Iron deficiency from the standpoint of cardiac rehabilitation: novel therapeutic opportunities.

Anemia is one of the most frequent comorbidities found in patients with coronary artery disease and chronic heart failure (CHF) who are being followed in cardiac rehabilitation facilities. The more frequent type of anemia is caused by iron deficiency (IDA, iron-deficiency anemia): this review summarizes the state of the art of this topic. First of all, the mechanisms of IDA will be analyzed. Subsequently, a description of the main conditions where IDA can unfavorably affect the clinical course, and of its more frequent complications, will be presented (percutaneous interventions, heart surgery, CHF). Special attention will be paid in the description of anemia in the setting of CHF. To this regard, in recent years a relevant amount of research has been carried out, to determine whether treating anemia (either by directly stimulating erythropoiesis or by correcting iron deficiency by oral or intravenous route) is of any clinical and prognostic relevance in patients with CHF. The results of this research will, therefore, be summarized and critically discussed. Finally, we will outline the promising role of cardiac rehabilitation facilities and of its network of experts in the diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and treatment of anemia and iron deficiency.

Update on Management of Cardiovascular Diseases in Women.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have a lower prevalence in women than men; although, a higher mortality rate and a poorer prognosis are more common in women. However, there is a misperception of CVD female risk since women have commonly been considered more protected so that the real threat is vastly underestimated. Consequently, female patients are more likely to be treated less aggressively, and a lower rate of diagnostic and interventional procedures is performed in women than in men. In addition, there are substantial sex differences in CVD, so different strategies are needed. This review aims to evaluate the main gender-specific approaches in CVD.

[Lifestyle, risk factors and prevention of cancer: role of the cardiologist]. / Stili di vita, fattori di rischio e prevenzione delle malattie oncologiche: il ruolo del cardiologo.

Although commonly thought of as two separate disease entities, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, the leading causes of death, possess various possible interactions, including a number of similar risk factors (e.g. obesity, diabetes, chronic inflammation). Each cardiologist should provide counseling for a correct lifestyle (diet, physical exercise, avoiding smoking and alcohol abuse); doing so, not only cardiovascular diseases, but also cancer could be prevented. Besides, intervention on diet, physical activity and smoking has been shown to be effective even in patients with known cancers. Many drugs used in cardiovascular prevention (i.e. aspirin, metformin, statins, and beta-blockers) have shown in vivo and in vitro promising pleiotropic properties, and, in observational studies, they were also effective in the prevention of some cancers, although this matter is controversial, emphasizing the need for interventional studies in the field of primary and secondary cancer prevention. Considerable interest has emerged regarding the potential adjuvant chemotherapeutic use of these drugs, but real-world epidemiological data remain inconclusive. In this review, we explore the risk factors common to both cardiovascular diseases and cancer, as well as the role of preventive cardiology treatments, highlighting the related major epidemiologic studies and potential biological mechanisms.

Minimally invasive coronary artery bypass: Twenty-year experience.

OBJECTIVE: Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass for the left thoracic artery on the left anterior descending artery is a safe and less traumatic surgical technique. We retrospectively evaluated long-term outcomes in a large series of patients undergoing minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass. METHODS: From 1997 to 2016, 1060 patients underwent minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass: 646 patients (61%) with isolated proximal left anterior descending disease and 414 patients (39%) with multivessel disease as a part of hybrid coronary revascularization or in association with medical therapy. Long-term follow-up, major cardiac and cerebral adverse events, and freedom from angina were analyzed. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 71 ± 12.5 years, and median European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II was 3.2% (interquartile range, 0.6%-7.8%). Postoperative death occurred in 9 patients (0.8%), and perioperative stroke occurred in 3 patients (0.3%). An angiogram or computed tomography scan was performed and was available in patients within 10 years of follow-up (n = 696), demonstrating a 96.8% graft patency rate. At 13.9 ± 5.6 years of follow-up, no surgical reintervention was performed for left thoracic artery on left anterior descending artery graft failure, but 14 patients underwent left anterior descending or left thoracic artery on left anterior descending artery percutaneous coronary intervention. Kaplan-Meier survival curve shows 87.1% at 5 years (95% confidence interval, 81-92.5), 84.3% at 10 years (95% confidence interval, 77.1-91.4), and 79.8% at 15 years (95% confidence interval, 72.2-87.3). Survival freedom from major adverse events was 87.0% (95% confidence interval, 85.9-88.1) at 5 years and 70.5% (95% confidence interval, 66.4-74.6) at 15 years. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass can be safely performed with low postoperative mortality and morbidity with excellent short- and long-term survival and freedom from major adverse events and angina with a reduced surgical invasiveness.

Stentless sutureless and transcatheter valves: a comparison of the hemodynamic performance of different prostheses concept.

BACKGROUND: Stentless aortic valves have been developed to overcome obstructive limitations associated with stented bioprostheses. A new concept of surgical sutureless (SU) bioprosthesis has been developed in the last decade. In this multi-institutional study we sought to compare hemodynamics of different bioprosthesis concept as transcatheter (TAVR), Livanova Perceval S sutureless valve and Freedom Solo Stentless (FS) valve in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (sAVR). METHODS: From 2010 to 2016, 478 patients underwent sAVR with FS, 518 Perceval S and 367 patients underwent TAVR. After a propensity matched analysis 185 patients in each group were selected. Thirty-day postoperative clinical and echocardiographic parameters were evaluated. Echocardiographic hemodynamic data were also collected at 12 and 24 months. RESULTS: Mean prosthesis diameter was 23.8±1.3 mm for FS, 23.2±2.1 mm for Perceval S and 25.1±2.6 mm for TAVR. In-hospital mortality was 2.0% for FS, 1.9% for Perceval, 5.8% for TAVR (P=0.02). Postoperative FS peak gradients were 15.6±9.1 mmHg (mean 7.6±5.4 mmHg); SU gradients were 18.7±9.1 mmHg (mean 10.9±5.4 mmHg), TAVR peak gradients were 14.7±9.1 mmHg (mean 6.1±5.4 mmHg) P=0.018 (P<0.001). Postoperative effective orifice area (EOA) was 1.94±0.7 cm² for FS, 1.6±0.7 cm² for SU and 1.97±0.7cm² for TAVR (P<0.001). There was no prostheses-patient-mismatch (PPM) in FS group, while 4 cases and 2 cases are reported in SU and TAVR respectively. Postoperative grade 2-3 paravalvular leak (PVL) was present in 4.3% for TAVR and 0.5% in SU valves and no cases in FS. Postoperative permanent pacemaker implant rate was 11.9% for TAVR (1.0%) in FS group and 5.4% in SU valves (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: SU patients demonstrated post-operative excellent hemodynamic performance with smaller EROA and higher gradients compared to FS and TAVR. TAVR demonstrated higher mortality and pacemaker rates. Further studies are warrented to validate TAVR indications in this subset of patients.

Early hemodynamics and clinical outcomes of isolated aortic valve replacement with stentless or transcatheter valve in intermediate-risk patients.

OBJECTIVE: Stentless aortic valves have been developed to overcome obstructive limitations associated with stented bioprostheses. The aim of the current multi-institutional study was to compare hemodynamics of transcatheter (TAVR) and the Freedom SOLO Stentless (FS) valve in an intermediate risk population undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement. METHODS: From 2010 to 2014, 420 consecutive patients underwent isolated surgical aortic valve replacement with FS and 375 patients underwent TAVR. Only patients with intermediate operative risk (Society of Thoracic Surgeons score 4-10) and small aortic annulus (≤23 mm) were included. After a propensity matched analysis 142 patients in each group were selected. Thirty-day postoperative clinical and echocardiographic parameters were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean prosthesis diameter was 22.2 ± 0.9 mm for FS and 22.4 ± 1.0 mm for TAVR. In-hospital mortality was 2.1% for FS and 6.3% for TAVR (P = .02). Postoperative FS peak gradients were 19.1 ± 9.6 mm Hg (mean 10.8 ± 5.9 mm Hg); TAVR peak gradients were 20.2 ± 9.5 mm Hg (mean 10.7 ± 6.9 mm Hg) P = .57 (P = .88). Postoperative effective orifice area was 1.93 ± 0.52 cm2 for FS and 1.83 ± 0.3 cm2 for TAVR (P = .65). There was no prostheses-patient mismatch in either group. Postoperative grade 2-3 paravalvular leak was present in 3.5% for TAVR and 0.7% for FS. Postoperative permanent pacemaker implant rate was 12% for TAVR and only 1 case (0.7%) in the FS group (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with small aortic annulus and intermediate risk, both FS and TAVR demonstrated similar excellent hemodynamic performance. TAVR demonstrated greater mortality and rates of pacemaker insertion. Further studies are warranted to validate TAVR indications in this subset of patients.

Pericardial Stentless Valve for Aortic Valve Replacement: Long-Term Results.

BACKGROUND: The Freedom Solo (FS) bovine pericardial valve (Sorin Group, Milan, Italy) is a stentless bioprosthesis that was introduced in 2004 and approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in 2014. No long-term follow-up series are available to date. We report the multicenter experience of 4 European institutions that began implanting FS extensively from its introduction, providing the largest series with long-term follow-up. METHODS: From 2004 to 2009, 565 patients (242 women [42.8%]; mean age, 74.6 ± 8.3 years) underwent isolated (n = 350) or combined (n = 215) aortic valve replacement with the FS. Mean follow-up, including clinical and strict echocardiographic evaluation, was 6.9 ± 3.7 years (maximum, 11.8 years; cumulative 2,965 patient-years). Primary end point was freedom from structural valve deterioration (SVD), and secondary end points were freedom from reoperation and overall survival. RESULTS: Mean logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation I was 10.3% ± 6.7%. Overall 30-day mortality was 3.7%, and no deaths were valve related. There was no severe prostheses-patient mismatch, and moderate prostheses-patient mismatch occurred only in 1 patient (0.17%). Twenty-eight patients (5.2%) underwent reoperation (20 surgical replacements, 8 transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve replacements) due to endocarditis in 9, blunt trauma in 1, and SVD in 18. SVD was reported in 5 other patients alive at time of censoring. Freedom from SVD and reoperation was 90.8% (95% confidence interval, 89.1% to 92.5%) and 87.3% (95% confidence interval, 85.6% to 89.0%), respectively, at 10 years of follow-up, and the overall actuarial survival was 56.4% (95% confidence interval, 53.3% to 59.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The FS valve provided excellent long-term durability and hemodynamic performance in this large, multicenter European experience. Moreover, the FS, given the low rate of SVD, along with a simple implantability, proved to be a reliable bioprosthesis in the aortic position as a valid alternative to stented bioprostheses.

[Acute results of left ventricular endocardial pacing for cardiac resynchronization therapy obtained with a transapical approach]. / Risultati in acuto della stimolazione endocardica sinistra per la terapia di resincronizzazione cardiaca ottenuta mediante approccio transapicale.

Although cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is considered a milestone in the treatment of patients affected with chronic congestive heart failure, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and enlarged QRS, up to 30% of patients can be considered clinical non-responders to this treatment. In these patients, optimization of atrioventricular and interventricular intervals could be of some help, but results of trials are not univocal on the benefit of this procedure. In the last years, left ventricular endocardial pacing for CRT has emerged as a possible solution in non-responders. Several studies have demonstrated its feasibility and safety, and some reports suggest its incremental efficacy in comparison with traditional epicardial pacing, both obtained transvenously or surgically. We describe the cases of two patients already implanted with a CRT device who came to our attention for clinical non-responsiveness to CRT and who have been successfully treated with the addition of a left endocardial lead. A brief literature review on this topic is also reported.

The treatment of carotid artery bifurcation stenoses with systematic stenting: experience of first 100 consecutive cardiological procedures.

Carotid endarterectomy still represents the gold standard treatment of carotid artery bifurcation stenosis but percutaneous angioplasty with stenting is rapidly growing as a non-invasive alternative. In this paper we report the results of systematic application of carotid stenting performed in a cardiological setting, particularly as regards clinical management of patients and technical approach. One-hundred (100) procedures of carotid artery stenting (CAS) on 94 consecutive patients, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, with a carotid stenosis > 70%, were performed over a period of 30 months. The technical approach was directly derived from coronary angioplasty with use of large lumen guiding catheters, 0.014 in. intravascular guidewires and distal protection devices usually employed in coronary interventions. In 3 cases, a post-carotid endarterectomy restenosis and in 97 cases, a de-novo lesion, were treated respectively; in 71 cases, the degree of stenosis was 71-89% and in 29 cases, 90-99%. Cerebral protection was obtained with a distal to the lesion endovascular filter in 63 cases. Immediate technical success, i.e. residual stenosis of the treated vessel < 30% and no significant pathologic acceleration of blood flow (< 1.5 m/sec) at the Doppler ultrasound evaluation, was achieved in all procedures (100%). Ninety-six (96) procedures were totally uncomplicated; in-hospital cerebral complications were 1 TIA, 2 minor and 1 major strokes; at 30-day follow-up one additional major stroke occurred. Despite a particularly high incidence of comorbidities, neither unfavorable cardiological complications nor neurologic deaths were reported. Systematic CAS is a feasible treatment of the carotid artery bifurcation stenosis with high procedural success and low perioperative and short term complications. Its performance in a cardiological setting can combine satisfying procedural results and potentially successful handling of cardiovascular complications.

Percutaneous treatment of early occlusion of a complex arterial coronary graft: a case report.

The internal mammary arteries are now widely used for surgical myocardial revascularization. Because of its excellent long-term patency rates, re-do surgery is rarely requested and transluminal percutaneous angioplasty of these arterial grafts is still relatively infrequent. This procedure is performed mainly at the distal anastomotic site but also at the origin of the vessel from the subclavian artery, frequently just to treat a local traumatic dissection due to the catheter. We here report the case of a successful angioplasty and stenting of the body of the graft for an early total occlusion of a complex, bifurcated arterial bypass to the left coronary system.

[Stress-induced transient left ventricular apical ballooning]. / Un caso di sindrome "tako-tsubo-like" da stress.

Transient left ventricular apical ballooning is a quite rare clinical event mostly described in the Japanese population. It is also known as tako-tsubo-like syndrome due to the peculiar shape on endsystolic left ventriculogram which is like a tako-tsubo, an ancient device used for trapping octopuses in the Japanese sea. The clinical features of this cardiomyopathy, which mimicked an acute coronary syndrome in an Italian 78-year-old man, are described. Acute left ventricular dysfunction with the typical left ventriculogram and normal epicardial coronary arteries followed an acute emotional and physical stress: the patient felt off his boat, while lifted well up above the water of a great Italian lake during routinary servicing, with consequent chest and head traumas. The combination of emotional and physical stress with the dive in the lake cold water could have caused a brisk and marked increase in catecholamines with possible direct myocardial injury. The occurrence of a rare case of a Japanese cardiomyopathy, also mentioned by a device used in sea-fishing, in an Italian patient following an accidental dive in a lake, appears at least peculiar.

Coronary microvascular function in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: results of non-invasive evaluation.

The role of coronary microvascular function in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy remains to be elucidated. In this study it was evaluated through coronary flow reserve (CFR) by means of transthoracic Doppler ultrasound imaging of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery in 5 consecutive patients without risk factors and/or concomitant diseases impairing, per se, coronary microcirculation. In each case CFR values were in the normal range and not significantly different from age and sex-matched control subjects. These data suggest that coronary microvascular function may not be impaired in Takotsubo patients when negative influences by concomitant diseases and coronary risk factors are excluded.

Transthoracic Doppler ultrasound coronary flow reserve evaluation: preliminary insights into pathophysiology of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of coronary microvascular function in the pathophysiological scenario of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. METHODS: Noninvasive evaluations of coronary flow reserve through transthoracic Doppler ultrasound imaging of the left anterior descending coronary artery, a reliable marker of coronary microcirculation performance in the absence of epicardial coronary artery stenosis, were performed both in the acute and recovery phases of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in consecutive patients strictly selected on the basis of absence of risk factors, concomitant diseases, or both impairing coronary microvascular function. RESULTS: Resting and hyperemic diastolic flow velocity tracings and corresponding velocity time integrals were obtained in seven consecutive patients, six of them women, aged 65-86 years (76 +/- 6.5) at admission and 23 +/- 4 days after, when left ventricular wall motion alterations recovered. In addiction, thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame count of the two branches of the left coronary artery was evaluated on the cineangiogram obtained at admission. It was normal in both branches of the left coronary artery (left anterior descending, 30.6 +/- 8.79; circumflex, 23.4 +/- 2.96). In each patient, coronary flow reserve, calculated both on velocity time integrals (2.6 +/- 0.2) and average peak diastolic blood flow velocity (2.48 +/- 0.1) values, was in the normal range (>2.0) and did not significantly change when reevaluated in the recovery phase (2.55 +/- 0.1, 2.44 +/- 0.1). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that coronary microvascular function may not be impaired in Takotsubo patients when negative influences on coronary flow reserve by concomitant diseases and coronary risk factors are excluded. Its noninvasive evaluation with transthoracic Doppler ultrasound of the distal left anterior descending appears simple and useful in this type of patients.

Metabolism of hibernating myocardium assessed by microdialysis during surgical revascularization: report of a case.

We present an 80-year-old woman with hibernating myocardium in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) territory who underwent surgical revascularization and metabolic evaluation of the dysfunctioning segments by microdialysis (microD) technique. Myocardial lactate, pyruvate, and glucose did not show obvious changes throughout the procedure. Conversely, myocardial glycerol and glutamate concentrations markedly increased early after cardioplegic arrest and subsided after weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and recovery of myocardial function. Intraoperative myocardial microD may add relevant pathophysiologic information on hibernating myocardium undergoing coronary flow restoration and, eventually, improve patient care.

An unusual case of acute fatal pulmonary congestion: oesophageal stenting.

Extrinsic left atrial compression with consequent hemodynamic compromise has been described secondary to aortic aneurysm, huge gastroesophageal distension and neoplastic diseases involving mediastinum. Prompt correction of the primary pathology usually leads to reversal of hemodynamic alterations. We report the case of a lady, who, in order to treat a stenosis of the lower third of the oesophagus, underwent stenting with subsequent hemodynamic deterioration due to compression of the posterior left atrial wall disclosed by echocardiography. The sudden recovery of the oesophageal lumen at the expense of the left atrial volume with the impossibility of prompt removal of the stent led to a progressive and fatal deterioration of the hemodynamic picture. Stenting of the lower part of the oesophagus should be performed only when reciprocal anatomic relationship between heart and oesophagus itself is clearly elucidated and possibly well maintained.

Single-suture line placement of a pericardial stentless valve.

OBJECTIVE: Implantation of bioprostheses in the supra-annular position with the single suture line was first applied by O'Brien to porcine stentless valves. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical performance of the Pericarbon Freedom stentless bioprosthesis (Sorin Biomedica Cardio, Saluggia, Italy) implanted in supra-annular position with the single-suture line technique. The single-suture approach for the Pericarbon Freedom stentless bioprosthesis is obtained by trimming away all the extra tissue of the valve inflow side and scalloping the outflow side. METHODS: Between February 2002 and August 2004, a total of 65 consecutive patients at our institution (48% male, mean age 69 +/- 12 years) underwent aortic valve replacement with Pericarbon Freedom stentless bioprostheses implanted with a single suture line. Most recurrent etiology was senile degeneration (80%). Pericarbon Freedom 25-mm and 27-mm valves were the most frequently implanted. Thirty patients had concomitant procedures (mainly coronary artery bypass grafting, 16 patients). Overall crossclamp time was 76 +/- 21 minutes. RESULTS: All patients survived intervention. One patient died early of multiorgan failure (postoperative day 16). There were 4 early non-valve-related complications and no late complications at a mean follow-up of 491 +/- 270 days. Four patients showed trivial central prosthetic regurgitation at intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography; among these cases, only 1 was confirmed at 6-month transthoracic echocardiography. At postoperative echocardiographic assessment, mean pressure gradient for the 25- through 29-mm size group was 10.2 +/- 7.1 mm Hg, and peak pressure gradient was 18.1 +/- 12.3 mm Hg. CONCLUSION: Our initial experience combined a well-established supra-annular implantation technique with the Pericarbon Freedom stentless bioprosthesis, a latest-generation pericardial stentless valve. The combination showed excellent results in terms of safety and reliability, although this technique required adequate experience. Clinical outcomes are similar to those obtained with other techniques, with satisfactory hemodynamic performance.