The beneficial effects of balloon pulmonary angioplasty for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension are accompanied by increased body mass index and improved nutritional status.

Although balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) improves pulmonary hypertension and the prognosis of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), subsequent changes in body mass index (BMI), nutritional status, and appetite have not been fully investigated. This retrospective study aimed to clarify changes in BMI, nutritional status, and appetite after BPA. Fifty-two consecutive patients with CTEPH who underwent complete revascularization with BPA between July 2014 and July 2023 and were available for follow-up were evaluated.

Spontaneous hemodynamic improvement after balloon pulmonary angioplasty in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is observed within a short term after balloon pulmonary angioplasty.

Natural hemodynamic changes after balloon pulmonary artery angioplasty (BPA) in a unified state without oxygen administration in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) remains undetermined. This study aimed to clarify the delayed changes in the hemodynamics after BPA in patients with CTEPH. We analyzed 73 consecutive patients with CTEPH who underwent BPA between July 2014 and December 2022.

T2-weighted short-tau-inversion-recovery imaging reflects disease activity of cardiac sarcoidosis.

Objective: We investigated the diagnostic performance of semi-quantitative hyperintensity on T2-weighted short-tau-inversion-recovery black-blood (T2W-STIR-BB) images in identifying active cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) in patients, and compared it with that of F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET).

Methods: This retrospective study included 40 steroid-naive patients (age 63.1±12.

A pilot cohort study assessing the feasibility of complete revascularization with balloon pulmonary angioplasty for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Balloon pulmonary angioplasty improves prognosis by alleviating pulmonary hypertension in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, even with incomplete revascularization. However, hypoxia or the requirement for pulmonary vasodilators often remain even after pulmonary hypertension relief. With this cohort study, we aimed to examine whether complete revascularization by additional balloon pulmonary angioplasty on residual lesions, even after pulmonary hypertension relief, could resolve hypoxia or the requirement for pulmonary vasodilators.

Continual Improvement in Pressure Gradient at the Lesion After Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty for Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background: Lung injury is a serious complication of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Selecting a smaller balloon might minimize the occurrence of lung injury; however, it could also increase the risk of restenosis.

Methods: We analyzed the first target lesions in the initial BPA procedure in 34 consecutive patients with CTEPH.

Rapid progression of aortic regurgitation with thoracic aortic aneurysm due to Takayasu arteritis associated with ulcerative colitis.

A 25-year-old woman with ulcerative colitis developed heart failure due to severe aortic regurgitation. Although chest X-ray 18 months previously showed a normal cardiac shadow, thoracic aortic aneurysm progressed due to Takayasu arteritis. Aortic valve and ascending aorta replacement were performed successfully, but re-valve replacement for severe aortic regurgitation due to prosthetic valve detachment and aortic root replacement for valsalva sinus rupture were required.

Mid-term mortality of very elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction with or without coronary intervention.

Background: The risk benefit of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in very elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is currently unclear. Here, we aim to identify the characteristics of these patients and clarify their mid-term mortality rate with or without PCI.

Methods And Results: 77 patients (> or =80 years) were chosen from 506 patients with AMI, and treated with (n=32) or without (n=45) PCI.

Case of transient mid-ventricular ballooning syndrome with a rapid and uncommon recovery.

A 60-year-old woman presented with acute pulmonary edema followed by cardiopulmonary arrest due to idiopathic ventricular fibrillation. Owing to immediate cardioversion, her electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm and echocardiography did not show any wall motion abnormalities. The next day, echocardiographic re-examination was characterized by akinesis of both apical and mid segments of the left ventricle.