Extreme altitude-induced central sleep apneas lasting more than 100 seconds in a healthy 23-year-old man.

Central sleep apneas (CSA) can occur de novo at high-altitude in individuals without sleep-disordered breathing at low altitude. These apneas are usually brief, lasting only 5-15 s. This report presents the first documented case of a man experiencing extreme altitude-induced CSA lasting more than 100 s in the absence of any sleep breathing disorder in normoxia.

Predictors of persistent fever among patients with suspected infective endocarditis: think outside the box.

Background: Fever is common in infective endocarditis (IE), yet little is known about fever duration in such patients. We aim to identify predictors of persistent fever in patients with suspected IE.

Methods: This study was conducted at the Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland, from January 2014 to June 2023.

Pulsus Alternans in Critical Aortic Stenosis: When the Left Ventricle Is Failing.

A 58-year-old man presented with worsening dyspnea. Electrocardiogram showed variation in T-wave amplitude occurring every other beat. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a severe aortic stenosis with beat-to-beat variation in stroke volume, suggestive of pulsus alternans.

Impact of multidisciplinary Endocarditis Team on management of infective endocarditis.

Infective Endocarditis (IE) is a complex, life-threatening disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of the Endocarditis-Team on management of IE. This observational study conducted at a university hospital (2015‒22), included adult patients with IE.

Accelerated hypertension following mavacamten introduction in severe obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with hypertension: a case report.

Background: Mavacamten in Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials was well tolerated, reduced left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO), and improved exercise capacity and symptoms. However, due to its recent introduction in the market, there is limited evidence from real-world patients with severe/multiple comorbidities and/or who are exposed to potential treatment interactions. Hypertension is common in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), but its impact on the treatment of LVOTO is undefined.

Thromboaspiration of a left-sided bioprosthetic valve thrombosis by a mini-access: the Lausanne novel procedure.

Left-sided bioprosthesis valve thrombosis (LSBVT) is a challenging complication necessitating invasive interventions. In this study, we introduce a novel, minimally invasive approach. We used a cerebral embolic protection system and an Occlutech cannula connected to an extracorporeal circuit, providing safer thrombus aspiration compared to the AngioVac system.

Recurrence of an undifferentiated pleomorphic pulmonary artery sarcoma 8 years after initial presentation: a case report.

Background: Primary cardiac tumors remain exceptionally rare, characterized by a poor prognosis. Among them, sarcomas originating in the pulmonary arteries constitute the most infrequent subgroup within primary cardiac sarcomas.

Case Summary: This report presents the case of a 76-year-old female experiencing a recurrence of an undifferentiated pleomorphic intracardiac pulmonary artery sarcoma located in the right ventricular outflow tract, manifesting 8 years after initial remission.

Arrhythmic Mitral Valve Prolapse Phenotype: An Unsupervised Machine Learning Analysis Using a Multicenter Cardiac MRI Registry.

Purpose To use unsupervised machine learning to identify phenotypic clusters with increased risk of arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse (MVP). Materials and Methods This retrospective study included patients with MVP without hemodynamically significant mitral regurgitation or left ventricular (LV) dysfunction undergoing late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac MRI between October 2007 and June 2020 in 15 European tertiary centers. The study end point was a composite of sustained ventricular tachycardia, (aborted) sudden cardiac death, or unexplained syncope.

Energy Loss Index and Dimensionless Index Outperform Direct Valve Planimetry in Low-Gradient Aortic Stenosis.

Among patients with suspected severe aortic stenosis (AS), discordance between effective orifice area (EOA) and transvalvular gradients is frequent and requires a multiparametric workup including flow assessment and calcium-scoring to confirm true severe AS. The aim of this study was to assess direct planimetry, energy loss index (Eli) and dimensionless index (DI) as stand-alone parameters to identify non-severe AS in discordant cases. In this prospective cohort study, we included consecutive AS patients > 70 years with EOA < 1.

Head-to-Head Comparison and Temporal Trends of Cardiac MRI Recommendations in ESC versus ACC/AHA Guidelines: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose To provide a comprehensive head-to-head comparison and temporal analysis of cardiac MRI indications between the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines to identify areas of consensus and divergence. Materials and Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. ESC and ACC/AHA guidelines published until May 2023 were systematically screened for recommendations related to cardiac MRI.

Evaluation of the HANDOC Score and the 2023 International Society of Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases and European Society of Cardiology Duke Clinical Criteria for the Diagnosis of Infective Endocarditis Among Patients With Streptococcal Bacteremia.

Background: Streptococci are a common cause of infective endocarditis (IE). We aimed to evaluate the performance of the HANDOC score to identify patients at high risk for IE and the Duke clinical criteria of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC; 2015 and 2023 versions) and the 2023 version from the International Society of Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases (ISCVID) in diagnosing IE among patients with streptococcal bacteremia.

Methods: This retrospective study included adult patients with streptococcal bacteremia hospitalized at Lausanne University Hospital.

Outcomes and Safety of Transcaval Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: The transcaval (TCv) vascular approach is increasingly used in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients unsuitable for the gold-standard transfemoral approach. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and clinical outcomes associated with TCv-TAVR.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted by searching PubMed/Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for all articles assessing the TCv approach published through December 2023.

[Cardiac amyloidosis : simplifying the diagnosis of a complex disease].

Amyloidosis is a systemic infiltrative disease characterized by deposition of misfolded proteins in tissues, notably affecting the heart. According to type of protein, various types are known with the most prevalent being light-chain and transthyretin amyloidosis. Prognosis is dismal with progression to severe heart failure without disease-modifying treatment.

Fabry disease: development and progression of left ventricular hypertrophy despite long-term enzyme replacement therapy.

Background: Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) may halt or attenuate disease progression in patients with Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD). However, whether left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) can be prevented by early therapy or may still progress despite ERT over a long-term follow-up is still unclear.

Methods: Consecutive patients with AFD from the Independent Swiss-Fabry Cohort receiving ERT who were at least followed up for 5 years were included.

Association of persistent positive blood cultures and infective endocarditis: A cohort study among patients with suspected infective endocarditis.

Objectives: To ascertain whether infective endocarditis (IE) was associated with persistent bacteraemia/candidaemia among patients with suspected IE.

Methods: This study included bacteraemic/candidaemic adult patients with echocardiography and follow-up blood cultures. Persistent bacteraemia/candidaemia was defined as continued positive blood cultures with the same microorganism for 48 h or more after antibiotic treatment initiation.

Prevention of esophageal lesions during atrial fibrillation catheter ablation using esophageal temperature monitoring: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: The use of esophageal temperature monitoring (ETM) for the prevention of esophageal injury during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation is often advocated. However, evidence supporting its use is scarce and controversial. We therefore aimed to review the evidence assessing the efficacy of ETM for the prevention of esophageal injury.

Thrombocytopenia among Patients Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement Using the Sutureless Perceval S Bioprosthesis: A Retrospective Study.

Background: The sutureless Perceval S bioprosthesis is associated with postoperative thrombocytopenia. Our objectives were to compare the incidence, severity, and clinical implications of thrombocytopenia after aortic valve replacement (AVR) using the Perceval S or the Trifecta bioprosthesis.

Methods: Patients who underwent AVR between March 2016 and August 2019 using the Perceval or Trifecta were retrospectively included.