Calcific aortic stenosis (AS) is marked by leaflet stiffening and narrowing of the aortic valve (AV) orifice. Severe AS is clinically defined by mean transvalvular pressure drop (ΔP) ≥ 40 mmHg and aortic valve area (AVA) ≤ 1.0 cm2. Aortic root (AR) phantoms were developed to mimic the hemodynamic features of calcific AS. A parametric AR geometry was reconstructed from computed tomography angiography of patients with AV stenosis. Phantoms were fabricated via silicone casting over 3D-printed molds, varying two parameters: calcium phosphate content (50 vs. 100 mg) and AV free-margin incision (50 vs. 100
Anastomotic stricture (AS) is a common late complication after esophagectomy. Evidence guiding endoscopic escalation (“step-up”) and the risk of post-treatment recurrence remains limited. We assessed clinical, surgical, and procedural determinants of (i) need for step-up therapy and (ii) recurrence after initial endoscopic success. We conducted a multicenter retrospective study at two tertiary centers in Milan (2014–2024). Adults with naïve post-esophagectomy AS underwent standardized endoscopic management (bougie or pneumatic dilatation with predefined step-up options: incision therapy, stenting, steroid injection). Outcomes included technical (TS) and clinical success (CS), safety, rates of step-up and recurrence, and uni/multivariable predictors of change of strategy and recurrence. Among 1729 esophagectomies, 61 patients (3.5
Data on the association of previous cardiac surgery (PCS) with outcomes following tricuspid valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of PCS on outcomes after T-TEER. This analysis included patients from the EuroTR registry (European Registry of Transcatheter Repair for Tricuspid Regurgitation; NCT0630726) who underwent T-TEER for clinically relevant tricuspid regurgitation (TR) between 2016 and 2024 and had available information on cardiac surgical history. Study endpoints were procedural TR reduction, improvement in NYHA functional class, all-cause mortality, and the composite of death or heart failure hospitalization (HFH) at 2 years. Among 2929 patients, 27.2
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) with C1 inhibitor deficiency is a rare disease characterized by unpredictable episodes of tissue swelling (angioedema), which, in most cases, occur first under the age of 18 years, and entail a significant burden of disease not only for the patients but also for their families. Clinical symptoms of HAE are not specific, which may cause difficulties in differential diagnosis. Additionally, if not appropriately treated, HAE attacks can be life-threatening. The international HAE guidelines published so far have focused mainly on adults. A guideline that refers to the age-specific characteristics of pediatric patients, both in terms of diagnosis and management, was therefore needed. The International Steering Committee and Taskforce developed recommendations and provided evidence-based grading based on expert opinion and strength of evidence. Recommendations were presented to, discussed, and electronically voted by healthcare professionals during the 14th C1 Inhibitor Deficiency and Angioedema Workshop in Budapest, Hungary, 2025. This international guideline will ensure early diagnosis, standardized and up-to-date treatment, and promote the availability of effective therapies for all pediatric patients affected with this rare disease. It also draws attention to the importance of establishing HAE centers and registries, which solicit specialist care and research of the disease.
It is unknown whether the historical survival disadvantage of African American metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) patients persists in abiraterone and androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs) eras. In Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (2017–2021), African American and Caucasian mPCa patients aged 40–80 years treated across abiraterone (2017–2018) and ARPI (2019–2021) eras were identified. Age- and sex-matched controls were generated (Social Security Administration life tables and Monte Carlo simulation). Years of life lost (YLL) were quantified for mPCa patients and controls. Subsequently, propensity score matching (PSM) and multivariable competing-risks regression (CRR) models were used. In abiraterone era, YLL were 8.1 in African Americans vs. 5.4 in Caucasians (Δ: 2.7). In ARPI era, YLL were 4.6 in African Americans vs. 2.6 in Caucasians (Δ: 2.0). The 24-months cancer-specific mortality (CSM) was 30.3
