Infarct size and long-term left ventricular remodelling in acute myocardial infarction patients subjected to transcoronary delivery of progenitor cells.

Introduction: Infarct size (IS) is a fundamental determinant of left-ventricular (LV) remodelling (end-systolic and end-diastolic volume change, ΔESV, ΔEDV) and adverse clinical outcomes after myocardial infarction (MI). Our prior work found that myocardial uptake of transcoronary-delivered progenitor cells is governed by IS.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between IS, stem cell uptake, and the magnitude of LV remodelling in patients receiving transcoronary administration of progenitor cells shortly after MI.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Shows Improved Outcomes in Patients with an ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction and a High Thrombus Burden Treated with Adjuvant Aspiration Thrombectomy.

There is a discrepancy between epicardial vessel patency and microcirculation perfusion in a third of patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Optimization with aspiration thrombectomy (AT) may reduce distal embolization and microvascular obstruction. The effect of AT in the treatment of STEMI is debatable.

Effect of ventricular function and volumes on exercise capacity in adults with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot.

Objectives: Investigate the effects of left and right ventricular function and severity of pulmonary valve regurgitation, quantified by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), on exercise tolerance in adult patients who underwent ToF repair at a young age.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of 52 patients after ToF surgery and 33 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. CMR and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) were performed on all patients; CPET was performed on control subjects.

Right atrium enlargement predicts clinically significant supraventricular arrhythmia in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Right atrial (RA) enlargement is a common finding in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and an important predictor of mortality, however its relation to the risk of atrial arrhythmias has not been assessed.

Objectives: To assess whether RA enlargement is associated with supraventricular arrhythmias (SVA) and whether it predicts new clinically significant SVA (csSVA).

Methods: Patients with PAH were recruited between January 2010 and December 2014 and followed until January 2017.

Fulminant adrenergic myocarditis complicated by pulmonary edema, cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest.

Adrenergic myocarditis is an uncommon presentation of pheochromocytoma and extremely rare cause of de novo acute heart failure (AHF). We present a case of a 31-year-old Caucasian woman with a history of hypertension and recurrent occipital headaches who was admitted to the emergency department due to severe de novo AHF presenting as pulmonary edema and cardiogenic shock. During the hospital admission the patient experienced asystolic cardiac arrest and was successfully resuscitated, intubated, and mechanically ventilated.

Right Ventricular Epicardial Vascularisation in Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) leads to a haemodynamic overload and ischaemia of the right ventricle (RV), which are important triggers of an arterial growth. Thus, we aimed to assess whether patients with PAH have altered epicardial vasculature of the RV, and how it corresponds to RV haemodynamic stress.

Methods: We enrolled consecutive patients with PAH diagnosed in a single pulmonary hypertension centre, who underwent coronary angiography.

Mechanism and prognostic role of qR in V in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: The presence of qR pattern in lead V of the 12-lead surface ECG has been proposed as a risk marker of death in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We aimed to validate these findings in the modern era of PAH treatment and additionally to assess the relation of qR in V to PAH severity. We also investigated the possible mechanisms underlying this ECG sign.

Angiographic result of index PCI determines the presence of right ventricular infarction in patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction.

It is still a matter of debate which patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction are at increased risk of developing right ventricular (RV) myocardial infarction (RVMI). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) with late enchancement (LE) is regarded as the gold standard for RVMI assessment. We aimed to determine the impact of initial angiographic status and salutary effect of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on the presence of RVMI.

MRI-based evidence for myocardial involvement in women with hypereosinophilic syndrome.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the presence and spectrum of cardiac abnormalities identified by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in women with hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) of undefined etiology, who present with normal electrocardiography (ECG) and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and no history of heart disease.

Methods: Ten women (mean age, 48 ± 14 years) with HES of undefined etiology, normal ECG and TTE, and no history of heart disease underwent CMR.

Results: CMR showed cardiac abnormalities in 6 subjects.

An unusual cause of bilateral massive peripheral edema in a young male with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

The present article demonstrates an unusual case of bilateral massive peripheral edema caused by neurogenic areflexic bladder in diabetes mellitus type 1. A 28-year-old patient with diabetes type 1 treated for a number of years was referred to the department of internal medicine because of massive edema of his lower limbs. Blood samples revealed increased concentrations of glucose (21.

Feature-tracking cardiovascular magnetic resonance as a novel technique for the assessment of mechanical dyssynchrony.

Background: Myocardial tagging using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is the gold-standard for the assessment of myocardial mechanics. Feature-tracking cardiovascular magnetic resonance (FT-CMR) has been validated against myocardial tagging. We explore the potential of FT-CMR in the assessment of mechanical dyssynchrony, with reference to patients with cardiomyopathy and healthy controls.

Left ventricular mass is preserved in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension and Eisenmenger's syndrome.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) atrophic remodelling was described for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (PH) but not in other forms of PH. We aimed to assess LV morphometric changes in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) and Eisenmenger's syndrome(ES).

Methods: Fifteen patients with IPAH, 15 patients with ES and 15 healthy volunteers were included.

Computed tomography characteristics of coronary artery atherosclerosis in subjects with lower extremity peripheral artery disease and no cardiac symptoms.

Introduction:  Computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) enables noninvasive evaluation of coronary artery atherosclerosis. However, its value to assess coronary artery disease (CAD) in subjects with lower‑extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) and no cardiac symptoms is unknown. Moreover, the relationship between coronary artery plaque characteristics and severity of peripheral atherosclerosis in this group of patients was not sufficiently elucidated.

[Ablation of slow pathway in a patient with persistent left superior vena cava].

We describe a case of successful radiofrequency ablation of slow pathway in a 54 year-old woman with persistent left superior vena cava. The ablation was performed using anatomical approach, outside the ostium of coronary sinus.

The combined use of transmyocardial laser revascularisation and intramyocardial injection of bone-marrow derived stem cells in patients with end-stage coronary artery disease: one year follow-up.

Background: There are a growing number of patients with end-stage coronary artery disease (CAD) and refractory angina. Angiogenesis may be induced by intramyocardial injection of autologous bone marrow stem cells, intensified by inflammation around channels performed by laser.

Aim: To assess the effect of a combined treatment consisting of transmyocardial laser revascularisation (TLMR) and intramyocardial injection of bone-marrow derived stem cells (bone marrow laser revascularisation, BMLR) in patients with refractory angina one year after the procedure.