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Materials (Basel) 2022 Jun 17;15(12). Epub 2022 Jun 17.

Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.

Mitral regurgitation is a common valvular disorder. Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) is a minimally invasive technique which involves holding together the middle segments of the mitral valve leaflets, thereby reducing regurgitation. To date, MitraClip™ is the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved device for TEER. Read More

Diagnostics (Basel) 2022 Jun 14;12(6). Epub 2022 Jun 14.

Department of Anesthesia, Intensive Care Unit and Pain Therapy, IRCCS Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Milan, Italy.

In critically ill patients, standard transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) generally does not facilitate good image quality during mechanical ventilation. We propose a prone-TTE in prone positioned patients, which allows clinicians to obtain a complete apical four-chamber (A-4-C) view. A basic cardiac assessment can be performed in order to evaluate right ventricle function and left ventricle performance, even measuring objective parameters, i. Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2022 Jun;15(12):1266-1274

Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of León, León, Spain.

Background: Data on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) using balloon-expandable valves (BEVs) or self-expandable valves (SEVs) as well as the impact of center valve preference on these outcomes are limited.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare outcomes of TAVR procedures using third-generation BEVs and SEVs stratified by center valve preference.

Methods: In a multicenter registry (n = 17), 13 centers exhibited valve preference (66. Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2022 Jun;15(12):1264-1265

Structural Heart Intervention Program, Department of Surgery, Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2022 Jun;15(12):1249-1263

Cardiovascular Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Transcatheter mitral valve repair is beneficial in patients with mitral regurgitation (MR), left ventricular dysfunction, and persistent symptoms despite maximally tolerated medical therapy.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of transcatheter mitral cerclage ventriculoplasty in patients with MR and either heart failure with reduced ejection fraction or preserved ejection fraction and in subjects with prior edge-to-edge repair but persistent or recurrent symptomatic MR.

Methods: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Division of Intramural Research Transcatheter Mitral Cerclage Ventriculoplasty Early Feasibility Study (NCT03929913) was an investigator-initiated prospective multicenter study. Read More

Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J 2022 3;18(3):87-88. Epub 2022 Jun 3.

Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, Houston, Texas, US.

A 73-year-old male with a history of dilated cardiomyopathy and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) to evaluate for endocarditis due to fever and gram-positive cocci in chains on blood cultures. TTE revealed a 3 × 8 mm mass on the ventricular aspect of the tricuspid valve ( ). Subsequent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) showed that the mass in question was actually myxomatous degeneration of the tricuspid valve (TV) and redundant chordae with significant valve prolapse. Read More

J Vasc Surg 2022 Jun 14. Epub 2022 Jun 14.

Department of Surgery, Rijnstate, Arnhem, The Netherlands.

Objective: There is a significant cardiac morbidity and mortality after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). However, information about long-term risk of cardiac events after EVAR and potential predictors is lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine incidence and predictors of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at one- and five-years after elective EVAR for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms. Read More

Interv Cardiol Clin 2022 Jul;11(3):233-243

Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Banner University Medical Center, 1111 East McDowell, Phoneix, AZ 85006, USA.

Paravalvular leaks (PVLs) are challenging lesions that require a comprehensive understanding of surgical and transcatheter heart therapies, multimodality imaging, and transcatheter techniques. Approach to a transcatheter heart valve (THV) or surgical prosthesis for PVL differs in terms of options and varies according to the location (aortic or mitral). A suggested framework for transcatheter PVL repair is defect localization, access planning, defect crossing, sheath delivery. Read More

Beijing Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 2022 Jun;54(3):578-580

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.

Infective endocarditis in pregnancy is extremely rare in clinical practice. Guidelines addressing prophylaxis and management of infective endocarditis do not extensively deal with concomitant pregnancy, and case reports on infective endocarditis are scarce. Due to increased blood volume and hemodynamic changes in late pregnancy, endocardial neoplasms are easy to fall off and cause systemic or pulmonary embolism, respiratory, cardiac arrest and sudden death may occur in pregnant women, the fetus can suffer from intrauterine distress and stillbirth at any time, leading to adverse outcomes for pregnant women and fetuses. Read More

JACC Case Rep 2022 Apr 6;4(7):449-454. Epub 2022 Apr 6.

Mark Taper Imaging Center, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.

We present a rare case of a young patient who underwent a bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement and subsequently experienced a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm complicated by valve dehiscence and paravalvular mitral regurgitation, demonstrated by multimodality imaging and confirmed during surgical repair. (). Read More

Circ Cardiovasc Interv 2022 Jun 10:101161CIRCINTERVENTIONS121011562. Epub 2022 Jun 10.

Valve Science Center, Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, MN (H.S., J.L.C., R.B., V.N.B., S.G., M.G., G.H., M.F., M.E.-S., P.S.).

Background: Although transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) is effective and safe, there is a need for better prediction of optimal outcomes. We aimed to determine predictors of optimal reduction in mitral regurgitation (MR) and survival with TEER.

Methods: We examined mitral anatomy and its change with TEER on outcomes in 183 patients (age, 82 [77-87] years; 53% women). Read More

Cardiovasc Diabetol 2022 Jun 9;21(1):100. Epub 2022 Jun 9.

Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 37# Guo Xue Xiang, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.

Background: Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients induced by left ventricular (LV) enlargement and mitral valve abnormality may aggravated the impairment in left atrial (LA) compliance. Thus, this study aimed to depict how FMR and LV dysfunction affect LA compliance in T2DM patients with FMR.

Materials And Methods: A total of 148 patients with T2DM and 49 age- and sex-matched normal controls underwent cardiac magnetic resonance examination. Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2022 Jun;15(6):987-988

Division of Cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2022 Jun 16;15(6):974-986. Epub 2022 Feb 16.

Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Background: Topological data analysis (TDA) can generate patient-patient similarity networks by analyzing large, complex data and derive new insights that may not be possible with standard statistics.

Objectives: The purpose of this paper was to discover novel phenotypes of chronic primary mitral regurgitation (MR) patients and to analyze their clinical implications using network analysis of echocardiographic data.

Methods: Patients with chronic moderate to severe primary MR were prospectively enrolled from 11 Asian tertiary hospitals (n = 850; mean age 56. Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2022 Jun;15(6):971-973

Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute, Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, New Jersey, USA. Electronic address:

Mayo Clin Proc 2022 Jun;97(6):1094-1107

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Electronic address:

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and natural history of mitral annulus calcification (MAC) and associated mitral valve dysfunction (MVD) in patients undergoing clinically indicated echocardiography.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of all adults who underwent echocardiography in 2015. Mitral valve dysfunction was defined as mitral regurgitation or mitral stenosis (MS) of moderate or greater severity. Read More

J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2022 Jun;35(6):533-569

Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Canada.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is defined by the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy in the absence of other potentially causative cardiac, systemic, syndromic, or metabolic diseases. Symptoms can be related to a range of pathophysiologic mechanisms including left ventricular outflow tract obstruction with or without significant mitral regurgitation, diastolic dysfunction with heart failure with preserved and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, autonomic dysfunction, ischemia, and arrhythmias. Appropriate understanding and utilization of multimodality imaging is fundamental to accurate diagnosis as well as longitudinal care of patients with HCM. Read More

EuroIntervention 2022 06 3;18(2):e101-e102. Epub 2022 Jun 3.

Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, Heart Center Leipzig, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2022 24;2022:3803818. Epub 2022 May 24.

Department of Imaging, Xianghe County People's Hospital, Xianghe, China.

Objective: This study is to assess the application of combined detection of echocardiography and serum N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-ProBNP) in the diagnosis of diastolic heart failure (DHF) and its effect on left ventricular morphology and diastolic function.

Methods: Thirty patients with DHF with enrolled in our hospital between January 2019 and January 2021 were included in the experimental group, and thirty healthy individuals during the same period were included in the control group. The blood pressure, heart rate (HR), left ventricular morphology, diastolic function, and serum NT-ProBNP levels were compared between the two groups. Read More

Open Heart 2022 06;9(1)

Cardiology, Lebanese American University Medical Center-Rizk Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon

Severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is an undertreated common pathology associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Classically, surgical repair or valve replacement were the only therapeutic options and are associated with up to 10% postprocedural mortality. Transcatheter tricuspid valve interventions are a novel and effective therapeutic option for the treatment of significant TR. Read More

J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) 2022 Jun;23(6):399-405

Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Pontchaillou University Hospital.

Aims: To evaluate the safety/effectiveness of a recently established robotic-assisted mitral surgery program.

Methods: Cohort study with prospective collection of clinical data of 59 consecutive recipients (May 2019-August 2021) of robotic-assisted (fourth-generation platform, DaVinci X) mitral valve repair for degenerative disease, using a totally endoscopic technique. Patients' selection was based on defined anatomical and clinical criteria. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2022 Aug 26;176:125-131. Epub 2022 May 26.

Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

In this study, we aimed to assess a large cohort of nonapical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) patients who have undergone 2 serial cardiac magnetic resonance studies to examine morphological dynamics and their correlation to patient characteristics and clinical outcomes. A total of 214 patients with nonapical HC were enrolled in this study, with 2 sequential cardiac magnetic resonance studies separated by a mean interval of 4.8 ± 2. Read More

J Med Case Rep 2022 May 29;16(1):211. Epub 2022 May 29.

Department of Cardiology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu, 501-1194, Japan.

Background: Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, also known as Osler-Weber-Rendu disease, induces arteriovenous malformations in visceral organs. Arteriovenous malformations increase the risk of severe infections and are a common complication associated with hemorrhagic telangiectasia. However, cases of endocarditis associated with hemorrhagic telangiectasia are rarely reported. Read More

Comput Math Methods Med 2022 21;2022:1997371. Epub 2022 May 21.

Department of Cardiac Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University; Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, Beijing 100029, China.

Surgical treatment of mitral valve diseases has become minimally invasive. This study analyzed the follow-up results of patients after mitral valve repairs (MVRep) using the da Vinci robot. The clinical data of patients who underwent minimally invasive MVRep using the da Vinci robot between January 2016 and June 2021 and completed follow-ups were prospectively collected. Read More

Cardiovasc Revasc Med 2022 May 18. Epub 2022 May 18.

Department of Cardiology, Mercy Health St Vincent Medical Center, Toledo, OH.

Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) is a relatively novel approach for treatment of symptomatic severe mitral regurgitation. Intra procedural thrombus formation is a rare but potential complication. Herein, we describe a case of large right atrial thrombus formation after transseptal puncture, that was successfully managed using aspiration thrombectomy. Read More

Kyobu Geka 2022 Jun;75(6):472-475

Divison of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kansai Electric Power Hospital, Osaka, Japan.

Giant cell myocarditis (GCM) is one of the rare diseases that cause fatal heart failure and suspected to be associated with autoimmune disorder. There are few reports that the patients of GCM live long because of their progressive heart failure. We report a rare case of patient who was suspected two long hospitalizations due to heart failure in her childhood and peripartum period, and incidentally diagnosed with GCM by myocardial biopsy performed at the aortic valve replacement and mitral annuloplasty for severe aortic valve regurgitation and moderate mitral regurgitation. Read More

Kyobu Geka 2022 Jun;75(6):461-465

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Odawara Cardiovascular Hospital, Odawara, Japan.

There are only few reports on surgery for partial atrioventricular septal defect( pAVSD) in patients aged over 70 years. This report is about successful surgical correction of pAVSD in a 79-year-old women. Echocardiography showed left-sided atrioventricular valve regurgitation with cleft and ostium primum atrial septal defect, but without ventricular septal defect. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2022 Aug 23;360:29-35. Epub 2022 May 23.

CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Department of Cardiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Department of Cardiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, University of Adelaide and Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address:

Background: To identify the association between comorbidities and left atrial (LA) and right atrial (RA) function in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Speckle-tracking echocardiography was performed in 344 patients with paroxysmal AF at baseline, and available in 298 patients after 1-year follow-up. Read More

Arq Bras Cardiol 2022 05;118(5):937-945

Hospital da Criança de Brasília, José de Alencar, Brasília, DF - Brasil.

Background: Some patients with COVID-19 present myocardial injury.

Objective: To detect myocardial injury in critically ill paediatric patients, and to compare cardiac involvement between children with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and children with multisystemic inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C).

Methods: All COVID-19 children admitted to a referral intensive care unit were prospectively enrolled and had a two-dimensional echocardiogram (2D-TTE) and a cardiac troponin I (cTnI) assay within the first 72 hours. Read More

J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2022 May 20. Epub 2022 May 20.

Philips Research (Suresnes, France).

Background: Quantification of mitral regurgitation (MR) by echocardiography is an integral to assessing lesion severity, and entails integration of multiple Doppler-based parameters. These methods are primarily founded upon the principle of PISA (proximal isovelocity surface area), a 2D method known to employ several assumptions regarding MR jet characteristics. We analyzed the results of a semi-automated method of 3D-based RV estimation which accounts for jet behavior throughout the cardiac cycle, and compared it to conventional 2D PISA methods for MR. Read More