Clinical implications of cerebral microbleeds in patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: The prognostic implications of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between the presence of CMBs and adverse outcomes post-TAVR.

Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, we included 124 patients who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging before TAVR.

Early Cryoablation After First Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation Reduces Arrhythmia Recurrence in Heart Failure Patients.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) often coexist, leading to increased mortality. A cryoballoon-based approach is a potential treatment for patients with HF because of its safety and efficacy.

Objectives: The authors sought to evaluate the optimal timing of cryoballoon ablation after the first clinical diagnosis of AF and its prognosis for patients with HF.

Clinical Impacts of Urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with poor prognosis in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a biomarker for renal injury. However, the association between urinary NGAL concentrations and renal and cardiovascular events in patients with CKD undergoing PCI has not been elucidated.

Prognostic impact of polypharmacy and discharge medications in octogenarians and nonagenarian patients with acute heart failure.

With the increasing frequency of heart failure (HF) in elderly patients, polypharmacy has become a major concern owing to its adverse outcomes. However, reports on the clinical impact of polypharmacy and discharge medications in hospitalized super-aged patients with acute HF are rare. Data from 682 patients aged 80 years or older, hospitalized for treating acute HF, were analyzed.

The association between oral health status and physical function in elderly patients with acute heart failure.

Objectives: Oral health problems are common and are associated with various geriatric conditions in older adults. The importance of oral health has not been fully highlighted in the assessment and management of patients with heart failure. Here, we investigated the association between oral health status and the decline in physical function during hospitalization in elderly patients with acute heart failure.

Two-step changes in paced QRS morphology suggest capturing at different levels of posterior fascicle fibers during left bundle branch area pacing: A case report.

Two-step changes in paced QRS morphology during the left bundle branch area pacing threshold test. It suggests that capturing occurs at multiple sites of the left bundle branch-Purkinje system.

A case of accidental ingestion of a hooked denture without symptoms for 6 years.

Six years prior, the patient accidentally swallowed a denture during a meal and immediately visited a nearby doctor. However, because spontaneous excretion was expected, regular imaging testing was used to monitor it. After 4 years, although the denture was still in the small bowel, as there were no symptoms, the regular follow-up was terminated.

Differences in clinical outcomes between octogenarian and nonagenarian patients with acute heart failure.

Aim: The number of hospitalized super-elderly patients with heart failure (HF) has increased with aging of the population. These patients are associated with poor clinical outcomes with the advance of age; however, few reports regarding acute HF have compared the clinical outcomes of nonagenarians with those of octogenarians.

Methods: This study enrolled 683 patients aged ≥80 years who were admitted to our institution for acute HF between 2016 and 2020.

Efficacy and feasibility of cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure: A large-scale multicenter study.

Introduction: Data are limited regarding outcomes of cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with heart failure (HF). This large-scale multicenter study aimed to evaluate the prognosis of patients with HF after cryoballoon ablation for AF.

Methods: Among 3655 patients undergoing cryoballoon ablation at 17 institutions, 549 patients (15%) (391 with paroxysmal AF and 158 with persistent AF) diagnosed with HF preoperatively were analyzed.

A Comparative Study of Three Nutritional Risk/Screening Indices for Predicting Cardiac Events and Physical Functioning Among Patients with Acute Heart Failure.

Undernutrition is very common among patients with heart failure (HF). This study evaluated the prognostic values of three nutritional risk/screening indices among patients with acute HF. We retrospectively calculated scores for 465 patients with acute HF using the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) tool, the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and the Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF).

Clinical implications of severe sarcopenia in Japanese patients with acute heart failure.

Aim: Sarcopenia is a geriatric condition characterized by progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and function. The definition and diagnosis of sarcopenia is inconsistent between different populations and is still evolving. Herein, we investigated the prevalence and clinical implications of severe sarcopenia using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria in Japanese patients with acute heart failure (HF).

Development of Pure Silica CHA Membranes for CO Separation.

Thin pure-silica chabazite (Si-CHA) membranes have been synthesized by using a secondary growth method on a porous silica substrate. A CO permeance of 2.62 × 10 mol m s Pa with a CO/CH permeance ratio of 62 was obtained through a Si-CHA membrane crystallized for 8 h using a parent gel of HO/SiO ratio of 4.

Initiation and long-term use of tolvaptan for patients with worsening heart failure through hospital and clinic cooperation.

Worsening heart failure (WHF) has a negative impact on the prognosis of patients with heart failure. Adequate management of non-hospitalized episodes of WHF, regarded as "outpatient WHF", may reduce the frequency of emergent/urgent hospitalization for acute heart failure; thus, the patients' cardiac parameters return to their clinical baseline. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of tolvaptan initiation during planned hospitalization of patients with "outpatient WHF" through hospital and clinic cooperation.

Clinical impacts of cerebral microbleeds in patients with established coronary artery disease.

Objective: Although cerebral microbleeds predict the occurrence and recurrence of cerebrovascular events in stroke patients, their clinical impacts are unclear in coronary artery disease patients. We aimed to investigate the clinical effect of the presence of cerebral microbleeds in patients with coronary artery disease receiving antithrombotic treatment.

Methods: We included 447 coronary artery disease patients taking at least one thrombotic agent who underwent brain MRI.

Improved Renal Function After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Non-Dialysis Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome and Advanced Renal Dysfunction.

Background: The deterioration of renal function is a strong prognostic predictor in patients with coronary artery disease. Although percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has sometimes resulted in improved renal function (IRF) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients, its clinical implications have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of IRF after PCI and its relationship with long-term renal outcomes.

Utility of the Nutritional Screening in Predicting Adverse Outcome of Patients With Overweight/Obesity and Acute Heart Failure.

Background: Undernutrition is a negative predictor of adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). Despite the survival advantage of elevated body mass index (BMI) in patients with HF, BMI does not necessarily reflect a favorable nutritional status. In the present study, we investigated the clinical impact of nutritional screening in patients with HF and overweight/obesity.

Clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention in non-dialysis patients with acute coronary syndrome and advanced renal dysfunction.

Background: Data about the clinical outcomes of ACS patients with advanced renal dysfunction (estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min/1.73 m) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are limited.

Methods: We examined the data obtained from 194 ACS patients with non-dialysis advanced renal dysfunction who underwent PCI at five hospitals.

Prognostic impact of lipoprotein(a) levels during lipid management with statins after ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction.

The causal relationship of lipoprotein(a) with cardiovascular disease has been established. However, clinical impacts of lipoprotein(a) levels on adverse vascular events in patients with established coronary artery disease who are undergoing statin treatment have not been fully elucidated. We measured lipoprotein(a) levels of 668 consecutive patients with ST-elevated myocardial infarction upon admission and reevaluated lipoprotein(a) of 189 of these patients during statin treatment at least 6 months later than the date of index ST-elevated myocardial infarction.

Hydrophobic *BEA-Type Zeolite Membranes on Tubular Silica Supports for Alcohol/Water Separation by Pervaporation.

Hydrophobic pure-silica *BEA-type zeolite membranes with large pores were prepared on tubular silica supports by hydrothermal synthesis using a secondary growth method and were applied to the separation of alcohol/water mixtures by pervaporation (PV), an alternative energy-efficient process for production of biofuels. Amorphous pure-silica tubular silica supports, free of Al atoms, were used for preparing the membranes. In this study, the effects of the synthesis conditions, such as the HO/SiO and NHF/SiO ratios in the synthetic gel, on the membrane formation process and separation performance were systematically investigated.

Clinical outcomes of rotational atherectomy in severely calcified in-stent restenosis: a single-center, retrospective study.

Neointimal calcification after stent implantation has been reported as one of the forms of neoatherosclerosis. There are a few patients with in-stent restenosis (ISR) and an undilatable calcified neointima who require rotational atherectomy to achieve sufficient acute gain in lumen diameter. However, the clinical outcomes of rotational atherectomy for undilatable calcified ISR have not been fully elucidated.

Effects of Silica-Particle Coating on a Silica Support for the Fabrication of High-Performance Silicalite-1 Membranes by Gel-Free Steam-Assisted Conversion.

Silicalite-1 membranes with high pervaporation performance were prepared successfully on a silica-particle-coated tubular silica support using a gel-free steam-assisted conversion (SAC) method. The effects of the silica-particle layer formed on the top surface of the silica support and the physical properties of the silica particles themselves on the membrane-formation process were investigated. The silica particles coated served as the additional silica source for growing the silicalite-1 seed crystal layer into the silicalite-1 membrane.

Construction and validation of a simple scoring system for stage III colorectal cancer recurrence (SiS-SCORE). A case control study.

Background: Stage III colorectal cancer is an indication for adjuvant chemotherapy; however, there is no definite view on the selection of regimen. If the recurrence can be predicted, it can serve as the indicator of regimen selection. The present study aimed to predict the recurrence of stage III colorectal cancer by constructing a simple scoring system.

Prognostic Impact of the Preservation of Activities of Daily Living on Post-Discharge Outcomes in Patients With Acute Heart Failure.

Background: Hospitalization for heart failure (HF) carries a risk of impairment in physical activity. We assessed the association between changes in Barthel index (BI) during hospitalization and prognosis in patients with acute HF.

Methods and results: We evaluated the BI in 256 patients with acute HF at the time of hospital admission (pre-BI) and at discharge (post-BI).