Abstract
Aims
The aim of our study is to assess the ability of left atrial (LA) strain values to improve left ventricular and diastolic pressure (LVEDP) non-invasive estimation as compared with ...traditional echocardiographic indexes in the acute phase of Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) and to predict adverse in-hospital outcomes in this population.
Methods and results
Consecutive TTS patients were prospectively enrolled. Left ventricular and diastolic pressure was measured at the time of catheterization. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed within 48 h from hospital admission. In-hospital complications (acute heart failure, death from any cause, and life-threatening arrhythmias) were collected. A total of 62 patients were analysed (72.2 ± 10.1 years, female 80%) and in-hospital complications occurred in 25 (40.3%). Left ventricular and diastolic pressure mean value was 24.53 ± 7.92 mmHg. Left atrial reservoir and pump strain values presented higher correlation with LVEDP (r −0.859, P < 0.001 and r −0.848, P < 0.001, respectively) in comparison with E/e ′ ratio, left atrial volume index (LAVi), and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) peak velocity. In addition, at receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, LA reservoir and pump strain resulted to be better predictors of LVEDP above the mean of our population 0.909 (95% CI 0.818–0.999, P < 0.001) and 0.889 (95% CI 0.789–0.988, P < 0.001), respectively as compared with E/e′ ratio, LAVi, and TR peak velocity.
Finally, LA reservoir strain resulted to be an independent predictor of worse in-hospital outcomes, together with LVEDP and left ventricular ejection fraction (all P < 0.001).
Conclusion
In our study, lower LA reservoir and pump strain values were better predictors of LVEDP as compared with traditional echocardiographic indexes in the acute phase of TTS syndrome. Moreover, LA reservoir strain was an independent predictor of adverse in-hospital outcomes.
Graphical Abstract
Graphical Abstract
Main results of the study. LVEDP, left ventricular and diastolic pressure; LA, left atrium; ROC, receiving operating characteristic; LAVi, left atrial volume index; TR, tricuspid regurgitation; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction.
Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) represents about 6-8% of patients presenting with myocardial infarction (MI), and it is associated with a significant risk of ...mortality, rehospitalisation, and angina burden, with high associated socioeconomic costs. It is important to note that multiple mechanisms may be responsible for MINOCA. However, to date, there are few prospective clinical trials on MINOCA and the treatment of these patients is still not defined, most likely because of the multiple underlying pathogenic mechanisms. The PROMISE trial is a randomised, multicentre, prospective, superiority, phase IV trial that will include 180 MINOCA patients randomised 1:1 to a "precision-medicine approach", consisting of a comprehensive diagnostic workup and pharmacological treatment specific for the underlying cause, versus a "standard of care" approach, consisting of routine diagnostic workup and standard medical treatment for acute coronary syndrome. The aim of this study is to evaluate if the "precision-medicine approach" will improve the angina status, evaluated using the Seattle Angina Questionnaire summary score, at 12 months (primary endpoint). Secondary endpoints include the rate of major adverse cardiovascular events at 12-month follow-up, the related primary and secondary healthcare costs, and the ability of cardiac magnetic resonance to evaluate the different mechanisms of MINOCA. Of importance, the results derived from this trial may pave the way for a new pathophysiology-driven approach with cause-target therapies personalised for the mechanisms of MINOCA (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05122780).
Multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in adults is a hyperinflammatory condition following (within 4-12 weeks) SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, the dysregulation of the immune system leads to a multiorgan ...involvement often affecting the heart. Cardiac involvement in multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in adults has been described mainly in young men without other comorbidities and may present with different clinical scenarios, including acute heart failure, life-threatening arrhythmias, pericarditis, and myocarditis, with a nonnegligible risk of mortality (up to 7% of all cases). The heterogeneity of its clinical features and the absence of a clear case definition make the differential diagnosis with other postinfectious (eg, infective myocarditis) and hyperinflammatory diseases (eg, adult Still disease and macrophage activation syndrome) challenging. Moreover, the evidence on the efficacy of specific treatments targeting the hyperinflammatory response underlying this clinical condition (eg, glucocorticoids, immunoglobulins, and other immunomodulatory agents) is sparse and not supported by randomized clinical trials. In this review article, we aim to provide an overview of the clinical features and the diagnostic workup of multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in adults with cardiac involvement, highlighting the possible pathogenetic mechanisms and the therapeutic management, along with remaining knowledge gaps in this field.
Background: Cardiovascular sequelae after COVID-19 are frequent. However, the predictors for their occurrence are still unknown. In this study, we aimed to assess whether myocardial injury during ...COVID-19 hospitalization is associated to CV sequelae and death after hospital discharge. Methods: In this prospective observational study, consecutive patients who were admitted for COVID-19 in a metropolitan COVID-19 hub in Italy, between March 2021 and January 2022, with a ≥ 1 assessment of high sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) were included in the study, if they were alive at hospital discharge. Myocardial injury was defined as elevation hs-cTnI > 99th percentile of the upper reference limit. The incidence of all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE, including cardiovascular death, admission for acute or chronic coronary syndrome, hospitalization for heart failure, and stroke/transient ischemic attack) at follow-up were the primary outcomes. Arrhythmias, inflammatory heart diseases, and/or thrombotic disorders were analyzed as well. Results: Among the 701 COVID-19 survivors (mean age 66.4 ± 14.4 years, 40.2% female), myocardial injury occurred in 75 (10.7%) patients. At a median follow-up of 270 days (IQR 165, 380), all-cause mortality (21.3% vs. 6.1%, p < 0.001), MACCE (25.3% vs. 4.5%, p < 0.001), arrhythmias (9.3% vs. 5.0%, p = 0.034), and inflammatory heart disease (8.0% vs. 1.1%, p < 0.001) were more frequent in patients with myocardial injury compared to those without. At multivariate analysis, myocardial injury (HR 1.95 95% CI:1.05−3.61), age (HR 1.09 95% CI:1.06−1.12), and chronic kidney disease (HR 2.63 95% CI:1.33−5.21) were independent predictors of death. Myocardial injury (HR 3.92 95% CI:2.07−7.42), age (HR 1.05 95% CI:1.02−1.08), and diabetes (HR 2.35 95% CI:1.25−4.43) were independent predictors of MACCE. Conclusion: In COVID-19 survivors, myocardial injury during the hospital stay portends a higher risk of mortality and cardiovascular sequelae and could be considered for the risk stratification of COVID-19 sequelae in patients who are successfully discharged.
Myocardial bridging (MB) is the most frequent congenital coronary anomaly characterized by a segment of an epicardial coronary artery that passes through the myocardium. MB is an important cause of ...myocardial ischemia and is also emerging as a possible cause of myocardial infarction with non-obstructed coronary arteries (MINOCA). There are multiple mechanisms underlying MINOCA in patients with MB (i.e., MB-mediated increased risk of epicardial or microvascular coronary spasm, atherosclerotic plaque disruption and spontaneous coronary artery dissection). The identification of the exact pathogenetic mechanism is crucial in order to establish a patient-tailored therapy. This review provides the most up-to-date evidence regarding the pathophysiology of MINOCA in patients with MB. Moreover, it focuses on the available diagnostic tools that could be implemented at the time of coronary angiography to achieve a pathophysiologic diagnosis. Finally, it focuses on the therapeutic implications associated with the different pathogenetic mechanisms of MINOCA in patients with MB.
Advances in cancer therapies have led to a global improvement in patient survival rates. Nevertheless, the price to pay is a concomitant increase in cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality in ...this population. Increased inflammation and disturbances of the immune system are shared by both cancer and CV diseases. Immunological effects of anti-cancer treatments occur with both conventional chemotherapy and, to a greater extent, with novel biological therapies such as immunotherapy. For these reasons, there is growing interest in the immune system and its potential role at the molecular level in determining cardiotoxicity. Early recognition of these detrimental effects could help in identifying patients at risk and improve their oncological management. Non-invasive imaging already plays a key role in evaluating baseline CV risk and in detecting even subclinical cardiac dysfunction during surveillance. The aim of this review is to highlight the role of advanced cardiovascular imaging techniques in the detection and management of cardiovascular complications related to cancer treatment.
Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an acute reversible form of myocardial dysfunction, often preceded by a physical or emotional stressful event, that acts as a trigger. Despite, recent advances in the ...comprehension of the mechanisms leading to TTS, its pathophysiology is far from being completely understood. However, several studies seem to suggest that an acute coronary microvascular dysfunction may represent a crucial pathogenic mechanism involved in TTS occurrence.
In this article, we aim to review the complex pathophysiology of TTS and the possible different mechanisms underlying this clinical condition, focusing on the role of coronary microvascular dysfunction and the remaining knowledge's gaps in the field.
•TTS is elicited by a trigger causing a sympathetic hyperactivity.•TTS pathogenesis is complex and an individual susceptibility may predispose to TTS occurrence.•Acute microvascular dysfunction plays a key role in the pathogenesis of TTS.
Coronary vasomotor abnormalities are important causes of myocardial ischemia in patients with nonobstructive coronary artery disease (NOCAD). However, the role of air pollution in determining ...coronary vasomotor disorders has never been investigated.
We aimed to evaluate the association between long-term exposure to particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) and 10 (PM10), and coronary vasomotor disorders in NOCAD patients.
Patients with myocardial ischemia and NOCAD undergoing coronary angiography and intracoronary provocation test with acetylcholine were prospectively studied. Both patients with chronic myocardial ischemia and nonobstructive coronary arteries and myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) were enrolled. Based on each case's home address, exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 was assessed.
We included 287 patients (median age, 62.0 years IQR: 52.0-70.0 years, 149 51.9% males); there were 161 (56.1%) myocardial ischemia and nonobstructive coronary arteries and 126 (43.9%) MINOCA cases. One hundred seventy-six patients (61.3%) had positive provocation test. Exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 was higher in patients with a positive provocation test (P < 0.001). At multivariate logistic regression analysis, PM2.5 and PM10 were independent predictors of a positive provocation test (P = 0.001 and P = 0.029, respectively). Interestingly, among these patients, PM2.5 and PM10 were both independent predictors of MINOCA (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively) as clinical presentation, whereas PM2.5 was independently associated with the occurrence of epicardial spasm as opposed to microvascular spasm (P = 0.001).
Higher exposure to PM2.5 and PM10 in patients with myocardial ischemia and NOCAD is associated with coronary vasomotor abnormalities. In particular, PM2.5 is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of epicardial spasm and MINOCA as clinical presentation.
