Clinical and imaging characteristics of patients with cardiac amyloidosis- a single center observational study.

Amyloidosis is a disease characterized by the deposition of protein fibrils. Cardiac involvement is a significant factor in determining prognosis. This study aimed to examine the clinical profile, outcomes, and long-term mortality rates in patients with transthyretin (ATTR) and amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis.

Compositional plaque progression in women and men with non-obstructive coronary artery disease.

Background: In coronary artery disease (CAD), plaque progression and plaque composition are associated with cardiovascular risk. Whether compositional plaque progression in non-obstructive CAD differs between women and men is less studied.

Methods: We included 31 patients (42% women) with chronic non-obstructive CAD from the Norwegian Registry of Invasive Cardiology, undergoing serial coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) on clinical indication (median inter-scan interval 1.

Epicardial adipose tissue volume, plaque vulnerability and myocardial ischemia in non-obstructive coronary artery disease.

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) accumulation has been associated with inflammation, atherosclerosis and microvascular dysfunction. Whether increased EAT volume is associated with coronary plaque vulnerability and demand myocardial ischemia in patients with non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is less explored.

Methods: In 125 patients (median age 63[58, 69] years and 58% women) with chest pain and non-obstructive CAD, EAT volume was quantified on non-contrast cardiac CT images.

Impact of GLP-1 receptor agonist versus omega-3 fatty acids supplement on obesity-induced alterations of mitochondrial respiration.

Objective: To compare administration of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue, exenatide, versus dietary supplementation with the omega-3 fatty acid-rich Calanus oil on obesity-induced alterations in mitochondrial respiration.

Methods: Six-week-old female C57BL/6JOlaHSD mice were given high fat diet (HFD, 45% energy from fat) for 12 weeks to induce obesity. Thereafter, they were divided in three groups where one received exenatide (10 μg/kg/day) via subcutaneously implanted mini-osmotic pumps, a second group received 2% Calanus oil as dietary supplement, while the third group received HFD without any treatment.

Cardiac Involvement in Systemic and Local Vasculitides: The Value of Noninvasive Multimodality Imaging.

Despite significant advances in managing systemic vasculitides, cardiovascular morbidity, and mortality are still of primary concern. Advances in noninvasive imaging have broadened our understanding of the clinical heterogeneity of cardiac involvement in vasculitides. Common cardiovascular complications in primary or secondary vasculitides are; coronary artery aneurysms, acute coronary syndromes, myocarditis, pericarditis, endocarditis, and valvular dysfunction.

Coronary calcium score in the initial evaluation of suspected coronary artery disease.

Objective: We evaluated coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring as an initial diagnostic tool in outpatients and in patients presenting at the emergency department due to suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: 10 857 patients underwent CAC scoring and coronary CT angiography (CCTA) at Haukeland University Hospital in Norway during 2013-2020. Based on CCTA, obstructive CAD was defined as at least one coronary stenosis ≥50%.

No Effect of Calanus Oil on Maximal Oxygen Uptake in Healthy Participants: A Randomized Controlled Study.

We aimed to investigate the long-term effect of daily Calanus oil supplementation on maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) in healthy 30- to 50-year-old participants. The study was motivated by preclinical studies reporting increased VO2max and metabolic health with omega-3 rich Calanus oil. In a double-blinded study, 71 participants were randomized to receive 2 g/day of Calanus or placebo supplementation for a total of 6 months.

Right ventricular postsystolic shortening: Resolution after opening a totally occluded right coronary artery.

Acute myocardial ischemia induces reduced systolic shortening and causes postsystolic shortening (PSS). Right ventricular (RV) PSS in coronary artery disease has been less studied. We present here the case of a 51-year-old woman admitted with a non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction and significant PSS in the RV free-wall segments on two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography, suggesting ongoing ischemia.

Incidence, Clinical Presentation, and Management of Myocarditis following mRNA-Based Covid-19 Vaccines: A Brief Report.

Background: Recent surveillance studies following nationwide mass vaccination are investigating rare complications such as myocarditis, pericarditis, and thromboembolic events related to mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines.

Summary: In the current report, we present an overview of the incidence, clinical presentation and management of post-mRNA vaccine myocarditis, and pericarditis in view of the currently available data. Our main focus is directed toward myocarditis.

Relationship between hypertension and non-obstructive coronary artery disease in chronic coronary syndrome (the NORIC registry).

Background: The burden of non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in the society is high, and there is currently limited evidence-based recommendation for risk stratification and treatment. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between increasing extent of non-obstructive CAD and cardiovascular events. Whether hypertension, a modifiable cardiovascular risk factor, is associated with extensive non-obstructive CAD in patients with symptomatic chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) remains unclear.

Exercise Training Combined with Calanus Oil Supplementation Improves the Central Cardiodynamic Function in Older Women.

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible beneficial effects of exercise training (ET) with omega-3/Calanus oil supplementation on cardiorespiratory and adiposity parameters in elderly women. Fifty-five women (BMI: 19-37 kg/m, 62-80 years old) were recruited and randomly assigned to the 4 month intervention with ET and omega-3 supplementation (Calanus oil, ET-Calanus) or ET and the placebo (sunflower oil; ET-Placebo). The body composition was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and cardiorespiratory parameters were measured using spiroergometry and PhysioFlow hemodynamic testing.

Effect of radiographer-led intervention on reassurance, treatment satisfaction, and recurring chest pain in patients with a normal coronary computed tomography angiography-a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Chest pain is a common complaint in the general practitioner's (GP) office. Computed tomography (CT) is one of the main diagnostic tools available for assessing coronary artery disease (CAD), with a low probability of a false-negative result (<1%). Despite normal CT findings, many patients with non-coronary chest pain believe they suffer from CAD.

Total coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden is associated with myocardial ischemia in non-obstructive coronary artery disease.

Aim: Whether the total coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden is independently associated with myocardial ischemia in non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) is not well established. We aimed to test the association of total plaque burden quantified by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) with myocardial ischemia in patients with chronic coronary syndrome and non-obstructive CAD.

Methods: We included 125 patients (age 62 ± 9 years, 58% women) with chronic coronary syndrome and non-obstructive CAD (stenosis < 50%) by CCTA, who were grouped according to presence or absence of myocardial ischemia by myocardial contrast stress echocardiography.

Acute Myocardial Injury in a Patient with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and History of Substance Abuse: A Multimodality Imaging Point of View.

Both cannabis and amphetamine are the most commonly used illegal substances worldwide and are associated with a number of adverse cardiovascular effects including transient coronary vasospasm. Here, we present the case of a 39-year-old male admitted to our institution with a 6-h history of severe chest pain and ST-segment elevation on the ECG. Coronary angiography on admission showed normal coronary arteries.

Acute Myocardial Infarction Due to Microvascular Obstruction in a Young Woman Who Recently Recovered from COVID-19 Infection.

Although cardiovascular complications are common in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, those with milder cases who recovered at home are less studied. Here, we report the case of a young woman who recently recovered from COVID-19 at home. A week after recovery, she was admitted to our institution with acute chest pain, signs of ischemia on the electrocardiogram and elevated cardiac troponins.

Coronavirus disease 2019 and cardiovascular complications: focused clinical review.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may cause not only an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) but also multiple organ damage and failure requiring intensive care and leading to death. Male sex, advanced age, chronic lung disease, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity have been identified as risk factors for the COVID-19 severity. Presumably, as these three cardiovascular risk factors are associated with a high prevalence of multiorgan damage.

Impact of Obesity-Related Inflammation on Cardiac Metabolism and Function.

This review focuses on the role of adipose tissue in obese individuals in the development of metabolic diseases, and their consequences for metabolic and functional derangements in the heart. The general idea is that the expansion of adipocytes during the development of obesity gives rise to unhealthy adipose tissue, characterized by low-grade inflammation and the release of proinflammatory adipokines and fatty acids (FAs). This condition, in turn, causes systemic inflammation and elevated FA concentrations in the circulation, which links obesity to several pathologies, including impaired insulin signaling in cardiac muscle and a subsequent shift in myocardial substrate oxidation in favor of FAs and reduced cardiac efficiency.

The value of multimodality imaging in hypertensive heart disease.

Hypertensive heart disease (HHD) includes left ventricular (LV) functional and structural remodeling. For a long time, this involved only LV diastolic dysfunction and LV hypertrophy. However, development of imaging technique enabled more detailed insights into LV mechanics.