Prediabetes: An overlooked risk factor for major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events in atrial fibrillation patients

BACKGROUND Prediabetes is a well-established risk factor for major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events(MACCE).However,the relationship between prediabetes and MACCE in atrial fibrillation(AF)patients has not been extensively studied.Therefore,this study aimed to establish a link between prediabetes and MACCE in AF patients.AIM To investigate a link between prediabetes and MACCE in AF patients.METHODS We used the National Inpatient Sample(2019)and relevant ICD-10 CM codes to identify hospitalizations with AF and categorized them into groups with and without prediabetes,excluding diabetics.The primary outcome was MACCE(all-cause inpatient mortality,cardiac arrest including ventricular fibrillation,and stroke)in AF-related hospitalizations.RESULTS Of the 2965875 AF-related hospitalizations for MACCE,47505(1.6%)were among patients with prediabetes.The prediabetes cohort was relatively younger(median 75 vs 78 years),and often consisted of males(56.3%vs 51.4%),blacks(9.8%vs 7.9%),Hispanics(7.3%vs 4.3%),and Asians(4.7%vs 1.6%)than the non-prediabetic cohort(P<0.001).The prediabetes group had significantly higher rates of hypertension,hyperlipidemia,smoking,obesity,drug abuse,prior myocardial infarction,peripheral vascular disease,and hyperthyroidism(all P<0.05).The prediabetes cohort was often discharged routinely(51.1%vs 41.1%),but more frequently required home health care(23.6%vs 21.0%)and had higher costs.After adjusting for baseline characteristics or comorbidities,the prediabetes cohort with AF admissions showed a higher rate and significantly higher odds of MACCE compared to the non-prediabetic cohort[18.6%vs 14.7%,odds ratio(OR)1.34,95%confidence interval 1.26-1.42,P<0.001].On subgroup analyses,males had a stronger association(aOR 1.43)compared to females(aOR 1.22),whereas on the race-wise comparison,Hispanics(aOR 1.43)and Asians(aOR 1.36)had a stronger association with MACCE with prediabetes vs whites(aOR 1.33)and blacks(aOR 1.21).CONCLUSION This population-based study found a significant association between prediabetes and MACCE in AF patients.Therefore,there is a need for further research to actively screen and manage prediabetes in AF to prevent MACCE.

Significance of computed tomography scans in head injury

Background: In view of the growing population and increased vehicle use, traumatic brain injury is becoming the most common and devastating problem especially in young healthy people. It has occupied second place next to cancer as leading cause of death. In this new era of radiology, computed tomography has become the primary modality of choice in the initial assessment of head injury patients as it is widely available, faster and highly accurate in detecting skull fractures and acute intracranial hemorrhage. Aim: It is to demonstrate the importance of ct scanning in the initial treatment planning, follow up and long term management of patients with acute head injury of varying severity. Patients: A retrospective study has been carried out of 100 cases of acute head trauma with positive CT scanning referred to Narayana medical college and hospital, Nellore, India between 30th April 2012 to 1st May 2013 [1 year retrospective study]. Results: The post traumatic intracranial consequences have been collected, reviewed and analyzed, where in 82% of cases males were involved , and most of the injured people belong to the first three decades of life, the main cause being road traffic accident which is growing in incidence in this 21st century. Most of the cases which were studied showed skull fractures, which indicates that there has been significant trauma and in a single case more than one pathology related to cranium has been seen. The most common post traumatic consequences found in the study of adults are contusions, brain edema and intracerebral hematomas, while other sequelae such as subarachnoid hematomas, subdural hematomas and extradural hematomas are encountered less. Diffuse and focal cerebral edema was being the most common pathology following trauma in children. Conclusion: CT scanning is the primary modality of choice in the diagnostic work up of patients with acute head trauma for identifying the various intracranial consequences following head injury especially within 48 hours which helps in the initial assessment, treatment planning, follow up and long term management of patients.

Biomarkers in acute brain trauma: A narrative review

Biomarkers have been used to diagnose, prognose, evaluate, and identify the severity and outcomes in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. This study explored if it is possible to predict the outcome of TBI patients by estimating the biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid and serum. We searched data bases and literature about biomarkers, and found forty epidemiologic studies from 92 potentially relevant articles. However, limited data are available about postanoxic encephalopathy. It showed that presently, neurofilament, S100B, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and ubiquitin carboxyl terminal hydrolase-L1 seemed to have the best potential as diagnostic biomarkers for distinguishing focal and diffuse injury, whereas C-Tau, neuron-specific enolase, S100B, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and spectrin breakdown products appear to be candidates for reflective biomarkers of TBI. Point-of-care biomarkers are needed in TBI which is one of the most important additional risk factors in road traffic injuries. In a holistic approach, more researches about biomarkers of TBI are required. These biomarkers are very useful for treatment of patients with TBI.

Surgical Management of Spondylolisthesis by Pedicular Screw Rod System and Postero-Lateral Fusion

Introduction: Incidence of spondylolisthesis in general population is 5% - 7%. No matter what the etiology is, patients usually have significant functional disability. Few studies have investigated the long term effect of posterolateral fusion on functional outcome. Objectives: To study the efficacy of posterolateral fusion in spondylolisthesis especially in terms of functional outcome. Methodology: From July 2010 to June 2012, a total of 86 patients, operated with postero-lateral fusion were followed up and evaluated based on VAS for low back pain, ODI and neurological deficits. Results: Follow up was 83% of original study population (86). Average follow up was 13 months. The mean difference between pre-operative and post-operative VAS at final follow up was 3.5 cms (SD = 2.94);ODI was 28% at 4 months and 36% at 8 months. Claudication pain relieved in all;functional outcome was good in 67%, fair in 27.5% and failed in 5.5%;75% had fusion at an average of 5.5 months. Conclusion: Posteriolateral fusion is still a safe, promising and appealing technique.

Leaking Mycotic Aneurysm of Abdominal Aorta in a 14-Year-Old Boy with Infective Endocarditis and Severe Mitral Regurgitation—A Rare Case Report

We present a case of leaking mycotic aneurysm of abdominal aorta complicated by infective endocarditis in a young boy of 14 years age. This boy with history of rheumatic heart disease with vegetations on mitral valve and severe mitral regurgitation landed up in complications of infective endocarditis like femoral artery thrombo embolism followed by an abdominal aortic aneurysm with contained rupture. This case was successfully managed addressing two problems i.e. valve and aneurysm repair in single sitting.

Vitamin D and hypertension:Is there any significant relation?

Dear Editor,Around a billion individuals worldwide have hypertension.Of these,95%have essential hypertension,a type of undiagnosed hypertension.1 The regulation of blood pressure(BP)involves numerous signaling pathways.Among them,the Renin Angiotensin System is well known.All these pathways are regulated by modulation of renal salt handling and tone of vascular smooth muscle(VSM)tissue.Any of these mechanisms can become faulty and alter the resistance arteries’VSM tone,which can elevate BP.However,since the exact origin of PH and its pathophysiology are unknown,less effective,and generic treatments are used.2 The fact that more than 50%of hypertension patients in the USA do not have their BP under good control serves as an illustration of this.Antihypertensive treatment resistance affects an additional 5 million people and is defined as the inability to regulate BP despite the use of at least three antihypertensive drugs in combination.

Coronary artery disease and heart failure:Late-breaking trials presented at American Heart Association scientific session 2023

The late-breaking science presented at the 2023 scientific session of the American Heart Association paves the way for future pragmatic trials and provides meaningful information to guide management strategies in coronary artery disease and heart failure(HF).The dapagliflozin in patient with acute myocardial infarction(DAPA-MI)trial showed that dapagliflozin use among patients with acute MI without a history of diabetes mellitus or chronic HF has better cardiometabolic outcomes compared with placebo,with no difference in cardiovascular outcomes.The MINT trial showed that in patients with acute MI and anemia(Hgb<10 g/dL),a liberal transfusion goal(Hgb≥10 g/dL)was not superior to a restrictive strategy(Hgb 7-8 g/dL)with respect to 30-day all-cause death and recurrent MI.The ORBITA-2 trial showed that among patients with stable angina and coronary stenoses causing ischemia on little or no antianginal therapy,percutaneous coronary intervention results in greater improvements in anginal frequency and exercise times compared with a sham procedure.The ARIES-HM3 trial showed that in patients with advanced HF who received a HeartMate 3 levitated left ventricular assist device and were anticoagulated with a vitamin K antagonist,placebo was noninferior to daily aspirin with respect to the composite endpoint of bleeding and thrombotic events at 1 year.The TEAMMATE trial showed that everolimus with low-dose tacrolimus is safe in children and young adults when given≥6 months after cardiac transplantation.Providing patients being treated for HF with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF)with specific out-of-pocket(OOP)costs for multiple medication options at the time of the clinical encounter may reduce‘contingency planning’and increase the extent to which patients are taking the medications decided upon.The primary outcome,which was cost-informed decisionmaking,defined as the clinician or patient mentioning costs of HFrEF medication,occurred in 49%of encounters with the checklist only control group compared with 68%of encounters in the OOP cost group.

Association of angiotensin converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism with essential hypertension in south Indian population

Genetic,environmental and demographic factors contribute to the development of essential hypertension.Genetic polymorphism of Rennin-angiotensin-aldosterone system(RAAS)has been extensively studied to determine the genetic susceptibility to hypertension.The insertion/deletion(I/D)angiotensin converting enzyme(ACE)polymorphism has been established as a cardiovascular risk factor in some population,but its association with essential hypertension is controversial.This study sought to determine the association of I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene in south Indian essential hypertensive subjects.A total of 208 clinically diagnosed essential hypertensive patients without any associated diseases and 220 healthy control subjects were included in this study.Distribution and allelic frequency of Insertion(I)and Deletion(D)polymorphism at the 287 base pair Alu repeat sequence in the intron 16 of ACE gene were analyzed.The distribution of II,ID,DD genotypes of ACE gene was 28.3%,32.6%and 38.9%respectively in essential hypertensive patients and to 53.6%,26.3%and 20%in controls.The allele frequency for D allele is 0.58 in essential hypertension as compared to 0.34 of control subjects.The genotype and allele frequency of ACE gene polymorphism is significantly differed in patients when compared to controls.In conclusion,the I/D polymorphism of ACE gene is associated with Indian essential hypertension.

Deciphering the role of microRNA 21 in cancer stem cells(CSCs)

Irrespective of positive developments of cancer treatment,the mortality due to various cancers remains high and the mechanisms of cancer initiation and the development also remains mysterious.As we know that microRNAs are considered to be a short noncoding RNA molecules consisting of 21e25 nucleotides(nt)in length and they silence their target genes by inhibiting mRNA translation or degrading the mRNA molecules by binding to their 30-untranslated(UTR)region and play a very important role in cancer biology.Recent evidences indicate that miR-21 is over expressed in cancer stem cells and plays a vital role in cell proliferation,apoptosis,and invasion.Even though an increased expression level of miR-21 has been observed in cancer stem cells,studies related to the role of miR-21 in cancer stem cells are limited.The main aim of this mini review is to explain the potency of miR-21 in various cancer stem cells(CSCs)and as a new target for therapeutic interventions of cancer progression.