Clinical impact of sex differences and procedural setting in transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a well-established treatment for symptomatic patients with aortic stenosis. Yet, the impact of sex differences and public vs. private procedural setting on TAVI outcomes remain uncertain.

Learning Curve for In-Hospital Mortality of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Insights from the Brazilian National Registry.

Background: Robust data on the learning curve (LC) of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are lacking in developing countries.

Objective: To assess TAVR's LC in Brazil over time.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Brazilian TAVR registry from 2008 to 2023.

Mitral Valve Infective Endocarditis after Trans-Catheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Scarce data exist on mitral valve (MV) infective endocarditis (IE) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). This multicenter study included a total of 579 patients with a diagnosis of definite IE after TAVI from the IE after TAVI International Registry and aimed to evaluate the incidence, characteristics, management, and outcomes of MV-IE after TAVI. A total of 86 patients (14.

Surgical Treatment of Patients With Infective Endocarditis After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Background: The optimal treatment of patients developing infective endocarditis (IE) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is uncertain.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with TAVI-IE treated with cardiac surgery and antibiotics (IE-CS) compared with patients treated with antibiotics alone (IE-AB).

Methods: Crude and inverse probability of treatment weighting analyses were applied for the treatment effect of cardiac surgery vs medical therapy on 1-year all-cause mortality in patients with definite TAVI-IE.

Perivalvular Extension of Infective Endocarditis After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been associated with a dismal prognosis. However, scarce data exist on IE perivalvular extension (PEE) in such patients.

Methods: This multicenter study included 579 patients who had the diagnosis of definite IE at a median of 171 (53-421) days following TAVR.

Stroke Complicating Infective Endocarditis After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: Stroke is one of the most common and potentially disabling complications of infective endocarditis (IE). However, scarce data exist about stroke complicating IE after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence, risk factors, clinical characteristics, management, and outcomes of patients with definite IE after TAVR complicated by stroke during index IE hospitalization.

Left ventricular mass and cardiothoracic index in patients with chronic renal disease on hemodialysis.

Introduction: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic renal disease (CRD) on hemodialysis (HD).

Objective: To show the usefulness of chest radiography in the diagnosis of LVH in CRD patients on HD.

Methods: Cross-sectional study including 100 patients (58 men and 42 women), mean age 46.

[Prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risk reclassification by measure of carotid intima-media thickness in ambulatory hypertensive patients].

Introduction And Objectives: Although carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is considered a surrogate marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, with known value in risk stratification, its routine use in hypertensive patients is not recommended. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis through measurement of CIMT and its impact on reclassification of risk in hypertensive patients.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 94 middle-aged (56.

Correlation between serum cystatin C and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in hypertensive patients.

Background: Serum cystatin C (s-CC), an endogenous marker of kidney function, has also been proposed as a cardiovascular risk marker. However, it is unknown whether it is a direct marker of atherosclerosis, independently of kidney function.

Objective: The aim of this study was to correlate s-CC with two surrogate markers of subclinical atherosclerosis.

Aspirin resistance: fact or fiction?

A meta-analysis of clinical studies of patients with cardiovascular disease demonstrated that the use of aspirin was associated with a 22% decrease in death rates and relevant ischemic vascular events. However, clinical studies demonstrated that patients that regularly took aspirin presented recurrence of cardiovascular events. Such observation led to the question whether, in some patients, the aspirin was not effective in blocking platelet aggregation and these patients were called unresponsive to aspirin or aspirin-resistant.

Percutaneous mechanical assistance for the failing heart.

One of the most challenging situations in contemporary medicine is, doubtlessly, the approach and treatment of patients presenting with severe left ventricle failure. Since its first clinical application in patients with cardiogenic shock in 1968, the intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) has been widely accepted by heart failure physicians. Although IABP therapy has been shown to be effective for the support and stabilization of hemodynamically compromised patients, it has failed to promote any improvements in patient outcomes.

Electrocardiography in the diagnosis of ventricular hypertrophy in patients with chronic renal disease.

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk, and its characterization and prevalence in chronic renal disease (CRD) should be further studied.

Objective: To establish the diagnosis of LVH in patients with stage-5 CRD using six different electrocardiographic criteria, and to correlate them with left ventricular mass index (LVMI) as obtained by echocardiography.

Methods: Cross-sectional study including 100 patients (58 men and 42 women, mean age 46.

Subclinical coronary artery disease in patients with type 1 Diabetes Mellitus undergoing hemodialysis.

Background: In patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis occurs earlier in life and coronary artery disease (CAD) constitutes the major cause of death.

Objective: Evaluate the prevalence and anatomic characteristics of coronary artery disease (CAD) in type 1 diabetic patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis.

Methods: This is a descriptive study of 20 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus undergoing hemodialysis without known CAD.

Feasibility, safety and accuracy of dobutamine/atropine stress echocardiography for the detection of coronary artery disease in renal transplant candidates.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility, safety and accuracy of dobutamine/atropine stress echocardiography (DASE) for the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) in renal transplant candidates.

Methods: Patients candidates to renal transplant were submitted consecutively to DASE and coronary angiography. The adopted angiographic criteria for CAD were an obstructive lesion of > or = 50% and > or = 70%.

Concomitant use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor and streptokinase after unsuccessful rescue angioplasty.

A 38-year-old man with acute myocardial infarction in the lower wall affecting the right ventricle underwent thrombolytic treatment with streptokinase. Approximately 2 hours after the thrombolytic treatment started, he presented with signs of coronary reocclusion. He underwent emergency cineangiocoronariography that revealed that his right coronary artery was completely occluded by a clot.