Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Life Sci 2019 Apr 17. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China. Electronic address:

Aims: Increasing evidence has shown the diagnostic value of miR-155 in organ transplantation. The dysregulation of miR-155 is reported to be associated with development of acute or chronic complications in solid organ transplant recipients. Here, we summarized related evidence to explore the correlation between the dysregulation of miR-155 and various allograft dysfunction in transplant recipients, and verified the dynamic change of miR-155 level in acute rejection (AR) using a rat renal transplantation model. Read More

Respirology 2019 Apr 19. Epub 2019 Apr 19.

National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.

Am J Cardiol 2019 Mar 13. Epub 2019 Mar 13.

Internal Medicine (Division of Cardiology), Baylor University Medical Center, Baylor Scott & White Health, Dallas, Texas.

Described herein is a 71-year-old man who at age 61 was found by echocardiogram to have severe mitral regurgitation (MR) from mitral valve prolapse. During the subsequent 9 years the MR progressively lessened as his left ventricular cavity dilated and his ejection fraction progressively fell such that just before orthotopic heart transplantation the degree of MR was no longer severe, and the prolapse of the mitral leaflets had disappeared. This report describes this unique patient. Read More

Am Heart J 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.

Semin Cell Dev Biol 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Heart Failure and Cardiac Regeneration (ICREC) Research Program, Health Science Research Institute Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), Carretera Canyet, s/n, Camí de les Escoles, s/n, 08916 Badalona, Spain; CIBERCV, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Av. de Monforte de Lemos, 5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; Cardiology Service, HUGTiP, Carretera Canyet, s/n, 08916 Badalona, Spain; Department of Medicine, Barcelona Autonomous University (UAB), Carretera Canyet, s/n, Camí de les Escoles, s/n, 08916 Badalona, Spain.

Heart failure of ischemic origin is caused by the presence of a large scar resulting from an acute myocardial infarction. Acute myocardial infarction generally occurs when blood supply to the heart is blocked. Regenerative strategies that limit infarct injury would be able to prevent adverse post-ischemic remodelling and maintain the structural support necessary for effective cardiomyocyte contraction. Read More

Postgrad Med 2019 Apr 19. Epub 2019 Apr 19.

e Department of Medicine , Sultan Qaboos University Hospital , Muscat , Oman.

Despite the advances in the management of thalassaemia major, heart disease remains the leading cause of mortality in patients afflicted with this disorder. Cardiac involvement in thalassaemia encompasses a spectrum of disorders including myocardial dysfunction, arrhythmias, pulmonary hypertension and peripheral vascular disease. Although cardiac siderosis (accumulation of iron in cardiac myocytes) as a consequence of repeated blood transfusions is deemed to be the main aetiologic factor for myocardial dysfunction in transfusion dependent patients, the significance of other pathophysiologic mechanisms is being increasingly recognized especially in non-transfusion dependent patients. Read More

Front Physiol 2019 28;10:310. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Department of Nephrology, Dialysis and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.

Introduction: Despite continuous improvement in the treatment, heart failure (HF) is a growing health problem and a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the world. There is some positive experience with the removal of the fluid excess via peritoneum in those patients, regardless of their renal function. The aim of this single center pilot study was to assess the efficacy of peritoneal ultra filtration (PUF) with a nightly 12-h exchange in the long-term treatment of refractory HF. Read More

Front Pharmacol 2019 2;10:296. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Research Centre of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases, Behçet's Disease Clinic and Rheumatology-Ophthalmology Collaborative Uveitis Centre, Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.

Anakinra (ANA) is an effective treatment choice in patients with adult onset Still's disease (AOSD). Variables affecting treatment survival include loss of efficacy or adverse events, but also the decision to discontinue treatment after long-term clinical remission. Aims of this study were: (i) to assess the drug retention rate (DRR) of ANA during a long-term follow-up looking for any difference related to the line of biologic treatment, the concomitant use of conventional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (cDMARDs) and the different type of AOSD (systemic versus chronic articular); (ii) to identify predictive factors of lack of efficacy, loss of efficacy, and ANA withdrawal owing to long-term remission. Read More

Nat Rev Dis Primers 2019 Apr 18;5(1):27. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.

Pediatrics 2019 Apr 18. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

University of Turin, Turin, Italy; and.

Capillary leak syndrome is a critical condition occasionally occurring posttransplant and is characterized by acute endothelial hyperpermeability leading to systemic protein-rich fluid extravasation and consequent hypovolemia, hypoperfusion, and acute kidney injury. Treatment is merely supportive and is based on osmotic drugs, diuretics, continuous renal replacement therapy, and surgical drainage. However, removal of the underlying inflammatory cause is mandatory to achieve stable resolution. Read More

J Heart Lung Transplant 2019 Mar 13. Epub 2019 Mar 13.

Department of Inflammation and Immunology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Transplant Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Extravascular lung water (EVLW) could change in donor lungs in a time-dependent fashion during procurement or ex-vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) and may vary across different zones. Current techniques for EVLW assessment are either subjective, general estimation, or not feasible in the clinical setting. An accurate and non-invasive diagnostic tool for EVLW would be desirable for donor lung assessment and management. Read More

Phys Med 2019 Apr 6;60:162-167. Epub 2019 Apr 6.

Department of Haematology, Oncology and Radiation Physics, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.

Total Marrow Irradiation (TMI) with Helical Tomotherapy is a radiotherapy treatment technique that targets bone marrow and sanctuary sites prior to stem cell or bone marrow transplantation (SCT/BMT). TMI is a complex procedure that involves several critical steps that all need to be carefully addressed for a successful implementation, such as dose homogeneity in field junctions, choice of target margins, integrity of treatment and back-up planning. In this work we present our solution for a robust and reproducible workflow throughout the treatment chain and data for twenty-three patients treated to date. Read More

Stem Cell Res Ther 2019 Apr 18;10(1):125. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, Hubei, China.

Stem cell transplantation (SCT) has become a promising way to treat ischemic heart failure (IHF). We performed a large-scale meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials to investigate the efficacy and safety of SCT in IHF patients. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving stem cell transplantation for the treatment of IHF were identified by searching the PubMed, EMBASE, SpringerLink, Web of Science, and Cochrane Systematic Review databases as well as from reviews and the reference lists of relevant articles. Read More

Circ Heart Fail 2019 Apr;12(4):e005364

Division of Cardiovascular Surgery (R.V.P.R., J.S.A., F.Y., M.B.A., N.F., V.B., V.R., M.V.B.), Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, ON, Canada.

Background: There has been an increased interest in donation after circulatory death (DCD) to expand donor pool for cardiac transplantation. Normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) allows in situ assessment of DCD hearts, allowing only acceptable organs to be procured. We sought to determine if extended cold storage was possible for DCD hearts following NRP and to compare hearts stored using standard cold storage with a novel cardioprotective solution designed for room temperature storage. Read More

Circ Heart Fail 2019 Apr;12(4):e005991

Scottish National Advanced Heart Failure Service, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Glasgow, United Kingdom (M.C.P.).

Circ Heart Fail 2019 Apr;12(4):e005517

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Switzerland (P.N., E.F., M.D., T.P.C., H.T.T.S., S.L.L.).

Heart transplantation remains the preferred option for improving quality of life and survival for patients suffering from end-stage heart failure. Unfortunately, insufficient supply of cardiac grafts has become an obstacle. Increasing organ availability with donation after circulatory death (DCD) may be a promising option to overcome the organ shortage. Read More

Rev Med Liege 2019 Apr;74(4):218-225

Service de Cardiologie, CHU Liège, Belgique.

In a previous article, we highlighted the technical characteristics and economical advantages of additive manufacturing, especially for medical material as well as "hard" body structures without vital function (bone, cartilage and teeth). In the present paper we illustrate the technological advances in the field of printing vital organs. From a simple idea to a proof of concept, steps will be taken rapidly in order to introduce these techniques for functional replacement in the clinics in order to solve the ever-growing gap between supply and demand in the field of organ transplantation. Read More

J Cardiol Cases 2019 Apr 11;19(4):140-143. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Department of Pediatrics, Hirosaki University School of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan.

Noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium (NVM) is a genetically heterogeneous cardiomyopathy. Various mutations associated with NVM have been identified in several genes. NVM patients usually present with complications of dilated cardiomyopathy. Read More

J Cardiol Cases 2019 Apr 17;19(4):117-120. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

We present the case of a 65-year-old immunocompromised male with a history of kidney transplantation, diabetes, coronary artery bypass, and cardiac resynchronization therapy device implantation who was finally diagnosed with an unusual form of infective endocarditis due to co-infection of fungal and bacterial pathogens. He was afebrile at the time of admission and presented with decompensated heart failure and pneumonia. A spleen abscess was discovered incidentally and prompted us to search for a cardiac source of emboli. Read More

Lancet 2019 Apr 12. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.

Background: Short-term treatment for people with type 2 diabetes using a low dose of the selective endothelin A receptor antagonist atrasentan reduces albuminuria without causing significant sodium retention. We report the long-term effects of treatment with atrasentan on major renal outcomes.

Methods: We did this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at 689 sites in 41 countries. Read More

Swiss Med Wkly 2019 Apr 17;149:w20054. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Clinic for Cardiovascular Surgery, University Heart Centre, Zurich, Switzerland.

Aims Of The Study: An extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system (ECMO), as a bridge to either recovery, a ventricular assist device (VAD), or heart or lung transplantation, may be the only lifesaving option for critically ill patients suffering from refractory cardiac, respiratory or combined cardiopulmonary failure. As peripheral hospitals may not offer ECMO treatment, tertiary care centres provide specialised ECMO teams for on-site implantation and subsequent patient transfer on ECMO to the tertiary hospital. This study reports the results of the largest ECMO transportation programme in Switzerland and describes its feasibility and safety. Read More

FP Essent 2019 Apr;479:30-34

Womack Army Medical Center Department of the Army, WAMC Stop A 2817 Reilly Rd, Ft Bragg, NC 28310-7301.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an abrupt and unexpected death presumed to be due to cardiac causes. The primary etiologic mechanism is cardiac arrest due to an arrhythmia. Cardioverter-defibrillators detect abnormal arrhythmia and abort the rhythm with an electrical shock. Read More

Development 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231 Bad Nauheim, Germany

Tissue morphogenesis requires changes in cell-cell adhesion as well as in cell shape and polarity. Cardiac trabeculation is a morphogenetic process essential to form a functional ventricular wall. Here we show that zebrafish hearts lacking Crb2a, a component of the Crumbs polarity complex, display compact wall integrity defects and fail to form trabeculae. Read More

Multimed Man Cardiothorac Surg 2019 Apr 12;2019. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna Bologna Italy.

Left ventricular assist device graft protection and its intraoperative orientation continues to be a major concern in bridge-to-transplant strategy. Different techniques have been described, including the adoption of a standard full sternotomy approach. We describe our institutional experience of placement of the with HeartWare HVAD® implantable continuous flow pump, with outflow graft tunnelling through the transverse sinus to prepare patients in need of eventual re-sternotomy. Read More

N Engl J Med 2019 Apr 14. Epub 2019 Apr 14.

From the George Institute for Global Health, University of New South Wales Sydney (V.P., M.J.J., B.N., S. Bompoint), the Royal North Shore Hospital (V.P.), Concord Repatriation General Hospital (M.J.J.), and the Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney (B.N.), Sydney, and the Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, NSW (C.P.) - all in Australia; Imperial College London (B.N.) and the Department of Renal Medicine, UCL Medical School (D.C.W.) - both in London; the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (H.J.L.H., D.Z.); the Nephrology Division, NYU School of Medicine and NYU Langone Medical Center, New York (D.M.C.); Baim Institute for Clinical Research (D.M.C., C.P.C., B.M.B.), the Cardiovascular Division (C.P.C.) and the Renal Division and Department of Medicine (B.M.B), Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School (B.M.B.) - all in Boston; Janssen Research and Development, Raritan, NJ (R.E., S. Bull, G.C., P.-L.C., Y.Y., G.M.); Indiana University School of Medicine and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Indianapolis (R.A.); the Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago (G.B.); the Division of Biostatistics, Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City (T.G.); the Division of Nephrology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver (A.L.), and the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto (B.Z.) - all in Canada; the Renal Division, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing (H.Z.); and the Stanford Center for Clinical Research, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA (K.W.M.).

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. 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

Xenotransplantation 2019 Apr 15:e12516. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Revivicor Inc, Blacksburg, Virginia.

Xenotransplantation research has made considerable progress in recent years, largely through the increasing availability of pigs with multiple genetic modifications. We suggest that a pig with nine genetic modifications (ie, currently available) will provide organs (initially kidneys and hearts) that would function for a clinically valuable period of time, for example, >12 months, after transplantation into patients with end-stage organ failure. The national regulatory authorities, however, will likely require evidence, based on in vitro and/or in vivo experimental data, to justify the inclusion of each individual genetic modification in the pig. Read More

J Exp Orthop 2019 Apr 15;6(1):16. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Heart, Trauma and Sepsis Research Laboratory, College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.

Background: ALM solution, a combination of adenosine, lidocaine and Mg, is an emerging small volume therapy that has been shown to prevent and correct coagulopathy and surgery-related inflammation in preclinical models, though its application in orthopaedic surgery is yet to be demonstrated. The effect of ALM solution on chondrocytes is unknown. The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate the effect of ALM solution on viability and inflammatory responses of chondrogenically-differentiated human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (chondro-MSC), in vitro. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Acute allograft rejection (AAR) plays an important role in patient and graft survival; therefore, more emphasis should be placed on its prediction. This study aimed to investigate baseline clinical and diagnostic variables associated with subsequent AAR during the first year post-transplant, especially focusing on early physiologic and anatomic measures.

Methods: This study enrolled 88 heart transplant patients who underwent fractional flow reserve (FFR), coronary flow reserve (CFR), the index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in the left anterior descending artery at baseline (within 8 weeks post-transplant). Read More

Exp Hematol 2019 Apr 12. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Electronic address:

A causal link between hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPC) dysfunction and DNA damage accrual has been proposed. Clinically relevant strategies to maintain genome integrity in these cells are needed. Here we report that eltrombopag, a small molecule agonist of the thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor used in the clinic, promotes DNA double strand break (DSB) repair in human HSPCs. Read More

Infect Dis (Lond) 2019 Apr 15:1-8. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

a Department of Infectious Diseases , Singapore General Hospital , Singapore.

Background: Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) associated infections (LVADIs) have substantial morbidity and mortality. We aim to describe the incidence and epidemiology of LVADIs in an Asian cohort. This is currently not well studied. Read More

Nephrol Dial Transplant 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Weill Cornell Medicine-New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA.

Kidney transplantation (KT) is the optimal therapy for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), resulting in significant improvement in survival as well as quality of life when compared with maintenance dialysis. The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in ESKD is reduced after KT; however, it still remains the leading cause of premature patient and allograft loss, as well as a source of significant morbidity and healthcare costs. All major phenotypes of CVD including coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease, arrhythmias and pulmonary hypertension are represented in the KT recipient population. Read More

J Heart Lung Transplant 2019 Apr 4. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Toronto Lung Transplant Program, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Dermatol Online J 2019 Mar 15;25(3). Epub 2019 Mar 15.

San Diego Family Dermatology, National City, California.

The nail plate flag sign is a distinctive nail plate change that appears as white, red, white, and red sequential transverse bands beginning at the proximal nail fold. This distinctive nail change was initially described in patients with diabetes mellitus and leprosy; indeed, it was considered to be characteristic, but not diagnostic of leprosy. Subsequently, the flag sign was observed in patients with vitiligo. Read More

JACC Heart Fail 2019 Apr 3. Epub 2019 Apr 3.

Advanced Heart Failure, Inova Heart and Vascular Institute, Falls Church, Virginia.

Objectives: This study sought to determine clinician and scientist involvement in heart failure (HF) clinical research and to describe the challenges of conducting clinical trials in the United States.

Background: Improvements in the current capability, potential, and deficiencies of the HF clinical research infrastructure in the United States are needed in order to enhance efficiency and impact.

Methods: The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) distributed an electronic survey regarding HF clinical trial activity for the purpose of understanding the barriers that exist to conducting high-quality HF clinical research. Read More

Cryobiology 2019 Apr 11. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

U955-IMRB, équipe 03, Inserm, UPEC, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Créteil, France.

Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of ischemia-reperfusion during myocardial transplantation. Therefore, graft preservation solutions may be improved by supplementation with antioxidants to minimize graft dysfunction caused by cold ischemic injury. Propolis is a polyphenol-rich substance which has an important antioxidant activity. Read More

Rev Med Interne 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Service de médecine interne 2, Centre national de référence maladies systémiques rares, lupus et syndrome des anticorps antiphospholipides, hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Sorbonne université, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 47-83, boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France. Electronic address:

Introduction: Heart failure during systemic lupus erythematosus has various causes.

Case Report: A 29-year-old female presented with a systemic lupus flare and a nephrotic syndrome, followed by cardiogenic shock requiring extra-corporeal membranous oxygenation. Ventricular dysfunction was related to massive myocardial infarction due to an anterior interventricular artery thrombosis and an underlying atheroma. Read More

Nephrol Ther 2019 Apr;15 Suppl 1:S115-S121

Service de néphrologie et transplantation, CHU de Poitiers, 2, rue de la Milétrie, 86021 Poitiers, France; Centre de référence « Amylose AL et autres maladies par dépôt d'immunoglobulines monoclonales », 2, rue de la Milétrie, 86021 Poitiers, France.

AL amyloidosis is caused by the conversion of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains into amyloid fibrillar aggregates that deposit in tissue and lead to organ dysfunction. Diagnosis is histological and relies primarily on non-invasive biopsies, showing Congo red-positive amorphous deposits containing immunoglobulin light chains, most commonly of lambda isotype. The clinical presentation is extremely polymorphous, due to the large number of organs that can be affected by the disease. Read More

Hum Immunol 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

HLA and Immunogenetics Laboratory, Comprehensive Transplant Center, Cedars-Sinai Health System, Los Angeles, CA, United States.

Angiotensin II type I receptor (AT1R) is a critical player in regulating vasoconstriction, blood pressure, sodium retention. Even though AT1R has limited polymorphism, AT1R antibodies have been detected in several diseases. The role of AT1R antibodies in transplantation is first reported in kidney transplant, and then identified in heart and lung transplants. Read More

Ann Thorac Surg 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Suita, Osaka, Japan. Electronic address:

Heart failure is a refractory condition despite remarkable medical progress in therapeutic concepts. Recently, tissue-engineered cell-sheet implantation for end-stage heart failure has been explored experimentally and clinically. We present the case of a 22-year-old woman with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) who underwent mitral valve replacement and coronary artery bypass graft for infective endocarditis. Read More

Clin Res Cardiol 2019 Apr 12. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Department of Medicine III, Institute for Cardiomyopathy, University of Heidelberg, INF 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.

Background: Left ventricular non-compaction has been increasingly diagnosed in recent years. However, it is still debated whether non-compaction is a pathological condition or a physiological trait. In this meta-analysis and systematic review, we compare studies, which investigated these two different perspectives. Read More

Transplant Proc 2019 Apr 9;51(3):901-912. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China. Electronic address:

Background: MiR-146a plays a critical regulatory role in the homeostasis and function of regulatory T cells (Treg cells). The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of miR-146 in regulating Treg function to ameliorate acute cardiac rejection in mice.

Methods: We downregulated the miR-146a expression of Treg cells in recipients and constructed murine heterotopic heart transplantation models. Read More

Transplant Proc 2019 Apr 8;51(3):875-879. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Lung Transplantation, Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China. Electronic address:

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for perioperative mortality in patients with severe idiopathic pulmonary hypertension (IPAH) undergoing lung transplantation (LTx).

Methods: Twenty-two IPAH patients were included in the study and were divided 2 groups: a case group with early death post LTx (n = 5, 22.7%) and the remaining 17 recipients (87. Read More

Transplant Proc 2019 Apr 9;51(3):865-870. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Institute for Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum Nordrhein-Westfalen, Ruhr University Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany.

Background: Although low (but increasing) rates of lung/lung-heart transplantations of scleroderma (systemic sclerosis [SSc]) patients have been reported, exclusive heart transplantation is a rare approach for treatment of heart failure due to SSc.

Cases: We report on 2 cases of SSc patients receiving a heart transplantation (HTx) due to severe and progressive right heart failure without pulmonary artery hypertension. One patient received a hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive donor heart and recovered excellently from viral transmission after administration of a direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimen. Read More

Transplant Proc 2019 Apr 9;51(3):852-858. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, RWJ Barnabas Health, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, New Jersey.

Background: Continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVAD) are widely used as a bridge to transplantation (BTT) among patients with advanced heart failure. The primary outcome of the current study was to study the incidence of waitlist mortality and morbidity of CF-LVAD patients bridged to heart transplantation in the current BTT era and to determine the factors that increased their risk of delisting.

Methods: Patients who were bridged to heart transplant with a CF-LVAD between April 2008 and September 2015 were identified from the United Network for Organ Sharing heart transplant registry. Read More

Transplant Proc 2019 Apr 9;51(3):684-691. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Division of Geriatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.

Background: Older kidney patients with chronic kidney disease benefit significantly from kidney transplantation. However, these older transplant recipients have greater mortality after transplantation than younger transplant recipients. Understanding the impact of comorbidities on post-transplant mortality can improve risk stratification and patient selection. Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2019 Mar 15. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

Research and Innovation Unit, INSERM U999, DHU TORINO, Paris Sud University, Marie Lannelongue Hospital, Le Plessis Robinson, France; Department of Thoracic and Vascular Surgery and Heart-lung Transplantation, Marie Lannelongue Hospital, Le Plessis Robinson, France.

Objective: We aimed to assess the mitochondrial respiratory capacities in the right ventricle in the setting of ventricular remodeling induced by pressure overload.

Methods: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension was induced in 8 piglets over a 12-week period (chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension model). Right ventricular remodeling, right ventricular function, and mitochondrial respiratory function were assessed at 3, 6, and 12 weeks after induction of pulmonary hypertension and were compared with sham animals (n = 5). Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2019 Mar 15. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. Electronic address:

J Clin Med 2019 Apr 11;8(4). Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Korea.

A retrospective review was performed to assess the risk factors and outcomes of BK virus infection and nephropathy (BKVN), an early complication in pediatric kidney allograft recipients. The study investigated the incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of BK viremia and BKVN in a Korean population of pediatric patients who received renal transplantation from 2001-2015 at the Seoul National University Hospital. BKVN was defined as biopsy-proven BKVN or plasma BK viral loads >10,000 copies/mL for >3 weeks. Read More

PLoS One 2019 12;14(4):e0214513. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg, Germany.

Background: Unloading of failing hearts by left ventricular assist devices induces an extensive cardiac remodeling which may lead to a reversal of the initial phenotype-or to its deterioration. The mechanisms underlying these processes are unclear.

Hypothesis: Heterotopic heart transplantion (hHTX) is an accepted model for the study of mechanical unloading in rodents. Read More