Cardiology Research最新文献

Background: Syncope is a common medical condition. The reflex or neurally mediated syncope (NMS) is the most frequent type. The tilt table test (TTT) helps distinguish syncope from other common causes of complete loss of consciousness, such as epilepsy, define syncope subtypes and guide management. This study aimed to assess the TTT yield in patients with suspected NMS and to compare the nitroglycerin (NTG) and isoproterenol (Isuprel) provocative protocols.

Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of the data of 426 consecutive patients who underwent TTT at the Heart Center at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH&RC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between January 1, 2006, and March 31, 2017.

Results: The age at referral for TTT ranged from 7 to 84 years (mean 38.4 ± 15.75 years), and 212 (49.8%) were males. The main clinical manifestations were recurrent syncope in 259 patients (60.8%), a single syncopal episode in 60 (14.1%), and pre-syncope or dizzy spells without loss of consciousness in 171(25.1%). The test was positive in 295 patients (69.2%), with type 1 (mixed response) seen in 151 patients (51.19%), type 2a (cardioinhibitory without pause) in 16 (5.4%), type 2b (cardioinhibitory with pause) in 10 patients (3.39%), and type 3 (vasodepressor) in 118 patients (40%). A false positive test was seen in 11 patients (2.6%) and a false negative in 27 patients (6.3%). The overall test sensitivity was 91%, specificity was 89%, positive predictive value (PPV) was 96%, and negative predictive value (NPV) was 79%.

Conclusions: The TTT is beneficial in diagnosing syncope in males and females and patients of young and old ages. A provocative test utilizing NTG provides a shorter, more straightforward test with the same diagnostic accuracy as the isoproterenol test. Lifestyle modification is effective and remains the primary intervention in managing patients with NMS.

An 83-year-old man underwent dual-chamber pacemaker placement for complete atrioventricular block at another hospital. The active-fixation ventricular lead was positioned on the free wall of the anterior right ventricle. Ventricular pacing failure occurred on the day after pacemaker implantation, and fluoroscopy revealed right ventricular (RV) lead perforation. The patient was transferred to our hospital, and chest computed tomography revealed a severe pneumothorax and moderate pneumopericardium. These symptoms were relieved after chest tube drainage, and the patient's hemodynamics stabilized. The RV lead was percutaneously removed using simple traction under fluoroscopic guidance with cardiac surgical backup and was uneventfully refixed to the RV septum. Although there have been several reports of pneumopericardium caused by atrial lead perforation, there are very few cases related to RV lead. Pneumopericardium complicated by pneumothorax due to RV lead perforation can be relieved using chest tube drainage without the need for pericardiocentesis.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States and globally. Significant advances have been made throughout the history of cardiology and the treatment of this disease; however, these efforts have not halted the alarming statistics. Emerging approaches, such as artificial intelligence applied to cardiac imaging, genetic testing, and genetic silencing, may offer essential additional steps in treating the disease. Moreover, new pathways of the disease are being identified, which differ from traditional risk factors and offer a fresh, innovative approach. This paper focuses on a novel strategy that includes identifying and treating multiple pathways of the disease using both new and traditional interventions. These interventions include plaque-directed therapy rather than surrogate therapy, with the potential to mitigate consequences and possibly eradicate the disease through personalized, multi-approach treatments similar to those used in cancer treatment.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different heart rate fluctuation ranges during aerobic training on outcomes in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: Ninety-seven patients diagnosed with stable CAD were enrolled between March 2017 and December 2019. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: the control (CON) group, the medium-intensity heart rate small range (MIS) group, and the medium-intensity heart rate large range (MIL) group. The CON group received standard care and patient education, while the MIS and MIL groups underwent personalized rehabilitation training with specific heart rate fluctuation targeted ranges, in addition to standard care. Cardiopulmonary function and exercise performances were assessed using resting heart rate (RHR), maximum heart rate (HRmax), heart rate recovery (HRR), and a 6-min walk test (6MWT) at the baseline and after 16 weeks of training.

Results: The MIS group demonstrated a significant reduction in RHR compared to the CON and MIL groups. While both exercise rehabilitation groups exhibited improvement in HRR, only the MIS group achieved a statistically significant improvement compared to the CON group. Post-training HRmax and 6MWT performance increased in both MIS and MIL groups, with only the MIL group presenting statistical significance compared to the CON group.

Conclusion: Exercise rehabilitation with different training regimens can enhance cardiac function in patients with CAD. Different heart rate modulation strategies yielded distinct effects on cardiopulmonary function. Maintenance of a narrower heart rate fluctuation during exercise was observed to significantly enhance the effectiveness of rehabilitation, which could lead to new treatment protocols or optimization of existing strategies for patients with cardiovascular conditions. The combination of 6MWT and power bicycle training may offer an effective method for improving cardiac function in community-based rehabilitation settings.

Background: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) provides superior long-term outcomes to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for complex multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD). People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have increased prevalence of multivessel CAD, but also increased surgical risk. We investigated whether CKD predicted real-world use of CABG, versus PCI, in patients revascularized for acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: Embase, MEDLINE, Scopus and CENTRAL were searched to identify articles referring to ACS and invasive coronary intervention in high-income countries (2012 - 2023). Articles were included if CABG rates were reported in ACS patients with and without CKD receiving revascularization. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m²; proxy definitions were accepted. Random effect meta-analyses were used to determine the average effect of CKD on odds of CABG, stratified by ACS type and dialysis use.

Results: Searches generated 15,138 articles, of which 13 observational studies were included (n = 1,682,207). Amongst revascularized ACS patients, those with CKD were more likely to receive CABG than those without (pooled odds ratio (OR) = 1.50 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.30 - 1.72). This association was stronger following ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) than non-ST-elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS) (OR: 1.54 (95% CI: 1.23 - 1.93)) versus 1.16 (1.10 - 1.23), respectively).

Conclusions: In high-income countries, revascularized ACS patients with CKD receive CABG (versus PCI) more frequently than those without kidney disease. However, accounting for lower use of coronary angiography in the CKD population removed this association following NSTE-ACS. Greater use of invasive angiography in those with NSTE-ACS and CKD might therefore increase access to revascularization, and thereby improve outcomes.

Our understanding of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is evolving as new insights into the underlying pathophysiology become available. Professional organizations and clinical experts are improving definitions of DCM, allowing for more accurate treatment recommendations. This review summarized key published literature describing definitions and/or diagnostic criteria for DCM. Embase was searched from database inception to September 19, 2022 for 1) publications reporting definitions of DCM by major professional organizations and related opinion papers, and 2) clinical studies in DCM and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Sixty-eight records were included in this review. Definitions of DCM provided by two major professional organizations (American Heart Association (AHA) and European Society of Cardiology (ESC)) agreed on the clinical presentation of DCM; however, they differed in the classification of DCM within the larger context of cardiomyopathy taxonomies. Both organizations agreed that DCM could be clinically defined by the presence of left ventricular dilation and contractile dysfunction in the absence of abnormal loading conditions and severe coronary artery disease. AHA guidelines divided cardiomyopathies into two major groups (primary and secondary) based on predominant organ involvement. DCM was classified as primary cardiomyopathy with mixed (genetic and/or acquired) etiology. Conversely, ESC published a clinically oriented taxonomy in which cardiomyopathies were grouped into specific morphological and functional phenotypes; each was subclassified into familial or non-familial forms. Opinion papers further elaborated on the complex interplay between genetics and environment in the etiology of DCM. Several articles summarized the importance of the new and updated diagnostic tools, such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, electrocardiogram, and other biomarkers, in correctly identifying the etiology of DCM. Within clinical studies, most inclusion criteria used standard definitions proposed by leading professional associations (AHA and ESC). Clinical study investigators sometimes used a narrower definition of DCM using additional criteria for the left ventricular ejection fraction threshold value and left ventricular dilatation. Current efforts in cardiology research are focused on a more granular understanding of DCM etiology and the natural history of the disease. Definitions of DCM found in clinical studies mainly rely on published guidelines, with some studies adding idiosyncratic inclusion criteria refining the broad definitions of DCM.

Chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) is a long-term manifestation of coronary artery disease, marked by stable but recurring chest pain and myocardial ischemia due to the gradual buildup of atherosclerotic plaques in the coronary arteries. It is a metabolic disorder of coronary arteries characterized by oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and hyperlipidemia. The imbalance in oxidative-antioxidative status contributes to stable ischemic heart disease. Oxidative stress involves reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, leading to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. Endothelial dysfunction, marked by reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, is an early onset of CCS, affecting vasodilation, cell proliferation, and inflammatory responses. Enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO), traditionally considered protective, plays a dual role in initiating and progressing inflammatory diseases. MPO interacts with NO, modulating its catalytic activity. Elevated NO levels inhibit MPO through a reversible complex formation, preventing NO-induced inhibition by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). MPO also inactivates endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and reacts with L-arginine, hindering NO synthesis. The interplay between MPO and NO significantly influences inflammation sites, impacting peroxidation rates and oxidation reactions. Peroxynitrite, a reactive species, contributes to nitration of tyrosine residues and lipid peroxidation. Mechanistic pathways suggest MPO enhances iNOS catalytic activity, influencing CCS development. iNOS, implicated in inflammation and atherosclerosis, is connected to NO regulation. This review analyzes the complex interplay of MPO, iNOS, and NO that affects plaque morphology, oxidative stress, and inflammation, contributing to atherosclerosis progression. Therefore, it is possible that the phenotypes of atherosclerotic plaques, focal and diffuse coronary artery disease, could be defined by the relationship between MPO and iNOS.

Background: In Indonesia, heart failure has become a major community problem because of the high cost of care, low quality of life, and premature death. Until now, loop diuretics are still the main therapy in patients with acute decompensated heart failure with clinical congestion. Diuretic responsiveness can be assessed objectively by measuring sodium urine. This study aimed to determine the response of natriuresis 2 h after loop diuretic administration and its relationship to length of stay and readmission within 30 days in daily clinical practice.

Methods: This is a prospective cohort study conducted at the National Cardiovascular Center Harapan Kita Hospital in acute decompensated heart failure patients. Patient characteristics were collected from medical records. Response to intravenous (IV) loop diuretics was assessed using urinary sodium laboratory panels. The primary outcomes of interest in this study were length of stay and rehospitalization. Analyses were conducted between the outcome of interests and patient characteristics.

Results: There were 51 acute decompensated heart failure patients in this study with 78.4% males. The mean age was 52.47 ± 13.62. The mean ejection fraction was 37.53±17.95%, with the majority of patients having a left ventricular ejection fraction less than 40% (62.7% of study subjects). The average glomerular filtration rate of subjects in this study was 57.29 ± 27.25 mL/min. Pearson correlation test between pre- and post-loop diuretic urinary sodium showed trends of significant correlation (r = -0.238, P = 0.093) and (r = -0.308, P = 0.028), respectively. Patients with lower pre-loop diuretic urinary sodium were shown to have a shorter length of stay (8.57 ± 6.161 vs. 5.30 ± 4.01, P = 0.04), while patients with lower post-loop diuretic urinary sodium showed trends of longer length of stay (8.67 ± 4.14 vs. 6.03 ± 5.39, P = 0.126).

Conclusions: In this study, we observe lower rehospitalization in patients with higher pre-loop diuretic urinary sodium levels. Post-loop diuretic urinary sodium level was shown to be inversely related to length of stay in acute decompensated heart failure patients.

Background: This study aimed to investigate if remote ischemic preconditioning reduces the inflammatory process on patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: We conducted a case-control study involving 80 patients, half of whom underwent ischemic preconditioning for severe coronary artery disease (CAD) and subsequently underwent CABG. We assessed interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6 levels using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method, high-sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI) using chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA), and C-reactive protein (CRP) using the turbidimetric method at three key time points: before surgery (visit 1 or V1), immediately postoperatively (visit 2 or V2), and 1 week postoperatively (visit 3 or V3) in all subjects.

Results: Ischemic preconditioned patients showed a significant decrease in proinflammatory markers (IL-1, IL-6) but not in CRP or hsTnI.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated that remote ischemic preconditioning significantly reduced the levels of specific proinflammatory markers (IL-1 and IL-6), which may suggest general systemic protection. However, it did not demonstrate cardioprotection per se, as evidenced by the absence of a statistically significant decrease in hsTnI level.

Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCC) poses significant health challenges not only in Latin America but also in non-endemic regions due to global migration. The complexity and severity of CCC call for an updated and thorough review to inform clinical practices and direct future research efforts. This review seeks to consolidate current knowledge on CCC, emphasizing diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic facets to facilitate better management and understanding of the disease. An exhaustive examination was conducted, analyzing peer-reviewed articles published between January 2020 and April 2024, sourced from prominent medical databases such as PubMed and Scopus. The review delineates crucial aspects of CCC pathophysiology, evaluates patient outcomes, identifies diagnostic challenges, and assesses treatment efficacy. Our findings prompt the need for revised clinical guidelines and stress the importance of continued research to enhance therapeutic strategies and disease comprehension. It is imperative that future studies address these identified gaps to advance patient care and treatment options for CCC.