Association of stage 1 hypertension defined by the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline with cardiovascular events and mortality in Chinese adults.

Background: The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) blood pressure (BP) guideline lowered the threshold defining hypertension to 130/80 mmHg. However, how stage 1 hypertension defined using this guideline is associated with cardiovascular events in Chinese adults remains unclear. This study assessed the association between stage 1 hypertension defined by the 2017 ACC/AHA guideline and clinical outcomes in the Chinese population.

Severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a risk factor for developing hypertension from prehypertension.

Background: There is little published evidence about the role of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the progression from prehypertension to hypertension. This study was conducted to investigate the association of NAFLD and its severity with the risk of hypertension developing from prehypertension.

Methods: The study cohort comprised 25,433 participants from the Kailuan study with prehypertension at baseline; those with excessive alcohol consumption and other liver diseases were excluded.

Kidney microbiota dysbiosis contributes to the development of hypertension.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis promotes metabolic syndromes (e.g., hypertension); however, the patterns that drive hypertensive pathology and could be targeted for therapeutic intervention are unclear.

Causal associations between disorders of lipoprotein metabolism and ten cardiovascular diseases.

Disorders of lipoprotein metabolism have been linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) but the causal association is unclear. In this study, we investigated the causal association between disorders of lipoprotein metabolism and CVDs using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). The exposure was obtained from Finn genome-wide association studies (14,010 cases, 197,259 controls), and the corresponding CVDs were extracted from the largest published genome-wide association studies.

Identification of the hub and prognostic genes in liver hepatocellular carcinoma bioinformatics analysis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy. However, the molecular mechanisms of the progression and prognosis of HCC remain unclear. In the current study, we merged three Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets and combined them with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset to screen differentially expressed genes.

Alterations of Gut Microbiome, Metabolome, and Lipidome in Takayasu Arteritis.

Objective: Mounting evidence has linked microbiome and metabolome to systemic autoimmunity and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Takayasu arteritis (TAK) is a rare disease that shares features of immune-related inflammatory diseases and CVDs, about which there is relatively limited information. This study was undertaken to characterize gut microbial dysbiosis and its crosstalk with phenotypes in TAK.

Genetic Predisposition of Anti-Cytomegalovirus Immunoglobulin G Levels and the Risk of 9 Cardiovascular Diseases.

Background: Accumulating evidence has indicated that persistent human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is associated with several cardiovascular diseases including atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. However, whether there is a causal association between the level of anti-HCMV immune response and the risk of cardiovascular diseases remains unknown.

Methods: Single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with anti-cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin (Ig) G levels were used as instrumental variables to estimate the causal effect of anti-cytomegalovirus IgG levels on 9 cardiovascular diseases (including atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, hypertension, heart failure, peripheral artery disease, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities, rheumatic valve diseases, and non-rheumatic valve diseases).

Pre-miRNA Hsa-Let-7a-2: a Novel Intracellular Partner of Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor Negatively Regulating its Signals.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of druggable targets, and their biological functions depend on different ligands and intracellular interactomes. Some microRNAs (miRNAs) bind as ligands to RNA-sensitive toll-like receptor 7 to regulate the inflammatory response, thereby contributing to the pathogenesis of cancer or neurodegeneration. It is unknown whether miRNAs bind to angiotensin II (Ang II) type 2 receptor (AGTR2), a critical protective GPCR in cardiovascular diseases, as ligands or intracellular interactomes.

Effect of fecal microbiota transplantation on primary hypertension and the underlying mechanism of gut microbiome restoration: protocol of a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled study.

Background: Hypertension is currently the leading modifiable cause of global morbidity and mortality, leading to substantial health and financial burdens. Although multiple studies of management models and innovative therapeutic strategies for hypertension have been conducted, there are still gaps in the field, with a poor control rate reflecting a lack of novel, effective, clinically translated medication or intervention options. Recent animal and human studies repeatedly confirmed a link between the microbiota and hypertension.

Clinical Scenario and Long-Term Outcome of Childhood Takayasu Arteritis Undergoing 121 Endovascular Interventions: A Large Cohort Over a Fifteen-Year Period.

Objective: Evidence-based studies on endovascular approaches for childhood Takayasu arteritis (TAK) are limited. Our objective was to present the largest current real-world scenario for patients with childhood TAK undergoing interventions and their postinterventional outcomes.

Methods: Data were collected for patients with childhood TAK admitted from 2002 to 2017.

F-FDG PET/CT plays a unique role in the management of Takayasu arteritis patients with atypical manifestations.

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the value of F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT) aiding in diagnosing and evaluating disease activity in Takayasu arteritis (TA) patients with atypical clinical manifestations.

Methods: A retrospective study of 22 TA patients was conducted. All the participants were classified into two groups.

Clinical Course, Management, and Outcomes of Pediatric Takayasu Arteritis Initially Presenting With Hypertension: A 16-year overview.

Background: To investigate the clinical features, management, and outcomes of childhood Takayasu arteritis (c-TA) initially presenting with hypertension.

Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed medical charts of 96 inpatient c-TA cases from January 2002 to December 2016, with 5 additional patients being prospectively recruited from January 2017 to December 2017. Data were compared between c-TA groups initially presenting with and without hypertension.

Clinical course and prognostic factors of childhood Takayasu's arteritis: over 15-year comprehensive analysis of 101 patients.

Background: Childhood Takayasu's arteritis (c-TA) is scarcely reported but is characterized by devastating morbidity and mortality. This study aims to investigate the clinical course of c-TA and prognostic factors associated with rehospitalization and events including vascular complications, flares, and death.

Methods: An ambispective study of 101 c-TA patients satisfying the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria and/or the European League against Rheumatism (EULAR)/Pediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organization (PRINTO)/Pediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS) criteria was conducted from January 2002 to December 2017.

A rare case report of bilateral common and internal iliac arterial fibromuscular dysplasia: Coexisted dissection, aneurysm, and stenosis.

Rationale: Iliac arterial fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) was rarely reported and its demographic, clinical, and imaging features have not been precisely described resulting in uncertain therapeutic methods.

Patient Concerns: A 31-year-old man was referred because of 3-month-ago onset hypertension, low serum potassium, and a small-sized right kidney with normal renal artery under ultrasound examination. This patient was suspected of primary aldosteronism, whereas spirolactone was poorly effective.