Purpose: We examined abnormal pituitary imaging (API) and associated endocrine dysfunction in subjects with ECD. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive examination of a natural history cohort study diagnosed with ECD was conducted at a clinical research center. Subjects underwent baseline endocrine tests of anterior and posterior pituitary function and dedicated pituitary gland MRI scans. We determined the frequency of various pituitary imaging abnormalities in ECD and assessed its relationships with age, sex, body mass index (BMI), BRAF V600E status, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), pituitary hormone deficits and number, diabetes insipidus (DI), and panhypopituitarism. Results: Our cohort included 61 subjects with ECD [age (SD): 54.3 (10.9) y, 46 males/15 females]. API was present in 47.5% (29/61) of ECD subjects. Loss of the posterior pituitary bright spot (36.1%) followed by thickened pituitary stalk (24.6%), abnormal enhancement (18.0%), and pituitary atrophy (14.8%) were the most common abnormalities. DI and panhypopituitarism were more frequent in subjects with API without differences in age, sex distribution, hsCRP, ESR, and BRAF V600E status compared to normal pituitary imaging. Conclusions: We noted a high burden of API and endocrinopathies in ECD. API was highly associated with the presence of panhypopituitarism and DI. Therefore, a thorough assessment of hypothalamic–pituitary integrity should be considered in subjects with ECD.

The presence of frailty or delirium among patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is associated with increased mortality and prolonged hospital stay. The purpose of this study was to assess the combined effect of frailty and delirium on in-hospital mortality and disposition at discharge among older adults hospitalized with ADHF. We conducted a retrospective observational study using Nationwide Inpatient Sample data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality from 2016 to 2018. Patients aged 65 years or older with a diagnosis of ADHF (both with preserved and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction) were included. For analysis, we conducted a multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine OR for in-hospital mortality or nonhome discharge from delirium and frailty. A total of 3,577,433 weighted number of hospitalizations with ADHF were included. Delirium, moderate frailty risk, and high frailty risk increased the OR for in-hospital mortality (3.74; 95% CI: 3.70-3.78, 4.02; 95% CI: 3.96-4.09, and 8.63; 95% CI: 8.47-8.78, respectively) and nonhome discharge (4.21; 95% CI: 4.18-4.25, 2.95; 95% CI: 2.94-2.97, and 8.86; 95% CI: 8.78-8.94, respectively). When the combination of delirium and frailty was assessed, compared to those without delirium and with low frailty risk, the OR of mortality among those with delirium and high frailty risk was the highest at 12.18 (95% CI: 11.89-12.48). For nonhome discharge, the OR was the highest among those with delirium and high frailty risk at 14.01 (95% CI: 13.77-14.26). Frailty and delirium, independently and in combination, led to higher odds of in-hospital mortality and nonhome disposition at discharge among patients hospitalized with ADHF.

Background: Erdheim Chester disease (ECD) is a rare histiocytic neoplasm associated with hypothalamic and pituitary infiltration and dysfunction. We determined the abnormal pituitary imaging (API) phenotypes in subjects with ECD and analyzed their associated endocrine dysfunctions. Methods: This was a cross-sectional examination of a natural history cohort study of 61 subjects with ECD performed at a tertiary care clinical research center. The diagnosis of ECD was based on clinical, molecular, and histopathological features. Enrolled subjects underwent baseline endocrine tests of anterior and posterior pituitary function in addition to pituitary imaging. The following variables were analyzed- age, sex, body mass index (BMI), BRAF V600E, hsCRP, ESR, pituitary hormone deficit number, diabetes insipidus (DI), and panhypopituitarism. Fisher’s exact test or t-test/Wilcoxon tests compared patients with and without API. Results: Sixty-one subjects with ECD (age ±SD: 54.3 ±10.9, 46 (75.4%) males) were studied. The prevalence of API was 32.8% (n=20), who were younger than those with normal imaging (50.3 ±10.5 vs 56.3 ±10.7 yrs, p=0.042). The most common pituitary imaging abnormalities included thickened pituitary stalk (18.03%, n=11/61), followed by pituitary encasement, small pituitary and abnormal morphology (6.55%, n= 4/61 for each). A higher prevalence of DI (45.0% vs 9.8%, p=0.003) and panhypopituitarism (45.0% vs 4.9%, p<0.001), and a higher number of pituitary deficits (median (IQR): 2.0 (0-2.5) vs 0 (0-1.0), p=0.007) were noted in patients with API compared to those with normal imaging. Other biochemical markers were similar between both groups. Conclusion: Abnormal pituitary imaging was commonly seen in ECD and was also associated with a younger age and hormone deficits suggesting associations with pituitary structure-function.

Autoimmune diseases substantially increase the risk of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death through shared immune-mediated mechanisms. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, autoantibodies, and progressive myocardial fibrosis disrupt ion channel function, impair conduction, and create re-entrant substrates. Across systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic sclerosis (SSc), these pathways manifest as atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmias, conduction disease, and heightened arrhythmic mortality. Anti Ro/SSA antibodies, in particular, contribute to QT prolongation and atrioventricular (AV) block, while cytokines such as TNF α, IL 1β, and IL 6 remodel electrophysiological properties and promote fibrosis. Advanced cardiac imaging, especially cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), detects inflammation and fibrosis even when ejection fraction is preserved, enabling earlier intervention. Management requires a dual approach: standard arrhythmia therapies alongside aggressive control of systemic inflammation with disease-specific immunosuppression. Despite growing evidence, major gaps remain, including the absence of randomized trials targeting immune-driven arrhythmias and the need for integrated risk models incorporating inflammatory biomarkers.