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Historically, patients with myocarditis were considered for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) utilization only in the chronic phase of the disease following the development of persistent cardiomyopathy refractory to medical therapy or occurrence of a major ventricular arrhythmic event. However, recent literature has indicated that ventricular arrhythmias are frequently reported even in the acute phase of the disease, challenging the long-standing perception that this disease process was largely reversible. Given this changing environment of information, the latest US and European guidelines were recently updated in 2022 to now consider ICD implantation during the acute phase which has significantly increased the number of individuals eligible for these devices. Additionally, several studies with small subgroups of patients have demonstrated a possible benefit of wearable cardioverter defibrillators (WCDs) in this patient demographic. Assuming that larger studies confirm their utility, it is possible that WCDs can assist in detection of ventricular arrhythmias and selection of high-risk candidates for ICD implantation, while providing temporary protection for a small percentage of patients before the development of a major arrhythmic event. This review ultimately serves as a comprehensive review of the most recent guidelines for defibrillator use in acute and chronic myocarditis. OPINION STATEMENT: The latest US and European guidelines support ICD use for myocarditis patients following the development of persistent cardiomyopathy refractory to medical therapy or occurrence of a major ventricular arrhythmic event. Previously, patients in the acute phase were excluded from ICD utilization even after experiencing malignant ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation due to the long-standing perception that this disease process was largely reversible. However, recent literature has indicated that ventricular arrhythmias are frequently reported even in the acute phase of the disease. Additionally, we found that the myocardial damage that is inflicted persists many years after the initial episode. Given this changing environment of information, guidelines were recently updated in 2022 to now consider ICD implantation during the acute phase which has significantly increased the number of individuals eligible for these devices. We support possible ICD utilization for secondary prevention during the acute phase of myocarditis given the elevated risk of arrhythmia recurrence and the fact that any ventricular arrhythmia can induce sudden cardiac death. Future prospective studies are needed to assess which patients may benefit most from early ICD implantation. WCDs have improved survival in patient populations at high-risk for sudden cardiac death who are not candidates for ICD implantation. After analyzing several recent studies with small subgroups of patients, WCDs appear to demonstrate similar efficacy for myocarditis patients as well. Assuming that larger studies confirm their utility, we believe that WCDs can assist in detection of ventricular arrhythmias and selection of high-risk candidates for ICD implantation. Furthermore, WCDs have the additional benefit of acting as primary prevention by providing temporary protection for a small percentage of myocarditis patients before they develop a major arrhythmic event., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Competing Interests: None.

Background: The risk of coronary artery disease is exaggerated in patients with autoimmune diseases (AID). A higher risk of complications has been reported during and after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in these patients. We aimed to analyze the in-hospital outcomes and trends of patients with AID, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) undergoing PCI., Method: We identified all PCI procedures using the National In-patient Sample database from 2016 to 2020. Stratified them into cohorts with RA, SLE and IBD and compared them to cohorts without AID. The Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used for analysis. A p-value <0.005 was considered statistically significant., Result: We identified 2,367,475 patients who underwent PCI. Of these, 1.6 %, 0.5 %, and 0.4 % had RA, IBD and SLE respectively. The odds of mortality were lower among patients with IBD (aOR: 0.56; CI 0.38-0.81, p = 0.002) but patients with RA had higher odds of having composite major complications [(MC) including cerebrovascular accident (CVA), cardiac arrest, acute heart failure (AHF), ventricular arrhythmia (VA), major bleeding, and acute kidney injury (AKI)] (aOR: 0.90; CI 0.83-0.98, p = 0.013). Our SLE cohort had higher rates of CVA (p = 0.017) and AKI (p = 0.002). Our cohort with IBD had lower rates of cardiac arrest but had longer hospital length of stay (4.9 days vs 3.9 days) and they incurred higher hospital charges compared to cohort without IBD., Conclusion: This study depicts the immediate adverse outcomes observed in patients with AID undergoing PCI. In contrast to those without AID, our cohorts with RA exhibited worse outcomes, as indicated by the higher odds of major complications. IBD is associated with lower risks of in-hospital adverse outcomes but with higher resource utilization., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected many aspects of health care and continues to have an impact as waves of COVID-19 cases re-emerge. Many procedures were negatively impacted by the pandemic, and management was primarily focused on limiting exposure to the virus. We present an analysis of the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to delineate how COVID-19 affected atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. The NIS was analyzed from 2017-2020 in order to determine the pre- and intra-pandemic impacts on AF ablation procedures. Admissions were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification codes with a primary diagnosis of AF (ICD-10 CM code I48.0, I48.1, I48.2, or I48.91). Admissions were also assessed for the use of cardiac ablation therapy. Comorbidity diagnoses were identified using the Elixhauser comorbidity software (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Rockville, MD, USA); additional ICD-10 codes for diagnoses and procedures used are also provided. The primary outcome of our study was the trend in ablation therapy during AF admissions. Secondary outcomes included health care disparities, inpatient mortality, and length of stay. Ablation therapy was used in 18,885 admissions in 2020, compared to the preceding 3-year average of 20,103 (adjusted Wald test, P = .002). Multivariate logistic regression revealed a greater likelihood of undergoing ablation therapy (odds ratio, 1.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.40; P < .001) among 2020 admissions compared to 2017 admissions. Inpatient mortality increased in 2020 compared to the preceding average; however, the difference was not significant. The procedural volume of ablation for AF saw a decrease in 2020; however, surprisingly, more patients were likely to undergo ablation during 2020., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest for the published content. No funding information was provided., (Copyright: © 2024 Innovations in Cardiac Rhythm Management.)

Most end-stage renal disease patients experience a reduction in blood pressure during their hemodialysis session compared to predialysis. Surprisingly, a small subset of patients will experience an unusual physiological response to dialysis that results in a paradoxical increase in blood pressure. We discuss a case that involved an exaggerated elevation in blood pressure, ultimately requiring immediate cessation of dialysis and admission to the intensive care unit for intravenous treatment of a hypertensive emergency. This case serves as a framework to introduce the infrequently discussed concept of intradialytic hypertension. The underlying pathogenesis is poorly understood with multiple theoretical etiologies including activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, imbalances in circulating levels of endothelium-derived mediators, clearance of antihypertensive medications, increased cardiac output, and changes in arterial thickness. It is important to be cognizant of this phenomenon as emerging evidence suggests that patients with any elevation in blood pressure during hemodialysis have increased rates of both short-term and long-term mortality., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Imburgio et al.)

Background: We aim to determine the added value of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in stroke risk assessment for hypertensive Black adults., Methods: We examined 1,647 participants with hypertension without a history of cardiovascular (CV) disease, from the Jackson Heart Study. Cox regression analysis estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for incident stroke per standard deviation increase in cIMT and quartiles while adjusting for baseline variables. We then evaluated the predictive capacity of cIMT when added to the pool cohort equations (PCEs)., Results: The mean age at baseline was 57 ± 10 years. Each standard deviation increase in cIMT (0.17 mm) was associated with approximately 30% higher risk of stroke (HR 1.27, 95% confidence interval: 1.08-1.49). Notably, cIMT proved valuable in identifying residual stroke risk among participants with well-controlled blood pressure, showing up to a 56% increase in the odds of stroke for each 0.17 mm increase in cIMT among those with systolic blood pressure <120 mm Hg. Additionally, the addition of cIMT to the PCE resulted in the reclassification of 58% of low to borderline risk participants with stroke to a higher-risk category and 28% without stroke to a lower-risk category, leading to a significant net reclassification improvement of 0.22 (0.10-0.30)., Conclusions: In this community-based cohort of middle-aged Black adults with hypertension and no history of CV disease at baseline, cIMT is significantly associated with incident stroke and enhances stroke risk stratification., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Heart failure (HF) continues to be a significant public health issue, posing a heightened risk of morbidity and mortality for both genders. Despite the widespread use of left ventricular assist device (LVAD), the influence of gender differences on clinical outcomes following implantation remains unclear., Objectives: We investigated the impact of gender differences on readmission rates and other outcomes following LVAD implantation in patients admitted with advanced HF., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients who underwent LVAD implantation for advanced HF between 2014 and 2020, using the Nationwide Readmissions Database. Our study cohort was divided into male and female patients. The primary outcome was 30-day readmission (30-dr), while secondary outcomes were inpatient mortality, length of stay (LOS), procedural complication rates, and periadmission rates. Multivariate linear, Cox, and logistic regression analyses were performed., Results: During the study period, 11,492 patients with advanced HF who had LVAD placement were identified. Of these, 22% (n = 2532) were females and 78% (n = 8960) were males. The mean age was 53.9 ± 10.8 years for females and 56.3 ± 10.5 years for males (adjusted Wald test, p < 0.01). Readmissions were higher in females (21% vs. 17%, p = 0.02) when compared to males. Cox regression analysis showed higher readmission events (hazard ratio: 1.24, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.52, p = 0.03) in females when compared to males. Inpatient mortality, LOS, and most procedural complication rates were not statistically significantly different between the two groups (p > 0.05, all)., Conclusion: Women experienced higher readmission rates and were more likely to be readmitted multiple times after LVAD implantation when compared to their male counterparts. However, there were no significant sex-based differences in inpatient mortality, LOS, and nearly all procedural complication rates. These findings suggest that female patients may require closer monitoring and targeted interventions to reduce readmission rates., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Over the past 2 years of the several strategies recommended to help fight COVID-19, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir is a novel drug shown in the EPIC-HR phase 2 to 3 clinical trial to lower COVID-19-related death or hospitalization at day 28 when compared with placebo., Objective: Our study's aim was to explore the reported adverse events (AEs) associated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir use for COVID-19., Method: We conducted a retrospective analysis using the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database for AEs, listing nirmatrelvir/ritonavir as the primary drug between January and June 2022. The primary outcome was the incidence of reported AEs associated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir. The OpenFDA database was queried using Python 3.10 to collect the AEs and Stata 17 was used to analyze the database. Adverse events were analyzed by associated medication, with "Covid-19" excluded., Results: A total of 8098 reports were identified between January and June 2022. Most reported complaints in the AE system were COVID-19 and disease recurrence. The most common symptomatic AEs were dysgeusia, diarrhea, cough, fatigue, and headache. Event rates significantly rose between April and May. Disease recurrence and dysgeusia were the most commonly reported complaints for the top 8 concomitant drugs identified. Cardiac arrest, tremor, akathisia, and death were reported in 1, 3, 67, and 5 cases, respectively., Conclusions and Relevance: This is the first retrospective study done on reported AEs associated with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir use for COVID-19. COVID-19 and disease recurrence were the most reported AEs. Further monitoring of the FAERS database is warranted to periodically reassess the safety profile of this medication., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Introduction: COVID-19 drastically impacted the landscape of the United States' medical system. Limited data is available on the nationwide implantation trends in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Defibrillator (CRT-D) devices before and during the pandemic. We aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CRT-D insertion rates and adverse outcomes related to delays in care., Methods and Results: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis using the National Inpatient Sample database between 2017 and 2020. Variables were identified using their ICD-10 codes. Inclusion criteria: age ≥ 18 years, presenting for a nonelective admission, primary diagnosis of hypertensive heart disease, hypertensive heart, chronic kidney disease, or heart failure, and underwent insertion of a CRT-D. Between 2017 and 2020, CRT-D devices were inserted during 23,635 admissions. On average, 6198 devices were implanted yearly from 2017 to 2019, with only 5040 devices being implanted in 2020. Additionally, reduced implantation rates were noted for every cohort of hospital size, location, and teaching status during this year. The year 2020 also had the highest average death rate at 1.39%, but this difference was statistically insignificant (adjusted Wald test p  = .767), and COVID-19 was not associated with an increased risk of inpatient mortality (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.03-1.82, p  = .162)., Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all facets of the healthcare system, especially surgical volume rates. CRT-D procedures significantly decreased in 2020. This is the first retrospective study highlighting the trend of reduced rates of CRT-D implantation as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic., Competing Interests: Authors declare no conflict of interests for this article., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Arrhythmia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Heart Rhythm Society.)

Backgrounds: Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) devices are used for primary mitral regurgitation (MR) and secondary MR. Despite the growing use of TEER devices, there have not been many studies on operator experience or procedure volumes by state., Aims: We aimed to investigate nationwide operator volume trends and geographic variation in access to TEER., Methods: The United States Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) National Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Database (MPUPD) was analyzed between 2015 and 2020 for initial TEER procedures., Results: Procedure volume and total operators increased yearly from 2015 to 2019 but declined in 2020. Mean annual procedure volume per operator varied significantly by state, between 0 in multiple states and 35 in North Dakota. In 2019, 994 unique operators were identified, with 295 operators documented performing 10 or more procedures (29.68%). Operators performing 10 or more TEER procedures provided 68.46% of all operations in 2019, averaging 20.94 procedures per operator., Conclusions: TEER procedures are becoming increasingly common as more operators are being trained. However, significant variability exists in the procedural volume per operator., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Frailty is a clinical syndrome prevalent in older adults and carries poor outcomes in patients with heart failure. We investigated the impact of frailty on left ventricular assist device (LVAD) clinical outcomes. The Nationwide Readmission Database was used to retrospectively identify patients with a primary diagnosis of heart failure who underwent LVAD implantation during their hospitalization from 2014 to 2020. Patients were categorized into frail and nonfrail groups using the Hospital Frailty Risk Score. Cox and logistic regression were used to predict the impact of frailty on inpatient mortality, 30-day readmissions, length of stay, and discharge to a skilled nursing facility. LVADs were implanted in 11,465 patients who met the inclusion criteria. There was more LVAD use in patients who were identified as frail (81.6% vs 18.4%, p <0.001). The Cox regression analyses revealed that LVAD insertion was not associated with increased inpatient mortality in frail patients (hazard ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 0.81 to 1.65, p = 0.427). Frail patients also did not experience a higher likelihood of readmissions within 30 days (hazard ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 0.91 to 1.44, p = 0.239). LVAD implantation did not result in a significant increase in inpatient mortality or readmission rates in frail patients compared with nonfrail patients. These data support continued LVAD use in this high-risk patient population., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no competing interests to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Transvenous permanent pacemakers are used frequently to treat cardiac rhythm disorders. Recently, intracardiac leadless pacemakers offer potential treatment using an alternative insertion procedure due to their novel design. Literature comparing outcomes between the two devices is scarce. We aim to assess the impact of intracardiac leadless pacemakers on readmissions and hospitalization trends., Methods: We analyzed the National Readmissions Database from 2016 to 2019, seeking patients admitted for sick sinus syndrome, second-degree-, or third-degree atrioventricular block who received either a transvenous permanent pacemaker or an intracardiac leadless pacemaker. Patients were stratified by device type and assessed for 30-day readmissions, inpatient mortality, and healthcare utilization. Descriptive statistics, Cox proportional hazards, and multivariate regressions were used to compare the groups., Results: Between 2016 and 2019, 21,782 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 81.07 years, and 45.52 % were female. No statistical difference was noted for 30-day readmissions (HR 1.14, 95 % CI 0.92-1.41, p = 0.225) and inpatient mortality (HR 1.36, 95 % CI 0.71-2.62, p = 0.352) between the transvenous and intracardiac groups. Multivariate linear regression revealed that length of stay was 0.54 (95 % CI 0.26-0.83, p < 0.001) days longer for the intracardiac group., Conclusion: Hospitalization outcomes associated with intracardiac leadless pacemakers are comparable to traditional transvenous permanent pacemakers. Patients may benefit from using this new device without incurring additional resource utilization. Further studies are needed to compare long-term outcomes between transvenous and intracardiac pacemakers., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no conflicts of interest regarding the content herein., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

With the recent change to value-based care, institutions have struggled with the appropriate management of patients under observation. Observation status can have a huge impact on hospital and patient expenses. Institutions have implemented specialized observation units to provide better care for these patients. Starting in January 2020, coinciding with the initiation of daily multidisciplinary rounds, our study focused on patients aged 18 and older admitted to our hospital under observation status. Efforts were built upon prior initiatives at Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC) to optimize patient care and length of stay (LOS) reduction. The central intervention revolved around the establishment of daily "Observation Huddles"-succinct rounds led by hospital leaders to harmonize care for patients under observation. The primary aim was to assess the impact of daily multidisciplinary rounds (MDR) on LOS, while our secondary aim involved identifying specific barriers and interventions that contributed to the observed reduction. Our study revealed a 9-h reduction in observation time, resulting in approximately USD 187.50 saved per patient. When accounting for the period spanning 2020 to 2022, potential savings totaled USD 828,187.50 in 2020, USD 1,046,062.50 in 2021, and USD 1,243,562.50 in 2022. MDR for observation patients led to a reduction in LOS from 29 h to 20 h ( p < 0.001).

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures have increased since adoption in 2010. Readmission for TAVR patients with underlying chronic congestive heart failure (cCHF) remains challenging. Therefore, we sought to determine the 30-day readmission rate (30-DRr) of patients who undergo TAVR & co-existing cCHF and its impact on mortality & healthcare utilization in the United States. We performed a retrospective study using the national readmission database year 2017 and 2018. The patients studied were discharged with TAVR as a principal diagnosis and underlying cCHF as a secondary diagnosis according to ICD-10 codes. The primary outcome was a 30-day readmission rate and mortality, while secondary outcomes were the most common diagnoses for readmission, and resource utilization. A total of 76,892 index hospitalization for TAVR with coexisting cCHF: mean age was 79.7 years [SD: ± 2], and 54.5% of patients were males. In-hospital mortality rate for index admission was 1.63%. The 30-DRr was 9.5%. Among the group of readmitted patients, in-hospital mortality rate was 3.13%. Readmission mortality showed a statistically significant increase compared to index mortality (3.13% vs 1.63%, adjusted P ≤ 0.001, aOR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.6-2.9). The total healthcare in-hospital economic spending was $94.4 million, and total patient charge of $412 million. Approximately 1 in 10 patients who underwent TAVR with underlying cCHF had 30-DRr, with subsequent readmissions associated with increased healthcare spending. Readmission mortality showed a statistically significant increase when compared to index mortality. TAVR patients with cCHF are a vulnerable subset requiring additional outpatient care., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in patients with severe COVID-19., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 249 patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) during the first wave of the pandemic to determine risk factors for AKI. Demographics, comorbidities, and clinical and outcome variables were obtained from electronic medical records., Results: Univariate analysis revealed older age, higher admission serum creatinine, elevated Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, elevated admission D-Dimer, elevated CRP on day 2, mechanical ventilation, vasopressor requirement, and azithromycin usage as significant risk factors for AKI. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that higher admission creatinine ( p = 0.0001, OR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.56-3.70), vasopressor requirement ( p = 0.0001, OR = 3.20, 95% CI = 1.69-5.98), elevated admission D-Dimer ( p = 0.008, OR = 1.0001, 95% CI = 1.000-1.001), and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) on day 2 ( p = 0.033, OR = 1.0001, 95% CI = 1.004-1.009) were independent risk factors. Conversely, the combined use of Tocilizumab and corticosteroids was independently associated with reduced AKI risk ( p = 0.0009, OR = 0.437, 95% CI = 0.23-0.81)., Conclusion: This study confirms the high rate of AKI and associated mortality among COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs and suggests a role for inflammation and/or coagulopathy in AKI development. One should consider the possibility that early administration of anti-inflammatory agents, as is now routinely conducted in the management of COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome, may improve clinical outcomes in patients with AKI.

Background Although there has been a decrease in the incidence of ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the United States, this trend might be stagnant or increasing in young women. We assessed the trends, characteristics, and outcomes of STEMI in women aged 18 to 55 years. Methods and Results We identified 177 602 women aged 18 to 55 with the primary diagnosis of STEMI from the National Inpatient Sample during years 2008 to 2019. We performed trend analyses to assess hospitalization rates, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor profile, and in-hospital outcomes stratified by three age subgroups (18-34, 35-44, and 45-55 years). We found STEMI hospitalization rates were decreased in the overall study cohort from 52 per 100 000 hospitalizations in 2008 to 36 per 100 000 in 2019. This was driven by decreased proportion of hospitalizations in women aged 45 to 55 years (74.2% to-71.7%; P <0.001). Proportion of STEMI hospitalizationincreased in women aged 18-34 (4.7%-5.5%; P <0.001) and 35-44 years (21.2%-22.7%; P <0.001). The prevalence of traditional and non-traditional female-specific or female-predominant CVD risk factors increased in all age subgroups. The adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality in the overall study cohort and age subgroups were unchanged throughout the study period. Additionally, we observed an increase in the adjusted odds of cardiogenic shock, acute stroke, and acute kidney injury in the overall cohort over the study period. Conclusions STEMI hospitalizations are increasing among women aged <45 years, and in-hospital mortality has not changed over the past 12 years in women aged <55 years. Future studies on the optimization of risk assessment and management of STEMI in young women are urgently needed.

Background: Degeneration of the cardiac conduction system resulting in complete heart block (CHB), ventricular arrhythmias (VA), and sudden cardiac death (SCD) is recognized in patients with Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS) and is potentially preventable with permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation. However, other mechanisms for SCD have been proposed, and the efficacy of implanting a defibrillator instead of PPM remains to be investigated., Methods: We utilized the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database 2016-2019 to investigate the risk of VA or dysrhythmic cardiac arrest (dCA) in KSS patients. We compared the outcomes of KSS to myotonic dystrophy (MD), a more common genetic disorder with similar clinical cardiac features and course., Results: We identified 640 admissions for KSS. VA or dCA were lower in admissions for KSS than MD patients (2.3% vs. 4.5%, p = .009). Device implantation differed between study groups. Approximately, 70% of cases with KSS and conduction abnormalities had pacemaker (± defibrillator) on hospital discharge, compared to 35% in MD. Conduction abnormalities were associated with higher rates of VA or dCA in both study groups. None of the admissions for KSS patients who developed VA or dCA had a pacemaker, and all of them had conduction abnormalities. One-third of admissions for MD patients who developed VA or dCA had a device already implanted prior to the event., Conclusion: Despite its effectiveness in preventing VA, PPM remains underutilized in patients with KSS or MD who have conduction abnormalities. PPM alone do not fully prevent VA in MD patients; therefore, addition of defibrillator capacity might be necessary., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) continues to be an area of concern due to the changing understanding of identification, pathophysiology and optimal management. Originally thought that diuretics were always the answer, recent literature has shed lights on the five major CRS subphenotypes, and while conceptual in their classifications, different strategies may be utilized to manage each type. The effect of CRS in pregnant women is largely under discussed and underappreciated as its own entity. Trials involving possible management, specifically utilizing serelaxin, a recombinant form of relaxin, have shown promising results but more data are needed to begin implementing it on a large scale., Competing Interests: None to declare., (Copyright 2022, Ilagan et al.)

BACKGROUND Pulmonary vein isolation is a method of cardiac ablation therapy used to treat irregular heart rhythm, including atrial fibrillation (AF). This report presents a case of esophagopericardial fistula (EPF) and pneumopericardium as a complication of pulmonary vein isolation in a 62-year-old man with AF. CASE REPORT We report the rare case of a 62-year-old man with a medical history of persistent atrial fibrillation status after ablation 3 days prior to his initial Emergency Department visit for chest pain. Acute coronary syndrome was ruled out with normal electrocardiogram, echocardiography, and troponin tests. Fluid overload and sotalol adverse effects were presumed to be the cause of his symptoms. We discontinued sotalol with diuresis and he was discharged home when his chest pain subsided. Nine days later, he returned to the Emergency Department with worsening similar symptoms and was eventually diagnosed with EPF and pneumopericardium on a computed tomography scan of the chest with contrast. He was managed with esophagogastroduodenoscopy and stent placement along with subxiphoid pericardial window and pericardial drain placement. The patient was discharged in stable condition after removing the pericardial drain. At 10-day and 1-month follow-up, he had no recurrent symptoms. CONCLUSIONS This report shows that although EPF with pneumopericardium is a rare complication of pulmonary vein isolation, it should be rapidly diagnosed and treated as a life-threatening emergency.

Obesity is one of the challenging elements in health care. Studies have shown that as the body mass index (BMI) increases, the risk of chronic conditions tends to increase due to altered physiologic and metabolic demands. In addition to underlying physiological changes, anatomical changes can lead to common procedural challenges, such as difficult intravenous (IV) cannulation, difficult airway, and difficult intubation, which makes their preoperative and postoperative care challenging for the anesthesiologists. According to previous studies, there is no single best predictor for difficult airway or intubations and no designed protocol for choosing an intubation technique in obese patients. Some of the preoperative risk factors and techniques such as the modified Mallampati class, sternomental distance, thyromental distance, neck circumference, indirect mirror laryngoscopy, BMI, and intraoperative risk factors such as inappropriate positioning of the patient, suboptimal medication dosing, inappropriate laryngoscopy device acted as independent predictors for difficult airway and difficult intubation. Analyzing each element's importance and making suitable decisions for the individual will reduce the complications and prepare for unplanned emergencies in the operating room. This review is convincing with previous studies that obesity itself is not an independent predictor. Instead, as a preoperative risk factor, and till date, sternomental distance and the number of intubation attempts were demonstrated as significant independent predictors for adverse events. All the other independent factors and considerations were discussed, which can help with further research., Competing Interests: None to declare., (Copyright 2022, Narra et al.)