Abnormal Cellular Phenotypes Induced by Three /LAP2 Variants Identified in Men with Cardiomyopathies.

A single missense variant of the /LAP2α gene, encoding LAP2 proteins, has been associated with cardiomyopathy in two brothers. To further evaluate its role in cardiac muscle, we included in our cardiomyopathy diagnostic gene panel. A screening of ~5000 patients revealed three novel rare heterozygous variants in six males diagnosed with hypertrophic or dilated cardiomypathy.

Wearables, telemedicine, and artificial intelligence in arrhythmias and heart failure: Proceedings of the European Society of Cardiology Cardiovascular Round Table.

Digital technology is now an integral part of medicine. Tools for detecting, screening, diagnosis, and monitoring health-related parameters have improved patient care and enabled individuals to identify issues leading to better management of their own health. Wearable technologies have integrated sensors and can measure physical activity, heart rate and rhythm, and glucose and electrolytes.

The impact of iron store on red blood cell transfusion: a multicentre prospective cohort study in cardiac surgery.

Background: Anaemia is common prior to cardiac surgery and contributes to perioperative morbidity. Iron deficiency is the main cause of anaemia but its impact remains controversial in the surgical setting. We aimed to estimate the impact of iron deficiency on in-hospital perioperative red blood cell transfusion for patients undergoing elective and urgent cardiac surgery.

Phenotype and outcome of pulmonary arterial hypertension patients carrying a mutation.

Introduction: mutation causes small patella syndrome (SPS) and/or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The characteristics and outcomes of PAH associated with mutations are largely unknown.

Methods: We report the clinical, functional, radiologic, histologic and haemodynamic characteristics and outcomes of heritable PAH patients carrying a mutation from the French pulmonary hypertension (PH) network.

Self-Expanding Transcatheter Aortic Valve System for Symptomatic High-Risk Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis.

Background: The CENTERA transcatheter heart valve (THV) is a low-profile, self-expanding nitinol valve made from bovine pericardial tissue that is 14-F compatible with a motorized delivery system allowing for repositionability.

Objectives: The pivotal study evaluated safety and efficacy of this THV in high-surgical-risk study patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis.

Methods: Implantations were completed in 23 centers.

[Electrical therapies for heart failure].

Electrical therapies for heart failure. Electrical therapies have to be considered in the treatment of heart failure patients with reduced left ventricular function. Intracardiac cardioverter defibrillators are in indicated in secondary prevention after the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias and in primary prevention to prevent sudden cardiac death related to ventricular arrhythmias.

The ENCOURAGE mortality risk score and analysis of long-term outcomes after VA-ECMO for acute myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock.

Purpose: This study was designed to identify factors associated with in-intensive care unit (ICU) death and develop a practical mortality risk score for venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO)-treated acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. Long-term survivors' health-related quality of life (HRQOL), anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequencies were also assessed.

Methods: Data from 138 ECMO-treated AMI patients admitted to two French ICUs (2008-2013) were analyzed.

[Cardiac resynchronization: past, present and future].

Growing interest in dyssynchrony and cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) has opened the way for new hemodynamic indications of cardiac stimulation. French investigators have played a key role in the formulation of new concepts based on clinical observation, as well as the development of resynchronisation devices in collaboration with industry, and their clinical evaluation. This review summarizes recent knowledge and perspectives pertaining to atrial, atrioventricular (AV) and ventricular dyssynchrony and resynchronisation.

[Treatment of arrhythmia in atrial fibrillation].

The initial therapy after onset of atrial fibrillation (AF) should always include adequate antithrombotic treatment and control of the ventricular rate. Depending on the patient's course, this strategy may prove insufficient and may then be supplemented by rhythm control using drugs or interventions. Clinical frustration came by clinical trials that have demonstrated that the strategy of maintaining sinus rhythm has no demonstrable value when compared with the "laissez-faire" approach of leaving AF to a permanent form and controlling ventricular rate.

Expanding indications for resynchronization therapy.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is one of the major advances in the treatment of patients with chronic heart failure due to impaired left ventricular ejection fraction. Current guidelines recommend with the highest levels of recommendation and evidence CRT in patients with low ejection fraction wide QRS, LBBB, and mild to severe heart failure (New York Heart Association class II to IV). However, other patients might benefit from CRT.

Acquired left ventricular submitral aneurysms in the course of Takayasu arteritis in a child.

A 9-year-old black African boy was hospitalized for heart failure revealing a severe left ventricular dysfunction associated with dilated cardiomyopathy, two submitral aneurysms, occlusion of the circumflex artery and a giant coronary artery aneurysm on the proximal left anterior descending artery. The boy was coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Though rare, association of Takayasu arteritis and submitral aneurysm leads to rethinking the pathogenesis of submitral aneurysm and suggests that some of them may be acquired.

Impact of aortic stenosis on longitudinal myocardial deformation during exercise.

Unlabelled: In aortic stenosis (AS), left ventricular (LV) adaptation to exercise has poorly been examined. Changes in LV ejection fraction may lack accuracy in identifying the presence of intrinsic myocardial impairment.

Aims: We sought to determine the impact of aortic stenosis (AS) on left ventricular (LV) longitudinal function at exercise in a series of asymptomatic patients with AS and preserved LV ejection fraction.

[The new stakes in the management of atrial fibrillation].

Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia, and its incidence increases, particularly in men. It is the cause of many severe complications, including thrombo-embolic events, and worsening of heart failure. Those explain the increased mortality rates observed in patients with atrial fibrillation, and the huge cost of this disease.

[Impact of the aetiology of cardiac failure on the correlations between electrical and mechanical asynchrony of the ventricle].

Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) is indicated in refractory cardiac failure with electrical asynchrony defined by QRS complexes > or =120 ms duration. The search for mechanical asynchrony is proposed for better selection of patients for CRT. Ischaemic and non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy do not necessarily show the same form of asynchrony.

Argument for a Doppler echocardiography during exercise in assessing asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Aims: Exercise stress testing (EST) is recommended by guidelines to risk-stratify patients with asymptomatic valvular aortic stenosis (AS), though the role of quantitative exercise-Doppler echocardiography has rarely been studied. This prospective study sought to correlate standard EST results with the haemodynamic measurements made during exercise by Doppler echocardiography.

Methods And Results: We performed rest and semi-supine exercise Doppler echocardiography in 44 consecutive patients (mean age=68+/-12 years) with aortic valve areas View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cardiac resynchronization therapy: which device to implant?

Cardiac resynchronization therapy is now a validated treatment for patients with moderate to severe heart failure despite optimal drug treatment with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and cardiac dyssynchrony defined by wide QRS greater than 120 ms. Once an indication for cardiac resynchronization therapy has been confirmed the choice of the most appropriate device (pacemaker or intracardiac cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)) needs to be made. In heart failure patients the risk of sudden death, mainly but not always related to arrhythmic cause is high.

[Surgery for aortic valve stenosis after age 80 years].

Population aging in industrialized countries and advances in surgical care are leading to an increased number of elderly patients referred for surgical management of aortic stenosis (AS). Our report is a retrospective review of 988 consecutive patients aged 80 to 93 years (mean 82.4 +/- 2.

[Managing bradycardia in adults].

Bradycardia represents a common cause of requirement for specialist advice and it looks sometimes difficult to evaluate its pathological criteria and its medical management. The authors remind the physiological mechanisms and their aetiologies, cardiac or not. Many complementary exams can be employed but a rigorous strategy is necessary, based on the use of electrocardiogram, Holter ECG, implantable loop recorder, stress test, cardiac echography, tilt testing, electrophysiological study.

Upgrading from single chamber right ventricular to biventricular pacing in permanently paced patients with worsening heart failure: The RD-CHF Study.

Background: Biventricular (BiV) stimulation lowers morbidity and mortality in patients with drug-refractory congestive heart failure (CHF), depressed left ventricular (LV) function, and ventricular dyssynchrony in absence of indication for permanent cardiac pacing. This pilot, single-blind, randomized, cross-over study examined the safety and efficacy of upgrading conventional pacing systems to BiV stimulation in patients with advanced CHF.

Methods: We included 56 patients in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classes III or IV despite optimal drug treatment and ventricular dyssynchrony (interventriclar delay > 40 ms or LV preejection delay > 140 ms) in need of pacemaker replacement.