A Detailed Clinical Case of Localized Prostate Tumors Treated with Nanoparticle-Assisted Sub-Ablative Laser Ablation.

AuroLase Therapy-a nanoparticle-enabled focal therapy-has the potential to safely and effectively treat localized prostate cancer (PCa), preserving baseline functionality. This article presents a detailed case of localized PCa treated with AuroLase, providing insight on expectations from the diagnosis of PCa to one year post-treatment. AuroLase Therapy is a two-day treatment consisting of a systemic infusion of gold nanoshells (~150-nm hydrodynamic diameter) on Day 1, and sub-ablative laser treatment on Day 2.

Symptom phenotypes in pulmonary arterial hypertension: The PAH "symptome".

Women with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) experience multiple symptoms, including dyspnea, fatigue, and sleep disturbance, that impair their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, we know little about phenotypic subgroups of patients with PAH with similar, concurrent, multiple symptoms. The objectives of this study were to define the "symptome" by symptom cluster phenotypes and compare characteristics such as biomarkers, cardiac structure and function (echocardiography), functional capacity (6-min walk distance), and HRQOL between the groups.

Lower DHEA-S levels predict disease and worse outcomes in post-menopausal women with idiopathic, connective tissue disease- and congenital heart disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension.

High oestradiol (E2) and low dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) levels are risk factors for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in men, but whether sex hormones are related to PAH in women is unknown.Post-menopausal women aged ≥55 years with PAH were matched by age and body mass index to women without cardiovascular disease. Plasma sex hormone levels were measured by immunoassay.

Slow-paced respiration therapy to treat symptoms in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Objective: To determine the feasibility of using slow-paced respiration therapy to treat symptoms in women with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Background: People with PAH report increased dyspnea, fatigue and sleep disturbance that can impair health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Methods: Ten women with PAH received 8-weeks of daily, 15 min sessions using slow-paced respiration therapy via the RESPeRATE™ device.

Anastrozole in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled Trial.

Rationale: The aromatase inhibitor anastrozole blocks the conversion of androgens to estrogen and blunts pulmonary hypertension in animals, but its efficacy in treating patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is unknown.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of anastrozole in PAH.

Methods: We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of anastrozole in patients with PAH who received background therapy at two centers.

Physical Activity and Symptoms in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Background: Fatigue is a common symptom in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); however, the impact of fatigue on daily physical activity in PAH is unknown. Accelerometry is a validated measure for assessing physical activity. We hypothesized that patients with PAH reporting higher levels of fatigue would have lower daily physical activity measured by accelerometry.

Higher Estradiol and Lower Dehydroepiandrosterone-Sulfate Levels Are Associated with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Men.

Rationale: Recent studies have focused on the role of female sex and estradiol (E2) in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but it is not known whether sex hormones are risk factors for PAH in men.

Objectives: We performed a case-control study to determine whether hormone levels (E2, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate [DHEA-S], and testosterone) are associated with PAH in men.

Methods: Plasma sex hormone levels in men with idiopathic, heritable, or connective tissue disease-associated PAH were compared with those from age- and body mass index-matched men without clinical cardiovascular disease.

Interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α are associated with quality of life-related symptoms in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Rationale: Inflammation is associated with symptoms in many chronic illnesses; however, this link has not been established in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between inflammatory markers and quality of life-related symptoms in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. We hypothesized that higher circulating IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α levels would be associated with worse quality of life-related symptoms.

Relationship of CRP, IL-6, and fibrinogen with right ventricular structure and function: the MESA-Right Ventricle Study.

Background/objectives: Inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of disease associated with the left ventricle (LV); yet, our understanding of the effect of inflammation on the right ventricle (RV) is quite limited.

Methods And Results: The relationships of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and fibrinogen with RV morphology and function (from cardiac MRI) were examined in participants free of clinical cardiovascular disease (n=4009) from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)-RV study. Multivariable regressions (linear, quantile [25th and 75th] and generalized additive models [GAM]) were used to examine the independent association of CRP, IL-6 and fibrinogen with RV mass, RV end-diastolic volume (RVEDV), RV end-systolic volume (RVESV), RV stroke volume (RVSV) and RV ejection fraction (RVEF).