Comparisons of echocardiographic findings of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units before and after the omicron variant propagation.

Purpose: Few investigational reports have evaluated the status of cardiovascular manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the Omicron dominance period. In this study, we aimed to investigate the cardiac function parameters and clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19 before and after the Omicron variant (OV) propagation.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 88 adult patients with COVID-19 who underwent clinically indicated standard transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in intensive care wards.

Recovery of right ventricular function in patients with transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis after one-year tafamidis administration.

Baseline cardiac functions are known to be potent predictors of cardiovascular events in the natural history of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). However, previous studies have not shown functional and morphological changes in the heart during tafamidis administration. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of tafamidis on cardiac function by measuring right ventricular strain in patients with ATTR-CM.

An aspirin-free strategy for percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with diabetes: a pre-specified subgroup analysis of the STOPDAPT-3 trial.

Aims: Safety of aspirin-free strategy immediately after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes was unknown.

Methods And Results: We conducted the prespecified subgroup analysis on diabetes in the STOPDAPT-3 trial, which randomly compared prasugrel (3.75 mg/day) monotherapy (2984 patients) to dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with prasugrel and aspirin (2982 patients) in patients with acute coronary syndrome or high bleeding risk.

Clinical relevance of left atrial structural remodeling and non-pulmonary vein foci in atrial fibrillation.

Background: The mechanistic role of left atrial (LA) structural remodeling as a non-pulmonary vein (PV) trigger in the initiation of atrial fibrillation (AF) remains uncertain. This study is aimed at prospectively evaluating the association between non-PV triggers and LA structural remodeling.

Methods: A total of 517 patients undergoing catheter ablation for AF were included.

Epidemiological and Prognostic Importance of New-Onset Cancer as a Net Adverse Clinical Outcome after ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

The study assessed the epidemiological frequency and prognostic impact of new-onset cancer as an additional net adverse clinical outcome in patients after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), considering its potential clinical significance alongside classical endpoints. This study was designed as a single-center observational study, including 1285 consecutive patients who were diagnosed as STEMI patients as the subject, and the frequency and prognosis of new-onset cancer after STEMI onset were assessed. The incidence of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and bleeding were analyzed as classical endpoints.

CVIT expert consensus document on primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in 2024.

Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) has significantly contributed to reducing the mortality of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) even in cardiogenic shock and is now the standard of care in most of Japanese institutions. The Task Force on Primary PCI of the Japanese Association of Cardiovascular Intervention and Therapeutics (CVIT) proposed an expert consensus document for the management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) focusing on procedural aspects of primary PCI in 2018 and updated in 2022. Recently, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) published the guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndrome in 2023.

Benefit of prehospital electrocardiogram on door-to-device time in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock: Data from the Kanagawa Acute Cardiovascular Registry.

Background: The benefit of prehospital 12‑lead electrocardiogram (PH-ECG) performed by emergency medical service personnel at the site of first medical contact (FMC) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with cardiogenic shock (CS-STEMI) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of PH-ECG on door-to-device time in patients with CS-STEMI.

Methods: This study enrolled CS-STEMI (Killip class IV) patients who were transferred directly to hospitals by ambulance (n = 517) from the Kanagawa Acute Cardiovascular Registry database.

Takotsubo syndrome complicated by cardiogenic shock due to left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, acute mitral regurgitation, and atrial fibrillation: a case report.

Background: Although Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is generally considered a benign disease, recent reports showed the incidence of cardiogenic shock due to left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO), mitral regurgitation (MR), and primary pump failure was estimated to be 6-20%.

Case Summary: A 78-year-old woman presented with chest pain and cold sweats 2 days after surgery for lung cancer. Acute coronary syndrome was suspected based on her symptoms, electrocardiography, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), and laboratory data; thus, emergency catheterization was performed.

Correlation between thromboembolic risk and prevalence of coronary artery disease in patients with atrial fibrillation and impaired renal function.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and coronary artery disease (CAD) often co-occur. The prevalence of coincident AF and CAD, the characteristics of such patients, and the correlation with thromboembolic risk in association with renal function are unclear.

Methods And Results: We studied 435 consecutive patients who underwent contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) before catheter ablation for AF.

Results from a multicenter retrospective study of transradial iliac artery stenting in Japan.

Large-scale multicenter studies demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of transradial iliac artery stenting are lacking. We evaluated the data from a multicenter database in Japan. Transradial iliac artery stenting was performed on 115 lesions in 105 patients.

Clinical outcomes in acute coronary syndrome after presentation of unique electrocardiographic findings.

Background: Unique electrocardiographic findings are rarely observed in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with a culprit left anterior coronary artery (LAD). The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiological features and prognostic impact.

Methods: This study was designed as an observational study.

Real-world outcomes of ponatinib treatment in 724 patients with CML and Ph+ ALL: a post-marketing surveillance study with a special interest in arterial occlusive events in Japan.

Background: In September 2016, ponatinib was approved in Japan for the treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia with resistance/intolerance to prior tyrosine kinase inhibitors and patients with relapsed or refractory Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Methods: We conducted a post-marketing all-case surveillance to study the safety and efficacy of ponatinib in clinical practice, focusing on arterial occlusive events.

Results: Data from 724 patients were collected for 2 years from the initiation of ponatinib.

Clinical efficacy of tolvaptan in acute decompensated heart failure patients with severe aortic stenosis and atrial fibrillation: a sub-analysis from the LOHAS registry.

Background: Severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are risk factors of hemodynamic instability in heart failure (HF) management due to low cardiac output, respectively. Therefore, the treatment of HF due to severe AS complicated with AF is anticipated to be difficult. Tolvaptan, a vasopressin V2 receptor inhibitor, is effective in controlling acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) with hemodynamic stability.

Drug intervention as an emerging concept for secondary prevention in patients with coronary disease.

Non-culprit lesion-related coronary events are a significant concern in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing coronary intervention. Since several studies using intra-coronary imaging modalities have reported a high prevalence of vulnerable plaques in non-culprit lesions at the initial coronary event, the immediate stabilization of these plaques by intensive pharmacological regimens may contribute to the reduction in the adverse events. Although current treatment guidelines recommend the titration of statin and other drugs to attain the treatment goal of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level in patients with CAD, the early prescription of strong LDL-C lowering drugs with more intensive regimen may further reduce the incidence of recurrent cardiovascular events.