Galectin-3 (gal-3) is upregulated in remodeling, and failing myocardium and gal-3 levels are increased in hypertrophy, fibrosis and inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of sex-related differences in the following: risk factors, left ventricular (LV) structural and functional changes, coronary angiography, expression of the gal-3 encoding gene and plasma gal-3 levels in heart failure (HF). : This prospective study included 137 men and 44 women with first MI who underwent Doppler echocardiography within 2-4 days of MI and after 6 months.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSubstantial evidence from previous clinical studies, randomized trials, and patient registries confirms the existence of significant differences in cardiac morphology, pathophysiology, prevalence of specific coronary artery disease (CAD), and clinical course of myocardial infarction (MI) between men and women. The aim of this review is to investigate the impact of sex or gender on the development and clinical course of MI, the mechanisms and features of left ventricular (LV) remodeling, and heart failure (HF). The main sex-related difference in post-MI LV remodeling is adverse LV dilatation in males versus concentric LV remodeling or concentric LV hypertrophy in females.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAfter myocardial infarction (MI), adverse left ventricular (LV) remodeling may occur. This is followed by LV hypertrophy and eventually heart failure. The remodeling process is complex and goes through multiple phases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGalectin-3 is encoded by , located in a unique haplotype block in Caucasians. According to the Tagger server, rs4040064, rs11628437, and rs7159490 cover 82% (r > 0.8) of the genetic variance of this HapBlock.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Myocardial infarction (MI) leads to ischemia and afterward to left ventricular (LV) remodeling. Matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP1) and -3 (MMP3) belong to the family of endopeptidases and together they can dissolve most of the components of the extracellular matrix. MMP1 and MMP3 variants have been investigated solely in association with ischemic heart disease and LV dysfunction, but not in haplotype.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith stress echo (SE) 2020 study, a new standard of practice in stress imaging was developed and disseminated: the ABCDE protocol for functional testing within and beyond CAD. ABCDE protocol was the fruit of SE 2020, and is the seed of SE 2030, which is articulated in 12 projects: 1-SE in coronary artery disease (SECAD); 2-SE in diastolic heart failure (SEDIA); 3-SE in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (SEHCA); 4-SE post-chest radiotherapy and chemotherapy (SERA); 5-Artificial intelligence SE evaluation (AI-SEE); 6-Environmental stress echocardiography and air pollution (ESTER); 7-SE in repaired Tetralogy of Fallot (SETOF); 8-SE in post-COVID-19 (SECOV); 9: Recovery by stress echo of conventionally unfit donor good hearts (RESURGE); 10-SE for mitral ischemic regurgitation (SEMIR); 11-SE in valvular heart disease (SEVA); 12-SE for coronary vasospasm (SESPASM). The study aims to recruit in the next 5 years (2021-2025) ≥10,000 patients followed for ≥5 years (up to 2030) from ≥20 quality-controlled laboratories from ≥10 countries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are the family of enzymes involved in the second line of defense against oxidative stress (OS). The lack of GSTT1/GSTM1 enzyme quantity or activity, due to the presence of homozygous deletion compromises antioxidative defense resulting in OS. OS is the critical mechanism in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and myocardial infarction (MI).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Myocardial infarction (MI) and underlining atherosclerosis are the main causes of death worldwide. Phosphatase and actin regulator 1 (PHACTR1) variants have been associated with early onset MI, coronary artery disease and carotid dissection. PHACTR1 mRNA expression has been detected in tissues and cells related to atherosclerosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn enlarged left atrial volume index (LAVI) at rest mirrors increased LA pressure and/or impairment of LA function. A cardiovascular stress may acutely modify left atrial volume (LAV) within minutes. Aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and functional correlates of LAV-stress echocardiography (SE) Out of 514 subjects referred to 10 quality-controlled labs, LAV-SE was completed in 490 (359 male, age 67 ± 12 years) with suspected or known chronic coronary syndromes (n = 462) or asymptomatic controls (n = 28).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJACC Cardiovasc Imaging
October 2020
Background: Stroke volume response during stress is a major determinant of functional status in heart failure and can be measured by two-dimensional (2-D) volumetric stress echocardiography (SE). The present study hypothesis is that SE may identify mechanisms underlying the change in stroke volume by measuring preload reserve through end-diastolic volume (EDV) and left ventricular contractile reserve (LVCR) with systolic blood pressure and end-systolic volume (ESV).
Methods: We enrolled 4735 patients (age 63.
Introduction: Recent studies report that syncope is not a significant predictor of 30-day mortality in pulmonary embolism (PE) patients, yet some data suggest sex-related differences may be relevant.
Objectives: To evaluate sex-specific prediction significance of syncope for 30-day mortality in PE patients.
Methods: A multicentric, retrospective, observational, registry-based study on consecutive PE patients was undertaken.
Background: The assessment of coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) in left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) expands the risk stratification potential of stress echocardiography (SE) based on stress-induced regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA).
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and functional correlates of CFVR.
Methods: This prospective, observational, multicenter study initially screened 3,410 patients (2,061 [60%] male; age 63 ± 11 years; ejection fraction 61 ± 9%) with known or suspected coronary artery disease and/or heart failure.
Background: Chromosomal region 9p21.3 is most robustly associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) in western European populations. However, heterogeneity in CAD phenotypes leads to uncertainty whether 9p21.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPost-infarct left ventricular remodeling (LVR) process increases the risk of heart failure (HF). Circulating galectin-3 has been associated with fibrosis, inflammation and cardiac dysfunction during the remodeling process after myocardial infarction (MI). The aims of this prospective case study were to investigate the association of potentially functional variants in the vicinity of LGALS-3 locus, rs2274273 and rs17128183 with maladaptive LVR and whether these variants could affect LGALS-3 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients 6 months after the first MI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Diabetes Complications
January 2018
Unlabelled: The primary aims of this study have been to explore the diagnostic and prognostic significance of Tissue Doppler parameters (TDI), global longitudinal strain (GLS), and blood pressure (BP) pattern in normotensive diabetic patients.
Methods: The study consisted of 121 diabetic patients and 41 healthy subjects. Conventional and TDI echocardiography were performed on all patients, including E/Em (ratio of diastolic velocities).
Background: The trial "Stress Echo (SE) 2020" evaluates novel applications of SE beyond coronary artery disease. The aim of the study was control quality and harmonize reading criteria.
Methods: One reader from 78 centers of the SE 2020 network asked for credentials to read a set of 20 SE video-clips selected by the core lab.
Oxidative stress has been implicated in the development and progression of hypertension. This review presents a comprehensive summary of original investigations focused on exercise-induced oxidative stress in hypertensive individuals. Single bouts of exercise can induce an acute state of oxidative stress.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To examine differences in lung function among sports that are of a similar nature and to determine which anthropometric/demographic characteristics correlate with lung volumes and flows.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving elite male athletes (N = 150; mean age, 21 4 years) engaging in one of four different sports, classified according to the type and intensity of exercise involved. All athletes underwent full anthropometric assessment and pulmonary function testing (spirometry).
Background: The purposes of this study were to indentify the under/overweight/obese frequencies by Body Mass Index (BMI) and body fat percentage (BF%) in athletes within groups of sport and to investigate the accuracy of the BMI as a measure of BF%.
Methods: Cross-sectional design study on elite male athletes (N.=2234, aged 22±4 years) from 51 sports disciplines who were classified according to two different sport classifications: predominant characteristic of training (four group model) and type and intensity of exercise (nine group model).
Clin Physiol Funct Imaging
March 2017
There is compelling evidence that postexercise heart rate recovery (HRR) is a valid indicator of sympaticovagal balance. It is also used in prescription and monitoring of athletic training. The purpose of our study was to determine HRR after maximal exercise among elite athletes with respect to age.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: The interaction between the heart and the arterial system (ventricular-arterial coupling - VA) is an important determinant of cardiovascular performance. Vascular stiffness (Ea) and left ventricular (LV) endsystolic stiffness (Elv) augment with age and in heart failure (HF). Beta blockers (BB) are recommended therapy for patients with HF.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Hypertension is one of the most prevalent cardiovascular disorders in athletes. The aims of our study were to assess the impact of elevated blood pressure (BP) on exercise capacity in athletes and evaluate the differences in left ventricular structure and function.
Methods: Elite male athletes (n=517, aged 23±5years) underwent Doppler echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging.
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