Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors induce anti-inflammatory and anti-ferroptotic shift in epicardial adipose tissue of subjects with severe heart failure.

Background: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) are glucose-lowering agents used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, which also improve heart failure and decrease the risk of cardiovascular complications. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) dysfunction was suggested to contribute to the development of heart failure. We aimed to elucidate a possible role of changes in EAT metabolic and inflammatory profile in the beneficial cardioprotective effects of SGLT-2i in subjects with severe heart failure.

Decreased Epicardial mRNA Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Coronary Artery Disease Undergoing Elective Cardiac Surgery: A Possible Association with Coronary Atherosclerosis.

(1) Background: C1q TNF-related protein 3 (CTRP3) is an adipokine with anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective properties. In our study, we explored changes in serum CTRP3 and its gene expression in epicardial (EAT) and subcutaneous (SAT) adipose tissue in patients with and without coronary artery disease (CAD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) undergoing elective cardiac surgery. (2) Methods: SAT, EAT, and blood samples were collected at the start and end of surgery from 34 patients: (i) 11 without CAD or T2DM, (ii) 14 with CAD and without T2DM, and (iii) 9 with both CAD and T2DM.

Increased pulsatility index is associated with adverse outcomes in left ventricular assist device recipients.

Aims: Recipients of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are exposed to increased risk of adverse clinical events. One of the potential contributing factors is non-pulsatile flow generated by LVAD. We evaluated the association of flow patterns in carotid arteries and of increased arterial stiffness with death and cerebrovascular events in LVAD recipients.

Implantation of durable left ventricular assist device in patient with postmyocardial infarction ventricular septal defect.

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a severe complication of myocardial infarction (MI) with a high mortality rate. We report a case of a large post-MI VSD treated with percutaneous venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) to restore hemodynamic stability and to avoid surgery in the acute setting. VSD closure with endoventricular patch and implantation of biventricular assist device (BiVAD) was arranged sixteen days after MI.

The effect of long-term left ventricular assist device support on flow-sensitive plasma microRNA levels.

Background: Implantation of current generation left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) in the treatment of end-stage heart failure (HF), not only improves HF symptoms and end-organ perfusion, but also leads to cellular and molecular responses, presumably in response to the continuous flow generated by these devices. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression in multiple biological processes, including the pathogenesis of HF. In our study, we examined the influence of long-term LVAD support on changes in flow-sensitive miRNAs in plasma.

Different Expression of Mitochondrial and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Genes in Epicardial Adipose Tissue Depends on Coronary Atherosclerosis.

The aim of our study was to analyze mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) gene expression profiles in subcutaneous (SAT) and epicardial (EAT) adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and myocardium in patients with and without CAD undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Thirty-eight patients, 27 with (CAD group) and 11 without CAD (noCAD group), undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and/or valvular surgery were included in the study. EAT, SAT, intercostal skeletal muscle, and right atrium tissue and blood samples were collected at the start and end of surgery; mRNA expression of selected mitochondrial and ER stress genes was assessed using qRT-PCR.