Scharf, Eugene

Abstract Background Cardiac papillary fibroelastoma (PFE) is the most common benign primary cardiac tumor. Despite their benign pathology, PFEs pose a significant embolic risk, which can lead to severe neurological sequelae. However, subclinical or silent emboli often go undetected, presenting a diagnostic challenge. This study aims to assess the prevalence of silent emboli in patients with pathology-proven PFEs using brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods We conducted a retrospective review of 385 cases of pathology-confirmed PFEs. Inclusion criteria was those with brain MRI performed within 5 years of surgical resection of the PFE and no clinical neurological events. Patients with a history of symptomatic cerebral infarction (stroke or TIA) were excluded. Patient demographics and PFE imaging features were analyzed by two cardiologists experienced in cardiac tumors. Clinical neurological data, and MRI findings were analyzed by two neurologists with expertise in cerebrovascular disease. Results Out of 385 patients, 132 underwent brain MRI. In the entire cohort, 105/385 patients (27%) experienced clinically overt embolic events. After excluding patients with symptomatic cerebral infarctions and MRI scans older than 5 years, 27 patients (mean age: 71±9.6, gender: 66% female) met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 8 patients (30%) showed signs of silent infarctions on MRI, with 4 (15%) displaying findings consistent with cerebral infarction highly suggestive for embolic source. Conclusion This study underscores the substantial risk of silent cerebral embolic events in patients with PFE. The limited availability of MRI data, largely attributable to the absence of standardized neuroimaging protocols, indicates that the true prevalence of silent embolization in this population is likely underestimated. Given the propensity of PFE to generate clinically silent emboli, systematic cerebral MRI should be strongly considered as part of the diagnostic assessment of patients with cardiac masses, irrespective of neurological symptoms. Early identification of subclinical cerebrovascular lesions may facilitate timely therapeutic decision-making and secondary prevention strategies, thereby reducing the risk of future symptomatic and potentially disabling ischemic strokes.

Abstract Background and aims Patient foramen ovale (PFO) is a stroke risk factor evaluated using transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE), transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD), and cardiac computed tomography (CCT). TCD is non-invasive, but its diagnostic performance relative to other modalities is unclear. We hypothesized that TCD has high sensitivity but low specificity for PFO detection. Methods We conducted an IRB-approved, single-center retrospective study of patients undergoing TCD for right-to-left shunt (RLS) detection between January 2024 and April 2025. Patients were identified from the Neurosonology Laboratory Quality Database. Records were reviewed for demographics, comorbidities, and TTE, TEE, and CCT findings. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated for TCD, TTE, and CCT relative to TEE, the gold standard. The sensitivity and specificity of TCD versus TTE were compared using McNemar test. Results Ninety-two patients were included. Mean age was 52.66 ± 15.78 years, and 51% were female; qualifying events included ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. RLS was detected in 53 patients (57.6%) by TCD, 17 (30%) by TTE, 18 (28.5%) by TEE, and 3 (21%) by CCT. TCD demonstrated 94% sensitivity and 53% specificity, (PPV 66%, NPV 89%). TTE showed 50% sensitivity and 82% specificity (PPV: 75%, NPV 61%), while CCT showed 33% sensitivity and 100% specificity (PPV 100%, NPV 33.3%). TCD had significantly higher sensitivity than TTE for RLS detection (p=0.039) with a non-significant difference in specificity (p=0.062), using TEE as the reference. Conclusions TCD has high sensitivity for RLS detection in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. Conflict of interest Rachel Knopp: nothing to disclose; Kelly Flemming: nothing to disclose; Eugene Scharf: nothing to disclose; Zafer Keser: nothing to disclose; Jessica Prink: nothing to disclose; Shari Johnson: nothing to disclose; Guy Reeder: nothing to disclose; Robert Brown: nothing to disclose; William Harmsen: nothing to disclose; Muhib Khan: nothing to disclose Table 1 - belongs to Results

ABSTRACTIntroductionConventional weight‐loss strategies often result in inadequate fat loss, poor sustainability, and unintended lean mass loss. Prolonged water‐only fasting followed by dietary change may offer an effective alternative, but its impact on body composition remains underexplored.MethodsThis secondary analysis utilized dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess changes in fat‐free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), and bone mineral content (BMC) in adults [median (IQR) age: 62 (15) years with overweight or obesity. Participants underwent a median (IQR) of 14 (6) days of water‐only fasting, followed by 6 (3) days of food reintroduction with a whole‐plant‐food diet and a subsequent maintenance period of 45 (5) days. Study visits occurred at baseline and at the end of each period.ResultsAt end of fasting, FFM accounted for 74% of total BW lost during fasting. However, at the follow‐up visit, the median (IQR) percentage change in total BW, FFM, FM, and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass from baseline was −8.2 (5.2), −4.4 (5.6), −14.7 (8.9), −15.8 (12.8) %, respectively. At follow‐up, FM loss accounted for 67% of the total BW lost. BMC remained unchanged across all study visits.ConclusionsThis protocol produced sustained FM loss, specifically VAT mass, and FFM recovery, suggesting it may support effective weight management.

Objective: This single-arm, pre–post interventional trial (clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04515095) investigates the safety, feasibility, and potential effectiveness of prolonged water-only fasting followed by a whole-plant-food diet in the long-term management of hypertension and other cardiometabolic disorders. Methods: Safety was assessed based on adverse events (AEs) that were recorded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v5.0. Feasibility was assessed based on retention rate, ability to complete minimal fast length, and intervention acceptability. Twenty-nine participants with stage 1 and 2 hypertension and without type 2 diabetes were enrolled from a residential fasting center. Results: Study retention was 100% at the end of the refeed and 93% at the six-week follow-up visit. Median (range) fasting and refeeding duration were 11 (7–40) and 5 (3–17) days, respectively, and 90% of participants were able to complete at least 7 days of fasting. The majority of AEs were mild (grade 1) and transient and there were no higher-grade or serious AEs. At the end of the intervention, median systolic/diastolic blood pressure had normalized to below 130/80 mmHg, body weight reduced by >5%, and anti-hypertensive medication was completely discontinued. These results were sustained for at least six weeks and potentially up to one year. Conclusions: Our data suggest that the intervention may be a feasible, well-tolerated, low-risk option for lowering and managing high blood pressure, excess body weight, and other cardiometabolic disorders in people with stage 1 and 2 hypertension.

Background: Studies that assess cognition prospectively and study in detail anxiety history in the participants’ medical records within the context of brain aging and Alzheimer’s disease are limited. Objective: To examine the associations of anxiety and unspecified emotional distress (UED) acquired throughout a person’s life with prospectively collected cognitive outcomes. Methods: Mayo Clinic Study of Aging participants who were cognitively unimpaired at baseline were included. Anxiety and UED data were abstracted from the medical record using the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) resources and were run separately as predictors in our models. The data were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models for the outcomes of incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia and using linear mixed effects models for the outcomes of global and domain specific cognitive z-scores and included key covariates. Results: The study sample ( n = 1,808) had a mean (standard deviation) age of 74.5 (7.3) years and 51.4% were male. Anxiety was associated with increased risk of MCI and dementia and was associated with lower baseline cognitive z-scores and accelerated decline over time in the global, memory, and attention domains. UED was associated with faster decline in all domains except visuospatial but did not show evidence of association with incident cognitive outcomes. These results varied by medication use and timing of anxiety. Conclusions: Anxiety and UED both showed inverse associations with cognition. Utilization of anxiety and UED data from across the life course, as available, from the REP system adds robustness to our results.

AbstractBackgroundMost studies on the relationship between neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) and cognitive decline focus on NPS data collected over a short period of time. To better understand the association between NPS and cognitive decline, including their temporal relationship, it is important to know NPS status across a person’s life.MethodWe utilized the unique Rochester Epidemiology Project medical record linkage system that has captured medical records as far back as 1907, to abstract the psychiatric history of 1810 cognitively unimpaired participants in the population‐based Mayo Clinic Study of Aging (MCSA). Trained nurse abstractors ascertained the presence of exposure to three common NPS (anxiety, depression, and unspecified emotional distress [UED]), both before and after entry into the MCSA. We conducted Cox Proportional Hazards (PH) models using age as the time scale and adjusting for sex, education, and APOE E4 allele for each NPS in predicting mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or dementia. Additional analyses considering medication use (yes/no) and timing of NPS were also run.ResultAnxiety (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 1.47, p<0.001), depression (HR = 1.36, p = 0.001), and UED (HR = 1.22, p = 0.039) were associated with a higher risk of MCI. These associations were present regardless of medication use for anxiety (With medication: HR = 1.51, p<0.001; without medication: HR = 1.41, p = 0.015), and for those taking medications for depression (With medication: HR = 1.47, p<0.001; without medication: 1.09, p = 0.597). Anxiety was associated with MCI regardless of timing of onset with the strongest relationship being for those with onset of anxiety before 65 that persisted into later life (HR = 1.88, p = 0.004). Depression was associated regardless of timing of onset if the depression was present in late life too. The results were similar for the outcome of dementia (Anxiety: HR = 1.62, p<0.001; depression: HR = 1.31, p = 0.040; UED: HR = 1.37, p = 0.014). The associations accounting for medication use and timing of NPS were similar for the outcome of dementia too.ConclusionNPS is associated with progression to MCI and dementia. Both medication use and timing of NPS might play a role in these associations.