Welcome to Cardiology Today – Recorded November 17, 2025. This episode summarizes 5 key cardiology studies on topics like right heart function and immunoglobulin light chain cardiac amyloidosis. Key takeaway: New Echo Index Guides Amyloidosis Prognosis.. Article Links: Article 1: Duration of atrial fibrillation and cardiac biomarkers are associated with cardiovascular outcomes in early permanent atrial fibrillation: Data from the RACE II study. (International journal of cardiology) Article 2: High admission levels of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in acute myocardial infarction patients are associated with increased rates of all-cause mortality and cardiac death at five years follow-up. (International journal of cardiology) Article 3: Impact of diagnosis-to-ablation time on rhythm outcome after catheter ablation for paroxysmal versus non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. (International journal of cardiology) Article 4: Global and segmental longitudinal and radial strain in Takotsubo versus ST-elevation myocardial infarction. (International journal of cardiology) Article 5: Usefulness of STREI: A new index of right heart function in patients with immunoglobulin light chain cardiac amyloidosis. (International journal of cardiology) Full episode page: https://podcast.explainheart.com/podcast/new-echo-index-guides-amyloidosis-prognosis-11-17-25/ Featured Articles Article 1: Duration of atrial fibrillation and cardiac biomarkers are associated with cardiovascular outcomes in early permanent atrial fibrillation: Data from the RACE II study. Journal: International journal of cardiology PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40716680 Summary: A post-hoc analysis of the RACE two study found that the duration of atrial fibrillation and specific cardiac biomarkers are directly associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with early permanent atrial fibrillation. Data from 543 patients, who had a median atrial fibrillation duration of 18 months, demonstrated these associations. The study identified these parameters as definitive prognostic indicators for adverse cardiovascular outcomes. These findings underscore the clinical importance of assessing atrial fibrillation duration and cardiac biomarker levels for risk stratification in early permanent atrial fibrillation. Article 2: High admission levels of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in acute myocardial infarction patients are associated with increased rates of all-cause mortality and cardiac death at five years follow-up. Journal: International journal of cardiology PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40716679 Summary: This study found that high admission levels of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist are associated with increased rates of both all-cause mortality and cardiac death in patients with acute myocardial infarction. The data demonstrated these elevated levels were linked to adverse outcomes at five years follow-up. This concrete association suggests interleukin-1 receptor antagonist serves as a prognostic biomarker for long-term cardiovascular risk in this patient population. Article 3: Impact of diagnosis-to-ablation time on rhythm outcome after catheter ablation for paroxysmal versus non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Journal: International journal of cardiology PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40712675 Summary: This study found that diagnosis-to-ablation time significantly impacts rhythm outcome following catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. The research differentiated this impact between paroxysmal and non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation types among 619 enrolled patients. Results indicated that the timing of intervention relative to diagnosis plays a crucial role in the success of initial catheter ablation procedures. This finding provides direct guidance for optimizing treatment strategies based on atrial fibrillation type. Article 4: Global and segmental longitudinal and radial strain in Takotsubo versus ST-elevat