Published in Open heart
First-phase ejection fraction (EF1), the left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (EF) until the time of peak transaortic velocity, is a novel marker of subclinical LV dysfunction able to predict adverse events in aortic stenosis (AS). This study investigated the association between end-systolic wall stress (ESWS) and EF1 in severe AS, as well as th...
Published in Open heart
Left bundle branch block (LBBB) is associated with an increased risk of heart failure (HF). We assessed the impact of common ECG parameters on this association using large-scale data. Using ECGs recorded in a large primary care population from 2001 to 2011, we identified HF-naive patients with a first-time LBBB ECG. We obtained information on sex, ...
Published in Open heart
Long-term single-site ventricular pacing may adversely affect ventricular function, due to dyssynchronous systemic ventricular contraction. We sought to determine the incidence, predictors and outcomes of pacing-associated cardiomyopathy (PACM) in an adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) cohort. We retrospectively identified all patients in our dat...
Published in Open heart
Published in Open heart
Congestion can worsen outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), but can be difficult to quantify non-invasively. We hypothesised that preprocedural plasma volume status (PVS), estimated using a validated formula that enumerates percentage change from ideal PV, would provide prognostic utility post-TAVI. This retrospective cohor...
Published in Open heart
Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are crucial for treating atrial fibrillation (AF) patients at high thromboembolic risk. However, in AF patients at intermediate thromboembolic risk with a single non-sex-related stroke risk factor (CHA2DS2-VASc score 1 in men, 2 in women), guidelines advise to consider starting anticoagulation, which may result in OAC non...
Published in Open heart
Current guidelines recommend angiotensin receptor blocker neprilysin inhibitors (ARNI) (sacubitril/valsartan) as a replacement for angiotensin-converting-enzymeinhibitor (ACE-I) in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who remain symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy. The effects of ARNIs have not previously been assessed in a ...
Published in Open heart
Among patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), coronary artery disease (CAD) has been identified as a high-risk condition. We aimed to assess the clinical outcomes and mortality among patients with COVID-19 according to CAD status. We retrospectively analysed data from patients with COVID-19 admitted to the Cremona Hospital (Lombardy regi...
Published in Open heart
To conduct a large-scale, single-centre retrospective cohort study to understand the impact of prior percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on long-term survival of patients who then undergo coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Between 1999 and 2017, a total of 11 332 patients underwent CABG at a hospital in the UK. The patients were stratified i...
Published in Open heart
Recent randomised clinical trials have suggested prognostic benefits of catheter ablation in highly selected patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF). This study sought to identify the treatment effect associated with catheter ablation in a broad population of patients with AF and HF. Through nationwide administrative registers...
