Infarct size (IS) is a fundamental determinant of left-ventricular (LV) remodelling (end-systolic and end-diastolic volume change, ΔESV, ΔEDV) and adverse clinical outcomes after myocardial infarction (MI). Our prior work found that myocardial uptake of transcoronary-delivered progenitor cells is governed by IS.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between IS, stem cell uptake, and the magnitude of LV remodelling in patients receiving transcoronary administration of progenitor cells shortly after MI.

Transcoronary stem cell transfer and evolution of infarct-related artery atherosclerosis: evaluation with conventional and novel imaging techniques including Quantitative Virtual Histology (qVH).

Introduction: It has been suggested that infarct-related artery (IRA) atherosclerosis progression after stem cell transcoronary administration might represent a stem-cell mediated adverse effect.

Aim: To evaluate, using conventional (quantitative coronary angiography, QCA, intravascular ultrasound - IVUS) and novel (quantitative virtual histology - qVH) tools, evolution of IRA atherosclerosis following transcoronary stem cell transfer.

Material And Methods: QCA, IVUS, VH-IVUS and qVH were performed in 22 consecutive patients (4 women) aged 59 years (data provided as median) undergoing a distal-to-stent infusion of 2.

Clinical Outcomes of Extracranial Carotid Artery-Related Stroke Eligible for Mechanical Reperfusion on Top of Per-Guidelines Thrombolytic Therapy: Analysis from a 6-Month Consecutive Patient Sample in 2 Centers.

BACKGROUND Systemic intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy (MT) are guideline-recommended reperfusion therapies in large-vessel-occlusion ischemic stroke. However, for acute ischemic stroke of extracranial carotid artery origin (AIS-CA) there have been no specific trials, resulting in a data gap. MATERIAL AND METHODS We evaluated referral/treatment pathways, serial imaging, and neurologic 90-day outcomes in consecutive patients, presenting in a real-life series in 2 stroke centers over a period of 6 months, with AIS-CA eligible for emergency mechanical reperfusion (EMR) on top of thrombolysis as per guideline criteria.

Extracellular volume is an independent predictor of arrhythmic burden in dilated cardiomyopathy.

The current stratification of arrhythmic risk in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is sub-optimal. Cardiac fibrosis is involved in the pathology of arrhythmias; however, the relationship between cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) derived extracellular volume (ECV) and arrhythmic burden (AB) in DCM is unknown. This study sought to evaluate the presence and extent of replacement and interstitial fibrosis in DCM and to compare the degree of fibrosis between DCM patients with and without AB.

Functional Recovery after Intramyocardial Injection of Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells Assessed by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Aims: A major clinical concern is the continuous increase in the number of patients diagnosed with advanced coronary artery disease, ischemic heart failure, and refractory angina, and one of the most promising treatment options for these conditions is stem cell-based therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the functional improvement following intramyocardial injection of adipose-derived stromal cells, using cardiac magnetic resonance.

Methods And Results: Thirteen patients with ischemic heart failure, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, refractory angina, and who have been disqualified from any form of direct revascularization were enrolled in the study with transthoracic autologous adipose-derived stromal cell implantation.

Effect of ventricular function and volumes on exercise capacity in adults with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot.

Objectives: Investigate the effects of left and right ventricular function and severity of pulmonary valve regurgitation, quantified by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), on exercise tolerance in adult patients who underwent ToF repair at a young age.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 52 patients after ToF surgery and 33 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. CMR and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) were performed on all patients; CPET was performed on control subjects.

Infarct size determines myocardial uptake of CD34+ cells in the peri-infarct zone: results from a study of (99m)Tc-extametazime-labeled cell visualization integrated with cardiac magnetic resonance infarct imaging.

Background: Effective progenitor cell recruitment to the ischemic injury zone is a prerequisite for any potential therapeutic effect. Cell uptake determinants in humans with recent myocardial infarction are not defined. We tested the hypothesis that myocardial uptake of autologous CD34(+) cells delivered via an intracoronary route after recent myocardial infarction is related to left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) and infarct size.

Relationship between mitral leaflets angles, left ventricular geometry and mitral deformation indices in patients with ischemic mitral regurgitation: imaging by echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance.

Unlabelled: Chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is associated with a markedly worse prognosis after myocardial infarction (MI).The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between anterior and posterior mitral leaflet angle (MLA) values, left ventricle remodeling and severity of ischaemic mitral regurgitation (IMR).

Methods: Forty-two patients (age 63.

Randomized transcoronary delivery of CD34(+) cells with perfusion versus stop-flow method in patients with recent myocardial infarction: Early cardiac retention of ⁹⁹(m)Tc-labeled cells activity.

Background: For transcoronary progenitor cells' administration, injections under flow arrest (over-the-wire balloon technique, OTW) are used universally despite lack of evidence for being required for cell delivery or being effective in stimulating myocardial engraftment. Flow-mediated endothelial rolling is mandatory for subsequent cell adhesion and extravasation.

Methods: To optimize cell directing toward the coronary endothelium under maintained flow, the authors developed a cell-delivery side-holed perfusion catheter (PC).

[Visualisation of early engraftment of transcoronary applied CD34+ cells in the infarct border zone].

Successful delivery of progenitor cells to the injury zone is a prerequisite for any effect of myocardial regeneration therapy. This key issue, however, has received far less attention than, for instance, a potential need for cell type selection or ex-vivo expansion, the optimal timing of cell application or multimodal functional evaluation after cellular transplantation. By combining myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, magnetic resonance imaging and 99Tc-HMPAO-labelled autologous bone marrow-derived CD34+ cells visualisation, we show in a 63-year-old man with a large anterior myocardial infarction that transcoronary applied cells (via the central lumen of an inflated over-the-wire balloon positioned in the stent implanted in primary PCI) graft preferentially to the infarct border zone.

[Evaluation of myocardial viability using magnetic resonance imaging--case report].

The authors described the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of the viability of the left ventricular myocardium in a patient with a history of cardiac infarction treated with primary coronary angioplasty (primary PCI) and with symptoms of postreperfusion injury of the left ventricular muscle (no-reflow phenomenon). The perfusion of the left ventricular myocardium was evaluated with the use of paramagnetic contrast. The heart movement was evaluated at rest and after the administration of a small dose of dobutamine.