Negative correlation between cardiometabolic index and testosterone in male adults.

Background: Insulin resistance (IR) is closely correlated with a deficiency or decrease of testosterone levels in males. Cardiometabolic index (CMI) is correlated with various diseases correlated with IR. The primary objective of this study is to explore the correlation between CMI and testosterone levels in male adults.

Pericardial-Esophageal Fistula After Combined Ablation and Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Procedure for Atrial Fibrillation.

Pericardial-esophageal fistula is a rare complication after radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation. A 52-year-old man developed pneumopericardium, which was revealed by echocardiogram and computed tomography, after a combined ablation and left atrial appendage occlusion procedure for atrial fibrillation. He was diagnosed with a pericardial-esophageal fistula and underwent surgical pericardial and mediastinal drainage tube placement.

Macrophage-derived VEGF-C reduces cardiac inflammation and prevents heart dysfunction in CVB3-induced viral myocarditis via remodeling cardiac lymphatic vessels.

Background: Cardiac lymphatic vessels are important channels for cardiac fluid circulation and immune regulation. In myocardial infarction and chronic heart failure, promoting cardiac lymphangiogenesis is beneficial in reducing cardiac edema and inflammation. However, the specific involvement of cardiac lymphangiogenesis in viral myocarditis (VMC) has not been studied.

Parkin plays a crucial role in acute viral myocarditis by regulating mitophagy activity.

Parkin (an E3 ubiquitin protein ligase) is an important regulator of mitophagy. However, the role of Parkin in viral myocarditis (VMC) remains unclear. Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) infection was induced in mice to create VMC.

Twice-daily rivaroxaban after percutaneous left atrial appendage closure for atrial fibrillation.

Rivaroxaban is an emerging oral anticoagulant for postoperative anticoagulation after percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC). Because a once-daily dosing regimen of rivaroxaban causes fluctuations in the drug plasma concentration, we studied the feasibility and safety of twice-daily rivaroxaban as a postoperative anticoagulation regimen for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing LAAC. This study involved patients with AF who underwent LAAC and took rivaroxaban postoperatively.

Comparing safety and efficacy: MemoLefort versus watchman for left atrial appendage closure.

Background: The MemoLefort is a new plug occluder for left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This study compares the safety and efficacy of MemoLefort and the well-established Watchman occluder for LAAC.

Methods: Between January 2021 and September 2022, a cohort of 189 consecutive patients who underwent LAAC with MemoLefort or Watchman at The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were included.

Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure using the LAmbre device in patients with atrial fibrillation and left atrial appendage thrombus.

Background: Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) is considered a valid alternative for the prevention of thromboembolic stroke in patients with persistent left atrial appendage thrombus (LAAT) despite adequate anticoagulation. However, the data on LAAC using the LAmbre device for patients with LAAT is limited. This study was performed to explore efficacy and safety as well as to share the experience of the modified LAAC procedure with the LAmbre device.

Combined atrial fibrillation ablation and left atrial appendage closure: Watchman vs. LAmbre devices.

Background: Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) combined with radiofrequency catheter ablation is an emerging one-stop hybrid procedure for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). This study was performed to compare the efficacy and safety of the Watchman device vs. the LAmbre device for this combined procedure.

Excessive Dietary Salt Intake Exacerbates Cognitive Impairment Progression and Increases Dementia Risk in Older Adults.

Objectives: To investigate excessive dietary salt intake as an independent risk factor of cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults.

Design: Prospective, population-based cohort study.

Settings And Participants: Two thousand forty-one community residents aged ≥60 years were recruited between April 2007 and August 2009 from the Shandong area of China.

Overcoming High Impedance in the Transitional Area of the Distal Great Cardiac Vein during Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmia.

(1) Background: Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is an essential treatment for ventricular arrhythmia (VA). However, high impedance in the transitional area of the distal great cardiac vein (TAODGCV) often leads to ablation failure. This study aimed to explore the factors influencing impedance and identify effective ways to reduce impedance.

Low shear stress inhibits endothelial mitophagy via caveolin-1/miR-7-5p/SQSTM1 signaling pathway.

Background And Aims: Mitophagy plays a crucial role in mitochondrial homeostasis and is closely associated with endothelial function. However, the mechanism underlying low blood flow shear stress (SS), detrimental cellular stress, regulating endothelial mitophagy is unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether low SS inhibits endothelial mitophagy via caveolin-1 (Cav-1)/miR-7-5p/Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1) signaling pathway.

Excessive Visit-to-Visit Small and Dense Low-Density Lipoproteins Elevate Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Progression Risk in the Elderly.

Objective: Small and dense low-density lipoprotein (sdLDL) elevation may be among the most sensitive early biomarkers for nascent cardiovascular disease. This study, therefore, investigated the association between visit-to-visit changes in sdLDL and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) progression in older individuals, and the influence of () genotype on this association.

Methods: Between April 2007 and July 2009, 1,143 participants ≥60 years old were recruited from the Shandong region of China, and sdLDL was measured at baseline and at each follow-up visit.

R/S Ratio in Lead III Predicts Successful Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmias Originating in Para-Hisian Region.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the electrocardiographic characteristics of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) originating near the His bundle (HB) and use the R/S ratio in lead III (R/S ratio) to predict successful ablation of para-Hisian VAs.

Background: Catheter ablation for idiopathic VAs near the HB is often challenging, and data are limited.

Methods: The present study included 134 consecutive patients undergoing catheter ablation of para-Hisian VAs.

Vagus nerve plays a pivotal role in CD4+ T cell differentiation during CVB3-induced murine acute myocarditis.

Abnormalities in CD4 T cell (Th cell) differentiation play an important role in the pathogenesis of viral myocarditis (VMC). Our previous studies demonstrated that activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) alleviated the inflammatory response. In addition, we observed that right cervical vagotomy aggravates VMC by inhibiting CAP.

COVID-19-related myocarditis and cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathways.

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, is currently in a pandemic outbreak and has become a global health issue. In addition to the primarily involvement of the respiratory system, myocarditis is considered an important and fatal lesion in patients with COVID-19. However, effective therapeutic methods are currently lacking.

MG-132 attenuates cardiac deterioration of viral myocarditis via AMPK pathway.

Background: Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is the primary cause of infectious myocarditis. Aggressive immunological activation and apoptosis of myocytes contributes to progressive dysfunction of cardiac contraction and poor prognosis. MG-132, a proteasome inhibitor, regulates mitochondrial-mediated intrinsic myocardial apoptosis and downregulates NF-κB-mediated inflammation.

An electrocardiographic sign of idiopathic ventricular tachycardia ablatable from the distal great cardiac vein.

Background: Idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias (IVAs) can originate from the distal great cardiac vein (DGCV). However, inadequate distinction sometimes occurs when electrocardiographic (ECG) characteristics are used to distinguish ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) arising from the DGCV from those arising from the adjacent left ventricular endocardium (LV ENDO).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify distinct ECG features in patients with idiopathic IVAs originating from the DGCV.

Corrigendum: Ivabradine Treatment Reduces Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis in a Murine Model of Chronic Viral Myocarditis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.

Eliciting α7-nAChR exerts cardioprotective effects on ischemic cardiomyopathy via activation of AMPK signalling.

Our previous studies have reported that agonist of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors prevented electrophysiological dysfunction of rats with ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) by eliciting the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP). Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signalling is widely recognized exerting cardioprotective effect in various cardiomyopathy. Here, we aimed to investigate whether the protective effects of the CAP are associated with AMPK signalling in ICM.

Low bone mineral density is associated with global coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden in stable angina patients.

Background: Accelerated atherosclerosis is considered to be the linking factor between low bone mineral density (BMD) and increased cardiovascular events and mortality, while some coronary angiographic studies do not support this point. In this study, we attempt to provide a distinct comprehensive view of the relationship between BMD and the angiographically determined coronary atherosclerotic burden.

Methods: A total of 459 consecutive patients with stable chest pain suspected of coronary artery disease (CAD) underwent both dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan and selective coronary angiography.