Pericardial Diseases: International Position Statement on New Concepts and Advances in Multimodality Cardiac Imaging.

Pericardial diseases have gained renewed clinical interest, leading to a renaissance in the field. There have been many recent advances in pericardial diseases in both multimodality cardiac imaging of diagnoses, such as recurrent, transient constrictive and effusive-constrictive pericarditis, and targeted therapeutics, especially anti-interleukin (IL)-1 agents that affect the inflammasome as part of autoinflammatory pathophysiology. There remains a large educational gap for clinicians, leading to variability in evaluation and management of these patients.

Acute and Complicated Inflammatory Pericarditis: A Guide to Contemporary Practice.

Inflammatory disease of the pericardium represents a relatively common presentation, especially among the young. For the most part, inflammatory pericardial disease can be expeditiously and effectively managed without significant sequelae. However, some individuals present with severe and recurrent illness, representing significant therapeutic challenges.

Impact on Kidney Function and Medium-Term Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is now widely approved for the treatment of aortic stenosis, regardless of the patients' surgical risk. However, the outcomes of TAVR and their determinants in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) beyond 1 year of follow-up are unknown. We aimed to assess the medium-term outcomes of TAVR in CKD, develop a risk score to estimate the 2-year mortality in patients with CKD, and evaluate the changes in kidney function at discharge after TAVR.

The Evolving Etiologic and Epidemiologic Portrait of Pericardial Disease.

Pericardial disease includes a variety of conditions, including inflammatory pericarditis, pericardial effusions, constrictive pericarditis, pericardial cysts, and primary and secondary pericardial neoplasms. The true incidence of this varied condition is not well established, and the causes vary greatly across the world. This review aims to describe the changing pattern of epidemiology of pericardial disease and to provide an overview of causative etiologies.

Interleukin-1 Blockers for the Treatment of Recurrent Pericarditis: Pathophysiology, Patient-Reported Outcomes, and Perspectives.

Recurrent pericarditis (RP) is the most troublesome complication of acute pericarditis reflecting an unresolving inflammation of the pericardial sac around the heart and associated with significant morbidity. Recent studies have shown interleukin-1 (IL-1) signaling to be central to the pathophysiology of cases of RP with evidence of activation of systemic inflammation. We herein review the literature and clinical trials discussing the utility of IL-1 blockade for RP.

Perioperative management of aortic stenosis in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

Aortic stenosis is one of the most common cardiac valve pathologies in the world and its prevalence increases with age. Although previously associated with increased perioperative mortality, more recent studies suggest that mortality rates may be decreasing. Recent guidelines suggest that major non-cardiac surgery can be performed safely in asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis patients with close hemodynamic monitoring.

Transition to rilonacept monotherapy from oral therapies in patients with recurrent pericarditis.

Objective: Polypharmacy management of recurrent pericarditis (RP) often involves long-term therapies, often with negative effects. Slow tapering of oral therapies is often required to avoid recurrence. A post hoc analysis of the phase III trial Rilonacept inHibition of interleukin-1 Alpha and beta for recurrent Pericarditis: a pivotal Symptomatology and Outcomes Study (RHAPSODY) evaluated investigator approaches to transitioning to IL-1 blockade monotherapy with rilonacept, which was hypothesised to allow accelerated withdrawal of common multidrug pericarditis regimens.

Interleukin-1 Trap Rilonacept Improved Health-Related Quality of Life and Sleep in Patients With Recurrent Pericarditis: Results From the Phase 3 Clinical Trial RHAPSODY.

Background Recurrent pericarditis is characterized by painful flares and inflammation, which negatively impact health-related quality of life. RHAPSODY (rilonacept inhibition of interleukin-1 alpha and beta for recurrent pericarditis: a pivotal symptomatology and outcomes study) evaluated the efficacy and safety of rilonacept (IL-1α and -β cytokine trap) in recurrent pericarditis. A secondary analysis of these data evaluated the patient-reported outcome questionnaire score change during the trial.

Outcomes and periprocedural management of cardiac implantable electronic devices in patients with carcinoid heart disease.

Background: Carcinoid heart disease (CHD) is a rare complication of hormonally active neuroendocrine tumors that often requires surgical intervention. Data on cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation in patients with CHD are limited.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the experience of CIED implantation in patients with CHD.

Prognostic Value of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients With Troponin Elevation and Nonobstructive Coronary Arteries.

Objective: To define the diagnostic yield of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in differentiating the underlying causes of myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) and to determine the long-term prognostic implications of such diagnoses.

Methods: Cardiac magnetic resonance evaluation was performed in 227 patients (mean age, 56.4±14.

Health-related quality of life in patients with recurrent pericarditis: results from a phase 2 study of rilonacept.

Background: Impact of recurrent pericarditis (RP) on patient health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was evaluated through qualitative patient interviews and as an exploratory endpoint in a Phase 2 trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of rilonacept (IL-1α/IL-1β cytokine trap) to treat RP.

Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with ten adults with RP to understand symptoms and HRQoL impacts, and the 10-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Health (PROMIS GH) v1.2 was evaluated to determine questionnaire coverage of patient experience.

Catheter Ablation in Patients With Neuroendocrine (Carcinoid) Tumors and Carcinoid Heart Disease: Outcomes, Peri-Procedural Complications, and Management Strategies.

Objectives: This report describes a series of patients with neuroendocrine tumors with or without carcinoid heart disease undergoing catheter ablation at the authors' institution.

Background: Neuroendocrine (carcinoid) tumors are a rare form of neoplasm with the potential for systemic vasoactive effects and cardiac valvular involvement. These tumors can create peri-operative management challenges for the electrophysiologist.

Association of Left Ventricular Volume in Predicting Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Aortic Regurgitation.

Background: Aortic regurgitation (AR) is a common valvular lesion associated with increased mortality once the left ventricle enlarges significantly or develops systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction < 50%). Valve guidelines recommend aortic valve repair or replacement (AVR) for left ventricular (LV) linear end-systolic dimension ≥ 50 mm or end-diastolic dimension ≥ 65 mm. However, chamber quantification guidelines recommend using LV volume for LV size determination because linear measurements may not accurately reflect LV remodeling.

Efficacy and safety of rilonacept for recurrent pericarditis: results from a phase II clinical trial.

Objective: Recurrent pericarditis (RP) incurs significant morbidity. Rilonacept inhibits both interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α) and IL-1β; these cytokines are thought to play a major role in RP. This phase II study evaluated rilonacept efficacy and safety in RP.

Impact of Anemia on Exercise and Pharmacologic Stress Echocardiography.

Background: The safety and diagnostic accuracy of stress testing in anemic patients have not been well studied. Despite a lack of data, significant anemia may be considered a relative contraindication to stress testing because of safety concerns related to insufficient myocardial oxygen supply.

Methods: The authors reviewed 28,829 consecutive patients with blood hemoglobin drawn within 48 hours of stress echocardiography (15,624 exercise and 13,205 dobutamine).

Overview of Optimal Techniques for Pericardiocentesis in Contemporary Practice.

Purpose Of Review: This review summarizes the optimal techniques for the performance of pericardiocentesis in contemporary practice, highlighting the indications, contraindications, and techniques used. Routine pericardial catheter management and the diagnostic role of pericardial fluid analysis are described.

Recent Findings: Echocardiographic-guided pericardiocentesis should be considered the therapy of choice in current clinical practice and may be performed safely despite the presence of coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia in the hands of expert operators.

Discriminative Ability and Reliability of Transesophageal Echocardiography in Characterizing Cases of Cardiac Device Lead Vegetations Versus Noninfectious Echodensities.

Background: Approximately one-third of cases of cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infection present as CIED lead infection. The precise transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) definition and characterization of "vegetation" associated with CIED lead infection remain unclear.

Methods: We identified a sample of 25 consecutive cases of CIED lead infection managed at our institution between January 2010 and December 2017.

Impact of Aortic Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis on Perioperative Outcomes Following Major Noncardiac Surgery.

Objective: To compare the incidence of major adverse cardiac events and death among severe aortic stenosis patients with and without aortic valve replacement (AVR) before noncardiac surgery.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 491 severe aortic stenosis patients undergoing non-emergency/non-urgent elevated-risk noncardiac surgery between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2013, including 203 patients (mean age, 74±10 years, 63.5% men) with previous AVR and 288 patients (mean age, 77±12 years, 55.