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Introduction and Objectives: Repetitive ambulatory doses of levosimendan are an option as a bridge to heart transplantation (HT), but evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of this treatment is scarce. The objective of the LEVO-T Registry is to describe the profile of patients on the HT list receiving levosimendan, prescription patterns, and clinical outcomes compared with patients not on levosimendan., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients listed for elective HT from 2015 to 2020 from 14 centers in Spain., Results: A total of 1015 consecutive patients were included, of whom 238 patients (23.4%) received levosimendan. Patients treated with levosimendan had more heart failure (HF) admissions in the previous year and a worse clinical profile. The most frequent prescription pattern were fixed doses triggered by the patients' clinical needs. Nonfatal ventricular arrhythmias occurred in 2 patients (0.8%). No differences in HF hospitalizations were found between patients who started levosimendan in the first 30 days after listing and those who did not (33.6% vs 34.5%; P=.848). Among those who did not, 102 patients (32.9%) crossed over to levosimendan after an HF admission. These patients had a rate of 0.57 HF admissions per month before starting levosimendan and 0.21 afterwards. Propensity score matching analysis showed no differences in survival at 1 year after listing between patients receiving levosimendan and those who did not (HR, 1.03; 95%CI, 0.36-2.97; P=.958) or in survival after HT (HR, 0.97; 95%CI, 0.60-1.56; P=.958)., Conclusions: Repetitive levosimendan in an ambulatory setting as a bridge to heart transplantation is commonly used, is safe, and may reduce HF hospitalizations., (Copyright © 2023 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To evaluate the possible relationship between high levels of CA-125 and long-term prognosis in chronic heart failure patients after they undergo a cardiac transplantation (CT)., Materials & Methods: We retrospectively studied all patients who underwent a CT and had a previous determination of CA-125. Congestive patients and those whose survival was <1 year after CT were excluded., Results: Of 55 patients, 23 had elevated CA-125 levels (>35 U/ml). After CT, survival was significantly inferior in this group (96.3 vs 81%, 84.9 vs 64%, 70.7 vs 32.9% at 2, 5 and 8 years, p = 0.014). CA-125 >35 U/ml was the only factor independently associated to long-term mortality (OR: 3.94; 95% CI: 1.2-12.82; p = 0.023)., Conclusion: Noncongestive patients with high levels of CA-125 had inferior long-term survival after CT.

In the present article, we review publications from the previous year in the following 3 areas: clinical cardiology, geriatric cardiology, and heart failure and transplantation. Among the new developments in clinical cardiology are several contributions from Spanish groups on tricuspid and aortic regurgitation, developments in atrial fibrillation, syncope, and the clinical characteristics of heart disease, as well as various studies on familial heart disease and chronic ischemic heart disease. In geriatric cardiology, the most relevant studies published in 2014 involve heart failure, degenerative aortic stenosis, and data on atrial fibrillation in the geriatric population. In heart failure and transplantation, the most noteworthy developments concern the importance of multidisciplinary units and patients with preserved systolic function. Other notable publications were those related to iron deficiency, new drugs, and new devices and biomarkers. Finally, we review studies on acute heart failure and transplantation, such as inotropic drugs and ventricular assist devices., (Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

This article presents the most relevant developments in 2013 in 3 key areas of cardiology: congenital heart disease, clinical cardiology, and heart failure and transplant. Within the area of congenital heart disease, we reviewed contributions related to sudden death in adult congenital heart disease, the importance of specific echocardiographic parameters in assessing the systemic right ventricle, problems in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot and indication for pulmonary valve replacement, and confirmation of the role of specific factors in the selection of candidates for Fontan surgery. The most recent publications in clinical cardiology include a study by a European working group on correct diagnostic work-up in cardiomyopathies, studies on the cost-effectiveness of percutaneous aortic valve implantation, a consensus document on the management of type B aortic dissection, and guidelines on aortic valve and ascending aortic disease. The most noteworthy developments in heart failure and transplantation include new American guidelines on heart failure, therapeutic advances in acute heart failure (serelaxin), the management of comorbidities such as iron deficiency, risk assessment using new biomarkers, and advances in ventricular assist devices., (Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)