Effect of cardiac rehabilitation care after coronary intervention on cardiac function recovery and negative mood in patients with myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease,particularly myocardial infarction(MI)profound impact on patients'quality of life and places a substantial burden on the healthcare and economy systems.Developments in medical technology have led to the emer-gence of coronary intervention as an essential method for treating MI.AIM To assess the effects of cardiac rehabilitation care on cardiac function recovery and negative emotions in MI after coronary intervention.METHODS This study included a total of 180 patients with MI during the period from June 2022 to July 2023.Selected patients were divided into two groups:An observation group,which receiving cardiac rehabilitation care;a control group,which re-ceiving conventional care.By comparing multiple observation indicators such as cardiac function indicators,blood pressure,exercise tolerance,occurrence of adverse cardiac events,and negative emotion scores between the two groups of patients.All the data were analyzed and compared between two groups.RESULTS There were 44 males and 46 females in the observation group with an average age of 36.26±9.88 yr;there were 43 males and 47 females in the control group,with an average age of 40.87±10.5 yr.After receiving the appropriate postoperative nursing measures,the results of the observation group showed significant improvement in several indicators compared with the control group.Indicators of cardiac function,such as left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter and left ventricular ejection fraction were significantly better in the observation group than in the control group(P<0.05).Exercise endurance assessment showed that the 6-minute walking test distance was significantly increased in the patients of the observation group(P<0.01).In addition,the incidence of adverse cardiac events was significantly lower in the observation group,and negative mood scores were significantly reduced(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Cardiac rehabilitation care after coronary intervention has a significant positive impact on functional recovery.This emphasizes the importance of cardiac rehabilitation care to improve patient recovery.

Effect of early stepwise cardiopulmonary rehabilitation on function and quality of life in sepsis patients

BACKGROUND Sepsis,as a non-limiting host infection disease,can be accompanied by serious complications such as organ failure,which seriously threatens patient quality of life.AIM To investigate the effect of early stepwise cardiopulmonary rehabilitation on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in patients evacuated from mechanical ventilation with sepsis.METHODS A total of 80 patients with sepsis who were hospitalized in our hospital from January 2021 to January 2022 were selected and divided into the observation group(n=40)and the control group(n=40)according to the random number table method.The observation group was treated with early stepwise cardiopulmonary rehabilitation,and the control group was treated with a conventional treatment regimen.Cardiac function indexes(central venous pressure,cardiac troponin I,B-type brain natriuretic peptide),lung function indicators(diaphragmatic mobility,changes in central venous oxygen saturation,oxygenation index),and quality of life(Quality of Life Evaluation Scale)were compared between the two groups after treatment.RESULTS After treatment,the central venous pressure,diaphragm mobility,central venous oxygen saturation,oxygenation index,and Quality of Life Evaluation Scale scores in the observation group were higher than those in the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The observation group was less than that of the control group for other parameters,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Early stepwise cardiopulmonary rehabilitation can effectively enhance cardiac and pulmonary function and improve the quality of life in patients evacuated from mechanical ventilation with sepsis.

Echocardiographic predictors and associated outcomes of multiple vegetations in infective endocarditis:A pilot study

BACKGROUND Infective endocarditis(IE)is a life-threatening infection with an annual mortality of 40%.Embolic events reported in up to 80%of patients.Vegetations of>10 mm size are associated with increased embolic events and poor prognosis.There is a paucity of literature on the association of multiple vegetations with outcome.AIM To study the echocardiographic(ECHO)features and outcomes associated with the presence of multiple vegetations.METHODS In this retrospective,single-center,cohort study patients diagnosed with IE were recruited from June 2017 to June 2019.A total of 84 patients were diagnosed to have IE,of whom 67 with vegetation were identified.Baseline demographic,clinical,laboratory,and ECHO parameters were reviewed.Outcomes that were studied included recurrent admission,embolic phenomenon,and mortality.RESULTS Twenty-three(34%)patients were noted to have multiple vegetations,13(56.5%)were male and 10(43.5%)were female.The mean age of these patients was 50.Eight(35%)had a prior episode of IE.ECHO features of moderate to severe valvular regurgitation[odds ratio(OR)=4],presence of pacemaker lead(OR=4.8),impaired left ventricle(LV)relaxation(OR=4),and elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressure(PASP)(OR=2.2)are associated with higher odds of multiple vegetations.Of these moderate to severe valvular regurgitation(P=0.028),pacemaker lead(P=0.039)and impaired relaxation(P=0.028)were statistically significant.These patients were noted to have an increased association of recurrent admissions(OR=3.6),recurrent bacteremia(OR=2.4),embolic phenomenon(OR=2.5),intensive care unit stay(OR=2.8),hypotension(OR=2.1),surgical intervention(OR=2.8)and device removal(OR=4.8).Of this device removal(P=0.039)and recurrent admissions(P=0.017)were statistically significant.CONCLUSION This study highlights the associations of ECHO predictors and outcomes in patients with IE having multiple vegetations.ECHO features of moderate to severe regurgitation,presence of pacemaker lead,impaired LV relaxation,and elevated PASP and outcomes including recurrent admissions and device removal were found to be associated with multiple vegetations.

Plasmacytosis mimicking multiple myeloma in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma(AITL)is a common subtype of peripheral T-cell lymphoma.Approximately half of patients with AITL may concurrently present with hypergammaglobulinemia.Increased numbers of plasma cells in the bone marrow are commonly observed at diagnosis.These tumors mimic plasma cell myelomas,hindering a conundrum of clinical diagnoses and potentially delaying appropriate treatment.CASE SUMMARY A 78-year-old woman experienced poor appetite,weight loss of 5 kg,fatigue 2 months before presentation,and shortness of breath 2 d before presentation,but no fever or night sweats.Physical examination revealed splenomegaly and many palpable masses over the bilateral axillary regions,approximately>2 cm in size,with rubbery consistency and no tenderness.Blood tests revealed anemia and thrombocytopenia,lactate dehydrogenase level of 153 U/L,total protein level of 10.9 g/dL,albumin to globulin ratio of 0.2,and immunoglobulin G level more than the upper limit of 3000 mg/dL.The free kappa and lambda light chain concentrations were 451 and 614 mg/L,respectively.A pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of AITL.The initial treatment was the cyclophosphamide,epirubicin,vincristine,and prednisolone regimen.Following this treatment,pleural effusion was controlled,and the patient was discharged in a stable condition and followed up in our outpatient department.CONCLUSION This report highlights the importance of differentiating reactive plasmacytosis from plasma cell myeloma in patients with hypergammaglobulinemia.A precise diagnosis of AITL requires a comprehensive evaluation,involving clinical,immunophenotypic,and histological findings conducted by a multidisciplinary team to ensure appropriate treatment.

Impact of continuous care on cardiac function in patients with lung cancer complicated by coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND Despite sharing similar pathogenic factors,cancer and coronary heart disease(CHD)occur in comparable populations at similar ages and possess similar susceptibility factors.Consequently,it is increasingly commonplace for patients to experience the simultaneous occurrence of cancer and CHD,a trend that is steadily rising.AIM To determine the impacts of continuing care on lung cancer patients with CHD following percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).METHODS There were 94 lung cancer patients with CHD following PCI who were randomly assigned to the intervention group(n=38)and the control group(n=41).In the intervention group,continuing care was provided,while in the control group,routine care was provided.An evaluation of cardiac and pulmonary function,medication compliance,a 6-min walk test,and patient quality of life was performed.RESULTS Differences between the two groups were significant in left ventricular ejection fraction,6-min walk test,oxygen uptake,quality of life and medication compliance(P<0.05).In comparison with the control group,the enhancement in the intervention group was more significant.The intervention group had more patients with high medication compliance than the control group,with a statistically significant difference(P<0.05).CONCLUSION After undergoing PCI,lung patients with CHD could benefit from continued care in terms of cardiac and pulmonary function,medications compliance,and quality of life.

Association of cannabis use disorder with atrial fibrillation in young men without concomitant tobacco use:Insights from nationwide propensity matched analysis

BACKGROUND Recent data are inconclusive regarding the risk of arrhythmias among young cannabis users.Furthermore,many young adults use both cannabis and tobacco,which could add a residual confounding effect on outcomes.So,we studied young men who have cannabis use disorder(CUD)excluding tobacco use disorder(TUD)to understand their independent association with atrial fibrillation(AF)and related outcomes.AIM To study the association of CUD with AF and related outcomes.METHODS We used weighted discharge records from National Inpatient Sample(2019)to assess the baseline characteristics and mortality rates for AF-related hospitalizations in young(18-44 years)men in 1:1 propensity-matched CUD+vs CUD-cohorts without TUD.RESULTS Propensity matched CUD+and CUD-cohorts consisted of 108495 young men in each arm.Our analysis showed an increased incidence of AF in black population with CUD.In addition,the CUD+cohort had lower rates of hyperlipidemia(6.4%vs 6.9%),hypertension(5.3%vs 6.3%),obesity(9.1%vs 10.9%),alcohol abuse(15.5%vs 16.9%),but had higher rates of anxiety(24.3%vs 18.4%)and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)(9.8%vs 9.4%)compared to CUD-cohort.After adjustment with covariates including other substance abuse,a non-significant association was found between CUD+cohort and AF related hospitalizations(odd ratio:1.27,95%confidence interval:0.91-1.78,P=0.15).CONCLUSION Among hospitalized young men,the CUD+cohort had a higher prevalence of anxiety and COPD,and slightly higher proportion of black patients.Although there were higher odds of AF hospitalizations in CUD+cohort without TUD,the association was statistically non-significant.The subgroup analysis showed higher rates of AF in black patients.Large-scale prospective studies are required to evaluate long-term effects of CUD on AF risk and prognosis without TUD and concomitant substance abuse.

Regression of cardiovascular remodeling in hypertension:Novel relevant mechanisms

Asymptomatic organ damage due to progressive kidney damage, cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling put hypertensive patients at high risk for developing heart and renal failure, myocardial infarction and stroke. Current antihypertensive treatment normalizes high blood pressure, partially reverses organ damage, and reduces the incidence of heart and renal failure. Activation of the renin-angiotensin system(RAS) is a primary mechanism of progressive organ damage and, specifically, a major cause of both renal and cardiovascular fibrosis. Currently, inhibition of the RAS system [mainly with angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II(Ang II) receptor antagonists] is the most effective antihypertensive strategy for normalizing blood pressure and preventing target organ damage. However, residual organ damage and consequently high risk for cardiovascular events and renal failure still persist. Accordingly, in hypertension, it is relevant to develop new therapeutic perspectives, beyond reducing blood pressure to further prevent/reduce target organ damage by acting on pathways that trigger and maintain cardiovascular and renal remodeling. We review here relevant novel mechanisms of target organ damage in hypertension, their role and evidence in prevention/regression of cardiovascular remodeling and their possible clinical impact as well. Specifically, we focus on the signaling pathway Rho A/Rho kinase, on the impact of the vasodilatory peptides from the RAS and some insights on the role of estrogens and myocardial chymase in cardiovascular hypertensive remodeling.

Global Burden of Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease(CVD)is the number one cause of mortality world-wide and places a high medical and socioeconomic burden on developing countries.Our understanding of CVD and its evolution over the last 100 years has altered considerably.Reasons for the increased rate of CVD in the developing world include rapid urbanization and the demographic shift known as the modern epidemiologic transition.The case for intervention is based on both major human and economic impacts of CVD.It has been estimated that cost-effective interventions in developing countries with a high burden of CVD could result in a projected 24 million lives saved.This reduction in CVD mortality could reduce economic costs by$8 billion.Approaches to intervention include:1)cardiovascular health promotion and CVD prevention and 2)action plans advocated by the World Health Organization.

Evaluation of Left Ventricular Systolic Function after Pulmonary Valve Replacement Using Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Following reparative surgery for tetralogy of Fallot or critical pulmonary stenosis(PS),patients frequently present with severe right ventricular(RV)volume overload due to pulmonary regurgitation,resulting in decreased RV function.Surgical pulmonary valve replacement(PVR)is known to improve RV function,but changes in left ventricular(LV)function after PVR have rarely been described.We sought to determine the midterm results regarding LV systolic function after PVR using cardiac MRI in 40 consecutive patients with repaired TOF(31 patients)or PS(9 patients)with an age of 29±9 years who underwent PVR from 2006 to 2011 at a single center.Cardiac MRI RV and LV volumes before and after PVR were analyzed.Demographics,clinical variables,cardiopulmonary bypass duration,and medications were reviewed.LV ejection fraction(LVEF)increased from(54±8)to(57±6)%(P=0.02).Before PVR,26 patients had depressed LVEF of(49±5)%(range 36– 54%).In this group,LVEF increased by(7±7)%(P<0.0001)after PVR.Low LVEF before PVR was correlated with increased LVEF after PVR(regression coefficient-0.7,R 2=0.59,P<0.0001).Demographics,medications,prior pregnancies,and cardiopulmonary bypass duration had no effect on LVEF after PVR.The increase in LVEF was most significant in patients with low pre-PVR LVEF.

Comparison between multiple logistic regression and machine learning methods in prediction of abnormal thallium scans in type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND The prevalence of type 2 diabetes(T2D)has been increasing dramatically in recent decades,and 47.5%of T2D patients will die of cardiovascular disease.Thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scan(MPS)is a precise and noninvasive method to detect coronary artery disease(CAD).Most previous studies used traditional logistic regression(LGR)to evaluate the risks for abnormal CAD.Rapidly developing machine learning(Mach-L)techniques could potentially outperform LGR in capturing non-linear relationships.AIM To aims were:(1)Compare the accuracy of Mach-L methods and LGR;and(2)Found the most important factors for abnormal TMPS.METHODS 556 T2D were enrolled in the study(287 men and 269 women).Demographic and biochemistry data were used as independent variables and the sum of stressed score derived from MPS scan was the dependent variable.Subjects with a MPS score≥9 were defined as abnormal.In addition to traditional LGR,classification and regression tree(CART),random forest,Naïve Bayes,and eXtreme gradient boosting were also applied.Sensitivity,specificity,accuracy and area under the receiver operation curve were used to evaluate the respective accuracy of LGR and Mach-L methods.RESULTS Except for CART,the other Mach-L methods outperformed LGR,with gender,body mass index,age,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,glycated hemoglobin and smoking emerging as the most important factors to predict abnormal MPS.CONCLUSION Four Mach-L methods are found to outperform LGR in predicting abnormal TMPS in Chinese T2D,with the most important risk factors being gender,body mass index,age,low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,glycated hemoglobin and smoking.

GLP-1 receptor agonists and myocardial metabolism in atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation(AF)is the most common cardiac arrhythmia.Many medical conditions,including hypertension,diabetes,obesity,sleep apnea,and heart failure(HF),increase the risk for AF.Cardiomyocytes have unique metabolic characteristics to maintain adenosine triphosphate production.Significant changes occur in myocardial metabolism in AF.Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1RAs)have been used to control blood glucose fluctuations and weight in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and obesity.GLP-1RAs have also been shown to reduce oxidative stress,inflammation,autonomic nervous system modulation,and mitochondrial function.This article reviews the changes in metabolic characteristics in cardiomyocytes in AF.Although the clinical trial outcomes are unsatisfactory,the findings demonstrate that GLP-1 RAs can improve myocardial metabolism in the presence of various risk factors,lowering the incidence of AF.

使用深度学习在CTA扫描卷下实现主动脉夹层分类和直径测量的双功能系统

Acute aortic dissection is one of the most life-threatening cardiovascular diseases,with a high mortality rate.Its prevalence ranges from 0.2%to 0.8%in humans,resulting in a significant number of deaths due to being missed in manual examinations.More importantly,the aortic diameter—a critical indicator for surgical selection—significantly influences the outcomes of surgeries post-diagnosis.Therefore,it is an urgent yet challenging mission to develop an automatic aortic dissection diagnostic system that can recognize and classify the aortic dissection type and measure the aortic diameter.This paper offers a dual-functional deep learning system called aortic dissections diagnosis-aiding system(DDAsys)that enables both accurate classification of aortic dissection and precise diameter measurement of the aorta.To this end,we created a dataset containing 61190 computed tomography angiography(CTA)images from 279 patients from the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery at Tongji Hospital,Wuhan,China.The dataset provides a slice-level summary of difficult-to-identify features,which helps to improve the accuracy of both recognition and classification.Our system achieves a recognition F1 score of 0.984,an average classification F1 score of 0.935,and the respective measurement precisions for ascending and descending aortic diameters are 0.994 mm and 0.767 mm root mean square error(RMSE).The high consistency(88.6%)between the recommended surgical treatments and the actual corresponding surgeries verifies the capability of our system to aid clinicians in developing a more prompt,precise,and consistent treatment strategy.

Health behavior outcomes in stroke survivors prescribed wearables for atrial fibrillation detection stratified by age

BACKGROUND Smartwatches have become readily accessible tools for detecting atrial fibrillation(AF).There remains limited data on how they affect psychosocial outcomes and engagement in older adults.We examine the health behavior outcomes of stroke survivors prescribed smartwatches for AF detection stratified by age.METHODS We analyzed data from the Pulsewatch study,a randomized controlled trial that enrolled patients(≥50 years)with a history of stroke or transient ischemic attack and CHA2DS2-VASc≥2.Intervention participants were equipped with a cardiac patch monitor and a smartwatch-app dyad,while control participants wore the cardiac patch monitor for up to 44 days.We evaluated health behavior parameters using standardized tools,including the Consumer Health Activation Index,the Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire,the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey,and wear time of participants categorized into three age groups:Group 1(ages 50-60),Group 2(ages 61-69),and Group 3(ages 70-87).We performed statistical analysis using a mixedeffects repeated measures linear regression model to examine differences amongst age groups.RESULTS Comparative analysis between Groups 1,2 and 3 revealed no significant differences in anxiety,patient activation,perception of physical health and wear time.The use of smartwatch technology was associated with a decrease in perception of mental health for Group 2 compared to Group 1(β=-3.29,P=0.046).CONCLUSION Stroke survivors demonstrated a willingness to use smartwatches for AF monitoring.Importantly,among these study participants,the majority did not experience negative health behavior outcomes or decreased engagement as age increased.

Role of transcatheter arterial embolization for massive bleeding from gastroduodenal ulcers

Intractable bleeding from gastric and duodenal ulcers is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Aggressive treatment with early endoscopic hemostasis is essential for a favourable outcome. In as many as 12%-17% of patients,endoscopy is either not available or unsuccessful. Endovascular therapy with selective catheterization of the culprit vessel and injection of embolic material has emerged as an alternative to emergent operative intervention in high-risk patients. There has not been a systematic literature review to assess the role for embolotherapy in the treatment of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding from gastroduo-denal ulcers after failed endoscopic hemostasis. Here,we present an overview of indications,techniques,and clinical outcomes after endovascular embolization of acute peptic-ulcer bleeding. Topics of particular relevance to technical and clinical success are also discussed. Our review shows that transcatheter arterial embolization is a safe alternative to surgery for massive gastroduodenal bleeding that is refractory to endoscopic treatment,can be performed with high technical and clinical success rates,and should be considered the salvage treatment of choice in patients at high surgical risk.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein related protein 1 knockdown attenuates hepatic ?brosis via the regulation of MMPs/TIMPs in mice

Background: Previous research suggested that insulin-like growth factor binding protein related protein 1(IGFBPrP1), as a novel mediator, contributes to hepatic fibrogenesis. Matrix metalloproteinases(MMP) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases(TIMP) play an essential role in hepatic fibrogenesis by regulating homeostasis and remodeling of the extracellular matrix(ECM). However, the interaction between IGFBPrP1 and MMP/TIMP is not clear. The present study was to knockdown IGFBPrP1 to investigate the correlation between IGFBPrP1 and MMP/TIMP in hepatic fibrosis. Methods: Hepatic fibrosis was induced by thioacetamide(TAA) in mice. Knockdown of IGFBPrP1 expression by ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction-mediated CMB-shRNA-IGFBPrP1 delivery, or inhibition of the Hedgehog(Hh) pathway by cyclopamine treatment, was performed in TAA-induced liver fibrosis mice. Hepatic fibrosis was determined by hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius red staining. Hepatic expression of IGFBPrP1, α-smooth muscle actin( α-SMA), transforming growth factor β 1(TGF β1), collagen I, MMPs/TIMPs, Sonic Hedgehog(Shh), and glioblastoma family transcription factors(Gli1) were investigated by immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting analysis. Results: We found that hepatic expression of IGFBPrP1, TGF β1, α-SMA, and collagen I were increased longitudinally in mice with TAA-induced hepatic fibrosis, concomitant with MMP2/TIMP2 and MMP9/TIMP1 imbalance and Hh pathway activation. Knockdown of IGFBPrP1 expression, or inhibition of the Hh pathway, reduced the hepatic expression of IGFBPrP1, TGF β1, α-SMA, and collagen I and re-established MMP2/TIMP2 and MMP9/TIMP1 balance. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that IGFBPrP1 knockdown attenuates liver fibrosis by re-establishing MMP2/TIMP2 and MMP9/TIMP1 balance, concomitant with the inhibition of hepatic stellate cell activation, down-regulation of TGF β1 expression, and degradation of the ECM. Furthermore, the Hh pathway mediates IGFBPrP1 knockdown-induced attenuation of hepatic fibrosis through the regulation of MMPs/TIMPs balance.

Decreased osteogenesis of adult mesenchymal stem cel s by reactive oxygen species under cyclic stretch: a possible mechanism of age related osteoporosis

Age related defect of the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells（MSCs） plays a key role in osteoporosis. Mechanical loading is one of the most important physical stimuli for osteoblast differentiation.Here, we compared the osteogenic potential of MSCs from young and adult rats under three rounds of 2 h of cyclic stretch of 2.5% elongation at 1 Hz on 3 consecutive days. Cyclic stretch induced a significant osteogenic differentiation of MSCs from young rats, while a compromised osteogenesis in MSCs from the adult rats.Accordingly, there were much more reactive oxygen species（ROS） production in adult MSCs under cyclic stretch compared to young MSCs. Moreover, ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine rescued the osteogenic differentiation of adult MSCs under cyclic stretch. Gene expression analysis revealed that superoxide dismutase 1（SOD1） was significantly downregulated in those MSCs from adult rats. In summary, our data suggest that reduced SOD1 may result in excessive ROS production in adult MSCs under cyclic stretch, and thus manipulation of the MSCs from the adult donors with antioxidant would improve their osteogenic ability.

Aspirin resistance: Fact or fiction? A point of view

Aspirin is a wonder drug that has been used for well over 100 years for its analgesic and antipyretic effects. For the past three decades, it has increasingly been used for the prevention of primary and secondary cardiovascular events. Lately, it has been suggested that a significant number of individuals taking aspirin have become resistant to this drug. The phenomenon of "aspirin resistance" is based on the observation of clinical events in some patients taking aspirin, and/or a diminished platelet aggregation inhibitory response to aspirin therapy. Unfortunately, laboratory assays used to monitor the efficacy of aspirin are far from accurate and the results are not reproducible. Furthermore, results of different platelet function tests are often not congruent. In addition, platelet aggregation studies show marked interindividual and intra-individual variability. Patients with coronary heart disease take many drugs that interfere with the effect of aspirin on platelet aggregation. Besides inhibiting formation of thromboxane A2 from arachidonic acid, aspirin has a host of platelet-independent effects that complement its platelet inhibitory effects. Laboratory assays designed to measure platelet function do not take into account these pleiotropic effects of aspirin. In our view, use of the term "aspirin resistance" based on inadequate knowledge of imperfect laboratory tests does a disservice to physicians and patients.

Ischemia/reperfusion injury: The role of immune cells

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is an inflammatory condition that is characterized by innate immunity and an adaptive immune response. This review is focused on the acute inflammatory response in I/R injury, and also the adaptive immunological mechanisms in chronic ischemic disease that lead to increased vulnerability during acute events, in relation to the cell types that have been shown to mediate innate immunity to an adaptive immune response in I/R, specifically myocardial infarction. Novel aspects are also highlighted in respect to the mechanisms within the cardiovascular system and cardiovascular risk factors that may be involved in the inflammatory response accompanying myocardial infarction. Experimental myocardial I/R has suggested that immune cells may mediate reperfusion injury. Specifically, monocytes, macrophages, T-cells, mast cells,platelets and endothelial cells are discussed with reference to the complement cascade, toll-like receptors, cytokines, oxidative stress, renin-angiotensin system, and in reference to the microvascular system in the signaling mechanisms of I/R. Finally, the findings of the data summarized in this review are most important for possible translation into clinical cardiology practice and possible avenues for drug development.

Patent foramen ovale closure reduces recurrent stroke risk in cryptogenic stroke:A systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials

AIM To investigate if patent foramen ovale(PFO) closure device reduces the risk of recurrent stroke in patients with cryptogenic stroke.METHODS We searched five databases-Pub Med,EMBASE,Cochrane,CINAHL and Web-of-Science and clinicaltrials.gov from January 2000 to September 2017 for randomized trials comparing PFO closure to medical therapy in cryptogenic stroke.Heterogeneity was determined using Cochrane's Q statistics.Random effects model was used.RESULTS Five randomized controlled trials with 3440 patients were included in the analysis.Mean follow-up was 50 ± 20 mo.PFO closure was associated with a 41% reduction in incidence of recurrent strokes when compared to medical therapy alone in patients with cryptogenic stroke [risk ratio(RR): 0.59,95%CI: 0.40-0.87,P = 0.008].Atrial fibrillation was higher with device closure when compared to medical therapy alone(RR: 4.97,95%CI: 2.22-11.11,P < 0.001).There was no difference between the two groups with respect to all-cause mortality,major bleeding or adverse events.CONCLUSION PFO device closure in appropriately selected patients with moderate to severe right-to-left shunt and/or atrial septal aneurysm shows benefit with respect to recurrent strokes,particularly in younger patients.Further studies are essential to evaluate the impact of higher incidence of atrial fibrillation seen with the PFO closure device on long-term mortality and stroke rates.

Biomarkers in the clinical management of patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure

Atrial fibrillation(AF)and heart failure(HF)are two cardiovascular diseases with an increasing prevalence worldwide.These conditions share common pathophysiologiesand frequently co-exit.In fact,the occurrence of either condition can‘cause’the development of the other,creating a new patient group that demands different management strategies to that if they occur in isolation.Regardless of the temproral association of the two conditions,their presence is linked with adverse cardi-ovascular outcomes,increased rate of hospitalizations,and increased economic burden on healthcare systems.The use of low-cost,easily accessible and applicable biomarkers may hasten the correct diagnosis and the effective treatment of AF and HF.Both AF and HF effect multiple physiological pathways and thus a great number of biomarkers can be measured that potentially give the clinician important diagnostic and prognostic information.These will then guide patient centred therapeutic management.The current biomarkers that offer potential for guiding therapy,focus on the physiological pathways of miRNA,myocardial stretch and injury,oxidative stress,inflammation,fibrosis,coagulation and renal impairment.Each of these has different utility in current clinincal practice.