Cardiovascular Symposium on Perspectives in Long COVID.

Significant progress has been made in treating Coronavirus disease (COVID) - an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). An ominous turn in the pandemic is the evolving public health crisis emanating from persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection and its associated long-term impact. Long COVID or post-COVID syndrome describes protean symptoms that persist at least 3 months after the onset of acute illness and last for at least 2 months in individuals with a history of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

A novel therapeutic vaccine targeting the soluble TNFα receptor II to limit the progression of cardiovascular disease: AtheroVax™.

The burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease contributes to a large proportion of morbidity and mortality, globally. Vaccination against atherosclerosis has been proposed for over 20 years targeting different mediators of atherothrombosis; however, these have not been adequately evaluated in human clinical trials to assess safety and efficacy. Inflammation is a driver of atherosclerosis, but inflammatory mediators are essential components of the immune response.

Human Placental Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of ARDS in Rat.

The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is one of the main causes of high mortality in patients with coronavirus (COVID-19). In recent years, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the number of patients with ARDS has increased significantly. Unfortunately, until now, there are no effective treatments for ARDS caused by COVID-19.

Local drug delivery system for the treatment of tongue squamous cell carcinoma in rats.

The present study describes a local drug delivery system with two functions, which can suppress tumor growth and accelerate wound healing. Thе system consists of a two-layer multicomponent fibrin-based gel (MCPFTG). The internal layer of MCPFTG, which is in direct contact with the wound surface, contains cisplatin placed on a CultiSpher-S collagen microcarrier.

Transcatheter Bariatric Embolotherapy for Weight Reduction in Obesity.

Background: Obesity is well-appreciated to result in poor cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes. Dietary and medical weight loss strategies are frequently unsuccessful and unsustainable. Bariatric surgery is quite effective, but is reserved for the most obese patients because of the associated intraoperative/post-operative risks.

Targeted, Site-Specific, Delivery Vehicles of Therapeutics for COVID-19 Patients. Brief Review.

Definitive pharmacological therapies for COVID-19 have yet to be identified. Several hundred trials are ongoing globally in the hope of a solution. However, nearly all treatments rely on systemic delivery but COVID-19 damages the lungs preferentially.

Photodynamic and sonodynamic therapy of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure in patients with COVID-19.

• COVID-19 is largely localized in lungs. • SARS-CoV-2 binds to the heme groups in hemoglobin that leads to severe hypoxia. • Porphyrin-based photosensitizers (PS) act as a ‘decoy’ in which the SARS-CoV-2 virions would attach to PS molecules.

First Clinical Experience With Targeted REnal Nerve Demodulation (TREND-1) Using a Neurotropic Agent for the Treatment of Sympathetic Hypertension.

Aims: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of a novel targeted neuromodulatory treatment for sympathetic hypertension involving a one-time local injection of neurotropic agents near renal nerves.

Methods And Results: Seven patients suffering from uncontrolled hypertension per ESH-ESC guidelines were treated using a single dose of NW2013, a neurotropic Na+/K+ ATPase antagonist. A microneedle catheter was used to administer 1.

Safety and efficacy of local periadventitial delivery of sirolimus for improving hemodialysis graft patency: first human experience with a sirolimus-eluting collagen membrane (Coll-R).

Background: Neointimal hyperplasia causes a high rate of hemodialysis synthetic graft failure. Thus, therapies that inhibit neointimal hyperplasia are urgently needed. The Coll-R is a sirolimus-eluting collagen matrix designed for intra-operative perivascular implantation around the graft-venous anastomosis.

Feasibility of a heart failure disease management program in eastern Europe: Tbilisi, Georgia.

Background: Little is known about the importation of a heart failure disease management program (HFDMP) into low- and middle-income countries. We examined the feasibility of importing a HFDMP into the country of Georgia, located in the Caucuses.

Methods And Results: Patients with ejection fraction ≤40% were enrolled into a prospective, observational study consisting of a new HFDMP staffed by local cardiologists.

Avastin-eluting stent: long-term angiographic and clinical follow up.

The detection of atheromatous lesions in patients with coronary artery disease is related to neovascularisation, since it is associated with the presence of a dense network of vasa vasorum in the vascular wall. The increased density of vasa vasorum causes destabilisation of the atheromatous plaque. The safety and efficacy of a stent coated with bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody for vascular endothelial growth factor have been established at both the experimental and the clinical level.

Feasibility of patent foramen ovale closure with no-device left behind: first-in-man percutaneous suture closure.

Objectives: This study evaluated the feasibility of percutaneous patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure using a transcatheter suture (Superstitch), leaving no device behind.

Background: PFO has been implicated in cryptogenic strokes and migraine with auras. Percutaneous PFO closure, being less invasive than surgical closure, is increasingly performed.

First-in-man study with bevacizumab-eluting stent: a new approach for the inhibition of atheromatic plaque neovascularisation.

Aims: Neovascularisation is mainly mediated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody specific for VEGF. We assessed the safety of a bevacizumab-eluting stent, a dedicated stent for inhibition of plaque neovascularisation.

First human experience with local delivery of novel antisense AVI-4126 with Infiltrator catheter in de novo native and restenotic coronary arteries: 6-month clinical and angiographic follow-up from AVAIL study.

Background: A novel antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer, AVI-4126, was shown to be effective in reducing neointimal formation in different animal models following delivery by pluronic gels, porous balloon catheters, and coated stents. The purpose of the AVAIL study was to investigate both the safety and the efficacy of AVI-4126 delivered locally via Infiltrator catheter after percutaneous coronary intervention in humans.

Methods: The AVAIL trial is a prospective, evaluator-blinded, randomized study including clinical follow-up at 30 days and 6 months after intervention and 6-month angiographic and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) follow-up.

Inhibition of plaque neovascularization and intimal hyperplasia by specific targeting vascular endothelial growth factor with bevacizumab-eluting stent: an experimental study.

Neovascularization is associated with destabilization of atheromatic plaques. Increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is important in the process of neovascularization. We assessed the effect of bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody specific for VEGF, on neovascularization.