Serial Imaging Follow-Up for Immunoglobulin G4-Related Coronary Arteritis With Acute Coronary Syndrome.

A 49-year-old Japanese man received a diagnosis of immunoglobulin G4-related coronary arteritis (IgG4-RCA), discovered following the detection of abdominal aorta wall thickening on computed tomography (CT). Intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) revealed thickening of both the adventitia and the intima-media complex (IMC) in the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, without significant stenosis. Corticosterone therapy was administered.

Left ventricular reverse remodeling and reduction of interstitial fibrosis in patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) structural and functional changes have been reported in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) who have undergone transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI); however, the relationship between change in LV structure and systolic function and tissue characteristics assessed via cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) post-TAVI has been not fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate this relationship in patients with severe AS who underwent TAVI and CMRI.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 65 patients who underwent TAVI and CMRI at the 6-month follow-up were analyzed.

Effects of daily teriparatide, weekly high-dose teriparatide, or bisphosphonate on cortical and trabecular bone of vertebra and proximal femur in postmenopausal women with fragility fracture: Sub-analysis by quantitative computed tomography from the TERABIT study.

Purpose: The effects of daily teriparatide (D-PTH, 20 μg/day), weekly high-dose teriparatide (W-PTH, 56.5 μg/week), or bisphosphonate (BP) on the vertebra and proximal femur were investigated using quantitative computed tomography (QCT).

Methods: A total of 131 postmenopausal women with a history of fragility fractures were randomized to receive D-PTH, W-PTH, or bisphosphonate (oral alendronate or risedronate).

Pathological Alterations of Coronary Arteries Late After Kawasaki Disease: An Optical Coherence Tomography Study.

Background: The long-term impact of Kawasaki disease on coronary arteries in vivo is unclear.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate coronary arteries in the late convalescent phase, we followed patients with Kawasaki disease who developed coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs).

Methods: We followed 24 patients and used optical coherence tomography at a median of 16.

Impact of Climate on the Incidence of Acute Coronary Syndrome - Differences Between Japan and Thailand.

Although there are many reports of temperature being associated with the onset of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), few studies have examined differences in ACS due to climatic differences between Japan and Thailand. The aim of this joint Japan-Thailand study was to compare patients with myocardial infarction in Japanese and Thai hospitals in different climates. We estimated the climate data in 2021 for the Wakayama Prefecture and Chonburi Province, two medium-sized cities in Japan and Thailand, respectively, and ACS patients who were treated at the Wakayama Medical University (WMU) and Burapha University Hospital (BUH), the two main hospitals in these provinces (ACS patient numbers: WMU, n=177; BUH, n=93), respectively.

Recovery of cardiac metabolic function after high-dose prednisolone in a patient with inflammatory myopathy associated with anti-mitochondrial antibody.

Unlabelled: Myocardial complications in the setting of inflammatory myopathy associated with anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA) cause various cardiovascular complications. A 64-year-old Japanese man was diagnosed with inflammatory myopathy associated with AMA, and three years after diagnosis, the patient was referred to our hospital with leg edema and dyspnea on exertion. Right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy showed no disease-specific findings, with neither inflammatory cell infiltration nor non-caseating epithelioid cell granuloma, and only mild fibrosis; therefore, we finally diagnosed this patient with cardiac involvement in inflammatory myopathy associated with AMA.

Low Energy Intake Diagnosed Using the Harris-Benedict Equation Is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Elderly Heart Failure Patients.

Introduction: Insufficient nutrient intake is a strong independent predictor of mortality in elderly patients with heart failure. However, it is unclear to what extent energy intake affects their prognosis. This study investigated the association between patient outcomes and actual measured energy intake in elderly patients (≥65 years) with heart failure.

Characteristics of Discharged Elderly Patients with Acute Heart Failure Followed by Board-Certified-Cardiologists in a Rural Area of Japan.

The worldwide incidence rates of heart failure (HF) are approaching pandemic status due to aging societies. Board-certified cardiologists (BCCs) of the Japanese Circulation Society (JCS) are cardiologists who have completed the respective fellowship program and passed the examination. However, in rural areas, patients have limited access to medical care for social or geographical reasons.

Impact of tag index and local electrogram for successful first-pass cavotricuspid isthmus ablation.

Background: The optimal ablation index (AI) value for cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation is unknow.

Objective: This study investigated the optimal AI value and whether preassessment of local electrogram voltage of CTI could predict first-pass success of ablation.

Methods: Voltage maps of CTI were created before ablation.

Long-term risk stratification for hospitalized patients with acute heart failure at a single rural cardiovascular centre.

Aims: Early risk stratification of patients with acute heart failure (AHF) is critical for appropriate triage and outcome improvement. The serum sodium, blood urea nitrogen, age, serum albumin, systolic blood pressure, and natriuretic peptide level (SOB-ASAP) score can predict in-hospital mortality of AHF. However, the relationship between the SOB-ASAP score and long-term prognosis is unknown.

Pericardial Lipoma With Fat Necrosis.

A pericardial lipoma is a rare benign cardiac tumor, and fat necrosis is an uncommon clinical condition. This is the first reported case of pericardial lipoma with fat necrosis, which showed clinical presentations of a malignant tumor despite imaging findings consistent with benign lipoma. ().

Cortical thickness mapping at segmented regions in the distal radius using HR-pQCT.

Introduction: An advanced method of analyzing the cortical bone microarchitecture of the distal radius using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) was developed.

Materials And Methods: The subjects were 60 women (20: aged 30-49, 20: aged 50-69, and 20: aged 70-89 years). The distal radius was scanned by HR-pQCT, and its cortical volumetric bone mineral density (Ct.

Serial changes of coronary flow reserve over one year after transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Background: Impaired coronary flow reserve (CFR) portends a poor prognosis in patients with aortic stenosis. The present study aims to investigate how CFR changes over one year after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in patients with severe aortic stenosis, and to explore factors related to the changes.

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing TAVI were registered.

Hyperglycemia and intramyocardial hemorrhage in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: Hyperglycemia at admission and intramyocardial hemorrhage (IMH) are associated with poor prognosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Little is known about the relationship between glucose levels at admission and IMH. The association between matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), which plays an important role in the development of IMH, and hyperglycemia is also unknown.

Acute coronary syndrome due to plaque erosion likely triggered by insect bites: a case series of Kounis syndrome.

Background: Kounis syndrome is the concurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including coronary spasm, acute myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis due to an allergic and/or anaphylactoid insult.

Case Summary: We present two cases of Kounis syndrome likely triggered by insect bites, with plaque erosion demonstrated using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Three common findings were derived from this case series.

Effect of Atherectomy on Lesion Preparation in Heavily Calcified Coronary Artery Disease.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of heavily calcified lesions remains challenging. This study examined whether calcified lesion preparation is better with an ablation-based than balloon-based technique. Results of lesion preparations with and without atherectomy devices were compared in 121 patients undergoing optical coherence tomography (OCT)-guided PCI of heavily calcified lesions.

Vascular Response After Everolimus-Eluting Stent in Acute Myocardial Infarction Caused by Calcified Nodule.

Background: Patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) caused by calcified nodules (CN) have worse clinical outcomes following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study investigated the late vascular response after everolimus-eluting stent (EES) implantation assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with AMI caused by CN, by comparing with plaque rupture (PR) and plaque erosion (PE).

Methods and results: Based on the OCT findings in AMI culprit lesions before PCI, a total of 141 patients were categorized into 3 groups (PR, PE, or CN), and the OCT findings immediately and 10 months after PCI were compared.

Telecardiology in Rural Practice: Global Trends.

The management of cardiovascular diseases in rural areas is plagued by the limited access of rural residents to medical facilities and specialists. The development of telecardiology using information and communication technology may overcome such limitation. To shed light on the global trend of telecardiology, we summarized the available literature on rural telecardiology.

Randomized controlled trial of daily teriparatide, weekly high-dose teriparatide, or bisphosphonate in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis: The TERABIT study.

Purpose: The effects of daily teriparatide (20 μg) (D-PTH), weekly high-dose teriparatide (56.5 μg) (W-PTH), or bisphosphonates (BPs) on areal bone mineral density (aBMD), bone turnover markers (BTMs), volumetric BMD (vBMD), microarchitecture, and estimated strength were investigated in postmenopausal osteoporosis patients.

Methods: The study participants were 131 women with a history of fragility fractures.

Usefulness of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging in a Patient with Cardiac Involvement of Systemic Sclerosis.

A 72-year-old Japanese woman with systemic sclerosis was admitted to our hospital because of symptoms of heart failure. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging had shown that extensive myocardial fibrosis secondary to systemic sclerosis was the main cause of heart failure. One month after CMR, she had complete atrioventricular (AV) block.

Cancer-related vulnerable lesions in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) has become a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors. It is still unclear whether cancer history influences lesion characteristics. The purpose of this study was to investigate cancer-related lesion morphology in patients with CAD.