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Am J Cardiol 2020 May 21. Epub 2020 May 21.

Public Authority for Applied training and Education, Kuwait City, Kuwait.

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 22. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Institute, Dallas Texas.

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 23. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. Electronic address:

Peak exercise oxygen consumption (pVO) is an important predictor of prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF). The association between pretransplant pVO and post-transplantation outcomes in HF patients has not been previously studied. We identified adult OHT recipients with available pVO in the United Network for Organ Sharing registry (2000 to 2015). Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Jun 4;125(12):1913-1919. Epub 2020 Apr 4.

Department of Osteopathic Medical Specialties, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.

Mortality with adjunctive therapy in patients with unstable pulmonary embolism, defined as those in shock or on ventilator support, is sparsely studied and requires further investigation. This was a retrospective cohort study based on administrative data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, 2016. In-hospital all-cause mortality in unstable patients with acute pulmonary embolism was assessed according to treatment. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Jun 6;125(12):1782-1787. Epub 2020 Apr 6.

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) has influenced the management of cardiogenic shock (CS), but the association between race and MCS utilization is unknown. We sought to evaluate the effect of race on MCS utilization in CS and whether there are racial differences in in-hospital outcomes. Our study was a population-based retrospective cohort study that enrolled patients with CS, defined by International classification of disease, ninth Revision, clinical modification (ICD-9-CM) codes, between 2013 and 2015 from the National Inpatient Sample. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 26. Epub 2020 Apr 26.

Brigham and Women's Hospital Heart & Vascular Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address:

The 2016 American Heart Association Scientific Statement on sleep duration and cardiovascular risk suggested that optimal sleep duration is critical for cardiovascular health, with both long and short sleep duration associated with adverse health outcomes. We examined the relation between sleep duration and cardiovascular health among the general population in the United States from 2005 to 2016. We sought to investigate associations between sleep duration and the prevalence of coronary artery disease, heart failure (HF), stroke, hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), and hyperlipidemia. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 22. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Brigham and Women's Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address:

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are more prevalent among HIV-infected subjects. We examined the associations between carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT), conventional CVD risk factors, and HIV-related risk factors among Hispanics with HIV infection. This cross-sectional study involved 96 consecutive HIV patients on stable antiretroviral therapy and without history of CVD in a university-based outpatient clinic who underwent carotid ultrasound evaluation. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 May 4. Epub 2020 May 4.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool, United Kingdom.

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 7. Epub 2020 Apr 7.

Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv university, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity can lead to clinical and subclinical heart failure. Decrease of global longitudinal strain is a predictor for heart failure. Early detection of subclinical cardiotoxicity is crucial for timely intervention and prevention of further progression. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 29. Epub 2020 Apr 29.

Section of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 23. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

HCM Institute, Division of Cardiology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.

A unique clinical circumstance involving middle-aged male identical twins with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) is reported. The concordance of morphologic (i.e. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 24. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

University of California Irvine Sleep Disorders Center, Orange, California.

Patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and predominant central sleep apnea pose treatment challenges. A system review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were undertaken. Electronic searches of digital repositories, journals, specialty society and manufacturer websites, manual searches of reference sections of RCTs, and published clinical guidelines were performed. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 May 16. Epub 2020 May 16.

New York University School of Medicine, New York NY 10016.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic. It is still uncontrolled in most countries and no therapies are currently available. Various drugs are under investigation for its treatment. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 23. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address:

Four non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are approved for use to reduce the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, data are limited regarding the use of NOACs in the obese population. This manuscript summarizes current concepts regarding obesity in patients with AF and reviews in depth the data on the efficacy and safety of NOACs in obese patients with AF. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 23. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, New York. Electronic address:

Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality, even when symptoms are absent and the arrhythmia is unrecognized (e.g., subclinical AF [SCAF]). Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 12. Epub 2020 Apr 12.

Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.

Higher concentrations of cardiac troponin T are associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and adverse cardiovascular prognosis. The relation with incident atrial fibrillation (AF) is less explored. We studied this association among 3,568 patients evaluated with coronary angiography for stable angina pectoris without previous history of AF. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 20. Epub 2020 Apr 20.

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Navada, Reno, Nevada.

Acute chest pain is one of the most common presenting symptoms to the emergency department. Currently available risk scores are suboptimal in identifying low-risk patients eligible for early and safe discharge. Various, initially obtained clinical data have valuable discriminating power but are not being fully utilized. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 22. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Vth Department of Medicine (Nephrology, Hypertensiology, Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Rheumatology), Mannheim Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany; Cinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria; Synlab Academy, Synlab Services GmbH, Mannheim and Augsburg, Germany.

Recent experimental studies have suggested that galectin-3 has an interaction with aldosterone, and modifies its adverse effects. We therefore aimed to elucidate whether the relationship between plasma aldosterone concentrations (PACs) and long-term fatal cardiovascular (CV) events would depend on plasma galectin-3 levels. A total of 2,457 patients (median age: 63. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 11. Epub 2020 Apr 11.

Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address:

In order to show that reduced functional capacity in subclinical heart failure portends a higher risk of clinically overt (stage C) heart failure, we obtained the Duke activity status index (DASI) and 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) in 814 patients (age 70 [interquartile range 67 to 74] years, 51% female) with nonischemic subclinical heart failure. Reduced functional capacity was defined as: (1) DASI-derived metabolic equivalents <7, (2) 6MWD <2 standard deviations below the age-based normative mean (excluding those with mobility impairment) and (3) reduced 6MWD with reclassification where DASI was discordant. Based on reduced functional capacity and left ventricular dysfunction (LVD), subjects were classified into; (1) Stage A heart failure (436 with neither LVD nor reduced functional capacity), (2) Stage A with reduced functional capacity (n = 80), (3) Stage B heart failure (182 with LVD but preserved functional capacity) and (4) early stage C heart failure (52 with LVD and reduced functional capacity). Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 24. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, New York, USA. Electronic address:

Older patients who undergo coronary interventions are at greater risk of ischemic events and less likely to tolerate prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) due to bleeding risk. The COMBO biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent promotes rapid endothelialization through endothelial progenitor cell capture technology which may be advantageous in elderly patients. We compared 1-year clinical outcomes and DAPT cessation events in patients >75 versus ≤75 years from the MASCOT registry. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 29. Epub 2020 Apr 29.

Division of Internal Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri; Division of Cardiovascular Disease, Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, Missouri. Electronic address:

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 20. Epub 2020 Apr 20.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Salt taste sensitivity can change after heart failure (HF) hospitalization, however the relation between changes in salt taste sensitivity with HF symptoms, biomarkers, and outcomes is unknown. We assessed salt taste sensitivity over 12 weeks following HF hospitalization using a validated, point-of-care salt taste test. Subjects were divided into 2 groups: increase or no increase in salt taste sensitivity. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 8. Epub 2020 Apr 8.

Center for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pericardial Diseases, Heart and Vascular Institute, Imaging Institute, Cardiovascular Section, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Electronic address:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and colchicine remain the standard of care as the initial treatment of acute pericarditis. Corticosteroids and traditional immunosuppressive medications are often added if patients develop recurrent symptoms and remain medically refractory. There has been growing interest in the use of interleukin-1 receptor antagonists (IL-1RAs) in managing pericarditis, especially, in medically refractory cases. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 16. Epub 2020 Apr 16.

Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 24. Epub 2020 Apr 24.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York.

With aging population and preponderance of severe aortic stenosis occurring in elderly patients, the number of transcatheter aortic valve implantations (TAVI) performed in the elderly are growing. Frailty is common in the elderly and is known to be associated with worse outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the impact of frailty on hospital readmissions rates after TAVI. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 28. Epub 2020 Apr 28.

Cognitive Ageing and Impairment Neurosciences Laboratory, Justice and Society, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.

Changes to cognition, both decline and improvement, are commonly reported after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). However, previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have missed these subgroups by assessing whole-group-averages for cognitive outcomes. We sought to pool estimates to identify the prevalence of cognitive decline and improvement after TAVI, as well as associated factors for these outcomes. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 23. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. Electronic address:

This study investigated the association between left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and the risk of ventricular arrhythmias (VA), heart transplantation, and death in cardiac sarcoidosis (CS). We identified 110 CS patients meeting 2014 Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) diagnostic criteria with baseline LVEF <35% (n = 32) or ≥35% (n = 78). The primary end point was sustained VA or sudden cardiac death (SCD), and secondary end points included risk of heart transplantation, death, or a composite. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 22. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado.

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 22. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Department of Cardiology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.

Alcohol septal ablation (ASA) and septal myectomy (SM) are therapeutic interventions for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) who remain symptomatic despite medical treatment. Outcomes for both interventions in age groups ≤65 versus >65 years are scarce. We queried the National Readmission Database for adult patients undergoing either SM or ASA between 2010 and 2015 for HC. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 22. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Department of Cardiology, Westchester Medical Center and New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York.

The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in the era of second-generation drug-eluting stents is a matter of considerable debate with more data suggesting a shorter period of DAPT is feasible. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate DAPT compared with monotherapy with a P2Y12 inhibitor after a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central were searched from inception to October 2019 to identify randomized controlled trials that compared outcomes of patients treated with either DAPT or monotherapy with a P2Y12 inhibitor following PCI. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 19. Epub 2020 Apr 19.

Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York City, New York, USA. Electronic address:

Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is associated with an increased risk of thrombotic events. We compared the safety and efficacy of different antithrombotic strategies for HFrEF and sinus rhythm. PubMed and Embase were searched through January 2020 for studies comparing oral anticoagulants versus antiplatelet agents or placebo in HFrEF and sinus rhythm to include in this network meta-analysis. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 22. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Klinik für Herz- und Kreislauferkrankungen, Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Technische Universität München, Germany; Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung (DZHK) e.V., (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Germany.

Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (tf-TAVI) has become an established therapy-option for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Conscious sedation (CS) has proven to be an alternative to general anesthesia . So far, the outcome of patients undergoing unplanned periprocedural conversion from CS to general anesthesia has not been investigated. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 22. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

The Physician Investor Newsletter, 115 Bingham Road, Columbia, MO. Electronic address:

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 22. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina; Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina.

Hyperuricemia and gout are common in patients with heart failure (HF) and are associated with poor outcomes. Data describing hyperuricemia and gout in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) are limited. We used data from the Duke University Health System to describe characteristics of patients with HFpEF and hyperuricemia (serum uric acid >6 mg/dl) or gout (gout diagnosis or gout medication within the previous year) and to explore associations with 5-year outcomes (death and hospitalization). Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 19. Epub 2020 Apr 19.

Department of Cardiology, Koşuyolu Kartal Heart Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey; Faculty of Health Sciences, Ardahan University, Ardahan, Turkey.

Mechanical prosthetic heart valves (MPHVs) are highly thrombogenic, and a pregnancy-induced procoagulant status increases the risk of MPHV thrombosis. Despite numerous case reports, 2 major registries and meta-analyses/systematic reviews, optimal anticoagulation therapy during pregnancy remains controversial. The goal of this study was to evaluate different anticoagulation regimens in pregnant patients with MPHVs. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 23. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

HCM Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address:

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) is associated with a well-recognized risk for unexpected sudden death (SD). Most such reported patients have been referred to dedicated centers and/or expert cardiologists for risk stratification, with the number of SDs decreasing sharply due to penetration of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICDs) into HC practice. However, the clinical circumstances, and morphologic features of HC patients who incur SD without the opportunity to be considered for preventive intervention with ICDs are largely undefined. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 22. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Clinical Trials Center, Cardiovascular Research Foundation, New York, New York; The Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Electronic address:

Cigarette smoking is a well-known risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the impact of smoking on outcomes after coronary revascularization, especially in patients with left main CAD (LMCAD) is less well understood. The EXCEL trial randomized 1,905 patients with LMCAD and visually assessed low or intermediate anatomical complexity (SYNTAX score ≤32) to PCI with everolimus-eluting stents or CABG. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Mar 14. Epub 2020 Mar 14.

National Institute for Prevention and Cardiovascular Health, National University of Ireland, Ireland.

The 2017 American blood pressure (BP) guidelines recommended a personalized risk-based approach to treatment in stage 1 hypertension. We sought to establish the utility of coronary artery or thoracic aortic calcium (CAC or TAC) as additional risk modifiers in this setting. We included 1859 Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis participants with stage 1 hypertension. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 10. Epub 2020 Apr 10.

Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

It remains unknown whether the comparative effectiveness of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and warfarin differs between atrial fibrillation patients with and without a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Using 2012 to 2014 Medicare claims data, we identified patients newly diagnosed with AF in 2013 to 2014 who initiated apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or warfarin. We categorized patients based on a history of stroke or TIA. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 14. Epub 2020 Apr 14.

Brigham and Women's Hospital Heart & Vascular Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address:

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 13. Epub 2020 Apr 13.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Hennepin County Medical Center and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 13. Epub 2020 Apr 13.

Division of Cardiology, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada.

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 8. Epub 2020 Apr 8.

The Physician Investor Newsletter, Columbia, MO. Electronic address:

Am J Cardiol 2020 Jun 4;125(12):1809-1814. Epub 2020 Apr 4.

Department of Cardiology, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.

Evaluation of chest pain in the emergency department (ED) frequently employs a noninvasive strategy, including coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), stress echocardiography (SE), or myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). We sought to report the real-world experience of utilizing CCTA compared with SE and MPI at an urban hospital ED. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of consecutively enrolled patients presenting with chest pain who had normal or nondiagnostic electrocardiogram (ECG), negative initial troponin-T, at least intermediate risk based on modified Diamond-Forrester criteria, and who underwent CCTA, SE, or MPI based on their individual test eligibility criteria. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 7. Epub 2020 Apr 7.

HartCentrum, Ziekenhuis Netwerk Antwerpen (ZNA) Middelheim, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Cardiology, Sint Antonius Ziekenhuis, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands. Electronic address:

The coronary sinus reducer (CSR) has been introduced as therapy for patients with refractory angina with no other treatment options. Aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of the CSR in patients with refractory angina and presence of coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO). In this multicentre, international retrospective study, patients undergoing CSR implantation were screened and divided in 2 groups according to the presence/absence of CTO lesions. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 8. Epub 2020 Apr 8.

Division for Evaluation and Analysis of Drug Information, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.

The International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis recommends warfarin therapy over direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with a body mass index >40 kg/m or weight > 120 kg due to limited clinical data in morbidly obese patients. The aim of the meta-analysis was to compare DOACs with warfarin in morbidly obese patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and to optimize an anticoagulation therapy in the population. MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library database searches for relevant articles through December 23, 2019 were performed. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 7. Epub 2020 Apr 7.

Department of Cardiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Identifying coronary artery disease (CAD) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients improves risk stratification and defines clinical management. However, the value of screening for subclinical CAD with cardiac CT in AF patients is unknown. Between 2011 and 2015, 94 consecutive patients without known or suspected CAD (66 (57-73) years, 68% male), who were referred for AF evaluation, underwent a noncontrast-enhanced coronary calcium scan and a coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) at our center. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 8. Epub 2020 Apr 8.

1(st) Cardiology Clinic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens, Greece.

Pericardial effusion (PE) prognosis depends on the underlying etiology. We sought to assess the outcome of patients with chronic (>3 months), large (diastolic echo-free space >2 cm), idiopathic (without apparent etiology), C-reactive protein (CRP) negative PE, a topic where data are lacking. A total of n = 74 patients were enrolled in this study. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 8. Epub 2020 Apr 8.

Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland.

Available prediction models are inaccurate in elderly who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The aim of present study was to analyze the separate and combined prognostic values of baseline HDL-C and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients treated successfully with TAVI who had complete 2-year follow-up. We analyzed 334 patients treated with TAVI from 01/2010 to 07/2017 who had measurements of HDL-C and CRP on admission or during qualification for the procedure. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2020 Apr 7. Epub 2020 Apr 7.

Department of Cardiology, Sint-Jan Hospital Bruges, Brugge, Belgium.

Recent MitraClip heart failure (HF) trials suggest that baseline left ventricular (LV) remodeling may be critical for patient selection. We, therefore, investigated whether baseline LV remodeling affects safety, efficacy, and clinical outcomes in HF patients with symptomatic secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) undergoing percutaneous mitral valve repair using MitraClip. LV remodeling was assessed by LV end-systolic dimension index (LVESDi) on transthoracic baseline echocardiography. Read More