[18 F]Fluoropyridine-losartan: A new approach toward human Positron Emission Tomography imaging of Angiotensin II Type 1 receptors.

Angiotensin II type 1 receptors (AT1 R) blocker losartan is used in patients with renal and cardiovascular diseases. [18 F]fluoropyridine-losartan has shown favorable binding profile for quantitative renal PET imaging of AT1 R with selective binding in rats and pigs, low interference of radiometabolites and appropriate dosimetry for clinical translation. A new approach was developed to produce [18 F]fluoropyridine-losartan in very high molar activity. Automated radiosynthesis was performed in a three-step, two-pot, and two-HPLC-purification procedure within 2 h. Pure [18 F]FPyKYNE was obtained by radiofluorination of NO2 PyKYNE and silica-gel-HPLC purification (40 ± 9%), preventing the formation of nitropyridine-losartan in the second step. Conjugation with trityl-losartan azide via click chemistry, followed by acid hydrolysis, C18-HPLC purification and reformulation provided [18 F]fluoropyridine-losartan in 11 ± 2% (decay-corrected from [18 F]fluoride, EOB). Using tris[(1-(3-hydroxypropyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl]-amine (THPTA) as a Cu(I)-stabilizing agent for coupling [18 F]FPyKYNE to the unprotected losartan azide afforded [18 F]fluoropyridine-losartan in similar yields (11 ± 3%, decay-corrected from [18 F]fluoride, EOB). Reverse-phase HPLC was optimized by reducing the pH of the mobile phase to achieve complete purification and high molar activities (467 ± 60 GBq/µmol). The use of radioprotectants prevented tracer radiolysis for 10 h (RCP > 99%). The product passed the quality control testing. This reproducible automated radiosynthesis process will allow in vivo PET imaging of AT1 R expression in several diseases.

Echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular untwisting-filling interplay.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular untwisting generates an early diastolic intraventricular pressure gradient (DIVPG) than can be quantified by echocardiography. We sought to confirm the quantitative relationship between peak untwisting rate and peak DIVPG in a large adult population. METHODS: From our echocardiographic database, we retrieved all the echocardiograms with a normal left ventricular ejection fraction, for whom color Doppler M-Mode interrogation of mitral inflow was available, and left ventricular untwisting rate was measurable using speckle tracking. Standard indices of left ventricular early diastolic function were assessed by Doppler (peaks E, e' and Vp) and speckle tracking (peak strain rate Esr). Load dependency of DIVPG and untwisting rate was evaluated using a passive leg raising maneuver. RESULTS: We included 154 subjects, aged between 18 to 77 years old, 63% were male. Test-retest reliability for color Doppler-derived DIVPG measurements was good, the intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.97 [0.91-0.99] and 0.97 [0.67-0.99] for intra- and inter-observer reproducibility, respectively. Peak DIVPG was positively correlated with peak untwisting rate (r = 0.73, P <  0.001). On multivariate analysis, peak DIVPG was the only diastolic parameter that was independently associated with untwisting rate. Age and gender were the clinical predictive factors for peak untwisting rate, whereas only age was independently associated with peak DIVPG. Untwisting rate and DIVPG were both load-dependent, without affecting their relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Color Doppler-derived peak DIVPG was quantitatively and independently associated with peak untwisting rate. It thus provides a reliable flow-based index of early left ventricular diastolic function.

Radiosynthesis of the 11 C-methyl derivative of LBQ657 for PET investigation of the neprilysin inhibitor sacubitril.

Neprilysin, also known as neutral endopeptidase, is a cell surface membrane metalo-endopeptidase that cleaves various peptides. Altered neprilysin expression has been correlated with various cancers and cardiovascular diseases. In this work, we present the radiosynthesis of the novel O-11 C-methylated derivative of LBQ657 (a potent neprilysin inhibitor). (2R,4S)-5-(Biphenyl-4-yl)-4-[(3-carboxypropionyl)amino]-2-methylpentanoic acid [11 C]methyl ester ([11 C]MeOLBQ) is an analog of sacubitril where the alkyl ester is a 11 C-methyl instead of an ethyl. [11 C]MeOLBQ was produced in a one-pot two-step synthesis. The O-11 C-methylation of the pentanoic acid part was done with [11 C]methyl triflate followed by the deprotection of the tert-butyl ester precursor in acidic conditions. [11 C]MeOLBQ ([11 C]7) was produced in 9.5 ± 2.5% RCY (25 ± 6% decay-corrected from [11 C]CO2 , n = 3) high molar activity 348 ± 100 GBq/µmol (9425 ± 2720 mCi/µmol) at EOS, in high chemical (>95%) and radiochemical (>99%) purities. The total synthesis time including HPLC purification and reformulation was 29 minutes. To our knowledge, this is the first PET-labeled analog of the clinically used NEP inhibitor sacubitril.

A comparison of the effects of selective and non-selective mineralocorticoid antagonism on glucose homeostasis of heart failure patients with glucose intolerance or type II diabetes: A randomized controlled double-blind trial.

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) decrease morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure (HF). However, spironolactone, a non-selective MRA, has been shown to exert a harmful effect on glucose homeostasis. The objective of this multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial was to compare the effects of spironolactone to those of the selective MRA eplerenone on glucose homeostasis among 62 HF patients with glucose intolerance or type II diabetes. Trial registration number:NCT01586442.

Inter-season training effects on cardiovascular health in American-style football players.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies on American-style football (ASF) athletes raised questions about the impact of training on the cardiovascular phenotype, particularly among linemen players who engage mostly in static exercise during competition and who exhibit concentric cardiac remodeling, often considered maladaptive. We aimed to examine the cardiovascular adaptation to the inter-season mixed-team training program among ASF players. METHODS: A prospective, longitudinal, cohort study was conducted among competitive male ASF players from the University of Montreal before and after an inter-season training, which lasted 7 months. This program includes, for all players, combined dynamic and static exercises. Clinical and echocardiographic examinations were performed at both steps. Left atrial (LA) and ventricular (LV) morphological and functional changes were assessed using a multiparametric echocardiographic approach (2D and 3D-echo, Doppler, and speckle tracking). Two-way ANOVA was performed to analyze the impacts of time and field position (linemen versus non-linemen). RESULTS: Fifty-nine players (20 linemen and 39 non-linemen) were included. At baseline, linemen had higher blood pressure (65% were prehypertensive and 10% were hypertensive), thicker LV walls, lower LV systolic and diastolic functions, lower LA-reservoir and conduit functions than non-linemen. After training, linemen significantly reduced weight (Δ-3.4%, P < 0.001) and systolic blood pressure (Δ-4.5%, P < 0.001), whereas non-linemen maintained their weight and significantly increased their systolic (Δ+4.2%, P = 0.037) and diastolic (Δ+16%, P < 0.001) blood pressure ). Mixed training was associated with significant increases in 2D-LA volume (P < 0.001), 3D-LV end-diastolic volume (P < 0.001), 3D-LV mass (P < 0.001), and an improvement in LV systolic function, independently of the field position. Non-linemen remodeled their LV in a more concentric fashion and showed reductions in LV diastolic and LA reservoir functions. CONCLUSIONS: Our study underscored the influence of field position on cardiovascular adaptation among university-level ASF players, and emphasized the potential of inter-season training to modulate cardiovascular risk factors, particularly among linemen.

Effect of acute high-intensity interval exercise on a mouse model of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) may potentiate or attenuate the cardiotoxic effect of chemotherapy agents such as doxorubicin (DOX) when performed shortly after treatment. The study aimed to investigate the effect of acute HIIE on cardiac function and structure performed either 1, 2 or 3 days after DOX injection in an animal model. METHODS: Female C57bl/6 mice (n = 28), 70 days old, received a bolus 20 mg/kg intravenous tail vein DOX injection. Three exercise groups performed 1 HIIE session (16 sets of 1 min at 85-90% of peak running speed) at 1 (n = 7), 2 (n = 7), and 3 days (n = 8) following the DOX injection. A sedentary (SED) group of mice (n = 6) did not exercise. Animals underwent echocardiography under light anesthesia (isoflurane 0.5-1%) before and 7 days after the DOX injection. Animals were sacrificed on day 9 and hearts were collected for morphometric and histological analysis. RESULTS: Animals exercising on day 3 had the smallest pre-post reduction in left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) (MΔ= -1.7 ± 3.3; p = 0.406) and the SED group had the largest reduction (MΔ=-6.8 ± 7.5; p = 0.009). After reclassification of animals according to their exercise compliance (performing > 8/16 of high-intensity bouts), LVFS in compliant mice was unchanged over time (LVFS MΔ= -1.3 ± 5.6; p = 0.396) while non-compliant animals had a LVFS reduction similar to sedentary animals. There were no significant differences in myocardial histology between groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot murine study, one single HIIE session did not exacerbate acute doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. The timing of the HIIE session following DOX injection and the level of compliance to exercise could influence the negative impact of DOX on cardiac function.

Prognostic value of exercise longitudinal right ventricular free wall strain in patients with sickle cell disease.

Longitudinal right ventricular free wall strain (RVFWS) has been identified as an independent prognostic marker in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Little is known however about the prognostic value of RVFWS in patients with sickle cell (SC) disease, particularly during exercise. We therefore examined the prognostic significance of RVFWS both at rest and with exercise in patients with SC disease and normal resting systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP). Consecutive patients with SC disease referred for bicycle ergometer stress echocardiography (SE) were enrolled ftom July 2019 to January 2021. All patients had measurable tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV). Conventional echocardiography parameters, left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS), RVFWS, and ventriculoarterial coupling indices (TAPSE/SPAP and RVFWS/SPAP) were assessed at rest and peak exercise. Repeat SE was performed at a median follow-up of 2 years. The cohort consisted of 87 patients (mean age was 31 ± 11 years, 66% females). All patients had normal resting TRV < 2.8 m/s, RVFWS and LVGLS at baseline. There were 23 (26%) patients who had peak stress RVFWS < 20%. They had higher resting and peak stress TRV and SPAP, but lower resting and peak stress TAPSE/SPAP, RVFWS/SPAP, and LVGLS as well as lower peak stress cardiac output when compared to patients with peak stress RVFWS ≥ 20% (p < 0.05). Patients with baseline peak stress RVFWS < 20% had a significant decrease in exercise performance at follow-up (7.5 ± 2.7 min at baseline vs. 5.5 ± 2.8 min at follow-up, p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, baseline peak stress RVFWS was the only independent predictor of poorer exercise performance at follow-up [odds ratio 8.2 (1.2, 56.0), p = 0.033]. Among patients with SC disease who underwent bicycle ergometer SE, a decreased baseline value of RVFWS at peak stress predicted poorer exercise time at follow-up.

Analyzing left ventricular function in mice with Doppler echocardiography.

Mice are widely used in heart failure research. Accurate evaluation of cardiac structure and function is key to modern cardiovascular research. Doppler echocardiography is a simple, reproducible, and non-invasive method, which allows a longitudinal study of these small animals. Besides common parameters such as left ventricular chamber size, mass, and function, new emerging echo tools are of great interest for small animal imaging. In this review, we describe the technical issues linked to murine cardiovascular anatomy and physiology and the most current echo parameters that can be used.

Cardiac remodeling in amateur triathletes after 24 weeks of exercise training for a half-Ironman event: a brief report.

BACKGROUND: Triathletes' physiological adaptations to exercise training can have a different impact on cardiac remodeling based on the extreme exercise preparation. Moreover, cardiac remodeling might be different depending on whether triathletes have trained for many years or if they just decided to be more active. Nevertheless, data are limited in amateur endurance athletes and studies about them are key for their safety. Therefore, we investigated the effects of exercise training for a half-ironman on cardiac remodeling. METHODS: A total of 24 amateur athletes underwent a 24-week exercise program and were followed by three-dimensional echocardiography to assess its global impact on cardiac remodeling. Subanalyses were performed based on participants past-training experience (low versus high). RESULTS: We found significant group effects on the right and left ventricle, significant time effect on the right ventricle. No significant interaction effects were observed. We observed significant correlations between the right ventricle, clinical and performance characteristics where the peak power output explained 38% of the variance, while the body surface area, weight and power at the second ventilatory threshold explained 34%, 31% and 30%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in cardiac remodeling in response to an exercise program for a half-ironman are not homogeneous across the ventricles and are influenced by participants' past-training experience. This study strengthens our knowledge of extreme exercise training for a half-ironman to further develop better training programs and medical follow-up in amateur triathletes.

Effects of a 20-Week High-Intensity Strength Training Program on Muscle Strength Gain and Cardiac Adaptation in Untrained Men: Preliminary Results of a Prospective Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: As strength sports gain popularity, there is a growing need to explore the impact of sustained strength training on cardiac biventricular structure and function, an area that has received less attention compared to the well-established physiological cardiac adaptation to endurance training. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to implement a 20-week high-intensity strength training program to enhance maximal muscle strength and evaluate its impact on cardiac biventricular adaptation in healthy, untrained men. METHODS: A total of 27 healthy and untrained young men (mean age 22.8, SD 3.2 years) participated in a strength training program designed to increase muscle strength. The training program involved concentric, eccentric, and isometric exercise phases, conducted over a consecutive 20-week time frame with a frequency of 3 weekly training sessions. Participants were evaluated before and after 12 and 20 weeks of training through body composition analysis (bioelectrical impedance), a 12-lead resting electrocardiogram, 3D transthoracic echocardiography, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and muscle isokinetic dynamometry. The progression of strength training loads was guided by 1-repetition maximum (RM) testing during the training program. RESULTS: Of the initial cohort, 22 participants completed the study protocol. No injuries were reported. The BMI (mean 69.8, SD 10.8 kg/m² vs mean 72, SD 11 kg/m²; P=.72) and the fat mass (mean 15.3%, SD 7.5% vs mean 16.5%, SD 7%; P=.87) remained unchanged after training. The strength training program led to significant gains in 1-RM exercise testing as early as 4 weeks into training for leg extension (mean 69.6, SD 17.7 kg vs mean 96.5, SD 31 kg; P<.001), leg curl (mean 43.2, SD 9.7 kg vs mean 52.8, SD 13.4 kg; P<.001), inclined press (mean 174.1, SD 41.1 kg vs mean 229.2, SD 50.4 kg; P<.001), butterfly (mean 26.3, SD 6.2 kg vs mean 32.5, SD 6.6 kg; P<.001), and curl biceps on desk (mean 22.9, SD 5.2 kg vs mean 29.6, SD 5.2 kg; P<.001). After 20 weeks, the 1-RM leg curl, bench press, pullover, butterfly, leg extension, curl biceps on desk, and inclined press showed significant mean percentage gains of +40%, +41.1%, +50.3%, +63.5%, +80.1%, +105%, and +106%, respectively (P<.001). Additionally, the isokinetic evaluation confirmed increases in maximal strength for the biceps (+9.2 Nm), triceps (+11.6 Nm), quadriceps (+46.8 Nm), and hamstrings (+25.3 Nm). In this paper, only the training and muscular aspects are presented; the cardiac analysis will be addressed separately. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that a short-term high-intensity strength training program was successful in achieving significant gains in muscle strength among previously untrained young men. We intend to use this protocol to gain a better understanding of the impact of high-intensity strength training on cardiac physiological remodeling, thereby providing new insights into the cardiac global response in strength athletes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04187170; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04187170.

Deformability of ascending thoracic aorta aneurysms assessed using ultrafast ultrasound and a principal strain estimator: In vitro evaluation and in vivo feasibility.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive vascular strain imaging under conventional line-by-line scanning has a low frame rate and lateral resolution and depends on the coordinate system. It is thus affected by high deformations due to image decorrelation between frames. PURPOSE: To develop an ultrafast time-ensemble regularized tissue-Doppler optical-flow principal strain estimator for aorta deformability assessment in a long-axis view. METHODS: This approach alleviated the impact of lateral resolution using image compounding and that of the coordinate system dependency using principal strain. Accuracy and feasibility were evaluated in two aorta-mimicking phantoms first, and then in four age-matched individuals with either a normal aorta or a pathological ascending thoracic aorta aneurysm (TAA). RESULTS: Instantaneous aortic maximum and minimum principal strain maps and regional accumulated strains during each cardiac cycle were estimated at systolic and diastolic phases to characterize the normal aorta and TAA. In vitro, principal strain results matched sonomicrometry measurements. In vivo, a significant decrease in maximum and minimum principal strains was observed in TAA cases, whose range was respectively 7.9 ± 6.4% and 8.2 ± 2.6% smaller than in normal aortas. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed principal strain estimator showed an ability to potentially assess TAA deformability, which may provide an individualized and reliable evaluation method for TAA rupture risk assessment.

Ultrafast Myocardial Principal Strain Ultrasound Elastography During Stress Tests: In Vitro Validation and In Vivo Feasibility.

Objective myocardial contractility assessment during stress tests aims to improve the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) or optical flow (OF) speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) has been used to quantify myocardial contractility at rest. However, this is more challenging during stress tests due to image decorrelation at high heart rates. Moreover, stress tests imply a high frame rate which leads to a limited lateral field of view. Therefore, a large lateral field-of-view robust ultrafast myocardial regularized OF-TDI principal strain estimator has been developed for high-frame-rate echocardiography of coherently compounded transmitted diverging waves. The feasibility and accuracy of the proposed estimator were validated in vitro (using sonomicrometry as the gold standard) and in vivo stress experiments. Compared with OF strain imaging, the proposed estimator improved the accuracy of principal major and minor strains during stress tests, with an average contrast-to-noise ratio improvement of 4.4 ± 2.7 dB ( p -value < 0.01). Moreover, there was a significant correlation and a very close agreement between the proposed estimator and sonomicrometry for tested heart rates between 60 and 180 beats per minute (bpm). The averages ± standard deviations (STD) of R2 and biases ± STD between them were 0.96 ± 0.04 ( p -value < 0.01) and 0.01 ± 0.03% in the axial direction, respectively; and 0.94 ± 0.02 ( p -value < 0.01) and 0.04 ± 0.06% in the lateral direction, respectively. These results suggest that the proposed estimator could be useful clinically to provide an accurate and quantitative 2-D large lateral field-of-view myocardial strain assessment at high heart rates during stress echocardiography.

Monkeypox associated myocarditis: A case report.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic Orthopoxvirus infection usually present in regions of Africa. Recent outbreaks of Monkeypox infection have been reported in non endemic region and human-to-human contact is believed to be the main driver for propagation. While the disease is usually self-contained, severe complications, such as neurological and ocular involvements may arise. We report the case of a 34-year-old male who presented with myocarditis and concurrent genital Monkeypox infection. Other usual causes of myocardial injury were ruled out. We believe it to be the first documented case of myocarditis secondary to Monkeypox. We report a new complication of the disease and the possible underlying mechanisms. Our case report raises awareness about possible unknown complications of Monkeypox as outbreaks continue to happen around the world.

Focused review on nutritional status of patients with immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND: Immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a complex disease marked by a poor clinical portrait and prognosis generally leading to organ dysfunction and shortened survival. We aimed to review the available evidence on whether AL amyloidosis can lead to malnutrition, thus having a negative impact on quality of life (QoL) and survival. MATERIALS: We searched Pubmed for studies that assessed malnutrition in amyloidosis patients, with no restrictions to the year of publication or language. Retrospective or prospective, observational, and interventional studies that reported data regarding AL amyloidosis and nutritional status were included. RESULTS: From 62 articles retrieved, 23 were included. Malnutrition was prevalent in up to 65% of patients with AL Amyloidosis. Prevalence of weight loss of 10% or more ranged from 6 to 22% of patients, while a body mass index of < 22 kg/m2 was found in 22 to 42%. Weight loss, lower BMI and other indicators of poor nutritional status were negatively associated with quality of life and survival. Only one RCT focused on nutritional counseling was found and reported positive results on patients QoL and survival. CONCLUSION: Despite inconsistencies across assessment criteria, the available data reveal that weight loss and malnutrition are common features in patients with AL amyloidosis. This review reinforces the premise that an impaired nutritional status can be negatively associated with QoL and survival in patients with AL amyloidosis, and therefore should be further investigated.

Clinical Implementation of Different Strategies for Exercise-Based Rehabilitation in Kidney and Liver Transplant Recipients: A Pilot Study. / Implementação Clínica de Diferentes Estratégias para Reabilitação Baseada em Exercícios em Receptores de Transplante de Rim e Fígado: Um Estudo Piloto.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is among the leading causes of death in solid organ transplant recipients with a functional graft. Although these patients could theoretically benefit from exercise-based rehabilitation (EBR) programs, their implementation is a challenge. OBJECTIVE: We present our initial experience on different delivery modes of a pilot EBR program in kidney and liver transplant recipients. METHODS: Thirty-two kidney or liver transplant recipients were invited for a 6-month EBR program delivered at the hospital gym, community gym or at home, according to the patient's preference. The significance level adopted was 5%. RESULTS: Ten patients (31%) did not complete their program. Among the 22 who did, 7 trained at the hospital gym, 7 at the community gym, and 8 at home. The overall effect was an 11.4% increase in maximum METs (Hedges' effect size g = 0.39). The hospital gym group had an increase in METs of 25.5% (g= 0.58, medium effect size) versus 10% (g= 0.25), and 6.5% (g= 0.20) for the community gym and home groups, respectively. There was a beneficial effect on systolic and diastolic blood pressures, greater for the hospital gym (g= 0.51 and 0.40) and community gym (g= 0.60 and 1.15) groups than for the patients training at home (g= 0.07 and 0.10). No significant adverse event was reported during the follow-up. CONCLUSION: EBR programs in kidney and liver transplant recipients should be encouraged, even if they are delivered outside a hospital gym, since they are safe with positive effects on exercise capacity and cardiovascular risk factors.

FUNDAMENTO: A doença cardiovascular está entre as principais causas de morte entre pacientes transplantados. Embora esses pacientes possam teoricamente se beneficiar de programas de reabilitação baseada em exercícios (RBE), sua implementação ainda é um desafio. OBJETIVO: Apresentamos nossa experiência inicial em diferentes modos de realização de um programa piloto de RBE em receptores de transplante de rim e fígado. MÉTODOS: Trinta e dois pacientes transplantados renais ou hepáticos foram convidados para um programa de RBE de 6 meses realizado na academia do hospital, na academia comunitária ou em casa, de acordo com a preferência do paciente. O nível de significância adotado foi de 5%. RESULTADOS: Dez pacientes (31%) não completaram o programa. Entre os 22 que completaram, 7 treinaram na academia do hospital, 7 na academia comunitária e 8 em casa. O efeito geral foi um aumento de 11,4% nos METs máximos (tamanho do efeito de Hedges g = 0,39). O grupo de academia hospitalar teve um aumento nos METs de 25,5% (g = 0,58, tamanho de efeito médio) versus 10% (g = 0,25) e 6,5% (g = 0,20) para os grupos de academia comunitária e em casa, respectivamente. Houve efeito benéfico nas pressões arteriais sistólica e diastólica, maior para os grupos academia hospitalar (g= 0,51 e 0,40) e academia comunitária (g= 0,60 e 1,15) do que para os pacientes treinando em casa (g= 0,07 e 0,10). Nenhum evento adverso significativo foi relatado durante o seguimento. CONCLUSÃO: Programas de RBE em receptores de transplante de rim e fígado devem ser incentivados, mesmo que sejam realizados fora da academia do hospital, pois são seguros com efeitos positivos na capacidade de exercício e nos fatores de risco cardiovascular.

Amyloid Deposits in a Functionally Unicuspid Stenotic Aortic Valve.

Amyloidosis concomitant to aortic stenosis usually occurs with myocardial infiltration by the transthyretin protein. To our knowledge, this is the first report of localized amyloidosis of indeterminate type in a severely calcified and functionally unicuspid aortic valve. Isolated dystrophic valvular amyloidosis is believed to be related to fibrocalcific valve disease. In light of the literature on this topic, the present case raises new hypotheses on pathophysiology and further supports the contributory role of unusual non-tricuspid valve morphology in the development of dystrophic amyloid, likely secondary to altered hemodynamic stress.

Une amyloïdose associée à une sténose aortique survient généralement avec infiltration du myocarde par la protéine transthyrétine. Le cas que nous décrivons est, à notre connaissance, le premier cas rapporté d'amyloïdose localisée de type indéterminé dans une valve aortique sévèrement calcifiée et fonctionnellement unicuspide. L'amyloïdose valvulaire dystrophique isolée serait liée à l'atteinte fibrocalcique de la valve. À la lumière de la littérature à ce sujet, le cas décrit ici permet de soulever de nouvelles hypothèses physiopathologiques et appuie le lien entre une morphologie valvulaire inhabituelle (non tricuspide) et l'apparition de substances amyloïdes dystrophiques, probablement secondaire à une altération des contraintes hémodynamiques.

Barriers to telemedicine for patients with heart failure: Who are the patients being left behind?

Heart failure is associated with high rates of hospitalization, which are more prevalent in frail patients, impacting the quality of life and clinical outcomes. Telemedicine is considered cost-effective for improving patient self-management and hospitalization. However, socioeconomic deprivation and frailty could hinder access to virtual care. We investigated if frailty and socioeconomic factors were associated with telemedicine access among heart failure patients. For this cross-sectional analysis of Continuum study, 35 patients were allocated to the "able to use" group (had a smart device and were able to use it) or the "not able to use" group. Socioeconomic deprivation was determined according to the deprivation index. Frailty was assessed using the Fried criteria. The mean age was 69.9 ± 9 years, 74% were in New York Heart Association class II. A total of 14 patients (39%) were physically frail. Patients considered not able to use the app were more socioeconomically deprived (p = 0.011) and frail (p = 0.036). There was no correlation between frailty score and socioeconomic deprivation (r = 0.15, p = 0.411). Telemedicine use seems to be independently associated with frailty and socioeconomic deprivation in heart failure patients. More efforts should be made to foster the inclusion of vulnerable patients and improve global telemedicine access.

Developing practice guidelines to integrate physical activity promotion as part of routine cancer care: A knowledge-to-action protocol.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a leading cause of disease burden worldwide and the first cause of mortality in Canada with 30.2% of deaths attributable to cancer. Given aging of the population and the improvement of prevention and treatment protocols, the number of cancer survivors is steadily increasing. These individuals have unique physical and mental health needs some of which can be addressed by integrating physical activity promotion into ongoing and long-term care. Despite the benefits of being active, delivery of PA programs for cancer patients in both clinical and community settings remains challenging. This knowledge-to-action protocol-called Kiné-Onco-aims to develop a practice guideline for the delivery, implementation, and scaling-up of cancer-specific physical activity promotion programs and services in clinical and community settings located in Québec, Canada. METHOD: The Kiné-Onco project involves knowledge synthesis of scientific and grey literature to establish the benefits and added value of physical activity for cancer patients and survivors, describes current practices in delivering physical activity programs, analyses quantitative data from electronic health records (EHR) of patients participating in a novel hospital-based physical activity program, collects and analyses qualitative data from patients and healthcare providers interviews about lived experience, facilitators, and barriers to physical activity promotion, outlines deliberative workshops among multidisciplinary team members to develop implementation guidelines for physical activity promotion, and summarizes a variety of knowledge transfer and exchange activities to disseminate the practice guidelines. DISCUSSION: This paper describes the protocol for a knowledge-to-action project aimed at producing and sharing actionable evidence. Our aim is that physical activity promotion programs and services be scaled up in such a way as to successfully integrate physical activity promotion throughout cancer treatment and survivorship in order to improve the physical and mental health of the growing population of individuals having received a cancer diagnosis.

Association Between Right Ventricular Dysfunction and Adverse Outcomes in Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: Insights From the BRO-HF Quebec Cohort Study.

Background: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is associated with severe morbidity and mortality, and the significance of right ventricular (RV) involvement is unclear. We sought to determine whether RV systolic dysfunction or dilatation is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in women with PPCM. Methods: We conducted a multicentre retrospective cohort study examining the association between echocardiographic RV systolic dysfunction or dilatation at the time of PPCM diagnosis and clinical outcomes. Clinical endpoints of interest were the need for mechanical support, recovery of left ventricular ejection fraction at follow-up, and a combined endpoint of hospitalization for heart failure, cardiac transplant, or death. Results: A total of 67 women, median age 30 years (interquartile range: 7), were diagnosed with PPCM between 1994 and 2015 in 17 participating centres. Twin pregnancies occurred in 11%; 62% of women were multiparous; and 24% had preeclampsia. RV systolic function was impaired in 18 (27%) and dilated in 8 (12%). Seven women required ventricular assistance, and 8 experienced the composite outcome during follow-up (25 [interquartile range 61] months). RV dysfunction was associated with the need for mechanical support (odds ratio 10.10 (95% confidence interval: 1.86-54.81), P = 0.007), but neither RV dysfunction nor dilatation was associated with left ventricular ejection fraction recovery, the need for cardiac transplant, heart failure hospitalization, or death. Conclusions: RV dysfunction is associated with the need for mechanical support in women with PPCM. These findings may improve risk stratification of complications and clinical management.

Introduction: La cardiomyopathie du péripartum (CMP-PP) est associée à la morbidité grave et à la mortalité, mais on ignore l'importance de l'atteinte ventriculaire droite (VD). Nous avons cherché à déterminer si la dysfonction systolique ou la dilatation VD sont associées aux résultats cliniques défavorables chez les femmes atteintes de CMP-PP. Méthodes: Nous avons mené une étude de cohorte rétrospective multicentrique sur l'association entre la dysfonction systolique ou la dilatation VD à l'échographie au moment du diagnostic de CMP-PP et les résultats cliniques. Les critères cliniques d'intérêt étaient la nécessité d'une assistance mécanique, la récupération de la fraction d'éjection ventriculaire gauche (FEVG) au suivi et un critère combiné d'hospitalisation liée à l'insuffisance cardiaque (IC), la transplantation cardiaque ou la mort. Résultats: Un total de 67 femmes, dont l'âge médian était de 30 ans (écart interquartile [EI] : 7), ont reçu un diagnostic de CMP-PP entre 1994 et 2015 dans 17 centres participants. Les grossesses gémellaires sont survenues chez 11 % ; 62 % de femmes étaient multipares ; et 24 % souffraient de prééclampsie. La fonction systolique VD était compromise chez 18 (27 %) femmes et le VD, dilaté, chez huit (12 %) femmes. Sept femmes ont eu besoin d'une assistance ventriculaire, et huit ont subi le critère composite durant le suivi (25 [EI : 61] mois). La dysfonction VD a été associée à la nécessité d'une assistance mécanique (rapport de cotes 10,10 [intervalle de confiance à 95 % : 1,86-54,81], P = 0,007), mais ni la dysfonction ni la dilatation VD n'ont été associées à la récupération de la FEVG, à la nécessité d'une transplantation cardiaque, à une hospitalisation liée à l'IC ou à la mort. Conclusions: La dysfonction VD est associée à la nécessité d'une assistance mécanique chez les femmes atteintes de CMP-PP. Ces conclusions peuvent permettre d'améliorer la stratification des risques de complications et la prise en charge clinique.

Pulmonary artery sarcoma: a rare cause of dyspnoea.

A 72-year-old woman with no significant medical history presented to the emergency room for severe dyspnoea. The initial clinical diagnosis was acute pulmonary embolism. Heparin infusion was initiated while awaiting a computed tomographic scan but the patient's condition deteriorated dramatically and stat echocardiogram showed tamponade. Post-evacuation echo showed a dilated right ventricle with pulmonary hypertension and obstruction of the right pulmonary artery by a homogeneous mass attached to the pulmonary artery, suggesting a tumour rather than a thrombus. Computed tomographic scan confirmed the presence of an obstructive mass with almost no perfusion of the right lung. The patient was referred to cardiac surgery and the mass was removed, with anatomo-pathological diagnosis of a typical pulmonary artery sarcoma. Unfortunately, the patient died a few days after surgery. Primary pulmonary artery sarcoma is a rare tumour that arises in the central pulmonary arteries. Clinical presentation is often attributed to other causes of pulmonary hypertension, like pulmonary embolism. Magnetic resonance imaging could help to distinguish a soft tissue mass from a thrombus but definitive diagnosis is almost always made at surgery or autopsy since patients usually present in acute and unstable situations. Prognosis is poor, from several months to a few years, and depends on how early the diagnosis is made, the presence of recurrence or metastasis after surgical resection, and the use of adjuvant therapy like radiation and chemotherapy.