(1) Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is essential for patients with heart failure and ventricular conduction abnormalities. Cardiomyopathy often includes left bundle branch block (LBBB) marked by delayed activation of the LV lateral wall and a widened QRS complex. Following CRT, patients with heart failure and LBBB have better outcomes and quality of life improvements. Various electrocardiographic and clinical parameters are thought to predict this improvement. The Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) is a reliable tool for measuring the quality of life in these patients. (2) Methods: We performed an observational prospective study over 69 individuals diagnosed with cardiac failure and dilatative cardiomyopathy with low FE and major LBBB and analyzed the correlations between patient outcomes after the procedure and the demographic, clinical, and electrocardiographic parameters, which include systolic blood pressure, ECG morphology elements, QRS duration, QRS area and associated comorbidities. (3) Results: Following our analysis a correlation between QRS area, intraprocedural systolic blood pressure, QRS duration and CRT outcomes assessed by the KCCQ score was observed which reflected that CRT has a hemodynamic impact and also affects the severity of ventricular asynchrony.; (4) Conclusions: The significant correlations observed with the KCCQ score show how CRT therapy impacts patients' quality of life, symptom burden, and functional status.

Objectives: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology, microbiology, clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of infective endocarditis (IE). Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including 100 adult patients with definite IE diagnosed between January 2020 and December 2025 at a Romanian tertiary care center. Patients were stratified by year of admission into pandemic (2020–2022) and post-pandemic (2023–2025) groups. Results: Among the 100 patients (47 in the pandemic period and 53 in the post-pandemic period), the time from symptom onset to diagnosis was significantly shorter in the post-pandemic period (median of 24 days versus 40 days; p < 0.01). The microbiological etiology shifted from a predominance of staphylococci during the pandemic to a more balanced distribution of enterococci and streptococci in the post-pandemic period (p = 0.03). In-hospital mortality decreased significantly from 51.1% to 24.5% (p = 0.007), and survival improved from 48.9% to 75.5% (p = 0.007). Embolic events were more frequent in the post-pandemic period (62.3% vs. 38.3%; p = 0.028). Vegetation size was associated with embolic risk (OR: 1.05 per mm; p < 0.01). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with delayed presentation and worse outcomes in IE. Post-pandemic improvements likely reflect healthcare system adaptation and earlier diagnosis. Microbiological etiology remains a key determinant of prognosis.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy represents a well established treatment for heart failure patients, recommended for those with severely depressed left ventricular systolic function and left bundle branch block. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between electrocardiographic changes, clinical, functional, and demographic parameters with the improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction after resynchronization therapy. Another focus of this study was to identify which parameters have predictive value for better patient selection and proper resynchronization strategy. Methods: The study included 69 patients who underwent cardiac resynchronization therapy in our center. The parameters were monitored at 4 different key moments: before the procedure and at 6, 9 and 12 months after procedure. Results: There was a significant improvement in the ejection fraction, which reached a peak at the 12-month follow-up. The value of atrial natriuretic factor precursor was negatively associated with the evolution of ejection fraction. QRS duration and left ventricular enddiastolic volume correlate with improvement in ejection fraction. Newer variables, such as the QRS area, the R wave amplitude in the right precordial leads, the QS duration, the percentage of biventricular pacing, and the intraprocedural blood pressure, were examined for their potential association with cardiac resynchronization therapy outcomes. However, the presence or absence of significant correlations with ejection fraction improvement requires further analysis. Conclusion: Cardiac resynchronization induces cardiac remodeling, leading to echocardiographic and quality of life improvements. It also provides electrical improvements and correct ventricular dyssynchrony. Patients with narrower QRS durations after CRT experienced a rise in the ejection fraction based on higher rates of reverse remodeling.

Introduction: Infective endocarditis (IE) remains associated with high mortality, and the optimal timing of surgery in patients without an urgent indication remains uncertain. We evaluated the association between surgical timing and in-hospital mortality. Methods: We retrospectively studied 100 adults with definite IE admitted during 2020–2025 at a tertiary care centre in Bucharest, Romania. The ECHO score incorporated aetiology, blood culture time to positivity, vegetation size, and embolisation or surgical indication. Surgical timing was categorised as study-specific descriptive bins: 14 days after hospital admission. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Results: Eighty-two patients had a surgical indication (51 non-urgent and 31 urgent), and 60 underwent surgery. In the pooled indicated cohort, crude mortality was 56.0% at 14 days, and 36.4% with no surgery despite indication (p = 0.123). Among patients with a non-urgent indication, mortality was 25.0% (3/12), 25.0% (2/8), 26.7% (4/15), and 25.0% (4/16), respectively, showing no apparent favourable timing interval. Mortality across ECHO score strata 0–1, 2, and 3–4 was non-monotonic (31.8%, 47.6%, and 27.8%); the continuous score showed negligible correlation with mortality (r = −0.05) and an AUC of 0.466 (95% CI 0.353–0.575). Conclusions: Crude mortality differed across timing categories when urgent and non-urgent indications were pooled, whereas mortality was similar across timing categories in the non-urgent subgroup. These timing categories are descriptive and cannot identify a favourable or optimal surgical window or support causal treatment comparisons.

Introduction: Infective endocarditis (IE) remains associated with high mortality, and the optimal timing of surgery in patients without an urgent indication remains uncertain. We evaluated the association between surgical timing, in-hospital mortality, and a study-specific ECHO risk score. Methods: We retrospectively studied 100 adults with definite IE treated at a tertiary care center in Bucharest, Romania. The ECHO score incorporated etiology, blood culture time to positivity, vegetation size, and embolization or surgical indication. Surgical timing was categorized as < 7 days, 7–14 days, or >14 days after hospital admission. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Results: Eighty-two patients had a surgical indication, and 60 underwent surgery. Mortality was lowest after surgery at 7–14 days (23.1%), compared with >14 days (27.3%), no surgery despite indication (36.4%), and < 7 days (56.0%) (p = 0.123). Among patients with a non-urgent surgical indication, intermediate-risk patients had the lowest mortality after surgery at 7–14 days (25%), whereas no deaths occurred among surgically treated high-risk patients. ECHO risk category was not associated with mortality (p = 0.165). Conclusions: Surgery at 7–14 days was associated with the lowest observed mortality. These exploratory findings require confirmation in larger prospective studies.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology, microbiology, clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of infective endocarditis (IE). Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including 100 adult patients with definite IE diagnosed between January 2020 and December 2025 at a Romanian tertiary care centre. Patients were stratified by year of admission into pandemic (2020–2022) and post-pandemic (2023–2025) groups. Results: Among the 100 patients (47 in the pandemic period and 53 in the post-pandemic period), the time from symptom onset to diagnosis was significantly shorter in the post-pandemic period (median of 24 days versus 40 days; p < 0.01). We observed changes in the microbiological profile. The proportion of staphylococcal IE was lower, while the proportions of enterococcal and streptococcal IE were slightly higher in the post-pandemic period. In-hospital mortality decreased significantly from 51.1% to 24.5% (p = 0.006). Embolic events were more frequent in the post-pandemic period (62.3% vs. 39.1%; p = 0.022). Vegetation size was associated with embolic risk (OR: 1.05 per mm; p < 0.01). Pandemic-period admission (aOR 3.11; p = 0.020) and sepsis (aOR 11.30; p = 0.006) were independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with delayed presentation and worse outcomes in IE. Post-pandemic improvements likely reflect healthcare system adaptation and earlier diagnosis. Microbiological aetiology remains a key determinant of prognosis.