Dual vs. triple antithrombotic treatment after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis on current evidence.

Objective: Combination and duration of antithrombotic therapy in order to prevent both stent thrombosis and thromboembolic complications after coronary artery stenting (PCI) in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) is still debated. This uncertainty can be attributed mainly to the fact that the reference trials were open-label and not adequately powered in order to reach a definitive conclusion on ischemic endpoints (i.e.

Acute atrial ischemia associates with early but not late new-onset atrial fibrillation in STEMI patients treated with primary PCI: relationship with in-hospital outcomes.

Background: New-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF), both early (EAF) or late (LAF), may complicate ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The mechanisms underlying EAF or LAF are poorly described. We investigated atrial branch occlusion and EAF or LAF onset in STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Myocardial Metastasis of Tongue Cancer: A Rare Localization.

BACKGROUND Cardiac metastases of head and neck tumors are extremely rare, and antemortem diagnosis is even rarer. In most cases, patients show symptoms or electrocardiographic abnormalities and expected survival is considerably low. CASE REPORT A 72-year-old man was admitted to our cardiology ward with suspected endocarditis 2 months after a right hemiglossectomy for a squamous cell carcinoma.

Clinical frailty and triggers in Takotsubo syndrome: the notable role of a new classification.

Aims: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a mainly transient and acute heart failure mimicking an acute coronary syndrome. Originally described in postmenopausal women, over time TTS has been associated with an increasingly advanced age. Emotional and physical triggers precipitating TTS have been correlated in most cases.

Improving performance of 3D speckle tracking in arterial hypertension and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation by using novel strain parameters.

The function of left atrium (LA) is closely related to LA remodeling and one of the most important mechanisms is an increased deposition of fibrous tissue that often is the basis for LA electro-mechanical changes before the onset of atrial fibrillation (AF). This study evaluated LA shape and function, by investigating standard and novel strain parameters calculated by a new approach based on homologous times derived from 3D speckle tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) in hypertensive (HT) and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) patients with or without left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), compared to control (C) subjects. LA function was assessed using homologous times to compare strain variables among different individuals, acquired at different physiological time periods.

Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, assessment of the efficacy and safety of dietary supplements in prehypertension.

We aimed to evaluate efficacy and tolerability of a protocol including lifestyle modifications and a novel combination of dietary supplements in prehypertension. A prospective, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 176 subjects (103 men, aged 52±10 years), with blood pressure (BP) of 130-139 mm Hg systolic and/or 85-89 mm Hg diastolic entered. After a single-blind run-in period, participants were randomised to twice daily placebo (n=88) or a commercially available combination pill (n=88).

The natural history of prehypertension. A 20-year follow-up.

Objective: According to the JNC7 report, prehypertension category includes subjects with systolic blood pressure between 120 and 139 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure between 80 and 89 mmHg that would be at risk for developing hypertension and its untoward sequelae as myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular disease. Moreover, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring made it possible to detect subjects with masked hypertension, who are at risk of greater target organ damage than those with normal ambulatory or home blood pressure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of cardiac, cerebral and vascular events in a group of prehypertensive subjects, with and without masked hypertension.

Epigenetics and cardiovascular risk in childhood.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) can arise at the early stages of development and growth. Genetic and environmental factors may interact resulting in epigenetic modifications with abnormal phenotypic expression of genetic information without any change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA. Maternal dietary imbalance, inadequate to meet the nutritional needs of the fetus can lead to intrauterine growth retardation, decreased gestational age, low birth weight, excessive post-natal growth and metabolic alterations, with subsequent appearance of CVD risk factors.

Ivabradine in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock: A Preliminary Randomized Prospective Study.

Background And Objective: An elevated heart rate (HR) is an independent risk factor for mortality and morbidity in patients with acute heart failure (HF). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of ivabradine, a selective HR-lowering agent, in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) complicating ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: Patients with post-AMI CS were randomized to standard treatment (SDT, 28 patients) or to standard treatment plus ivabradine (I + SDT, 30 patients).

Is it possible a new definition of metabolic syndrome in childhood?

Objective: To investigate whether a group of Italian children and adolescents who were diagnosed to have metabolic syndrome (MS) according to a new ethnic age and gender specific definition had, in comparison with a control group, other signs and metabolic risk factors which are commonly associated with MS.

Patients And Methods: The cross-sectional study population included 300 subjects (51% boys, age range 6-14 years), who were divided into 2 groups according to the presence of MS, diagnosed on the basis of 3/5 factors derived from the age and gender specific quantile distribution of MS components in a large regional Italian population survey (Calabrian Sierras Community Study, CSCS). In all subjects the following data were collected: anthropometric measures, blood pressure, liver function, C-reactive protein (hsCRP), uric acid blood levels, lipid and glucose profile.

Metabolic syndrome among children and adolescents from Southern Italy: contribution from the Calabrian Sierras Community Study (CSCS).

Among 1657 children and adolescents aged 6 to 14 years (787, 47% girls and 870, 53% boys) from primary and secondary schools in a 14-town Southern Italian community, HDL cholesterol (54 ± 15 mg/dl), triglycerides (61 ± 29 mg/dl), blood glucose (78 ± 10 mg/dl), systolic (101 ± 11 mm Hg) and diastolic (62 ± 10 mm Hg) blood pressures, waist circumference (WC) (66 ± 10 cm) and WC/height (0.46 ± 0.006) and triglycerides/HDL cholesterol (1.

Hypertension in children and adolescents attending a lipid clinic.

Unlabelled: This study aims to investigate prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular risk factor clustering in children and adolescents attending a lipid clinic as well as the relationship of their hypertensive status with indicators of fat distribution and parental fat distribution and blood pressure (BP). In this cross-sectional primary prevention study, data on indicators of fat distribution (waist, hip, and middle-upper arm circumferences), body mass index (BMI), BP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), lipid and glucose profile of 370 children and adolescents (180 M, 190 F, mean age 9.5 years, (range 6-14 years)) were collected.

Blood pressure control and clustering of cardiovascular risk factors in Mediterranean post-menopausal hypertensive women.

Background: Control of hypertension is unsatisfactory among older women. Data about Mediterranean countries are not currently reported.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to describe the features of blood pressure (BP) control and the clustering of other cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in Mediterranean post-menopausal hypertensive women.

Endothelial progenitor cells predict long-term prognosis in patients with stable angina treated with percutaneous coronary intervention: five-year follow-up of the PROCREATION study.

Background: The association between endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) at the time of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the subsequent long-term clinical outcome remains undefined. To address this issue, a pre-specified analysis of the PROgenitor Cells role in Restenosis and progression of coronary ATherosclerosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PROCREATION) study was done.

Methods And Results: A total of 155 patients with stable angina treated with PCI had flow cytometry before PCI.

Low dose chromium-polynicotinate or policosanol is effective in hypercholesterolemic children only in combination with glucomannan.

Objective: A low-fat, fiber-rich diet is the first step in the management for hypercholesterolemic children. Glucomannan (GM) is a natural fiber that has been demonstrated to lower total and LDL-cholesterol. The use of high-dose chromium-polynicotinate (CP) and policosanol (PC) has also shown cholesterol-lowering benefits.

Arterial blood pressure and serum lipids in a population of children and adolescents from Southern Italy: the Calabrian Sierras Community Study (CSCS).

Background: Lipid standards in Italy are lacking in children and adolescents whereas those for blood pressure (BP) were derived from US surveys.

Methods: In a 14-town community in Southern Italy 1657 (64%) of 2594 children aged 6-14 years were enrolled and anthropometric, BP, lipid and glucose serum levels were obtained.

Results: Average systolic BP was 101 ± 11 (60-150) mm Hg and cholesterol (CholT) level was 156 ± 28 (57-264) mg/dl.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in prehypertensive subjects.

Background: Although treatment of prehypertensives is feasible and effective, it is unclear how to define those who may benefit. We hypothesized that ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) might be a tool for selecting prehypertensive subjects, classified according to the JNC 7, who later develop drug-treated hypertension.

Methods: Prehypertensives (n=107; 62 M, 45 F; age 50 ± 14 years) with or without cardiovascular risk factors were assessed for drug-treated hypertension development.

The aging kidney: structural changes.

A number of structural changes occur in the kidney with aging. The aging kidney is characterized by loss of renal mass, arterial sclerosis, arteriolar hyalinosis, an increased number of sclerotic glomeruli, loss of tubules and interstitial fibrosis. The pathogenesis of aging-associated structural changes is not completely understood.

Visualization of coronary arteries and coronary stents by low dose 320-slice multi-detector computed tomography in a patient with atrial fibrillation.

Cardiac multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) is widely used in the diagnosis of coronary disease. However, the predictive value of this technique is limited in the presence of atrial fibrillation and coronary stents. Here we present a case showing the ability of the new 320-slice MDCT to assess coronary anatomy in a patient with atrial fibrillation and coronary stents.

Clinical and histological features of lupus nephritis induced by anti-TNFα therapy.

It is known that anti-TNFα therapy has opened a new era in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and it is emerging as a new successful treatment in the current rheumatologic practice. Besides, there is evidence that this therapy is an important cause of iatrogenic autoimmune disease. Several studies reported the possible onset of lupus syndrome that can be resolved with withdrawal of anti-TNFα drugs.