The CNIC-polypill (acetylsalicylic acid, atorvastatin, and ramipril), an effective and cost-saving secondary prevention strategy compared with other therapeutic options in patients with ischaemic heart disease.

Aims: The retrospective NEPTUNO study evaluated the effectiveness of the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC)-polypill (including acetylsalicylic acid, ramipril, and atorvastatin) vs. other therapeutic approaches in secondary prevention for cardiovascular (CV) disease. In this substudy, the focus was on the subgroup of patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD).

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis under Disease-Modifying Therapies: A Multi-Centre Study.

Background: The EMCOVID project conducted a multi-centre cohort study to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on patients with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS) receiving disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). The study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in MS patients enrolled in the EMCOVID database. The DMTs were used to manage MS by reducing relapses, lesion accumulation, and disability progression.

Safety and efficacy of a cardiovascular polypill in people at high and very high risk without a previous cardiovascular event: the international VULCANO randomised clinical trial.

Background: Cardiovascular (CV) polypills are a useful baseline treatment to prevent CV diseases by combining different drug classes in a single pill to simultaneously target more than one risk factor. The aim of the present trial was to determine whether the treatment with the CNIC-polypill was at least non-inferior to usual care in terms of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and systolic BP (SBP) values in subjects at high or very high risk without a previous CV event.

Methods: The VULCANO was an international, multicentre open-label trial involving 492 participants recruited from hospital clinics or primary care centres.

The CNIC-Polypill reduces recurrent major cardiovascular events in real-life secondary prevention patients in Spain: The NEPTUNO study.

Background: To evaluate the effectiveness of a cardiovascular polypill including aspirin, ramipril and atorvastatin (CNIC-Polypill), on the incidence of recurrent major cardiovascular events (MACE) and risk factor control in patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) vs different pharmacological therapeutic strategies.

Methods: Retrospective, observational study using data from electronic-health records. Patients were distributed into 4 different cohorts: CNIC-Polypill (case cohort) vs 3 control cohorts: same monocomponents taken separately (Monocomponents), equipotent drugs (Equipotent) and other drugs not included in the previous cohorts (Other therapies).

Considerations and Guidance for the Structure, Organisation, and Operation of Cardiometabolic Prevention Units: A Consensus Statement of the Inter-American Society of Cardiology.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of death worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income regions such as Latin America. This is because of the combination and interaction in different proportions of a high prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors and socio-economic and cultural characteristics. This reality brings about the need to change paradigms to consistently and systematically boost cardiovascular prevention as the most cost-effective medium- to long-term strategy to reduce their prevalence in medium- and low-resource countries, not only in Latin America but also in other global regions.

The CNIC-polypill improves atherogenic dyslipidemia markers in patients at high risk or with cardiovascular disease: Results from a real-world setting in Mexico.

Background: In many patients, the risk of cardiovascular (CV) events persists despite statin treatment and attaining target LDL-c levels. This residual risk is in part attributed to atherogenic dyslipidemia (AD). We studied the clinical effectiveness of the CNIC-polypill in improving the lipid profile, and lipid ratios and indices indicative of AD that are more accurate in predicting lipid-related CV risk.

Reaching blood pressure guideline targets with the CNIC polypill in patients with a previous cardiovascular event in Mexico: a analysis of the SORS study.

To determine the effectiveness of Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC)-polypill (acetylsalicylic acid 100 mg, ramipril 5/10 mg, simvastatin 40 mg) in achieving blood pressure (BP) goals. A multicenter, observational, one cohort, prospective study. BP targets were analyzed in patients with cardiovascular disease after 12-months treatment with the CNIC polypill.

Clinical Effectiveness of the Cardiovascular Polypill in a Real-Life Setting in Patients with Cardiovascular Risk: The SORS Study.

Background: The cardiovascular disease pandemic has promoted the cardiovascular polypill as one of the most scalable public health strategies to improve cardiovascular risk by increasing accessibility and adherence to treatments. Data from randomized clinical trials has shown that the polypill strategy significantly improves adherence as well as risk factor control (cholesterol and blood pressure), however, to date, no information from phase IV registries has been available.

Methods: We conducted a multicentre, observational and prospective registry of a polypill-based treatment strategy.

Optimal pharmacological treatment and adherence to medication in secondary prevention of cardiovascular events in Spain: Results from the CAPS study.

Introduction: Despite the large amount of evidence supporting the use of antiplatelet agents, beta-blockers, angiotensin antagonists, and lipid-lowering statins in patients with stable coronary artery disease, several studies have documented underprescription of optimal medical treatment (OMT) in Spain.

Aims: The present study aimed to describe the current trend of pharmacological prescription in secondary prevention treatment for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in a Spanish cohort.

Methods: This study was a multicenter, observational, cross-sectional study (CAPS study, FER-CAR-2014-01) in the context of only one visit.

Degree of Lipid Control in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease and Measures Adopted by Physicians. REPAR Study.

Introduction And Objectives: Lipid control is insufficient in patients with coronary heart disease but this situation may be improving with the implementation of the latest clinical practice guidelines. The aim of this study was to analyze whether target values of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol are achieved and to identify associated factors and physicians' attitudes to deficient control.

Methods: We conducted a national, multicenter, prospective, observational study of 1103 patients with stable coronary heart disease, analyzing lipid values and a broad set of clinical variables.

Trends in Risk Factors and Treatments in Patients With Stable Ischemic Heart Disease Seen at Cardiology Clinics Between 2006 and 2014.

Introduction And Objectives: Chronic ischemic heart disease is the most prevalent of all cardiovascular diseases. Patients are at high risk of complications. In recent decades, changes may have occurred in the clinical characteristics of the disease, its treatment and control of risk factors.

[Patient's care and management of dyslipidemia at discharge after an acute coronary syndrome in the clinical practice in Spain: The SINCOPA study].

Introduction: European guidelines acknowledge that patients with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) should have LDLc levels below 70mg/dL or reduced a 50% respect to their basal levels. However, some studies demonstrated that this goal is achieved in a small number of patients. The aim of this study was to determine how cardiologists (MC) and primary care specialist (GPs) from Spain manage LDLc in ACS patients during their daily practice.

[Cost-effectiveness of rosuvastatin versus simvastatin, atorvastatin and pitavastatin in patients with high and very high cardiovascular risk in Spain].

Introduction And Objectives: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of rosuvastatin versus simvastatin, atorvastatin and pitavastatin in Spain, according to the European guidelines for the treatment of dyslipidemias in patients with high and very high cardiovascular risk.

Methods: A Markov long-term cost-effectiveness model of rosuvastatin versus simvastatin, atorvastatin and pitavastatin in patients with high and very high cardiovascular risk defined according to 5 factors (sex, age, smoking habit, baseline cholesterol level, and systolic blood pressure) using the SCORE system. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio is expressed in euros per quality adjusted life years and is calculated according to the perspective of the Spanish National Health System.

Experimental Nephrectomies Using a Novel Telesurgical System: (The Telelap ALF-X)-A Pilot Study.

Purpose: The SOFAR® Telelap Alf-X (Milan, Italy) is a novel telesurgical system which combines the advantages of both laparoscopy and open surgery. It offers some new features like tactile perception, open site view, eye-tracking control of the camera, and optimal ergonomics.

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility and the safety of nephrectomy using a novel telesurgical system with haptic sensation: the Telelap Alf-X.

Prevalence of atherogenic dyslipidemia in primary care patients at moderate-very high risk of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular risk perception.

Introduction: Atherogenic dyslipidemia is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We aim to determine atherogenic dyslipidemia prevalence in primary care patients at moderate-very high cardiovascular risk and its associated cardiovascular risk perception in Spain.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1137 primary care patients.

Vesicourethral anastomosis using a novel telesurgical system with haptic sensation, the Telelap Alf-X: a pilot study.

Vesicourethral anastomosis is a necessary part of radical prostatectomy and presents technical challenges when performed endoscopically. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the van Velthoven anastomosis method in swine model using a novel telesurgical system with haptic sensation: the Telelap Alf-X. Twenty vesicourethral anastomoses were performed using the system in female swine with two working ports and a camera.

Mining Natural-Products Screening Data for Target-Class Chemical Motifs.

In this article, we describe two complementary data-mining approaches used to characterize the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) natural-products set (NPS) based on information from the high-throughput screening (HTS) databases. Both methods rely on the aggregation and analysis of a large set of single-shot screening data for a number of biological assays, with the goal to reveal natural-product chemical motifs. One of them is an established method based on the data-driven clustering of compounds using a wide range of descriptors,(1)whereas the other method partitions and hierarchically clusters the data to identify chemical cores.

Relationship between serum levels of triglycerides and vascular inflammation, measured as COX-2, in arteries from diabetic patients: a translational study.

Background: Inflammation is a common feature in the majority of cardiovascular disease, including Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Levels of pro-inflammatory markers have been found in increasing levels in serum from diabetic patients (DP). Moreover, levels of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) are increased in coronary arteries from DP.

Telelap Alf-X: a novel telesurgical system for the 21st century.

Objective: To introduce a new telesurgical concept and system, we describe the TELELAP Alf-X system and report the results of the preliminary laboratory experiments on dry lab skill exercises.

Methods: The TELELAP Alf-X system offers a novel approach to remotely operated 3-dimension endoscopy by adding haptic sensation, an eye-tracking system, and a high degree of configuration versatility. The Alf-X system consists of a remote control unit, manipulator arms, connection node, and reusable endoscopic instruments.

Role of TGF-beta1 and MAP kinases in the antiproliferative effect of aspirin in human vascular smooth muscle cells.

Background: We aimed to test the antiproliferative effect of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from bypass surgery patients and the role of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1).

Methodology/principal Findings: VSMC were isolated from remaining internal mammary artery from patients who underwent bypass surgery. Cell proliferation and DNA fragmentation were assessed by ELISA.

EPC adhesion to arteries from diabetic and non-diabetic patients: effect of pioglitazone.

Endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) dysfunction is an important mediator of vascular disease in diabetes. We aimed to elucidate the mechanism of adhesion of EPC to diabetic and non-diabetic arteries and to study the effect of the anti-diabetic drug pioglitazone. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from healthy donors.

High-reproducible flow cytometric endothelial progenitor cell determination in human peripheral blood as CD34+/CD144+/CD3- lymphocyte sub-population.

Although determination of circulating endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) in peripheral blood by flow cytometry is an emerging marker for cardiovascular medicine, a common standardized protocol is still not available, due to the low numbers achieved in peripheral blood. In the present paper we describe a novel technique for EPC quantification as CD34+/CD144+/CD3- cells within the lymphocyte gate, which increases the percentages of EPC positivity described before and also offers high intra-assay reproducibility. These improvements are based on a gating strategy for big-sized lymphocytes, smooth fixation and cytometric clearance of CD3+ lymphocytes (T-cells).

Importance of intracellular angiotensin II in vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis: inhibition by the angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonist irbesartan.

The intracellular uptake of Angiotensin II has been described, although its physiological role is not yet understood. We aimed to study the role of Angiotensin II internalization in Angiotensin II-induced apoptosis. Vascular smooth muscle cells were cultured from male Wistar-Kyoto rats and treated with Angiotensin II (1 microM, 48 h).

Pioglitazone induces apoptosis in human vascular smooth muscle cells from diabetic patients involving the transforming growth factor-beta/activin receptor-like kinase-4/5/7/Smad2 signaling pathway.

Alterations in vascular wall remodeling are a typical complication in type 2 diabetes mellitus due to an imbalance between cell proliferation and apoptosis. In this context, we have previously shown that vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from diabetic patients were resistant to induced apoptosis. Thiazolidinediones, such as pioglitazone, seem to exert direct antiatherosclerotic effects on type 2 diabetes.

Alterations in the choroid in hypercholesterolemic rabbits: reversibility after normalization of cholesterol levels.

Endothelial damage in atherosclerosis is characterized by abnormal vascular functionality. Hyperlipidemic patients show alterations in ocular vascularization. However, it is not known whether these alterations are reversible after the lipid profile returns to normal.