Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Eric J. Stoehr
Summary: Current evidence suggests that the healthy heart may have a purpose beyond achieving a specific cardiac output. There may be an undiscovered principle in the cardiovascular system that explains the combined effects of different factors on cardiac function.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-HEART AND CIRCULATORY PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nadjib Hammoudi, Alexandre Ceccaldi, Jean-Philippe Haymann, Paul Guedeney, Fadila Nicolas-Jilwan, Michel Zeitouni, Gilles Montalescot, Francois Lionnet, Richard Isnard, Stephane N. Hatem
Summary: The mechanisms of exercise intolerance in sickle cell anaemia patients are not completely understood. This study compared SCA patients to controls and found that altered cardiac reserve may contribute to exercise intolerance in adults with SCA.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Nicoletta Corrieri, Alberico Del Torto, Carlo Vignati, Riccardo Maragna, Fabiana De Martino, Martina Cellamare, Stefania Farina, Elisabetta Salvioni, Alice Bonomi, Piergiuseppe Agostoni
Summary: The study found that in patients with heart failure (HF), resting VO2 is lower compared to healthy subjects, and during exercise, patients with lower exercise capacity had significantly lower VO2, CO, and stroke volume compared to those with higher exercise capacity and healthy individuals. A multiple regression analysis revealed that factors such as mid-exercise VO2 and CO could predict peak VO2, which could be clinically useful in identifying severe HF patients.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Nicola Riccardo Pugliese, Nicolo De Biase, Lorenzo Conte, Luna Gargani, Matteo Mazzola, Iacopo Fabiani, Andrea Natali, Frank L. Dini, Paolo Frumento, Javier Rosada, Stefano Taddei, Barry A. Borlaug, Stefano Masi
Summary: Exercise stress echocardiography can be used to assess VO2 levels in heart failure patients, with measures of LV systolic function, LA compliance, and right ventricle-pulmonary artery coupling being directly related to peak VO2, independently of other factors. This provides important insights into effort intolerance in HF patients.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Barry A. Borlaug, Yogesh N. V. Reddy, Amanda Braun, Hidemi Sorimachi, Massar Omar, Dejana Popovic, Alessio Alogna, Michael D. Jensen, Rickey Carter
Summary: This study found that treatment with dapagliflozin can reduce pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) at rest and during exercise in patients with HFpEF, and has favorable effects on plasma volume and body weight.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Soeren J. Backhaus, Torben Lange, Elisabeth F. George, Kristian Hellenkamp, Roman J. Gertz, Marcus Billing, Rolf Wachter, Michael Steinmetz, Shelby Kutty, Uwe Raaz, Joachim Lotz, Tim Friede, Martin Uecker, Gerd Hasenfuss, Tim Seidler, Andreas Schuster
Summary: Real-time cardiac magnetic resonance (RT-CMR) exercise imaging can accurately diagnose HFpEF, providing a suitable noninvasive diagnostic alternative, which may be beneficial for routine clinical use pending further multicenter studies.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Biykem Bozkurt, Gregg C. Fonarow, Lee R. Goldberg, Maya Guglin, Richard A. Josephson, Daniel E. Forman, Grace Lin, JoAnn Lindenfeld, Chris O'Connor, Gurusher Panjrath, Ileana L. Pina, Tina Shah, Shashank S. Sinha, Eugene Wolfel
Summary: Cardiac rehabilitation, which includes exercise training, risk factor modification, and outcomes assessment, is safe and beneficial for patients with HF. Despite its effectiveness and cost-efficiency, it is currently underused and should be prioritized as part of standard care for HF patients.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Rongrong Gao, Lijun Wang, Yihua Bei, Xiaodong Wu, Jiaqi Wang, Qiulian Zhou, Lichan Tao, Saumya Das, Xinli Li, Junjie Xiao
Summary: Through lncRNA microarray profiling, we identified a novel long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) associated with exercise-induced cardiac growth, named cardiac physiological hypertrophy-associated regulator (CPhar). Our study reveals the cardioprotective role of CPhar in the heart and expands our understanding of lncRNA function.
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Heather L. Wheat, Savitri Fedson, Biykem Bozkurt, Richard A. Josephson
Summary: Exercise intolerance is common in heart failure patients, and cardiac rehabilitation has shown significant benefits in improving mortality and quality of life. However, the benefits of exercise therapy may vary depending on the underlying disease phenotype.
PROGRESS IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Alessio Alogna, Massar Omar, Dejana Popovic, Hidemi Sorimachi, Kazunori Omote, Yogesh N. V. Reddy, Burkert Pieske, Barry A. Borlaug
Summary: Inability to enhance BCPO during exercise is associated with more severe cardiac impairments, increased vascular resistance, reduced exercise capacity, and increased adverse events in HFpEF patients. Further investigation is warranted for novel therapies that enhance biventricular reserve.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEART FAILURE
(2023)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Ray W. Squires, Amanda R. Bonikowske
Summary: Heart transplantation is the preferred treatment for end-stage chronic heart failure. Although many patients experience improved functional ability after transplantation, they still face the challenges of acute rejection and other comorbidities. Exercise training, recommended before and after transplantation, can improve exercise capacity and skeletal muscle strength without altering immunosuppression.
PROGRESS IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Barry Burstein, Vidhu Anand, Bradley Ternus, Meir Tabi, Nandan S. Anavekar, Barry A. Borlaug, Gregory W. Barsness, Garvan C. Kane, Jae K. Oh, Jacob C. Jentzer
Summary: The study found that echocardiographic CPO was inversely associated with hospital mortality in unselected CICU patients, particularly among patients with increased lactate and vasopressor requirements.
AMERICAN HEART JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biology
Anca Racolta, Jae-Hyun Johannes Ahn, Marinos Kantzis, Hendrik Milting, Volker Lauenroth, Hermann Koerperich, Eugen Sandica, Stephan Schubert, Kai Thorsten Laser
Summary: For patients with refractory heart failure, mechanical circulatory support can help identify patients who can be weaned off support devices and undergo recovery. Testing the load-bearing capacity of the heart by gradually reducing mechanical support during exercise can aid in identifying responders and promoting the recovery process. Evaluation of cardiac function using new echocardiographic techniques during VAD therapy can help identify candidates for weaning.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Daiki Takizawa, Tomonari Harada, Masaru Obokata, Kazuki Kagami, Hidemi Sorimachi, Naoki Yuasa, Yuki Saito, Fumitaka Murakami, Ayami Naito, Toshimitsu Kato, Naoki Wada, Hideki Ishii
Summary: A lower CPO reserve is associated with biventricular systolic dysfunction, chronotropic incompetence, exercise intolerance, and adverse outcomes in patients with HFpEF.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL-CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Yoichiro Aoyagi, Etsuko Mori, Hideki Ishii, Yuji Kono, Ayako Sato, Yuki Okochi, Reisuke Funahashi, Hitoshi Kagaya
Summary: This study compared the effects of cardiac rehabilitation therapies performed in wards and rehabilitation units during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that patients receiving ward-based rehabilitation had lower walking distance and speed at discharge compared to those admitted before the outbreak, and they also had shorter exercise time.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL AND REHABILITATION MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Augusto D'Onofrio, Chiara Tessari, Giorgia Cibin, Giulia Lorenzoni, Gian Luca Martinelli, Marco Solinas, Gino Gerosa, Dario Gregori, Francesco Alamanni, Gianluca Polvani, Massimo Massetti, Marco Di Eusanio, Maurizio Merlo, Igor Vendramin, Domenico Mangino, Carmelo Mignosa, Claudio Russo, Mauro Rinaldi, Ruggero De Paulis, Davide Pacini, Giampaolo Luzi, Carlo Antona, Loris Salvador, Francesco Musumeci, Daniele Maselli, Andrea Colli, Michele Portoghese, Ottavio Alfieri, Carlo Maria De Filippo
SEMINARS IN THORACIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Daniele Andreini, Edoardo Conte, Michela Casella, Saima Mushtaq, Gianluca Pontone, Antonio Dello Russo, Flavia Nicoli, Patrizia Carita, Valentina Catto, Giulia Vettor, Alessio Gasperetti, Elena Sommariva, Stefania Rizzo, Cristina Basso, Claudio Tondo, Mauro Pepi
Summary: In patients suspected of left-dominant arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, specific imaging features such as subepicardial LGE and fat infiltration in CMR can help differentiate it from myocarditis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR IMAGING
(2022)
Review
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Antonio Piperata, Raphael Caraffa, Olimpia Bifulco, Martina Avesani, Anna Apostolo, Gino Gerosa, Tomaso Bottio
Summary: Heart transplantation is the best treatment for end-stage heart failure, but the shortage of available organs remains a limitation due to increasing demand. The use of marginal donor hearts in high-risk candidates is debated, but surgical correction of coronary lesions or valvular heart defects can increase the number of available organs.
JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICINE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Piergiuseppe Agostoni, Carlo Vignati
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Paola Gripari, Mauro Pepi, Laura Fusini, Gloria Tamborini, Maria E. Mancini, Daniele Andreini, Gianluca Pontone, Matteo Saccocci, Ilaria Giambuzzi, Francesco Alamanni, Marco Zanobini
Summary: This study presents the clinical and pathological characteristics of cardiac tumors and investigates the association between imaging characteristics, clinical presentation, and surgical treatment. The results show that TTE, CT, and CMR have moderate diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing between benign and malignant tumors. Survival time after surgery is longer for benign tumors compared to malignancies.
JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Ilaria Giambuzzi, Giorgia Bonalumi, Michele Di Mauro, Francesco Alamanni, Marco Zanobini
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Raphael Caraffa, Jonida Bejko, Massimiliano Carrozzini, Olimpia Bifulco, Vincenzo Tarzia, Giulia Lorenzoni, Daniele Bottigliengo, Dario Gregori, Chiara Castellani, Tomaso Bottio, Annalisa Angelini, Gino Gerosa
Summary: This study evaluates the outcomes of LVAD patients based on device strategy and INTERMACS profile. The results show that LVAD implantation in elective patients is associated with better survival and lower complications incidence. Furthermore, LVAD implantation in BTC patients should be considered before their conditions deteriorate.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Manuel Galinanes, Kelly Casos, Arnau Blasco-Lucas, Eduard Permanyer, Rafael Manez, Thierry Le Tourneau, Jordi Barquinero, Simo Schwartz, Tomaso Bottio, Jean Christian Roussel, Imen Fellah-Hebia, Thomas Senage, Arturo Evangelista, Luigi P. Badano, Alejandro Ruiz-Majoral, Cesare Galli, Vered Padler-Karavani, Jean-Paul Soulillou, Xavier Vidal, Emanuele Cozzi, Cristina Costa
Summary: This study investigated the oxidative stress markers in patients with bioprosthetic heart valves (BHV) and their association with structural valve deterioration (SVD). The results suggest that oxidative stress may play a significant role in SVD and may change over time.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Georgios Georgiopoulos, Stefano Figliozzi, Konstantinos Pateras, Flavia Nicoli, Dimitrios Bampatsias, Matteo Beltrami, Gherardo Finocchiaro, Amedeo Chiribiri, Pier Giorgio Masci, Iacopo Olivotto
Summary: This study aimed to synthesize and compare the prognostic impact of demographic, clinical, biochemical, and imaging findings in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The results showed that late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) had the highest prognostic value for all endpoints and outperformed other markers. A multiparametric imaging-based model performed better than a conventional risk factor model in predicting the composite endpoint.
JACC-HEART FAILURE
(2022)
Article
Surgery
Lorenzo Giovannico, Antonio D'Errico Ramirez, Domenico Parigino, Giuseppe Fischetti, Concetta Losito, Sergio Lenoci, Giuseppe Fiore, Antonio Civita, Davide F. Bavaro, Annalisa Saracino, Salvatore Grasso, Tomaso Bottio, Aldo Domenico Milano
Summary: The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 infection in China in late 2019 has become a global pandemic, with COVID-19 being a major ongoing public health issue. Transplant programs had to develop strategies to handle the potential presence of COVID-19-positive donors and recipients. In this case, a heart transplant recipient tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 upon admission but proceeded with the transplant due to the patient's clinical condition and vaccination history.
CLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Antonio Piperata, Jef Van Den Eynde, Mathieu Pernot, Olivier Busuttil, Martina Avesani, Tomaso Bottio, Stephane Lafitte, Thomas Modine, Louis Labrousse
Summary: The study investigated the long-term outcomes of concomitant suture bicuspidization to treat mild or moderate tricuspid regurgitation at the time of mitral valve surgery. Data analysis showed that patients undergoing mitral valve surgery with concomitant tricuspid valve repair had similar 30-day and long-term survival, similar permanent pacemaker implantation rate, and reduced progression of tricuspid regurgitation compared to those undergoing mitral valve surgery alone.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGERY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Carlo Vignati, Mauro Contini, Elisabetta Salvioni, Carolina Lombardi, Sergio Caravita, Grzegorz Bilo, Erik R. Swenson, Gianfranco Parati, Piergiuseppe Agostoni
Summary: Patients with chronic heart failure may safely spend time at altitudes <3500 m, but may experience decreased exercise capacity proportional to the severity of heart failure and altitude. Specialized 'hypoxic-tailored treatment' is necessary to avoid pharmacological interference with altitude adaptation mechanisms.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Irene Mattavelli, Carlo Vignati, Stefania Farina, Anna Apostolo, Gaia Cattadori, Fabiana De Martino, Beatrice Pezzuto, Denise Zaffalon, Piergiuseppe Agostoni
Summary: Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) is a valuable diagnostic tool in heart failure (HF) due to its strong prognostic value. The peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) is the most important parameter provided by CPET, indicating the maximum rate of oxygen consumption during physical exertion. However, standard CPET cannot distinguish between impairments in oxygen delivery or extraction, necessitating the use of more complex technologies.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Emanuela De Cillis, Tommaso Acquaviva, Raffaella Ursi, Nicolo Soldato, Paolo Basile, Paola Siena, Maria Cristina Carella, Andrea Baggiano, Saima Mushtaq, Laura Fusini, Mark G. Rabbat, Gianluca Pontone, Tomaso Bottio, Alessandro Santo Bortone, Marco Matteo Ciccone, Aldo Domenico Milano, Andrea Igoren Guaricci
Summary: This study compared intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) guidance for transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect (ASD). The results showed that ICE had significantly shorter fluoroscopy and procedure time compared to TEE, without compromising image quality, success rate, or causing additional complications. Therefore, ICE is a safe and effective tool for guiding transcatheter closure of ASD.
ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY-A JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ULTRASOUND AND ALLIED TECHNIQUES
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Carlo Vignati, Fabiana De Martino, Manuela Muratori, Elisabetta Salvioni, Gloria Tamborini, Antonio Bartorelli, Mauro Pepi, Francesco Alamanni, Stefania Farina, Gaia Cattadori, Valentina Mantegazza, Piergiuseppe Agostoni
Summary: The study assessed the efficacy of percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (pMVR) in severe primary (PMR) and functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) patients by measuring changes in peak exercise oxygen uptake (VO2) and cardiac output (CO). The results showed significant improvements in MR and NYHA class, reverse ventricular remodeling, and increased CO and stroke volume (SV) after successful pMVR. However, despite an increase in CO, exercise performance remained unchanged due to a more physiological blood flow distribution and O-2 extraction behavior.