Dyslipidaemia and mortality in COVID-19 patients - a meta-analysis

Background: The prevalence and prognostic implications of pre-existing dyslipidaemia in patients infected by the SARS-CoV-2 remain unclear. Aim: To assess the prevalence and mortality risk in COVID-19 patients with pre-existing dyslipidaemia. Design: Systematic review and meta-Analysis. Methods: Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-Analyses guidelines were followed in abstracting data and assessing validity. We searched MEDLINE and Scopus to locate all the articles published up to 31 January 2021, reporting data on dyslipidaemia among COVID-19 survivors and non-survivors. The pooled prevalence of dyslipidaemia was calculated using a random-effects model and presenting the related 95% confidence interval (CI), while the mortality risk was estimated using the Mantel-Haenszel random-effect models with odds ratio (OR) and related 95% CI. Statistical heterogeneity was measured using the Higgins I2 statistic. Results: Of about 18 studies, enrolling 74 132 COVID-19 patients (mean age 70.6 years), met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. The pooled prevalence of dyslipidaemia was 17.5% of cases (95% CI: 12.3-24.3%, P < 0.0001), with high heterogeneity (I2 = 98.7%). Pre-existing dyslipidaemia was significantly associated with higher risk of short-Term death (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.19-2.41, P = 0.003), with high heterogeneity (I2 = 88.7%). Due to publication bias, according to the Trim-And-Fill method, the corrected random-effect ORs resulted 1.61, 95% CI 1.13-2.28, P < 0.0001 (one studies trimmed). Conclusion: Dyslipidaemia represents a major comorbidity in about 18% of COVID-19 patients but it is associated with a 60% increase of short-Term mortality risk

computational fluid dynamics as a tool in the development process of left ventricular assist devices

Computational fluid dynamic analysis (CFD) have recently been applied in study the of cardiovascular system. Since the development of the first blood pumps in the early 1990's this mathematical technique has been adopted in determining pressure-flow relationship and efficiencies before building left ventricular (LV) assist devices (LVADs) prototypes. Improvements in the functionality of these devices are desirable and for this aim CFD could be a valid tool both in projection and development

Edge-to-Edge Technique to Minimize Ovelapping of Multiple Bioresorbable Scaffolds Plus Drug Eluting Stents in Revascularization of Long Diffuse Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery Disease

Background: Implantation of Drug Eluting Stents (DES) plus bioresorbable scaffolds (BVS) in very long diffuse left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) disease may be problematic because of multiple devices overlapping. We sought to assess the short and mid-tern outcomes of combined implantation of DES and BVS using a novel "edge-to-edge" technique in patients with diffuse LAD disease. Methods: Patients with long diffuse LAD disease were enrolled in a prospective registry from 1st August 2014 to 1st August 2015 and treated with IVUS-aided percutaneous coronary intervention using a DES plus a single or multiple BVS using a novel "edge-to-edge" technique. Clinical follow up and invasive follow up driven by clinical justification was performed. Results: Twenty-three patients (5 females, mean age 59.1 +/- 9.1 years) were enrolled. Mean length of LAD disease was 73.1 +/- 20.6 mm. Mean number of DES and BVS implanted was 1.2 +/- 0.4 and 1.7 +/- 1.3, respectively. At a mean follow-up of 11.3 +/- 3.8 months, no stent thrombosis or MACE were observed. Angiographic and IVUS follow-up at a mean of 6.6 +/- 0.7 months showed no significant angiographic restenosis and no appreciable stent gaps. Conclusions: In revascularization of long diffuse disease of the LAD, the edge-to-edge implantation technique appears to be feasible resulting in no restenosis or thrombosis on the short-term follow-up

Optimization of left ventricular pacing site plus multipoint pacing improves remodeling and clinical response to cardiac resynchronization therapy at 1 year

n/

Multipoint pacing by a left ventricular quadripolar lead improves the acute hemodynamic response to CRT compared with conventional biventricular pacing at any site

n/

Riociguat treatment in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: Final safety data from the EXPERT registry

Objective: The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat is approved for the treatment of adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and inoperable or persistent/recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) following Phase

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: Which Role for Serial Electrocardiogram Changes?

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a cardiac syndrome characterized by acute regional-reversible systolic dysfunction of the left ventricle (LV) and related to psycho-physical acute stress. Recently, physicians and researchers have directed their attention on the time course of ECG changes in TTC. Knowledge of ECG changes in TTC could be useful for the clinical management of this disease. Among all TTC deaths, 38% of cases are directly related to in-hospital complications. Serial ECG assessment could be a first line defence in reducing mortality and in-hospital complications in patients with TTC