Early Coronary Angiography Is Associated with Improved 30-Day Outcomes among Patients with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

We evaluated the association between early coronary angiography (CAG) and outcomes in resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients, by linking data from the Singapore Pan-Asian Resuscitation Outcomes Study, with a national registry of cardiac procedures. The 30-day survival and neurological outcome were compared between patients undergoing early CAG (within 1-calender day), versus patients not undergoing early CAG. Inverse probability weighted estimates (IPWE) adjusted for non-randomized CAG.

Variable computed tomography appearances of COVID-19.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is typically diagnosed by specific assays that detect viral nucleic acid from the upper respiratory tract; however, this may miss infections involving only the lower airways. Computed tomography (CT) has been described as a diagnostic modality in the COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment plan. We present a case series with virologically confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia.

TAVI for Pure Native Aortic Regurgitation: Are We There Yet?

Treatment of degenerative aortic stenosis has been transformed by transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) over the past 10-15 years. The success of various technologies has led operators to attempt to broaden the indications, and many patients with native valve aortic regurgitation have been treated 'off label' with similar techniques. However, the alterations in the structure of the valve complex in pure native aortic regurgitation are distinct to those in degenerative aortic stenosis, and there are unique challenges to be overcome by percutaneous valves.

Defining a 'frequent admitter' phenotype among patients with repeat heart failure admissions.

Aims: We aimed to identify a 'frequent admitter' phenotype among patients admitted for acute decompensated heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: We studied 10 363 patients in a population-based prospective HF registry (2008-2012), segregated into clusters based on their 3-year HF readmission frequency trajectories. Using receiver-operating characteristic analysis, we identified the index year readmission frequency threshold that most accurately predicts HF admission frequency clusters.

Concordance between point-of-care blood gas analysis and laboratory autoanalyzer in measurement of hemoglobin and electrolytes in critically ill patients.

Background: We tested the hypothesis that the results of the same test performed on point-of-care blood gas analysis (BGA) machine and automatic analyzer (AA) machine in central laboratory have high degree of concordance in critical care patients and that the two test methods could be used interchangeably.

Methods: We analyzed 9398 matched pairs of BGA and AA results, obtained from 1765 patients. Concentration pairs of the following analytes were assessed: hemoglobin, glucose, sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate.

Transaortic transcatheter aortic valve implantation using the Lotus valve: first-in-man experience.

Aims: To demonstrate the feasibility of implanting the Lotus second-generation transcatheter heart valve (THV) (designed for a transfemoral procedure) via a transaortic approach.

Methods And Results: We describe a case with severe aortic stenosis in the presence of small calibre and calcified femoral access and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The transaortic approach was the ideal approach for this patient and we successfully implanted a 25 mm Lotus valve without any complication.

Single coronary artery presenting as angina.

The authors present an unusual case of chest pain in an 84-year-old Caucasian woman.

Spiral wave attachment to millimeter-sized obstacles.

Background: Functional reentry in the heart takes the form of spiral waves. Drifting spiral waves can become pinned to anatomic obstacles and thus attain stability and persistence. Lidocaine is an antiarrhythmic agent commonly used to treat ventricular tachycardia clinically.