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Background The mechanisms explaining the clinical benefits of ferric carboximaltose (FCM) in patients with heart failure, reduced or intermediate left ventricular ejection fraction, and iron deficiency remain not fully clarified. The Myocardial-IRON trial showed short-term cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) changes suggesting myocardial iron repletion following administration of FCM but failed to find a significant increase in left ventricular ejection fraction in the whole sample. Conversely, the strain assessment could evaluate more specifically subtle changes in contractility. In this subanalysis, we aimed to evaluate the effect of FCM on the short-term left and right ventricular CMR feature tracking derived strain. Methods and Results This is a post hoc subanalysis of the double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial that enrolled 53 ambulatory patients with heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction

AIMS: Heart failure (HF) is a proinflammatory disease often associated with the onset of iron deficiency (ID). ID alters mitochondrial function, reducing the generation of cellular energy in skeletal muscle and cardiomyocytes. This study aimed to analyse the response of patients with HF to intravenous iron administration according to the type of HF: preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) or reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a retrospective, single-centre study of 565 consecutive outpatients diagnosed with HF, recruited over 5 years, who were given intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) for the treatment of ID [defined as ferritin 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous iron administration appeared to improve ejection fraction and cardiac functional status in outpatients with ID and HF with both preserved and reduced ejection fraction.

The purpose of the study was to analyze postcardiac transplant complications in patients who received transplants with short-term mechanical ventricular assist devices and to compare complications according to the type of device.

Noninvasive detection of primary graft dysfunction (PGD) remains a major challenge. SERCA2a plays an important role in cardiac homeostasis and its dysregulation has been associated with ventricular dysfunction and rejection. This study aimed to determine the potential utility of plasma levels of SERCA2a as a biomarker of PGD.

INTRODUCTION: The most common symptom in heart failure (HF) is congestion, which can be refractory to diuretic treatment. AIM: To verify whether, in patients with advanced HF and diuretic resistance, subcutaneous furosemide or furosemide in an oral solution can improve the clinical-analytical status. METHODS: From 2018 to 2020, 27 consecutive outpatients with diuretic resistance, not candidates for other alternatives, were recruited. Patients were treated either with subcutaneous furosemide in elastomeric pump (n: 10) or with oral solution (n: 17) for 5 days. RESULTS: The functional status (NYHA) improved with subcutaneous administration (predose: 3.8 ± 0.5 vs. postdose: 3.1 ± 0.7; p: 0.02) and oral solution (predose: 3.7 ± 0.3 vs. postdose: 2.5 ± 0.7; p: 0.0001). Weight loss was greater with the oral solution (predose: 85.5 ± 19.5 vs. postdose: 81.3 ± 18.8Kg; p: 0.0001) than subcutaneous (predose: 81.6 ± 15.9 vs. postdose: 80.4 ± 15.1kg; p: 0.16). Creatinine showed a non-significant increase in both groups. The number of hospital visits showed no difference between both options. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of furosemide, both subcutaneously by elastomeric pump or drinking the oral solution, is effective for the treatment of congestion in advanced HF refractory to diuretic treatment.

Imaging is important in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with heart failure (HF). Several thoracic radiological features have been described in these patients. The nodules with halo sign are very rarely reported in HF patients. This sign can appear in several diseases and a clinical context is essential for a final diagnosis.

The study of gender differences may lead into improvement in patient care. We have aimed to identify the gender differences in heart transplantation (HT) of adult HT recipients in Spain and their evolution in a study covering the years 1993-2017 in which 6740 HT (20.6% in women) were performed. HT indication rate per million inhabitants was lower in women, remaining basically unchanged during the 25-year study period. HT rate was higher in men, although this decreased over the 25-year study period. Type of heart disease differed in men versus women (p

The present report describes the clinical characteristics and outcomes of heart transplants in Spain and updates the data to 2019.

Introduction and objectives: The present report updates the clinical characteristics and outcomes of heart transplant in Spain to 2018. Methods: Prospective registry of all the heart transplants performed between 1984 and 2018 in Spain. Specifically, temporal trends in clinical characteristics and outcomes are described for the period from 2009 to 2017. Results: In 2018, 321 transplants were performed (8494 since 1984; 2719 between 2009 and 2018). Compared with the previous year, the number of transplants performed in 2018 rose by 52% in recipients younger than 16 years and by 42% in those older than 60 years. In the last decade, significant temporal trends were observed in recipient characteristics (better pretransplant renal function, higher rates of diabetes, more urgent transplants, and greater use of pretrasplant circulatory support, particularly ventricular assist devices), donor characteristics (higher donor age, more female donors, and higher frequencies of cerebrovascular cause of death and predonation cardiac arrest and lower ischemia time). Survival significantly improved in the last decade, mainly due to lower mortality due to primary graft failure. Conclusions: The number of heart transplants is increasing in Spain, with a progressive improvement in survival. (C) 2019 Sociedad Espanola de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Background Anticoagulation in heart transplant (HT) recipients increases the risk of hemorrhagic complications, so correct reversal of anticoagulation is needed. Dabigatran, a direct thrombin inhibitor, is increasingly used for anticoagulation in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) whose effect can be reversed by idarucizumab. Aim To present a nationwide experience using idarucizumab for the urgent reversal of dabigatran before HT. Methods Multicenter observational study in 12 Spanish centers to analyze the clinical outcomes after using idarucizumab before HT surgery. Results Fifty-three patients were included (81.1% male). 7.5% required re-operation in the immediate postoperative period to control bleeding and 66% transfusion of blood products. Median length of stay in the intensive care unit was 6 days and total hospital stay 24 days. 30-day survival was 92.4%. There were four deaths in the first month, all in the first 5 days post-HT. Only in one patient (transplanted due to a congenital heart disease, after sternotomy) who had surgical problems and right ventricular failure post-HT death was associated with bleeding. Conclusions These results may support the use of dabigatran as an alternative to vitamin K antagonists in patients listed for HT requiring anticoagulation due to NVAF. More studies are needed to reaffirm these observations.