Impact of lactate levels on admission in STEMI patients with cardiogenic shock treated with IMPELLA.

The concomitant use of IMPELLA and veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-A ECMO) (ECPELLA) has been increasingly used to treat severe cardiogenic shock. However, the relationship between severity of heart failure on admission and prognosis based on differences in the mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is not fully understood. This study evaluated the association between lactate levels on admission and clinical outcomes based on differences in MCS.

Global use of angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor in heart failure and reduced, below normal and supranormal ejection fraction.

Background: The global use of angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) in clinical practice, especially in patients with heart failure and below-normal ejection fraction (HFbnEF), has not been thoroughly evaluated. We aimed to investigate the characteristics, outcomes, and adverse events in patients treated with ARNI for HF with reduced (HFrEF), below-normal (HFbnEF), and supranormal left ventricular EF (HFsnEF).

Methods: This observational study analyzed data from the electronic healthcare records (EHR) of patients with HF treated with ARNI between 2015 and 2022 in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific.

Association Between Late Gadolinium Enhancement with or Without Reverse Remodeling and Prognosis.

Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) prevents left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR), resulting in a poor prognosis. However, the prognosis of patients who have LGE and achieve LVRR and patients who do not have LGE and do not achieve LVRR remains unknown. This study aimed to answer this question by sorting patients with heart failure based on the presence of LGE and LVRR and comparing their prognoses.

Valuable Predictors for Non-measurability of Fractional Flow Reserve Derived From Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography.

Background The fractional flow reserve (FFR) derived from coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography (FFRCT) is a variable tool for coronary disease diagnosis that non-invasively provides the value of FFR. It can add physiological information to coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and reduce unnecessary invasive coronary angiography (CAG). However, it cannot be analyzed in some cases, which is also called "non-measurability.

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors in Heart Failure with Malnutrition, Frailty, Sarcopenia, or Cachexia.

(1) : In patients with heart failure (HF) and impaired nutritional status or decreased muscle mass, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) may worsen these conditions and result in poor prognosis, especially worsening of frailty. We aimed to investigate the relationship between SGLT2is and clinical outcomes, including frailty-related events, in patients with HF and malnutrition, frailty, sarcopenia, or cachexia. (2) : In this retrospective observational cohort study, a global federated health research network provided data on patients with HF and malnutrition, frailty, sarcopenia, or cachexia from January 2016 to December 2021.

The role of the renal resistance index in patients with heart failure with reduced or preserved ejection fraction.

Background: Renal impairment is a common phenomenon that portends a poor prognosis of heart failure (HF). The renal arterial resistance index (RRI) can be useful for defining renal function and predicting outcomes in patients with HF. This study aimed to investigate the determining factors of the RRI in HF patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and with reduced EF (HFrEF).

Arterial graft with elastic layer structure grown from cells.

Shortage of autologous blood vessel sources and disadvantages of synthetic grafts have increased interest in the development of tissue-engineered vascular grafts. However, tunica media, which comprises layered elastic laminae, largely determines arterial elasticity, and is difficult to synthesize. Here, we describe a method for fabrication of arterial grafts with elastic layer structure from cultured human vascular SMCs by periodic exposure to extremely high hydrostatic pressure (HP) during repeated cell seeding.