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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging
November 2024
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.
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.
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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: 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.
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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAmyloid 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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe would like to thank Dr. Imamura for their interest in our study and their valuable comments on diagnostics and risk stratification in Brugada syndrome (BrS) [..
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBrugada 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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFConsidering 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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: 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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: 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.
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.
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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThanks 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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