A new prediction model for sustained ventricular tachycardia in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is an inherited cardiomyopathy characterized by high risks of sustained ventricular tachycardia (sVT) and sudden cardiac death. Identifying patients with high risk of sVT is crucial for the management of ACM.

Methods: A total of 147 ACM patients were retrospectively enrolled in the observational study and divided into training and validation groups.

Association between brominated flame retardants (PBDEs and PBB153) exposure and hypertension in U.S. adults: results from NHANES 2005-2016.

Background: Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) have attracted widespread concern due to their environmental persistence and potential toxicity. This study aims to examine the association between BFRs exposure and hypertension.

Methods: We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2005 to 2016 for the cross-sectional analysis.

Mid-term outcome of catheter ablation of idiopathic non-outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias.

Background: Catheter ablation is recommended in patients with frequent and symptomatic ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) in an otherwise normal heart. Right or left outflow tract (OT) are the most common origins, and catheter ablation is highly effective with low complication rates. However, outcome of catheter ablation of VAs other than the OT (non-OTVAs) is limited.

The significance of heart rate variability in patients with frequent premature ventricular complex originating from the ventricular outflow tract.

Background: As an indicator of cardiac autonomic nervous activity, heart rate variability (HRV) is closely linked to premature ventricular complexes (PVCs). However, its role in patients with frequent PVCs originating from the ventricular outflow tract remains unclear.

Hypothesis: Here, we hypothesize that there may be alterations in HRV among patients with frequent PVCs originating from the ventricular outflow tract, which could play significant roles in the management of such patients.

Metagenome-wide analysis uncovers gut microbial signatures and implicates taxon-specific functions in end-stage renal disease.

Background: The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in regulating host metabolism and producing uremic toxins in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Our objective is to advance toward a holistic understanding of the gut ecosystem and its functional capacity in such patients, which is still lacking.

Results: Herein, we explore the gut microbiome of 378 hemodialytic ESRD patients and 290 healthy volunteers from two independent cohorts via deep metagenomic sequencing and metagenome-assembled-genome-based characterization of their feces.

Association between urinary metabolites of volatile organic compounds and cardiovascular disease in the general population from NHANES 2011-2018.

Background: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contain hundreds of chemicals and human exposure to VOCs is pervasive. However, most studies have considered only a single chemical or a class of similar chemicals.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the association between urinary volatile organic compound metabolites (mVOCs) and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population.

Effect of Prolonged Use of Dronedarone on Recurrence in Patients with Non-Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation After Radiofrequency Ablation (DORIS): Rationale and Design of a Randomized Multicenter, Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Background: Prolonged use of anti-arrhythmic drugs (AAD) beyond the post-ablation blanking period to maintain sinus rhythm has been adopted in clinical practice but without sufficient evidence. Dronedarone is an AAD valid for maintaining sinus rhythm with fewer side effects than other AAD for long-term use.

Objective: We sought to investigate the effect of prolonged use of dronedarone on the recurrence of non-paroxysmal AF patients beyond 3 months within the first year after ablation.

An analysis of antithrombotic therapy in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions.

As a result of large, randomized trials and updates to clinical guidelines, antithrombotic therapy following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has changed in recent years for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). The purpose of this study was to investigate the real-world data of antithrombotic regimens at discharge and their evolving trends, as well as compare the effect of different therapies on the incidence of major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ischemic events (MACCEs) and bleeding events in elderly patients. An analysis of 6298 stent implantation patients from 2016 to 2018 was carried out retrospectively.

Novel algorithm for diagnosis of Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy: Key gene expression profiling using machine learning.

Background: It is difficult to distinguish between arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) because of their similar clinical manifestations. This study aimed to develop a novel diagnostic algorithm for distinguishing ACM from DCM.

Methods: Two public datasets containing human ACM and DCM myocardial samples were used.

Clec7a expression in inflammatory macrophages orchestrates progression of acute kidney injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with high risk of mortality, post-disease renal fibrosis, kidney dysfunction and renal failure. Renal macrophages play a key role in the pathogenesis (M1 subpopulation), healing and remodeling (M2 subpopulation) in AKI and, thus, have been a promising target for clinical treatment of AKI. Here, in a mouse renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) model for AKI, we showed that renal macrophages could be further classified into Clec7a+ M1 macrophages, Clec7a- M1 macrophages, Clec7a+ M2 macrophages and Clec7a- M2 macrophages, representing distinct macrophage populations with different functionality.

Case report: Artery of Percheron infarction as a rare complication during atrial fibrillation ablation.

The incidence of stroke or transient ischemic attacks (TIA) in atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation procedures is around 1% and may be unnoted under anesthesia. The artery of Percheron (AOP) infarction is a rare kind of stroke with heterogeneity in manifestation, which further makes the perioperative early detection and diagnosis a challenge. Herein, we present one patient who underwent AF ablation and presented mental status alteration after withdrawing anesthetics.

Magnesium Lithospermate B Protects Against Cisplatin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury via Alleviating Mitochondrial Dysfunction.

Purpose: Apoptosis plays a critical role in cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) and is related to mitochondrial dysfunction. Magnesium lithospermate B (Mlb), one of the most important components of Bunge, is mainly used to treat cardiovascular diseases because of its anti-apoptotic effects. The mechanism underlying the protective effect of Mlb against cisplatin-induced AKI remains unclear.

B cell-mediated regulatory mechanisms control tumor-promoting intestinal inflammation.

Mechanisms underlying tumor-promoting inflammatory processes in colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) remain largely elusive. Here, we provide genetic evidence for distinct B cell-mediated immunoregulatory mechanisms that protect from chronic colitis versus CAC. We demonstrate an inherent capacity of interleukin-10 (IL-10)-producing B cells to differentiate into immunoglobulin A (IgA) plasma cells (PCs) upon Toll-like receptor (TLR) activation.

Berberine treats atherosclerosis via a vitamine-like effect down-regulating Choline-TMA-TMAO production pathway in gut microbiota.

Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) derived from the gut microbiota is an atherogenic metabolite. This study investigates whether or not berberine (BBR) could reduce TMAO production in the gut microbiota and treat atherosclerosis. Effects of BBR on TMAO production in the gut microbiota, as well as on plaque development in atherosclerosis were investigated in the culture of animal intestinal bacterial, HFD-fed animals and atherosclerotic patients, respectively.

Bipolar catheter ablation strategies for outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias refractory to unipolar ablation.

Introduction: Conventional unipolar catheter ablation (UA) is generally effective for the treatment of outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias (OT-VAs). However, deep foci refractory to UA remains a clinical challenge. The present study evaluated the efficacy and safety of bipolar ablation (BA) in the treatment of OT-VAs refractory to UA.

Severe coronary artery spasm during left atrial appendage closure plus catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: case presentation.

Background: Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) combined with radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) as a hybrid procedure is commonly performed to treat atrial fibrillation (AF). Although this treatment carries a low risk of coronary artery spasm (CAS), and has never been observed in LAAC procedure, caution still needed to be taken. We presented a case of CAS that occurred in an AF patient during the hybrid procedure.

Prevalence and Predictors of Additional Ablation Beyond Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Patients With Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation.

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is an effective strategy in the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Yet, there are limited data on additional ablation beyond PVI. In this study, we sought to assess the prevalence, predictors, and outcomes of additional ablation in PAF patients.

Determination and Application of Nineteen Monoamines in the Gut Microbiota Targeting Phenylalanine, Tryptophan, and Glutamic Acid Metabolic Pathways.

It has been reported that monoamine neurotransmitters can be produced by gut microbiota, and that several related metabolites of amino acids in these pathways are associated with nervous system (NVS) diseases. Herein, we focused on three pathways, namely, phenylalanine (Phe), tryptophan (Trp), and glutamic acid (Glu), and established an underivatized liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the quantification of nineteen monoamine neurotransmitters and related metabolites in the gut microbiota. The neurotransmitters and related metabolites included Phe, tyrosine (Tyr), l-dopa (Dopa), dopamine (DA), 3-methoxytyramine, Trp, hydroxytryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA), kynurenine (KN), kynurenic acid (KYNA), melatonin, tryptamine (TA), indole-3-lactic acid (ILA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indolyl-3-propionic acid (IPA), Glu, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and acetylcholine (Ach).

Association of N-Terminal Pro-brain Natriuretic Peptide With Volume Status and Cardiac Function in Hemodialysis Patients.

N-terminal-pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP) is secreted by cardiomyocytes in cases of cardiac structure disorder and volume overload. However, the relationship between NT-pro BNP level and body fluid status in dialysis patients with reduced cardiac ejection function (EF) is uncertain. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this relationship.

Oral berberine improves brain dopa/dopamine levels to ameliorate Parkinson's disease by regulating gut microbiota.

The phenylalanine-tyrosine-dopa-dopamine pathway provides dopamine to the brain. In this process, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the rate-limiting enzyme that hydroxylates tyrosine and generates levodopa (L-dopa) with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH) as a coenzyme. Here, we show that oral berberine (BBR) might supply H through dihydroberberine (reduced BBR produced by bacterial nitroreductase) and promote the production of BH from dihydrobiopterin; the increased BH enhances TH activity, which accelerates the production of L-dopa by the gut bacteria.

Paradoxical Association Between Intradialytic Blood Pressure Change and Long-Term Mortality with Different Levels of Interdialytic Weight Gain.

Background: A greater interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) implies a greater ultrafiltration rate, which might lead to hemodynamic instability and intradialytic blood pressure (BP) change in hemodialysis patients. However, current studies have not explicated the impact of IDWG on the association between intradialytic BP changes and prognosis, especially in patients without cardiac dysfunction and diabetes. In this study, we aimed to explore the relationship between absolute intradialytic BP changes and mortality with different IDWG levels.