Efficacy and safety of trifluridine/tipiracil plus bevacizumab across different subgroups of patients with refractory colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis.

Introduction: Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients who are refractory to initial treatment lines exhibit a challenging clinical scenario characterised by a poor prognosis and constrained therapeutic options. This systematic review and meta-analysis assess the integration of bevacizumab into trifluridine-tipiracil (TFD/TPI) therapy for mCRC, examining its benefits across patient subgroups and evaluating safety relative to TFD/TPI monotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis statements, we conducted a thorough literature search from 15 October to 11 November 2023, covering MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane database.

Highlights of mechanisms and treatment of obesity-related hypertension.

The prevalence of obesity has increased two to three times from 1975 to 2015. Large-scale epidemiological and longitudinal prospective studies link obesity with hypertension. Research suggests that excessive weight gain, particularly when associated with visceral adiposity, may account for as much as 65% to 75% of the risk of incident hypertension.

Machine Learning Algorithms to Distinguish Myocardial Perfusion SPECT Polar Maps.

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) plays an important role in patients with suspected and documented coronary artery disease (CAD). Machine Learning (ML) algorithms have been developed for many medical applications with excellent performance. This study used ML algorithms to discern normal and abnormal gated Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) images.

Machine Learning Algorithms to Detect Sex in Myocardial Perfusion Imaging.

Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is an essential tool used to diagnose and manage patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease. Additionally, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) represents a milestone about individuals' data security concerns. On the other hand, Machine Learning (ML) has had several applications in the most diverse knowledge areas.

Artificial Intelligence in Cardiology: Concepts, Tools and Challenges - "The Horse is the One Who Runs, You Must Be the Jockey".

The recent advances at hardware level and the increasing requirement of personalization of care associated with the urgent needs of value creation for the patients has helped Artificial Intelligence (AI) to promote a significant paradigm shift in the most diverse areas of medical knowledge, particularly in Cardiology, for its ability to support decision-making and improve diagnostic and prognostic performance. In this context, the present work does a non-systematic review of the main papers published on AI in Cardiology, focusing on its main applications, potential impacts and challenges.

Association between B-type natriuretic peptide and within-visit blood pressure variability.

Background: Blood pressure variability (BPV) has been shown to predict cardiovascular events. Within-visit BPV is the simplest and easiest measure of BPV, but previous studies have shown conflicts as to whether within-visit BPV correlates with target organ damage. We aimed to evaluate whether within-visit BPV correlates with B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in a general population.

The Role of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System and Its New Components in Arterial Stiffness and Vascular Aging.

Many cardiovascular diseases present renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) hyperactivity as an important pathophysiological mechanism to be target in the therapeutic approaches. Moreover, arterial stiffness is currently considered as a new independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease in different clinical conditions, including hypertension and chronic kidney disease. In fact, excessive stimulation of angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptors, as well as mineralocorticoid receptors, results in cellular growth, oxidative stress and vascular inflammation, which may lead to arterial stiffness and accelerate the process of vascular aging.

Distinct mortality profile in systemic sclerosis: a death certificate study in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2006-2015) using a multiple causes of death analysis.

The objective of this study was to assess the mortality profile related to SSc in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We retrospectively examined all registered deaths in the region (2006-2015 period) in which the diagnosis of SSc was mentioned on any line of the death certificates (underlying cause of death [UCD], n = 223; non-UCD, n = 151). Besides the analysis of gender, age, and the causes of death, we also compared the mortality from UCDs between individuals whose death causes included SSc (cases) and those whose death causes did not include SSc (deceased controls).

Twenty-four hour Blood Pressure in Obese Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Background: Obesity, systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are closely related. Up to 70% of patients with OSA may be asymptomatic, and there is evidence that these patients have cardiovascular disease, especially nocturnal SAH.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate 24-hour blood pressure circadian variation in asymptomatic, obese individuals with moderate-to-severe OSA and compare it with that in individuals with mild OSA or without OSA.

Posterior Cord Syndrome and Trace Elements Deficiency as an Uncommon Presentation of Common Variable Immunodeficiency.

Diarrhea is one of the most common symptoms in common variable immunodeficiency, but neurologic manifestations are rare. We presented a 50-year-old woman with recurrent diarrhea and severe weight loss that developed a posterior cord syndrome. Endoscopy found a duodenal villous blunting, intraepithelial lymphocytosis, and lack of plasma cells and magnetic resonance imaging of the spine was normal.

Correlation between Diastolic Function and Endothelial Function in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction may be involved in the pathophysiology of cardiac abnormalities in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). A correlation between endothelial dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction in patients with type 1 DM has been demonstrated, but this relationship has not been well investigated in type 2 DM.

Objective: Compare groups of patients with type 2 DM and hypertension with and without diastolic dysfunction using endothelial function indexes, and to assess whether correlations exist between the diastolic function and the endothelial function indexes.

Supine Frequent Ventricular Extrasystoles in a Pregnant Woman without Structural Heart Disease.

Arrhythmias are the most common cardiac complication during gestational period and may occur in women with or without known structural heart disease. Premature extra beats and sustained tachyarrhythmias are the most common arrhythmias in pregnancy. Symptomatic episodes occur in 20-44% of pregnant women, usually as palpitations, dizziness, or syncope.

A Rare Case of Ascites due to Peritoneal Amyloidosis.

Background: The clinical manifestations of amyloidosis depend on the type of insoluble protein as well as the location of amyloid deposits in tissues or organs. In the gastrointestinal tract, the small intestine is the most common site of amyloid deposits, whereas peritoneal involvement and ascites are rare.

Case Report: We report on a case of ascites due to peritoneal amyloidosis.

Renin-Angiotensin System Blockade Associated with Statin Improves Endothelial Function in Diabetics.

Background: Studies suggest that statins have pleiotropic effects, such as reduction in blood pressure, and improvement in endothelial function and vascular stiffness.

Objective: To analyze if prior statin use influences the effect of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors on blood pressure, endothelial function, and vascular stiffness.

Methods: Patients with diabetes and hypertension with office systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 80 mmHg had their antihypertensive medications replaced by amlodipine during 6 weeks.

Nobel prizes: contributions to cardiology.

The Nobel Prize was created by Alfred Nobel. The first prize was awarded in 1901 and Emil Adolf von Behring was the first laureate in medicine due to his research in diphtheria serum. Regarding cardiology, Nobel Prize's history permits a global comprehension of progress in pathophysiology, diagnosis and therapeutics of various cardiac diseases in last 120 years.

Comparison of benazepril and losartan on endothelial function and vascular stiffness in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension: A randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of benazepril and losartan on endothelial function and vascular stiffness, in patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

Materials And Methods: We included hypertensive diabetic patients with an office systolic blood pressure (BP) ⩾ 130 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ⩾ 80 mmHg. Patients were rolled over to amlodipine for 6 weeks, then we performed C-reactive protein assays, BP measurement and vascular tests; next, patients were randomized to benazepril or losartan.

[Rhabdomyolysis associated with dengue fever in a lupic patient].

This report describes the case of a woman with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) that developed rhabdomyolysis after being infected by dengue virus. There are only a few cases of SLE accompanied by rhabdomyolysis, none of them associated with dengue fever. Initially, the woman presented high fever, myalgia, muscular weakness, mild headache, polyarthralgia and thrombocytopenia reminding a lupus flare, but since the number of people infected by dengue at that time was high and the symptoms from both conditions are similar, a dengue serology was requested.

Functional vascular study in hypertensive subjects with type 2 diabetes using losartan or amlodipine.

Background: Antihypertensive drugs are used to control blood pressure (BP) and reduce macro- and microvascular complications in hypertensive patients with diabetes.

Objectives: The present study aimed to compare the functional vascular changes in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus after 6 weeks of treatment with amlodipine or losartan.

Methods: Patients with a previous diagnosis of hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly divided into 2 groups and evaluated after 6 weeks of treatment with amlodipine (5 mg/day) or losartan (100 mg/day).

Ambulatory arterial stiffness index is higher in hypertensive patients with chronic kidney disease.

Ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) is a parameter obtained from ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) that correlates with clinical endpoints. The aim of this study was to compare AASI in nondiabetic hypertensive patients with and without chronic kidney disease (CKD). Subjects with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH, n = 30) with normal renal function, aged 40 to 75 years, were compared to hypertensive patients with CKD (n = 30) presenting estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min by MDRD formula.

Combination of telmisartan plus amlodipine in the treatment of hypertension: review of results.

The rate of control of hypertension remains suboptimal despite widespread educational programs and an increasing number of novel medications. The combination of drugs with different mechanisms of action has become an alternative to improve blood pressure reduction and control, enhance adherence to the treatment and reduce adverse events. Telmisartan and amlodipine in monotherapy provide effective blood pressure lowering at all clinically relevant doses, but less than 50% of stage 1 and 2 achieve the target blood pressure.