Authorship: from credit to accountability. Reflections from the Editors' Network.

The Editors' Network of the European Society of Cardiology provides a dynamic forum for editorial discussions and endorses the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) to improve the scientific quality of biomedical journals. Authorship confers credit and important academic rewards. Recently, however, the ICMJE emphasized that authorship also requires responsibility and accountability. These issues are now covered by the new (fourth) criterion for authorship. Authors should agree to be accountable and ensure that questions regarding the accuracy and integrity of the entire work will be appropriately addressed. This review discusses the implications of this paradigm shift on authorship requirements with the aim of increasing awareness on good scientific and editorial practices.

When oral anticoagulation therapy is needed in patients with cardiomyopathies: a review of literature.

The question whether to anticoagulate patients with cardiomyopathy or not is over 50 years old. Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated the superior therapeutic effect of warfarin compared with placebo in the prevention of thromboembolic events amongst patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. The purpose of our work is to review literature about the role of anticoagulation in the main cardiomyopathies.

Measurement of the myocardial performance index in ambulatory patients with heart failure: correlation with other clinical and echocardiographic parameters and independent prognostic value.

BACKGROUND: Many echocardiographic parameters have been proposed for the assessment of the patients with heart failure (HF). Recently, the myocardial performance index (MPI) has been shown to be an accurate index of myocardial function. We assessed the correlation with other clinical and echocardiographic measurements and the prognostic value of MPI in patients with HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: The MPI was assessed in 112 consecutive patients with persistent symptoms of HF (II-III NYHA class), sinus rhythm, LV systolic dysfunction (defined by an ejection fraction 0.55 (median value) and medium to severe mitral regurgitation were associated with a relative risk of cardiovascular events of 18.7 (95% confidence interval [CI], 16.6-20.7; P < 0.005) and of 3.03 (95% CI, 2-4.1; P = 0.035), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In our patients with HF, MPI was the best predictor of cardiovascular events. Mitral regurgitation was the only other variable which had an additive prognostic value at multivariate analysis.

Agents with inotropic properties for the management of acute heart failure syndromes. Traditional agents and beyond.

Treatment with inotropic agents is one of the most controversial topics in heart failure. Initial enthusiasm, based on strong pathophysiological rationale and apparent empirical efficacy, has been progressively limited by results of controlled trials and registries showing poorer outcomes of the patients on inotropic therapy. The use of these agents remains, however, potentially indicated in a significant proportion of patients with low cardiac output, peripheral hypoperfusion and end-organ dysfunction caused by heart failure. Limitations of inotropic therapy seem to be mainly related to their mechanisms of action entailing arrhythmogenesis, peripheral vasodilation, myocardial ischemia and damage, and possibly due to their use in patients without a clear indication, rather than to the general principle of inotropic therapy itself. This review will discuss the characteristics of the patients with a potential indication for inotropic therapy, the main data from registries and controlled trials, the mechanism of the untoward effects of these agents on outcomes and, lastly, perspectives with new agents with novel mechanisms of action.

Imaging of caseous calcification of the mitral annulus.

Caseous calcification of the mitral annulus is a rare form of periannular calcification that generally appears as a calcified mass with a central echolucent area that may lead to diagnostic errors. The case is reported of a 65-year-old woman in whom a suspicious mass was detected with transthoracic echocardiography performed for dyspnea.

[Usefulness of left atrial diametres and volumes for the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function]. / Utilità della misurazione dei diametri e del volume atriale sinistro nella valutazione della funzione diastolica del ventricolo sinistro.

INTRODUCTION: The diastolic function of the left ventricle is a main point of the physiological adaptations of the cardiovascular system to the various situations. AIM OF THE STUDY: Evaluation of left atrium diameter change during diastole and left atrial volume and their possible correlation with different left ventricular diastolic filling pattern. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety patients with echocardiographically determined diastolic dysfunction and eighty healthy volunteers were included in the study. We measured left atrium emptying fraction (LAEF), defined as ratio of end-diastolic left atrial diameter to end-systolic diameter and left atrial volume. Mitral flow pulsed wave velocities were recorded. E, A, E/A, deceleration time of early diastolic filling, isovolumetric relaxation time were measured. Pulmonary vein S, D and atrial reversal velocities and tissue Doppler imaging of E' and A' mitral anular velocities were obtained. RESULTS: LAEF was found 0.6 +/- 0.4 (mean SE) in the control group, 0.81 +/- 0.04 in pseudonormal pattern (P < 0.05, control vs pseudonormal group), 0.89 +/- 0.01 in the greater A wave than E wave (P < 0.001, control vs restrictive pattern group), and 0.78 +/- 0.2 in the A > E group (P < 0.05, control vs A > E pattern group). CONCLUSIONS: LAEF and atrial volume are a new and practical methods for the differentiation of the normal-pseudonormal mitral flow pattern, in particular in setting without new ultrasound technologies.

Authorship: From Credit to Accountability Reflections From the Editors´ Network.

The Editors´ Network of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) provides a dynamic forum for editorial discussions and endorses the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) to improve the scientific quality of biomedical journals. Authorship confers credit and important academic rewards. Recently, however, the ICMJE emphasized that authorship also requires responsibility and accountability. These issues are now covered by the new (fourth) criterion for authorship. Authors should agree to be accountable and ensure that questions regarding the accuracy and integrity of the entire work will be appropriately addressed. This review discusses the implications of this paradigm shift on authorship requirements with the aim of increasing awareness on good scientific and editorial practices.

Authorship: from credit to accountability. Reflections from the Editors' Network.

The Editors' Network of the European Society of Cardiology provides a dynamic forum for editorial discussions and endorses the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) to improve the scientific quality of biomedical journals. Authorship confers credit and important academic rewards. Recently, however, the ICMJE emphasized that authorship also requires responsibility and accountability. These issues are now covered by the new (fourth) criterion for authorship. Authors should agree to be accountable and ensure that questions regarding the accuracy and integrity of the entire work will be appropriately addressed. This review discusses the implications of this paradigm shift on authorship requirements with the aim of increasing awareness on good scientific and editorial practices.

Authorship: From credit to accountability. Reflections from the Editors' Network.

The Editors' Network of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) provides a dynamic forum for editorial discussions and endorses the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) to improve the scientific quality of biomedical journals. Authorship confers credit and important academic rewards. Recently, however, the ICMJE emphasized that authorship also requires responsibility and accountability. These issues are now covered by the new (fourth) criterion for authorship. Authors should agree to be accountable and ensure that questions regarding the accuracy and integrity of the entire work will be appropriately addressed. This review discusses the implications of this paradigm shift on authorship requirements with the aim of increasing awareness on good scientific and editorial practices.

Improvements in signs and symptoms during hospitalization for acute heart failure follow different patterns and depend on the measurement scales used: an international, prospective registry to evaluate the evolution of measures of disease severity in acute heart failure (MEASURE-AHF).

BACKGROUND: The natural evolution of signs and symptoms during acute heart failure (AHF) is poorly characterized. METHODS AND RESULTS: We followed a prospective international cohort of 182 patients hospitalized with AHF. Patient-reported dyspnea and general well-being (GWB) were measured daily using 7-tier Likert (-3 to +3) and visual analog scales (VAS, 0-100). Physician assessments were also recorded daily. Mean age was 69 years and 68% had ejection fraction <40%. Likert measures of dyspnea initially improved rapidly (day 1, 0.22; day 2, 1.31; P <.001) with no significant improvement thereafter (day 7, 1.51; day 2 versus 7 P = .16). In contrast, VAS measure of dyspnea improved throughout hospitalization (day 1, 50.1; day 2, 64.7; day 7, 83.2; day 1 versus 2 P < .001, day 2 versus 7 P < .001). Symptoms of dyspnea and GWB tracked closely (correlation r = .813, P < .001). Physical signs resolved more completely than did symptoms (eg, from day 1 to discharge/day 7, absence of edema increased from 33% to 72% of patients, whereas significant improvements in dyspnea increased from 27% to 52% of patients; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Changes in patient-reported symptoms and physician-assessed signs followed different patterns during an AHF episode and are influenced by the measurement scales used. Multiple clinical measures should be considered in discharge decisions and evaluation of AHF therapies.

[Peripartum cardiomyopathy]. / Cardiomiopatia peripartum.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare disorder in which left ventricular dysfunction and symptoms of heart failure occur in the peripartum period in previously healthy women. Incidence of PPCM ranges from 1 in 1300 to 1 in 15,000 pregnancies. The etiology of PPCM is unknown, but viral, autoimmune, and idiopathic causes may contribute. The diagnostic criteria are onset of heart failure in the last month of pregnancy or in the first 5 months postpartum, absence of determinable cause for cardiac failure, and absence of a demonstrable heart disease before the last month of pregnancy. Risk factors for PPCM include advanced maternal age, multiparity, African race, twinning, gestational hypertension, and long-term tocolysis. The clinical presentation of patients with PPCM is similar to that of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. Echocardiography is central to diagnosis. Early diagnosis and initiation of treatment are essential to optimize pregnancy outcome. Treatment is similar to medical therapy for other forms of dilated cardiomyopathy. About half the patients of PPCM recover without complications. The prognosis is poor in patients with persistent cardiomyopathy. Persistence of disease after 6 months indicates irreversible cardiomyopathy and portends worse survival.

Intracranial bleeding mimicking an extensive acute myocardial infarction with reversible apical ballooning and systolic left ventricular dysfunction. A case report.

A novel syndrome with transient asynergy of the apical segments of the left ventricle, also known as tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy, has been recently described and presents characteristics and effects similar to acute myocardial infarction. We report the case of a 69-year-old woman presenting with chest pain typical of myocardial ischemia, electrocardiographic abnormalities typical of antero-lateral transmural myocardial infarction, and unstable clinical and hemodynamic condition. Trans-thoracic echocardiography showed a left ventricular dysfunction with a markedly decreased ejection fraction. The patient received heparin and abciximab bolus but coronary angiography demonstrated the absence of coronary stenoses, thrombi, and coronary spasm. Due to impaired neurological conditions the patient underwent brain tomography that showed subarachnoid haemorrhage secondary to a right vertebral artery aneurysm rupture. The possible occurrence of a reversible cardiomyopathy mimicking an acute coronary syndrome in presence of intracranial bleeding should be always considered.

Optimal duration of dual anti-platelet therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention: 2016 consensus position of the Italian Society of Cardiology.

Definition of the optimal duration of dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT) is an important clinical issue, given the large number of patients having percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the costs and risks of pharmacologic therapy, the consequences of stent thrombosis, and the potential benefits of DAPT in preventing ischaemic outcomes beyond stent thrombosis. Nowadays, the rationale for a prolonged duration of DAPT should be not only the prevention of stent thrombosis, but also the prevention of ischaemic events unrelated to the coronary stenosis treated with index PCI. A higher predisposition to athero-thrombosis may persist for years after an acute myocardial infarction, and even stable patients with a history of prior myocardial infarction are at high risk for major adverse cardiovascular events. Recently, results of pre-specified post-hoc analyses of randomized clinical trials, including the PEGASUS-TIMI 54 trial, have shed light on strategies of DAPT in various clinical situations, and should impact the next rounds of international guidelines, and also routine practice. Accordingly, the 2015 to 2016 the Board of the Italian Society of Cardiology addressed newer recommendations on duration of DAPT based on most recent scientific information. The document states that physicians should decide duration of DAPT on an individual basis, taking into account ischaemic and bleeding risks of any given patient. Indeed, current controversy surrounding optimal duration of DAPT clearly reflects the fact that, nowadays, a one size fits all strategy cannot be reliably applied to patients treated with PCI. Indeed, patients usually have factors for both increased ischaemic and bleeding risks that must be carefully evaluated to assess the benefit/risk ratio of prolonged DAPT. Personalized management of DAPT must be seen as a dynamic prescription with regular re-evaluations of the risk/benefit to the patient according to changes in his/her clinical profile. Also, in order to derive more benefit than harm from new treatments, a multi-parametric approach using several risk scores of the ischaemic and bleeding risks might improve the process of risk factor characterization. In patients with high ischaemic risk, particularly those with a history of myocardial infarction, the benefits of extended DAPT (particularly with ticagrelor up to 3 years) are likely to outweigh the risks.

Data Sharing: A New Editorial Initiative of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Implications for the Editors' Network.

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides recommendations to improve the editorial standards and scientific quality of biomedical journals. These recommendations range from uniform technical requirements to more complex and elusive editorial issues including ethical aspects of the scientific process. Recently, registration of clinical trials, conflicts of interest disclosure, and new criteria for authorship - emphasizing the importance of responsibility and accountability -, have been proposed. Last year, a new editorial initiative to foster sharing of clinical trial data was launched. This review discusses this novel initiative with the aim of increasing awareness among readers, investigators, authors and editors belonging to the Editors' Network of the European Society of Cardiology.

Data Sharing: A New Editorial Initiative of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Implications for the Editors´ Network.

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides recommendations to improve the editorial standards and scientific quality of biomedical journals. These recommendations range from uniform technical requirements to more complex and elusive editorial issues including ethical aspects of the scientific process. Recently, registration of clinical trials, conflicts of interest disclosure, and new criteria for authorship -emphasizing the importance of responsibility and accountability-, have been proposed. Last year, a new editorial initiative to foster sharing of clinical trial data was launched. This review discusses this novel initiative with the aim of increasing awareness among readers, investigators, authors and editors belonging to the Editors´ Network of the European Society of Cardiology.

Data Sharing: A New Editorial Initiative of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Implications for the Editors´ Network.

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides recommendations to improve the editorial standards and scientific quality of biomedical journals. These recommendations range from uniform technical requirements to more complex and elusive editorial issues including ethical aspects of the scientific process. Recently, registration of clinical trials, conflicts of interest disclosure, and new criteria for authorship - emphasizing the importance of responsibility and accountability-, have been proposed. Last year, a new editorial initiative to foster sharing of clinical trial data was launched. This review discusses this novel initiative with the aim of increasing awareness among readers, investigators, authors and editors belonging to the Editors´ Network of the European Society of Cardiology. Resumo O Comitê Internacional de Editores de Revistas Médicas (ICMJE) fornece recomendações para aprimorar o padrão editorial e a qualidade científica das revistas biomédicas. Tais recomendações variam desde requisitos técnicos de uniformização até assuntos editoriais mais complexos e elusivos, como os aspectos éticos do processo científico. Recentemente, foram propostos registro de ensaios clínicos, divulgação de conflitos de interesse e novos critérios de autoria, enfatizando a importância da responsabilidade e da responsabilização. No último ano, lançou-se uma nova iniciativa editorial para fomentar o compartilhamento dos dados de ensaios clínicos. Esta revisão discute essa nova iniciativa visando a aumentar a conscientização de leitores, investigadores, autores e editores filiados à Rede de Editores da Sociedade Europeia de Cardiologia.

Epidemiology and cardiovascular risk factors of aortic stenosis.

The abnormalities of aortic valve morphology and function represent the most common cardiac-valve lesion particularly in elderly. The etiology of aortic stenosis is degenerative-calcific in the majority of patients. Many risk factors seems to be linked to the calcification and the stenosis of the aortic valve but they must be confirmed. In this review the etiology and the possible physiopathology of the aortic valve stenosis is discussed.

Is total arterial myocardial revascularization with composite grafts a safe and useful procedure in the elderly?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the mid-term results of total arterial myocardial revascularization (TAMR) with composite grafts in patients older than 70 years when compared to standard CABG technique, since the usefulness of TAMR in the elderly has not been demonstrated yet. METHODS: A prospective randomized study was designed with the following end-points: post-operative complications, death, recurrence of angina, graft occlusion, any cardiac event and reinterventions. One hundred and eighty-eight patients older than 70 years were enrolled and assigned to Group 1(G1)=94 pts, for total arterial revascularization or Group 2(G2)=94 pts, for standard CABG (LITA on LAD plus additional saphenous veins). The groups were comparable in terms of pre-operative characteristics and Euroscore (mean: G1=8.4 vs. G2=8.2). RESULTS: No differences between the groups were observed in terms of mean number of grafted vessels (G1=2.1 vs. G2=2.3), mean aortic cross-clamping time (G1=34+/-8 vs. G2=33+/-6min), mechanical ventilation time (G1=23+/-4 vs. G2=22+/-4hr), ICU stay (G1=40+/-10 vs. G2=39+/-9hr), post-operative complications and hospital mortality (G1=5.3% vs. G2=4.2%). At a mean follow-up of 12+/-4 months, cumulative incidence of angina recurrence was 2.1% in G1 vs. 11% in G2 (P=0.021). Angiographic evaluation showed 98.2% arterial patency in G1 vs. 86% saphenous vein graft patency in G2 (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis identified conventional CABG surgery as independent predictor of angina recurrence, graft occlusion and late cardiac events. CONCLUSIONS: Total arterial revascularization with composite grafts proved to be a safe and effective procedure also in the elderly. Composite arterial grafts provided superior clinical outcome with a lower rate of angina recurrence, graft occlusion and late cardiac events when compared to conventional CABG strategy.

[Dilated cardiomyopathy: indication and role of invasive evaluation]. / Cardiomiopatia dilatativa: quando è indicata e cosa richiedere alla valutazione invasiva.

Coronary angiography is still the first choice method for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. The diagnosis of coronary artery disease is, in its turn, essential as patients with associated coronary artery disease have a worse prognosis, compared to patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, and, more importantly, coronary revascularization may significantly improve left ventricular function, clinical symptoms and prognosis, when performed in the presence of a significant amount of viable myocardium. The favorable effects on the left ventricular function are greater when a contractile reserve is shown. However, revascularization of viable myocardium may have other beneficial effects like a reduction in left ventricular remodeling and in the incidence of recurrent ischemic events and malignant arrhythmias. The detection of viable myocardium should, however, be preceded by the detection of coronary artery disease through coronary angiography. The clinical history and the results of the non-invasive evaluation, with the possible exception of coronary calcium detection by electron beam computed tomography, do not, in fact, allow the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Coronary angiography is thus indicated in all the patients with suspected coronary artery disease (e.g. males > 35 years, with coronary risk factors, a history of chest pain and/or regional wall motion abnormalities and/or perfusion defects at stress scintigraphy) in whom the age and general conditions warrant a coronary revascularization procedure. Coronary angiography is also indicated in all the patients who are candidates to heart transplantation or whose symptoms are secondary to a mechanical complication of myocardial infarction.

[New and old beta-blockers in the treatment of heart failure]. / Nuovi e vecchi beta-bloccanti nel trattamento dell'insufficienza cardiaca.

Controlled clinical trials, performed in more than 16,000 patients to date, have consistently shown the beneficial effects of long-term beta-blocker therapy in patients with chronic heart failure. However, it is not clear whether this represents a class effect or it is specific only to some agents. Beneficial effects on the prognosis of the patients with mild to moderate heart failure have been shown with metoprolol, bisoprolol, and carvedilol. However, these beta-blockers differ in their pharmacological characteristics. Metoprolol and bisoprolol are selective for beta 1-adrenergic receptors and are devoid of ancillary properties. Carvediol, at doses of 50 mg daily, blocks all beta 1-, beta 2-, and alpha 1- adrenergic receptors, and has associated antiproliferative and antioxidant activities. These differences cause a different acute hemodynamic response with a reduction in cardiac output and a tendency to a rise in pulmonary wedge pressure with selective agents and no change in cardiac output and a slight decrease in pulmonary pressures with carvedilol. Accordingly, when the therapy is started, the most frequent side effects are worsening heart failure with metoprolol and bisoprolol and hypotension and dizziness with carvedilol. It is still controversial whether these differences may also influence the long-term effects of therapy. Differently from selective beta-blockers, carvedilol does not upregulate beta 1-receptors, blocks all adrenergic receptors, decreases cardiac norepinephrine release, thus providing a more comprehensive blockade of the cardiac adrenergic drive. These properties have caused a larger increase in LV function and a lack of improvement in maximal exercise capacity with carvedilol, compared to selective beta-blockers. It is however, unclear whether these differences may also influence the patients' outcome.