Left Atrial Volume versus Coronary Artery Calcium Score in Patients on Peritoneal Dialysis: An Observational Study.

The coronary artery calcium score and left atrial volume have been shown to predict the incidence of acute myocardial infarction and death from cardiovascular disease in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. However, the association between these factors has not been well-established. This cross-sectional, prospective, single-center study was conducted on patients undergoing outpatient peritoneal dialysis, who were followed up at a university hospital between March 2018 and August 2019.

Association of cardiovascular risk factors and myocardial hypertrophy in women with preeclampsia history.

Aims: A historic of preeclampsia (PE) has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women. There are substantial evidences that cardiovascular changes resulting from PE can persist even after pregnancy end. Therefore, the aims was to evaluate the prevalence of myocardial hypertrophy in young women 12 months after PE event as well as try to identify risk factors for these changes.

Effect of a Physical Exercise Program on the Inflammatory Response, Cardiac Functions, Functional Capacity, and Quality of Life in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease.

Introduction: The beneficial effects of physical exercise on functional capacity and inflammatory response are well-known in cardiovascular diseases; however, studies on sickle cell disease (SCD) are limited. It was hypothesized that physical exercise may exert a favorable effect on the inflammatory response of SCD patients, contributing to an improved quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a regular physical exercise program on the anti-inflammatory responses in SCD patients.

Assessment of atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction risk factors in patients with primary glomerulonephritis.

Introduction: Glomerulonephritis are the third cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) requiring dialysis in Brazil. Mineral and bone disorder (MBD) is one of the complications of CKD and is already present in the early stages. Assessment of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMV) are non-invasive ways of assessing cardiovascular risk.

Quality of Oral Anticoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation Patients at a Tertiary Hospital in Brazil.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects 0.5% to 2.0% of the general population and is usually associated with cardiac structural diseases, hemodynamic damage, and thromboembolic complications.

Cardiovascular benefits of a home-based exercise program in patients with sickle cell disease.

Background: Physical inactivity is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The benefits of exercise in patients with chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, are well established. For patients with sickle cell disease, medical recommendation was to avoid physical exercise for fear of triggering painful crises or increasing the impairment of the cardiopulmonary function.

Carotid Artery Atherosclerotic Profile as Risk Predictor for Restenosis After Coronary Stenting.

Background: The incidence of restenosis of the coronary artery after a bare-metal stent implant has been lower than in simple balloon angioplasty; however, it still shows relatively high rates.

Objective: The aim of this study was to find new risk indicators for in-stent restenosis using carotid ultrasonography, that, in addition to the already existing indicators, would help in decision-making for stent selection.

Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional prospective study including 121 consecutive patients with chronic coronary artery disease who had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention with repeat angiography in the previous 12 months.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: A Review.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common heart disease with a genetic origin, and its main characteristic is left ventricular hypertrophy that occurs in the absence of other conditions that trigger this change. HCM may present from asymptomatic forms to manifestations of sudden cardiac death and severe heart failure. Contemporary high-resolution imaging methods and more accurate clinical scores have been used and developed to provide a prognostic assessment and adequate functional assessments, as well as to allow for the stratification of clinical severity.

Cardiovascular Risk in Individuals with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients present a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases due to the presence of chronic inflammation, which plays an essential role in atherogenesis. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk between patients with IBD and healthy control individuals.

Materials And Methods: A total of 52 consecutive IBD outpatients from a tertiary hospital and 37 healthy controls were enrolled.

Relationship of spontaneous microembolic signals to risk stratification, recurrence, severity, and mortality of ischemic stroke: a prospective study.

Introduction: The presence of microembolic signals (MES) during the acute phase of stroke is poorly understood, and its role and clinical application in relation to risk stratification and prognosis in patients remain uncertain. We assessed the prevalence of spontaneous MES in acute stroke and their relationship with risk stratification, stroke recurrence, morbidity, and mortality.

Patients And Methods: This was a prospective cohort study conducted in the Stroke Unit.

Impact of a Supervised Twelve-Week Combined Physical Training Program in Heart Failure Patients: A Randomized Trial.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of supervised combined physical training and unsupervised physician-prescribed regular exercise on the functional capacity and quality of life of heart failure patients.

Methods: This is a longitudinal prospective study composed of 28 consecutive heart failure with reduced ejection fraction patients randomly divided into two age- and gender-matched groups: trained group ( = 17) and nontrained group ( = 11). All patients were submitted to clinical evaluation, transthoracic echocardiography, the Cooper walk test, and a Quality of Life questionnaire before and after a 12-week study protocol.

Aerobic Exercise Training and Nontraditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Hemodialysis Patients: Results from a Prospective Randomized Trial.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients have a high incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) which increases their morbidity and mortality. A sedentary lifestyle in CKD is directly linked to the onset of CVD. Physical activity can bring beneficial effects to CKD patients.

Influence of Intradialytic Aerobic Training in Cerebral Blood Flow and Cognitive Function in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background And Objectives: Changes in cerebral blood flow may play an important role in cognitive impairment among hemodialysis (HD) patients. Physical activity has a promising role in delaying cognitive impairment in general population, but there are only a few studies in HD to confirm this finding. We aimed to evaluate the effects of intradialytic aerobic training on cerebral blood flow and cognitive impairment in HD.

Frequency of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Brazilian HIV-Infected Patients.

Background: AIDS as well as atherosclerosis are important public health problems. The longer survival among HIV-infected is associated with increased number of cardiovascular events in this population, and this association is not fully understood.

Objectives: To identify the frequency of subclinical atherosclerosis in HIV-infected patients compared to control subjects; to analyze associations between atherosclerosis and clinical and laboratory variables, cardiovascular risk factors, and the Framingham coronary heart disease risk score (FCRS).

Association Between Left Ventricle Diastolic Dysfunction and Unfavorable Prognostic Markers in Patients with Aortic Insufficiency.

Introduction: The presence of symptoms, systolic dysfunction and Left Ventricle (LV) dilation are considered unfavourable prognostic markers in Aortic Valve Insufficiency (AVI). The role of diastolic dysfunction, which is considered unfavourable outcome marker in cardiac pathologies, is not well established in AVI.

Aim: To evaluate if the presence of diastolic dysfunction may be associated with unfavourable prognostic markers in AVI patients.

Evaluating respiratory musculature, quality of life, anxiety, and depression among patients with indeterminate chronic Chagas disease and symptoms of pulmonary hypertension.

Introduction:: Chagas disease (CD) is progressive and incapacitating, especially when cardiopulmonary function is affected. For example, respiratory muscle weakness can cause dyspnea upon exertion and fatigue, which may be exacerbated when it is associated with pulmonary hypertension (PH). The present study aimed to evaluate respiratory musculature, quality of life, anxiety, and depression among patients with indeterminate chronic CD and symptoms of PH.

Strain Pattern on Electrocardiogram Is Associated with Increased Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Patients with Aortic Valve Stenosis.

Background: Coronary artery disease is present in at least 30% of patients with degenerative aortic stenosis (AS). Atherosclerosis also performs an important role in the progression of AS, because of the similarities of pathological mechanisms in both conditions. The electrocardiogram (EKG) strain pattern is associated with structural myocardial change and subendocardial ischemia and has been worldwide used as a marker of AS severity.

Higher Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Subclinical Hypothyroidism Associated with the Metabolic Syndrome.

Background: The subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) and the metabolic syndrome (MS) have been associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is capable of detecting early signs of atherosclerotic disease. The goal of the study was to compare the carotid IMT of patients with SH with and without the MS.

Left ventricular mass behaviour in hemodialysis patients during 17 years.

Introduction: Ventricular hypertrophy is frequent in dialysis patients and is associated with an ominous prognosis. It is not knowledge if this ventricular change is growing or decreasing in hemodialysis patients.

Objective: To assess left ventricular hypertrophy behaviour during 17 years in patients of a university dialysis center, as well as to verify the possible causes of this behavior.

Evaluation of the Temporal Acoustic Window for Transcranial Doppler in a Multi-Ethnic Population in Brazil.

The aim of this study was to relate the presence of a temporal acoustic window (TAW) to the variables sex, age and race. This observational study was conducted in patients under etiologic investigation after stroke, sickle-cell anemia and hospitalization in an intensive therapy neurologic unit. TAW presence was confirmed by bilateral assessment by two neurologists via transcranial Doppler (TCD).

Carotid artery atherosclerotic profile as a predictor of the aorta atherosclerotic profile in patients with cerebrovascular events.

Background: It is well known that the presence of atheroma of the thoracic aorta is a risk factor for cerebrovascular events. We sought to evaluate whether the presence and the morphology of atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery detected by duplex ultrasonography is associated with disease in the proximal aorta visualized by transesophageal echocardiogram in patients with a cerebrovascular event.

Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional prospective study including 147 consecutive patients with prior stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Disproportionate pregnancy-induced myocardial hypertrophy in women with essential hypertension.

Background: Pregnancy and arterial hypertension (AH) have a prohypertrophic effect on the heart. It is suspected that the 2 conditions combined cause disproportionate myocardial hypertrophy. We sought to evaluate myocardial hypertrophy (LVH) and left ventricular function in normotensive and hypertensive women in the presence or absence of pregnancy.