Aspirin for Primary Prevention in Patients With Elevated Coronary Artery Calcium Score: A Systematic Review of Current Evidences.

The 2019 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association guidelines regarding low-dose aspirin in the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) indicate an increased risk of bleeding without a net benefit. The coronary artery calcium (CAC) score could be used to guide aspirin therapy in high-risk patients without an increased risk of bleeding. With this systematic review, we aimed to analyze studies that have investigated the role of CAC in primary prevention with aspirin. A total of 4 relevant studies were identified and the primary outcomes of interest were bleeding events and major adverse cardiac events. The outcomes of interest were stratified into 3 groups based on CAC scoring: 0, 1 to 99, and ≥100. A study concluded from 2,191 patients that with a low bleeding risk, CAC ≥100, and ASCVD risk ≥5% aspirin confers a net benefit, whereas patients with a high bleeding risk would experience a net harm, irrespective of ASCVD risk or CAC. All other studies demonstrated net benefit in patients with CAC ≥100 with a clear benefit. CAC scores correspond to calcified plaque in coronary vessels and are associated with graded increase in adverse cardiovascular events. Our review has found that in the absence of a significant bleeding risk, increased ASCVD risk and CAC score corelate with increased benefit from aspirin. A study demonstrated a decrease in the odds of myocardial infarction from 3 to 0.56 in patients on aspirin. The major drawback of aspirin for primary prevention is the bleeding complication. At present, there is no widely validated tool to predict the bleeding risk with aspirin, which creates difficulties in accurately delineating risk. Barring some discrepancy between studies, evidence shows a net harm for the use of aspirin in low ASCVD risk (<5%), irrespective of CAC score.

'From Gut to Heart': A rare case of Salmonella Typhimurium Bacteremia and native valve endocarditis.

Background: Salmonella species are very rarely associated with infective endocarditis, accounting for less than 0.01-2.9 % of total bacterial endocarditis cases. Since 1976, there have less than 90 reported cases of non-Typhoidal Salmonella bacteremia and endocarditis. Case presentation: We present the case of a 57-year-old homeless man with a past medical history significant only for polysubstance abuse. He presented to the emergency department with a 3-day history of severe, non-bloody diarrhea, nausea, chills, and oliguria. Due to the patient's history of substance use, screening laboratory tests were conducted and were positive for rapid plasma reagin, treponemal antibodies, and hepatitis C. For the profuse diarrhea and severe volume loss, C. difficile, stool white blood cells and stool ova and parasites were ordered but were ultimately negative. Both sets of blood cultures were found to be positive for Salmonella Typhimurium bacteremia. Further workup with transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiogram displayed small mobile masses attached to the aortic surface of the right and non-coronary cusps, confirming endocarditis on the aortic valve. Treatment included penicillin-G once a week for 3 weeks for latent syphilis and ceftriaxone and levofloxacin for bacteremia and endocarditis. Conclusions: Patients with Salmonella typically present early with gastrointestinal symptoms, but clinicians should consider cardiovascular imaging if blood cultures are found to be positive in order to potentially identify and promptly treat highly fatal Salmonella endocarditis.

Tolvaptan add-on therapy and its effects on efficacy parameters and outcomes in patients hospitalized with heart failure.

INTRODUCTION: Even with the adequate use of diuretics and vasodilators, volume overload and congestion are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure (HF). We aim to evaluate the additive effect of tolvaptan on efficacy parameters as well as outcomes in hospitalized patients with HF. METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, and Web of Science databases for randomized controlled trials that studied the effects of tolvaptan versus placebo in hospitalized patients with HF. Studies were included if they had any of the following endpoints: mortality, re-hospitalization, and in-hospital parameters like dyspnea relief, change in weight, sodium, and creatinine. RESULTS: The meta-analysis analyzed data from 14 studies involving 5945 patients. The follow up duration ranged from 30 days to 2 years. Between tolvaptan and placebo groups, there was no difference in mortality and rehospitalization. HF patients had a better dyspnea relief score (Likert score) in tolvaptan group and mean reduction in weight in the first 48 h (short-term). However, at 7 days (medium-term) the mean difference in weight was not significant. Serum sodium increased significantly in tolvaptan group. There was no difference in creatinine among the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis shows that tolvaptan helps in short-term symptomatic dyspnea relief and weight reduction, but there are no long term benefits including reduction in mortality and rehospitalization.

Sex differences on outcomes of catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia in patients with structural heart disease: A real-world systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Sex differences have diversely affected cardiac diseases. Little is known whether these differences impact outcomes of catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT). Objectives: To assess the impact of sex differences on outcomes of catheter ablation of VT. Methods: Databases were searched from inception through December 2021. Effect estimates from individual studies were extracted and combined using the random-effects, generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird. The outcomes of interest included VT recurrence rates, all-cause mortality, and composite outcomes of mortality, left ventricular assistant device use, and heart transplantation following VT ablation. Results: Our analysis included 22 observational studies. There were 10,206 patients, of which 12.8% were women. We found no statistical difference between sexes for VT recurrence rate (pooled hazard ratio [HR] 1.04, P = .57, I 2 = 14.9%). Similarly, there was statistical difference in neither all-cause mortality nor composite outcomes (pooled HR 0.93, P = .75, I 2 = 59.1% and pooled HR 0.9, P = .33, I 2 = 0%, respectively). There was a trend toward an increase in women undergoing VT ablation in the recent registries (P = .071). Conclusion: Our contemporary analysis suggests that sex may have no impact on clinical outcomes of catheter ablation of VT in patients with structural heart disease, though women are the underrepresented. However, recent VT ablation registries have involved more women in their studies. Future studies with a higher proportion of women are encouraged to verify the current perception.

Temporal Trend, Prevalence, Predictors and Outcomes of Gastrointestinal Bleed in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in the United States (from the National Inpatient Sample).

Gastrointestinal bleed (GIB) is an important complication in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) although its prevalence, predictors and outcomes are unknown. The national inpatient sample 2011 to 2018 was analyzed to find hospitalizations with the diagnosis of HC. HC patients were divided into 2 groups: with and without GIB. Baseline characteristics between the 2 groups were compared (Table 2). Variables with p value of 0.2 or less from univariate logistic regression were included in the multivariate logistic regression to find an independent predictor of GIB in HC patients. Stata IC was used for all statistical analysis. Our study reported 242,172 HC hospitalizations between 2011 and 2018, out of which 13,231 (5.4%) also has a concurrent diagnosis of GIB. The GIB group was older (mean age ± SD: 70 ± 28 vs 65 ± 10, p <0.001), more likely to be female (62.5 vs 57%, p <0.001) and had higher burden of comorbidities . HC patients with GIB had higher in-hospital mortality rate (5.3 vs 3.1%, p <0.001), mean length of stay (7.8 vs 5.6 days, p <0.001) and mean total hospital cost ($100,294 vs 77,966, p <0.001). Age group >75, female, chronic kidney disease (CKD 3/4), end-stage renal disease, cirrhosis, coagulopathy and malnutrition were an independent predictor of GIB in HC patients. In conclusion, the prevalence of GIB during HC hospitalizations is increasing. Older, white, females with higher burden of comorbidities are at an increased risk of GIB in HC patients. Sex-based disparities in the prevalence of GIB in HC patients is an area of further research.

Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis in COVID-19: An Unusual Presentation.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been associated with a significantly increased risk of venous and arterial thromboembolism, particularly in severely sick patients. Recently, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) cases have been reported in the context of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). These cases either had an active COVID infection with a positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or were symptomatic (fever, respiratory symptoms, myalgia) during the presentation. We present here a 41-year-old male with CVST who had negative RT-PCR and positive immunoglobulin G (IgG) COVID-19 antibodies. He was neither diagnosed nor had a flu-like illness before admission. This case highlights that CVST can be a late sequela of previously undiagnosed asymptomatic COVID-19 infection.

Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with COVID-19 disease.

Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are known to be variable with growing evidence of nervous system involvement. In this case report, we describe the symptoms of a patient infected with SARS-CoV-2 whose clinical course was complicated with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). We present a case of a 58-year-old woman who was initially diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia due to symptoms of fever and cough. Two weeks later, after the resolution of upper respiratory tract symptoms, she developed symmetric ascending quadriparesis and paresthesias. The diagnosis of GBS was made through cerebrospinal fluid analysis and she was successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin administration.

Bradyarrhythmia secondary to vagus nerve stimulator 7 years after placement.

We present a case of a 38-year-old man with a previous medical history of asthma and refractory epilepsy requiring vagal nerve stimulator (VNS) placement 7 years prior to the presentation who was found to be in atrial fibrillation with a rapid ventricular response during a preoperative evaluation, which prompted transoesophageal echocardiography and subsequent cardioversion. In preparation for cardioversion, the VNS was turned off and the patient was cardioverted to normal sinus rhythm. Following cardioversion, the VNS was activated again. During recovery, the patient was experiencing several episodes of first-degree and second-degree Mobitz type-II atrioventricular (AV) block. In response, the VNS was deactivated indefinitely. On interrogation of a loop recorder 2 weeks after discharge, the patient did not have any further evidence of AV conduction delay.

Pantoea agglomerans Bacteremia: Is It Dangerous?

Introduction. Pantoea agglomerans, an anaerobic Gram-negative bacillus, is a rare cause of opportunistic infections affecting premature infants to seniors. We present a 34-year-old man who was presented for the management of diabetic ketoacidosis and developed Pantoea agglomerans bacteremia after one week of hospitalization. Case Presentation. A 34-year-old African-American male with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus type I and recurrent skin infections was admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis. He had left upper extremity abscess, preliminary wound cultures were positive for Gram-positive cocci, and an initial set of blood cultures were negative. He was started empirically on vancomycin. One week after admission, he started having chills followed by a recurrent increase in body temperature to 102 degrees Fahrenheit. The wound was healing, without active infection. Chest X-ray and CT scan of abdomen and pelvis to rule out infection were negative. Repeat blood cultures showed P. agglomerans in both the tubes. The patient was successfully treated with intravenous ceftriaxone, and he recovered fully without any complication. Discussion. Pantoea agglomerans is a bacteria associated with plants; however, it can infect humans and vertebrate animals. The outcome seems favourable with the institution of appropriate antibiotics even in immunocompromised patients.