Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Rambam Maimonides Med J 2019 Apr 18;10(2). Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Department of Cardiology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel.

Chemotherapy-associated myocardial toxicity is increasingly recognized with the expanding armamentarium of novel chemotherapeutic agents. The onset of cardiotoxicity during cancer therapy represents a major concern and often involves clinical uncertainties and complex therapeutic decisions, reflecting a compromise between potential benefits and harm. Furthermore, the improved cancer survival has led to cardiovascular complications becoming clinically relevant, potentially contributing to premature morbidity and mortality among cancer survivors. Read More

Heart Lung 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Centre for Applied Health Economics, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.

Background: Combining supervised exercise training (ET) and disease management program (DMP) may benefit people with heart failure (HF) but will require additional resources.

Objectives: To assess the 1-year cost-effectiveness of a 24-week ET program added to a post-discharge DMP in patients recently hospitalized with HF.

Methods: Using randomized controlled trial data, within-trial cost-utility analyses were undertaken in the overall population (n = 278), patients aged <70 (n = 180), and those aged ≥70 (n = 98). Read More

JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2019 Apr 27;5(4):480-489. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Division of Image Processing, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands. Electronic address:

Objectives: This study proposed entropy as a new late gadolinium enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance-derived parameter to evaluate tissue inhomogeneity, independent of signal intensity thresholds. This study hypothesized that entropy within the scar is associated with ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), whereas entropy of the entire left ventricular (LV) myocardium is associated with mortality.

Background: In patients after myocardial infarction, the heterogeneity of fibrosis determines the substrate for VA. Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2019 Apr;73(15):1931-1944

AtheroThrombosis Research Unit, Cardiovascular Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York. Electronic address:

Background: Empagliflozin cardiac benefits in the EMPA-REG OUTCOME (Empagliflozin Cardiovascular Outcome Event Trial in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients) trial cannot be explained exclusively by its antihyperglycemic activity.

Objectives: The hypothesis was that empagliflozin's cardiac benefits are mediated by switching myocardial fuel metabolism away from glucose toward ketone bodies (KB), which improves myocardial energy production.

Methods: Heart failure was induced in nondiabetic pigs (n = 14) by 2-h balloon occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending artery. Read More

Neth Heart J 2019 Apr 17. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Durrer Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Netherlands Heart Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Background: Clinical research on arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is typically limited by small patient numbers, retrospective study designs, and inconsistent definitions.

Aim: To create a large national ACM patient cohort with a vast amount of uniformly collected high-quality data that is readily available for future research.

Methods: This is a multicentre, longitudinal, observational cohort study that includes (1) patients with a definite ACM diagnosis, (2) at-risk relatives of ACM patients, and (3) ACM-associated mutation carriers. Read More

Open Heart 2019 25;6(1):e001015. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.

Objective: Pacemaker (PM) therapy is effective when syncope is associated with bradycardia, but syncope recurrences and fall injuries after PM implantation may occur. We aimed to survey indications and outcomes of PM implantation, following evaluation of unexplained syncope.

Methods: Among 1666 consecutive unpaced patients investigated in a tertiary syncope unit by carotid-sinus massage (CSM), head-up tilt test (HUT) and ECG monitoring, 106 (6. Read More

Circ J 2019 Apr 17. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Cardiovascular Medicine, Tsuchiura Kyodo General Hospital.

Background: Phase-contrast cine-magnetic resonance imaging (PC-CMR) of the coronary sinus (CS) is a promising approach for quantifying coronary sinus flow (CSF) and global coronary flow reserve (G-CFR). We evaluated the prognostic value of G-CFR using PC-CMR in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS).Methods and Results:The study prospectively enrolled 116 NSTE-ACS patients who underwent uncomplicated urgent PCI within 48 h of symptom onset. Read More

Clin Chem 2019 Apr 17. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Division of Medicine, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway and Center for Heart Failure Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway;

Background: Cardiac troponins are associated with cardiovascular risk in the general population, but whether temporal changes in cardiac troponin I provide independent prognostic information remains uncertain. Using a large community-based cohort with follow-up to the present day, we aimed to investigate the associations between temporal changes in cardiac troponin and cardiovascular events.

Methods: We measured cardiac troponin I with a high-sensitivity assay (hs-cTnI) in 4805 participants attending both the second (HUNT 2, 1995-97) and third wave (HUNT 3, 2006-2008) of the prospective observational Nord-Trøndelag Health (HUNT) Study. Read More

J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2019 Apr 16;6(2). Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, DD1 9SY, UK.

There is increasing recognition of a specific diabetic cardiomyopathy beyond ischemic cardiomyopathy, which leads to structural and functional myocardial abnormalities. The aim of this review is to summarize the recent literature on diagnostic findings and prognostic significance of non-invasive imaging including echocardiography, nuclear imaging, computed tomography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance in diabetic cardiomyopathy. Read More

Cardiol J 2019 Apr 17. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Department of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, Jagiellonian University Medical College, John Paul II Hospital in Kraków, Prądnicka 80, 31-202 Krakow, Poland.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dyssynchrony is common in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFREF). Little is known however, about its pathophysiology and clinical effects. Herein is hypothesized that presence of diastolic dyssynchrony at rest or at exercise may importantly contribute to HF symptoms. Read More

J Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Apr;27(2):122-133

Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Background: Limited data are available on the prognosis of progressive mitral stenosis (MS). We evaluated the factors associated with adverse events in patients with progressive MS.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 259 consecutive patients with pure progressive MS with a mitral valve area (MVA) between 1. Read More

ESC Heart Fail 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan.

Aims: Left atrial (LA) remodelling is an important predictor of cardiovascular events of heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation. Data regarding diagnostic value of LA remodelling on diastolic dysfunction (DD) and preclinical HF remain largely unexplored.

Methods And Results: We assessed LA dimension (LAD) in 8368 consecutive asymptomatic Asians (mean age: 49. Read More

Eur Radiol 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center, 111 E 210th Street, Bronx, New York, NY, 10467, USA.

Objective: To determine all-cause mortality risk in patients with and without adrenal incidentaloma.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of patients with CT abdomen performed within 24 h of emergency room presentation at an academic medical center from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2009, without history of adrenal disease, adrenal lab testing, or cancer. Incidentaloma cohort identified by database query of imaging reports followed by manual review and matched to no-nodule controls at 3:1 on age ± 1 year and exam date ± 3 months. Read More

J Cardiol 2019 Apr 13. Epub 2019 Apr 13.

Department of Cardiology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address:

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an established heart failure (HF) treatment option, however its effect on ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) is controversial. Regional scar burden and high left ventricular (LV) pacing threshold (PT) are associated with poor outcome in CRT patients. The aim of our study was to analyze the impact of intraoperative LVPT on VA occurrence. Read More

Eur J Heart Fail 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung (DZHK) Berlin, Department of Cardiology, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Charite - Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of heart muscle diseases and an important cause of heart failure (HF). Current knowledge on incidence, pathophysiology and natural history of HF in cardiomyopathies is limited, and distinct features of their therapeutic responses have not been systematically addressed. Therefore, this position paper focuses on epidemiology, pathophysiology, natural history and latest developments in treatment of HF in patients with dilated (DCM), hypertrophic (HCM) and restrictive (RCM) cardiomyopathies. Read More

J Mol Cell Cardiol 2019 Apr 12. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

University of Oxford, Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom. Electronic address:

Maladaptive hypertrophy of cardiac myocytes increases the risk of heart failure. The underlying signaling can be triggered and interrogated in cultured neonatal ventricular myocytes (NRVMs) using sophisticated pharmacological and genetic techniques. However, the methods for quantifying cell growth are, by comparison, inadequate. Read More

Echocardiography 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.

Objective: To evaluate whether global peak systolic strain (PSS) and peak systolic strain rate (PSSR) derived from velocity vector imaging (VVI) allow early recognition of regional and global right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and the impact of this on left ventricular (LV) function in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PHT).

Background: RV function is an important determinant of prognosis in patients with heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, heart transplant, and congenital heart diseases. However, evaluation of the right ventricle is often limited by its complex geometry and inadequate visualization of RV free wall. Read More

J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) 2019 Apr 9. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Department of Cardiology, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, Kingston upon Hull, UK.

Background: The total atrial conduction time can be measured as the time from the onset of the P wave on the ECG to the peak of the A wave recorded at the mitral annulus using tissue Doppler imaging (A'; P-A'TDI); when prolonged, it might predict incident atrial fibrillation.

Methods: We measured P-A'TDI in outpatients with heart failure and sinus rhythm enrolled in the SICA-HF programme.

Results: P-A'TDI measured at the lateral mitral annulus was longer in patients with HF with reduced [LVEF<50%, N = 141; 126 (112-146) ms; P = 0. Read More

Front Physiol 2019 29;10:350. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Following myocardial infarction (MI), the myocardium is prone to calcium-driven alternans, which typically precedes ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. MI is also associated with remodeling of the sympathetic innervation in the infarct border zone, although how this influences arrhythmogenesis is controversial. We hypothesize that the border zone is most vulnerable to alternans, that β-adrenergic receptor stimulation can suppresses this, and investigate the consequences in terms of arrhythmogenic mechanisms. Read More

Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Apr 14. Epub 2019 Apr 14.

Department of Cardiology, Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital, 8K12IE, Heymans Campus, Ghent, Belgium.

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Apr 11. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center, Houston Methodist, Houston, Texas. Electronic address:

Left ventricular diastolic function plays an important role in determining left ventricular filling and stroke volume. Abnormal diastolic function has been recognized in many cardiovascular diseases and is associated with worse outcomes, including total mortality and hospitalizations due to heart failure. Using echocardiography, it is possible to diagnose the presence of diastolic dysfunction and the pathophysiologic mechanisms involved as they affect left ventricular and left atrial structure and function. Read More

Acta Cardiol 2019 Apr 13:1-5. Epub 2019 Apr 13.

b Department of Cardiovascular Medicine , University Hospitals Leuven , Leuven , Belgium.

Background: Embolisation and metastatic infection occur frequently in infective endocarditis (IE). We aimed to evaluate the impact of nuclear imaging on diagnosis, therapy and mortality.

Methods: All patients hospitalised for definite IE at the University Hospitals of Leuven in 2001 and in 2015 were retrospectively included. Read More

Circulation 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA.

Background: Membrane contact sites (MCS) are fundamental for transmission and translation of signals in multicellular organisms. A prime example is junctional membrane complexes (JMC) in the cardiac dyads, where T-tubules are juxtaposed to the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). T-tubule uncoupling and remodeling are well-known features of cardiac disease and heart failure. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2019 Apr 2. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Keele Cardiovascular Research Group, Keele University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK; Royal Stoke University Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, UK. Electronic address:

Background: The rates of readmission for serious cardiovascular events among patients admitted with a diagnosis of non-specific chest pain are unknown.

Methods: A national retrospective cohort study in the United States was undertaken to evaluate the rates, trends and predictors of readmission for serious cardiovascular events (acute coronary syndrome (ACS), pulmonary embolism (PE) and aortic dissection (AD)) after an inpatient episode with a primary diagnosis of non-specific chest pain.

Results: Among 1,172,430 patients with an index diagnosis of non-specific chest pain between 2010 and 2014, 2. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2019 Apr;8(8):e011302

1 Department of Neurology National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Osaka Japan.

Background We aimed to improve the assessment quality of plaque vulnerability with combined use of magnetic resonance imaging and contrast-enhanced ultrasound ( CEUS ). Methods and Results We prospectively enrolled 71 patients with internal carotid artery stenosis who underwent carotid endarterectomy and performed preoperative CEUS and magnetic resonance plaque imaging. We distinguished high-signal-intensity plaques ( HIP s) and non- HIP s based on magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition with gradient echo images. Read More

J Nucl Cardiol 2019 Apr 11. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Emory University, Atlanta, United States of America.

Background: We evaluated the effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on septal perfusion and thickening at 6 months post implantation assessed on Tc99m-MIBI Gated myocardial perfusion SPECT (GMPS).We also studied the association of change in septal perfusion and thickening with primary outcome defined as at least one [improvement in ≥1NYHA class, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by ≥ 5%, reduction of end-systolic volume (ESV) by ≥ 15%, and improvement ≥ 5 points in Minnesota living with heart failure questionnaire (MLHFQ)].

Method: One hundred and five patients underwent clinical and GMPS evaluation before and at 6 months post CRT. Read More

Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Apr 11. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Biomedicine Department, Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, CNR Research Campus, Via Moruzzi, 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy.

The peak stress/rest ratio of left ventricular (LV) elastance, or LV force, is a load-independent index of left ventricular contractile reserve (LVCR) with stress echo (SE). To assess the accuracy of LVCR calculated during SE with approaches of different complexity. Two-hundred-forty patients were referred to SE for known or suspected coronary artery disease or heart failure and, of those, 200 patients, age 61 ± 15, 99 females, with interpretable volumetric SE were enrolled. Read More

Neuropathology 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Department of Neuropathology, Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Japan.

We present an autopsied case with A8344G-mutated myoclonus epilepsy with ragged red fibers (MERRF)/mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) overlap syndrome accompanied by stroke-like episodes localized to the precentral gyrus. A 16-year-old Japanese woman suddenly experienced repetitive consciousness disturbances with increased serum lactate and creatine kinase levels. Magnetic resonance imaging showed abnormal intensity of bilateral precentral gyrus. Read More

Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Siena, Viale Bracci 1, Siena, Italy.

For patients with asymptomatic mitral regurgitation (MR), the criteria identifying the groups at higher-risk and their clinical outcome are still uncertain. Therefore, in these patients, optimal time of surgery remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to compare left atrial (LA) strain to other echocardiographic left ventricular (LV) and LA parameters for the prediction of cardiovascular outcomes in patients with moderate asymptomatic MR. Read More

ESC Heart Fail 2019 Apr 9. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Section of Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant Medicine, Kaufman Center for Heart Failure Treatment and Recovery, Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Desk J3-4, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.

Cardiogenic shock from biventricular failure that requires acute mechanical circulatory support carries high 30 day mortality. Acute mechanical circulatory support can serve as bridge to orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) in selected patients. We report a patient with biventricular failure secondary to rapidly progressive cardiac sarcoidosis refractory to medical management who was bridged to OHT with Impella 5. Read More

Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Apr 9. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco, 555 Mission Bay Blvd South, Box 3120, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.

A growing body of evidence has demonstrated that pulmonary arterial capacitance (PAC) is the strongest hemodynamic predictor of clinical outcomes across a wide spectrum of cardiovascular disease, including pulmonary hypertension and heart failure. We hypothesized that a ratio of right ventricular stroke volume (RVOT VTI) to the associated peak arterial systolic pressure (PASP) could function as a reliable non-invasive surrogate for PAC. We performed a prospective study of patients undergoing simultaneous transthoracic echocardiography and right heart catheterization (RHC) for various clinical indications. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Apr 8;9(1):5791. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.

Angiotensin receptor blocker-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNi) therapy improves the prognosis of heart failure patients. However, the mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the biological effects of ARNi with neprilysin inhibitor sacubitril and angiotensin receptor blocker valsartan on myocardial remodeling and cardiac perfusion in experimental heart failure (HF) after myocardial infarction (MI). Read More

Cardiovasc Revasc Med 2019 Mar 15. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

Section of Interventional Cardiology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, United States of America. Electronic address:

Background/purpose: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a high-resolution intravascular imaging modality used to assess coronary arteries and as an adjunctive tool for optimization of percutaneous coronary interventions. Overall, the rate of complications and adverse events related to intravascular imaging is low. Limited data exist on the most commonly reported complications and modes of failure related to the use of OCT. Read More

Int J Surg Case Rep 2019 Mar 19;57:152-154. Epub 2019 Mar 19.

Wessex Cardiothoracic Centre, University Hospitals Southampton, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO16 6YD, United Kingdom.

Introduction: Constrictive pericarditis is an important cause of diastolic heart failure. The relationship between the presence and degree of pericardial calcification with constrictive pericarditis is variable, however this should be an early warning sign to initiate appropriate investigations.

Presentation Of Case: A 64-year-old gentleman presented with dyspnoea and dizziness on exertion. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2019 Mar 29. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Siena, Italy.

Background: Heart failure (HF) patients present with a variety of symptoms at different stages of the disease, but the underlying pathophysiology still is unclear. Left atrial (LA) function might be tightly related to changes in patients' symptoms, more than morphological and anatomic heart features, measurable by ultrasound imaging technique. This study sought to investigate the correlation between LA function, assessed by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography (STE) and Quality of Life (QoL), assessed by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), in patients with chronic HF. Read More

Pharmacol Res 2019 Apr 5;144:51-65. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

Cellular and Molecular Cardiology Unit and Department of Cardiology, Institute of Biomedical Research (IDIS-SERGAS), Travesía Choupana s/n, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; CIBERCV, Institute of Health Carlos III, C/ Monforte de Lemos 3-5, Pabellón 11. Planta 0, 28029 Madrid, Spain.

Background And Purpose: Recombinant human relaxin-2, serelaxin, is being proved as a novel drug with therapeutic efficacy in some cardiovascular diseases, especially heart failure, a disease whose physiopathology and course are firmly correlated with important alterations in cardiac metabolism. The aim of our present work was to investigate changes in the cardiac metabolome following relaxin-2 treatment.

Experimental Approach: Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with human recombinant relaxin-2 using osmotic minipumps at a dose of 0. Read More

Anticancer Res 2019 Apr;39(4):1667-1673

School of Health Sciences, Department of Radiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Biopolis, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.

Breast cancer radiotherapy has a clear benefit for both long-term survival and local recurrence rate. However, there is still much concern about the early radiation-induced heart toxicity. This article aimed to clarify the impact of certain cardiac biomarkers and strain echocardiographic imaging on the detection of early cardiac dysfunction. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2019 Mar 27. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Heart Center, Segeberger Kliniken, Bad Segeberg, Germany.

Background: The management of patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is challenging. We sought to investigate the evolution and long-term prognostic impact of residual post-TAVR MR.

Methods: The severity of MR was assessed at baseline and at 30 days and six months post-TAVR. Read More

Neuropeptides 2019 Mar 6. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

Center for Integrative Physiology, Division of Integrative Physiology, Kansai Electric Power Medical Research Institute, Kobe 650-0047, Japan; Division of System Neuroscience, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe 650-0017, Japan; Division of Integrative Physiology, Department of Physiology, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi 320-0498, Japan; Pharmacological Department of Herbal Medicine, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical & Dental Sciences, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan. Electronic address:

Reduced appetite or anorexia substantially deteriorates quality of life in various diseases including cancer, depression and heart failure. Furthermore, reduced appetite may stand upstream of sarcopenia and frailty. All these diseases are heavy burdens in the modern medicine and society. Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Apr;12(4):768-770

Division of Cardiology, University of Minnesota and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Electronic address:

Oncol Lett 2019 May 19;17(5):4126-4132. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Cardiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

Carcinoid heart disease (CHD) is a rare complication of neuroendocrine tumors, most commonly involving the tricuspid and pulmonary valves. The mitral and aortic valves can also be affected, albeit rarely, in certain circumstances such as the presence of a patent foramen ovale. Transthoracic echocardiogram is generally considered the key imaging modality, but cardiac magnetic resonance can add valuable information, particularly in the assessment of pulmonary valve function or multivalvular disease. Read More

Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2019 Apr 4:ATVBAHA118312166. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

From the Divison of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan (R.-H.C., P.-H.H., H.-B.L., S.-J.L., J.-W.C.).

Objective- Basic research indicates that TNFSF14 (tumor necrosis factor superfamily 14) may be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Given the requirements of new biomarkers for risk classification in coronary artery disease (CAD), we conducted a longitudinal analysis to investigate if TNFSF14 levels are associated with the risk of cardiovascular events among patients with stable CAD. Approach and Results- In total, 894 patients with CAD were enrolled in a multicenter prospective study. Read More

Herz 2019 Apr 2. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Department of General and Interventional Cardiology, Building O70, University Heart Center Hamburg, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.

About 20-25% of all ischemic strokes are of cardioembolic etiology, with atrial fibrillation and heart failure as the most common underlying pathologies. Diagnostic work-up by noninvasive cardiac imaging is essential since it may lead to changes in therapy, e.g. Read More

Circ Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Apr;12(4):e008856

Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.V., L.B.H.K., A.F.W.v.d.S., N.d.J., H.J.V., J.G.B.), Thorax Center, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

J Cell Mol Med 2019 Apr 2. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China.

The mechanism of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) remains unclear. In this study, mitochondria calcium uniporter (MCU), dynamin-related protein-1 (DNM1L/Drp1) and their relationship with autophagy in heart failure (HF) and CRT are investigated. Thirteen male beagle's dogs were divided into three groups (sham, HF, CRT). Read More

Radiol Phys Technol 2019 Apr 1. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Department of Biomedical Imaging, National Cardiovascular and Cerebral Research Center, Suita, Osaka, 565-8565, Japan.

J Endocr Soc 2019 Apr 14;3(4):748-762. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.

Currently, the early preclinical detection of left ventricular dysfunction is difficult because biomarkers are not specific for the cardiomyopathic process. The underlying molecular mechanisms leading to heart failure remain elusive, highlighting the need for identification of cardiac-specific markers. The growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) and its ligand ghrelin are present in cardiac tissue and are known to contribute to myocardial energetics. Read More

Noncoding RNA 2019 Mar 29;5(2). Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Cardiovascular Research Unit, Luxembourg Institute of Health, L-1445 Strassen, Luxembourg.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death worldwide and, despite continuous advances, better diagnostic and prognostic tools, as well as therapy, are needed. The human transcriptome, which is the set of all RNA produced in a cell, is much more complex than previously thought and the lack of dialogue between researchers and industrials and consensus on guidelines to generate data make it harder to compare and reproduce results. This European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action aims to accelerate the understanding of transcriptomics in CVD and further the translation of experimental data into usable applications to improve personalized medicine in this field by creating an interdisciplinary network. Read More

Front Cardiovasc Med 2019 14;6:24. Epub 2019 Mar 14.

Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined as resting mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥25 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) via right heart (RH) catheterization (RHC), where increased afterload in the pulmonary arterial vasculature leads to alterations in RH structure and function. Mortality rates have remained high despite therapy, however non-invasive imaging holds the potential to expedite diagnosis and lead to earlier initiation of treatment, with the hope of improving prognosis. While historically the right ventricle (RV) had been considered a passive chamber with minimal role in the overall function of the heart, in recent years in the evaluation of PH and RH failure the anatomical and functional assessment of the RV has received increased attention regarding its performance and its relationship to other structures in the RH-pulmonary circulation. Read More

Acta Cardiol Sin 2019 Mar;35(2):111-117

Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science and School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University.

Background: Ischemia shown in non-invasive tests is considered to be a fundamental requirement for treating patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) with a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In a nationwide cohort, we investigated the utilization of stress tests, including myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), treadmill exercise test (TET) and stress echocardiography (SE) prior to elective PCI.

Methods: This retrospective study used the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 (LHID2000) of the National Health Insurance program in Taiwan. Read More