Outcomes for Children With Congenital Heart Disease Undergoing Ventricular Assist Device Implantation: An ACTION Registry Analysis.

Background: There are no contemporary reports that highlight the national outcomes for children with congenital heart disease (CHD) undergoing ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate differences in VAD outcomes for children with CHD to those with non-CHD as well as those with univentricular CHD to those with biventricular CHD.

Methods: Data for CHD and non-CHD patients from the multicenter ACTION (Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network) undergoing VAD implantation from April 2018 to February 2023 were included.

Can ICD Electrograms Help Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation?: Results From the Multicenter Randomized AIDEG-VTA Trial.

Background: The results of ablation of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (SMVT) are suboptimal. For many patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), ICD electrograms (ICD-EGs) provide the only available information on SMVT. ICD-EGs have the ability to distinguish morphologically distinct SMVT and can be used for pace mapping.

Myocardial Fibroblast Activation After Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Positron Emission Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Study.

Background: Myocardial fibrosis is a key healing response after myocardial infarction driven by activated fibroblasts. Gallium-68-labeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor ([Ga]-FAPI) is a novel positron-emitting radiotracer that binds activated fibroblasts.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the intensity, distribution, and time-course of fibroblast activation after acute myocardial infarction.

The Nonsyndromic Ascending Thoracic Aorta in a Population-Based Setting: A 5-Year Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Prospective data on the clinical course of the ascending thoracic aorta are lacking.

Objectives: This study sought to estimate growth rates of the ascending aorta and to evaluate occurrences of adverse aortic events (AAEs)-that is, thoracic aortic ruptures, type A aortic dissections, and thoracic aortic-related deaths.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study from the population-based, multicenter, randomized DANCAVAS (Danish Cardiovascular Screening trials) I and II, participants underwent cardiovascular risk assessments including electrocardiogram-gated, noncontrast computed tomography (CT) scans.

Worldwide Chronic Retrieval Experience of Helix-Fixation Leadless Cardiac Pacemakers.

Background: The growing use of leadless pacemaker (LP) technology requires safe and effective solutions for retrieving and removing these devices over the long term.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate retrieval and removal of an active helix-fixation LP studied in worldwide regulatory clinical trials.

Methods: Subjects enrolled in the LEADLESS II phase 1 investigational device exemption, LEADLESS Observational, or LEADLESS Japan trials with an attempted LP retrieval at least 6 weeks postimplantation were included.

Higher Aircraft Noise Exposure Is Linked to Worse Heart Structure and Function by Cardiovascular MRI.

Background: Aircraft noise is a growing concern for communities living near airports.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the impact of aircraft noise on heart structure and function.

Methods: Nighttime aircraft noise levels (L) and weighted 24-hour day-evening-night aircraft noise levels (L) were provided by the UK Civil Aviation Authority for 2011.

Contributors and Solutions to High Out-of-Pocket Costs for Heart Failure Medications.

As expensive therapeutics rise to the fore of heart failure management, out-of-pocket (OOP) medication costs have become increasingly relevant to patient care. Prescription medication costs influence medical decision-making and affect adherence. Yet, individualized cost estimates are seldom available during clinical encounters when prescription decisions are made.

Demographic-Based Personalized Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Thresholds for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Diagnosis.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death. Current diagnosis emphasizes the detection of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) using a fixed threshold of ≥15-mm maximum wall thickness (MWT). This study proposes a method that considers individual demographics to adjust LVH thresholds as an alternative to a 1-size-fits-all approach.

Systolic Blood Pressure and Pulse Pressure in Heart Failure: Pooled Participant-Level Analysis of 4 Trials.

Background: Hypertension is common in patients with heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction (HFmrEF/HFpEF), and current guidelines recommend treating systolic blood pressure (SBP) to a target <130 mm Hg. However, data supporting treatment to this target are limited. Additionally, pulse pressure (PP), a marker of aortic stiffness, has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events, but its prognostic impact in HFpEF has not been extensively studied.

Finerenone, Obesity, and Heart Failure With Mildly Reduced/Preserved Ejection Fraction: Prespecified Analysis of FINEARTS-HF.

Background: Obesity is associated with excessive adipocyte-derived aldosterone secretion, independent of the classical renin-angiotensin-aldosterone cascade, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists may be more effective in patients with heart failure (HF) and obesity.

Objectives: This study sought to examine the effects of the nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist finerenone compared with placebo, according to body mass index (BMI) in FINEARTS-HF (FINerenone trial to investigate Efficacy and sAfety superioR to placebo in paTientS with Heart Failure).

Methods: A total of 6,001 patients with HF with NYHA functional class II, III, and IV, a left ventricular ejection fraction of ≥40%, evidence of structural heart disease, and elevated natriuretic peptide levels were randomized to finerenone or placebo.