Non-atherosclerotic acute cardiac syndromes: spontaneous coronary artery dissection and Takotsubo syndrome. Comparison of long-term clinical outcomes.

Background: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) and Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) constitute two common causes of nonatherosclerotic acute cardiac syndrome particularly frequent in women. Currently, there is no information comparing long-term clinical outcomes in unselected patients with these conditions.

Methods: We compared the baseline characteristics, in-hospital outcomes, and the 12-month and long-term clinical outcomes of two large prospective registries on SCAD and TTS.

Early approach to LDL-related risk after acute coronary syndrome: the OPTA project.

Introduction: Hyperlipidemia is the main underlying cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol to recommended targets after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is of utmost importance as it is associated with a reduction of mortality and further cardiovascular events. Unfortunately, there are considerable gaps between guideline recommendations and clinical practice.

Optical detection of atherosclerosis at molecular level by optical coherence tomography: An in vitro study.

There is an urgent need for contrast agents to detect the first inflammation stage of atherosclerosis by cardiovascular optical coherence tomography (CV-OCT), the imaging technique with the highest spatial resolution and sensitivity of those used during coronary interventions. Gold nanoshells (GNSs) provide the strongest signal by CV-OCT. GNSs are functionalized with the cLABL peptide that binds specifically to the ICAM-1 molecule upregulated in the first stage of atherosclerosis.

Molecular Imaging of Infarcted Heart by Biofunctionalized Gold Nanoshells.

The unique combination of physical and optical properties of silica (core)/gold (shell) nanoparticles (gold nanoshells) makes them especially suitable for biomedicine. Gold nanoshells are used from high-resolution in vivo imaging to in vivo photothermal tumor treatment. Furthermore, their large scattering cross-section in the second biological window (1000-1700 nm) makes them also especially adequate for molecular optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection and Takotsubo syndrome: comparison of baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and in-hospital outcomes.

Background: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) and Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) constitute two relatively common nonatherosclerotic causes of acute coronary syndrome particularly frequent in women.

Methods: This study sought to compare the baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of patients from two large prospective registries on SCAD and TTS (the prospective nation-wide Spanish SCAD Registry and a prospective single-center TTS registry).

Results: A total of 318 SCAD and 106 TTS consecutive patients were included.

Development of a predictive model of hospitalization in primary care patients with heart failure.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of hospitalization in people over age 65. Predictive hospital admission models have been developed to help reduce the number of these patients.

Aim: To develop and internally validate a model to predict hospital admission in one-year for any non-programmed cause in heart failure patients receiving primary care treatment.

Disability and quality of life in heart failure patients: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Although both hospitalization and mortality due to heart failure (HF) have been widely studied, less is known about the impact of HF on disability and quality of life.

Aim: To assess the degree of disability and quality of life in HF patients attended at family medicine centres.

Design And Setting: Cross-sectional study of a cohort of HF patients attended at family medicine centres.

Proximal pulmonary arterial wall disease in patients with persistent pulmonary hypertension after successful left-sided valve replacement according to the hemodynamic phenotype.

Regression of pulmonary hypertension (PH) is often incomplete after successful left-sided valve replacement (LSVR). Proximal pulmonary arterial (PPA) wall disease can be involved in patients with persistent-PH after LSVR, affecting the right ventricular to pulmonary arterial (RV-PA) coupling. Fifteen patients underwent successful LSVR at least one year ago presenting PH by echo (> 50 mmHg).

Three-dimensional Tricuspid Area. A New Criterion to Improve Patient Selection for Annuloplasty in Tricuspid Regurgitation.

Introduction And Objectives: Late functional tricuspid regurgitation after rheumatic left-sided valve surgery is an important predictor of poor prognosis. This study investigated the usefulness and accuracy of 3-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography tricuspid area compared with conventional 2-dimensional diameter (2DD) for assessing significant tricuspid annulus dilatation, providing cutoff values that could be used in clinical practice to improve patient selection for surgery.

Methods: We prospectively included 109 patients with rheumatic heart disease in the absence of previous valve replacement.

Mid-Term Results of Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in Valvular Heart Disease Assesed by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography.

Background: Atrial fibrillation frequently affects patients with valvular heart disease. Ablation of atrial fibrillation during valvular surgery is an alternative for restoring sinus rhythm.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate mid-term results of successful atrial fibrillation surgical ablation during valvular heart disease surgery, to explore left atrium post-ablation mechanics and to identify predictors of recurrence.

Outcomes of Aortic Valve Replacement According to Surgical Approach in Intermediate and Low Risk Patients: A Propensity Score Analysis.

Background: Previous trials have shown that, among high-risk patients with aortic stenosis, survival rates are similar for transcatheter aortic-valve implantation (TAVI) and surgical aortic valve replacement. The study aimed to compare the outcomes of aortic valve replacement according to the adopted surgical approach in intermediate and low risk patients.

Methods: This is a retrospective, observational, cohort study of prospectively collected data from 421 patients undergoing isolated aortic valve replacement between 2011 and 2015.

Pulmonary arterial wall disease in COPD and interstitial lung diseases candidates for lung transplantation.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with lung disease has the worst prognosis of all types of PH. Pulmonary arterial vasculopathy is an early event in the natural history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial lung disease (ILD). The present study characterized the alterations in the structure and function of the pulmonary arterial (PA) wall of COPD and ILD candidates for lung transplantation (LTx).

Low-pressure cardiac tamponade: A case report.

A 57-year-old woman presented with a large idiopathic pericardial effusion with subsequent cardiac tamponade, in whom the intrapericardial pressure measured by pericardiocentesis was not elevated. The patient did not present with the classical clinical features of cardiac tamponade, requiring echocardiographic follow-up to make accurate diagnosis and treatment. This entity called low-pressure cardiac tamponade has been diagnosed anecdotally being an insidious condition that requires a high degree of suspicion.

Factors Associated With Delays in Seeking Medical Attention in Patients With ST-segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Introduction And Objectives: Prompt coronary reperfusion is crucial in patients with ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome. The aim of this study was to determine factors associated with a delay in seeking medical attention after the onset of symptoms in patients with this condition.

Methods: Prospective cohort study in consecutive patients with ST segment elevation infarction.

Impairment of pulmonary vascular reserve and right ventricular systolic reserve in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Exercise capacity is impaired in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We hypothesized that cardiovascular reserve abnormalities would be associated with impaired hemodynamic response to pharmacological stress and worse outcome in PAH.

Methods: Eighteen PAH patients (p) group 1 NYHA class II/III and ten controls underwent simultaneous right cardiac catheterization and intravascular ultrasound at rest and during low dose-dobutamine (10 mcg/kg/min) with trendelenburg (DST).