Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Eur J Intern Med 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Cardiology, Cardiology I, University Medical Center Mainz (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz), Mainz, Germany.

Aims: Syncope is a common phenomenon in the general population. Although most of the causes are of benign origin, some comorbidities are accompanied by high mortality. We aimed to compare the in-hospital mortality of patients with syncope related to different comorbities and investigate the impact of syncope in patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF). Read More

Front Physiol 2018 31;9:1951. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Guang'anmen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.

Risk stratification of patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS) is vital for accurate prognosis and therapeutic decisions. Spontaneous Type 1 ST segment elevation is generally considered to be an independent risk factor for arrhythmic events. Other risk factors include gender, syncope, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), and positive electrophysiological study (EPS). Read More

Am J Emerg Med 2019 Feb 6. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Department of Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan.

Background: Neurally mediated syncope (NMS) is a disorder of autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation. Orthostatic stress is one of the most common causative factors seen in clinical practice. Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive method that is used to assess ANS regulation. Read More

Int J Obstet Anesth 2019 Jan 6. Epub 2019 Jan 6.

Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place Box 1010, New York, NY 10029, United States. Electronic address:

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an adjunctive therapy for medically refractory epilepsy and depression. Vagus nerve stimulation is generally well-tolerated, but cardiac arrhythmias or asystole are rare complications that have been reported. This case report describes an obstetric patient who received epidural analgesia and subsequently experienced two episodes of syncope synchronous with stimulation from her VNS device. Read More

Heart Rhythm 2019 Feb 11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Departments of Cardiovascular Medicine (Division of Heart Rhythm Services), Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (Division of Pediatric Cardiology), and Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Electronic address:

Background: Catecholamingergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is characterized by adrenergically-induced VT, syncope, and sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). In the absence of structural disease, exercise-provoked premature ventricular contractions in bigeminy/couplets and non-sustained VT are highly predictive of CPVT.

Objective: To determine the number of missed/delayed CPVT diagnoses attributable to exercise testing oversights in a cohort of young SCA survivors. Read More

Ir J Med Sci 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Pediatrics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, No. 107 Wenhuaxi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong Province, China.

Background: Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is a heterogeneous disorder that creates challenges for treatment. Metoprolol is an important therapeutic option for children with VVS.

Aims: The study examined the predictive value of 24-h urine norepinephrine (NE) levels in the assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of metoprolol for recurrent VVS in children. Read More

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2018 25;5(5):000842. Epub 2018 May 25.

Department of Cardiology, A. Manzoni Hospital, Lecco, Italy.

We describe the case of a patient with malignant vasodepressive cough syncope. We demonstrated a vaso-vagal mechanism related to left vagal neuritis, by means of laryngoscopy and laryngeal electromyography. The condition resolved with steroid therapy. Read More

J Emerg Med 2019 Feb 9. Epub 2019 Feb 9.

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Background: Brugada pattern on electrocardiography (ECG) can manifest as type 1 (coved pattern) and type 2 (saddleback pattern). Brugada syndrome represents an ECG with Brugada pattern in a patient with symptoms or clinical factors, including syncope, cardiac arrest, ventricular dysrhythmias, and family history. Brugada syndrome is caused by a genetic channelopathy, but the Brugada pattern may be drug-induced. Read More

J Int Med Res 2019 Feb 12:300060519826462. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Ultrasound, Wuhan Asia Heart Hospital, Wuhan, China.

Blood cysts of the mitral valve are rare in adults. These blood cysts are often asymptomatic. Blood cysts resulting in severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction leading to syncope have not been previously report. Read More

Neth Heart J 2019 Feb 11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Department of Cardiology, Catharina Ziekenhuis, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

Neth Heart J 2019 Feb 11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Department of Cardiology, Catharina Ziekenhuis, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

Drugs Aging 2019 Feb 11. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Falls are a major public health concern in the older population, and certain medication classes are a significant risk factor for falls. However, knowledge is lacking among both physicians and older people, including caregivers, concerning the role of medication as a risk factor. In the present statement, the European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS) Task and Finish group on fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs), in collaboration with the EuGMS Special Interest group on Pharmacology and the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) Geriatric Medicine Section, outlines its position regarding knowledge dissemination on medication-related falls in older people across Europe. Read More

Wiad Lek 2018 ;71(9):1823-1828

Ukrainian Medical Stomatological Academy, Poltava, Ukraine.

Objective: Introduction: At present, syncopal conditions remain an interdisciplinary problem. Most often, syncope is a consequence of organic or functional damage to the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the endocrine system. Among the various types of paroxysmal states that are observed in the neurological practice, syncopal conditions rank the first position by frequency. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Feb;98(6):e14437

Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

Background: Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a recently recognized, immune-mediated chronic fibrotic inflammation that can involve almost all organs, causing tumefaction and dysfunction. Its presence in pulmonary circulation is underestimated and has not yet been investigated.

Objectives: We describe a representative IgG4-RD patient with pulmonary artery stenosis and pulmonary embolism, leading to reversible pulmonary hypertension. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Feb;98(6):e14152

Department of Pediatrics.

Rationale: Hemoptysis or hematemesis is a common clinical symptom in adults, but is unusually to be observed in children. Hemoptysis can occur with circulatory diseases, injuries, several types of systemic diseases, or systemic factors including factitious disorder (FD), which is difficult to be diagnosed. Here, we report a case of hemoptysis caused by FD to provide a diagnostic flow chart for such kind of disease. Read More

Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2019 Feb 6:e12640. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.

Background: The aim of study was to investigate effects of beta-blockade on microvolt T-wave alternans (TWA), a precursor of lethal arrhythmia, in patients with long QT syndrome (LQTS).

Methods: Eleven consecutive LQTS patients, types 1 (n = 6), 3 (n = 2), and "non-1, non-2, non-3" (n = 3) were enrolled. All patients underwent 24-hr continuous 12-lead ECG monitoring before and after initiation of beta-blockade therapy. Read More

Case Rep Genet 2019 8;2019:9056596. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Cardiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

A 62-year-old female had suffered from recurrent syncopal episodes triggered by physical and emotional stress since childhood. She had no family history of sudden death. An intensive examination could not detect any structural disease, and exercise stress testing provoked polymorphic ventricular ectopy followed by polymorphic ventricular tachycardia accompanied with syncope leading to a diagnosis of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT). Read More

Acad Emerg Med 2019 Feb 5. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Center for Policy and Research in Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Oregon Heath& Science University, Portland, OR.

Objective: An estimated 1.2 million annual emergency department (ED) visits for syncope/ near syncope occur in the United States. Cardiac biomarkers are frequently obtained during the ED evaluation, but the prognostic value of index high-sensitivity troponin (hscTnT) and Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) are unclear. Read More

SAGE Open Med Case Rep 2019 16;7:2050313X18823380. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Heart & Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.

Background: Myocardial bridge is defined as a segment of a coronary artery that takes an intramyocardial course. The presence of myocardial bridge has been observed in as many as 40%-80% of cases on autopsy, angiographically from 0.5% to 16. Read More

Clin Ther 2019 Feb 1. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Department of Nephrology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China. Electronic address:

Purpose: At present, a diverse array of treatment regimens are available for systemic amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. Both cyclophosphamide + thalidomide + dexamethasone (CTD) and melphalan + dexamethasone (MD) regimens have been recommended as first-line therapies, but no detailed comparative studies of the two have been performed. This study is the first to compare the efficacy and tolerability of the CTD and MD regimens in the treatment of AL amyloidosis. Read More

JAMA Intern Med 2019 Feb 4. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

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

J Vet Cardiol 2019 Jan 29. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Clinica Veterinaria Malpensa, Viale Marconi 27, 21017 Samarate, Varese, Italy.

Pacemaker implantation is considered as a standard procedure for treatment of symptomatic bradycardia in both dogs and cats. Advanced second-degree and third-degree atrioventricular blocks, sick sinus syndrome, persistent atrial standstill, and vasovagal syncope are the most common rhythm disturbances that require pacing to either alleviate clinical signs or prolong survival. Most pacemakers are implanted transvenously, using endocardial leads, but rarely epicardial leads may be necessary. Read More

Lancet Haematol 2019 Feb;6(2):e100-e109

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

Background: Therapeutic approaches for B-cell malignancies continue to evolve, especially with regard to combination approaches. We assessed the safety and efficacy of the triplet ublituximab, umbralisib, and ibrutinib in patients with advanced B-cell malignancies.

Methods: We did an open-label, phase 1 study with dose-escalation and dose-expansion phases, at five centres in the USA. Read More

BMC Pulm Med 2019 Feb 1;19(1):26. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.

Background: Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) encompasses a group of immune-mediated disorders that are gaining increasing recognition. Pulmonary presentations are common, with four types of patterns been described on radiography, including solid nodular, bronchovascular, ground glass opacities, and alveolar interstitial. Pleural thickening and pleural effusion have also been reported. Read More

Chin Med J (Engl) 2019 Feb;132(4):411-419

Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.

Background: Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is common in children and greatly affect both physical and mental health. But the mechanisms have not been completely explained. This study was designed to analyze the gut microbiota in children with VVS and explore its clinical significance. Read More

Med Sci Sports Exerc 2019 Jan 30. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Oregon Health & Science University, Neurology, Portland, OR.

Purpose: We determined if a high-intensity aerobic exercise program would be safe, improve expected fitness and clinical outcomes, and alter exploratory phosphorous magnetic resonance spectroscopy (P MRS) outcomes in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS).

Methods: This open-label prospective pilot study compared 2 cohorts of ambulatory PwMS matched for age, sex and VO2max. Cohorts underwent 8-weeks of high-intensity aerobic exercise (MS-Ex, n=10) or guided stretching (MS-Ctr, n=7). Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Feb;98(5):e14267

5th Department of Internal Medicine, 2nd Internal Medicine, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Rtionale: Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a genetic cardiomyopathy characterized by the presence of a thin compacted layer of myocardium and a spongy subendocardial layer with trabeculations and recesses. LVNC associated Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome is very rare.

Patient Concerns: A 32-year-old male presented with short episodes of palpitations and a syncope 6 months before his hospitalization. Read More

Am J Emerg Med 2019 Jan 15. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Emergency Medicine Residency, San Diego, CA, USA. Electronic address:

Syncope is a common emergency department (ED) chief complaint, with many known but also unknown causes. Here we present a novel ED presentation of a young woman with new-onset hyperthyroidism that masqueraded as a syncopal event with head trauma. A 21-year-old woman arrived in the ED with head trauma as the result of seemingly unprovoked syncope, due to her history as well as the nature of her trauma. Read More

J Clin Med 2019 Jan 29;8(2). Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Internal Medicine, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Biomedical Sciences Department, Humanitas University, 20089 Rozzano, Italy.

Syncope in a worker undertaking risky tasks may result in fatalities for the individual or for third parties. We aimed at assessing the rate of syncope recurrence and the risk factors underlying the likelihood of syncope relapse in a working-age population. A prospective cohort of all patients aged 18⁻65 years consecutively admitted to the Emergency Department for syncope was enrolled. Read More

Acad Emerg Med 2019 Jan 29. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

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

Prolonged QT interval (long QTc) predisposes to torsades de pointes, which can present with seizures, syncope, and sudden death. (1) While one-third of emergency department (ED) patients may have a prolonged corrected QT (QTc) interval, (2) often discovered incidentally, clinical significance is uncertain. In hospitalized patients or long-term community studies, long QTc is associated with increased mortality. Read More

Ann Emerg Med 2019 Jan 25. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Center for Policy Research-Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR.

Study Objective: The prevalence of pulmonary embolism among patients with syncope is understudied. In accordance with a recent study with an exceptionally high pulmonary embolism prevalence, some advocate evaluating all syncope patients for pulmonary embolism, including those with another clear cause for their syncope. We seek to evaluate the pulmonary embolism prevalence among emergency department (ED) patients with syncope. Read More

QJM 2019 Jan 25. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Sciences, Shiga, Japan.

Background: Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a heritable sudden cardiac death (SCD) disease with male predominance. Information on gender difference of BrS remains scarce.

Aim: We aimed to investigate the gender difference of BrS in Han Chinese. Read More

Cardiovasc Res 2019 Jan 23. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Departments of Medicine, Pharmacology, and Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.

The QT interval, a global index of ventricular repolarization, varies among individuals and is influenced by diverse physiologic and pathophysiologic stimuli such as gender, age, heart rate, electrolyte concentrations, concomitant cardiac disease, and other diseases such as diabetes. Many drugs produce a small but reproducible effect on QT interval but in rare instances this is exaggerated and marked QT prolongation can provoke the polymorphic ventricular tachycardia "torsades de pointes", which can cause syncope or sudden cardiac death. The generally accepted common mechanism whereby drugs prolong QT is block of a key repolarizing potassium current in heart, IKr, generated by expression of KCNH2, also known as HERG. Read More

North Clin Istanb 2018 Sep;5(3):264-267

Department of Cardiology, Health Sciences University, Kartal Kosuyolu Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

Spontaneous and simultaneous multivessel coronary artery spasm may present with multisite myocardial ischemia, atrioventricular block, acute lung edema, cardiogenic shock, or ventricular fibrillation. In a case of syncope caused by vasospasm, the underlying mechanism may be complex, such as atrioventricular block and/or ventricular arrhythmia. Dual implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) placement should be considered along with optimal medical treatment. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 9;9:1143. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Epilepsy Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Clinic i Provincial, Barcelona, Spain.

Antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD ab) have been found in patients with limbic encephalitis (LE) and chronic pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy (FE). The objectives of the study were to: (1) analyze the clinical and neuroimaging course of patients with FE+GAD ab, (2) compare these characteristics with a control group, and (3) describe the most affected cerebral areas with structural and functional imaging. Patients with FE + high titers of GAD ab and a follow-up of at least 5 years were selected. Read More

Acad Emerg Med 2019 Jan 27. Epub 2019 Jan 27.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Rush University Medical Center.

Syncope accounts for 1-3% of emergency department (ED) visits and 1-6% of hospital admissions. There are numerous etiologies, ranging from relatively benign vasovagal syncope to dangerous dysrhythmias. The ED evaluation and management of syncope is comprised of history, examination, and typically an electrocardiogram, with further investigation dependent upon clinical decision-making and suspected conditions. Read More

Exp Ther Med 2019 Feb 30;17(2):1143-1148. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Exercise Physiology and Sports Medicine Clinic, Center for Adolescent Medicine and UNESCO Chair on Adolescent Health Care, First Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece.

Athletic pre-participation screening is essential for minimizing the risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in athletes participating in either competitive or leisure sporting activities. The primary causes of SCD in young athletes (<35 years of age) include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital anomalies of the coronary artery and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. Other abnormalities, such as malignant arrhythmia due to blunt trauma to the chest (commotio cordis), myocarditis, valvular disease, aortic rupture (in Marfan syndrome) and ion channelopathies (catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, Brugada syndrome, long or short QT syndrome), also contribute to a lesser degree to SCD. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2019 Jan 8. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Cardiology, The Heart Center, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark & Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy remains a corner stone of sudden cardiac death (SCD) prevention in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). We aimed to assess predictors of appropriate ICD therapies in the Scandinavian cohort of ARVC patients who received ICD for primary prevention of SCD. Study group comprised of 79 definite ARVC patients by 2010 Task Force criteria (60% male, age at ICD implant 39 ± 14 years) who were enrolled in the Nordic ARVC Registry and received an ICD for primary SCD prevention. Read More

JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2019 Jan 28;5(1):55-65. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute, St. David's Medical Center, Austin, Texas. Electronic address:

Objectives: This study sought to determine the long-term outcomes of catheter ablation (CA) of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in a series of patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) without background implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy.

Background: Endo-epicardial CA of VT has been demonstrated to be highly effective in reducing recurrent VT in patients with ARVC.

Methods: Thirty-two patients (age 45 ± 13 years, 72% male) with ARVC and VT underwent CA in the absence of ICD therapy. Read More

Case Rep Nephrol 2018 23;2018:8641893. Epub 2018 Dec 23.

Division of Nephrology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.

Acute oxalate nephropathy (AON) is an increasingly recognized cause of acute kidney injury (AKI). Herein, we present two cases of biopsy-proven acute oxalate nephropathy in patients with gastrointestinal malabsorption, coincidentally both stemming from cholangiocarcinoma. The first is a 73-year-old male who presented with syncope and was found to have severe, oliguric AKI in the setting of newly diagnosed, nonresectable cholangiocarcinoma. Read More

Kardiol Pol 2019 ;77(1):67

Postgraduate Medical School, Department of Cardiology, Grochowski Hospital, Warsaw, Poland.

Kardiol Pol 2019 ;77(1):65-66

Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Usak, Usak, Turkey.

Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2018 Sep;38(9):1007-12

Department of Rehabilitation, the First Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of TCM.

Objective: To explore the current domestic situation of the adverse event in acupotomy so as to promote the standardization of acupotomy and improve the clinical effect and safety of acupotomy therapy.

Methods: The method of retrospective journal researching was used. The case report about the adverse event in acupotomy from CNKI, WANFANG and VIP databases was retrieved and the types, the features, the causes, the numbers of the papers and the cases were analyzed. Read More

Epilepsy Behav Case Rep 2019 24;11:47-51. Epub 2018 Nov 24.

Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-8435, USA.

Ictal syncope is a rare phenomenon that occurs in association with 0.002-0.4% of seizures. Read More

Hong Kong Med J 2019 Feb 23;25(1):21-9. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Department of Pathology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Kwai Chung, Hong Kong.

Objective: Sudden arrhythmia death syndrome (SADS) accounts for about 30% of causes of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young people. In Hong Kong, there are scarce data on SADS and a lack of experience in molecular autopsy. We aimed to investigate the value of molecular autopsy techniques for detecting SADS in an East Asian population. Read More

Int Med Case Rep J 2019 9;12:9-14. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Behesti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.

A 58-year-old man who presented with syncope, dyspnea, and hemodynamic compromise was found to have large free-floating right atrial thrombuses on echocardiogram. Decision was made to transfer the patient for emergent atriotomy. Cardiothoracic surgeons declared the patient as inoperable and recommended to use a lytic agent. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2019 Apr 4;280:135-141. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Ultrasound Department, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China. Electronic address:

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common genetic cardiovascular disease, causing breathlessness, chest pain, syncope and sudden death. One-year outcome of echo-guided transthoracic percutaneous laser ablation (TPLA) of the sheep interventricular septum was studied as a novel treatment to reduce the septal thickness. It may partially address the limitations of surgical myectomy and alcohol septal ablation in terms of trauma, safety, and efficacy. Read More