Novel insights into bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) aortopathy: Long non-coding RNAs TUG1 and MIAT are differentially expressed in BAV ascending aortas.

Background: Whilst a combination of genetically mediated vulnerability and hemodynamic insult is suspected to contribute to bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) aortopathy, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood.

Methods: Utilizing RT-qPCR, we compared the expression of 28 potentially relevant long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in aortic tissue from BAV patients undergoing aortic surgery for aortopathy, to healthy controls. Relative lncRNA expression was measured using ΔΔCT, with fold-change calculated as RQ=2.

Long-term cardiovascular and noncardiovascular mortality of 1023 patients with confirmed acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: There are currently no guidelines advising long-term surveillance of patients following an acute pulmonary embolism (PE), because long-term outcome studies are rare. We investigated the long-term cardiovascular and all-cause mortality of a large patient cohort with confirmed PE in relation to baseline cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods And Results: Clinical details of all patients presenting with acute PE to a tertiary hospital were retrieved from medical records, and their survival tracked from a statewide death registry.

Left atrial size increases with body mass index in children.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI) z-score and left atrial (LA) size in childhood and to determine whether LA size differs between healthy weight (HW), overweight (OW) and obese (OB) children.

Background: LA enlargement is an independent risk factor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes. BMI is associated with LA size in adults but this may be mediated by co-morbidities that accompany adult obesity.