Sex-based Differences in Heart Failure Biomarkers.

Purpose Of Review: Differences in HF biomarker levels by sex may be due to hormonal, genetic, and fat distribution differences. Knowledge of these differences is scarce, and it is not well established whether they may affect their usefulness in the management of HF.

Recent Findings: The different biomarker profiles in women and men have been confirmed in recent studies: in women, markers of cardiac stretch and fibrosis (NP and galectin-3) are higher, whereas in men, higher levels of markers of cardiac injury and inflammation (cTn and sST2) are found.

Multi-Omics Approach Reveals Prebiotic and Potential Antioxidant Effects of Essential Oils from the Mediterranean Diet on Cardiometabolic Disorder Using Humanized Gnotobiotic Mice.

Essential oils sourced from herbs commonly used in the Mediterranean diet have demonstrated advantageous attributes as nutraceuticals and prebiotics within a model of severe cardiometabolic disorder. The primary objective of this study was to assess the influences exerted by essential oils derived from thyme () and oregano () via a comprehensive multi-omics approach within a gnotobiotic murine model featuring colonic microbiota acquired from patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD) and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Our findings demonstrated prebiotic and potential antioxidant effects elicited by these essential oils.

The Novel Variant NP_00454563.2 () in Gene Associated with Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy in 8 Families from Malaga, Spain.

Introduction And Objectives: Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is a hereditary heart disease defined by the progressive replacement of the ventricular myocardium with fibroadipose tissue, which can act as a substrate for arrhythmias, sudden death, or even give rise to heart failure (HF). Sudden death is frequently the first manifestation of the disease, particularly among young patients. The aim of this study is to describe a new pathogenic variant in the .

Comparison of central corneal thickness measurements obtained by OrbscanIIz and ultrasound pachymetry: A concordance study in the usual clinical practice.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the concordance between the values obtained in measuring central corneal thickness using the OrbscanIIz and the contact ultrasonic pachymeter available in our public ophthalmology service.

Methods: Measurements were taken from 88 eyes of 44 patients using the two instruments. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using version 22 of the IBM SPSS program.

Post-Intensive Care Unit Multidisciplinary Approach in Patients with Severe Bilateral SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia.

Short and long-term sequelae after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are to be expected, which makes multidisciplinary care key in the support of physical and cognitive recovery. To describe, from a multidisciplinary perspective, the sequelae one month after hospital discharge among patients who required ICU admission for severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Prospective cohort study.

Beneficial Effects of Essential Oils from the Mediterranean Diet on Gut Microbiota and Their Metabolites in Ischemic Heart Disease and Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remain major health problems worldwide and commonly coexist in individuals. Gut microbial metabolites, such as trimethylamine -oxide (TMAO) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), have been linked to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Previous studies have reported dysbiosis in the gut microbiota of these patients and the prebiotic effects of some components of the Mediterranean diet.

Choroidal thickness and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in tears improve the prediction model for coronary artery disease.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) detection in asymptomatic patients still remains controversial. The aim of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of ophthalmologic findings as predictors of the presence of CAD when added to cardiovascular classic risk factors (CRF) in patients with acute coronary cardiopathy suspicion.

Methods: After clinical stabilization, 96 patients with acute coronary cardiopathy suspicion were selected and divided in two groups: 69 patients with coronary lesions and 27 patients without coronary lesions.

Prognostic stratification of older patients with multivessel coronary artery disease treated with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty based on clinical and biochemical measures: protocol for a prospective cohort study.

Introduction: The incidence of acute coronary syndrome is rising in step with the growth of life expectancy. An increase in the age of patients with coronary artery disease has been related to in-hospital mortality, which has seen an upsurge over a short period of time. However, there is no consensus about the percutaneous coronary angioplasty strategy to follow for older patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (MVCAD).

Outcomes of Isolated Tricuspid Valve Surgery.

Background: Isolated tricuspid valve surgery is a rarely performed procedure and traditionally is associated with a bad prognosis, although its clinical outcomes still are little known. The aim of this study was to assess the short- and long-term clinical outcomes obtained at our center after isolated tricuspid valve surgery as treatment for severe tricuspid regurgitation.

Methods: This retrospective study included 71 consecutive patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation who underwent isolated tricuspid valve surgery between December 1996 and December 2017.

Screening Versus Brief Domain-specific Tests to Assess Long-term Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction After Concomitant Aortic Valve Replacement and Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Background: Although postoperative cognitive dysfunction is a relevant complication after surgery, assessment for the condition is not routine in clinical practice.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the use of screening versus brief domain-specific cognitive tests in assessing long-term cognitive dysfunction after concomitant aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting.

Methods: In this observational prospective study, we evaluated 70 patients preoperatively and after 1, 6, and 12 months using 2 screening tests (Mini-Mental State Examination and Clock Drawing Test) and 2 brief domain-specific cognitive tests (Trail Making Test to evaluate attention and executive function, and Semantic and Phonological Tests to evaluate verbal fluency).

Benefits of Cardiac Rehabilitation on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: Participation in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an essential component of care for patients with coronary artery disease. However, little is known about its benefit on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of CR in this high-risk group of patients.

Impact of Diabetes on Cardiac and Vascular Disease: Role of Calcium Signaling.

The pathophysiology linking diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is complex and multifactorial. The specific type of cardiomyopathy associated with diabetes, known as diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), is recognized as asymptomatic progression of structural and functional remodeling in the heart of diabetic patients in the absence of coronary atherosclerosis and hypertension. In other words, the presence of heart disease specifically in diabetic patients is also known as diabetic heart disease.

Long-term Follow-up of Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis Treated With a Self-expanding Prosthesis.

Introduction And Objectives: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a safe and effective alternative to surgical treatment in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and those who are inoperable or at high surgical risk. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term survival of consecutive patients with severe AS treated with TAVI.

Methods: Observational, multicenter, prospective, follow-up study of consecutive patients with severe symptomatic AS treated by TAVI in 3 high-volume hospitals in Spain.

Prognostic value of body mass index in transcatheter aortic valve implantation: A "J"-shaped curve.

Objectives: We aimed to determine whether body mass index (BMI) is a prognostic indicator for long-term, all-cause mortality in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Background: Obesity in patients with established cardiovascular disease has previously been identified as an indicator of good prognosis, a phenomenon known as the "obesity paradox". The prognostic significance of BMI in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AoS) undergoing TAVI is a matter of current debate, as published studies are scarce and their results conflicting.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation in very elderly patients: immediate results and medium term follow-up.

Objective: To evaluate immediate transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) results and medium-term follow-up in very elderly patients with severe and symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS).

Methods: This multicenter, observational and prospective study was carried out in three hospitals. We included consecutive very elderly (> 85 years) patients with severe AS treated by TAVI.

Cardioprotective Effect of Ranolazine in the Process of Ischemia-reperfusion in Adult Rat Cardiomyocytes.

Introduction And Objectives: Ranolazine is used as a complementary treatment for angina in symptomatic patients who are inadequately controlled with first-line antianginal therapies. Ranolazine inhibits sodium voltage-dependent channels, suggesting their possible involvement in the reperfusion process by preventing the sodium and calcium overload that occurs during ischemia. In this study, we characterized the effect of ranolazine on calcium homeostasis in isolated adult cardiac myocytes from rats subjected to a simulated ischemia and reperfusion protocol.

Long-term prognosis of complete percutaneous coronary revascularisation in patients with diabetes with multivessel disease.

Objective: There is a paucity of data on the impact of complete revascularisation (CR) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) among patients with diabetes with multivessel coronary disease. In this study, we assess the impact of CR, using a relatively simple anatomical definition, on long-term outcomes (median follow-up 7.9 years) in patients with diabetes, and compare with patients without diabetes.

Clinical impact of acute kidney injury on short- and long-term outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation with the CoreValve prosthesis.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery is associated with increased mortality, but few data exist on the occurrence and clinical impact of AKI associated with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and prognosis of AKI after percutaneous implantation of the CoreValve(®) (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA) prosthesis.

Methods: A total of 357 patients with severe aortic stenosis and 9 patients with pure native aortic regurgitation were treated with the CoreValve prosthesis.

Comparison of paclitaxel and everolimus-eluting stents in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and influence of thrombectomy on outcomes. ESTROFA-IM study.

Introduction And Objectives: We sought to compare the long-term clinical outcome of with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with paclitaxel-eluting stents or everolimus-eluting stents and the influence of thrombectomy on outcomes.

Methods: The ESTROFA-IM is a multicenter retrospective registry collecting consecutive patients with infarction treated with these stents in 16 centers. Propensity-score matching was performed to select comparable stent groups and comparable groups with and without thrombectomy.

Prognostic value of fractional flow reserve: linking physiologic severity to clinical outcomes.

Background: Fractional flow reserve (FFR) has become an established tool for guiding treatment, but its graded relationship to clinical outcomes as modulated by medical therapy versus revascularization remains unclear.

Objectives: The study hypothesized that FFR displays a continuous relationship between its numeric value and prognosis, such that lower FFR values confer a higher risk and therefore receive larger absolute benefits from revascularization.

Methods: Meta-analysis of study- and patient-level data investigated prognosis after FFR measurement.

Percutaneous implantation of the CoreValve® self-expanding valve prosthesis in patients with severe aortic stenosis and porcelain aorta: medium-term follow-up.

Introduction And Objectives: There is little information on the use of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with severe aortic stenosis and porcelain aorta. The primary aim of this study was to analyze death from any cause after CoreValve(®) implantation in patients with severe aortic stenosis, with and without porcelain aorta.

Methods: In this multicenter, observational prospective study, carried out in 3 hospitals, percutaneous aortic valves were implanted in 449 patients with severely calcified aortic stenosis.