Differential cardiac impacts of hematological malignancies and solid tumors: a histopathological and biomarker study.

Background: Cancer patients are known to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, no studies have examined the differential impact of hematologic malignancies (HMs) and solid tumors (STs) on cardiac morphology at the tissue level.

Objective: We aimed to examine histopathological features alongside cardiovascular biomarkers in patients with HMs and STs who underwent post-mortem evaluation.

Galectin-3 Predicts Long-Term Risk of Cerebral Disability and Mortality in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Survivors.

Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is associated with high mortality and cerebral disability in survivors. Current models of risk prediction and survival are mainly based on resuscitation duration. We examined the prognostic value of circulating biomarkers in predicting mortality and severe cerebral disability for OHCA survivors, alongside traditional clinical risk indicators.

QT prolongation predicts all-cause mortality above and beyond a validated risk score.

Introduction: QT prolongation is a risk factor for life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. In large cohorts, QT interval was associated with all-cause mortality, but these analyses may contain residual confounding. Whether the QT interval provides prognostic information above and beyond a validated mortality risk score is unknown.

Left atrial appendage volume as a prognostic Indicator of long-term mortality in Cancer survivors treated with thoracic radiation.

Background: Cancer survivors with prior chest radiation therapy (CXRT) frequently present with atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and have higher overall long-term mortality. There are no data examining the utility of left atrial (LA) and LA appendage (LAA) volume-indices to predict clinical outcomes in these patients.

Objectives: We examined the prognostic value of cardiac phase-dependent 3-D volume-rendered cardiac computerized tomography (CT)-derived LA and LAA volume-indices to predict mortality and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in cancer survivors treated with thoracic irradiation.

Change in hospitalization rates following transcatheter left atrial appendage occlusion.

Introduction: Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is recommended in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) who have contraindications to or are intolerant of long-term oral anticoagulants (OAC), but its impact on hospitalization rates has not been well described. The objective of our study is to describe the incidence of all-cause, bleeding-related, and thrombosis-related hospitalizations before and after LAAO.

Material And Methods: We used the Nationwide Readmission Database to include patients aged ≥ 18 years with a diagnosis of AF who underwent transcatheter LAAO during the months of February-November in each year between 2016 and 2018.

Contemporary approach to catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia in nonischemic cardiomyopathy.

Nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) comprises a heterogenous group of disorders with myocardial dysfunction unrelated to significant coronary disease. As the use of implantable defibrillators has increased in this patient population, catheter ablation is being utilized more frequently to treat NICM patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT). Progress has been made in identifying multiple subtypes of NICM with variable scar patterns.

Echocardiographic and Cardiac MRI Comparison of Longitudinal Strain and Strain Rate in Cancer Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-induced cardiac side effects in cancer patients are increasingly being recognized and can be fatal. There is no standardized cardiac imaging test to examine the effects of ICIs in myocardial morphology and function. Objective: To study the utility of echocardiography and cardiac MRI in examining regional and global changes arising from ICI-induced myocarditis and cardiomyopathy in high-risk subjects suspected to have developed ICI cardiomyopathy.

Biventricular Strain Imaging with Cardiac MRI in Genotyped and Histology Validated Amyloid Cardiomyopathy.

Unlabelled: Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is a common and potentially fatal infiltrative cardiomyopathy. Contrast-enhanced cardiac MRI (CMR) is used as a diagnostic tool. However, utility of CMR for the comprehensive analysis of biventricular strains and strain rates is not reported as extensively as echocardiography.

Elevated myocardial wall stress after percutaneous coronary intervention in acute ST elevation myocardial infraction is associated with increased mortality.

Background: Despite early attempts to salvage myocardium-at-risk with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), changes in myocardial wall stress (MWS) leads to ventricular dilatation and dysfunction after acute ST-elevation myocardial infraction (STEMI). Whether this is transient or leads to long-term adverse outcomes major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) is not known. We studied the association between MWS and MACE in patients after a successful PCI for acute STEMI.

Macrophage-specific protein perforin-2 is associated with poor neurological recovery and reduced survival after sudden cardiac arrest.

Background: Biomarkers involved in inflammation and stress response were implicated in patients who were successfully resuscitated from out of hospital cardiac arrest (sR-OHCA). Here we report that macrophage-expressed gene, perforin-2, an evolutionarily conserved protein with membrane attack domain, is associated with poor neurological outcomes and mortality after sR-OHCA.

Objectives: To examine the association between circulating perforin-2 protein measured within 6-h of sR-OHCA, mortality and neurological outcomes.

Anomalous Right Superior Vena Cava in an Asymptomatic Patient.

Congenital superior vena cava (SVC) anomalies are not uncommon. However, an absence of a left SVC and an anomalous right SVC without additional congenital heart defects is very rare. We present a 38-year-old male with an 'anomalous SVC' that was found to be descending anterior to the pleural space and draining into the inferior vena cava (IVC) at the level of the right atrium.

Clinical Outcomes after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Cancer Survivors Treated with Ionizing Radiation.

Background: Improved cancer survival in patients treated with thoracic ionizing radiation (XRT) has resulted in unanticipated surge of aortic stenosis. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has revolutionized the management of severe aortic stenosis. However, long-term clinical outcomes in radiation-exposed cohorts undergoing TAVR are unknown.

Inter- and Intraoperator Variability in Measurement of On-Site CT-derived Fractional Flow Reserve Based on Structural and Fluid Analysis: A Comprehensive Analysis.

Purpose: To measure the inter- and intraobserver variability among operators of varying expertise in conducting CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT FFR) measurements on-site by using structural and fluid analysis and to evaluate differences in reproducibility between two different training methods for end users.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective analysis of the prospectively enrolled cohort included 22 symptomatic patients who underwent both 320-detector row coronary CT angiography and catheter-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) within 90 days. Thirteen operators of varying expertise were assigned to one of two training arms: arm 1, on-site training by a specialist in CT FFR technology; arm 2, self-training through use of written materials.

Elevated end-diastolic wall stress after acute myocardial infarction predicts adverse cardiovascular outcomes and longer hospital length of stay.

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (MI) leads to ventricular remodeling in response to oxygen demand. Such changes include left ventricular (LV) dilatation and increased myocardial wall stress. Prior studies showed that wall stress is a vital parameter of cardiac remodeling.

The Ideal Hospital Discharge Summary: A Survey of U.S. Physicians.

Background: Hospital discharge summaries enable communication between inpatient and outpatient physicians. Despite existing guidelines for discharge summaries, they are frequently suboptimal.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess physicians' perspectives about discharge summaries and the differences between summaries' authors (hospitalists) and readers (primary care physicians [PCPs]).

Association between elevated blood glucose level on admission and long-term mortality in patients with acute decompensated heart failure.

Background: The effect of elevated blood glucose (BG) levels on the long-term prognosis of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) patients has not been well defined. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term prognosis of ADHF with elevated BG.

Methods: A cohort of patients consecutively admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit from 2007 to 2011 was studied.

An effect of left ventricular hypertrophy on mild-to-moderate left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

Objectives: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is associated with a variety of medical conditions. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is one of the most common abnormalities that induce LVDD. However, it is unclear whether LVH is a predictor of future LVDD deterioration that leads to diastolic heart failure in patients who already have mild-to-moderate LVDD.

Information Transfer at Hospital Discharge: A Systematic Review.

Background: Prompt, complete, and accurate information transfer at the time of discharge between hospital-based and primary care providers (PCPs) is needed for the provision of safe and effective care.

Purpose Of The Study: To evaluate timeliness, quality, and interventions to improve timeliness and quality of hospital discharge summaries.

Data Sources: PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus database published in English between January 2007 and February 2014 were searched.