Aortopathy and aortic valve surgery in patients with bicuspid aortic valve with and without raphe.

AIM: To evaluate the association between raphe in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) patients and valve dysfunction, aortopathy and aortic valve surgery in the REBECCA registry [REgistro della valvola aortica Bicuspide della Società Italiana di ECocardiografia e CArdiovascular Imaging (SIECVI)]. METHODS: Prevalence of aortic valve dysfunction and aortopathy was investigated in BAV patients with and without raphe. Aortic valve dysfunction (regurgitation or stenosis) was categorized as mild, moderate and severe. Aortopathy was defined as annulus ≥14 mm/m2; root ≥20 mm/m2; sinotubular junction ≥16 mm/m2; ascending aorta ≥17 mm/m2, and classified in Type A, isolated ascending aorta dilatation; Type B, aortic root and ascending aorta dilatation; and Type C, isolated aortic root dilatation. RESULTS: Overall, 695 patients with BAV were enrolled; 520 (74.8%) with raphe and 175 (25.2%) without raphe. BAV patients with raphe presented more frequently with moderate or severe aortic stenosis than BAV patients without raphe (183 [35.2%] vs 34 [19.4%], p < 0.001). A higher prevalence of aortopathy, particularly Type B, was observed in patients with vs without raphe. At multivariable analysis, raphe was a predictor of aortic valve surgery at three-year follow-up (odds ratio 2.19, 95% confidence interval 1.08-4.44, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with BAV and raphe have a higher prevalence of significant aortic stenosis, aortopathy, especially Type B, and a higher risk of undergoing aortic valve surgery at three-year follow-up.

[Atherosclerosis and inflammation: no longer just theory, but a real perspective.] / Aterosclerosi e infiammazione: non più solo teoria, ma reale prospettiva.

Coronary atherosclerotic disease is still one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Despite the changes of lifestyle and therapeutic treatments, there is an individual residual risk as worthy of further study. Investigating the residual risk means knowing its pathophysiological mechanisms, developing imaging techniques and biomarkers capable of identifying patients who can benefit from new available treatments. It is known that in all phases of the atherosclerotic process a pivotal role is played by inflammation, which, through innate and adaptive immunity, determines many direct and indirect effects which affect the patient's prognosis. The most immediate and least expensive way to stratify the patient's inflammatory risk is a dosage of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). The hs-CRP reduction and cardiovascular events observed with the use of lipid-lowering drugs (statins), in treatments aimed at modulating the inflammatory system in the treatment of rheumatological pathologies, has paved the way for studies with drugs in the rheumatological therapeutic arena in the cardiovascular setting. The results, in addition to confirming an improvement in the main cardiovascular hard endpoints, allowed a refinement of knowledge by identifying increasingly precise targets and reducing potential side effects. Ongoing and future studies are creating solid scientific evidence in which the optimal control of inflammation will be an essential therapeutic target.

Thromboembolism in Heart Failure Patients in Sinus Rhythm: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, Clinical Trials, and Future Direction.

Despite advances in medical and device therapy, patients with heart failure remain at high risk for morbidity and mortality. Experimental and clinical studies have shown an association between heart failure and a hypercoagulable state, and that patients with heart failure experience an increased incidence of stroke and other thromboembolic events, regardless of whether they are in atrial fibrillation. Although oral anticoagulation is recommended when atrial fibrillation is present, the benefits of this therapy in patients with heart failure in sinus rhythm are uncertain. Older randomized controlled trials comparing warfarin with antiplatelet therapy were, for the most part, underpowered and failed to show convincing benefits of warfarin therapy in this population. Several recent studies that assessed the effects of low-dose direct-acting oral anticoagulant therapy in patients with coronary artery disease in sinus rhythm either included or specifically targeted patients with heart failure. Post hoc analysis of their results showed that this treatment strategy was associated with improved outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome or stable coronary artery disease and also a significant reduction in thromboembolic events, including ischemic stroke. This review presents the rationale for anticoagulant therapy in patients with heart failure in sinus rhythm, discusses gaps in our knowledge base, offers suggestions for when anticoagulation might be considered, and identifies potential directions for future research.

[ANMCO statement: Arterial and venous thromboembolism: what implications for clinical practice?] / Statement ANMCO: Tromboembolismo arterioso e venoso: quali implicazioni per la pratica clinica?

Acute myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral arterial disease and pulmonary embolism share thrombosis as a common mechanism. Some well-known risk factors for arterial thromboembolism are recognized as "weak risk factors" of venous one, too. Arterial and venous thrombosis share also some pathophysiological mechanisms, including inflammation, endothelial damage, and hypercoagulability. It is likely, thus, that any disease related to arterial and venous thrombosis belong to the same "pan-vascular syndrome", that constitutes itself a chronic, recurrent inflammatory disease. According to the available data, there are elements for implementing an omni-comprehensive cardiovascular evaluation after an episode of venous thromboembolism, requiring the investigations, in addition to the known unrecognized prothrombotic conditions, also of indirect signs and risk factors for a possible arterial thromboembolic event. Large, prospective studies are needed to establish the more appropriate therapeutic strategies in this context.The aim of the present statement is to make aware all the physicians involved in the management of arterial and venous diseases and to provide some tools for evaluating the implications of related major risk factors. Thus, it could be possible to lay the foundation for a reduction of total cardiovascular risk, in terms of primary and secondary prevention of arterial and venous thromboembolism.

Secondary prevention advices after cardiovascular index event: From drug prescription to risk factors control in real world practice.

The present study aims at evaluating the achievement of blood pressure, lipid and blood glucose targets, healthy lifestyle changes and appropriate drug prescription/adherence in patients attending secondary prevention/CR ambulatory visit after index cardiovascular event in a time period ranging 1 to 5 year. At ambulatory visit, a predetermined set of data collection was used, including demographic data, cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle habits, type and time of index event, current symptoms, physical sign, biochemistry and current medical treatment (including type and dosage). Cardiovascular risk profile (smoking habits, physical activity and body weight), secondary prevention goals (LDL-cholesterol, blood pressure, resting heart rate, glycated haemoglobin level) and the use of recommended drugs were also evaluated and categorized. Study population consisted of 800 patients [644 men (84.5%), aged 69±10.9 years)]. Cardiovascular index events were coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) (20%) ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) (28%), non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) (21%) and stable angina (13%) by unstable angina (13%) and stroke (5%). About 30% of patients was symptomatic (angina or dyspnoea) at the time of ambulatory visit. Major comorbidities were hypertension (73%), dyslipidaemia (64%) and diabetes (40%). More than 80% of patients achieved target levels for blood pressure. Patients that have participated to cardiac rehabilitation programmes after cardiovascular index event showed best achievement in blood pressure target (83.8% vs 76.8%, p=0.02). LDL-cholesterol target (<70 mg/dl) was achieved in about 2/3 of patients; HbA1c target (<7%) was achieved in 56.4% of diabetic population. About 75% of study cohort was treated with RAAS inhibitors, 85% with beta-blockers, 92% with statins and 87% with acetylsalicylic acid. All drugs were increasingly adopted from index event. Implementing secondary prevention guidelines into the 'real world' clinical practice in "late" interval from 1 to 5 years after a cardiovascular event improved risk factors control and appropriate drug prescription. Whether these improvements translated into prognostic advantages remains to be elucidated.

The New Heart Failure Association Definition of Advanced Heart Failure.

The clinical course of heart failure is characterised by progressive worsening of cardiac function and symptoms. Patients progress to a condition where traditional treatment is no longer effective and advanced therapies, such as mechanical circulatory support, heart transplantation and/or palliative care, are needed. This condition is called advanced chronic heart failure. The Heart Failure Association first defined it in 2007 and this definition was updated in 2018. The updated version emphasises the role of comorbidities, including tachyarrhythmias, and the role of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Improvements in mechanical circulatory support technology and better disease management programmes are major advances and are radically changing the management of these patients.

Cardiac calcification as a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis and predictor of cardiovascular events: A review of the evidence.

Risk prediction of future atherothrombotic cardiovascular events is currently based on conventional risk factor assessment and the use of validated algorithms, such as the Framingham Risk Score, the Pooled Cohort Equations, and the European SCORE Risk Charts. However, the identification of subclinical organ damage has emerged as a potentially more accurate predictor of individual risk. Several imaging modalities have been proposed for identification of preclinical atherosclerosis. Coronary artery calcification scanning performed using cardiac computed tomography and calculation of the Agatston score is the most commonly used technique in clinical practice for detection of subclinical disease, prognostic stratification of asymptomatic individuals and implementation of preventive strategies. Furthermore, conventional echocardiographic examination may offer an assessment of cardiac calcifications at different sites, such as the mitral apparatus (including annulus, leaflets and papillary muscles), aortic valve and ascending aorta, that are associated with the clinical manifestation of atherosclerotic disease and are predictive of future cardiovascular events. The aim of this paper is to summarize available evidence on the clinical use of cardiac calcification, review the pathogenetic mechanisms involved, including similarities with atherosclerosis, and evaluate its potential for risk stratification and prevention of clinical events in the primary prevention setting.

[Cardiac rehabilitation "3.0": from the acute to the chronic stage. A position paper from the Italian Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (GICR-IACPR)]. / La Cardiologia Preventiva e Riabilitativa "3.0": dalle acuzie alla cronicità. Position paper del Gruppo Italiano di Cardiologia Riabilitativa e Preventiva (GICR-IACPR).

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) represents a cardiology subspecialty that is devoted to the care of cardiac patients, early and long term after an acute event. CR aims at improving both quality of life and prognosis through risk and prognostic stratification, clinical stabilization and optimization of therapy, management of comorbidities, treatment of disability, and the provision of sustained long-term preventive and rehabilitative services.The mission of CR has changed over time. From being centred on the acute phase, health care of cardiac patients is increasingly involving the long-term chronic phase. The aim of the present position paper is to provide the state of the art of CR in Italy, discussing strengths and weaknesses as well as future perspectives.

Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation "3.0": From acute to chronic phase. Position Paper of the ltalian Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (GICR-IACPR).

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is the subspecialty of clinical cardiology dedicated to the treatment of cardiac patients, early and in the long term after an acute event. The aim of CR is to improve both quality of life and prognosis through prognostic stratification, clinical stabilization and optimization of therapy (pharmacological and non), management of comorbidities, treatment of disability, as well as through the provision and reinforcement of secondary prevention interventions and maintenaince of adherence to treatment. The mission of CR has changed over time. Once centered on the acute phase, aimed primarily at short-term survival, the healthcare of cardiac patients now increasingly involves the chronic phase where the challenge is to guarantee continuity and quality of care in the medium and long-term. The aim of the present position paper is to provide the state-of-the-art of CR in Italy, discussing its trengths and weaknesses as well as future perspectives.

Iron deficiency in heart failure.

: Due to aging of the patients with heart failure, comorbidities are an emerging problem and, among them, iron deficiency is an important therapeutic target, independently of concomitant hemoglobin level. Iron deficiency affects up to 50% of heart failure patients, and it has been largely established its association with poor quality of life, impaired exercise tolerance and higher mortality. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses have demonstrated that intravenous iron supplementation in heart failure patients with iron deficiency positively affects symptoms, quality of life, exercise tolerance (as measured by VO2 peak and 6MWT), with a global trend to reduction of hospitalization rates. Current European Society of Cardiology Guidelines for heart failure recommend a diagnostic work-up for iron deficiency in all heart failure patients and intravenous iron supplementation with ferric carboxymaltose for symptomatic patients with iron deficiency, defined by ferritin level less than 100 µg/l or by ferritin 100-300 µg/l with TSAT less than 20%. On-going studies will provide new evidence for a better treatment of this important comorbidity of heart failure patients.