Echocardiographic assessment of epicardial adipose tissue thickness as independent predictor in coronary artery disease.

This study aimed to assess the utility of echocardiography-measured epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) thickness (EATT) as an independent predictor for coronary artery disease (CAD), examining its correlation with oxidative stress levels in epicardial tissue and the complexity of the disease in patients undergoing open-heart surgery. This study included a total of 25 patients referred for cardiac surgery with 14 in the CAD group and 11 in the non-CAD group. Epicardial fat was sampled from patients subjected to open-heart surgery EATT was higher in the CAD group compared to the non-CAD group (8.

Empagliflozin and dapagliflozin decreased atrial monoamine oxidase expression and alleviated oxidative stress in overweight non-diabetic cardiac patients.

The sodium-glucose-cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are the blockbuster antidiabetic drugs that exert cardiovascular protection via pleiotropic effects. We have previously demonstrated that empagliflozin decreased monoamine oxidase (MAO) expression and oxidative stress in human mammary arteries. The present study performed in overweight, non-diabetic cardiac patients was aimed to assess whether the two widely prescribed SGLT2i decrease atrial MAO expression and alleviate oxidative stress elicited by exposure to angiotensin 2 (ANG2) and high glucose (GLUC).

Genotype-Phenotype Insights of Inherited Cardiomyopathies-A Review.

: Cardiomyopathies (CMs) represent a heterogeneous group of primary myocardial diseases characterized by structural and functional abnormalities. They represent one of the leading causes of cardiac transplantations and cardiac death in young individuals. Clinically they vary from asymptomatic to symptomatic heart failure, with a high risk of sudden cardiac death due to malignant arrhythmias.

Importance of Multimodality Cardiac Imaging in the Diagnosis of Lipomatous Hypertrophy of the Interatrial Septum-A View beyond Standard Situations.

Lipomatous hypertrophy of the interatrial septum (LHIAS) represents a benign proliferation of lipoid cells at the level of the interatrial septum (IAS) inducing an important thickening of this structure. It respects the fossa ovalis (FO) region, having a typical "hourglass" echocardiographic appearance. There are certain cases though, with unusual appearances and/or with associated pathologies that may induce similar lesions in the heart, in which the differential diagnosis cannot be guaranteed using only the standard methods.

Short-Term Changes in Weather Conditions and the Risk of Acute Coronary Syndrome Hospitalization with and without ST-Segment Elevation: A Focus on Vulnerable Subgroups.

: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS), a prevalent global cardiovascular disease and leading cause of mortality, is significantly correlated with meteorological factors. This study aims to analyze the impact of short-term changes in meteorological factors on the risk of ACS, both with and without ST-segment elevation, and to identify vulnerable subgroups. : Daily ACS admissions and meteorological variables were collected from October 2016 to December 2021.

Echocardiographic Myocardial Work: A Novel Method to Assess Left Ventricular Function in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Diabetes Mellitus.

Myocardial ischemia caused by coronary artery disease (CAD) and the presence of metabolic abnormalities and microvascular impairments detected in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are a common cause of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Transthoracic echocardiography is the most-used, non-invasive imaging method for the assessment of myocardial contractility. The accurate evaluation of LV function is crucial for identifying patients who are at high risk or may have worse outcomes.

Assessing the Relationship between Indexed Epicardial Adipose Tissue Thickness, Oxidative Stress in Adipocytes, and Coronary Artery Disease Complexity in Open-Heart Surgery Patients.

: This cross-sectional study conducted at the Timișoara Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Romania, and the Centre for Translational Research and Systems Medicine from "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timișoara, Romania, investigated the relationship between indexed epicardial adipose tissue thickness (EATTi) and oxidative stress in epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) adipocytes in the context of coronary artery disease (CAD) among open-heart surgery patients. The objective was to elucidate the contribution of EATTi as an additional marker for complexity prediction in patients with CAD, potentially influencing clinical decision-making in surgical settings. : The study included 25 patients undergoing cardiac surgery, with a mean age of 65.

Reduced Left Ventricular Twist Early after Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction as a Predictor of Left Ventricular Adverse Remodelling.

Background: The left ventricular (LV) remodelling process represents the main cause of heart failure after a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) can detect early deformation impairment, while also predicting LV remodelling during follow-up. The aim of this study was to investigate the STE parameters in predicting cardiac remodelling following a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in STEMI patients.

The Challenges of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava: A Case Report and Concise Literature Review.

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a chronic and debilitating disease, which requires extensive diagnostic and treatment resources in order to achieve an acceptable quality of life for the patient. While optimal medical treatment remains at the core of the disease's management, interventional cardiology also plays a very important role. However, in very rare situations, interventionists might find cases especially challenging due to the presence of venous anomalies, such as persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC), anomalies that may go undiscovered during the patient's lifetime until venous cannulation is necessary.

Considering Both GLS and MD for a Prognostic Value in Non-ST-Segment Elevated Acute Coronary Artery Syndrome.

Global longitudinal strain (GLS) and mechanical dispersion (MD), as determined by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography, have been demonstrated to be reliable indicators of prognosis in a variety of cardiovascular illnesses. There are not many papers that discuss the prognostic significance of GLS and MD in a population with non-ST-segment elevated acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). Our study objective was to examine the predictive utility of the novel GLS/MD two-dimensional strain index in NSTE-ACS patients.

Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) Is Expressed at the Level of Mitral Valve with Severe Regurgitation in Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report.

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is one of the most common hereditary heart diseases. The severely hypertrophied interventricular septum combined with the systolic anterior movement (SAM) of the mitral valve (MV) frequently cause a significant pressure gradient in the left ventricular outflow tract associated with varying degrees of mitral regurgitation (MR). We present the case of a 64-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with HOCM two years ago and was admitted to the Institute of Cardiovascular Disease with exertion dyspnea and fatigue.

Echocardiographic Parameters as Predictors for the Efficiency of Resynchronization Therapy in Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy and HFrEF.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) represents an increasingly recommended solution to alleviate symptomatology and improve the quality of life in individuals with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who remain symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy (OMT). However, this therapy does have the desired results all cases, in that sometimes low sensing and high voltage stimulation are needed to obtain some degree of resynchronization, even in the case of perfectly placed cardiac pacing leads. Our study aims to identify whether there is a relationship between several transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) parameters characterizing left ventricular (LV) performance, especially strain results, and sensing and pacing parameters.

Contribution of Global and Regional Longitudinal Strain for Clinical Assessment of HFpEF in Coronary and Hypertensive Patients.

Contribution of global and regional longitudinal strain (GLS) for clinical assessment of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is not well established. We sought to evaluate subclinical left ventricular dysfunction secondary to coronary artery disease (CAD) in HFpEF patients compared with hypertensive patients and age-matched healthy subjects. This was a retrospective study that included 148 patients (group 1 = 62 patients with HFpEF, group 2 = 46 hypertensive patients, and group 3 = 40 age-matched control subjects).

Assessment of the Impact of Alcohol Consumption Patterns on Heart Rate Variability by Machine Learning in Healthy Young Adults.

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction is present in early stages of alcohol abuse and increases the likelihood of cardiovascular events. Given the nonlinear pattern of dynamic interaction between sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and para sympathetic nervous system (PNS) and the complex relationship with lifestyle factors, machine learning (ML) algorithms are best suited for analyzing alcohol impact over heart rate variability (HRV), because they allow the analysis of complex interactions between multiple variables. This study aimed to characterize autonomic nervous system dysfunction by analysis of HRV correlated with cardiovascular risk factors in young individuals by using machine learning.

Metformin alleviates monoamine oxidase-related vascular oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in rats with diet-induced obesity.

In the past decade, monoamine oxidase (MAO) with 2 isoforms, MAO-A and B, has emerged as an important source of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cardio-metabolic pathologies. We have previously reported that MAO-related oxidative stress mediates endothelial dysfunction in rodent models of diabetes and diabetic patients; however, the role of MAO in the vascular impairment associated to obesity has not been investigated so far. Metformin (METF), the first-line drug in the therapy of type 2 diabetes mellitus, has been reported to elicit vasculoprotective effects via partially elucidated mechanisms.

Chameleonic appearance of caseous calcification of the mitral valve - still a problem for its appropriate management.

According to the research literature, the caseous calcification of the mitral annulus (CCMA) is a rare variant of the mitral annulus calcification (MAC) entity, described mostly in elderly women. The aim of this study was to present the case of a 53-year-old female patient with caseous calcification of the mitral valve annulus and posterior cusp, which was diagnosed as papillary fibroelastoma. An echo-dense and quasi-homogeneous tumoral mass, measuring 1.

Gene Polymorphisms Prevalence and Cardiovascular Risk Factors Involved in Cardioembolic Stroke Type and Severity.

Background: Cardioembolic stroke (CES), generally known as the most severe subtype of ischemic stroke, is related to many factors, including diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), smoking, hyperlipidemia and atrial fibrillation (AF). Genetic mutations of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene and have been recently associated with ischemic stroke. The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of gene polymorphisms correlated with cardiovascular risk factors in a selected population of patients with CES due to non-valvular AF (NVAF).

Assessing the safety of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator reuse-A retrospective case-control study.

Aims: The safety of pacemaker reuse has been proven by numerous studies in the last two decades. With the exception of one research paper, the safety of reuse of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators has not been properly investigated. Our aim was to establish whether resterilized implantable cardioverter-defibrillators are as safe as new devices in relation to functionality and infection rates.

Risk stratification in patients with heart failure: the value of considering both global longitudinal left ventricular strain and mechanical dispersion.

In previous studies, mechanical dispersion (MD) predicted ventricular arrhythmias independently of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Moreover, the combination of MD and global longitudinal strain (GLS) increased the prediction of arrhythmic events. We investigated the prognostic value of a new 2-dimensional strain index, GLS/MD, in patients with heart failure (HF).

Endocardial left ventricular pacing after accidental aortic wall perforation.

Inadvertent endocardial placement of a pacing lead in the left ventricle through the aortic valve is a rare complication with an unknown incidence because of inadequate reporting. Reported cases are usually the result of lead insertion via the subclavian artery. A possible but very unusual situation is endocardial lead insertion in the left ventricle after aortic arch perforation.

Safety and feasibility of biventricular devices reuse in general and elderly population--a single-center retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is known to have very important beneficial effects on heart failure patients. Unfortunately, biventricular implantable cardiac devices (CRT devices), through which this therapy is implemented, are very expensive and sometimes hard to achieve, especially in underdeveloped/developing economies, making this an important problem of public health. As a possible solution, CRT reuse is of great interest nowadays, but unlike simple devices, data in the literature are scarce about biventricular device reuse.