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Background: Gender-related discrepancies in personal and professional life have been reported among radio-exposed workers. We assessed this topic among cardiac catheterization workers in Italy, with a focus on gender and working position., Methods: Radio-exposed workers affiliated with the Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists were invited to answer an online survey, which included 41 questions formatted as multiple choice., Results: Overall, 237 workers responded. The proportion of males was significantly higher than that of females in the population aged >50 years. A greater portion of females than males perceived female-gender discrimination regarding career advancement (77.2% vs 30.9%, p < 0.001) and work compensation (49.1% vs. 17.1%, p < 0.001). There was no difference in perceived gender- discrimination in terms of career advancement opportunities between physician and non-physicians. A larger portion of females than males experienced workplace discrimination (51.8% of females vs. 8.1% of males, p < 0.0001). Non-physician responders made up 38.8% of all respondents and reported a lower yearly radiation exposure than physicians. Non-physicians were more aware of the laws regulating lab access during pregnancy than physicians (93.5% vs. 48.3%, p < 0.0001). A greater percentage of female nurses than physicians communicate without hesitation the pregnancy status to their employers (45.6% vs 20%, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Gender-based career disparities were perceived among physicians and non-physician staff of cardiology interventional laboratories. Strategies should be implemented to ensure gender equality in career opportunities and to increase knowledge of radioprotection and the laws regulating access to laboratories during pregnancy., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) was proposed around 20 years ago, and its clinical use rapidly moved from pioneering experiences to randomized controlled trials (RCT). Since 2002 recommendations for CRT have been included in international consensus guidelines that even in an early phase recommended CRT as an effective treatment for improving symptoms, reducing hospitalizations and mortality in well-selected patients with wide QRS, left ventricular dysfunction and moderate to severe heart failure (NYHA classes III-IV), on optimal medical therapy. Subsequently the indications were extended to mild (NYHA class II) heart failure (associated with left ventricular dysfunction and wide QRS) and more recently also to appropriately selected patients with conventional indications for pacing having a left ventricular ejection fraction of 50% or less and NYHA class I-III. While all the guidelines strongly recommend CRT in case of LBBB with QRS duration >150 ms, lower strength of recommendations, with some heterogeneity, appears when QRS duration is 130-150 ms, especially if not associated with LBBB. Of note, according to recent guidelines, CRT is not recommended in case of QRS duration <130 ms, which is now the lower limit for candidacy to CRT, differently from the 120 ms limit used before. Despite consensus guidelines, many data indicate that CRT is still underused, with great heterogeneity in its implementation, both in North America and Europe, thus requiring a more organized patient referral., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Many trials demonstrated the beneficial effects on hospitalizations and mortality of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). The purpose of this study was to evaluate CRT effects on functional performance and cognition, two determinants of disability, frailty development and survival., Methods: All consecutive patients receiving a CRT device were evaluated at baseline and at the 6-month follow-up. Functional profile was assessed with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), a measure exploring balance, gait, strength and endurance, highly predictive of incident disability and mortality. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to study the cognitive profile., Results: We enrolled 54 patients; two of them died during the follow-up, two refused to continue the study. Age was 67±10years (men: 80%, LVEF: 28±5%); medical therapy was optimized (ACE-I/ARB: 84%, beta-blockers: 80%). After 6months, CRT was associated with the improvement of LVEF (35±8 vs. 28±5%, p<0.001) and NYHA Class (1.8±0.6 vs. 2.6±0.5, p<0.001), and with the reduction of left ventricular end-systolic diameter (50±9 vs. 57±9mm, p<0.001). SPPB improved in its total score (10.3±2.0 vs. 9.1±2.7, p<0.001) and in the scores exploring gait speed and strength and endurance. These changes were associated with a better cognitive profile (MMSE score: 27.0±3.5 vs. 25.9±4.8, p=0.009). Advanced age was an independent predictor of improved functional performance and cognition., Conclusions: CRT is associated with higher functional and cognitive profile after only 6months of therapy. These findings let us hypothesize a powerful effect of treatment to slow disability and frailty development in heart failure., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)