Trace elements in patients with aortic valve sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Aortic valve sclerosis (AVSc) is defined as the thickening and calcification of aortic valve cusps, in the absence of obstruction of ventricular outflow. AVSc is linked with a clear imbalance in some trace elements. AIMS: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between AVSc and serum levels of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), and copper (Cu). Additionally, this research aimed to explore the clinical significance of human serum zinc, selenium, copper, and iron concentrations as a potential new biomarker for AVSc patients and to clarify the pathophysiological role in individuals at risk of developing AVSc. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 40 subjects with AVSc (25% male and 75% female) who were compared with a healthy control group with the same gender ratio. AVSc was based on comprehensive echocardiographic assessments. Blood samples were taken and Zn and Cu concentrations were determined through the use of atomic absorption spectroscopy. Se was measured using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry device and Fe was measured using a Beckman Coulter instrument. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the prevalence of diabetes, blood pressure levels, and body mass index between the patients and the healthy subjects (p < 0.05). The differences between the serum Fe, Se, and Cu levels of the AVSc patients and the healthy subjects (p > 0.05) were recorded. The serum Zn of AVSc patients when compared was significantly lower compared with that of the control group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Patients with AVSc had an imbalance in some of the trace elements in their blood. The patient group's valves had higher serum Cu levels and lower serum Se, Zn, and Fe concentrations compared with the healthy group's valves. In the valve patients as compared, AVSc had a high prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.

Specialist valve clinic in a cardiac centre: 10-year experience.

Aims: Guidelines recommend specialist valve clinics as best practice for the assessment and conservative management of patients with heart valve disease. However, there is little guidance on how to set up and organise a clinic. The aim of this study is to describe a clinic run by a multidisciplinary team consisting of cardiologists, physiologist/scientists and a nurse. Methods: The clinical and organisational aims of the clinic, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and links with other services are described. The methods of training non-clinical staff are detailed. Data were prospectively entered onto a database and the study consisted of an analysis of the clinical characteristics and outcomes of all patients seen between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2018. Results: There were 2126 new patients and 9522 visits in the 10-year period. The mean age was 64.8 and 55% were male. Of the visits, 3587 (38%) were to the cardiologists, 4092 (43%) to the physiologist/scientists and 1843 (19%) to the nurse. The outcomes from the cardiologist clinics were cardiology follow-up in 460 (30%), referral for surgery in 354 (23%), referral to the physiologist/scientist clinic in 412 (27%) or to the nurse clinic in 65 (4.3%) and discharge in 230 (15%). The cardiologist needed to see 6% from the nurse clinic and 10% from the physiologist/scientist clinic, while advice alone was sufficient in 10% and 9%. Conclusion: A multidisciplinary specialist valve clinic is feasible and sustainable in the long term.

Management of valvulopathies with acute severe heart failure and cardiogenic shock.

Cardiogenic shock is a critical clinical situation, requiring rapid diagnosis, aetiological assessment and immediate initiation of therapy. In industrialized countries, aortic stenosis is the most frequent left-sided valvulopathy, followed by mitral regurgitation, aortic regurgitation and mitral stenosis. Severe valvulopathies leading to cardiogenic shock are not rare conditions, but few data are available on their optimal management. Therapeutic options for such critical conditions include inotropic agents, mechanical support (when feasible) and rapid valvular intervention. Although surgery remains the gold-standard treatment for severe valvular disease, mortality is frequently prohibitive in the setting of cardiogenic shock, necessitating consideration of alternative therapies. Percutaneous management of valvulopathies has emerged as an alternative treatment for patients deemed at high surgical risk in a stable condition. Although few published data are available, catheter-based interventions may be feasible in the cardiogenic shock setting. This review offers an overview of different valvulopathies in the cardiogenic shock setting, and summarizes the different therapeutic options currently available in such critical situations.

Stroke in a young man: a late complication of radiation therapy.

This 37-year-old man presented with left sided facial warmth and numbness associated with new sudden-onset right hemiparesis. The patient first developed sudden numbness of his left lip and warmth in left ear which travelled to the rest of left face. His past medical history was significant for hypertension, Hodgkin lymphoma treated with radiation therapy at the age of 10, and sleeve gastrectomy for obesity 1 year ago complicated by bilateral ischaemic cerebral infarctions with residual left hemiparesis. No acute infarcts were found on MRI. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed a complex atheroma near the sinotubular junction in ascending aorta.

2018 Joint European consensus document on the management of antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome and/or undergoing percutaneous cardiovascular interventions: a joint consensus document of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), European Society of Cardiology Working Group on Thrombosis, European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI), and European Association of Acute Cardiac Care (ACCA) endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS), Latin America Heart Rhythm Society (LAHRS), and Cardiac Arrhythmia Society of Southern Africa (CASSA).

In 2014, a joint consensus document dealing with the management of antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and/or undergoing percutaneous coronary or valve interventions was published, which represented an effort of the European Society of Cardiology Working Group on Thrombosis, European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI), and European Association of Acute Cardiac Care (ACCA) endorsed by the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS). Since publication of this document, additional data from observational cohorts, randomized controlled trials, and percutaneous interventions as well as new guidelines have been published. Moreover, new drugs and devices/interventions are also available, with an increasing evidence base. The approach to managing AF has also evolved towards a more integrated or holistic approach. In recognizing these advances since the last consensus document, EHRA, WG Thrombosis, EAPCI, and ACCA, with additional contributions from HRS, APHRS, Latin America Heart Rhythm Society (LAHRS), and Cardiac Arrhythmia Society of Southern Africa (CASSA), proposed a focused update, to include the new data, with the remit of comprehensively reviewing the available evidence and publishing a focused update consensus document on the management of antithrombotic therapy in AF patients presenting with ACS and/or undergoing percutaneous coronary or valve interventions, and providing up-to-date consensus recommendations for use in clinical practice.

Impact of Ischemic and Valvular Heart Disease on Atrial Excitation:A High-Resolution Epicardial Mapping Study.

BACKGROUND: The influence of underlying heart disease or presence of atrial fibrillation (AF) on atrial excitation during sinus rhythm (SR) is unknown. We investigated atrial activation patterns and total activation times of the entire atrial epicardial surface during SR in patients with ischemic and/or valvular heart disease with or without AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Intraoperative epicardial mapping (N=128/192 electrodes, interelectrode distances: 2 mm) of the right atrium, Bachmann's bundle (BB), left atrioventricular groove, and pulmonary vein area was performed during SR in 253 patients (186 male [74%], age 66±11 years) with ischemic heart disease (N=132, 52%) or ischemic valvular heart disease (N=121, 48%). As expected, SR origin was located at the superior intercaval region of the right atrium in 232 patients (92%). BB activation occurred via 1 wavefront from right-to-left (N=163, 64%), from the central part (N=18, 7%), or via multiple wavefronts (N=72, 28%). Left atrioventricular groove activation occurred via (1) BB: N=108, 43%; (2) pulmonary vein area: N=9, 3%; or (3) BB and pulmonary vein area: N=136, 54%; depending on which route had the shortest interatrial conduction time (P<0.001). Ischemic valvular heart disease patients more often had central BB activation and left atrioventricular groove activation via pulmonary vein area compared with ischemic heart disease patients (N=16 [13%] versus N=2 [2%]; P=0.009 and N=86 [71%] versus N=59 [45%]; P<0.001, respectively). Total activation times were longer in patients with AF (AF: 136±20 [92-186] ms; no AF: 114±17 [74-156] ms; P<0.001), because of prolongation of right atrium (P=0.018) and BB conduction times (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Atrial excitation during SR is affected by underlying heart disease and AF, resulting in alternative routes for BB and left atrioventricular groove activation and prolongation of total activation times. Knowledge of atrial excitation patterns during SR and its electropathological variations, as demonstrated in this study, is essential to further unravel the pathogenesis of AF.

Heart Team: Joint Position of the Swiss Society of Cardiology and the Swiss Society of Cardiac Surgery.

The Swiss Society of Cardiology (SSC) and the Swiss Society of Cardiac and ThoracicVascular Surgery (SSCTVS) have formulated their mutual intent of a close, patient-oriented, and expertise-based collaboration in the Heart Team Paper. The interdisciplinary dialogue between the SSC and SSCTVS reflects an attitude in decision making, which guarantees the best possible therapy for the individual patient. At the same time, it is a cornerstone of optimized process quality, placing individual interests into the background. Evaluation of the correct indication for a treatment is indeed very challenging and almost impossible to verify retrospectively. Quality in this very important health policy process can therefore only be assured by the use of mutually recognized indications, agreed upon by all involved physicians and medical specialties, whereby the capacity of those involved in the process is not important but rather their competence. These two medical societies recognize their responsibility and have incorporated international guidelines as well as specified regulations for Switzerland. Former competitors now form an integrative consulting team able to deliver a comprehensive evaluation for patients. Naturally, implementation rests with the individual caregiver. The Heart Team Paperof the SGK and SGHC, has defined guide boards within which the involved specialists maintain sufficient room to maneuver, and patients have certainty of receiving the best possible therapy they require.

Terapia anticoagulante nas valvopatias / Anticoagulant therapy in valvulopathies

As valvopatias, especialmente na presença da fibrilação atrial (FA), aumentam o risco de eventos tromboembólicos que, além de modificar a história natural da doença, têm impacto significativo na sobrevida e na qualidade de vida dos pacientes. Além do envelhecimento da população mundial, com o consequente número crescente de pacientes com fibrilação atrial, há cada vez mais associações de valvopatias com a doença arterial coronariana (DAC). Nesse grupo de pacientes para os quais há indicação emergencial ou eletiva de intervenção coronariana percutânea (ICP) com implante de stents, serão prescritos antiplaquetários e anticoagulantes ao menos nos primeiros meses pós-ICP. A prevenção do tromboembolismo (TE) com anticoagulantes, como a varfarina ou com os anticoagulantes orais diretos (AOD), é recomendada na maioria das diretrizes. O emprego dos escores CHADS2-VASc e HAS-BLED são úteis para a quantificação dos riscos TE e hemorrágicos

Valvulopathies, especially in the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF), increase the risk of thromboembolic events, which in addition to modifying the natural history of the disease; have a significant impact on survival and quality of life of patients. In addition to the aging of the world's population, with a consequent increase in the number of patients with atrial fibrillation, there are increasing cases of associations of valvular diseases with coronary artery disease (CAD). In this group of patients, in whom there is an emergency or elective indication for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the implantation of stents, antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies will be prescribed, at least in the first months after PCI. The prevention of thromboembolic events (TE) with anticoagulants, such as warfarin, or with direct oral anticoagulants (DAOCs), is recommended in most of the Guidelines. The use of the CHADS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores are useful in the quantification of TE and hemorrhagic risks

Postoperative atrial tachycardias after mitral valve surgery: Mechanisms and outcomes of catheter ablation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial tachycardias (ATs) including atrial fibrillation are common arrhythmias occurring late after mitral valve (MV) surgery, and their management is challenging. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the electrophysiological mechanisms of ATs in patients with prior MV surgery and the long-term outcomes of catheter ablation. METHODS: We studied 67 consecutive patients (mean age 59.4 ± 10.6 years; 41 men [61%]) with prior MV surgery who presented with ATs postoperatively between 2007 and 2015. RESULTS: AT was clinically documented before the electrophysiology study in 55 patients, whereas in the remaining 12 patients AT was inducible at the study. A total of 99 ATs (35 spontaneous and 64 inducible) were characterized. Overall, the right atrium (RA) was the chamber of origin in 56%. The underlying mechanism was macroreentry in 91 cases and included typical RA flutter (n = 37), mitral annular flutter (n = 21), incisional right AT (n = 16), roof-dependent reentry (n = 12), and local left atrial reentry (n = 5). Eight focal ATs were also documented: 6 from the left atrium and 2 from the RA. Left-sided ATs were more common in patients with prior Maze procedure (53%), and mitral annular flutter was twice as prevalent in this group (42% vs 21%; P = .05). The ablation was acutely successful in 98.5%. Freedom from atrial arrhythmias was 62% at 12 months, with 42% requiring more than 1 procedure. CONCLUSION: Macroreentry is the predominant AT mechanism in patients with prior MV surgery. Circuits are most often localized to the RA, with left-sided ATs more common in patients with prior Maze procedure. Repeat procedures are common and outcomes with 1 year complete AT control good.

Patient-specific modeling of left ventricular electromechanics as a driver for haemodynamic analysis.

AIMS: Models of blood flow in the left ventricle (LV) and aorta are an important tool for analysing the interplay between LV deformation and flow patterns. Typically, image-based kinematic models describing endocardial motion are used as an input to blood flow simulations. While such models are suitable for analysing the hemodynamic status quo, they are limited in predicting the response to interventions that alter afterload conditions. Mechano-fluidic models using biophysically detailed electromechanical (EM) models have the potential to overcome this limitation, but are more costly to build and compute. We report our recent advancements in developing an automated workflow for the creation of such CFD ready kinematic models to serve as drivers of blood flow simulations. METHODS AND RESULTS: EM models of the LV and aortic root were created for four pediatric patients treated for either aortic coarctation or aortic valve disease. Using MRI, ECG and invasive pressure recordings, anatomy as well as electrophysiological, mechanical and circulatory model components were personalized. RESULTS: The implemented modeling pipeline was highly automated and allowed model construction and execution of simulations of a patient's heartbeat within 1 day. All models reproduced clinical data with acceptable accuracy. CONCLUSION: Using the developed modeling workflow, the use of EM LV models as driver of fluid flow simulations is becoming feasible. While EM models are costly to construct, they constitute an important and nontrivial step towards fully coupled electro-mechano-fluidic (EMF) models and show promise as a tool for predicting the response to interventions which affect afterload conditions.

Results of Cryoablation for Atrial Fibrillation Concomitant With Video-Assisted Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery.

Interest in minimally invasive video-assisted mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) is rapidly growing. Data on concomitant atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation to MIMVS are still lacking. The present study investigates the long-term results of AF cryoablation concomitant to MIMVS. From October 2006-September 2014, 68 patients with mitral valve disease (age 65.9 ± 11.1 years, 34 men out of 68 patients, Euroscore log 5.4 ± 4.5) and drug-resistant AF underwent MIMVS via right minithoracotomy and concomitant left-sided AF endocardial cryoablation (Cryoflex Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN). Patients were independently followed up by cardiological outpatient visits and underwent electrophysiological study when indicated. In total, 44 out of 68 patients (64.7%) underwent mitral valve repair and 8 patients (11.8%) also received concomitant tricuspid valve surgery. One procedure was electively converted to full sternotomy (1.5%). Total clamp time was 97.6 ± 22.8 minutes. In March 2015, 60 patients were alive and completed the follow-up after a mean of 3.4 ± 2.0 years following the procedure. In all, 48 patients (80%) presented sinus rhythm throughout the whole follow-up. Freedom from AF was respectively 95%, 87%, and 72% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. We recorded 2 pacemaker implants (3.3%). A total of 3 patients suffered symptomatic recurrences (2 atypical atrial flutter and 1 atrial fibrillation) and underwent transcatheter ablation-all the 3 patients remained in stable sinus rhythm for the remaining follow-up. In conclusions, given the favorable long-term sinus rhythm maintenance rates of concomitant cryoablation, MIMVS can also be offered to patients with symptomatic AF. AF transcatheter ablation may easily avoid further symptomatic recurrences.

Health-related quality of life of patients after mechanical valve replacement surgery: an integrative review.

BACKGROUND: Heart valve replacement surgery is undertaken to improve cardiac function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Mechanical valves are typically used for younger people (aged <65 years). Implantation of these valves comes with life-long health self-management requirements which potentially impact on HRQoL. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to identify the short and long-term impact on HRQoL after mechanical valve replacement surgery. METHODS: Multiple electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed studies published between 2000-2013, which focused on patients who had mechanical valve replacement, aged <65 years, and used a valid measure of HRQoL. RESULTS: Eight papers were included, all of which used the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). Preoperatively, HRQoL was impaired, particularly in the SF-36 health domains of role-physical, physical-functioning, vitality and role-emotional. Postoperatively, most people had positive and sustained HRQoL improvement. In the early postoperative period all data showed significant improvement in at least four of eight health domains (physical function, role-physical, vitality, social function). Two-thirds of people also had significant improvement in an additional two health domains (general and mental-health). Whilst most people sustained HRQoL over time, one-third of younger adults (age <24 years) showed impairment in three domains (physical-function, mental-health and general-health). CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical valve replacement surgery results in important and sustained improvements in HRQoL. Future research should include investigation of HRQoL outcomes after mechanical valve replacement for specific groups such as younger adults and people in developing countries, and include evaluations of the potential impact of valve-specific factors and health self-management requirements.

Clinical presentation of rheumatic fever in an endemic area.

This study documented whether patients diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever (ARF) in North Queensland, Australia, conformed to the 1992 Revised Jones Criteria (RJC). The authors aimed to determine whether inclusion of subclinical carditis (SCC) and monarthritis as major manifestations and a low-grade temperature as a minor manifestation in the RJC are justified in this population. A retrospective review of patients in whom the diagnosis of ARF relied on the experience of clinicians and who were admitted to the Townsville and Cairns Base Hospitals between 1997 and 2007 was undertaken. Of the 98 cases reviewed, 71.4% satisfied the RJC. Modification of the RJC increased the rate of criteria satisfaction to 91.8%. On presentation, 27 patients had SCC. Of the patients with SCC followed up, 70.5% had long-term valvular consequences. In populations endemic for ARF, monarthritis, SCC and a low-grade temperature should be included in the RJC.

First case of Pasteurella multocida endocarditis of the tricuspid valve: a favorable outcome following medical treatment.

We describe a rare case of tricuspid valve endocarditis caused by Pasteurella multocida in an elderly woman with no previous history of valvular heart disease. Risk factors included contact with animals and old age. The patient was treated successfully with five days of intravenous ampicillin followed by four weeks of oral ciprofloxacin.

Comparision of the inotropic effects of levosimendan, rolipram, and dobutamine on human atrial trabeculae.

The aim of this study was to compare the positive inotropic effects of 3 different agents with 3 different mechanisms of actions-levosimendan, rolipram, and dobutamine-on human atrial trabecular muscles. Samples of right atrial appendage (1 cm, 500-1000 mg) were removed and immersed in preoxygenated and modified Tyrode solution. In oxygenated Tyrode solution, preparations were used to investigate the concentration-effect relationship of levosimendan, dobutamine, and rolipram on percentage developed tension (DT), from 10 to 10 M, each concentration for 15 minutes. All 3 agents produced concentration-dependent increments in DT. We found that levosimendan was the most efficacious positive inotropic agent on isolated human atrial trabeculae. Both the sensitivity (pD2) and maximum response (Emax) of human atrial trabeculae to levosimendan (6.711 +/- 0.26 and 23.2 +/- 2.2 mN, respectively) were significantly greater than those of dobutamine (6.663 +/- 0.19 and 17.6 +/- 2.8 mN) and rolipram (6.497 +/- 0.18 and 15.0 +/- 1.0 mN). pD2 and Emax values for dobutamine were significantly higher than those for rolipram. It was suggested that because of its potential to enhance cardiac performance without predisposition to calcium-induced arrhythmias, levosimendan might be more useful as a positive inotropic agent in clinical practice.

Clinical characteristics of patients younger than 60 years with mitral anular calcium: comparison with age- and sex-matched control subjects.

The clinical characteristics of 107 patients younger than 60 years with mitral anular calcium (MAC) were compared with those of 107 age- and sex-matched control subjects. The patients with MAC included 55 men and 52 women, mean age 51 years. The control group included 55 men and 52 women, mean age 51 years. Patients with MAC had a higher prevalence of cardiomegaly on chest x-ray (p less than 0.0001), left atrial and left ventricular enlargement by echocardiography (p less than 0.0001), precordial murmurs (p less than 0.0001), diabetes mellitus (p less than 0.0001), systemic hypertension (p less than 0.025) and total conduction defects on surface electrocardiograms (p less than 0.0001) compared with the age- and sex-matched control subjects. The mean serum phosphorus and product of serum calcium and phosphorus were higher in patients with MAC (p less than 0.0025) than in the control subjects. The prevalence of coronary heart disease, aortic stenosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and the mean serum cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, albumin, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase and calcium levels were not significantly different between patients with MAC and the control subjects.