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Background Stress-induced Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is an acute cardiac syndrome, mimics ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), largely confined to postmenopausal women, frequently precipitated by a stressful event. The pathogenesis of TTC is still unknown. Some authors hypothesized a possible connection between TTC and anxiety disease, but no previous study analyzed the relationship between anxiety trait and TTC. This study sought to assess the potential role of anxiety trait in the development and clinical course of TTC. Methods We included in the present prospective casecontrol study 50 consecutive patients admitted to our Hospital with a diagnosis of TTC according to the Mayo Clinic criteria. Fifty control patients with anterior STEMI matched for clinical characteristics such as age, gender, and hypertension were selected. During the hospitalization, all patients were asked to complete the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scale for measuring self-reported trait anxiety (Trait-A). Outcome measures at follow-up were death, TTC recurrence, and rehospitalization. Results The mean value of STAI scale was 46 ± 12 in TTC patients and 45 ± 14 in STEMI patients (p = 0.815). High-anxiety trait (STAI scale value C 40) was documented in 30 (60%) TTC patients and in 26 (52%) STEMI patients (p = 0.387). At multivariate analysis, predictors of TTC were lower peak creatine kinase value (HR 0.999; 95% CI 0.998-0.999; p = 0.018) and an antecedent stressful trigger event (HR 45.487;; p = 0.001), but anxiety trait was not. There were no differences in outcome measures between TTC patients with or without high-anxiety trait. Conclusion In TTC patients, high-anxiety trait is a common finding but it is not significantly more frequent than in patients with STEMI. Moreover, a high-anxiety trait seems to be neither associated with a worse clinical outcome nor a predictor of TTC. Our study do not support the routine evaluation of anxiety trait in patients with TTC.

Despite optimal epicardial recanalization, primary angioplasty for STEMI is still associated with suboptimal reperfusion in a relatively large proportion of patients. The aim the current study was to evaluate the impact of preprocedural TIMI flow on myocardial scintigraphic infarct size among STEMI undergoing primary angioplasty. Our population is represented by 793 STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI. Infarct size was evaluated at 30 days by technetium-99m-sestamibi. Poor preprocedural TIMI flow (TIMI 0-1) was observed in 645 patients (81.3%). Poor preprocedural TIMI flow was associated with more hypercholesterolemia (p = 0.012), and a trend in lower prevalence of diabetes (p = 0.081). Preprocedural TIMI flow significantly affected scintigraphic and enzymatic infarct size. Similar findings were observed in the analysis restricted to patients with postprocedural TIMI 3 flow. The impact of preprocedural TIMI flow on scintigraphic infarct size was confirmed when the analysis was performed according to the percentage of patients above the median (p < 0.001) and after adjustment for baseline confounding factors (Hypercholesterolemia and diabetes) [adjusted OR (95% CI) for pre preprocedural TIMI 3 flow = 0.59 (0.46-0.75), p < 0.001]. This study shows that among patients with STEMI undergoing primary angioplasty, poor preprocedural TIMI flow is independently associated with larger infarct size.

Background: Several reports have shown that in patient with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) longer ischemia time is associated with impaired reperfusion and higher mortality. However, there is still some doubts with regards time to reperfusion role in patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Therefore, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of time-totreatment on infarct size as evaluated by myocardial scintigraphy in a large cohort of STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI. Methods: Our population is represented by 830 STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI. Infarct size was evaluated at 30 days by technetium-99m-sestamibi. Conclusions: This study shows in a large population of STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI that time-totreatment is linearly associated with infarct size.

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In supra-annular AVR, LVOT retains its elliptical shape and LVOT yielded larger prosthesis EOA with lower PPM incidence. PPM may be overestimated by EOA .

Objectives To analyze how left ventricular (LV) remodeling and hypertrophy geometry evolve after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in octogenarian patients, and identify potential sex‐related differences and implications for long‐term outcomes. Methods In 170 patients with aortic stenosis ([AS], age 80 ± 4 years, 59% women), hypertrophy geometry and remodeling (LV index) were reanalyzed one year post‐SAVR. The six‐year outcomes were evaluated. Results Pre‐SAVR, 65% of the women and 38.6% of the men (P < .001) showed adaptive remodeling. Concentric hypertrophy was prevalent in adaptive remodeling, and mixed and dilated hypertrophy were more prevalent in maladaptive remodeling. At one year, the remodeling patterns and sex distribution were similar to those observed pre‐SAVR, but the LV index decreased in women and increased in men (P < .0001). Women with adaptive remodeling had a higher incidence of persistent concentric hypertrophy with higher LV filling pressures. Long‐term survival was better in women and worse in men with adaptive remodeling (P = .039). Men with adaptive remodeling and men with concentric hypertrophy had the highest risk of cardiac death. This risk was similar between sexes for patients with maladaptive remodeling and dilated hypertrophy. Women with LV ejection fraction >55% had a lower risk of cardiac death than men. Conclusions The long‐term outcomes of SAVR differ between sexes in older patients with AS and adaptive LV remodeling. The LV index facilitates studying the pathways of adaptation to AS. The follow‐up shifts help explain the sex differences in long‐term outcomes post‐SAVR. Concentric hypertrophy is associated with the highest risk of cardiac death in men.