Role of frailty on cardiac rehabilitation in hospitalized older patients.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality, morbidity, and disability in the world, especially in the older adults. A relevant proportion of patients admitted to Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) may suffer from frailty, a complex geriatric syndrome with multifactorial aetiology.

Aims: The hypothesis underlying the study is that frailty complicates the management of older patients undergoing CR.

Mechanisms and Clinical Implications of Endothelial Dysfunction in Arterial Hypertension.

The endothelium is composed of a monolayer of endothelial cells, lining the interior surface of blood and lymphatic vessels. Endothelial cells display important homeostatic functions, since they are able to respond to humoral and hemodynamic stimuli. Thus, endothelial dysfunction has been proposed as a key and early pathogenic mechanism in many clinical conditions.

Cognitive Impairment in Convalescent COVID-19 Patients Undergoing Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation: The Association with the Clinical and Functional Status.

Background: Cognitive impairment has been reported in the aftermath of severe acute respiratory syndrome due to coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We investigated the possible association between cognitive impairment and the main clinical and functional status variables in a cohort of convalescent COVID-19 patients without premorbid diseases potentially affecting cognition.

Methods: We consecutively screened for inclusion of convalescent COVID-19 patients referring to a post-acute care facility for pulmonary rehabilitation.

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Performance and Endothelial Function in Convalescent COVID-19 Patients.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction has been proposed as the common pathogenic background of most manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Among these, some authors also reported an impaired exercise response during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). We aimed to explore the potential association between endothelial dysfunction and the reduced CPET performance in COVID-19 survivors.

Performance of fractional exhaled nitric oxide in predicting response to inhaled corticosteroids in chronic cough: a meta-analysis.

Chronic cough is a disabling condition with a high proportion of diagnostic and therapeutic failures. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) has been considered a useful biomarker for predicting inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) response. We evaluated the relationship between FeNO and ICS response in chronic cough by performing a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Clinical Assessment of Endothelial Function in Convalescent COVID-19 Patients Undergoing Multidisciplinary Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

Background: Growing evidence points to a key role of endothelial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. In this study, we evaluated changes in endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in a cohort of convalescent COVID-19 patients undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation (PR).

Methods: After swab test negativization, convalescent COVID-19 patients referring to a post-acute care facility for PR were consecutively screened for inclusion.

Preexisting cardiorespiratory comorbidity does not preclude the success of multidisciplinary rehabilitation in post-COVID-19 patients.

Patients recovering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may not return to a pre-COVID functional status and baseline levels of healthcare needs after discharge from acute care hospitals. Since the long-term outcomes of COVID-19 can be more severe in patients with underlying cardiorespiratory diseases, we aimed at verifying the impact of a preexisting cardiorespiratory comorbidity on multidisciplinary rehabilitation in post-COVID-19 patients. We enrolled 95 consecutive patients referring to the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Unit of Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri Spa SB, IRCCS of Telese Terme, Benevento, Italy after being discharged from the COVID-19 acute care ward and after recovering from acute COVID-19 pneumonia.

Diagnostic accuracy of D-Dimer testing for recurrent venous thromboembolism: A systematic review with meta-analysis.: VTE recurrence and D-dimer.

Objective: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence is a major concern after a first symptomatic episode, potentially impacting survival and healthcare needs in community, hospital and rehabilitation settings. We evaluated the association of D-Dimer positivity after oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT) discontinuation with VTE recurrence.

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and EMBASE databases were systematically searched.

Clinical assessment of endothelial function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: A meta-analysis with meta-regressions.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction is a key mechanism in the development of cardiac remodelling and diastolic dysfunction in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Flow-mediated (FMD) and nitrate-mediated dilation (NMD) are noninvasive methods to assess endothelial function. We performed a meta-analysis evaluating the impact of HFpEF on FMD and NMD.

Clinical application of nasal nitric oxide measurement in allergic rhinitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Nasal nitric oxide (nNO) is considered a biomarker of nasal inflammation.

Objective: To perform a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regressions on the association between nNO levels and allergic rhinitis (AR).

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE databases were systematically searched.

A randomized, double-blind comparison of lercanidipine 10 and 20 mg in patients with stable effort angina: clinical evaluation of cardiac function by ambulatory ventricular scintigraphic monitoring.

We evaluated the antiischemic action and the effects on left ventricular response to exercise of lercanidipine, a long-acting dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, in 23 patients with stable effort angina in a randomized, double-blind, parallel trial. Left ventricular function was assessed during upright bicycle exercise using an ambulatory radionuclide detector for continuous noninvasive monitoring of cardiac function. Exercise was performed under control conditions before (run-in placebo period) and after 2-week treatment with lercanidipine 10 or 20 mg once daily.

A randomized, double-blind comparison of 10 and 20 mg lercanidipine in patients with stable effort angina: effects on myocardial ischemia and heart rate variability.

We evaluated the anti-ischemic action and the effects on autonomic function of lercanidipine, a long-acting dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, in 25 patients with stable effort angina in a randomized, double-blind, parallel trial. After a 2-week placebo run-in period, patients entered a 2-week treatment period with 10 or 20 mg of lercanidipine once daily. During the placebo run-in period and at the study end, the patients underwent clinical examination, electrocardiography, exercise tests, 24-hour Holter electrocardiography for long-term heart rate variability evaluation, and short-term spectral analysis of heart rate and systolic blood pressure variability and plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels at rest and during tilting.