(Use of multimodal imaging in patients with multiple ventricular extrasystoles - pilot results)

Veronika Bednárová, Vladimír Kincl, Martin Pešl, Roman Panovský, Zdeněk Stárek, Věra Feitová, Jan Krejčí

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):6-11 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2023.097  

Disturbances of autonomic function in the heart associated with premature ventricular complexes (PVC) are associated with a decrease in ejection fraction as well as increased cardiac morbidity and mortality. Standard imaging techniques such as cMRI and coronary angiography secure the exclusion of other causes of PVC as ischemia and progressive fibrosis. These methods are not suitable for cardiac autonomic nervous system imaging and can't describe the cause of related PVCs. This may be described by ¹²³I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy. We examined a pilot group of 6 patients, in which 3 individuals presented a disorder in the...

(Peripheral artery disease of the legs - the current state)

Jiří Spáčil, Jaroslava Svobodová

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):12-16 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2023.075  

Objective: Coronary artery disease changes over time. It is unknown how the peripheral artery disease of the legs has changed. Methods, the group: We used the medical records of our office to select patients with peripheral artery disease of the legs. The patients underwent clinical assessments including duplex sonography, and their blood pressure at the ankle was measured and expressed as ABI index. Further development of the clinical condition was then followed at subsequent visits. Worsening was defined as worsening of intermittent claudication and/or development of critical limb ischemia. We compared our findings to the results of previous as well...

(Pulmonary embolism in the Tábor region - revised Geneva score and other predictors of PE on CT pulmonary angiogram)

Jiří Adámek, Jan Kuchař

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):17-21 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2023.098  

Aim: Analysis of the data of patients investigated in the Tabor Hospital for suspected pulmonary embolism with CT pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) in one year from March 2019 until February 2020. Evaluation of the usefulness of the Revised Geneva Score (RGS) in this group. Methods: Retrospective analysis of the data of all patients who underwent CTPA for suspected pulmonary embolism in the Department of Radiology in Tábor Hospital from March 2019 until February 2020. RGS value was calculated and compared with known CTPA results. Other clinical and laboratory parameters and their usefulness in prediction of pulmonary embolism diagnosis on CTPA were evaluated....

Compliance of patients with atrial fibrillation using new oral anticoagulants - results survey

Petra Búřilová, Jiří Búřil, Michal Haršány, Kamila Dufková, Marta Šenkyříková, Dana Dolanová, Miloš Táborský, Andrea Pokorná

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):23-28 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2023.095  

Introduction: Continuous medication use is essential for patients with atrial fibrillation using new oral anticoagulants. Older age and polymorbidity may affect compliance related to the anticoagulation therapy. Methods: An observational cohort study (STROBE) assessed patients' compliance with selected cardiovascular diagnoses and other comorbidities who received NOAC and outpatient care in specialized clinics in the Czech Republic in the questionnaire survey between April and May 2023. Results: Patients meeting the study criteria were approached by the treating physician for inclusion (4 cardiology and 1 neurology clinic). A total of 274 patients...

Clinical Outcomes of Isolated Non-Left Main Side Branch Ostial Stenosis: Medical Therapy versus Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (the ALP-SBO registry)

Serkan Kahraman, Ahmet Guner, Fatih Uzun, Ali Kemal Kalkan, Mustafa Ali Yavas, Mehmet Cicek, Taner Sahin, Cemalettin Akman, Omer Celik, Mehmet Ertruk

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):29-36 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2023.085  

Aim: Side branch (SB) ostial stenosis is a frequent bifurcation lesion and its optimal treatment strategy is still debated. Although the efficacy of the optimal medical therapy is well known, the comparison of the medical treatment and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is controversial. Methods: A total of 357 consecutive patients with isolated SB ostial stenosis (Medina 0.0.1 classification) was evaluated retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups; patients with only medical therapy (n = 305) and patients undergoing PCI (n = 52). Target vessel revascularization (TVR), myocardial infarction (MI), and mortality were evaluated as major...

Artificial intelligence in resting ECG: Higher accuracy in the interpretation of rhythm abnormalities

Štěpán Havránek, Barbora Steklá, Michaela Veselá, Josef Holub, Michaela Zemková, Lucie Miksová, Karolína Kvasničková, Nikol Kubínová, Jean-Claude Lubanda, Milan Dusík, Josef Marek, Vladyslava Čeledová, Lenka Plačková

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):37-43 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2023.096  

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a developed novel AI-based ECG rhythm model (AI-ECGRM) in binary classification between sinus rhythm and arrhythmias. Methods: The interpretations generated by the AI-ECGRM were compared to the diagnostic conclusions made by cardiologists. The confusion matrix was used to verify the AI-ECGRM's sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. Results: The testing dataset included 1,491 randomly selected ECGs (mean age 65±21 years; 54% female). Out of the testing dataset, the highly advanced cardiologists diagnosed 1,271 ECGs as sinus rhythm and 220 as...

How to invasively assess left ventricular function and its efficiency of work

Lukáš Povišer, Karol Čurila

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):44-51 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2023.080  

Effective performance of the left ventricle requires the maintenance of a cardiac output as demanded by the systemic circulation without a high hemodynamic cost or pressure and without a high metabolic cost or oxygen demand by the left ventricular myocardium. In this article the left ventricle is considered as a pump and performance is based on evaluation of measurements of its pressure, volumes, and flow. Analysis of ventricular function in terms of pressure-volume relationships allows global and regional ventricular dynamics to be fully analyzed and relatively easily and precisely obtained with conductance catheter. The maximum rate of left ventricular...

(Myocardium Remodelling: From Adaptation Mechanisms to Heart Failure Development)

Michal Laška, Marie Nováková, Tibor Stračina

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):53-64 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2023.090  

Remodelling is one of the fundamental processes in the heart adaptation. It allows the heart to respond specifically to various stimuli and adapt to changed conditions. The basic remodelling processes involve hypertrophy and fibrosis. Remodelling is present at various levels and results in structural and subsequently functional changes in the myocardium. If the new state is compensated, it is referred to as physiological. Such remodelling includes so-called physiological hypertrophy induced by repeated sufficiently in- tense physical exertion. In pathological hypertrophy, the changes caused by remodelling are not sufficiently compensated. After adaptation...

(The CD36 receptor - the link between inflammation, lipid metabolism, and cardiovascular disease)

Rudolf Poledne, Ivana Králová Lesná

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):66-70 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.005  

The CD36/FAT (fatty acid translocator) receptor is a crucial player in cardiovascular diseases, featuring a consistent structure across species. Its expression in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, liver, and arterial wall macrophages underscores its importance. Beyond scavenging oxidized LDL (oxLDL), CD36 accelerates the pro-inflammatory processes in all these organs. Specific microenvironments of adipose tissue with high concentrations of free long-chain fatty acids, insulin, and glucose induce polarization by tissue-specific path- ways producing metabolically activated pro-inflammatory macrophages (MAPIMs) with high CD36 expres- sion. The proportion...

(Commentary to the article The year in cardiovascular medicine 2022: the top 10 papers in heart failure and cardiomyopathies)

Filip Málek

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):87 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2023.040  

(Cardiac tumour presenting as fever of unknown origin)

Lenka Hartmanová, Juraj Hrečko, Monika Fialová, Karel Mědílek, Pavel Žáček, Václav Stejskal, Petr Pařízek

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):71-75 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2023.073  

Cardiac myxoma is the most common primary tumour of the heart. We present a case of a 46-year-old man with a 3-month history of progressive fatigue, exertional dyspnoea, fever, and elevated inflammatory markers. Echocardiography revealed left atrial tumour. The patient underwent successful surgical resection of the tumour; the histological study of the mass confirmed the diagnosis of myxoma.

Post-infarction ventricular septal rupture; a case report: An insight to the Americas

David Jacobo Sánchez Amaya, Nancy Gabriela Rodríguez Murillo, Daniel Sánchez Amaya, Haroldo López García

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):76-79 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2023.065  

Ventricular septal rupture (VSR) constitutes one of the possible mechanical complications following an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), even though very infrequent, it bears an elevated high mortality rate. Although most patients develop florid clinical manifestations, a minority might have a silent evolution, experiencing a subacute heart failure (HF) onset or decompensation instead. Once identified, prompt treatment is mandatory. Management, consistent of medical therapy (i.e.; anti-ischemic and afterload reducing medications) along with definite repair, either through interventional or surgical technique, is necessary, since if uncor- rected,...

Differentiating between Exercise-Induced ST-Segment Abnormalities Secondary to Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) Syndrome and Acute Myocardial Infarction

Meity Ardiana, Putu Dwipa Krisna Devi, Ryan Enast Intan, Inna Maya Sufiyah

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):80-83 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2023.081  

Background: Exercise stress testing (EST) can cause false-positive diagnoses of myocardial infarction (MI) in individuals with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. Case: A 30-year-old male had a history of palpitation and near syncope 2 months before examination. The pre-test probability (PTP) score was 1% and baseline ECG showed typical features of WPW syndrome. Additionally, risk stratification was performed with EST using the Bruce protocol. Persistent ventricular preexcitation (VPE) with upsloping 3.0 mm ST-segment depression was found in precordial leads at the fourth stage, while the aVR lead showed a 3.0 mm ST-segment elevation. Conclusion:...

Non-conducted premature atrial complexes: a silent culprit of atrial fibrillation onset

Armando Lo Savio, Giampaolo Vetta, Antonio Parlavecchio, Rodolfo Caminiti, Michele Magnocavallo, Lorenzo Pistelli, Olga Mariarita La Cognata, Domenico Giovanni Della Rocca, Gianluca Di Bella, Pasquale Crea

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):84-86 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.001  

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in adults with substantial morbidity and mortality. AF increases the risk of stroke 5-fold compared to the general population and oral anticoagulant therapy represents the cornerstone for stroke prevention. Therefore, it is necessary to identify predictive factors for the onset of AF in order to screen patients with a high probability of AF development. We report the case of a 69-year-old patient asymptomatic for palpitation with a 24-hour Holter ECG showing several ncPACs (non-conducted premature atrial complexes) leading to AF onset.

Petra Hátlová, Roman Šmucler a Štěpán Svačina: Debaty bez cenzury 3

Prof. MUDr. Jan Petrášek, DrSc.

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):91 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.007  

Martin Polák: Urgentní příjem. Nejčastější znaky, příznaky a nemoci na oddělení urgentního příjmu. 3., přepracované a doplněné vydání

Prof. MUDr. Jan Petrášek, DrSc.

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):92 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.013  

Zemřel pan profesor MUDr. Ivan Vaněk, DrSc.

prof. MUDr. Jaroslav Lindner, CSc., FICS

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):89 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.006  

Za prof. MUDr. Ivanem Vaňkem, DrSc. (26. 6. 1942–8. 12. 2023)

Prof. MUDr. Josef Veselka, CSc.

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(1):90 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.010