Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2022 Jun 24. Epub 2022 Jun 24.

Department of Internal Medicine, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, N-0370, Oslo, Norway.

Background: Healthy young athletes adapt to the increased demands of endurance exercise with symmetric cardiac remodeling. Male veteran endurance athletes have an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), and some athletes seem susceptible to changes mimicking arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. Intense exercise puts a disproportionate hemodynamic load on the right-sided heart chambers. Read More

Front Physiol 2022 8;13:867705. Epub 2022 Jun 8.

Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Glenfield Hospital, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom.

Abnormal autonomic activity including impaired parasympathetic control is a known hallmark of heart failure (HF). Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been shown to reduce the susceptibility of the heart to ventricular fibrillation, however the precise underlying mechanisms are not well understood and the detailed stimulation parameters needed to improve patient outcomes clinically are currently inconclusive. To investigate NO release and cardiac electrophysiological effects of electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve at varying parameters using the isolated innervated rabbit heart preparation. Read More

J Gene Med 2022 Jun 24:e3437. Epub 2022 Jun 24.

Heart Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.

Background: Phase I KAT301 trial investigated the use of intramyocardial adenoviral vascular endothelial growth factor -D (AdVEGF-D) gene therapy (GT) to alleviate symptoms in refractory angina (RA) patients. In KAT301, 30 patients with RA were randomized to AdVEGF-D or control group in 4:1 ratio. The treatment was found feasible, increased myocardial perfusion, and reduced angina symptoms at 1-year follow-up. Read More

Br J Cardiol 2021 2;28(3):30. Epub 2021 Jun 2.

House Officer (Postgraduate Year 1) Department of Internal Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Singapore 169608.

Exercise prevents and aids treatment of coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, obesity and depression, reduces cardiac events and improves survival. However, evidence suggests that the relationship between exercise and mortality may be curvilinear, with modest additional benefit at higher levels. Intensive exercise has also been associated with increased atrial fibrillation risk, although its clinical implications are not well understood. Read More

Br J Cardiol 2021 2;28(2):24. Epub 2021 Jun 2.

Consultant Cardiologist and Departmental Research Lead Birmingham City Hospital, SWBH NHS Trust, Dudley Road, Birmingham, B18 7QH.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) commonly involves the respiratory system but increasingly cardiovascular involvement is recognised. We assessed electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities in patients with COVID-19. We performed retrospective analysis of the hospital's COVID-19 database from April to May 2020. Read More

Medicina (Kaunas) 2022 Jun 2;58(6). Epub 2022 Jun 2.

Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave JJN3-01, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.

: Patients with pre-existing cardiac disease have a higher prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA has been associated with an increased risk of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmia. We screened subjects with implanted pacemakers and automated implantable cardioverter defibrillators (AICD) for OSA with the Berlin Questionnaire and compared the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias and automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) firing between high and low OSA risk groups. Read More

J Clin Med 2022 Jun 18;11(12). Epub 2022 Jun 18.

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

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with left heart disease (PH-LHD) is the most common form of PH and has significantly higher morbidity and mortality. We estimated the prevalence of PH-LHD on the follow-up echocardiography and the role of left atrial (LA) function in PH-LHD. From the STRATS-AHF registry composed of 4312 acute heart failure (HF) patients, we analyzed peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) in 1729 patients with follow-up echocardiographic examinations during mean 18. Read More

J Clin Med 2022 Jun 10;11(12). Epub 2022 Jun 10.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 02841, Korea.

: A substantial proportion of cardiac arrhythmias are paroxysmal in nature, and 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) and Holter monitoring often fail to detect paroxysmal arrhythmias. We designed and evaluated a watch-type, electrocardiograph-recording, wearable device (w-ECG) to overcome the limitations of 12-lead ECG and Holter monitoring. : We prospectively enrolled 96 patients with symptoms assumed to be related to cardiac arrhythmias. Read More

J Clin Med 2022 Jun 7;11(12). Epub 2022 Jun 7.

Division of Cardiology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Korea.

Although vasodilators are widely used in patients with vasospastic angina (VA), few studies have compared the long-term prognostic effects of different types of vasodilators. We investigated the long-term effects of vasodilators on clinical outcomes in VA patients according to the type of vasodilator used. Study data were obtained from a prospective multicenter registry that included patients who had symptoms suggestive of VA. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 Jun 14;19(12). Epub 2022 Jun 14.

3rd Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland.

Hyperuricemia is associated with the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure. However, coexisting chronic kidney disease and certain cardiovascular drugs make it difficult to determine whether hyperuricemia is a risk factor or merely a marker of pathology. We retrieved data from the Polish Atrial Fibrillation (POL-AF) registry, which included consecutive patients hospitalized with AF from January to December, 2019. Read More

Entropy (Basel) 2022 Jun 10;24(6). Epub 2022 Jun 10.

School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Baoshan District, Shanghai 200444, China.

(1) Background: A typical cardiac cycle consists of a P-wave, a QRS complex, and a T-wave, and these waves are perfectly shown in electrocardiogram signals (ECG). When atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs, P-waves disappear, and F-waves emerge. F-waves contain information on the cause of atrial fibrillation. Read More

Biomedicines 2022 May 26;10(6). Epub 2022 May 26.

Faculty of Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400000 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

The global prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is more than 20%, and the main causes include insufficient intake, reduced absorption, abnormal metabolism, or resistance to its effects. The levels of serum vitamin D appear to influence cardiovascular risk, and the mechanism involved is linked to the transient outward current and the ultrarapid delayed rectifier K+ current densities, activated through the nuclear vitamin D receptor and Akt pathway. A significant number of studies have correlated vitamin D deficiency with an increased risk of developing cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Read More

Antioxidants (Basel) 2022 Jun 2;11(6). Epub 2022 Jun 2.

Department of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, Division of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Haematology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland.

Antioxidants are substances that can prevent damage to cells caused by free radicals. Production of reactive oxygen species and the presence of oxidative stress play an important role in cardiac arrhythmias. Currently used antiarrhythmic drugs have many side effects. Read More

JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2022 Jun;8(6):806-821

Center for Cardiovascular Innovation, Heart Rhythm Services, Division of Cardiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Victorian Heart Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.

Inherited arrhythmia syndromes are a common cause of apparently unexplained cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac death. These include long QT syndrome and Brugada syndrome, with a well-recognized phenotype in most patients with sufficiently severe disease to lead to cardiac arrest. Less common and typically less apparent conditions that may not be readily evident include catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, short QT syndrome and early repolarization syndrome. Read More

JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2022 Jun 30;8(6):800-802. Epub 2022 Mar 30.

JACC Clin Electrophysiol 2022 Jun 27;8(6):754-762. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Cardiology Division, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA. Electronic address:

Background: The RAID (Ranolazine Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator) randomized placebo-controlled trial showed that ranolazine treatment was associated with reduction in recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT) requiring appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify groups of patients in whom ranolazine treatment would result in the highest reduction of ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA) burden.

Methods: Andersen-Gill analyses were performed to identify variables associated with risk for VTA burden among 1,012 patients enrolled in RAID. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2022 Jun 23;15(6). Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Anaesthetics, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Canterbury, UK

A woman in her 90s with a background of myasthenia gravis and atrial fibrillation presented to hospital following a fall. While in the emergency department it was noted that she was in atrial fibrillation with a fast-ventricular response and as part of her management was given intravenous magnesium. Following this she developed acute respiratory failure and required intubation and ventilation. Read More

Clin Auton Res 2022 Jun 23. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences Kanazawa, Kanazawa, Japan.

Purpose: Catheter ablation (CA) to isolate the pulmonary vein, which is an established treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF), is associated with left atrium reverse remodeling (LARR). The intrinsic cardiac autonomic nervous system includes the ganglion plexi adjacent to the pulmonary vein in the left atrium (LA). However, little is known about the effect of CA on the relationship between LARR and sympathetic nerve activity in patients with AF. Read More

J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2022 Jun 6;9(6). Epub 2022 Jun 6.

Institute of Sports Medicine, Sport e Salute, 00197 Rome, Italy.

: The "FIDE Project" (Fitness Implantable DEvice) was organized by the Institute of Sports Medicine and Science and the World Society of Arrhythmias with the aim of demonstrating the usefulness of exercise training in improving functional capacity in patients with implantable cardiac devices. : Thirty sedentary patients were selected for the project (25 males and 5 females), with a mean age of 73 ± 5 years (range 44-94 years). Twenty-five were implanted with a Pacemaker (PM) and five with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD). Read More

J Endovasc Ther 2022 Jun 23:15266028221105183. Epub 2022 Jun 23.

Department of Thoracic Surgery and Vascular Diseases, Vascular Center, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of cava balloon occlusion on the myocardium during endovascular repair of thoracic aortic pathologies.

Material And Methods: A prospective observational cohort study of 21 patients who underwent endovascular repair of aortic arch and thoracic aorta in a single tertiary referral center with use of inferior vena cava (IVC) balloon occlusion as a method of intraoperative cardiac output reduction. Pre-, intra-, and postoperative measurements of heart rate, blood pressure, stroke volume index, and central venous oxygen saturation were noted. Read More

JACC Case Rep 2022 Jun 15;4(12):715-718. Epub 2022 Jun 15.

Tennova Healthcare, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.

We present a case of a 56-year-old patient with a symptomatic right coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula who underwent coil embolization. Post-procedure, the patient developed ventricular fibrillation that was refractory to antiarrhythmic medications and numerous attempts at defibrillation. (). Read More

Acta Clin Croat 2021 Dec;60(4):590-594

1Department of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care, Dr. Josip Benčević General Hospital, Slavonski Brod, Croatia; Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; 2Department of Ear, Head and Neck Surgery, Dr. Josip Benčević General Hospital, Slavonski Brod, Croatia; Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; 3Department for Neurosurgery, Dr. Josip Benčević General Hospital, Slavonski Brod, Croatia.

Endotracheal intubation is the gold standard in inpatient treatment of cardiac arrest patients; however, there are conflicting research results in out-of-hospital conditions. This prospective study included 92 patients with confirmed cardiac arrest occurring outside a hospital facility, who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and whom the emergency ambulance team reached within 20 minutes from the event. Medical data on each patient (age, gender, cause of arrest, estimated time of arrest, time to arrival of the ambulance team, resuscitation commenced prior to arrival of the ambulance team, initial electrocardiographic rhythm, method of airway management, and success of resuscitation) were recorded. 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

Eur J Heart Fail 2022 Jun 22. Epub 2022 Jun 22.

Ziekenhuis Erasme, Brussels, Belgium.

Aims: To describe the baseline characteristics of participants in the Acetazolamide in Decompensated Heart Failure with Volume Overload (ADVOR) trial and compare these with other contemporary diuretic trials in acute heart failure (AHF).

Methods And Results: ADVOR recruited 519 patients with AHF, clinically evident volume overload, elevated NT-proBNP and maintenance loop diuretictherapy prior to admission. All participants received standardized loop diuretics and were randomised towards once daily intravenous acetazolamide (500 mg) versus placebo, stratified according to study centre and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (≤40% vs. Read More

Open Heart 2022 Jun;9(1)

Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Background: Increase in left ventricular filling pressure (FP) and diastolic dysfunction are established consequences of progressive aortic stenosis (AS). However, the impact of elevated FP as detected by pretranscatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) echocardiogram on long-term outcomes after TAVR remains unclear.

Objective: To understand the impact of elevated FP in patients with severe AS who undergo TAVR. Read More

Eur Heart J 2022 Jun 21. Epub 2022 Jun 21.

Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin and Laboratory of Cardiovascular Genetics, Milan, Italy.

Many previously unexplained life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac deaths (SCDs) in young individuals are now recognized to be genetic in nature and are ascribed to a growing number of distinct inherited arrhythmogenic diseases. These include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, long QT syndrome, Brugada syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT), and short QT syndrome. Because of their lower frequency compared to coronary disease, risk factors for SCD are not very precise in patients with inherited arrhythmogenic diseases. Read More

Cardiovasc Diabetol 2022 Jun 20;21(1):112. Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.

Objective: We evaluated whether measures of glucose dysregulation are associated with subclinical cardiac dysfunction, as assessed by speckle-tracking echocardiography, in an older population.

Methods: Participants were men and women in the Cardiovascular Health Study, age 65+ years and without coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, or heart failure at baseline. We evaluated fasting insulin resistance (IR) with the homeostatic model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and estimated the Matsuda insulin sensitivity index (ISI) and insulin secretion with an oral glucose tolerance test. Read More

J Infect Public Health 2022 Jun 16;15(7):766-772. Epub 2022 Jun 16.

Critical Care Department, University Hospital of Larissa, University of Thessaly Faculty of Medicine, Greece.

Background: Cardiac arrhythmias, mainly atrial fibrillation (AF), is frequently reported in COVID-19 patients, more often in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients, yet causality has not been virtually explored. Moreover, non-Covid ICU patients frequently present AF, sepsis being the major trigger. We aimed to examine whether sepsis or other factors-apart from Covid-19 myocardial involvement-contribute to elicit New Onset AF (NOAF) in intubated ICU patients. Read More

Cureus 2022 May 15;14(5):e25028. Epub 2022 May 15.

Family Medicine, Desert Regional Medical Center, Palm Springs, USA.

We present a unique case of a 60-year-old male with congestive heart failure who was admitted for a pre-syncopal episode and found to be in atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response (RVR). In order to effectively rate control the patient, he was administered an amiodarone bolus and intravenous (IV) infusion over 24 hours, along with a single oral 200 mg dose the following day. The patient subsequently developed acute hepatotoxicity along with features of acute kidney injury (AKI), pulmonary distress, and leukocytosis. Read More