Association between fingertip-measured advanced glycation end products and cardiovascular events in outpatients with cardiovascular disease.

Background: The accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) is associated with cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the relationship between the AGEs measured by an AGEs sensor noninvasively at the fingertip and prognosis in patients with CVD remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between AGEs score and prognosis among patients with CVD.

Clinical outcomes and plaque characteristics in patients with coronary artery disease and concomitant sleep-disordered breathing treated by continuous positive airway pressure.

Background: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a risk factor for recurrent adverse events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the prognosis of continuous positive alveolar pressure (CPAP) treatment for SDB with CAD remains unknown.

Methods: A total of 281 consecutive patients with stable CAD requiring percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were included and classified into three groups according to the concomitance of SDB and CPAP treatment (untreated SDB group, n = 61; CPAP-SDB group, n = 24; and non-SDB group, n = 138).

Crystal structure of the AlbEF complex involved in subtilosin A biosynthesis.

Subtilosin A is a sactipeptide bacteriocin produced by Bacillus subtilis strain 168, containing intramolecular thioether bonds and a head-to-tail macrocyclic peptide bond. Macrocyclization is presumably catalyzed by AlbE and AlbF proteins encoded by the subtilosin A biosynthesis gene cluster. However, the underlying mechanism of macrocyclization remains uncertain as the tertiary structures of the proteins are undetermined.

Development of a novel peptide inhibitor of subtilisin BPN'.

Proteinaceous protease inhibitors can strongly and specifically inhibit cognate proteases, but their use as pharmaceuticals is limited by their size. As such, the development of effective protease peptide inhibitors would be beneficial for biochemical studies and drug discovery. In this study, we applied a phage display system to select subtilisin BPN'-binding peptides and evaluated their inhibitory activities against subtilisin BPN'.

Advanced Glycation End Products Are Associated with Diabetes Status and Physical Functions in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease.

Advanced glycated end products (AGEs) accumulate systemically and cause diabetes complications. However, whether noninvasive measurable AGEs are associated with diabetes status and physical functions remains unclear. One hundred and ten patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) who underwent outpatient cardiac rehabilitation were included.

A case with recovery from high degree atrioventricular-block with steroid therapy in cardiac sarcoidosis with AH block: a possible new sign of responder?

Although some reports have documented cases who exhibited recovery from atrioventricular block (AVB) by steroid therapy in cases with cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), they could not determine predictors for such good response to steroid therapy. In this case, a 54-year-old female was referred to our hospital due to intermittent 2:1 AVB. Echocardiography revealed normal ventricular function.

Prognosis of Patients With Reduced Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction and Chronic Total Occlusion According to Treatment Applied.

Background: Chronic total occlusion (CTO) is common among patients with coronary artery disease. Very few studies have focused on outcomes of patients with CTO and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), according to treatment applied. The aim of our study was to determine the potential influence of the selected treatment on the prognosis in patients with CTO associated with reduced LVEF.

Achilles tendon thickening is associated with higher incidence of adverse cardiovascular event in patients with coronary artery disease.

Achilles tendon thickening (ATT) is a marker of high risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the association between the presence of ATT and the incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with CAD is unclear. A total of 406 consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and ATT assessment were analyzed.

Moderate Hypothermia Modifies Coronary Hemodynamics and Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation in a Porcine Model of Temperature Management.

Background Hypothermia has been associated with therapeutic benefits including reduced mortality and better neurologic outcomes in survivors of cardiac arrest. However, undesirable side effects have been reported in patients undergoing coronary interventions. Using a large animal model of temperature management, we aimed to describe how temperature interferes with the coronary vasculature.

Methylene Blue Inhibits Formation of Tau Fibrils but not of Granular Tau Oligomers: A Plausible Key to Understanding Failure of a Clinical Trial for Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease pathology is characterized by extracellular deposits of amyloid-β (Aβ) and intracellular inclusions of hyperphosphorylated tau. Although genetic studies of familial Alzheimer's disease suggest a causal link between Aβ and disease symptoms, the failure of various Aβ-targeted strategies to slow or halt disease progression has led to consideration of the idea that inhibition of tau aggregation might be a more promising therapeutic approach. Methylene blue (MB), which inhibits tau aggregation and rescue memory deficits in a mouse model of tauopathy, however, lacked efficacy in a recent Phase III clinical trial.

Incidence, factors, and clinical significance of cholesterol crystals in coronary plaque: An optical coherence tomography study.

Background And Aims: Intraplaque cholesterol crystal (CC) is recognized as a component of vulnerable plaques. However, the clinical characteristics of patients with CC and the impact of CC on clinical events remain unknown.

Methods: A total of 340 consecutive patients who underwent optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging of culprit lesions were included in the study.

Impact of Absorb bioresorbable scaffold implantation technique on post-procedural quantitative coronary angiographic endpoints in ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a sub-analysis of the BVS STEMI STRATEGY-IT study.

Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BRS) implantation technique on post-procedural quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) parameters in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods And Results: We assessed 442 STEMI patients who underwent BRS implantation in the BVS STEMI STRATEGY-IT study. Optimal BRS implantation was assessed using the PSP score, developed and validated in the GHOST-EU registry.

A Prospective Evaluation of a Pre-Specified Absorb BVS Implantation Strategy in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: The BVS STEMI STRATEGY-IT Study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and clinical results following a pre-specified bioresorbable scaffold (Absorb BVS) implantation strategy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Background: Concerns were raised about the safety of Absorb because a non-negligible rate of thrombosis was reported within 30 days and at midterm follow-up after primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter study of patients with STEMI (<75 years of age with symptom onset <12 h) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention with Absorb following a dedicated implantation protocol.

Methods to assess bioresorbable vascular scaffold devices behaviour after implantation.

Bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BRS) represent a novel approach for coronary revascularization offering several advantages as compared to current generation DES, potentially reducing rate of late adverse events and avoiding permanent vessel caging. Nevertheless, safety concerns have been raised for an increased risk of scaffold thrombosis (ScT) in both early and late phases, probably related to a suboptimal scaffold implantation. In this context, the use of different imaging methodologies has been strongly suggested in order to guarantee an optimal implantation.

Impact of stent overlapping on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: insights from the five-year follow-up of the EXAMINATION trial.

Aims: The aim of this study was to compare the long-term outcomes of STEMI patients treated with overlap vs. no-overlap stents.

Methods And Results: We analysed the one- and five-year clinical outcomes of 1,498 STEMI patients according to overlapping stent implantation.

Serial optical coherence tomography assessment of malapposed struts after everolimus-eluting stent implantation. A subanalysis from the HEAL-EES study.

Background: Incomplete stent apposition (ISA) is related to stent thrombosis, which is a serious adverse event. We aim to assess the time-course of ISA after 2nd generation everolimus-eluting stent (EES) implantation.

Methods: In HEAL-EES study, we enrolled 36 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with EES.

Bioresorbable vascular scaffolds technology: current use and future developments.

Coronary bioresorbable vascular scaffolds are a new appealing therapeutic option in interventional cardiology. The most used and studied is currently the Absorb BVS™. Its backbone is made of poly-L-lactide and coated by a thin layer of poly-D,L-lactide, it releases everolimus and is fully degraded to H2O and CO2 in 2-3 years.

Unfavorable bioresorbable vascular scaffold resorption, a cause of restenosis?

We report a case of bioresorbable vascular scaffold restenosis which could be caused by abnormal resorption 17months after implantation.

Bioresorbable vascular scaffolds in clinical practice: state-of-the-art.

Coronary bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) are a new appealing therapeutic option in interventional cardiology. To date, the Absorb BVS™ (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA, USA) is the most used and studied device. Its backbone is made of poly-L-lactide and coated by a thin layer of poly-D,L-lactide; everolimus is released and the scaffold is fully degraded to H2O and CO2 in 2-3 years.

Bioresorbable vascular scaffold implantation in acute coronary syndromes: clinical evidence, tips and tricks.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with a drug-eluting stent (DES) is routine treatment for patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). However, permanent metallic caging of the vessel has several shortcomings, such as side branch jailing and impossibility of late lumen enlargement. Moreover, DES PCI is affected by vasomotion impairment.