Risk factors for serious adverse events related to vitamin K antagonists in children with congenital or acquired heart disease: a prospective cohort study.

Objectives: To assess the occurrence of thrombosis and major bleeding in children with congenital or acquired heart disease (CAHD) treated with VKA and to identify risk factors for these serious adverse events (SAE).

Study Design: All children enrolled in our VKA dedicated educational program between 2008 and 2022 were prospectively included. The time in therapeutic range (TTR) was calculated to evaluate the stability of anticoagulation.

Single Versus Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting for Unprotected Left-Main Coronary Disease.

Background: The use of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after coronary revascularization for left-main disease is still debated. The study aimed to characterize patients who received dual versus single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for unprotected left-main disease and compare the outcomes of those patients.

Results: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 551 patients who were grouped into 2 groups: patients who received SAPT (n = 150) and those who received DAPT (n = 401).

Pathophysiological Sex Differences in Heart Failure Progression After Acute Coronary Syndrome: Insights From the EXAMINE Trial.

Background: Therapies can reduce the risk of heart failure (HF) development and progression in type 2 diabetes; nevertheless, the risk of these outcomes is greater in females than in males.

Methods And Results: To investigate sex differences in HF development and progression, we compared baseline circulating proteins (Olink Cardiovascular II panel) in males and females with type 2 diabetes and recent acute coronary syndrome for the outcome of HF hospitalization. Data were from the placebo-controlled Examination of Cardiovascular Outcomes with Alogliptin vs Standard of Care (EXAMINE) trial.

Discontinuation of cardiac implantable electronic device therapy after transvenous lead extraction.

Background: Patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) may no longer be eligible for continued therapy.

Aims: The study aimed to assess the circumstances under which CIED reimplantation may not be necessary after transvenous lead extraction (TLE).

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 3646 TLE procedures was performed with assessment of indications for device reimplantation.

Root-commando operation with a modified self-assembled aortic root conduit for endocarditis after sutureless aortic valve replacement.

We present a case of a Staphylococcus epidermidis early prosthetic valve endocarditis after minimally invasive sutureless aortic valve replacement. The patient developed a root abscess with a fistula, severe mitral and periprosthetic regurgitations, with a large mitral vegetation and a residual patent foramen ovale. The surgical approach consisted of a redo median sternotomy, explantation of a sutureless aortic prosthesis, resection of an intervalvular fibrosa and anterior mitral leaflet and debridement of an aortic root-left ventricle outflow tract abscess.

Prediction of stent under-expansion in calcified coronary arteries using machine learning on intravascular optical coherence tomography images.

It can be difficult/impossible to fully expand a coronary artery stent in a heavily calcified coronary artery lesion. Under-expanded stents are linked to later complications. Here we used machine/deep learning to analyze calcifications in pre-stent intravascular optical coherence tomography (IVOCT) images and predicted the success of vessel expansion.

Understanding the Burden of 30-Day Readmission in Patients With Both Primary and Secondary Diagnoses of Heart Failure: Causes, Timing, and Impact of Co-Morbidities.

Although efforts to reduce 30-day readmission rates have mainly focused on patients with heart failure (HF) as a primary diagnosis at index hospitalization, patients with HF as a secondary diagnosis remain common, costly, and understudied. This study aimed to determine the incidence, etiology, and patterns of 30-day readmissions after discharge for HF as a primary and secondary diagnosis and investigate the impact of co-morbidities on HF readmission. The National Readmission Database from 2014 to 2016 was used to identify HF patients with a linked 30-day readmission.

Transseptal puncture in left atrial appendage closure guided by 3D printing and multiplanar CT reconstruction.

Background: The presented study investigates the application of bi-arterial 3D printed models to guide transseptal puncture (TSP) in left atrial appendage closure (LAAC).

Aims: The objectives are to (1) test the feasibility of 3D printing (3DP) for TSP guidance, (2) analyse the distribution of the optimal TSP locations, and (3) define a CT-derived 2D parameter suitable for predicting the optimal TSP locations.

Methods: Preprocedural planning included multiplanar CT reconstruction, 3D segmentation, and 3DP.

Primary results of the SAVAL randomized trial of a paclitaxel-eluting nitinol stent versus percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in infrapopliteal arteries.

Background: Effective and durable options for infrapopliteal artery revascularization for patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) are limited.

Methods: The SAVAL trial is a prospective, multicenter, randomized trial of patients with CLTI and infrapopliteal artery lesions with total lesion length ⩽ 140 mm, stenosis ⩾ 70%, and Rutherford category 4-5 assigned 2:1 to treatment with the SAVAL self-expandable paclitaxel drug-eluting stent (DES) or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with an uncoated balloon. The primary effectiveness endpoint was primary vessel patency (i.

Load-sharing characteristics of stenting and post-dilation in heavily calcified coronary artery.

In this work, stenting in non-calcified and heavily calcified coronary arteries was quantified in terms of diameter-pressure relationships and load transfer from the balloon to the artery. The efficacy of post-dilation in non-calcified and heavily calcified coronary arteries was also characterized in terms of load sharing and the changes in tissue mechanics. Our results have shown that stent expansion exhibits a cylindrical shape in non-calcified lesions, while it exhibits a dog bone shape in heavily calcified lesions.

Effect of genetically determined BCAA levels on cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors: A Mendelian randomization study.

Background And Aims: Observational studies have demonstrated that serum branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are associated with the risk of various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and their risk factors. However, the causal effect is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of genetically determined BCAA levels on CVDs and their risk factors using Mendelian randomization (MR).

Spontaneous vanishing of hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report of an extremely rare incident.

One of the very uncommon clinical conditions is the spontaneous remission of tumors, with scarce reports around the world in various types of tumors. Spontaneous remission of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is extremely rare, but it is well documented with a still unclear underlying mechanism. In this case report, we present one of those exceptional incidents of HCC regression with a trial to tackle possible explanations.

Predictors of 30-Day Readmission in Patients Hospitalized With Heart Failure as a Primary Versus Secondary Diagnosis.

Short-term rehospitalizations are common, costly, and detrimental to patients with heart failure (HF). Current research and policy have focused primarily on 30-day readmissions for patients with HF as a primary diagnosis at index hospitalization, whereas a much larger population of patients are admitted with HF as a secondary diagnosis. This study aims to compare patients initially hospitalized for HF as either a primary or a secondary diagnosis, and to identify the most important factors in predicting 30-day readmission.

Validation of a Heart Failure Risk Score in a Cohort of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Patients Under Remote Monitoring: Results from the TriageHF™ Algorithm.

The heart failure risk status (HFRS) is a validated dynamic tool for risk score prediction, based on the TriageHF™ algorithm (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA), for the occurrence of a heart failure (HF) event in the 30 days following a remote monitoring (RM) transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the HFRS in predicting an unplanned hospital admission due to HF decompensation in a real-world cohort of patients submitted to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). We conducted a single-center review of a cohort of 40 consecutive HF patients, under RM, with CRT devices using the HFRS of the TriageHF™ algorithm.

Conjugation with Tris Decreases the Risk of Ketoprofen-Induced Mucosal Damage and Reduces Inflammation-Associated Methane Production in a Rat Model of Colitis.

We have designed a new compound from the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ketoprofen (Ket) and 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-propanediol (Tris) precursors, with the aim to reduce the gastrointestinal (GI) side effects of NSAID therapies. We investigated mucosal reactions in a standard rat model of colitis together with methane generation as a possible indicator of pro-inflammatory activation under this condition (approval number: V./148/2013).

The Effect of Daylight-Saving Time on Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients-Data from the Polish National Registry of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions (ORPKI) in the Years 2014-2022.

Introduction: Many factors related to the switch to summer/winter time interfere with biological rhythms.

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the impact of time change on clinical outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Patients And Methods: Electronic data of 874,031 patients with ACS who underwent invasive procedures were collected from the Polish National Register of Interventional Cardiology Procedures (ORPKI) between 2014 and 2021.

A Case of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease With Resolution of Massive Pericardial Effusion After Renal Transcatheter Artery Embolization.

A 68-year-old woman being treated with hemodialysis for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease was admitted for progressive dyspnea over 6 months. On chest radiography, her cardiothoracic ratio had increased from 52.2% 6 months prior, to 71%, and echocardiography revealed diffuse pericardial effusion and right ventricular diastolic insufficiency.

Commando procedure with posterior atrioventricular groove reconstruction.

This case presents a Commando procedure with posterior atrioventricular groove reconstruction in a patient after double-valve replacement performed in another hospital with a posterior atrioventricular groove patch due to mitral annular calcification for aortomitral Streptococcus agalactiae endocarditis. The patient was transferred to our institution on postoperative day 6 under femoro-axillary venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with cardiogenic shock and pulmonary oedema due to patch dehiscence and severe periprosthetic mitral leak. To control pulmonary oedema and decrease myocardial tension, left atrial venting was performed in the intensive care unit through a redo sternotomy.