Association of Weather With Day-to-Day Incidence of Myocardial Infarction: A SWEDEHEART Nationwide Observational Study.

Importance: Whether certain weather conditions modulate the onset of myocardial infarction (MI) is of great interest to clinicians because it could be used to prevent MIs as well as guide allocation of health care resources.

Objective: To determine if weather is associated with day-to-day incidence of MI.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this prospective, population-based and nationwide setting, daily weather data from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute were extracted for all MIs reported to the Swedish nationwide coronary care unit registry, Swedish Web-System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies (SWEDEHEART), during 1998 to 2013 and then merged with each MI on date of symptom onset and coronary care unit.

Validation of a rapid semi-automated method to assess left atrial longitudinal phasic strains on cine cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Abnormal left atrial (LA) function is a marker of cardiac dysfunction and adverse cardiovascular outcome, but is difficult to assess, and hence not, routinely quantified. We aimed to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a fast method to measure long-axis LA strain and strain rate (SR) with standard cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) compared to conventional feature tracking (FT) derived longitudinal strain.

Methods: We studied 50 normal controls, 30 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and 100 heart failure (HF) patients, including 40 with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), 30 mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF) and 30 preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

High-Sensitivitycardiac Troponinsin Cardio-Healthy Subjects: A Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

The 99 percentile upper reference limits (URL) of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) in healthy subjects are essential for diagnosis and management of cardiovascular diseases. Unless screened stringently, subclinical disease affects the derived URL. In 779 healthy subjects(49% males; 17-88 years) screened by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), the gold standard for assessing cardiac volumes and myocardial mass; and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), the 99 percentile URL of hsTnT (Roche) and hs-cTnI (Abbott) were similar to the published URL.

Facilitating noncardiac surgery for the patient with left ventricular assist device: A guide for the anesthesiologist.

The introduction of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) has improved survival rates for patients with end-stage heart failure. Two categories of VADs exist: one generates pulsatile flow and the other produces nonpulsatile continuous flow. Survival is better for patients with continuous-flow LVADs.

Stem Cell Homing: a Potential Therapeutic Strategy Unproven for Treatment of Myocardial Injury.

Despite advances in the prevention and therapeutic modalities of ischemic heart disease, morbidity and mortality post-infarction heart failure remain big challenges in modern society. Stem cell therapy is emerging as a promising therapeutic strategy. Stem cell homing, the ability of stem cells to find their destination, is receiving more attention.

Automated analysis of gait and modified timed up and go using the Microsoft Kinect in people with Parkinson's disease: associations with physical outcome measures.

Instrumenting physical assessments in people with Parkinson's disease can provide valuable and sensitive information. This study aimed to investigate whether variables derived from a Kinect-based system can provide incremental value over standard habitual gait speed (HGS) and timed up and go (TUG) variables by evaluating associations with (1) motor and (2) postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD) subscales of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Sixty-two individuals with Parkinson's disease (age 66 ± 7 years; 74% male) undertook an instrumented HGS and modified TUG tests, in addition to the UPDRS.

ECMO and Short-term Support for Cardiogenic Shock in Heart Failure.

Purpose Of Review: This review aims to discuss the role of ECMO in the treatment of cardiogenic shock in heart failure.

Recent Findings: Trials done previously have shown that IABP does not improve survival in cardiogenic shock compared to medical treatment, and that neither Impella 2.5 nor TandemHeart improves survival compared to IABP.

The association between blood pressure and long-term outcomes of patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy with and without surgical revascularization: an analysis of the STICH trial.

Aims: Hypertension (HTN) is a well-known contributor to cardiovascular disease, including heart failure (HF) and coronary artery disease, and is the leading risk factor for premature death world-wide. A J- or U-shaped relationship has been suggested between blood pressure (BP) and clinical outcomes in different studies. However, there is little information about the significance of BP on the outcomes of patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction.

Normal Reference Values for Assessing Diastolic Function Using the Parameterized Diastolic Filling Formalism Method in Patients with Normal Results of Rest and Stress Echocardiography.

The parameterized diastolic filling (PDF) method can be used to study the mechanics of early diastolic left ventricular (LV) filling. However, there are no publications describing the reference ranges of the PDF parameters. This study retrospectively recruited patients with normal results on rest and stress echocardiography and no diabetes or hypertension (n=138, 45% female).

A novel three base-pair deletion in domain two of the cardiac sodium channel causes Brugada syndrome.

Introduction: Mutations within SCN5A are found in a significant proportion (15-30%) of Brugada syndrome (BrS) cases and impair sodium transport across excitable cardiac cells that mediate ventricular contractions. Genetic testing offers a means to clinically assess and manage affected individuals and their family members.

Methods And Results: The proband at age 44 years old exhibited a syncopal event during exercise, and presented later with a spontaneous type-I BrS pattern on 12‑lead resting electrocardiogram (ECG).

A QS pattern in leads V and V is associated with septal scarring independent of scar etiology - A cardiac magnetic resonance imaging study.

Background: Isolated septal myocardial infarction (MI) is traditionally characterized by the presence of pathological Q waves in leads V and V on the surface electrocardiogram (ECG). The purpose of this study was to determine the relation between this ECG pattern and septal scar on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 996 consecutive patients who received both ECG and CMR.

The Right Heart-Pulmonary Circulation Unit and Left Heart Valve Disease.

Valvular heart disease (VHD) is frequently accompanied by pulmonary hypertension (PH). In asymptomatic patients, PH is rare, although the exact prevalence is unknown and mainly stems from the severity of the VHD and the presence of diastolic dysfunction. PH can also be depicted during exercise echocardiography.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: from mechanisms to therapies.

This review aims to provide a translational perspective on recent developments in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), linking mechanistic insights to potential therapies. A key concept in this review is that HFpEF is a haemodynamic condition wherein the heart fails to keep up with the circulatory demands of the body, or does so at the expense of raised left ventricular filling pressures. We, therefore, propose that the 'final common pathway' for development of congestion, i.

Wernekink commissure syndrome with palatal myoclonus at onset: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Wernekink commissure syndrome causes a peculiar combination of internuclear ophthalmoplegia, dysarthria, and delayed-onset palatal myoclonus. Palatal myoclonus is thought to be secondary to delayed hypertrophic degeneration of the bilateral inferior olivary nuclei secondary to involvement of bilateral dentatoolivary tract. We describe a case of a patient with early-onset palatal myoclonus.

Advanced analyses of computed tomography coronary angiography can help discriminate ischemic lesions.

Background: Computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) image analysis enables plaque characterization and non-invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) calculation. We analyzed various parameters derived from CTCA images and evaluated their associations with ischemia.

Methods: 49 (61 lesions) patients underwent CTCA and invasive FFR.

Correlation of the New York Heart Association classification and the cardiopulmonary exercise test: A systematic review.

Aims: The New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification is frequently used in the management of heart failure but may be limited by patient and physician subjectivity. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) provides a potentially more objective measurement of functional status. We aim to study the correlation between NYHA classification and peak oxygen consumption (pVO) on Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) within and across published studies.

The women's heart health programme: a pilot trial of sex-specific cardiovascular management.

Background: There is increasing knowledge of sex-specific differences in cardiovascular disease and recognition of sex disparities in management. In our study, we investigated whether a cardiovascular programme tailored to the specific needs of women could lead to improved outcomes.

Methods: We randomised 100 female patients to receive cardiology follow-up with the conventional sex-neutral cardiac programme (control), or the sex-tailored Women's Heart Health Programme (intervention).

Seizure prophylaxis in the neuroscience intensive care unit.

Background: Seizures are a considerable complication in critically ill patients. Their incidence is significantly high in neurosciences intensive care unit patients. Seizure prophylaxis with anti-epileptic drugs is a common practice in neurosciences intensive care unit.

Quantified degree of eccentricity of aortic valve calcification predicts risk of paravalvular regurgitation and response to balloon post-dilation after self-expandable transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: Limited data exist regarding the impact of aortic valve calcification (AVC) eccentricity on the risk of paravalvular regurgitation (PVR) and response to balloon post-dilation (BPD) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). We investigated the prognostic value of AVC eccentricity in predicting the risk of PVR and response to BPD in patients undergoing TAVR.

Methods: We analyzed 85 patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent self-expandable TAVR (43 women; 77.

Different relationships between pulse pressure and mortality in heart failure with reduced, mid-range and preserved ejection fraction.

Objectives/background: In heart failure (HF), pulse pressure (PP) may reflect both vascular stiffness and left ventricular function, but its prognostic role in relation to ejection fraction (EF) is poorly understood.

Methods: In the Swedish Heart Failure Registry, we investigated the association between PP and 1-year mortality in patients with HF and reduced (HFrEF, <40%), mid-range (HFmrEF, 40-49%) and preserved EF (HFpEF, ≥50%), using multivariable logistic regression and restricted cubic splines.

Results: Among 36,770 patients discharged alive or enrolled as out-patients with 1-year follow-up (mean age 74±12years, 63% men, 56% HFrEF, 21% HFmrEF, 23% HFpEF), crude one-year mortality was 18%.

Mortality associated with heart failure with preserved vs. reduced ejection fraction in a prospective international multi-ethnic cohort study.

Aims: Whether prevalence and mortality of patients with heart failure with preserved or mid-range (40-49%) ejection fraction (HFpEF and HFmREF) are similar to those of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), as reported in some epidemiologic studies, remains highly controversial. We determined and compared characteristics and outcomes for patients with HFpEF, HFmREF, and HFrEF in a prospective, international, multi-ethnic population.

Methods And Results: Prospective multi-centre longitudinal study in New Zealand (NZ) and Singapore.

N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and prognosis in Caucasian vs. Asian patients with heart failure.

Aims: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is the most frequently used biomarker in heart failure (HF), but its prognostic utility across ethnicities is unclear.

Methods And Results: This study included 546 Caucasians with HF from the Coordinating Study Evaluating Outcomes of Advising and Counseling in Heart Failure and 578 Asians with HF from the Singapore Heart Failure Outcomes and Phenotypes study. NT-proBNP was measured at discharge after HF hospitalization.

The Relationship of Triphasic Waves with Intracranial Pressure as a Possible Prognostic Marker in Traumatic Brain Injury.

Background: Continuous electroencephalography (CEEG) monitoring is used for detection of convulsive and nonconvulsive seizures and assessing the degree of encephalopathy in critically ill patients. A commonly seen encephalopathic pattern on CEEG is generalized periodic discharges with triphasic wave (TW) morphology. The underlying role and prognostic significance of TW in relationship to intracranial pressure (ICP) remain unknown.

Imaging 4D morphology and dynamics of mitral annulus in humans using cardiac cine MR feature tracking.

Feature tracking in cine cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is a quantitative technique to assess heart structure and function. We investigated 4-dimensional (4D) dynamics and morphology of the mitral annulus (MA) using a novel tracking system based on radially rotational long-axis cine CMR series. A total of 30 normal controls and patients with mitral regurgitation were enrolled.

Experience of Asian males communicating cardiac genetic risk within the family.

The genetic nature of an inherited cardiac condition (ICC) places first- and second-degree relatives at risk of cardiac complications and sudden death, even in the absence of symptoms. Communication of cardiac genetic risk information allows at-risk relatives to clarify, manage, and potentially prevent ICC-associated risks through cardiac screening. Literature regarding family communication of genetic risk information are predominantly based on Western populations, with limited insight into the Asian experience.