We aimed to evaluate the relationship between mitral annular disjunction (MAD) severity and myocardial interstitial fibrosis at the left ventricular (LV) base in patients with mitral valve prolapse (MVP), and to assess the association between severity of interstitial fibrosis and the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmic events. In MVP, MAD has been associated with myocardial replacement fibrosis and arrhythmia, but the importance of interstitial fibrosis remains unknown. In this retrospective study, 30 patients with MVP and MAD (MVP–MAD) underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) with assessment of MAD length, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), and basal segments myocardial extracellular volume (ECVsyn). The control group included 14 patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) but no MAD (MR-NoMAD) and 10 patients with normal CMR (NoMR-NoMAD). Fifteen MVP–MAD patients underwent 24 h-Holter monitoring. LGE was observed in 47% of MVP–MAD patients and was absent in all controls. ECVsyn was higher in MVP–MAD (30 ± 3% vs 24 ± 3% MR-NoMAD, p < 0.001 and vs 24 ± 2% NoMR-NoMAD, p < 0.001), even in MVP–MAD patients without LGE (29 ± 3% vs 24 ± 3%, p < 0.001 and vs 24 ± 2%, p < 0.001, respectively). MAD length correlated with ECVsyn (rho = 0.61, p < 0.001), but not with LGE extent. Four patients had history of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; LGE and ECVsyn were equally performant to identify those high-risk patients, area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve 0.81 vs 0.83, p = 0.84). Among patients with Holter, 87% had complex ventricular arrhythmia. ECVsyn was above the cut-off value in all while only 53% had LGE. Increase in ECVsyn, a marker of interstitial fibrosis, occurs in MVP–MAD even in the absence of LGE, and was correlated with MAD length and increased risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. ECV should be includedin the CMR examination of MVP patients in an effort to better assess fibrous remodelling as it may provide additional value beyond the assessment of LGE in the arrhythmic risk stratification.

The use of stress perfusion-cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging remains limited in patients with implantable devices. The primary goal of the study was to assess the safety, image quality, and the diagnostic value of stress perfusion-CMR in patients with MR-conditional transvenous permanent pacemakers (PPM) or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD). Consecutive patients with a transvenous PPM or ICD referred for adenosine stress-CMR were enrolled in this single-center longitudinal study. The CMR protocol was performed using a 1.5 T system according to current guidelines while all devices were put in MR-mode. Quality of cine, late-gadolinium-enhancement (LGE), and stress perfusion sequences were assessed. An ischemia burden of ≥ 1.5 segments was considered significant. We assessed the safety, image quality and the occurrence of interference of the magnetic field with the implantable device. In case of ischemia, we also assessed the correlation with the presence of significant coronary lesions on coronary angiography. Among 3743 perfusion-CMR examinations, 66 patients had implantable devices (1.7%). Image quality proved diagnostic in 98% of cases. No device damage or malfunction was reported immediately and at 1 year. Fifty patients were continuously paced during CMR. Heart rate and systolic blood pressure remained unchanged during adenosine stress, while diastolic blood pressure decreased (p = 0.007). Six patients (9%) had an ischemia-positive stress CMR and significant coronary stenoses were confirmed by coronary angiography in all cases. Stress perfusion-CMR is safe, allows reliable ischemia detection, and provides good diagnostic value.

Background: Fasting before elective or nonurgent coronary angiography is commonly recommended to reduce the risk of adverse events, such as aspiration pneumonia. This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of fasting versus nonfasting protocols on patient outcomes and satisfaction. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for randomized clinical trials comparing fasting and nonfasting states before cardiac catheterization. The primary outcome was a composite of adverse events including pneumonia, hypoglycemia, and nausea/vomiting. Secondary outcomes included individual adverse events and patient satisfaction. For each binary outcome we estimated crude event probabilities for each treatment arm. Next, we pooled study‐specific results in meta‐analyses using odds ratio (OR) and risk difference as effect measures for binary outcomes and standardized mean difference for satisfaction. Results: We identified 8 randomized clinical trials, including a total of 3147 patients. Our meta‐analysis showed no evidence of a difference in the incidence of composite adverse events between fasting and nonfasting groups in ORs (OR, 1.08, [95% CI, 0.78–1.51], where OR<1 favors fasting). The crude event probabilities were 4.9% and 4.4% for fasting and nonfasting groups respectively, with an estimated risk difference =0.4% (−1.1% to 1.8%), where risk difference <0 favors fasting. Patient satisfaction was found higher in nonfasting protocols, standardized mean difference 0.62 (0.11–1.13). Conclusion: Our meta‐analysis found no evidence that fasting before elective coronary angiography reduces adverse events. However, we found evidence that fasting reduces patient satisfaction. These findings question the necessity of fasting protocols in this context. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024595465 ; Unique identifier: CRD42024595465.

Background/Objectives: Among patients with suspected severe aortic stenosis (AS), discordance between effective orifice area (EOA) and transvalvular gradients is frequent and requires a multiparametric workup including flow assessment and calcium-scoring to confirm true severe AS. The aim of this study was to assess direct planimetry, energy loss index (Eli) and dimensionless index (DI) as stand-alone parameters to identify non-severe AS in discordant cases. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we included consecutive AS patients > 70 years with EOA < 1.0 cm² referred for valve replacement between 2014 and 2017. AS severity was retrospectively reassessed using the multiparametric work-up recommended in the 2021 ESC/EACTS guidelines. DI and ELi were calculated, and valve area was measured by direct planimetry on transesophageal echocardiography. Results: A total of 101 patients (mean age 82 y; 57% male) were included. Discordance between EOA and gradients was observed in 46% and non-severe AS found in 24% despite an EOA < 1 cm². Valve planimetry performed poorly, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.64. At a cut-off value of >0.82 cm², sensitivity and specificity to identify non-severe AS were 67 and 66%, respectively. DI and ELi showed a higher diagnostic accuracy, with an AUC of 0.77 and 0.76, respectively. Cut-off values of >0.24 and >0.6 cm²/m² identified non-severe AS, with a high specificity of 79% and 91%, respectively. Conclusions: Almost one in four patients with EOA < 1 cm² had non-severe AS according to guideline-recommended multiparametric assessment. Direct valve planimetry revealed poor diagnostic accuracy and should be interpreted with caution. Usual prognostic cut-off values for DI > 0.24 and ELI > 0.6 cm²/m² identified non-severe AS with high specificity and should therefore be included in the assessment of low-gradient AS.

Thanks to impressive advances in the field of oncology over the last 30 years, there has been a significant rise in cancer survivors. Nowadays, cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in this patient population. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major problem due to shared risk factors, an aging population and in many cases induced and/or accelerated atherosclerosis by antitumoral treatment during and even decades after the end of cancer therapy. Furthermore, the presence of CAD or valvular heart disease (VHD) at the time point of cancer diagnosis largely increases the risk of any cancer therapy‐related cardiovascular toxicity (CTR‐CVT). It is therefore of utmost importance to detect CAD and VHD before, during, and after certain types of chemotherapy, target therapies, and radiotherapy. Multimodality cardiovascular imaging plays a central role in this vulnerable population where individual risk stratification and multidisciplinary decision‐making are critical.

Since the publication of the first Swiss recommendations on systemic light-chain amyloidosis in 2020, treatment strategies have evolved. As a result of the third joint meeting of the Swiss Amyloidosis Network, a multidisciplinary and multicentre Swiss clinical consortium, in 2024, recommendations for the treatment of light-chain amyloidosis were updated. They discuss the role of the new standard first-line protocol Daratumumab, Cyclophosphamide, Bortezomib, Dexamethasone (Dara-CyBorD), the timing and indication of high-dose treatment and potential second-line strategies as well as emerging treatment options, with a special focus on multidisciplinary supportive care measures. The update represents a synopsis of current evidence and expert consensus and intends to provide general treatment guidance tailored to the Swiss healthcare system. Nonetheless, treatment decisions should always be personalised and involve a multidisciplinary approach. This update replaces the previous “therapeutic recommendations” while the previous “diagnostic recommendations” remain valid.