The potential role of plasma miR-155 and miR-206 as circulatory biomarkers in inflammatory cardiomyopathy.

Aims: Establishing a diagnosis of inflammatory cardiomyopathy (iCMP) by non-invasive means remains challenging despite advances in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Previous studies suggested the involvement of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of iCMP. We examined the association of a predefined set of circulatory microRNAs with clinical characteristics of iCMP and evaluated their diagnostic performance in suspected iCMP.

Impact of Lesion Preparation Technique on Side Branch Compromise in Calcified Coronary Bifurcations: A Subgroup Analysis of the PREPARE-CALC Trial.

Objectives: To analyze the impact of different techniques of lesion preparation of severely calcified coronary bifurcation lesions.

Background: The impact of different techniques of lesion preparation of severely calcified coronary bifurcation lesions is poorly investigated.

Methods: We performed an as-treated analysis on 47 calcified bifurcation lesions treated with scoring/cutting balloons (SCB) and 68 lesions treated with rotational atherectomy (RA) in the PREPARE-CALC trial.

Hemodynamic performance of the balloon-expandable SAPIEN 3 valve as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance.

Background: Scarce data exist on transcatheter heart valve (THV) performance evaluated by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in newer generation THV patients. Furthermore, it has been suggested that echocardiographic evaluation after TAVR may inaccurately assess residual AR in some patients. This study aimed to determine the incidence and severity of aortic regurgitation (AR) assessed by CMR in patients undergoing TAVR with the SAPIEN 3 valve, and evaluate the agreement between CMR and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) on the assessment of AR severity in such patients.

Quantitative Assessment of Acute Regurgitation Following TAVR: A Multicenter Pooled Analysis of 2,258 Valves.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess acute regurgitation following transcatheter aortic valve replacement, comparing different implanted transcatheter heart valves.

Background: Regurgitation following transcatheter aortic valve replacement influences all-cause mortality. Thus far, no quantitative comparison of regurgitation among multiple commercially available transcatheter heart valves has been performed.

Cardiogenic shock: role of invasive cardiology.

Purpose Of Review: Early revascularization significantly improved the outcome of patients with cardiogenic shock following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Nevertheless, the mortality remains substantial, ranging between 40 and 50% after 30 days. The present review summarizes the current evidence regarding revascularization strategies, vascular access site and concomitant antiplatelet and antithrombotic treatment in infarct-related cardiogenic shock.

Left-Atrial Appendage Thrombosis in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Background: Data about the impact of left-atrial appendage thrombosis (LAAT) on early safety and mortality in patients undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TF-TAVI) are scarce. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of LAAT and the outcome associated with this condition in patients treated by TF-TAVI.

Methods: Retrospective data analysis was derived from a prospective single-centre registry comparing patients with and without LAAT regarding early safety at 30 days, according to Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2) and 2-year mortality.

Frequency and Impact of Bleeding on Outcome in Patients With Cardiogenic Shock.

Objectives: This study sought to determine frequency, associated factors, and impact of bleeding in infarct-related cardiogenic shock.

Background: Early revascularization is associated with improved survival in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock. On the downside, invasive treatment and accompanying antithrombotic therapies are associated with an increased bleeding risk.

5-Year Outcomes After TAVR With Balloon-Expandable Versus Self-Expanding Valves: Results From the CHOICE Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical and echocardiographic outcome data of the CHOICE (Randomized Comparison of Transcatheter Heart Valves in High Risk Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis: Medtronic CoreValve Versus Edwards SAPIEN XT) trial at 5 years.

Background: The CHOICE trial was designed to compare device performance of a balloon-expandable (BE) transcatheter heart valve (THV) versus a self-expanding (SE) THV.

Methods: The CHOICE trial is an investigator-initiated trial that randomized 241 high-risk patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis and an anatomy suitable for treatment with both BE and SE THVs to transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement with either device.

Predictors of In-Hospital Adverse Outcomes after Rotational Atherectomy: Impact of the Target Vessel SYNTAX Score.

Background: Rotational atherectomy (RA) is an established treatment of calcified lesions, but has some inherent procedural hazards. However, predictors of in-hospital adverse outcomes after RA are poorly investigated.

Objective: To explore the predictors of in-hospital adverse outcomes after RA and to introduce the target vessel SYNTAX score (tvSS) as a potential causal variable.

The electrocardiogram endeavour: from the Holter single-lead recordings to multilead wearable devices supported by computational machine learning algorithms.

This review aims to provide a comprehensive recapitulation of the evolution in the field of cardiac rhythm monitoring, shedding light in recent progress made in multilead ECG systems and wearable devices, with emphasis on the promising role of the artificial intelligence and computational techniques in the detection of cardiac abnormalities.

Influence of risk factors in the ESC-EHRA EORP atrial fibrillation ablation long-term registry.

Background: The influence of risk factors on atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation recurrence is increasingly recognized. We present a sub-analysis of the European Society of Cardiology-European Heart Rhythm Association-European Society of Cardiology AF ablation long-term registry on the effect of traditional risk factors for AF on postablation recurrence, reablation, and complications using real-world data.

Methods: Risk factors for AF were defined as body mass index ≥27 kg/m², hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, alcohol ≥2 units/day, sleep apnea, smoking, no/occasional sports activity, moderate/severe mitral or aortic valve disease, any cardiomyopathy, peripheral vascular disease, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, coronary artery disease/infarction, and previous pacemaker/defibrillator implant.

Clinical practice and implementation of guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis and management of cardiac implantable electronic device infections: results of a worldwide survey under the auspices of the European Heart Rhythm Association.

Aims: Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infection rates are increasing. Worldwide compliance and disparities to published guidelines for the prevention, diagnosis and management of these conditions are not well elucidated. The purpose of this survey, therefore, was to clarify these issues through an inquiry to arrhythmia-related associations and societies worldwide.

Revascularization strategies in cardiogenic shock after acute myocardial infarction.

Purpose Of Review: Coronary revascularization compared with medical treatment alone leads to improved survival in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiogenic shock. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the predominant mode of revascularization in clinical practice. This review discusses several aspects relevant to mechanical revascularization such as general indication, the roles of PCI and bypass surgery, percutaneous access site choice, strategy in multivessel disease and adjunctive antithrombotic therapy.

Effect of Aortic Regurgitation by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has demonstrated a high accuracy for evaluating the severity of aortic regurgitation (AR). However, scarce data exist on the impact of AR as evaluated by CMR on clinical outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of AR as determined by CMR on clinical outcomes (mortality, heart failure [HF] hospitalization) post-TAVI.

Clinical outcomes of the Lotus Valve in patients with bicuspid aortic valve stenosis: An analysis from the RESPOND study.

Aims: Patients with bicuspid valves represent a challenging anatomical subgroup for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). This analysis evaluated the clinical outcomes of the fully repositionable and retrievable Lotus Valve System in patients with bicuspid aortic valves enrolled in the RESPOND post-market registry.

Methods And Results: The prospective, open-label RESPOND study enrolled 1,014 patients at 41 centers in Europe, New Zealand, and Latin America, 31 (3.