Isolated atrial infarction complicated by sick sinus syndrome and atrial fibrillation: a case report.

Background: Atrial infarction is a complication of myocardial infarction with ventricular infarction; however, isolated atrial infarction (IAI) has rarely been reported. Herein, we report a case of IAI associated with sick sinus syndrome and atrial fibrillation (AF).

Case Summary: An 83-year-old woman was brought to the emergency department with a complaint of general malaise.

Effects of preoperative beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, arginine, and glutamine supplementation on cardiac surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

Background & Aims: In older patients undergoing cardiac surgery, physical function is a critical determinant of postoperative outcomes. Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation has been shown to promote muscle protein anabolism and inhibit catabolism, thereby preventing muscle weakness. However, its efficacy in older patients undergoing cardiac surgery remains unknown.

Optimal site of pacemaker lead implantation for persistent atrial standstill guided by electroanatomical mapping following a cox-maze procedure: a case report.

Background: Atrial standstill is characterized by the absence of atrial activity. We report a case of a patient with extensive atrial fibrosis who underwent electrophysiologic study (EPS) and electroanatomical mapping (EAM) to identify surviving atrial sites amenable for pacemaker lead implantation.

Case Summary: A 72-year-old man with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial functional mitral regurgitation/tricuspid regurgitation (MR/TR) underwent a Cox-Maze surgery, mitral and tricuspid valve repair, and biatrial plication.

Co-occurrence of Primary Tracheal Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Pulmonary AA Amyloidosis: A Unique Case Report.

Primary tracheal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a rare, aggressive, but potentially curable malignancy that is difficult to diagnose and treat. We herein report a 93-year-old Japanese man diagnosed with primary tracheal DLBCL after presenting with progressive dyspnea due to severe upper tracheal stenosis during follow-up for pulmonary amyloidosis. Following the diagnosis, the patient was treated with corticosteroids, followed by R-CHOP chemotherapy, resulting in a therapeutic response.

Risk stratification by renal function and NYHA class in patients with hypotension initiated on sacubitril/valsartan: a retrospective cohort study from 17 centres in Japan.

Background: Patients with heart failure exhibiting low systolic blood pressure (SBP) have a poor prognosis. Sacubitril/valsartan reduces cardiovascular events; however, its use in patients with low SBP has not been fully examined. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the association between baseline SBP and adverse events (AEs) in patients starting sacubitril/valsartan therapy using data from a real-world registry in Japan.

Effect of Vericiguat on Left Ventricular Reverse Remodeling in Patients Who Have Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction - Special Focus on Patients Without Quadruple Medical Therapy.

Background: A novel cardioprotective drug, vericiguat, reduces the risk of cardiovascular mortality for patients already on guideline-directed medical therapy. However, the effect of vericiguat on left ventricular (LV) reverse remodeling in patients with reduced LV ejection fraction (LVEF) with or without guideline-directed medical therapy, known as quadruple medical therapy, remains undetermined.

Methods And Results: This study comprised 73 heart failure (HF) patients with reduced LVEF (<45%) from 5 institutions in Japan.

Midterm Outcome of Branch Vessel Stenting for Superior Mesenteric Artery Malperfusion Complicating with Acute Aortic Dissection.

Purpose: To investigate the midterm stent patency and patient prognosis after stenting for superior mesenteric artery malperfusion complicating with acute aortic dissection.

Material And Methods: Thirteen patients who underwent branch vessel stenting for superior mesenteric artery malperfusion between 2011 and 2021 in six institutions were retrospectively reviewed. By comparing pre- and postoperative computed tomography scans in the same plane, the length of the stent implanted in the superior mesenteric artery and the stent-to-vessel diameter ratio were measured.

Impact of morphofunctional assessment with quantitative flow ratio and optical coherence tomography in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Background: Combining morphological and physiological evaluations might improve the risk stratification of patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) culprit lesions.

Aims: We aimed to investigate the clinical utility of morphofunctional evaluation after PCI for identifying ACS patients with increased risk of subsequent clinical events.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 298 consecutive ACS patients who had undergone optical coherence tomography (OCT)-guided PCI.

[Outcomes of the Critical Pathway for Cooperative Follow-up on Patients with Postoperative Lung Cancer].

Objectives: We introduced the critical pathway (CP) for follow-up on patients with postoperative lung cancer to the staff of the Hyogo Prefectural Awaji Medical Center and regional medical institutions in Japan, in 2010.

Methods And Results: We raised awareness within our hospital and collaborating medical institutes and trained our staff on the CP before introducing it. From May 2013 through October 2023, lung cancer surgery was performed on 460 patients.

Side branch embolization before endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair to prevent type II endoleak: A prospective multicenter study.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pre-emptive transcatheter arterial embolization (P-TAE) of aortic side branches to prevent type II endoleak in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm after endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair (EVAR).

Materials And Methods: This multicenter, prospective, single-arm trial enrolled 100 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm from nine hospitals between 2018 and 2021. There were 85 men and 15 women, with a mean age of 79.

Importance of B-Type Natriuretic Peptide in the Detection of Patients With Structural Heart Disease in a Primary Care Setting.

Background: Early detection and intervention for preclinical heart failure (HF) are crucial for restraining the potential increase in patients with HF. Thus, we designed and conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study to confirm the efficacy of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) for the early detection of preclinical HF in a primary care setting.

Methods and results: We investigated 477 patients with no prior diagnosis of HF who were under the care of general practitioners.