Publications by authors named "Podolec P"

Fabry disease (FD) belongs to the group of lysosomal storage diseases (LSD), which are characterised by insufficient activity of enzymes responsible for the intra-lysosomal breakdown of various substrates. The result is an uncontrolled accumulation of by-products of cellular metabolism. Lysosomal storage diseases are inherited diseases, transmitted mainly in an autosomal recessive fashion.

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Purpose: While early diagnosis is crucial, as new treatments can significantly slow the progression of the disease, there is growing evidence on the application of novel imaging techniques for detecting transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) in pre-symptomatic stages. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of pre-symptomatic scintigraphic imaging cascade screening for early detection of ATTR.

Methods: During the period from 2020 to 2024, we conducted a prospective study that enrolled 100 consecutive adults.

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Aims: The prognostic significance of left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) severity in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the association of LVDD severity and elevated left atrial pressure (eLAP) with patient outcomes in stable, non-acutely decompensated patients with DCM.

Methods: This single-centre, retrospective, observational study involved 740 DCM patients (either inpatients or outpatients) managed at our tertiary cardiac centre between 2010 and 2021.

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Introduction: Atrial septal defects (ASD) are prevalent congenital heart anomalies found in the adult population. Percutaneous ASD closure has become a routine clinical practice. Elevation of postprocedural transient cardiac biomarkers and exacerbation of supraventricular arrhythmias have been reported in the subject literature.

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Background: Alcohol consumption, even in moderate amounts, is associated with complex changes in blood biochemistry, involving abnormalities of many markers affecting cardiovascular risk.

Methods: A total of 100 patients with documented alcohol abuse were included in the study. Demographic data and information on alcohol consumption were collected using a standardized questionnaire.

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Article Synopsis
  • In a study of 205 adults suspected of having IE, [Tc]Tc-HMPAO-SPECT/CT scans showed a positive result in 35.1% of cases, and the technique also revealed extracardiac infections in 25% of scans.
  • The study concluded that using [Tc]Tc-HMPAO-SPECT/CT enhances the diagnostic performance for IE by improving sensitivity and negative predictive value, which can lead to better patient outcomes and potentially lower rates of misdiagn
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  • Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) often results in left ventricle dilation and systolic dysfunction, with evidence suggesting a significant presence of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in these patients.
  • The study involved 102 DCM patients who were assessed for cardiac fibrosis through late gadolinium enhancement and extracellular volume measurements, categorizing them based on left atrial pressure levels.
  • Findings revealed that 42% of patients had elevated left atrial pressure, with larger extracellular volumes indicating more severe LVDD, making extracellular volume a key independent predictor of LVDD in DCM patients.
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Cardiac amyloidosis, a condition characterized by abnormal protein deposition in the heart, leads to restrictive cardiomyopathy and is notably associated with an increased risk of arrhythmias and conduction disorders. This article reviews the current understanding and management strategies for these cardiac complications, with a focus on recent advancements and clinical challenges. The prevalence and impact of atrial arrhythmias, particularly atrial fibrillation, are examined, along with considerations for stroke risk and anticoagulation therapy.

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Amyloid cardiomyopathy (CA) was previously considered a rare disease; however, rapid advancements in imaging modalities have led to an increased frequency of its diagnosis. The aim of this prospective study was to assess the prevalence and clinical phenotype of transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) cardiomyopathy in patients exhibiting unexplained increased left ventricular (LV) wall thickness. From 2020 to 2022, we enrolled 100 consecutive adults with unexplained increased LV wall thickness in the study.

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Article Synopsis
  • Fabry disease (FD) is a rare, genetic disorder caused by enzyme deficiencies that lead to multiple organ dysfunction and can result in premature death, affecting both males and females.
  • Enzyme replacement therapy, including agalsidase and oral chaperone migalastat, is utilized for managing FD, with migalastat being effective for 35-50% of patients with specific gene variants.
  • This position statement presents a comprehensive review of migalastat’s role in FD treatment, including its pharmacology, clinical trial evidence on safety and effectiveness, and practical guidelines for clinicians regarding patient selection and diagnostic testing.
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Brugada syndrome (BrS) is an arrhythmogenic disorder increasing the risk of syncopal episodes and sudden cardiac death. BrS usually runs through families with reduced penetrance and variable expression. We analyzed the multigenerational family of a patient who died after sudden cardiac arrest with post-mortem diagnosis of BrS.

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Considering the rare incidence of transthyretin amyloidosis cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) in Poland, patients encounter difficulties at the stages of diagnosis and treatment. For successful diagnosis, it is vital to raise the suspicion of ATTR-CM, that is, to identify typical clinical scenarios such as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction or the red flags of amyloidosis. In most cases, it is possible to establish the diagnosis on the basis of noninvasive tests.

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  • Cardiac fibrosis is a significant issue in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and while replacement fibrosis has been studied extensively, interstitial fibrosis remains less understood.
  • This study analyzed the relationship between serum biomarkers and interstitial fibrosis using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in 50 HCM patients, focusing on the extracellular volume (ECV) as a key measure.
  • Results showed that galectin-3 emerged as an independent predictor of interstitial fibrosis, while traditional cardiac biomarkers (troponin T and NT-proBNP) also correlated with interstitial fibrosis levels.
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Background: Morbidity and mortality following Fontan (FO) surgery are primarily thromboembolic in nature. However, follow-up data regarding thromboembolic complications (TECs) in adult patients after FO procedure are inconsistent. In this multicenter study, we investigated the incidence of TECs in FO patients.

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Background: Previous studies on animal models have suggested that δ-opioid receptor (OR) signaling is the primary pathway responsible for opioids' cardioprotective effect. We hypothesize that the μ-OR's activation protects the human heart muscle.

Methods: We performed the experiments on muscular trabeculae obtained from the right atrial appendages of 104 consecutive patients subjected to coronary artery bypass surgery.

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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.

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Article Synopsis
  • The CIRCULATE-AMI study is a clinical trial that tests the safety and effectiveness of Wharton jelly multipotent stem cells (WJMSCs) for treating patients with acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), compared to a placebo.
  • In a pilot study of 10 patients, the administration of WJMSCs showed no adverse cardiovascular effects and resulted in significant improvements in heart function and reduction of infarct size over three years.
  • The initial findings suggest that using WJMSCs shortly after a heart attack is safe and might lead to lasting improvements in heart health, setting the stage for further investigation in a larger randomized controlled trial.
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  • The study examines factors influencing patient enrollment in clinical trials for chronic ischaemic heart failure (CIHF), specifically comparing characteristics between those who were eligible and enrolled (E-E) and those who were eligible but not enrolled (E-NE).
  • A total of 5,436 hospitalized patients were evaluated over four recruitment periods, revealing that the characteristics and medical treatment of E-E and E-NE patients were largely similar, except for those enrolled showing more severe left ventricular impairment.
  • The main reasons for non-enrollment included participation in other trials and lack of consent, while ineligibility was mainly due to recent cardiac interventions, age, and coexisting diseases.
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Despite unquestionable progress in interventional and pharmacologic therapies of ischemic heart disease, the number of patients with chronic ischemic heart failure is increasing and the prognosis remains poor. Repair/restoration of functional myocardium through progenitor cell-mediated (PCs) healing and renovation of injured myocardium is one of the pivotal directions in biomedical research. PCs release numerous pro-angiogenic and anti-apoptotic factors.

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Thanks to advances in interventional cardiology technologies, catheter-directed treatment has become recently a viable therapeutic option in the treatment of patients with acute pulmonary embolism at high risk of early mortality. Current transcatheter techniques allow for local fibrinolysis or embolectomy with minimal risk of complications. Therefore, these procedures can be considered in high-risk patients as an alternative to surgical pulmonary embolectomy when systemic thrombolysis is contraindicated or ineffective.

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