Frozen Elephant Trunk: 20-Year Aortic Dissection Outcomes 01/31/26
Welcome to Cardiology Today â Recorded January 31, 2026. This episode summarizes 5 key cardiology studies on topics like heart failure endpoints and long-term outcomes. Key takeaway: Frozen Elephant Trunk: 20-Year Aortic Dissection Outcomes.
Article Links:
Article 1: DAPK2 Regulates PKM2 Phosphorylation at Threonine 45 to Facilitate Disturbed Flow-Induced Atherosclerosis. (Circulation)
Article 2: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in adults with congenital heart disease. (European heart journal)
Article 3: Frozen elephant trunk for acute type A aortic dissection: long-term outcomes over two decades. (European heart journal)
Article 4: Heart Failure Endpoints in FDA Pivotal Trials. (European heart journal)
Article 5: Invasive mold infection in heart transplant recipients: a nationwide multicenter matched case-control study between 2008 and 2022 in France. (American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons)
Full episode page: https://podcast.explainheart.com/podcast/frozen-elephant-trunk-20-year-aortic-dissection-outcomes-01-31-26/
đ Featured Articles
Article 1: DAPK2 Regulates PKM2 Phosphorylation at Threonine 45 to Facilitate Disturbed Flow-Induced Atherosclerosis.
Journal: Circulation
PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41614276
Summary: This study found that death-associated protein kinase 2 regulates pyruvate kinase M2 phosphorylation at threonine 45. This regulation facilitates disturbed flow-induced atherosclerosis, a process initiated by oscillatory shear stress. The data clarify a crucial molecular mechanism by which oscillatory shear stress leads to endothelial cell activation and atherosclerotic plaque formation. This provides novel understanding of the precise pathways contributing to vascular disease.
Article 2: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in adults with congenital heart disease.
Journal: European heart journal
PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41614664
Summary: This retrospective multicenter cohort study determined the prevalence, characteristics, and hospitalization burden of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction among adults with congenital heart disease. The study included 4507 adults with congenital heart disease who had biventricular heart physiology and a systemic left ventricle. Results offered detailed insights into the clinical profile of this patient population and the specific impact of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction on hospitalizations. This clarifies the extent and nature of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction within this complex patient group.
Article 3: Frozen elephant trunk for acute type A aortic dissection: long-term outcomes over two decades.
Journal: European heart journal
PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41614598
Summary: This study evaluated the early and long-term outcomes of the frozen elephant trunk and total arch replacement technique in 850 patients with acute type A aortic dissection. The patient cohort, treated between April 2003 and December 2014, had a mean age of 46.5 years; 19.9 percent were women, and 136 patients presented with malperfusion syndrome. The findings provided definitive data on the efficacy and durability of this aggressive surgical approach for acute type A aortic dissection over two decades. This demonstrates the long-term clinical profile and safety of extended arch repair in this complex patient population.
Article 4: Heart Failure Endpoints in FDA Pivotal Trials.
Journal: European heart journal
PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41614592
Summary: D. A. Pivotal Trials. This analysis found that traditional heart failure medication approval, based on reducing cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization, is evolving. Expanding use of effective medicines has successfully reduced hospitalization and mortality rates, making incremental improvements in these “hard” outcomes more challenging to demonstrate. Consequently, endpoints capturing how patients feel or function are becoming increasingly important and attractive for new medicine development and efficacy assessment in F. D. A. pivotal trials. This shift reflects the changing landscape of heart failure treatment and impacts the design of future clinical trials for new therapies.
Article 5: Invasive mold infection in heart transplant recipients: a nationwide multicenter matched case-control study between 2008 and 2022 in France.
Journal: American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons
PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41616977
Summary: This nationwide multicenter matched case-control study identified updated risk factors and outcomes for invasive mold infections in heart transplant recipients. Researchers included 120 probable or proven cases of invasive mold infection, matched to 120 control patients, from 14 French centers between 2008 and 2022. The study utilized conditional logistic regression to pinpoint specific risk factors for infection, providing current epidemiological data. It offers crucial insights for improving patient management and preventive strategies for these severe post-transplant complications.
đ Transcript
Today’s date is January 31, 2026. Welcome to Cardiology Today. Here are the latest research findings.
Article number one. DAPK2 Regulates PKM2 Phosphorylation at Threonine 45 to Facilitate Disturbed Flow-Induced Atherosclerosis. This study found that death-associated protein kinase 2 regulates pyruvate kinase M2 phosphorylation at threonine 45. This regulation facilitates disturbed flow-induced atherosclerosis, a process initiated by oscillatory shear stress. The data clarify a crucial molecular mechanism by which oscillatory shear stress leads to endothelial cell activation and atherosclerotic plaque formation. This provides novel understanding of the precise pathways contributing to vascular disease.
Article number two. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in adults with congenital heart disease. This retrospective multicenter cohort study determined the prevalence, characteristics, and hospitalization burden of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction among adults with congenital heart disease. The study included 4507 adults with congenital heart disease who had biventricular heart physiology and a systemic left ventricle. Results offered detailed insights into the clinical profile of this patient population and the specific impact of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction on hospitalizations. This clarifies the extent and nature of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction within this complex patient group.
Article number three. Frozen elephant trunk for acute type A aortic dissection: long-term outcomes over two decades. This study evaluated the early and long-term outcomes of the frozen elephant trunk and total arch replacement technique in 850 patients with acute type A aortic dissection. The patient cohort, treated between April 2003 and December 2014, had a mean age of 46.5 years; 19.9 percent were women, and 136 patients presented with malperfusion syndrome. The findings provided definitive data on the efficacy and durability of this aggressive surgical approach for acute type A aortic dissection over two decades. This demonstrates the long-term clinical profile and safety of extended arch repair in this complex patient population.
Article number four. Heart Failure Endpoints in F. D. A. Pivotal Trials. This analysis found that traditional heart failure medication approval, based on reducing cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization, is evolving. Expanding use of effective medicines has successfully reduced hospitalization and mortality rates, making incremental improvements in these “hard” outcomes more challenging to demonstrate. Consequently, endpoints capturing how patients feel or function are becoming increasingly important and attractive for new medicine development and efficacy assessment in F. D. A. pivotal trials. This shift reflects the changing landscape of heart failure treatment and impacts the design of future clinical trials for new therapies.
Article number five. Invasive mold infection in heart transplant recipients: a nationwide multicenter matched case-control study between 2008 and 2022 in France. This nationwide multicenter matched case-control study identified updated risk factors and outcomes for invasive mold infections in heart transplant recipients. Researchers included 120 probable or proven cases of invasive mold infection, matched to 120 control patients, from 14 French centers between 2008 and 2022. The study utilized conditional logistic regression to pinpoint specific risk factors for infection, providing current epidemiological data. It offers crucial insights for improving patient management and preventive strategies for these severe post-transplant complications.
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đ Keywords
heart failure endpoints, long-term outcomes, endothelial cell activation, frozen elephant trunk, atherosclerosis, hospitalization burden, risk factors, pyruvate kinase M2, heart failure hospitalization, biventricular physiology, oscillatory shear stress, patient reported outcomes, case-control study, congenital heart disease, heart failure prevalence, acute type A aortic dissection, post-transplant complications, cardiovascular mortality, Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction, invasive mold infection, total arch replacement, extended arch repair, death-associated protein kinase 2, heart transplantation, F. D. A. trials.
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Concise summaries of cardiovascular research for professionals.
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