{"title":"Small Secundum Atrial Septal Defects Are Associated With Paradoxical Embolism: A Retrospective Study Using Intra-operative Transesophageal Echocardiography.","authors":"Takamori Kakino, Ayako Ishikita, Ichiro Sakamoto, Tomoyasu Suenaga, Akiko Nishizaki, Yuki Kodono, Soshun Asakawa, Yoshinobu Wakisaka, Kenichiro Yamamura, Kohtaro Abe","doi":"10.1159/crd/absag002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/crd/absag002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Paradoxical embolism is a clinically important complication of secundum atrial septal defect (ASD), yet anatomical characteristics predisposing to embolic events remain incompletely defined. We investigated clinical and morphological factors associated with paradoxical embolism among adults undergoing transcatheter ASD closure, with particular focus on ASD size.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively analyzed 270 adults who underwent transcatheter closure of secundum ASD between 2013 and 2024. Patients were classified according to history of paradoxical embolism. ASD morphology, including maximum diameter, was assessed by intra-operative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Logistic regression evaluated ASD size continuously (per 1-mm increase) and as a categorical threshold (<10 mm vs. ≥10 mm).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Paradoxical embolism occurred in 14/270 patients. Patients with paradoxical embolism had a significantly smaller maximum ASD diameter on TEE (12.92 ± 5.79 vs 16.94 ± 5.96 mm, p=0.02). In univariable logistic regression, maximum ASD size (per 1-mm increase) was inversely associated with paradoxical embolism (odds ratio [OR] 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.80-0.98; p=0.02). In multivariable analysis adjusted for age, sex and hypertension, ASD size <10 mm remained independently associated with paradoxical embolism (Firth penalized likelihood, Model 1: OR 7.75, 95% CI 2.51-24.50; p<0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Smaller maximum ASD diameter, particularly <10 mm, was consistently associated with paradoxical embolism, suggesting that even small ASDs may carry clinically meaningful embolic risk in this closure cohort.</p>","PeriodicalId":9391,"journal":{"name":"Cardiology","volume":" ","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148599389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
CardiologyPub Date : 2026-07-28DOI: 10.1159/crd/absag004
Konstantinos A Papathanasiou, Petros Kalogeras, Stylianos Daios, Donatos Tsamoulis, Nikolaos Makridakis, Despoina-Rafailia Benetou, Ilektra Stamou, Charalampos Kalantzis, Christos Eleftherios Roussos, Ioannis Leventis, Andriani Nikolaou, Vasileios Afentoulis, Stylianos Rallidis, Aristi Boulmpou, Vasileios Bouratzis, Andreas Ntalaoutis, Belkis Malkots, Niki Kakouri, Alexandros Sianis, Sofia Xanthopoulou, Tsampika Gaitanaki, Loukianos S Rallidis
{"title":"Treatment Disparities and Prognosis among Myocardial Infarction Patients without Standard Modifiable Risk Factors.","authors":"Konstantinos A Papathanasiou, Petros Kalogeras, Stylianos Daios, Donatos Tsamoulis, Nikolaos Makridakis, Despoina-Rafailia Benetou, Ilektra Stamou, Charalampos Kalantzis, Christos Eleftherios Roussos, Ioannis Leventis, Andriani Nikolaou, Vasileios Afentoulis, Stylianos Rallidis, Aristi Boulmpou, Vasileios Bouratzis, Andreas Ntalaoutis, Belkis Malkots, Niki Kakouri, Alexandros Sianis, Sofia Xanthopoulou, Tsampika Gaitanaki, Loukianos S Rallidis","doi":"10.1159/crd/absag004","DOIUrl":"10.1159/crd/absag004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>It is increasingly recognized that patients might suffer from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the absence of standard modifiable risk factors (SMuRFs). Their treatment remains largely empirical and follows the same principles for counterparts with SMuRFs. We examined whether the absence of SMuRFs affects hospital management and outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>CALLINICUS-Hellas Registry is an observational prospective study evaluating the adherence to lipid-lowering therapy among ACS patients. Two groups were created according to SMuRF status. The patients were followed for 12 months after hospital discharge, and the study's endpoints were the development of new ACS, cardiac death, and non-cardiac death.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 2,718 consecutive patients with ACS were included, and 68 cases (2.5%) were SMuRF-less. Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol), triglycerides, and waist circumference were higher among patients with SMuRFs. SMuRF-less patients were more likely to have one vessel or nonobstructive coronary artery disease and less likely to receive reperfusion or dual antiplatelet therapy. On the contrary, non-cardiac death, cardiac death, and new ACS did not differ between groups. B-blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker were equally prescribed between groups, yet patients with SMuRFs were more likely to receive ezetimibe combined with high-intensity statins at discharge. SMuRF-less patients were more likely to attain lower LDL-cholesterol levels after 12 months of follow-up and to achieve values below 55 mg/dL.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>SMuRF status is associated with treatment disparities among contemporary ACS patients, and the absence of traditional risk factors does not dictate benign prognosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":9391,"journal":{"name":"Cardiology","volume":" ","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148599322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
CardiologyPub Date : 2026-07-23DOI: 10.1159/000553582
Punyaporn Seubnuch, Mann Chandavimol, Alisa Limsuwan
{"title":"Pulmonary Artery Characteristics in Congenital Heart Diseases Evaluated by Optical Coherence Tomography.","authors":"Punyaporn Seubnuch, Mann Chandavimol, Alisa Limsuwan","doi":"10.1159/000553582","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000553582","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Assessment of pulmonary vascular disease in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) relies primarily on invasive hemodynamic measurements, including pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRi). However, these parameters may not fully reflect the underlying structural changes associated with pulmonary vascular remodeling. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for in vivo assessment of pulmonary arterial remodeling and examined the relationship between OCT-derived parameters and pulmonary hypertension (PH) severity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eleven patients with CHD (mean age 10 years, range 2-23 years; 7 females) undergoing clinically indicated cardiac catheterization were prospectively enrolled. OCT imaging was successfully performed in 63 pulmonary artery (PA) segments. Hemodynamic parameters, including mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), mPAP/systemic arterial pressure ratio (MAP), and PVRi, were compared between the PH and control groups. Correlations between OCT-derived measurements and hemodynamic indices were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Patients with PH had significantly higher mPAP (39±16 vs. controls, p=0.002), mPAP/MAP ratio (0.58±0.24, p=0.017), and PVRi (median 6.05 [IQR 2.27-6.60] WU·m², p=0.008). OCT demonstrated significantly greater %PA wall thickness in the PH group compared with controls (19.4±1.1% vs. 13.5±0.9%, p<0.0001). Percentage wall thickness showed significant positive correlations with mPAP (r=0.58), mPAP/MAP ratio (r=0.62), transpulmonary gradient (r=0.60), PVRi (r=0.55), and Rp/Rs ratio (r=0.45) (all p<0.001). Notably, marked wall thickening (21.8%) was identified in a patient with only mildly elevated PVRi (2.2 WU·m²).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>OCT provides structural insights into pulmonary vascular remodeling and complements to conventional hemodynamic assessment in PH related to CHD in children. Pulmonary artery wall thickness percentage correlates closely with PH severity and may serve as a sensitive marker of pulmonary vascular disease in children with CHD.</p>","PeriodicalId":9391,"journal":{"name":"Cardiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148577212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
CardiologyPub Date : 2026-07-21DOI: 10.1159/000553480
Yaping Zhang, Han Xu, Xinkai Qu, Kailei Shi, Chengqi Kong
{"title":"Causal Associations and Potential Mediating Factors Between Sarcopenia-related Traits and Heart Failure Risk: A Mendelian Randomization Study.","authors":"Yaping Zhang, Han Xu, Xinkai Qu, Kailei Shi, Chengqi Kong","doi":"10.1159/000553480","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000553480","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In this two-sample, two-step Mendelian randomization (MR) study, we aimed to elucidate the causal associations between sarcopenia-related characteristics and heart failure (HF) risk, and to identify the factors mediating these associations, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of obesity and sedentary habits.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Genetic instruments for appendicular lean mass (ALM), hand grip strength (HGS), walking pace (WP) and potential mediators were extracted from genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Inverse-variance weighting (IVW) was used as the primary analytical method, supplemented by MR-Egger regression, weighted median, and weighted mode analyses. Sensitivity analyses including Cochran's Q test and MR-Egger intercept method were performed to assess heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Bidirectional MR was conducted to exclude reverse causation.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>IVW revealed that a faster genetically predicted walking pace (WP) was associated with lower HF risk (odds ratio [OR] 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33-0.60, P = 5.806 × 10-7). The mediation analysis indicated that body mass index accounted for 32% of this effect, while time spent watching television accounted for 14%. Elevated appendicular lean mass showed a slight but significant positive association with HF risk (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03-1.09, P = 5.437 × 10-4). However, multivariable MR adjusting for BMI completely attenuated this association (P = 0.693), suggesting ALM reflects overall body composition rather than isolated muscle mass. No significant associations were found between HGS and HF. Bidirectional MR showed no robust reverse effects.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings suggest that genetically predicted increased WP exerts beneficial effects against HF, partially mediated by obesity and sedentary habits. Targeting weight management and anti-sedentary interventions may mitigate HF risk in individuals with sarcopenia-related characteristics.</p>","PeriodicalId":9391,"journal":{"name":"Cardiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148547918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
CardiologyPub Date : 2026-07-21DOI: 10.1159/000552950
Heinrich Taegtmeyer
{"title":"Eugene Braunwald (1929-2026). Primus Inter Pares. Personal Reflections on the \"First Among Equals\" in Cardiovascular Medicine.","authors":"Heinrich Taegtmeyer","doi":"10.1159/000552950","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000552950","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9391,"journal":{"name":"Cardiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148547930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
CardiologyPub Date : 2026-07-16DOI: 10.1159/000553619
Cuma Suleymanoğlu, Fuat Polat, Rıdvan Yurt, İskan Zengin, Veysi Can
{"title":"Electrocardiographic-Based Assessment in Acute Heart Failure with Left Bundle Branch Block: Insights from a Retrospective Cohort.","authors":"Cuma Suleymanoğlu, Fuat Polat, Rıdvan Yurt, İskan Zengin, Veysi Can","doi":"10.1159/000553619","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000553619","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Left bundle branch block (LBBB) complicates electrocardiographic interpretation in acute heart failure (AHF). This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between electrocardiographic parameters, including QRS duration, QRS morphology, and the Selvester QRS score (SQS), and echocardiographic findings in patients with AHF presenting with LBBB across different heart failure phenotypes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this retrospective cohort, 275 patients hospitalized with AHF and LBBB were analyzed. Patients were classified as heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF, left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] <40%), heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF, LVEF 40-49%), or heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF, LVEF ≥50%). Associations between electrocardiographic (ECG) and echocardiographic parameters were evaluated using Spearman correlation and multivariable regression. Discriminatory performance for reduced systolic function was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mean age was 61.7 ± 13.8 years and 70.5% were male; median LVEF was 40% (IQR: 27-48%). HFrEF was present in 49.8%. Among ECG indices, only SQS correlated significantly with echocardiographic measures: LVEF (r = -0.447), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD, r = 0.346), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD, r = 0.373), and LV mass index (r = 0.205) (all p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, SQS (OR = 1.373, 95% CI: 1.255-1.501, p < 0.001) and LV mass index independently predicted HFrEF. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test confirmed adequate calibration (p = 0.49). ROC analysis showed SQS had moderate discriminatory ability (area under the curve [AUC] 0.768, 95% CI: 0.711-0.825), with an optimal cutoff >43 yielding 74.5% sensitivity and 69.6% specificity. QRS duration and morphology demonstrated no meaningful predictive value (AUC ≈ 0.49).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In AHF patients with LBBB, SQS outperforms conventional QRS metrics in identifying reduced LV systolic function. An SQS >43 provides moderate diagnostic accuracy and may support early risk stratification when echocardiography is not immediately available.</p>","PeriodicalId":9391,"journal":{"name":"Cardiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148469092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
CardiologyPub Date : 2026-07-14DOI: 10.1159/000553580
Jamilah AlRahimi
{"title":"Multimodality Imaging of Pulmonary Regurgitation and Right Ventricular Remodeling in Adults with Repaired Tetralogy of Fallot: A Descriptive Single-Center Case Series.","authors":"Jamilah AlRahimi","doi":"10.1159/000553580","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000553580","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Chronic pulmonary regurgitation (PR) is a common late sequela after repair of Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and contributes to progressive right ventricular (RV) dilation, dysfunction, and adverse clinical outcomes. Multimodality imaging plays a central role in longitudinal assessment and in informing the timing of pulmonary valve replacement (PVR).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We report a single-center, retrospective case series of seven adults with surgically repaired TOF followed at a tertiary care center. Each patient underwent serial transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and at least two cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) examinations over follow-up periods ranging from 5 to more than 15 years. PR severity was classified using CMR-derived regurgitant fraction according to established thresholds. RV size, systolic function, right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) morphology, and clinical outcomes including PVR were recorded. Analyses were descriptive given the small sample size and heterogeneous nature of the cohort.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All seven patients (4 female, 3 male) survived to the most recent follow-up in 2025. PR was present in every patient, with CMR regurgitant fractions ranging from 21% to 57% at latest follow-up. Greater PR severity was associated with larger RV end-diastolic volume index (RVEDVi) and lower RV ejection fraction (RVEF) on serial imaging. RVEDVi ranged from 77 to 163 mL/m2 and RVEF from 37% to 61%. Qualitative concordance between TTE and CMR for RV remodeling was observed in 6 of 7 patients (86%). Several RVOT morphologic patterns were observed: patch-augmented RVOT with dilation, subpulmonic narrowing with turbulent flow acceleration, asymmetric branch pulmonary artery anatomy, and prosthetic pulmonary valve degeneration. Three patients underwent PVR during follow-up for severe PR, RVEDVi ≥150 mL/m2, declining RVEF, or symptomatic deterioration, and demonstrated post-procedural stabilization of RV size and improved functional status.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this single-center case series, integrated TTE and CMR provided complementary structural and functional information across a heterogeneous spectrum of post-repair RVOT anatomy, with CMR offering superior quantitative resolution of RV volumes and regurgitant fraction. The observed phenotypic variability illustrates the importance of multimodality, individualized surveillance in adults with repaired TOF, and reinforces the role of imaging integrated with clinical assessment in PVR decision-making.</p>","PeriodicalId":9391,"journal":{"name":"Cardiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13485282/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148444594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
CardiologyPub Date : 2026-07-13DOI: 10.1159/000553478
Dursun Akaslan, Emre Aslanger, Burcu Aggül, Mehmet Narli, Elif Yaren Yurtman, Halil Ataş, Bülent Mutlu
{"title":"Bending Oxygen Saturation Index and Risk of Major Cardiac Adverse Events in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.","authors":"Dursun Akaslan, Emre Aslanger, Burcu Aggül, Mehmet Narli, Elif Yaren Yurtman, Halil Ataş, Bülent Mutlu","doi":"10.1159/000553478","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000553478","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Shortness of breath while bending and its more objective version, bending oxygen saturation index (BOSI), are the latest additions to pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) symptom and signs armamentarium. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association between BOSI and clinical outcomes in patients with PAH and to explore its potential to complement current risk estimation schemes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this single-center, prospective, observational study, we enrolled patients with PAH who are under stable treatment. Baseline mortality risk was estimated using established risk schemes. Primary endpoint was defined as the combination of all-cause hospitalization and all-cause mortality at 1 year. The discriminative performance of BOSI was evaluated using ROC curve analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 102 patients were enrolled into the study. BOSI was equal to or more than 3 in 33 patients (32.4%). Primary endpoint occurred in 20 (60.6%) in BOSI ≥3 group and 16 (23.2%) in BOSI <3 group (p < 0.001). ROC analysis showed that BOSI had a significant discriminative ability (AUC 0.687, p = 0.002). Cox regression analysis showed that a BOSI ≥3 was significantly associated with adverse events, even after adjustment for baseline risk estimated by the four most used risk schemes (REVEAL, REVEAL Lite, COMPERA, and European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society risk scores).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>BOSI is independently associated with adverse events in patients with PAH and its addition to current risk scores may improve baseline risk estimation.</p>","PeriodicalId":9391,"journal":{"name":"Cardiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148435161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
CardiologyPub Date : 2026-07-10DOI: 10.1159/000553526
Kabir Jitender, Zainab Batool, Sher M Sethi, Abdullah Umer, Farhala Baloch, Ainan Arshad
{"title":"Clinical Predictors of 30-Day Readmission after Heart Failure Hospitalization in a Low- and Middle-Income Country.","authors":"Kabir Jitender, Zainab Batool, Sher M Sethi, Abdullah Umer, Farhala Baloch, Ainan Arshad","doi":"10.1159/000553526","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000553526","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Early hospital readmission after heart failure (HF) hospitalization is a major determinant of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilization. Most evidence informing readmission risk prediction originates from high-income countries, with limited data from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where healthcare delivery and post-discharge care differ substantially. We aimed to determine the rate and clinical predictors of 30-day readmission following HF hospitalization in an LMIC setting.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of HF between January 2020 and December 2022 at a tertiary care center in Pakistan. The primary outcome was unplanned all-cause readmission within 30 days of discharge. Baseline demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables were extracted from electronic health records. Multivariable logistic regression was performed using clinically informed, parsimonious modeling with continuous variables retained. Model discrimination and calibration were assessed using the C-statistic and Hosmer-Lemeshow test, respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 557 patients hospitalized with HF, 172 (30.9%) experienced 30-day readmission. In multivariable analysis, a prior history of HF hospitalization was independently associated with increased readmission risk (adjusted odds ratio 1.9, 95% confidence interval 1.0-3.8; p = 0.04). Age, sex, HF phenotype, diabetes mellitus, renal function, and natriuretic peptide levels were not independently associated with readmission after adjustment. The model demonstrated acceptable calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow p = 0.25) and modest discrimination (C-statistic 0.62).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Nearly, one-third of patients hospitalized with HF in this LMIC cohort experienced 30-day readmission. Prior HF hospitalization was the only variable independently associated with early readmission, while inpatient clinical markers alone demonstrated limited predictive utility. These findings support the need for transitional care strategies and incorporation of socioeconomic and outpatient care factors into future readmission models in resource-limited settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":9391,"journal":{"name":"Cardiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148418904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
CardiologyPub Date : 2026-07-10DOI: 10.1159/000553108
Çağrı Zorlu
{"title":"One-Hour Troponin Using a High-Sensitivity Point-of-Care Assay in Emergency Primary Care: The OUT-Point-of-Care Pilot Study.","authors":"Çağrı Zorlu","doi":"10.1159/000553108","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000553108","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":9391,"journal":{"name":"Cardiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-2"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148418999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}