Redo surgery for noninfective isolated mitral valve disease: Initial outcome and further follow-up compared to primary surgery.

Introduction: Isolated redo-mitral valve replacement (iMVR) is underreported and often mixed up with endocarditis in the present literature. The present study compares first with redo iMVR in noninfective mitral disease.

Patients And Methods: A total of 3821 mitral valve procedures were analyzed.

Predictive value of the APACHE II score in cardiogenic shock patients treated with a percutaneous left ventricular assist device.

Background: The APACHE II score assesses patient prognosis in intensive care units. Different disease entities are predictable by using a specific factor called Diagnostic Category Weight (DCW). We aimed to validate the prognostic value of the APACHE II score in patients treated with a percutaneous left ventricular assist device because of refractory cardiogenic shock (CS).

The predictive role of early CRP values for one-year mortality in the first 2 d after acute myocardial infarction.

Background: An excessive inflammatory reaction after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is known to be harmful. New anti-inflammatory therapies are required.

Purpose: This study assessed the predictive role of early CRP in patients with STEMI.

Cardiac manifestation is evident in chorea-acanthocytosis but different from McLeod syndrome.

Introduction: We aimed to study the various cardiac manifestations of the two core neuroacanthocytosis (NA) syndromes, namely chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc) and McLeod syndrome (MLS). So far, cardiac involvement has been described as specific feature only for MLS.

Methods: We studied six patients with ChAc (mean age 44.

Myocardial strain analysis using cardiac magnetic resonance in patients with calpainopathy.

Background: Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) is a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of rare muscular dystrophies. Subtype 2A (LGMD2A) also known as "calpainopathy" is an inherited autosomal recessive gene defect. Cardiac dysfunction is common in several forms of LGMD.

Frailty is associated with chronic inflammation and pro-inflammatory monocyte subpopulations.

Aim Of The Study: Frail patients with high grade aortic valve stenosis (AS) undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) have an increased mortality. A connection between frailty and inflammation has been suggested. Monocyte subpopulations are associated with both cardiovascular diseases and chronic inflammatory diseases.

Evaluation of Myocardial Strain Using Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Patients with Wilson's Disease.

(1) Background: Wilson's disease (WD) is an inherited autosomal recessive disorder with the excessive deposition of copper into different organs, including the heart. Previous studies showed structural cardiac changes even in patients with no signs of heart failure. The aim of this study was to perform cardiac magnetic resonance-based strain analysis in WD patients, as it is a powerful independent predictor of mortality.

Percutaneous Left Ventricular Assist Device Leads to Heart Rhythm Stabilisation in Cardiogenic Shock: Results from the Dresden Impella Registry.

Background: Severe heart rhythm disturbances (SHRDs) occur regularly in cardiogenic shock (CS). Percutaneous left ventricular assist devices (pLVADs) can actively unload the left ventricle (LV), decreasing left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and wall tension, which are suspected parameters for the induction and maintenance of arrhythmias. The aim of this study was to describe effects of LV unloading on SHRD.

Left ventricular clefts - incidental finding or pathologic sign of Wilson's disease?

Background: Wilson's disease is an inherited autosomal recessive multi-systemic disorder characterized by reduced excretion and consequently excessive accumulation of copper in different organs, such as the heart.

Results: In a prospective controlled trial, which is the largest to date, we evaluated 61 patients with Wilson's disease, age- and sex-matched to 61 healthy patients, for cardiac manifestation using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Patients were under stable disease and had no signs of heart failure at the time of examination.

Cardiac and autonomic function in patients with Wilson's disease.

Background: The clinical effect of copper accumulation on the heart of patients suffering from Wilson's disease (WD) is not completely understood. We aimed to determine if patients with WD show signs of cardiac involvement, structural heart disease or autonomic dysfunction. In this prospective trial, we studied 61 patients (mean age 44.

Long term survival after early unloading with Impella CP in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.

Background: The use of percutaneous left ventricular assist devices in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMICS) is evolving. The aim of the study was to assess the long-term outcome of patients with AMICS depending on early initiation of Impella CP support prior to a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent PCI and Impella CP support between 2014 and 2016 for AMICS at our institution.

Regulation of circulating chromogranin B levels in heart failure.

Background: Chromogranin B (CGB) regulates B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) production. Circulating CGB levels are elevated in heart failure (HF) animal models and HF patients, but also increase in healthy individuals in response to physical activity. Therefore, CGB seems to integrate information from myocardial stress and systemic neuro-endocrine activation.

Three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography is crucial for valid assessment of mitral valve leaflet morphology in severe mitral regurgitation prior to interventional repair.

Background: Interventional mitral valve (MV) repair of severe symptomatic mitral regurgitation (MR) is a therapeutic option in high-risk surgical or inoperable patients. Assessment of the MV remains a crucial part of pre-interventional screening. Three-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography (3D-TOE) may compensate for well-known pitfalls that occur in 2D-TOE.

The endothelial nitric oxide synthase cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin shields the remote myocardium from apoptosis after experimental myocardial infarction in vivo.

Background: Following myocardial infarction (MI), apoptosis occurs early in the remote myocardium and contributes to the processes of myocardial remodelling. Increased nitrosative stress is a well-known and potent inductor of myocardial apopto¬sis. Excess activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) increases its uncoupling potential and results in nitrosative stress via formation of peroxynitrite.

Reversal of the platelet inhibitory effect of the P2Y inhibitors clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor in vitro: a new approach to an old issue.

Aim: Platelet transfusion is an effective option to reverse platelet inhibition in thienopyridine-treated patients suffering from bleedings or requiring urgent surgery. However, in ticagrelor-treated patients, the previous studies revealed significant clinical effects to platelet rich plasma (PRP) but poor response to pooled platelets (PP) as used in clinical routine. The aim of this study was to elucidate a potential pathomechanism to explain the poor response of ticagrelor to PP.

Experience With the Wearable Cardioverter-Defibrillator in Patients at High Risk for Sudden Cardiac Death.

Background: This study evaluated the wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) for use and effectiveness in preventing sudden death caused by ventricular tachyarrhythmia or fibrillation.

Methods: From April 2010 through October 2013, 6043 German WCD patients (median age, 57 years; male, 78.5%) were recruited from 404 German centers.

Atrial fibrillation is associated with high levels of monocyte-platelet-aggregates and increased CD11b expression in patients with aortic stenosis.

A growing body of evidence suggests a pivotal role of inflammatory processes in AF in a bidirectional manner. Infiltrating leukocytes seem to promote both structural and electrical remodelling processes in patients with AF. Monocyte-platelets-aggregates (MPAs) are sensitive markers of both platelets and monocyte activation.

Soluble ST2 and myocardial fibrosis in 3T cardiac magnetic resonance.

Objective: The soluble form of ST2 (sST2) is a novel laboratory parameter for cardiac risk prediction, and over the past years, several studies have tried to evaluate its utility, especially in the management of heart failure. We investigated whether increased serum levels of sST2 show a characteristic pathomorphologic pattern in 3-Tesla cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI).

Methods: One hundred and fifty-six patients referred to 3T CMRI due to suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) or myocarditis were prospectively enrolled in the study.

Evaluation of heart involvement in calpainopathy (LGMD2A) using cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Introduction: Cardiac dysfunction occurs in several forms of limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD). The aim of this study was to investigate cardiac involvement in calpainopathy (LGMD2A).

Methods: Cardiovascular evaluation was performed in 10 patients with genetically verified LGMD2A by echocardiography, 3 Tesla - cardiovascular magnetic resonance, 24-h electrocardiography recordings with heart rate variability (HRV) analysis, and 24-h blood pressure recordings.

Transient global amnesia and broken heart syndrome: two faces of one pathology.

We present a case of a 57-year-old female patient with transient global amnesia, who later developed broken heart syndrome also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The present case underlines that co-occurrence of both pathologies might still be an under-recognized clinical problem.

3-T magnetic resonance for determination of aortic valve area: a comparison to echocardiography.

Objectives: For evaluation of aortic valve area (AVA), transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the method of choice. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) at 1.5-Tesla is an alternative.