Ethnic Differences in the Safety and Efficacy of Tenecteplase Versus Alteplase for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background And Purpose: Tenecteplase is a thrombolytic agent with pharmacological advantages over alteplase and has been shown to be noninferior to alteplase for acute ischemic stroke in randomized trials. However, evidence pertaining to the safety and efficacy of tenecteplase in patients from different ethnic groups is lacking. The aim of this systematic review and metaanalysis was to investigate ethnicity-specific differences in the safety and efficacy of tenecteplase versus alteplase in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Increased left ventricular remodelling index in paradoxical low-flow severe aortic stenosis with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction compared to normal-flow severe aortic stenosis.

Introduction: Patients with paradoxical low-flow (LF) severe aortic stenosis (AS) despite preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) appear distinct from normal-flow (NF) patients, showing worse prognosis, more concentric hypertrophy and smaller left ventricular (LV) cavities. The left ventricular remodelling index (LVRI) has been demonstrated to reliably discriminate between physiologically adapted athlete's heart and pathological LV remodelling.

Methods: We studied patients with index echocardiographic diagnosis of severe AS (aortic valve area <1 cm2) with preserved LVEF (>50%).

Left ventricular vortex formation time: emerging clinical applications and limitations.

Vortex formation during left ventricular diastolic filling may provide clinically useful insights into cardiac health. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the measurement of vortex formation time (VFT), especially because it is derived noninvasively. There are important applications of VFT in valvular heart disease, athletic physiology, heart failure and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Clinical profile and outcomes in patients with moderate to severe aortic stenosis with or without concomitant chronic kidney disease.

Introduction: Management of aortic stenosis (AS) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may often be overlooked, and this could confer poorer outcomes.

Methods: Consecutive patients ( n = 727) with index echocardiographic diagnosis of moderate to severe AS (aortic valve area <1.5 cm 2 ) were examined.

A review of COVID-19 vaccination and the reported cardiac manifestations.

In Singapore, 9.03 million doses of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have been administered, and 4.46 million people are fully vaccinated.

Clinical outcomes of severe tricuspid valve infective endocarditis related to intravenous drug abuse - a case series.

Background: Right-sided infective endocarditis (IE) related to intravenous drug use (IVDU) can follow an acute fulminant course. However, there is limited information on its longer-term clinical outcomes.

Aim And Methods: We assessed a cohort of consecutive patients who presented with IVDU complicated by severe tricuspid valve regurgitation to determine their presentation, treatment, and long-term outcomes.

A percutaneous approach to create tricuspid regurgitation in swine: a model for transcatheter tricuspid valve therapy assessment.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a simple and effective percutaneous approach to create tricuspid regurgitation in swine.

Methods: Eleven pigs (71.68 ± 7.

Comparison of Clinical and Echocardiographic Features of Asymptomatic Patients With Stenotic Bicuspid Versus Tricuspid Aortic Valves.

The clinical and imaging differences between bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) patients with medically managed asymptomatic moderate-to-severe aortic stenosis (AS) have not been studied previously. We aim to characterize these differences and their clinical outcomes in this study. A retrospective observational study was conducted on 836 consecutive cases of isolated asymptomatic moderate-to-severe AS, with median follow-up of 3.

A new non-invasive index for prognosis evaluation in patients with aortic stenosis.

The global left ventricular (LV) contractility index, dσ*/dt measures the maximal rate of change in pressure-normalized LV wall stress. We aim to describe the trend of dσ*/dt in differing severity of aortic stenosis (AS) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and the association of dσ*/dt with clinical outcomes in moderate AS and severe AS. We retrospectively studied a total of 1738 patients with AS (550 mild AS, 738 moderate AS, 450 severe AS) and preserved LVEF ≥ 50% diagnosed from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2015.

Cardiac sarcoma attached to pacemaker lead.

Background And Aim: Cardiac sarcoma is a rare condition and may mimic atrial myxoma. We present a case report of a man with a cardiac sarcoma.

Method: Case report presentation.

A myriad of electrocardiographic findings associated with digoxin use.

Digoxin is a commonly prescribed drug in the management of heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Despite its widespread use, most clinicians have little experience with recognising clinical signs and symptoms that might suggest a potentially lethal drug toxicity. We herein describe two cases with specific reference to the electrocardiographic changes induced by digoxin and discuss the predisposing factors for toxicity, recognition of possible toxicity and treatment approaches.

An Elderly Woman with Exertional Dyspnoea and T-Wave Inversions on Electrocardiography.

We present a case of a 75-year-old woman with cardiac dextroposition who presented for preoperative cardiac evaluation because of exertional dyspnoea. On examination, heart sounds were best appreciated on the right, and bowel sounds were heard over the left hemithorax. Electrocardiography showed widespread T-wave inversions.

Ex vivo assessment of bicuspidization repair in treating severe functional tricuspid regurgitation: a stereo-scopic PIV study.

There has been a resurgence of interest in the treatment of severe functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) due to the awareness of its poor outcomes and potential percutaneous therapies. Kay bicuspidization has been adapted in percutaneous therapies but its clinical outcome remains uncertain. The present study evaluates the efficacy of Kay repair in a novel ex vivo pulsatile system.

Effect of Renin-Angiotensin Blockers on Left Ventricular Remodeling in Severe Aortic Stenosis.

Studies have shown that medical therapy with renin-angiotensin blockers (RABs) may benefit patients with aortic stenosis (AS). However, its use and efficacy remains controversial, including in patients with low flow (LF) with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We examined the effects of RAB use on LV remodeling in patients with severe AS with preserved LVEF, analyzing the differential effects in patients with LF compared with normal flow (NF).

Mitral valve repair for secondary mitral regurgitation in non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy is associated with left ventricular reverse remodelling and increase of forward flow.

Aims: It remains unclear whether surgical or transcatheter mitral valve repair for secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy reverse the underlying left ventricular (LV) pathophysiology. We hypothesized that mitral valve repair improves LV systolic function and forward flow and induces LV reverse remodelling in this group of patients.

Methods And Results: Seventy-six patients (65 ± 14 years old, 43% male) with non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy and moderate to severe chronic secondary MR treated successfully with transcatheter or surgical mitral valve repair were evaluated.

Mid-term study of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in an Asian population with severe aortic stenosis: two-year Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 outcomes.

Introduction: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is an effective treatment for high-risk or inoperative patients with severe aortic stenosis. Given the unique characteristics of Asian populations, questions regarding mid-term outcomes in Asians undergoing TAVI have yet to be addressed. We evaluated the two-year clinical outcomes of TAVI in an Asian population using Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 definitions.