JCCC in 2024: A Year in Review

A YEAR OF SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS AND CLINICAL EXCELLENCE

The studies featured in this year’s Journal have illuminated the critical importance of a holistic approach to care that goes beyond the immediate surgical or pharmacological interventions. Evidence has highlighted how factors such as patient-reported outcomes, mental health support, and rehabilitation play an integral role in long-term recovery. This speaks to the growing recognition that cardiac care does not stop after a procedure – it extends far beyond the intensive care unit (ICU).

The landscape of cardiac critical care has seen remarkable advancements this year, especially in the realms of precision medicine, minimally invasive techniques, and early detection tools. From novel interventions in acute coronary syndromes to the increasing role of artificial intelligence in patient monitoring, the journal has had good literature on these novel monitoring techniques observed in cardiac surgical ICUs.^[1-3] As healthcare continues to evolve, so too does the need for highly specialized cardiac critical care teams that can respond to the complexities of heart failure, arrhythmias, and post-cardiac surgery recovery.

THE RESILIENCE OF THE CARDIAC CRITICAL CARE COMMUNITY

I am proud to note the extensive contributions of our global readership – clinicians, researchers, and healthcare providers – who continue engaging with the Journal and bringing invaluable perspectives that enrich our understanding of cardiac critical care.

From the JCCC portal in 2024, students and readers got a video commentary treat on “Novel Surgical Procedure for Construction of the Modified Blalock–Taussig Shunt (Ujjwal Kumar Chowdhury’s Modification)” by Chowdhury et al.,^[4] a case series on “A Bibliometric Study on Junctional Ectopic Tachycardia” by Jose et al.^[5] and another on “Coronary Revascularization following Failed Multiple Percutaneous Coronary Intravascular Stents” by Bharath and Hote.^[6] Experienced authors postulated a novitiate guide on “Handheld Ultrasound Device Utilization in Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Initiation” (Curley et al.)^[7] and “Sepsis in ICU” by Kochhar and Mehta.^[8] The study on Rajyoga Meditation on Metabolic and Psychological holistic Correlates of Health in Patients of Surgical Repair for Congenital Heart Disease^[9] added dimension to cardiac critical care.

In 2024, forthcoming novel manuscripts were published on “Artificial Intelligence in Cardiac Critical Care: Current Insights and Future Prospects,”^[1] “Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Nursing Care,”^[10] “Cardiac Catheterization Education for Paramedical Courses in India,”^[11] “Evidence-based Medicine,”^[12] “Comparative Effectiveness of Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices in Cardiogenic Shock,”^[13] “Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis with SGLT2 Inhibitor Therapy,”^[14] “Prospective Interventional Cohort Study using All India Institute of Medical Sciences Simplified Point of Care Algorithm for Restricted Blood Transfusion in Cyanotic Children”, ^[15] “Hematological Profile of Congenital Heart Disease Patients undergoing Surgical Correction,”^[16] with a invited editorial on “Value of Point-of-Care Algorithms in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery” by Görlinger and Kammerer^[17]

Review articles on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, patient blood management, hemodynamic monitoring, and echocardiography remained the cornerstone.

LOOKING AHEAD: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2025

As we look ahead to 2025, we are reminded that while progress is exhilarating, the journey is far from complete. Challenges remain, particularly in the realms of utilizing human resources, health equity, and addressing more citations for the journal, to achieve higher indexing and more international experts as authors and reviewers. This is our aim for 2025. The JCCC platform has a major achievement in the form of hosting many places offline and online, cardiac critical care-related live demonstrations through Continuing Medical Educations, webinars, hands-on workshops, and conferences.

Moreover, the rapid pace of technological advancement poses both an opportunity and a challenge. While innovations in diagnostics, monitoring systems, and treatment protocols offer unprecedented opportunities to improve care, they also demand ongoing research, professional development, and ethical considerations to ensure that they are accessible and equitable for all patients. This is our future vision for JCCC topics and issues.

The rapid pace of technological advancement poses both an opportunity and a challenge.

GRATITUDE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

As we close out 2024, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Editorial Board, peer reviewers, authors, and our dedicated readers. Your contributions have made this year a success at JCCC with indexing in EMBASE and SCOPUS and together, we will continue to drive forward the mission of advancing cardiac critical care globally.

Let us step into the New Year with renewed optimism and a shared commitment to the future of cardiac care. May 2025 bring more breakthroughs, more collaboration, and, most importantly, better patient outcomes for those we serve.

On behalf of the editorial team, I wish you all a healthy, prosperous, and impactful new year.