Age- and sex-related variations in extracellular vesicle profiling for the assessment of cardiovascular risk: the EVaging index.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) offer valuable diagnostic and prognostic insights for cardiovascular (CV) diseases, but the influence of age-related chronic inflammation ("inflammaging") and sex differences on EV profiles linked to CV risk remains unclear. This study aimed to use EV profiling to predict age and stratify patients by CV risk. We developed an EVaging index by analyzing surface antigen profiles of serum EVs from 625 participants, aged 20 to 94 years, across varying CV risk groups.

Evidence-Based Data on the Diagnostic Role and Clinical Usefulness of [F]FDG PET/CT in Endocarditis and Cardiac Device Infections.

Infective endocarditis and infection of cardiac devices are conditions characterized by high morbidity and mortality, thus requiring a prompt diagnosis. Advanced imaging modalities are often required in the management of infectious endocarditis according to guidelines. The aim of this review is to collect and describe evidence-based knowledge about the diagnostic role and clinical usefulness of [F]FDG PET/CT in endocarditis and cardiac device infections based on published systematic reviews and meta-analyses on this topic and on recent guidelines.

Myocardial Infarction and Pulmonary Embolism: Causal or Temporal Association?

Ischemic electrocardiographic changes in the setting of pulmonary embolism are typically the result of dilatation of the right cavities and/or right ventricular ischaemia, without coronary occlusion. We present a patient with pulmonary embolism and concomitant myocardial infarction, with the aim of exploring the possible links between these 2 distinct entities.

TRIVALVE Score: A Risk Score for Mortality/Hospitalization Prediction in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Intervention.

Background: Transcatheter tricuspid valve intervention (TTVI) has been increasingly adopted in recent years for the treatment of patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR). However, no dedicated risk stratification has been established for patients undergoing TTVI.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to propose a dedicated risk score for patients affected by severe TR undergoing TTVI.

Predictors of work inability after acute myocardial infarction in Switzerland.

This study aimed to examine whether acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients in Switzerland return to work and identify factors associated therewith. Data of 4315 working-age AMI patients enrolled in the Swiss AMIS Plus registry between 01/2006 and 09/2021 with 1-year follow-up and self-reported work status were analyzed. Patient characteristics were compared between those who did not reduce their work hours, those who reduced, and those who were no longer working 1 year after AMI.

Technical and Clinical Outcomes After Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair of Mitral Regurgitation in Male and Female Patients: Is Equality Achieved?

Background: Currently, no clear impact of sex on short- and long-term survival following transcatheter edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (TEER) is evident, although no data are available on postprocedural life expectancy. Our aim was to assess sex-specific differences in outcomes of patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) treated by TEER.

Methods And Results: Short-term and 5-year outcomes in men and women undergoing TEER between 2011 and 2018 who were included in the large, multicenter, real-world MitraSwiss registry were analyzed.

Integrating Pharmacomechanical Treatments for Pulmonary Embolism Management within a Hub-and-Spoke System in the Swiss Ticino Region.

The Swiss Ticino regional pulmonary embolism response team (PERT) features direct access to various pharmacomechanical PE management options within a hub/spoke system, by integrating evidence, guidelines' recommendations and personal experiences. This system involves a collaborative management of patients among the hospitals distributed throughout the region, which refer selected intermediate-high or high PE patients to a second-level hub center, located in Lugano at Cardiocentro Ticino, belonging to the Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC). The hub provides 24/7 catheterization laboratory activation for catheter-based intervention (CBI), surgical embolectomy and/or a mechanical support system such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Effects of tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair on tricuspid annulus diameter - Data from the TriValve registry.

Aims: T-TEER is an effective therapy for the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation (TR). However, the effects of leaflets clipping on tricuspid valve annulus (TA) have not been investigated in detail. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) on TA diameter.

Restoration of Life Expectancy After Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair.

Background: Survival data after mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) are scarce, and its impact on predicted life expectancy is unknown.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of TEER on postprocedural life expectancy among patients enrolled in the MitraSwiss registry through a relative survival (RS) analysis.

Methods: Consecutive TEER patients 60 to 89 years of age enrolled between 2011 and 2018 (N = 1140) were evaluated.

Multimodality Imaging Evaluation to Detect Subtle Right Ventricular Involvement in Patients with Acute Myocarditis and Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction.

Evaluation of the right ventricle (RV) in patients with acute myocarditis (MY) remains challenging with both 2D transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). We examined the incremental diagnostic value of CMR feature tracking (FT) to evaluate RV involvement in patients with myocarditis. We enrolled 54 patients with myocarditis and preserved left ventricle (LV) ejection fraction (EF).

Sex Differences in Epidemiology, Morphology, Mechanisms, and Treatment of Mitral Valve Regurgitation.

Sex-related disparities have been recognized in incidence, pathological findings, pathophysiological mechanisms, and diagnostic pathways of non-rheumatic mitral regurgitation. Furthermore, access to treatments and outcomes for surgical and interventional therapies among women and men appears to be different. Despite this, current European and US guidelines have identified common diagnostic and therapeutic pathways that do not consider patient sex in decision-making.

Patients With AMI and Severely Reduced LVEF, a Well-Defined, Still Extremely Vulnerable Population (Insights from AMIS Plus Registry).

Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) represents one of the strongest predictors of both in-hospital and long-term prognosis in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Temporal trends data coming from real-world experiences focused on patients with AMI with severely reduced LVEF (i.e.

Additional value of cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking parameters for the evaluation of the arrhythmic risk in patients with mitral valve prolapse.

Objectives: The identification of patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) presenting high arrhythmic risk remains challenging. Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CMR) feature tracking (FT) may improve risk stratification. We analyzed the role of CMR-FT parameters in relation to the incidence of complex ventricular arrhythmias (cVA) in patients with MVP and mitral annular disjunction (MAD).

Impact of Preprocedural Computed Tomography on Left Atrial Appendage Closure Success: A Swiss-Apero Trial Subanalysis.

Background: The benefit related to the use of preprocedural computed tomography angiography (CCTA) on top of periprocedural echocardiography to plan percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) procedures is still unclear.

Objectives: The authors sought to evaluate the impact of preprocedural CCTA on LAAC procedural success.

Methods: In the investigator-initiated SWISS-APERO (Comparison of Amplatzer Amulet and Watchman Device in Patients Undergoing Left Atrial Appendage Closure) trial, patients undergoing echocardiography-guided LAAC were randomly assigned to receive the Amulet (Abbott) or Watchman 2.

Positron Emission Tomography in Heart Failure: From Pathophysiology to Clinical Application.

Imaging modalities are increasingly being used to evaluate the underlying pathophysiology of heart failure. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses radioactive tracers to visualize and measure biological processes in vivo. PET imaging of the heart uses different radiopharmaceuticals to provide information on myocardial metabolism, perfusion, inflammation, fibrosis, and sympathetic nervous system activity, which are all important contributors to the development and progression of heart failure.

Effect of High-Intensity Statin Therapy on Atherosclerosis (IBIS-4): Manual Versus Automated Methods of IVUS Analysis.

Aims: Standard manual analysis of IVUS to study the impact of anti-atherosclerotic therapies on the coronary vessel wall is done by a core laboratory (CL), the ground truth (GT). Automatic segmentation of IVUS with a machine learning (ML) algorithm has the potential to replace manual readings with an unbiased and reproducible method. The aim is to determine if results from a CL can be replicated with ML methods.

Twenty-year trends in the prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in young acute coronary syndrome patients hospitalized in Switzerland.

Aims: Modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (RFs) play a key role in the development of coronary artery disease. We evaluated 20-year trends in RF prevalence among young adults hospitalized with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in Switzerland.

Methods And Results: Data were analysed from the Acute Myocardial Infarction in Switzerland (AMIS) Plus registry from 2000 to 2019.