Spectrum of electrocardiographic abnormalities in a large cohort of cardiac masses.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac masses represent a heterogeneous clinical scenario. Potential electrocardiographic (ECG) red flags of malignancy remain to be investigated. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to describe the spectrum of ECG abnormalities in a large cohort of cardiac masses and to evaluate potential red flags suggestive of malignancy. METHODS: This was an observational cohort study of 322 consecutive patients with a cardiac mass and available ECG at Bologna University Hospital. All masses were diagnosed by histologic examination or, in the case of cardiac thrombi, by radiologic resolution after proper anticoagulant therapy. Multivariable regression analysis was used to assess potential predictors of malignancy among ECG abnormalities. All-cause mortality at follow-up was evaluated. RESULTS: Of 322 patients, 98 (30.4%) had malignant tumors. Compared with patients with benign masses, those with malignant tumors exhibited a higher heart rate, right-axis deviation, greater depolarization, repolarization abnormalities, and bradyarrhythmia at presentation. Regarding specific ECG features, a higher heart rate on admission (P = .014), bradyarrhythmias (P = .009), ischemic-like repolarization abnormalities (ST-segment deviation, both depression and elevation, and negative T-wave; P <.001), low voltages (P = .001), and right-axis deviation (P = .025) were identified as independent predictors of malignancy. Considering these specific ECG alterations, a malignancy-oriented ECG was associated with higher mortality at follow-up (median 20.7 months). CONCLUSION: ECG frequently is abnormal in cases of malignant cardiac tumors. Some specific ECG changes are strongly suggestive for malignancy and type of infiltration.

Cardiac magnetic resonance in advanced heart failure.

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic and progressive disease that often progresses to an advanced stage where conventional therapy is insufficient to relieve patients' symptoms. Despite the availability of advanced therapies such as mechanical circulatory support or heart transplantation, the complexity of defining advanced HF, which requires multiple parameters and multimodality assessment, often leads to delays in referral to dedicated specialists with the result of a worsening prognosis. In this review, we aim to explore the role of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in advanced HF by showing how CMR is useful at every step in managing these patients: from diagnosis to prognostic stratification, hemodynamic evaluation, follow-up and advanced therapies such as heart transplantation. The technical challenges of scanning advanced HF patients, which often require troubleshooting of intracardiac devices and dedicated scans, will be also discussed.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance to Predict Cardiac Mass Malignancy: The CMR Mass Score.

BACKGROUND: Multimodality imaging is currently suggested for the noninvasive diagnosis of cardiac masses. The identification of cardiac masses' malignant nature is essential to guide proper treatment. We aimed to develop a cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)-derived model including mass localization, morphology, and tissue characterization to predict malignancy (with histology as gold standard), to compare its accuracy versus the diagnostic echocardiographic mass score, and to evaluate its prognostic ability. METHODS: Observational cohort study of 167 consecutive patients undergoing comprehensive echocardiogram and CMR within 1-month time interval for suspected cardiac mass. A definitive diagnosis was achieved by histological examination or, in the case of cardiac thrombi, by histology or radiological resolution after adequate anticoagulation treatment. Logistic regression was performed to assess CMR-derived independent predictors of malignancy, which were included in a predictive model to derive the CMR mass score. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression were used to investigate the prognostic ability of predictors. RESULTS: In CMR, mass morphological features (non-left localization, sessile, polylobate, inhomogeneity, infiltration, and pericardial effusion) and mass tissue characterization features (first-pass perfusion and heterogeneity enhancement) were independent predictors of malignancy. The CMR mass score (range, 0-8 and cutoff, ≥5), including sessile appearance, polylobate shape, infiltration, pericardial effusion, first-pass contrast perfusion, and heterogeneity enhancement, showed excellent accuracy in predicting malignancy (areas under the curve, 0.976 [95% CI, 0.96-0.99]), significantly higher than diagnostic echocardiographic mass score (areas under the curve, 0.932; P=0.040). The agreement between the diagnostic echocardiographic mass and CMR mass scores was good (κ=0.66). A CMR mass score of ≥5 predicted a higher risk of all-cause death (P<0.001; hazard ratio, 5.70) at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A CMR-derived model, including mass morphology and tissue characterization, showed excellent accuracy, superior to echocardiography, in predicting cardiac masses malignancy, with prognostic implications.

[Periprocedural myocardial injury and infarction after myocardial revascularization: incidence, clinical features and prognosis]. / Infarto e danno miocardico periprocedurali dopo rivascolarizzazione miocardica: incidenza, implicazioni cliniche e prognosi.

Myocardial revascularization, either percutaneous or surgical, is the cornerstone of chronic and acute ischemic coronary artery disease therapy. Periprocedural myocardial injury and infarction are possible complications of these procedures. Several pathogenetic mechanisms have been proposed in the setting of percutaneous (distal embolism, vasospasm, obstruction of a minor vessel) or surgical revascularization (prolonged ischemic time, early graft failure, arrhythmia or severe hypotension during the procedure). High-sensitivity cardiac troponins have emerged as the recommended biomarkers due to their important prognostic implications. However, data regarding diagnostic criteria, management and prognostic implications of these complications are lacking. The present review aims to provide an overview regarding the possible diagnostic criteria, management and prognostic role of periprocedural myocardial injury and infarction.

Performance of Prognostic Scoring Systems in MINOCA: A Comparison among GRACE, TIMI, HEART, and ACEF Scores.

Background: the prognosis of patients with myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is not benign; thus, prompting the need to validate prognostic scoring systems for this population. Aim: to evaluate and compare the prognostic performance of GRACE, TIMI, HEART, and ACEF scores in MINOCA patients. Methods: A total of 250 MINOCA patients from January 2017 to September 2021 were included. For each patient, the four scores at admission were retrospectively calculated. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) at 1-year follow-up. The ability to predict 1-year all-cause death was also tested. Results: Overall, the tested scores presented a sub-optimal performance in predicting the composite major adverse event in MINOCA patients, showing an AUC ranging between 0.7 and 0.8. Among them, the GRACE score appeared to be the best in predicting all-cause death, reaching high specificity with low sensitivity. The best cut-off identified for the GRACE score was 171, higher compared to the cut-off of 140 generally applied to identify high-risk patients with obstructive AMI. When the scores were tested for prediction of 1-year all-cause death, the GRACE and the ACEF score showed very good accuracy (AUC = 0.932 and 0.828, respectively). Conclusion: the prognostic scoring tools, validated in AMI cohorts, could be useful even in MINOCA patients, although their performance appeared sub-optimal, prompting the need for risk assessment tools specific to MINOCA patients.

Predictive value of Killip classification in MINOCA patients.

BACKGROUND: Killip classification is a practical clinical tool for risk stratification in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, its prognostic role in myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary artery (MINOCA) is still poorly explored. Our purpose was to evaluate the prognostic role of high Killip class in the specific setting of MINOCA and compare the results with a cohort of patients with obstructive coronary arteries myocardial infarction (MIOCA). METHODS: This study included 2455 AMI patients of whom 255 were MINOCA. We compared the Killip classes of MINOCA with those of MIOCA and evaluated the prognostic impact of a high Killip class, defined if greater than I, on both populations' outcome. Short-term outcomes included in-hospital death, re-AMI and arrhythmias. Long-term outcomes were all-cause mortality, re-AMI, stroke, heart failure (HF) hospitalization and the composite endpoint of MACE. RESULTS: Killip class >1 occurred in 25 (9.8%) MINOCA patients compared to 327 (14.9%) MIOCA cases. In MINOCA subjects, a high Killip class was associated with a greater in-hospital mortality (p = 0.002) and, at long term follow-up, with a three-fold increased mortality (p = 0.001) and a four-fold risk of HF hospitalization (p = 0.003). Among MINOCA, a high Killip class was identified as a strong independent predictor of MACE occurrence [HR 2.66, 95% CI (1.25-5.64), p = 0.01] together with older age and worse kidney function while in MIOCA population also left ventricular ejection fraction and troponin value predicted MACE. CONCLUSIONS: Killip classification confirmed its prognostic impact on short- and long-term outcomes also in a selected MINOCA population, which still craves for a baseline risk stratification.

Sex- and age-related differences in outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction: MINOCA vs. MIOCA.

AIMS: The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of sex on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients' clinical presentation and outcomes, comparing those with non-obstructive and obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA vs. MIOCA). METHODS AND RESULTS: We enrolled 2455 patients with AMI undergoing coronary angiography from January 2017 to September 2021. Patients were divided according to the type of AMI and sex: male (n = 1593) and female (n = 607) in MIOCA and male (n = 87) and female (n = 168) in MINOCA. Each cohort was further stratified based on age (≤/> 70 years). The primary endpoint (MAE) was a composite of all-cause death, recurrent AMI, and hospitalization for heart failure (HF) at follow-up. Secondary outcomes included all-cause and cardiovascular death, recurrent AMI, HF re-hospitalization, and stroke. MINOCA patients were more likely to be females compared with MIOCA ones (P < 0.001). The median follow-up was 28 (15-41) months. The unadjusted incidence of MAE was significantly higher in females compared with males, both in MINOCA [45 (26.8%) vs. 12 (13.8%); P = 0.018] and MIOCA cohorts [203 (33.4%) vs. 428 (26.9%); P = 0.002]. Age was an independent predictor of MAE in both cohorts. Among MINOCA patients, females ≤70 years old had a higher incidence of MAE [18 (23.7%) vs. 4 (5.9%); P = 0.003] compared with male peers, mainly driven by a higher rate of re-hospitalization for HF (P = 0.045) and recurrence of AMI (P = 0.006). Only in this sub-group of MINOCA patients, female sex was an independent predictor of MAE (hazard ratio = 3.09; 95% confidence interval: 1.02-9.59; P = 0.040). MINOCA females ≤70 years old had worse outcomes than MIOCA female peers. CONCLUSION: MINOCA females ≤70 years old had a significantly higher incidence of MAE, compared with males and MIOCA female peers, likely due to the different pathophysiology of the ischaemic event. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Data were part of the ongoing observational study 'AMIPE: Acute Myocardial Infarction, Prognostic and Therapeutic Evaluation' (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03883711).

Sex-Related Disparities in Cardiac Masses: Clinical Features and Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac masses (CM) represent a heterogeneous clinical scenario, and sex-related differences of these patients remain to be established. PURPOSE: To evaluate sex-related disparities in CMs regarding clinical presentation and outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study cohort included 321 consecutive patients with CM enrolled in our Centre between 2004 and 2022. A definitive diagnosis was achieved by histological examination or, in the case of cardiac thrombi, with radiological evidence of thrombus resolution after anticoagulant treatment. All-cause mortality at follow-up was evaluated. Multivariable regression analysis assessed the potential prognostic disparities between men and women. RESULTS: Out of 321 patients with CM, 172 (54%) were female. Women were more frequently younger (p = 0.02) than men. Regarding CM histotypes, females were affected by benign masses more frequently (with cardiac myxoma above all), while metastatic tumours were more common in men (p < 0.001). At presentation, peripheral embolism occurred predominantly in women (p = 0.03). Echocardiographic features such as greater dimension, irregular margin, infiltration, sessile mass and immobility were far more common in men. Despite a better overall survival in women, no sex-related differences were observed in the prognosis of benign or malignant masses. In fact, in multivariate analyses, sex was not independently associated with all-cause death. Conversely, age, smoking habit, malignant tumours and peripheral embolism were independent predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In a large cohort of cardiac masses, a significant sex-related difference in histotype prevalence was found: Benign CMs affected female patients more frequently, while malignant tumours affected predominantly men. Despite better overall survival in women, sex did not influence prognosis in benign and malignant masses.

Histological growth patterns and molecular analysis of resected colorectal lung metastases.

Lung is the site of metastasis in about 15-25 % of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Lung metastasectomy of CRC represents a standard therapy in patients with resectable metastases. In this study we investigated both histological patterns of metastases and mutations in MAPkinase pathway genes and their relationship to prognosis. The study included 74 patients that underwent metastasectomy of colorectal lung metastasis (CLM). In patients that underwent surgical resection of more than one metastasis in the same operation the largest was chosen. In patients that had undergone multiple lung metastasectomy only the sample from the first metastasectomy was included. Histologically metastases were scored according to amount and distribution of necrosis and fibrosis and three patterns were identified: "pattern A", metastasis with extensive, confluent central necrosis surrounded by a rim of neoplastic glands; "pattern B", metastasis characterized by a proliferation of neoplastic glands in a dense stroma with focal necrosis mainly intraglandular; "pattern C", metastasis with a mixed A and B morphology. In all samples direct sequencing of exon 2 of KRAS and NRAS genes and exon 15 of BRAF genes was carried out.Histological patterns weren't related to metastasis size or other clinical features however pattern C metastases showed a significant worst disease free survival (DFS). KRAS mutations were observed in 39 % of patients. Mutations in KRAS codon 13 resulted significantly associated with synchronous metastasis and poor prognosis. No mutations were identified in exon 2 NRAS gene whilst 1.4 % harboured a mutation in BRAF. To our knowledge this is the first study that investigates in a large series of CLM histological growth patterns, molecular alterations and their relationship to prognosis. Our data suggest a prognostic role in CLM of KRAS specific mutations and histopathological patterns.