Incidence and predictors of device-related thrombus after left atrial appendage closure with Watchman device.

Introduction: Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) with Watchman device prevents thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, thrombus may develop on the atrial surface of the device. Aim: To investigate the incidence and predictors of device-related thrombus (DRT) in patients with AF who were treated with LAAC. Material and methods: Ninety-one consecutive patients with AF underwent LAAC procedure using first-generation Watchman 2.5 device followed by antiplatelet therapy. In our analysis we have included all patients (n = 78) who had clinical follow-up visits with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) after the procedure. Results: The median (IQR) CHA2DS2-VASc score was 4 (4.0-6.0) and HAS-BLED score was 3 (3.0-4.0). DRTs were observed in 5 (6.4%) patients. When compared with patients without DRT, those with DRT presented more often with lower median ejection fraction (40% (23.5-45.5) versus 55% (48.0-60.0); p = 0.005), lower emptying velocity of LAA (25 cm/s (17.5-27.0) versus 53 cm/s (26.5-78.0); p = 0.009), and with greater depth of implantation (18 mm (14.0-20.5) versus 8 mm (5.0-11.0); p < 0.001). Furthermore, patients with DRT had greater depth of LAA (35 mm (29.5-41.0) versus 29 mm (25.5-31.0); p = 0.003), greater mean (SD) dimension in 900 (22.4 mm (3.2) versus 19 mm (2.7); p = 0.02). Patients with DRT were also younger than those without DRT (67.4 years (7) versus 75 years (8.3), p = 0.045). Conclusions: The DRT after Watchman device implantation remains a rare complication. Its formation was related to several patient and procedural characteristics, which need to be confirmed in larger studies.

Chemokine Fractalkine and Non-Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease-Is There a Link?

Non-obstructive coronary artery disease (NO-CAD) constitutes a heterogeneous group of conditions collectively characterized by less than 50% narrowing in at least one major coronary artery with a fractional flow reserve (FFR) of ≤0.80 observed in coronary angiography. The pathogenesis and progression of NO-CAD are still not fully understood, however, inflammatory processes, particularly atherosclerosis and microvascular dysfunction are known to play a major role in it. Chemokine fractalkine (FKN/CX3CL1) is inherently linked to these processes. FKN/CX3CL1 functions predominantly as a chemoattractant for immune cells, facilitating their transmigration through the vessel wall and inhibiting their apoptosis. Its concentrations correlate positively with major cardiovascular risk factors. Moreover, promising preliminary results have shown that FKN/CX3CL1 receptor inhibitor (KAND567) administered in the population of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), inhibits the adverse reaction of the immune system that causes hyperinflammation. Whereas the link between FKN/CX3CL1 and NO-CAD appears evident, further studies are necessary to unveil this complex relationship. In this review, we critically overview the current data on FKN/CX3CL1 in the context of NO-CAD and present the novel clinical implications of the unique structure and function of FKN/CX3CL1 as a compound which distinctively contributes to the pathomechanism of this condition.

AssistMED project: Transforming cardiology cohort characterisation from electronic health records through natural language processing - Algorithm design, preliminary results, and field prospects.

INTRODUCTION: Electronic health records (EHR) are of great value for clinical research. However, EHR consists primarily of unstructured text which must be analysed by a human and coded into a database before data analysis- a time-consuming and costly process limiting research efficiency. Natural language processing (NLP) can facilitate data retrieval from unstructured text. During AssistMED project, we developed a practical, NLP tool that automatically provides comprehensive clinical characteristics of patients from EHR, that is tailored to clinical researchers needs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: AssistMED retrieves patient characteristics regarding clinical conditions, medications with dosage, and echocardiographic parameters with clinically oriented data structure and provides researcher-friendly database output. We validate the algorithm performance against manual data retrieval and provide critical quantitative and qualitative analysis. RESULTS: AssistMED analysed the presence of 56 clinical conditions, medications from 16 drug groups with dosage and 15 numeric echocardiographic parameters in a sample of 400 patients hospitalized in the cardiology unit. No statistically significant differences between algorithm and human retrieval were noted. Qualitative analysis revealed that disagreements with manual annotation were primarily accounted to random algorithm errors, erroneous human annotation and lack of advanced context awareness of our tool. CONCLUSIONS: Current NLP approaches are feasible to acquire accurate and detailed patient characteristics tailored to clinical researchers' needs from EHR. We present an in-depth description of an algorithm development and validation process, discuss obstacles and pinpoint potential solutions, including opportunities arising with recent advancements in the field of NLP, such as large language models.

Practical use case of natural language processing for observational clinical research data retrieval from electronic health records: AssistMED project.

INTRODUCTION: Electronic health records (EHRs) contain data valuable for clinical research. However, they are in textual format and require manual encoding to databases, which is a lengthy and costly process. Natural language processing (NLP) is a computational technique that allows for text analysis. OBJECTIVES: Our study aimed to demonstrate a practical use case of NLP for a large retrospective study cohort characterization and comparison with human retrieval. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Anonymized discharge documentation of 10 314 patients from a cardiology tertiary care department was analyzed for inclusion in the CRAFT registry (Multicenter Experience in Atrial Fibrillation Patients Treated with Oral Anticoagulants; NCT02987062). Extensive clinical characteristics regarding concomitant diseases, medications, daily drug dosages, and echocardiography were collected manually and through NLP. RESULTS: There were 3030 and 3029 patients identified by human and NLP­based approaches, respectively, reflecting 99.93% accuracy of NLP in detecting AF. Comprehensive baseline patient characteristics by NLP was faster than human analysis (3 h and 15 min vs 71 h and 12 min). The calculated CHA2DS2VASc and HAS­BLED scores based on both methods did not differ (human vs NLP; median [interquartile range], 3 [2-5] vs 3 [2-5]; P = 0.74 and 1 [1-2] vs 1 [1-2]; P = 0.63, respectively). For most data, an almost perfect agreement between NLP- and human-retrieved characteristics was found; daily dosage identification was the least accurate NLP feature. Similar conclusions on cohort characteristics would be made; however, daily dosage detection for some drug groups would require additional human validation in the NLP­based cohort. CONCLUSIONS: NLP utilization in EHRs may accelerate data acquisition and provide accurate information for retrospective studies.

Greater distance between ablation lines reduces the arrhythmia recurrence rate after pulmonary vein isolation.

INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is a recommended strategy for rhythm control in atrial fibrillation (AF), but its success rate remains unsatisfactory. Continuous research is being conducted to explore new technologies and modifications to the existing ablation workflow in order to reduce the arrhythmia recurrence rate. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the influence of the distance between ablation lines (DBL) on AF recurrence rate in patients undergoing their first PVI; and thus to optimize the procedure outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted at a tertiary care center in Poland. A total of 146 patients (median age, 62 years; women, 34.3%) referred for a first PVI for either paroxysmal (n = 103) or persistent (n = 43) AF were evaluated. The procedures were performed with the use of a very­high­power, short­duration catheter (QDot MicroTM, Biosense Webster, Inc., Irvine, California, United States) or a conventional, ablation index-guided ThermoCool Smarttouch SF catheter (Biosense Webster, Inc.). Freedom from AF recurrence was used as a primary end point. The impact of DBL on the outcome of PVI, accounting for conventional risk factors, was evaluated. RESULTS: Greater distance between opposite circumferential PVI lines and its ratio to the transverse diameter of the left atrium (DLB/TD) were associated with a lower risk of AF recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 0.966; 95% CI, 0.935-0.998 [per 1 mm]; P = 0.04 and HR, 0.968; 95% CI, 0.944-0.993 [per 1%]; P = 0.01, respectively). There was no correlation between DBL or DBL/TD ratio and the impedance level. CONCLUSIONS: Close distance between PVI lines contributes to AF recurrence; thus, increasing the DBL and ensuring a higher DBL/TD ratio may be an advantageous ablation strategy.

Does atrial fibrillation still increase the risk of death? One-year follow-up results of the NOMED-AF study.

INTRODUCTION: Although atrial fibrillation (AF) is a well­known risk factor for ischemic stroke and hospitalization, its effect on mortality has not been clearly established. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess whether AF is an independent risk factor for death. A secondary objective was to evaluate the role of oral anticoagulation in the prevention of stroke and death in 1­year follow­up of patients included in the NOMED­AF (Noninvasive Monitoring for Early Detection of Atrial Fibrillation) study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The NOMED­AF study included 3014 patients. The participants underwent continuous long­term electrocardiographic monitoring using a wearable vest for up to 30 days. The present analysis involved 2795 patients who completed the 1­year follow­up. The median (interquartile range) follow­up time was 365 (365-365) days. AF was diagnosed in 617 participants. RESULTS: Independent risk factors for death in the patients who completed the 1­year follow­up were AF, age equal to or above 65 years, and chronic kidney disease. The individuals with diagnosed AF had an almost 2­fold higher risk of death (odds ratio [OR], 1.7; 95% CI, 1.18-2.44; P <0.001) and a 2.5­fold higher risk of stroke (OR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.41-4.44; P <0.001), as compared with those without an AF diagnosis. The participants with AF who received oral anticoagulants had an almost 5­fold lower risk of death than those who were not on anticoagulation (2.9% vs 14.2%, respectively; P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: AF is an independent risk factor for death and cardiovascular hospitalization. The risk of death and stroke in patients with AF is significantly higher than in the patients without this arrhythmia. Oral anticoagulation in patients with AF significantly reduces the rates of death and stroke; however, its use is suboptimal in this group of patients.

The Influence of Hybrid Comprehensive Telerehabilitation on Anxiety in Heart Failure Patients: The TELEREH-HF Randomized Clinical Trial.

Telerehabilitation for heart failure (HF) patients is beneficial for physical functioning, prognosis, and psychological status. The study aimed at evaluating the influence of hybrid comprehensive telerehabilitation (HCTR) on the level of anxiety in comparison to usual care (UC). The TELEREH-HF study was a multicenter prospective RCT in 850 clinically stable HF participants. Patients underwent clinical examinations, including the assessment of anxiety, at entry and after the 9-week training program (HCTR) or observation (UC). The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used. 20.3% HCTR and 20.1% UC patients reported high level of anxiety as a state at baseline, with higher STAI results in younger participants (< 63 y.o.) (p = .048 for HCTR; p = .026 for UC). At both stages of the study, patients with lower level of physical capacity (measured by a peak VO2) had shown significantly higher level of anxiety. There were no significant changes in anxiety levels during the 9-week observation for the entire study population, although there were different patterns of change in anxiety (both trait and state) in younger and older groups,with the decrease in younger patients, and the increase-in the older group.Trial registry number NCT02523560 (Clinical Trials.gov), date of registration: August 14, 2015.

Clinical outcomes and predictors of long-term mortality, hemorrhagic and thromboembolic events in atrial fibrillation patients at different stages of chronic kidney disease: The CRAFT trial.

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) coexisting with atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of hemorrhage and ischemia. The study aimed to determine the relationship between different CKD stages and clinical outcomes of patients suffering from both CKD and AF and to determine the predictors of outcome. Methods The data was derived from multicenter CRAFT trial (NCT02987062). We have conducted a retrospective analysis of hospital records of 2663 AF patients divided in three groups according to their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) which was <30ml/min/1,73 m2 for group I (n=63), ≥30 and <60 ml/min/1,73 m2 for group II (n=947) and ≥60 ml/min/1,73 m2 for group III (n=1653). The primary study endpoint was major adverse event (MAE) during the mean four-year follow-up. Results The highest rate of MAE was observed in group I followed by group II and III. The rate of all-cause death was 60% in group I, 32% in group II and 15% in group III (p<0.001). Bleeding complications occurred in 25% of patients from group I, 23% from group II and 21% from group III (p=0.14). Thromboembolic events occurred in those groups at the rate of 21%, 14% and 12% respectively (p=0.011). The risk of death was 5 times higher in patients with eGFR<30 treated with vitamin K antagonists (VKA) (HR: 5.016, 95% CI: 1.533-16.417; p=0.007). Conclusions AF patients with CKD are at higher risk of MAE and that risk depends on the CKD stage. VKA treatment was linked to a higher mortality in AF patients with the lowest eGFR values.

Risk of left atrial appendage thrombus in older patients with atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: We aimed to compare the prevalence of left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus and its predictors between old and young patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Material and methods: The study included 1970 patients aged ≥ 65 (n = 822 (41.7%)) and < 65 (n = 1148 (58.3%)) referred for AF cardioversion or ablation preceded by transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Results: Oral anticoagulation (OAC) was prescribed in 799 (97.2%) patients aged ≥ 65 years and in 1054 (91.8%) of those aged < 65 years (p < 0.001). In patients treated with OAC, those aged ≥ 65 years less often received vitamin K antagonist (VKA) (267 (33.4%) vs. 416 (39.5%)) and more often non-VKA-OAC (NOAC) (532 (66.6%) vs. 638 (60.5%), p = 0.008, p = 0.008) compared to patients < 65 years. On TEE, LAA thrombus was more often observed in patients aged ≥ 65 years than those aged < 65 years (63 (7.7%) vs. 46 (4.0%), p < 0.001), with an absolute but not statistically significant difference between patients aged 65-74 and ≥ 75 years (47 (7.3%) vs. 16 (8.8%), p = 0.528). In patients aged ≥ 65 years, there was no difference in the prevalence of LAA thrombus between patients treated with VKA and NOAC, in contrast to patients aged < 65 years, in whom such a difference was observed (27 (6.5%) vs. 16 (2.5%), p = 0.002). In multivariate logistic regression, predictors of LAA thrombus in both age groups were older age, non-paroxysmal AF, and heart failure, whereas only in patients aged < 65 years - VKA use, and in those aged ≥ 65 years - lower glomerular filtration rate and platelet count. Conclusions: Despite OAC use, older patients with AF remain at high risk of LAA thrombus formation. Older age, non-paroxysmal AF, and heart failure are predictors of LAA thrombus, irrespective of age.

Immature platelet fraction and immature platelet count as novel biomarkers of elevated platelet reactivity in NSTE-ACS patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy.

BACKGROUND: Antiplatelet therapy is the cornerstone of treatment for patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Some patients may not respond to such therapy adequately, which is associated with a greater risk of ischemic events. Reticulated platelets are the youngest, largest, and most active platelet subtype. They have been initially shown to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events and increased platelet activity. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the presented study was to evaluate whether the immature platelet fraction (IPF) reflects the response to antiplatelet treatment in invasively managed ACS patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective study enrolled ACS patients treated with PCI and dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) comprising acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and clopidogrel or ticagrelor. In all patients, venous blood was collected within 24 h after the procedure. Platelet parameters were measured, including IPF using the Sysmex hematological analyzer and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet reactivity using the Multiplate® Analyzer. RESULTS: A total of 108 patients were enrolled, including 62 with ST-segment elevation ACS (STE-ACS) and 46 with non-ST-segment elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS). Of them, 20.4% had diabetes mellitus, 26.9% had a history of MI and 59.2% of smoking. Spearman's correlation analysis demonstrated that higher IPF and immature platelet count (IPC) values are associated with increased ADP-induced platelet reactivity (respectively: rho = 0.387, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.101-0.615, p = 0.008; and rho = 0.458, 95% CI: 0.185-0.666, p = 0.001) in NSTE-ACS but not in STE-ACS patients. CONCLUSION: Immature platelet count and IPF may be valuable markers of platelet activity in patients with NSTE-ACS treated invasively and receiving DAPT (ClinicalTrials.gov No. NCT06177587).

Impact of diabetes mellitus severity, treatment regimen and glycaemic control on atrial fibrillation prevalence in the Polish population aged ≥ 65.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a well-known risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF), but the mechanism(s) by which DM affects AF prevalence remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the impact of diabetes mellitus severity (expressed as its known duration), antihyperglycemic treatment regimen and glycaemic control on AF prevalence. From the representative sample of 3014 participants (mean age 77.5, 49.1% female) from the cross-sectional NOMED-AF study, 881 participants (mean age 77.6 ± 0.25, 46.4% female) with concomitant DM were involved in the analysis. AF was screened using a telemonitoring vest for a mean of 21.9 ± 9.1 days. The mean DM duration was 12 ± 0.35 years, but no significant impact of DM timespan on AF prevalence was observed. No differences in the treatment pattern (oral medication vs insulin vs both oral + insulin) among the study population with and without AF were shown (p = 0.106). Metabolic control reflected by HbA1c levels showed no significant association with AF and silent AF prevalence (p = 0.635; p = 0.094). On multivariate analyses, age (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.35, 95%CI: 1.18-1.53, p < 0.001), p = 0.042), body mass index (BMI; OR 1.043, 95%CI: 1.01-1.08, p = 0.027) and LDL < 100 mg/dl (OR 0.64, 95%CI: 0.42-0.97, p = 0.037) were independent risk factors for AF prevalence, while age (OR 1.45, 95%CI: 1.20-1.75, p < 0.001), LDL < 100 mg/dl (OR 0.43, 95%CI 0.23-0.82, p = 0.011), use of statins (OR 0.51, 95%CI: 0.28-0.94, p = 0.031) and HbA1c ≤ 6.5 (OR 0.46, 95%CI: 0.25-0.85, p = 0.013) were associated with silent AF prevalence. Diabetes duration, diabetic treatment pattern or metabolic control per se did not significantly impact the prevalence of AF, including silent AF detected by prospective continuous monitoring. Independent predictors of AF were age, BMI and low LDL levels, with statins and HbA1c ≤ 6.5 being additional independent predictors for silent AF.Trial registration: NCT03243474.

Safety and efficacy of percutaneous atrial appendage closure followed by antiplatelet therapy in a high-risk population: single-center experience with a WATCHMAN device.

Introduction: In our everyday practice we encounter many patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation with either a contraindication to oral anticoagulation or with its inefficiency. Aim: To investigate whether left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) followed by post-procedure antiplatelet therapy is safe and efficient in a high-risk population. Material and methods: Ninety-one (48 males) consecutive patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) underwent an LAAC procedure using a first-generation WATCHMAN 2.5 device followed by antiplatelet therapy. Clinical and transesophageal echocardiography data were collected at baseline and at the follow-up visit. Results: The median (IQR) CHA2DS2-VASc score was 5 (4.0-6.0) and the HAS-BLED score was 3 (3.0-4.0); the mean (SD) age was 74.4 (8.4). A bleeding history was observed in 89% of patients and 24.2% of patients had a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). The procedure was successful in 98.9%. Post-procedure therapy was dual antiplatelet therapy in 85 patients; 3 patients received single antiplatelet therapy and the therapy was maintained until the follow-up visit. Peri-procedural complications were tamponade (3.3%), pericardial effusion (2.2%) and two deaths (2.2%) with no bleeding or vascular complications. The median follow-up was 67 (52.75-84.75) days. Primary safety endpoint (bleeding BARC type 3 or more, tamponade, pericardial effusion, and device embolization) and primary efficacy endpoint (stroke or TIA, hemorrhagic stroke, peripheral embolism, cardiovascular (CV) and non-CV death) were observed in 2 and 4 patients, respectively. Conclusions: The LAAC procedure followed by antiplatelet therapy seems to be safe and efficient in the high-risk population. Further studies in this field are required.

Impact of AfterAMI Mobile App on Quality of Life, Depression, Stress and Anxiety in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: Open Label, Randomized Trial.

mHealth solutions optimize cardiovascular risk factor control in coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of mobile app AfterAMI on quality of life in patients after myocardial infarction. 100 participants were randomized (1:1 ratio) into groups: (1) with a rehabilitation program and access to afterAMI or (2) standard rehabilitation alone (control group, CG). 3 questionnaires (MacNew, DASS21 and EQ-5D-5L) were used at baseline, 1 month and 6 months after discharge. Median age was 61 years; 35% of patients were female. At 1 month follow up patients using AfterAMI had higher general quality of life scores both in MacNew [5.78 vs. 5.5 in CG, p = 0.037] and EQ-5D-5L [80 vs. 70 in CG, p = 0.007]. At 6 months, according to MacNew, the app group had significantly higher scores in emotional [6.09 vs. 5.45 in CG, p= 0.017] and physical [6.2 vs. 6 in CG, p = 0.027] aspects. The general MacNew quality of life score was also higher in the AfterAMI group [6.11 vs. 5.7 in CG, p = 0.015], but differences in EQ-5D-5L were not significant. There were no differences between groups in the DASS21 questionnaire. mHealth interventions may improve quality of care in secondary prevention, however further studies are warranted.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy versus Storage Diseases with Myocardial Involvement.

One of the main causes of heart failure is cardiomyopathies. Among them, the most common is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), characterized by thickening of the left ventricular muscle. This article focuses on HCM and other cardiomyopathies with myocardial hypertrophy, including Fabry disease, Pompe disease, and Danon disease. The genetics and pathogenesis of these diseases are described, as well as current and experimental treatment options, such as pharmacological intervention and the potential of gene therapies. Although genetic approaches are promising and have the potential to become the best treatments for these diseases, further research is needed to evaluate their efficacy and safety. This article describes current knowledge and advances in the treatment of the aforementioned cardiomyopathies.

Heart team consultations for patients with severe coronary artery disease or valvular heart disease in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic: a single-center experience.

Introduction: The Heart Team (HT) as a group of experienced specialists is responsible for optimal decision-making for high-risk cardiac patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HT functioning. Methods: In this retrospective, single-center study, we evaluated the cooperation of HT in terms of the frequency of meetings, the number of consulted patients, and the trends in choosing the optimal treatment strategies for complex individuals with severe coronary artery disease (CAD) or valvular heart disease (VHD) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. Results: From 2016 to May 2022, 301 HT meetings were held, and a total of 4,183 patients with severe CAD (2,060 patients) or severe VHD (2,123 patients) were presented. A significant decrease in the number of HT meetings and consulted patients (2019: 49 and 823 vs. 2020: 44 and 542 and 2021: 45 and 611, respectively, P < 0.001) as well as changes in treatment strategies-increase of conservative, reduction of invasive (2019: 16.7 and 51.9 patients/month vs. 2020: 20.4 and 24.8 patients/month and 2021:19.3 and 31.6 patients/month, respectively, P < 0.001)-were demonstrated with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic slowly receded, the observed changes began to return to the pre-pandemic trends. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a decrease in the number of HT meetings and consulted patients and significant reduction of invasive procedures in favor of conservative management. Further studies should be aimed to evaluate the long-term implications of this phenomenon.

Inflammatory Forms of Cardiomyocyte Cell Death in the Rat Model of Isoprenaline-Induced Takotsubo Syndrome.

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is associated with inflammatory response, therefore the aim of the study was to evaluate the presence and dynamics of inflammatory-associated forms of cell death, necroptosis, and pyroptosis in the female rat model of isoprenaline (ISO)-induced TTS. TTS was induced in female Sprague Dawley rats (n = 36) by ISO 150 mg/kg intraperitoneally. Animals were divided into four groups: TTSO (TTS+ovariectomy; n = 10), TTSP (TTS+sham operation; n = 10), CO (0.9% NaCl+ovariectomy; n = 8), CP (0.9% NaCl+sham operation; n = 8). Histopathological analysis, evaluation of plasma concentration, and myocardial expression of pyroptosis- and necroptosis-associated proteins were performed. TTSO and TTSP groups had higher plasma concentrations of interleukin-1ß in comparison with the controls. Low myocardial protein expression of mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase (MLKL), caspase-1 (Casp-1), and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase type II isoform delta (CAMKIIδ) was visible 6 and/or 12 h post-ISO. Twenty-four hours post-ISO, high myocardial and vascular protein expression of CAMKIIδ was visible in TTSO but not TTSP rats, while high myocardial expression of MLKL and Casp-1 was visible both in TTSO and TTSP rats. The course of TTS is associated with activation of inflammatory-associated programmed cell death, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, therefore inflammation may be a primary response occurring simultaneously with cardiomyocyte death in TTS.

Treatment of high- and intermediate-high-risk pulmonary embolism by the Pulmonary Embolism Response Team: Focus on catheter-directed therapies.

BACKGROUND: Multidisciplinary Pulmonary Embolism Response Teams (PERTs) were established to individualize the treatment of high-risk (HR) and intermediate-high-risk (IHR) pulmonary embolism (PE) patients, which pose a challenge in clinical practice. METHODS: We retrospectively collected the data of all HR and IHR acute PE patients consulted by PERT CELZAT between September 2017 and October 2022. The patient population was divided into four different treatment methods: anticoagulation alone (AC), systemic thrombolysis (ST), surgical embolectomy (SE), and catheter-directed therapies (CDTx). Baseline clinical characteristics, risk stratification, PE severity parameters, and treatment outcomes were compared between the four groups. RESULTS: Of the 110 patients with HR and IHR PE, 67 (61%) patients were treated with AC only, 11 (10%) with ST, 15 (14%) underwent SE, and 17 (15%) were treated with CTDx. The most common treatment option in the HR group was reperfusion therapy, used in 20/24 (83%) cases, including ST in 7 (29%) patients, SE in 5 (21%) patients, and CTDx in 8 (33%) patients. In contrast, IHR patients were treated with AC alone in 63/86 (73%) cases. The in-hospital mortality rate was 9/24 (37.5%) in the HR group and 4/86 (4.7%) in the IHR group. CONCLUSIONS: The number of advanced procedures aimed at reperfusion was substantially higher in the HR group than in the IHR PE group. Despite the common use of advanced reperfusion techniques in the HR group, patient mortality remained high. There is a need further to optimize the treatment of patients with HR PE to improve outcomes.

Predictors of long-term prognosis based on clinical status and measurements obtained in heart failure patients after 9-week hybrid comprehensive telerehabilitation: A subanalysis of the TELEREH-HF randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Assessing prognosis in heart failure (HF) is of major importance. AIMS: The study aimed to define predictors influencing long-term cardiovascular mortality or HF hospitalization ("composite outcome") based on clinical status and measurements obtained after a 9-week hybrid comprehensive telerehabilitation (HCTR) program. METHODS: This analysis is based on the TELEREH-HF (TELEREHabilitation in Heart Failure) multicenter randomized trial that enrolled 850 HF patients (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] ≤40%). Patients were randomized 1:1 to 9-week HCTR plus usual care (experimental arm) or usual care only (control arm) and followed for median (interquartile range [IQR]) 24 (20-24) months for development of the composite outcome. RESULTS: Over 12-24 months of follow-up, 108 (28.1%) patients experienced the composite outcome. The predictors of our composite outcome were: nonischemic etiology of HF, diabetes, higher serum level of N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide, creatinine, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; low carbon dioxide output at peak exercise; high minute ventilation and breathing frequency at maximum effort in cardiopulmonary exercise tests; increase in delta of average heart rate in 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring, lower LVEF, and patients' non-adherence to HCTR. The model discrimination C-index was 0.795 and decreased to 0.755 on validation conducted in the control sample which was not used in derivation. The 2-year risk of the composite outcome was 48% in the top tertile versus 5% in the bottom tertile of the developed risk score. CONCLUSION: Risk factors collected at the end of the 9-week telerehabilitation period performed well in stratifying patients based on their 2-year risk of the composite outcome. Patients in the top tertile had an almost ten-fold higher risk compared to patients in the bottom tertile. Treatment adherence, but not peak VO2 or quality of life, was significantly associated with the outcome.

Mobile App and Digital System for Patients after Myocardial Infarction (afterAMI): Results from a Randomized Trial.

Cardiac rehabilitation after acute myocardial infarction is crucial and improves patients' prognosis. It aims to optimize cardiovascular risk factors' control. Providing additional support via mobile applications has been previously suggested. However, data from prospective, randomized trials evaluating digital solutions are scarce. In this study, we aimed to evaluate a mobile application-afterAMI-in the clinical setting and to investigate the impact of a digitally-supported model of care in comparison with standard rehabilitation. A total of 100 patients after myocardial infarction were enrolled. Patients were randomized into groups with either a rehabilitation program and access to afterAMI or standard rehabilitation alone. The primary endpoint was rehospitalizations and/or urgent outpatient visits after 6 months. Cardiovascular risk factors' control was also analyzed. Median age was 61 years; 65% of the participants were male. This study failed to limit the number of primary endpoint events (8% with app vs. 27% without app; p = 0.064). However, patients in the interventional group had lower NT-proBNP levels (p = 0.0231) and better knowledge regarding cardiovascular disease risk factors (p = 0.0009), despite no differences at baseline. This study showcases how a telemedical tool can be used in the clinical setting.