Echocardiographic Progression of Calcific Aortic Valve Disease in Patients with Preexisting Aortic Valve Sclerosis.

Background: We aimed to evaluate echocardiographic parameters to predict calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) progression. CAVD ranges from aortic valve sclerosis (ASc) with no functional impairment of the aortic valve to severe aortic stenosis (AS). It remains uncertain, which patients with ASc have a particularly high risk of developing AS.

Genetic and genomic analysis of Belgian Blue's susceptibility for psoroptic mange.

Background: Psoroptic mange, caused by Psoroptes ovis mites, is affecting Belgian Blue cattle's welfare and production potential. The Belgian Blue cattle-known for its high degree of muscling, low feed conversion ratio and high beef quality-is highly susceptible for this disease.

Results: In this study, we phenotyped 1975 Belgian Blue cattle from more than 100 different groups on commercial beef farms for their psoroptic mange susceptibility.

Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Mitral Valve Repair versus Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery: An Observational Study.

Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIC-MVS) has been established as preferred treatment of mitral regurgitation (MR), but mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge valve repair (M-TEER) is routinely performed in patients at high surgical risk and is increasingly performed in intermediate risk patients. From 2010 to 2021, we performed 723 M-TEER and 123 isolated MIC-MVS procedures. We applied a sensitivity analysis by matching age, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), EuroSCORE II and etiology of MR.

Changes in right ventricular function and clinical outcomes following tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair.

Aims: Prognostic impact of post-procedural changes in right ventricular (RV) function after tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) is still unclear. We investigated association of RV function and its post-procedural changes with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing T-TEER.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively analysed 204 patients who underwent T-TEER and echocardiographic follow-up at 3 months after T-TEER.

Outcomes of transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for atrial functional mitral regurgitation.

Background: The prognostic benefits of transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) remain unclear in patients with atrial functional mitral regurgitation (AFMR).

Aims: We aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes of TEER for patients with AFMR.

Methods: We retrospectively classified functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) patients undergoing TEER into those with AFMR or ventricular FMR (VFMR).

Cardiac computed tomography-based assessment of mitral annular calcification in patients undergoing mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair.

Background: The role of assessment of mitral annular calcification (MAC) using cardiac computed tomography (CCT) in mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of MAC assessed by CCT with procedural and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing TEER.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 275 patients who underwent pre-procedural CCT prior TEER.

Impact of body mass index in patients with tricuspid regurgitation after transcatheter edge-to-edge repair.

Background: Obesity and underweight represent classical risk factors for outcome in patients treated for cardiovascular disease. This study describes the impact of different body mass index (BMI) categories on 1-year clinical outcome in patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR) undergoing transcatheter-edge-to-edge repair (TEER).

Methods: We analyzed 211 consecutive patients (age 78.

Right ventricular ejection fraction assessed by computed tomography in patients undergoing transcatheter tricuspid valve repair.

Aims: The role of right ventricular function in patients undergoing transcatheter tricuspid valve repair (TTVR) is poorly understood. This study investigated the association of right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) assessed by cardiac computed tomography (CCT) with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing TTVR.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively assessed three-dimensional (3D) RVEF by using pre-procedural CCT images in patients undergoing TTVR.

Contemporary Treatment and Outcomes of High Surgical Risk Mitral Regurgitation.

Before the development of transcatheter interventions, patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) and high surgical risk were often conservatively treated and subject to poor prognoses. We aimed to assess the therapeutic approaches and outcomes in the contemporary era. The study participants were consecutive high-risk MR patients from April 2019 to October 2021.

Cusp overlap versus standard three-cusp technique for self-expanding Evolut transcatheter aortic valves.

Background: Reducing rates of permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is important for achieving the best procedural outcomes. The cusp overlap technique (COT) implements procedural steps including an overlap angulation of the right and left coronary cusp to mitigate this complication.

Aims: We investigated the incidence of PPI and complication rates following the COT compared to the standard three-cusp implantation technique (3CT) in an all-comers cohort.

Tricuspid valve anatomy of massive to torrential tricuspid regurgitation: Computed tomography analysis.

Background: We aimed to comprehensively assess tricuspid valve anatomy and to determine factors associated with the more advanced stages beyond severe TR (i.e., massive to torrential).

Impact of different guidewires on the implantation depth using the largest self-expandable TAVI device.

Background: The deployment process of the largest self-expandable device (STHV-34) during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) might be challenging due to stabilization issues. Whether the use of different TAVI-guidewires impact the procedural success and outcome is not well-known. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the impact of non-Lunderquist (NLu) vs.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing transcatheter mitral valve replacement with the Tendyne system.

Background: Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) has emerged as alternative to transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) for treatment of mitral regurgitation (MR); however, the role of TMVR with the Tendyne system among established treatments of MR is not well defined. We assessed characteristics and outcomes of patients treated with the Tendyne system in the current clinical practice.

Methods: We reviewed patients who underwent cardiac computed tomography and were judged eligible for the Tendyne system.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation with different self-expanding devices-a propensity score-matched multicenter comparison.

Objective: Several supra-annular self-expanding transcatheter systems are commercially available for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Comparative data in large-scale multicenter studies are scant.

Methods: This study included a total of 5175 patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVI with the ACURATE neo (n = 1095), Evolut R (n = 3365), or Evolut PRO (n = 715) by a transfemoral approach at five high-volume centers.

Gender and Patient Satisfaction in a Veterans Health Administration Outpatient Chemotherapy Unit.

Background: Our objective was to explore whether differences in patient satisfaction based on gender exist at the Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System (VAPHCS) outpatient chemotherapy infusion unit.

Methods: Veterans who received outpatient infusion treatments at the VAPHCS outpatient chemotherapy infusion unit from 2018 to 2020 were invited to take an anonymous survey. Response differences were analyzed using Fisher exact and Welch tests.

Real-life multi-center retrospective analysis on nivolumab in difficult-to-treat patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. The landscape of the systemic treatment for advanced HCC is changing quickly, and recently, the standard of care became either atezolizumab plus bevacizumab or tremelimumab plus durvalumab in the single tremelimumab regular interval durvalumab regimen. Nivolumab monotherapy has proven to be effective sometimes for advanced HCC and could be a valuable treatment option for patients outside current treatment indications and reimbursement criteria for the standard of care.

Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair for Atrial Secondary Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: Atrial secondary mitral regurgitation (ASMR) is a subtype of SMR that has a poor prognosis, and thus far, evidence of the therapeutic options for the management of ASMR is limited.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) for ASMR.

Methods: The study retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients who underwent MitraClip at the Heart Center Bonn.

Predictive value of the Fibrosis-4 index in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Liver dysfunction is associated with an increased risk of mortality after cardiac interventions. The Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4 index), a marker of hepatic fibrosis, has been associated with a worse prognosis in heart failure. The prognostic relevance of the index in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is unknown.

Percutaneous trans-axilla transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

The left axillary artery is an attractive alternative access route for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and may provide better outcomes compared to other alternatives. Nevertheless, there remain concerns about vascular complications, lack of compressibility, and thorax-related complications. Between March 2019 and March 2021, 13 patients underwent transaxillary TAVR for severe aortic stenosis at the University Hospital Bonn.

Left atrial function index (LAFI) and outcome in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Clinical data regarding the association between the left atrial function index (LAFI) and outcome in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are limited.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the association between the left atrial function index (LAFI) and outcome in patients undergoing TAVR.

Methods: In this retrospective multicenter study, we assessed baseline LAFI in 733 patients undergoing TAVR for severe aortic stenosis in two German high-volume centers between 2008 and 2019.

Use of standard, contact, and droplet precautions with eye protection for the prevention of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission among home healthcare personnel in hospice and home healthcare settings-King and Snohomish counties, Washington, February-October 2020.

Among EvergreenHealth Home Care Service professionals, no coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases were reported when they were instructed to use standard, contact, and droplet precautions with eye protection while providing home health care to patients diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). These precautions might provide some level of protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among home healthcare personnel.

Haemodynamic differences between two generations of a balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valve.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate early haemodynamic and clinical performance of the SAPIEN 3 Ultra (S3 Ultra) transcatheter heart valve (THV) system in comparison to its precursor, the SAPIEN 3 (S3). Previous studies have indicated potential haemodynamic differences between the S3 Ultra and S3. Such differences may impact clinical outcome after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).