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Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic multisystem autoimmune disease of undetermined etiology. Cardiac involvement is common in SLE and constitutes one of the main causes of mortality. More recently, new ultrasound imaging techniques, such as transthoracic ultrasound (TTE) with strain evaluation, have appeared and seem promising for the detection of cardiac involvement. The objective of our work was to study the frequency and characteristics of ultrasound abnormalities found in lupus patients and to study the benefit of ultrasound with global longitudinal strain (GLS) for early management., Methods: It was an observational study of patients followed for SLE at the internal medicine and cardiology department of the HMPIT for 6 months (May-November 2023). The definition of cardiac involvement was by ultrasound. All patients benefited from TTE coupled with 2D-strain. We divided the workforce into two groups: the first group (patients with heart disease) and the second group (patients without heart disease)., Results: In a series of 40 lupus patients including 33 women and seven men, cardiac manifestations were reported in 60% of patients. In the first group, 29% had palpitations, 25% had chest pain, 67% had dyspnea, 37% had pericarditis, 8% had pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and 12% had myocarditis. The comparative study showed that patients in the first group presented significantly more frequently with dyspnea ( p = 0.02), chest pain ( p = 0.03) and serositis ( p = 0.01) compared to those in the second group. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) did not show a significant difference between the two groups. On the other hand, the average Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS) was significantly altered in the first group ( p = 0.01). Furthermore, the frequency of pathological GLS was significantly higher in patients with lupus heart disease ( p < 0.01)., Conclusion: Cardiac involvement during SLE is a frequent and most often asymptomatic complication. A systematic search for this impairment using a high-performance echocardiography examination, namely the 2D GLS, is essential for early treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: In Tunisia, the number of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) is increasing, owing to the increase in patient life expectancy and expanding indications. Despite their life-saving potential and a significant reduction in population morbidity and mortality, their increased numbers have been associated with the development of multiple early and late complications related to vascular access, pockets, leads, or patient characteristics., Objective: The study aims to identify the rate, type, and predictors of complications occurring within the first year after CIED implantation. It also aims to describe the demographic and epidemiological characteristics of a nationwide sample of patients with CIED in Tunisia. Additionally, the study will evaluate the extent to which Tunisian electrophysiologists follow international guidelines for cardiac pacing and sudden cardiac death prevention., Methods: The Tunisian National Study of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (NATURE-CIED) is a national, multicenter, prospectively monitored study that includes consecutive patients who underwent primary CIED implantation, generator replacement, and upgrade procedure. Patients were enrolled between January 18, 2021, and February 18, 2022, at all Tunisian public and private CIED implantation centers that agreed to participate in the study. All enrolled patients entered a 1-year follow-up period, with 4 consecutive visits at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after CIED implantation. The collected data are recorded electronically on the clinical suite platform (DACIMA Clinical Suite)., Results: The study started on January 18, 2021, and concluded on February 18, 2023. In total, 27 cardiologists actively participated in data collection. Over this period, 1500 patients were enrolled in the study consecutively. The mean age of the patients was 70.1 (SD 15.2) years, with a sex ratio of 1:15. Nine hundred (60%) patients were from the public sector, while 600 (40%) patients were from the private sector. A total of 1298 (86.3%) patients received a conventional pacemaker and 75 (5%) patients received a biventricular pacemaker (CRT-P). Implantable cardioverter defibrillators were implanted in 127 (8.5%) patients. Of these patients, 45 (3%) underwent CRT-D implantation., Conclusions: This study will establish the most extensive contemporary longitudinal cohort of patients undergoing CIED implantation in Tunisia, presenting a significant opportunity for real-world clinical epidemiology. It will address a crucial gap in the management of patients during the perioperative phase and follow-up, enabling the identification of individuals at particularly high risk of complications for optimal care., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05361759; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05361759., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): RR1-10.2196/47525., (©Sonia Chabrak, Abdeddayem Haggui, Emna Allouche, Sana Ouali, Afef Ben Halima, Slim Kacem, Salma Krichen, Sonia Marrakchi, Wafa Fehri, Mohamed Sami Mourali, Zeineb Jabbari, Manel Ben Halima, Elyes Neffati, Aymen  Heraiech, Mehdi Slim, Salem Kachboura, Habib Gamra, Majed Hassine, Sondes Kraiem, Sofien Kammoun, Leila Bezdah, Gouider Jridi, Hatem Bouraoui, Samir Kammoun, Rania Hammami, Rafik Chettaoui, Youssef Ben Ameur, Fares Azaiez, Rami Tlili, Kais Battikh, Hedi Ben Slima, Rim Chrigui, Samia Fazaa, Islem Sanaa, Yassine Ellouz, Mohamed Mosrati, Sami Milouchi, Soumaya Jarmouni, Wacef Ayadi, Malek Akrout, Rabie Razgallah, Wissal Neffati, Meriem Drissa, Selma Charfeddine, Salem Abdessalem, Leila Abid, Lilia Zakhama. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 08.04.2024.)

Research Problem: Hypertension is a multifactorial disease that affects approximately one third of the Tunisian adult population. It is a major risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular disease. Environmental and psychosocial factors play an important role in hypertension onset and control. The prevalence of depression among hypertensive patients is 26, 8% and its presence is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular related morbi-mortality. Our study aims to evaluate the role of depression in blood pressure control among ambulatory hypertensive patients. Investigative process: This study is a cross-sectional, multicentric and descriptive study. We intend to include three hundred and two patients. A 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor will be used to evaluate blood pressure control. Depression will be assessed by the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) in Tunisian dialect. Clinical, socio-environmental, psychosocial and therapeutic and prognosis data will be collected from medical records. Patients will be classified into two groups: Controlled versus non-controlled hypertension. PHQ-9 scores will be then compared between the two cohorts., Research Plan: Ethical considerations will be undertaken and respected. All patients should express an informed oral consent before enrollment. This trial will run for three months from the 15th August 2022., Trial Registration: NCT05516173.

Aims: Access to echocardiography is a significant barrier to heart failure (HF) care in many low- and middle-income countries. In this study, we hypothesized that an artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) device could enable the detection of cardiac dysfunction by nurses in Tunisia., Methods and Results: This CUMIN study was a prospective feasibility pilot assessing the diagnostic accuracy of home-based AI-POCUS for HF conducted by novice nurses compared with conventional clinic-based transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Seven nurses underwent a one-day training program in AI-POCUS. A total of 94 patients without a previous HF diagnosis received home-based AI-POCUS, POC N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) testing, and clinic-based TTE. The primary outcome was the sensitivity of AI-POCUS in detecting a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50% or left atrial volume index (LAVI) >34 mL/m 2 , using clinic-based TTE as the reference. Out of seven nurses, five achieved a minimum standard to participate in the study. Out of the 94 patients (60% women, median age 67), 16 (17%) had an LVEF < 50% or LAVI > 34 mL/m 2 . AI-POCUS provided an interpretable LVEF in 75 (80%) patients and LAVI in 64 (68%). The only significant predictor of an interpretable LVEF or LAVI proportion was the nurse operator. The sensitivity for the primary outcome was 92% [95% confidence interval (CI): 62-99] for AI-POCUS compared with 87% (95% CI: 60-98) for NT-proBNP > 125 pg/mL, with AI-POCUS having a significantly higher area under the curve ( P = 0.040)., Conclusion: The study demonstrated the feasibility of novice nurse-led home-based detection of cardiac dysfunction using AI-POCUS in HF patients, which could alleviate the burden on under-resourced healthcare systems., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: A.M. reported receiving personal fees from Novartis, Orion, Roche, Sanofi, Otsuka, Philips, and Servier; grants and personal fees from Adrenomed and Abbott; and grants from 4TEEN4 outside the submitted work. J.T. is supported by the National University of Singapore Start-up grant, the tier 1 grant from the Ministry of Education and the CS-IRG New Investigator Grant from the National Medical Research Council; has received consulting or speaker fees from Daiichi-Sankyo, Boehringer Ingelheim, Roche diagnostics, and Us2.ai, and owns patent US-10702247-B2 unrelated to the present work. C.S.P.L. has received research support from NovoNordisk and Roche Diagnostics; has received consulting fees from Alleviant Medical, Allysta Pharma, Amgen, AnaCardio AB, Applied Therapeutics, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Boston Scientific, Bristol Myers Squibb, CardioRenal, Cytokinetics, Darma Inc., EchoNous Inc., Eli Lilly, Impulse Dynamics, Intellia Therapeutics, Ionis Pharmaceutical, Janssen Research & Development LLC, Medscape/WebMD Global LLC, Merck, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Prosciento Inc., Quidel Corporation, Radcliffe Group Ltd., Recardio Inc., ReCor Medical, Roche Diagnostics, Sanofi, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, and Us2.ai; is a co-founder & non-executive director of Us2.ai; and has patents US Patent No. 10,702, 247, PCT/SG2016/05021750217. H.G. reported receiving personal fees for consulting and lecturing from Astra Zeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Biosensors, Pfizer, Novartis, Sanofi, Servier, and Medtronic., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology.)

Introduction: The conventional radial approach (CRA), the gold standard approach for percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), is associated with the risk of radial artery occlusion (RAO). The distal radial approach (DRA) is an effective alternative with fewer complications., Aim: To evaluate the efficacy in terms of puncture success and safety by RAO rate of the DRA in elective PCI in Tunisian patients., Methods: It was a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial including patients hospitalized for elective PCI. The protocol was previously published (Tunis Med 2022; 100(3): 192-202). The primary endpoints were puncture success and RAO rate at 30 days., Results: Overall, 250 patients were included and the groups were comparable. The preprocedural examination of the radial pulse and the Barbeau test were similar. The majority of PCIs were coronary angiography (82%). In ITT, respectively in CRA versus DRA, puncture success rates were similar (97.6% versus 96.8%; p≤0.500). RAO rates were similar (2.4% versus 3.2%; p≤0.500). Crossovers were similar. PCI through DRA lasted longer but was not more irradiating, however it required more contrast. Overall bleeding and vascular complications were similar., Conclusion: This study demonstrated the non-inferiority of DRA compared to CRA for elective PCIs in a Tunisian population regarding puncture success and RAO rate at 30 days. Multicenter trials including urgent PCI with systematic ultrasound screening for RAO are needed.

Background: Retained foreign bodies are dreadful events associated with invasive procedures. Their occurrence implicate physical complications as well as serious professional and medico-legal consequences. Cases of retained surgical items, in the pericardial space, following cardiothoracic surgery are rare and their management is delicate as the risks of their removal must be thoroughly weighed against the complications of leaving them inside the chest., Case Presentation: We report the case of a retained foreign body, discovered in an asymptomatic patient, on a routine medical check-up, 4 years after cardiac surgery., Conclusions: Clinical and paraclinical manifestations of retained surgical foreign bodies are nonspecific. The progress of cardiac imaging means makes it possible to identify these rare foreign bodies with greater precision, and allows, with extreme caution, to monitor patients who are perfectly asymptomatic and who are reluctant to undergo surgery., Competing Interests: Déclaration de liens d'intérêts Les auteurs déclarent n'avoir aucun lien d'intérêt., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Simulation-based education (SE) in interventional cardiology improves knowledge acquisition and mastery of procedures including the conventional radial access (CRA)., Aim: To evaluate the contribution of SE in CRA compared with theoretical learning alone., Methods: This is a prospective randomized controlled study including cardiology residents and patients with normal radial pulses. Experienced residents as well as patients with contraindications to CRA, requiring urgent intervention, or with hemodynamic instability were not included. Missing the teaching sessions was the exclusion criteria. Residents were randomized into two groups: simulation versus control. They attended a theory lecture explaining CRA and were evaluated Only the simulation group attended an SE session with measurement of heart rate (HR) and stress level. A real application was then performed with measurement of HR and stress level. The primary outcome was success puncture rate., Results: The success of the puncture was similar between the two groups (p=0.651). In the practical application, the stress level was significantly different before the procedure but similar after the end of the procedure. The stress level varied significantly within the same group before and after the procedure The simulation group was significantly less tachycardic both before and during the procedure with a significant difference between the two groups (p <10-3)., Conclusion: This study demonstrated the interest of SE in novice residents for CRA as a complement to theoretical learning upstream of the real-life procedure.

Background: Cardiovascular involvement is not well studied in children with sickle cell disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the echocardiographic parameters and to investigate speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) interest in detecting subclinical myocardial impairment of children with sickle cell disease., Methods: The study was directed in the echocardiographic laboratory in the military hospital of Tunis between July 2018 and December 2018. 30 patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) and 30 controls were compared. The echocardiographic measurements were indexed according to body surface. Cardiac output, left ventricular ejection fraction, wall thickness, as well as LV 2-D longitudinal systolic strain were assessed., Results: The SCA Group included 30 patients (11.8 ± 2yrs, sex ratio: 1.31) with homozygous SCA and the C Group included 30 healthy controls (12.7 ± 1,2yrs, sex ratio: 1.27). According to the findings, SCA Group showed significantly larger LV diameter (36.2±2.5mm/m2 vs 29.3±1.3mm/m2, p=0.005). SCA Group also showed lower LV ejection fraction (62%±0.5 vs 65%±5, p=0.001). No significant difference was observed for cardiac output (p=0.4). Otherwise, two-dimensional longitudinal strain of LV was higher in SCA group (-21%±3.07 vs -25%±2.98; p<0.01)., Conclusions: Our study highlights several cardiac abnormalities in children with SCA, which could represent a marker of disease severity and point out the importance of the cardiologic screening of these patients., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2022 Chenik S et al.)

Background: This study was designed to evaluate the care of hypertensive patients in daily clinical practice in public and private centers in all Tunisian regions., Objective: This study will provide us an overview of hypertension (HTN) management in Tunisia and the degree of adherence of practitioners to international recommendations., Methods: This is a national observational cross-sectional multicenter study that will include patients older than 18 years with HTN for a duration of 4 weeks, managed in the public sector from primary and secondary care centers as well as patients managed in the private sector. Every participating patient signed a consent form. The study will exclude patients undergoing dialysis. The parameters that will be evaluated are demographic and anthropometric data, lifestyle habits, blood pressure levels, lipid profiles, treatment, and adherence to treatment. The data are collected via the web interface in the Dacima Clinical Suite., Results: The study began on April 15, 2019 and ended on May 15, 2019. During this period, we included 25,890 patients with HTN. Data collection involved 321 investigators from 24 Tunisian districts. The investigators were doctors working in the private and public sectors., Conclusions: Observational studies are extremely useful in improving the management of HTN in developing countries., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04013503; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04013503., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/21878., (©Leila Abid, Rania Hammami, Salem Abdesselem, Selim Boudiche, Ben Slima Hédi, Khaled Sayahi, Amine Bahloul, Ikram Chamtouri, Salma Charfeddine, Lamia Rais, Meriem Drissa, Badreddine Ben Kaab, Hassen Ibn hadj amor, Lilia Ben Fatma, Riadh Garbaa, Sabrine Boukhris, Allouche Emna, Manel Ben Halima, Nesrine Amdouni, Shayma Ghorbel, Sabrine Soudani, Imen Khaled, Syrine Triki, Feten Bouazizi, Imen Jemai, Ouday Abdeljalil, Yemna Ammar, Amani Farah, Adnen Neji, Zeineb Oumaya, Sana Seghaier, Samir Mokrani, Hamza Thawaba, Hela Sarray, Khalil Ouaghlani, Houssem Thabet, Zeineb Mnif, Boujelben Masmoudi Fatma, Mohamed Sghaier, Roueida Khalifa, Sami Fourati, Yassmine Kammoun, Syrine Abid, Chiheb Hamza, Syrine Ben Jeddou, Lassaad Sabbah, Rim Lakhdhar, Najla Dammak, Tarak Sellami, Basma Herbegue, Alia Koubaa, Faten Triki, Tarek Ellouze, Aicha Hmoudi, Ikhlas Ben Ameur, Mohamed Mongi Boukhchina, Neila Abid, Wejdene Ouechtati, Nizar Nasrallah, Yousra Houidi, Fathia Mghaieth Zghal, Ghodhbane Elhem, Mounira Chayeb, Chenik Sarra, Samira Kaabachi, Nizar Saadaoui, Ines Ben Ameur, Moufida Affes, Sana Ouali, Mouna Chaker, Hela Naana, Dghim Meriem, Mourad Jarrar, Jihen Mnif, Ahmed Turki, Ihsen Zairi, Jamel Langar, Safa Dardouri, Imen Hachaichi, Rafik Chettaoui, Wajih Smat, Amel Chakroun, Khadija Mzoughi, Rachid Mechmeche, Afef Ben Halima, Sahar Ben Kahla Koubaa, Slim Chtourou, Maalej Mohamed abdelkader, Mohsen Ayari, Moufid Hadrich, Tlili Rami, Fares Azaiez, Imen Bouhlel, Samir Sahnoun, Habib Jerbi, Ben Mrad Imtinene, Leila Riahi, Mohamed Sahnoun, Abdelhamid Ben Jemaa, Amal Ben Salem, Bassem Rekik, Maroua Ben Doudou, Mohamed Rachid Boujnah, Anissa Joulak, Abid Omar, Rabie Razgallah, Milouchi Sami, Elyes Neffati, Habib Gamra, Soraya Ben Youssef, Wissem Sdiri, Nejeh Ben Halima, Youssef Ben Ameur, Salem Kachboura, Sondes Kraiem, Wafa Fehri, Lilia Zakhama, leila Bezdah, Mourali Mohamed Sami, Habiba Drissa, Mohamed Faouzi Maatouk, Samir Kammoun, Faouzi Addad. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 02.09.2022.)

Background: Coronary artery diseases remain the leading cause of death in the world. The management of this condition has improved remarkably in the recent years owing to the development of new technical tools and multicentric registries., Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the in-hospital and 1-year clinical outcomes of patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Tunisia., Methods: We will conduct a prospective multicentric observational study with patients older than 18 years who underwent PCI between January 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020. The primary end point is the occurrence of a major adverse cardiovascular event, defined as cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, or target vessel revascularization with either repeat PCI or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The secondary end points are procedural success rate, stent thrombosis, and the rate of redo PCI/CABG for in-stent restenosis., Results: In this study, the demographic profile and the general risk profile of Tunisian patients who underwent PCI and their end points will be analyzed. The complexity level of the procedures and the left main occlusion, bifurcation occlusion, and chronic total occlusion PCI will be analyzed, and immediate as well as long-term results will be determined. The National Tunisian Registry of PCI (NATURE-PCI) will be the first national multicentric registry of angioplasty in Africa. For this study, the institutional ethical committee approval was obtained (0223/2020). This trial consists of 97 cardiologists and 2498 patients who have undergone PCI with a 1-year follow-up period. Twenty-eight catheterization laboratories from both public (15 laboratories) and private (13 laboratories) sectors will enroll patients after receiving informed consent. Of the 2498 patients, 1897 (75.9%) are managed in the public sector and 601 (24.1%) are managed in the private sector. The COVID-19 pandemic started in Tunisia in March 2020; 719 patients (31.9%) were included before the COVID-19 pandemic and 1779 (60.1%) during the pandemic. The inclusion of patients has been finished, and we expect to publish the results by the end of 2022., Conclusions: This study would add data and provide a valuable opportunity for real-world clinical epidemiology and practice in the field of interventional cardiology in Tunisia with insights into the uptake of PCI in this limited-income region., Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04219761; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04219761., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): RR1-10.2196/24595., (©Rania Hammami, Selim Boudiche, Tlili Rami, Nejeh Ben Halima, Ahmed Jamel, Bassem Rekik, Rym Gribaa, Ben Mrad Imtinene, Salma Charfeddine, Tarek Ellouze, Amine Bahloul, Ben Slima Hédi, Jamel Langar, Habib Ben Ahmed, Zied Ibn Elhadj, Mohamed Hmam, Mohamed Aymen Ben Abdessalem, Sabri Maaoui, Sana Fennira, Laroussi Lobna, Majed Hassine, Sami Ouanes, Drissi Mohamed Faouzi, Souad Mallek, Abdallah Mahdhaoui, Dghim Meriem, Walid Jomaa, Sofien Zayed, Tawfik Kateb, Nidhal Bouchahda, Fares Azaiez, Helmi Ben Salem, Morched Marouen, Aymen Noamen, Salem Abdesselem, Denguir Hichem, Hassen Ibn Hadj Amor, Farhati Abdeljelil, Amine Amara, Karim Bejar, Ben Hamda Khaldoun, Chiheb Hamza, Mohsen Ben Jamaa, Sami Fourati, Faycal Elleuch, Zeineb Grati, Slim Chtourou, Sami Marouene, Mohamed Sahnoun, Morched Hadrich, Maalej Mohamed Abdelkader, Hatem Bouraoui, Kamel Kamoun, Moufid Hadrich, Tarek Ben Chedli, Mohamed Akrem Drissa, Hanene Charfeddine, Nizar Saadaoui, Gargouri Achraf, Siala Ahmed, Mokdad Ayari, Marsit Nabil, Sabeur Mnif, Maher Sahnoun, Helmi Kammoun, Khaled Ben Jemaa, Gharbi Mostari, Nebil Hamrouni, Maazoun Yamen, Yassine Ellouz, Zahreddine Smiri, Amine Hdiji, Jerbi Bassem, Wacef Ayadi, Amir Zouari, Chedly Abbassi, Boujelben Masmoudi Fatma, Kais Battikh, Elyes Kharrat, Imen Gtif, Milouchi Sami, Leila Bezdah, Salem Kachboura, Mohamed Faouzi Maatouk, Sondes Kraiem, Gouider Jeridi, Elyes Neffati, Samir Kammoun, Youssef Ben Ameur, Wafa Fehri, Habib Gamra, Lilia Zakhama, Faouzi Addad, Mourali Mohamed Sami, Leila Abid. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 05.08.2022.)

Introduction: Gemcitabine is a commonly used antimetabolite that has been effective in a broad spec- trum of tumors so far. The main grade three and four known toxicity of this drug is myelosuppres- sion. Cardiac adverse events have been rarely reported and gemcitabine-induced Atrial-Fibrillation (AF) has been described in only five previous cases so far. Here we report the 6th case of gemc- itabine-related AF., Case Presentation: A 68-year-old man diagnosed with metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer was referred to our oncology department. He started first-line chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin. He presented poorly tolerated atrial fibrillation related to gemcitabine infusion that lasted for six days. The treatment was then withdrawn, and the patient received the best supportive care., Conclusion: We conclude that medical oncologists and cardiologists should be aware of such toxicities of gemc- itabine, especially in the elderly who seem to be at a higher risk of such adverse events and which may dictate discontinuation of the drug., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Hypertension is the leading cause of morbi-mortality in our country. Thus, we conducted this national survey on hypertension to analyze the profile of the Tunisian hypertensive patient and to assess the level of blood pressure control., Methods: Nature HTN is an observational multicentric survey, including hypertensive individuals and consulting their doctors during the period of the study. Blood pressure measurements were conducted during consultation, using a standardized auscultatory or oscillometric sphygmomanometer after at least 15 min of rest. The diagnosis of new hypertension is based on the 2018 ESC/ESH criteria. The primary endpoint of our study was uncontrolled hypertension defined by a systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg., Results: Three hundred twenty-one investigators participated in the study. We enrolled 25,890 patients with a female predominance (Sex ratio, 1.21) and an average age of 64.4 ± 12.2 years. Most individuals were treated in the public sector (74%), 39.4% of patients were diabetic, 25.8% were obese, 44.6% were overweight and 14% were smokers. Hypertension was controlled in 51.7% of cases if we consider 140/90 as a BP target, and only in 18.6% if we consider 130/80 as a target. The independent predictors of uncontrolled blood pressure were male sex (OR = 1.09, 95%CI [1.02-1.16]), age > 65 year-old (OR = 1.07, 95% CI[1.01-1.13], diabetes (OR = 1.18, 95% CI [1.11-1.25], Smoking (OR = 1.15, 95% CI [1.05-1.25]), Obesity (OR = 1.14, 95% CI[1.07-1.21]), management in public sector (OR = 1.25, 95% CI [1.16-1.34]), and Heart rate > 80 bpm (OR = 1.59, 95% CI [1.48-1.71]). Contrarily, high educational level (OR = 0.9, 95% CI [0.84-0.97], absence of history of coronary disease (OR = 0.86, 95% CI [0.8-0.93]), salt restriction (OR = 0.48, 95% CI [0.45-0.51]), drug compliance (OR = 0.57, 95% CI[0.52-0.61]), and regular physical activity (OR = 0.77, 95% CI[0.71-0.84]) are strong predictors of blood pressure control., Conclusion: NaTuRe HTN showed that blood pressure control was reached in more than half of the Tunisian people. The control remains low in patients with high cardiovascular profiles and in those treated in the public sector. A national health program based on therapeutic education, regular control and continuous support to the public institutions is needed to decrease the burden of hypertension incidence rate., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Systemic hypertension is a major health problem worldwide, it is associated with impaired left atrial (LA) function. Myocardial deformation analysis using speckle-tracking echocardiography has emerged as a promising tool to evaluate atrial deformation and function., Aim: To evaluate early changes in left atrial longitudinal strain based on speckle tracking echocardiography in patients with hypertension., Methods: LA strain was studied using speckle-tracking echocardiography in 109 hypertensive patients without LA enlargement and 50 agematched controls. Conventional and bidimensional strain echocardiographic assessments were performed and the following parameters were measured: peak atrial longitudinal strain and strain rate during the reservoir, conduit, and contractile periods in four and two-chambers views and time to peak atrial longitudinal strain/strain rate measured in the three phases of LA function., Results: LA anteroposterior diameter was within the normal range, no difference between the hypertensive patients and controls was noted (34.35 mm ±4.91 vs 31.82 mm±4.87, p= 0.16). LA maximum volume (41.78ml±10.29 vs 47ml±13.21, p= 0,01), minimum volume (23.95ml±12.18 vs 16.94ml±7.91, p=0,001) were higher in hypertensive patients, and impaired reservoir ( 31.23% ±9.93 vs 46.43% ±11.06, p=0.000) and conduit functions (14.26%±2.91 vs 21.41%±2.8 , p= 0,000) were noted in hypertensive patients compared to normotensive patients. During the contractile period, peak strain (16.73% ±3.84 vs 15.29%±2.75 ,p=0,07) and strain rate (-1.89%±0.16, -1.82%±0.21;p=0,54) were higher in hypertensive patients without reaching the level of significance. Time to peak strain during reservoir period (405.02ms±55.51 vs 387.13ms±47.48, p=0,05) and duration of diastole (163ms±26 vs 146ms±24, p= 0,04) were significantly higher in hypertensive patients compared to controls. A significant relationship between the parameters of the volumetric study and those of the bidimensional strain/strain rate study was noted., Conclusion: Left atrial longitudinal strain during the reservoir and conduit periods is impaired in patients with hypertension despite normal cavity size and before the detection of other echocardiographic changes. Speckle-tracking echocardiography may be considered a promising tool for the early detection of LA strain abnormalities in these patients.

Research Problem: Drug-eluting balloon (DEB) angioplasty is a well-established treatment modality for in-stent restenosis, however its safety and efficacy in de-novo lesion especially in large vessel remains undetermined. Theoretically, DEB sight to eliminate stent thrombosis and reduce restenosis rates by leaving no metal behind., Aim: To compare the results of angioplasty of de novo lesions by DEB (SEQUENT PLEASE) versus DES (Promus Premier and Promus Elite) in a Tunisian population. THE ENDPOINTS will be primarily the Late Lumen Loss at 12 months and secondarily the Major Cardiovascular Event rate (MACE) at 12 months., Investigative Process: This is a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial including 290 patients with chronic coronary disease or non-ST elevation myocardial infarction with de novo lesions. After coronarography, angiographic parameters concerning lesion location and quantitative analysis will be collected. Patients will be treated with DEB or DES according to their allocation group. Before removal of the guide, post-procedural angiographic parameters will be evaluated. Follow-up will be performed for 12 months and an angiographic examination will be performed either as an emergency or at 12 months. The significance level will be 5%. A univariate analysis will be performed to search for predictive factors of MACE., Research Plan: Ethical considerations will be undertaken and respected. The study will run for 15 months starting August 25, 2021 Trial registration: NCT05516446.

Research Problem: The conventional radial approach is the recommended vascular access for percutaneous coronary interventions. It is effective and feasible but associated with a risk of occlusion of the radial artery. The distal radial approach is proposed as a new approach to reduce complications and preserve the radial artery. However, few clinical trials in real life were conducted in North African patients. This trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the distal radial approach versus the conventional radial approach. Investigative process : This trial is a non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms: distal radial approach and conventional radial approach. Two hundred fifty patients scheduled for percutaneous coronary intervention will be included. The two main endpoints are the puncture success rate with a non-inferiority margin of 10% and the occlusion rate of the punctured radial artery attributed to the end of hemostasis and to 30 days. Secondary Endpoints : catheterization success, crossover rate, procedure time, radial artery spasm, bleeding complications, QuickDASH pain score, Operator satisfaction. A single blind analysis will be led according to the per-protocol and intention-to-treat methods., Research Plan: Ethical considerations will be undertaken and respected. This trial will run for four months from February 2022. The results will provide parameters related to the efficacy and safety of the distal radial approach, improving clinical practice., Trial Registration: NCT05311111.

Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Congenital analbuminemia (CAA) is a very rare disorder with an estimated prevalence of less than one in one million. This anomaly can be lethal at birth and in early infancy but it's not very symptomatic in adulthood. The clinical signs are edema, lipodystrophy, fatigue… Hypercholesterolemia is the main biological disorder and it predisposes to cardiovascular complications. The mild symptoms of CAA leads to delay diagnosis. That's why clinical and biological signs of this disorder should be known by both of biologist and clinician to establish an early diagnosis in order to prevent cardiovascular complications. We report a new case of congenital analbuminemia complicated by recurrent acute coronary artery disease in 34-year-old man. This complication has been reported only once according to the register of analbuminemia cases., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Hydatid disease remains an important public health problem in endemic areas. We report a rare case of intramyocardial hydatid cyst of the right atrium along with a pulmonary hydatid cyst in a 16-year-old girl who was admitted to our hospital because of chest pain with recurrent episodes of fainting. One-stage surgery by median sternotomy under cardiopulmonary bypass was performed with excision of the hydatid cyst in the right atrium followed by the removal of the pulmonary hydatid cyst in the same session. Her postoperative recovery was uneventful. Based on this case, we emphasize, the rare combination of cardiac and pulmonary hydatid cyst. Another aspect that makes this case interesting is the location of the hydatid cyst at the right atrium, which is very rare. To the best of our knowledge, our case is the first to describe the combination of a hydatid cyst of the right atrium and the lung., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Objective: Brucella prosthetic valve endocarditis is a rare but a life-threatening complication of brucellosis. It remains a diagnostic challenge. Optimal treatment of Brucella prosthetic valve endocarditis is debated. Available data is limited to case reports or small case series. The purpose of this study was to systematically review all published cases of Brucella prosthetic valve endocarditis in the literature., Method: A systematic review of PubMed database, Google, Google Scholar, and Scopus (From January 1974 to the present) for studies providing epidemiological, clinical and microbiological data as well as data on treatment and outcomes of Brucella prosthetic valve endocarditis was performed., Results: A total of 51 reported cases were reviewed. Brucella melitensis (45%) and Brucella abortus (11.7%) were the most frequently isolated species. Most common type of prosthesis valve was mechanical prothesis (84.3%) and ten patients had double valve prosthesis (19.6%). Fever and dyspnea were present in 100% and 37.2% of the cases, respectively. The diagnosis was set with echocardiographic finding in 30 cases (93.7%), which revealed vegetation in 27 cases (84.3%). Most used antibiotics were rifampicin, doxycycline and aminoglycoside or cotrimoxazole. No deaths were noted in patients treated by combined medical and surgical treatment, but mortality was noted in 27.7% of the cases treated by antibiotics alone (p = 0.006)., Conclusion: This systematic review highlights diagnostic challenges and demonstrates that surgery improved outcome by reducing mortality in patients treated with the combined surgical and medical treatment option. Brucellosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of prosthetic valve endocarditis in patients residing in or traveling to areas of endemicity., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None declared., (© 2021 Saudi Heart Association.)