Cardiomyopathies

BACKGROUND: Semaglutide is a relatively new anti-hyperglycemic agent that was shown to carry cardioprotective potentials. However, the exact effects of semaglutide on diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) and their underlining mechanism remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of semaglutide on myocardium injury and cardiac function in DCM mice and its potential mechanisms, with emphasis on its effects on Cx43 and electrophysiological remodeling. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: control group, semaglutide group, diabetes group, and diabetes + semaglutide treatment group...

AIMS: Lethal arrhythmias in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are widely attributed to myocardial ischaemia and fibrosis. How these factors modulate arrhythmic risk remains largely unknown, especially as invasive mapping protocols are not routinely used in these patients. By leveraging multiscale digital-twin technologies, we aim to investigate ischaemic mechanisms of increased arrhythmic risk in HCM. METHODS AND RESULTS: Computational models of human HCM cardiomyocytes, tissue and ventricles were used to simulate outcomes of phase 1A acute myocardial ischaemia...

AIMS: The anthracycline family of anticancer agents such as doxorubicin (DOX) can induce apoptotic death of cardiomyocytes and cause cardiotoxicity. We previously reported that DOX-induced apoptosis is accompanied by cardiomyocyte cell cycle-reentry. Cell cycle progression requires cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7)-mediated activation of downstream cell cycle CDKs. This study aims to determine whether CDK7 can be targeted for cardioprotection during anthracycline chemotherapy. METHODS AND RESULTS: DOX exposure induced CDK7 activation in mouse heart and isolated cardiomyocytes...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.34133/research.0001.].

Background Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a challenging genetic disorder marked by ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death, particularly in athletes and young adults. Despite its clinical significance, the relative effectiveness and safety of catheter ablation versus conventional management in ARVC are not fully delineated. Objective This study evaluates the efficacy and safety of catheter ablation compared to conventional management in reducing ventricular arrhythmias and improving patient outcomes over five years in ARVC patients...

UNLABELLED: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is characterized by transient left ventricular dysfunction with apical ballooning, usually observed in postmenopausal women after a stressful event. We discuss a rare presentation of TCM induced by thyrotoxicosis secondary to Graves' disease. This case raises interesting questions about the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of TCM. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 1. To recognize hyperthyroidism as a possible etiology of takutsubo cardiomyopathy...

UNLABELLED: We present a case of a man with ischemic cardiomyopathy and single chamber implantable cardioverter-defibrillator who developed sinus arrest creating sudden dependence on right ventricular (RV) pacing. He presented with cardiogenic shock secondary to abrupt onset ventricular dyssynchrony from RV pacing, which required emergent stabilization and completely resolved with atrial pacing. LEARNING OBJECTIVE: To establish a basic understanding of cardiogenic shock management...

UNLABELLED: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex chronic inflammatory intestinal disease. The development of de novo IBD after solid organ transplantation with immunosuppressive agents has been rarely reported. We present the case of a 65-year-old man with repeated colitis after heart transplantation (HTx) who was diagnosed with Crohn's disease (CD). The patient underwent HTx due to non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. Six months after HTx, he developed serious diarrhea and a transient fever, which persisted for about 6 months...

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular (RV) pacing is established as the most common ventricular pacing (VP) strategy for patients with symptomatic bradyarrhythmia. Some patients with high VP burden suffer deterioration of left ventricular (LV) function, termed pacing-induced cardiomyopathy (PICM). Patients who pace > 20% of the time from the RV apex are at increased risk of PICM, but independent predictors of increased RV pacing burden have not been elucidated in those who have a permanent pacemaker (PPM) inserted for bradyarrhythmia...

AIMS: Pressure-volume (PV) loops have utility in the evaluation of cardiac pathophysiology but require invasive measurements. Recently, a time-varying elastance model to derive PV loops non-invasively was proposed, using left ventricular (LV) volume by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and brachial cuff pressure as inputs. Validation was performed using CMR and pressure measurements acquired on the same day, but not simultaneously, and without varying pre-loads. This study validates the non-invasive elastance model used to estimate PV loops at varying pre-loads, compared with simultaneous measurements of invasive pressure and volume from real-time CMR, acquired concurrent to an inferior vena cava (IVC) occlusion...

BACKGROUND: We present a case of a pregnant patient with recurrent angina, in which her symptoms were initially attributed to coronary artery spasm. However, during follow-up, she was diagnosed as having pheochromocytoma, a rare neuroendocrine tumour. CASE SUMMARY: The 35-year-old patient was admitted to the hospital because of chest pain and elevated cardiac troponins after the use of MDMA. Physical examination, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, coronary angiogram, and cardiac MRI were normal...

AIMS: Albeit often asymptomatic, heart involvement in systemic sclerosis (SSc) represents a negative prognostic factor, accounting for nearly one-fourth of all deaths. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) is accurate in detecting heart involvement in patients with SSc and no overt cardiac disease and allows early detection and longitudinal monitoring, but its association with clinical endpoints has not been tested so far. The primary outcome was the association between left and right GLS and mortality for all causes...

A 41-year-old man with resting angina was diagnosed with a coronary vasospasm and subsequently with Fabry disease exhibiting low serum α-galactosidase A activity. High computed tomography (CT)-derived extracellular volume was detected in the apical inferior wall of the left ventricle suggesting myocardial fibrosis, potentially from vasospasm-related ischemia and/or microvascular dysfunction.

Ischemic heart disease is an important cause of heart failure in pregnancy. Involvement of a cardio-obstetrics team is crucial for managing high-risk pregnant patients with cardiovascular disease. We present a case of cardiogenic shock in a pregnant woman unmasking underlying multivessel obstructive coronary artery disease.

UNLABELLED: Familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is frequently caused by autosomal dominant point mutations in genes involved in diverse cellular processes, including sarcomeric contraction. While patient studies have defined the genetic landscape of DCM, genetics are not currently used in patient care, and patients receive similar treatments regardless of the underlying mutation. It has been suggested that a precision medicine approach based on the molecular mechanism of the underlying mutation could improve outcomes; however, realizing this approach has been challenging due to difficulties linking genotype and phenotype and then leveraging this information to identify therapeutic approaches...

BACKGROUND: Anthracyclines such as doxorubicin (Dox) are highly effective anti-tumor agents, but their use is limited by dose-dependent cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Our laboratory previously reported that induction of cytochrome P450 family 1 (Cyp1) enzymes contributes to acute Dox cardiotoxicity in zebrafish and in mice, and that potent Cyp1 inhibitors prevent cardiotoxicity. However, the role of Cyp1 enzymes in chronic Dox cardiomyopathy, as well as the mechanisms underlying cardioprotection associated with Cyp1 inhibition, have not been fully elucidated...

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are opportunistic malignancies that complicate the success of hematopoietic stem cell or solid organ transplantation. These disorders often arise post-transplant due to the immunosuppression required for minimizing the risk of rejection of donor tissue. First-line treatment of these disorders includes limiting immunosuppression when permissible. Subsequent treatment includes the use of monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody (rituximab), and/or combination chemotherapy...

Torsades de Pointes (TdP) is a malignant polymorphic ventricular tachycardia with heart rate corrected QT interval (QTc) prolongation, which may be attributed to congenital and acquired factors. Although various acquired factors for TdP have been summarized, levosimendan administration in complex postoperative settings is relatively uncommon. Timely identification of potential causes and appropriate management may improve the outcome. Herein, we describe the postoperative case of a 56-year-old female with initial normal QTc who accepted the administration of levosimendan for heart failure, suffered TdP, cardiac arrest, and possible Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, further genetically confirmed as long QT syndrome type 1 (LQT1)...

Objective: To investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) in patients with heart failure. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of patients with heart failure who underwent CCM placement at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from February to June 2022. With a follow-up of 3 months, CCM sensation, impedance, percent output, and work time were monitored, and patients were compared with pre-and 3-month postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) values, and 6-minute walk test distance and New York Heart Association (NYHA) cardiac function classification, and the occurrence of complications was recorded...

Objective: To investigate the risk factors and long-term prognosis of major adverse cardiovascular events(MACEs) in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Methods: This study was a single-center retrospective cohort study. Clinical information from 300 patients with DCM hospitalized in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from April 2013 to April 2023 was collected. Based on echocardiography results, the patients were divided into two groups: isolated DCM and DCM with left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC)...