A time-efficient protocol for transthoracic echocardiography during transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation: early identification and effective management of intraprocedural complications.

Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) under conscious sedation is the most widely used method of implantation. Echocardiography is used to detect complications and to assess the implantation result. The aim of this paper is to provide a time-efficient protocol when transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is used to guide TAVI procedures.

BSE and BCOS Guideline for Transthoracic Echocardiographic Assessment of Adult Cancer Patients Receiving Anthracyclines and/or Trastuzumab.

The subspecialty of cardio-oncology aims to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer or following cancer treatment. Cancer therapy can lead to a variety of cardiovascular complications, including left ventricular systolic dysfunction, pericardial disease, and valvular heart disease. Echocardiography is a key diagnostic imaging tool in the diagnosis and surveillance for many of these complications.

Quadruple valve replacement for patients with carcinoid heart disease.

We report two cases of patients with carcinoid heart disease affecting all four valves. All four of the valves showed signs of regurgitation and were replaced using biological valves. Left-sided involvement is uncommon (5-10%), but can occur in the absence of an intracardiac shunt.

British Society for Echocardiography and British Cardio-Oncology Society guideline for transthoracic echocardiographic assessment of adult cancer patients receiving anthracyclines and/or trastuzumab.

The subspecialty of cardio-oncology aims to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer or following cancer treatment. Cancer therapy can lead to a variety of cardiovascular complications, including left ventricular systolic dysfunction, pericardial disease, and valvular heart disease. Echocardiography is a key diagnostic imaging tool in the diagnosis and surveillance for many of these complications.

Diastolic dysfunction on echocardiography does not predict survival after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt in patients with cirrhosis.

Background: Cardiac dysfunction is frequently observed in patients with cirrhosis. There remains a paucity of data from routine clinical practice regarding the role of echocardiography in the pre-assessment of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt.

Aim: Our study aimed to investigate if echocardiography parameters predict outcomes after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt insertion in cirrhosis.

A randomized, multicenter, open-label, blinded end point trial comparing the effects of spironolactone to chlorthalidone on left ventricular mass in patients with early-stage chronic kidney disease: Rationale and design of the SPIRO-CKD trial.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased left ventricular (LV) mass and arterial stiffness. In a previous trial, spironolactone improved these end points compared with placebo in subjects with early-stage CKD, but it is not known whether these effects were specific to the drug or secondary to blood pressure lowering.

Aim: The aim was to investigate the hypothesis that spironolactone is superior to chlorthalidone in the reduction of LV mass while exerting similar effects on blood pressure.

A Follow-Up Study of the Prevalence of Valvular Heart Abnormalities in Hyperprolactinemic Patients Treated With Cabergoline.

Context: Uncertainty exists whether the long-term use of ergot-derived dopamine agonist (DA) drugs for the treatment of hyperprolactinemia may be associated with clinically significant valvular heart disease and whether current regulatory authority guidelines for echocardiographic screening are clinically appropriate.

Objective: Our objective was to provide follow-up echocardiographic data on a previously described cohort of patients treated with DA for lactotrope pituitary tumors and to explore possible associations between structural and functional valve abnormalities with the cumulative dose of drug used.

Design: Follow-up echocardiographic data were collected from a proportion of our previously reported cohort of patients; all had received continuous DA therapy for at least 2 years in the intervening period.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase single nucleotide polymorphism and left ventricular function in early chronic kidney disease.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with accelerated cardiovascular disease and heart failure. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) Glu298Asp single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype has been associated with a worse phenotype amongst patients with established heart failure and in patients with progression of their renal disease. The association of a cardiac functional difference in non-dialysis CKD patients with no known previous heart failure, and eNOS gene variant is investigated.

Modification of severe insulin resistant diabetes in response to lifestyle changes in Alström syndrome.

Background: Alström syndrome is a recessively inherited condition characterised by severe insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome with progression to type 2 diabetes, hepatic dysfunction and coronary artery disease. The metabolic responses to lifestyle changes in the syndrome have not been reported.

Case Reports: We describe the effects on glycaemia of intense cycling in two insulin treated Alström patients with diabetes, and the effects of opposite lifestyle changes over one year in two others.

Does immunosuppressant medication lower blood pressure and arterial stiffness in patients with chronic kidney disease? An observational study.

Chronic kidney disease is a proinflammatory state associated with increased arterial stiffness. We hypothesized that chronic kidney disease patients on long-term immunosuppression would have lower arterial stiffness and require treatment with less antihypertensive medication compared with non-immunosuppressed patients. A total of 254 patients (97 on immunosuppression) with chronic kidney disease were recruited from specialist renal clinics.

Remote ischemic preconditioning in human coronary artery bypass surgery: from promise to disappointment?

Background: We assessed whether remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) improves myocardial, renal, and lung protection after on-pump coronary surgery.

Methods And Results: This was a single-center, prospective, randomized (1:1), placebo-controlled trial. Patients, investigators, anesthetists, surgeons, and critical care teams were blinded to group allocation.

Use of intra-arterial papaverine for severe arterial spasm during radial cardiac catheterization.

Coronary angiography and intervention can be performed safely using the radial artery. However, arterial spasm is often encountered and usually amenable to nitrate/verapamil therapy. Rarely, surgical intervention is required to remove catheters and wires.

LGALS2 functional variant rs7291467 is not associated with susceptibility to myocardial infarction in Caucasians.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is currently among the leading causes of death in the developed world. A functional SNP (rs7291467) in galectin-2 (LGALS2), a protein involved in the LTA cascade, has been associated with susceptibility to MI in the Japanese population. We explored for the first time the hypothesis that the same SNP could be associated with the risk of MI in the British population.

Use of intra-cardiac ultrasound in the diagnosis of prosthetic valve malfunction.

A 46-year old lady was under regular follow up for aortic valve replacement done in 2002 for aortic stenosis. The valve was a Carbomedics 19 mm bi-leaflet aortic valve prosthesis for which she had adequate anticoagulation since implantation. She had a past history of end stage renal failure, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease and systemic lupus erythematosus.