Long-term results of edge-to-edge and neochordal mitral repair for isolated anterior leaflet lesion: a propensity match analysis.

Objectives: Mitral regurgitation due to anterior mitral leaflet lesions is associated with an increased risk of mitral regurgitation recurrence after mitral valve repair compared with posterior leaflet-related lesions. Both edge-to-edge (E-to-E) and neochordal repair, associated with ring annuloplasty, have been used in our institution to address isolated anterior mitral leaflet lesions. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and echocardiographic long-term results of those two approaches for isolated anterior mitral leaflet lesions by means of a propensity match analysis.

Long-term Results of Clover and Edge-to-Edge Leaflet Repair for Complex Tricuspid Regurgitation.

Background: The aim of this study was to report the long-term results of the clover and edge-to-edge repair techniques for complex tricuspid regurgitation (TR).

Methods: This was a single-center observational study. A competing risks proportional-hazards regression model, using the Fine and Gray model, was performed to analyze the time to TR ≥2+, considering death as a competing risk.

Impact of age, comorbidities and relevant changes on surveillance strategy of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms: a competing risk analysis.

Objective: Cost-effectiveness of surveillance for branch-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (BD-IPMNs) is debated. We combined different categories of risks of IPMN progression and of IPMN-unrelated mortality to improve surveillance strategies.

Design: Retrospective analysis of 926 presumed BD-IPMNs lacking worrisome features (WFs)/high-risk stigmata (HRS) under surveillance.

Circulating metabolites improve the prediction of renal impairment in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Introduction: Low glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a leading cause of reduced lifespan in type 2 diabetes. Unravelling biomarkers capable to identify high-risk patients can help tackle this burden. We investigated the association between 188 serum metabolites and kidney function in type 2 diabetes and then whether the associated metabolites improve two established clinical models for predicting GFR decline in these patients.

Neochordae implantation versus leaflet resection in mitral valve posterior leaflet prolapse and dilated left ventricle: a propensity score matching comparison with long-term follow-up.

Objectives: Uncorrected severe mitral regurgitation (MR) due to posterior prolapse leads to left ventricular dilatation. At this stage, mitral valve repair becomes mandatory to avoid permanent myocardial injury. However, which technique among neochoardae implantation and leaflet resection provides the best results in this scenario remains unknown.

TRI-SCORE: a single-centre validation study.

Objectives: The TRI-SCORE is a recently published risk score for predicting in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing isolated tricuspid valve surgery (ITVS). The aim of this study is to externally validate the ability of the TRI-SCORE in predicting in-hospital and long-term mortality following ITVS.

Methods: A retrospective review of our institutional database was carried out to identify all patients undergoing isolated tricuspid valve repair or replacement from March 1997 to March 2021.

Contribution of rare variants in monogenic diabetes-genes to early-onset type 2 diabetes.

Aim: This study investigated whether rare, deleterious variants in monogenic diabetes-genes are associated with early-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: A nested case-control study was designed from 9712 Italian patients with T2D. Individuals with age at diabetes onset ≤35 yrs (n = 300; cases) or ≥65 yrs (n = 300; controls) were selected and screened for variants in 27 monogenic diabetes-genes by targeted resequencing.

Circulating Metabolites Associate With and Improve the Prediction of All-Cause Mortality in Type 2 Diabetes.

Death rate is increased in type 2 diabetes. Unraveling biomarkers of novel pathogenic pathways capable to identify high-risk patients is instrumental to tackle this burden. We investigated the association between serum metabolites and all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes and then whether the associated metabolites mediate the effect of inflammation on mortality risk and improve ENFORCE (EstimatioN oF mORtality risk in type2 diabetic patiEnts) and RECODe (Risk Equation for Complications Of type 2 Diabetes), two well-established all-cause mortality prediction models in diabetes.

A Serum Resistin and Multicytokine Inflammatory Pathway Is Linked With and Helps Predict All-cause Death in Diabetes.

Context: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) shows a high mortality rate, partly mediated by atherosclerotic plaque instability. Discovering novel biomarkers may help identify high-risk patients who would benefit from more aggressive and specific managements. We recently described a serum resistin and multicytokine inflammatory pathway (REMAP), including resistin, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α, that is associated with cardiovascular disease.

Severe systemic thrombosis in a young COVID-19 patient with a rare homozygous prothrombin G20210A mutation.

COVID-19 patients may experience a hypercoagulable condition, leading to thrombotic events. We describe a patient with COVID-19, carrying a rare homozygous mutation of the prothrombin gene, who developed a severe systemic vein thrombosis. In COVID-19 patients with hypercoagulability disorders the most common inherited and acquired risk factors should be investigated.

Morphological and molecular characterization of GALNT2-mediated adipogenesis.

3T3L1 mouse pre-adipocytes develop into adipocytes differently in response to GALNT2 overexpression or to stimulation with rosiglitazone, a reference inducer of adipogenesis. To investigate the biology of alternative pathways of adipogenesis, we studied lipid droplets (LD) morphology, chromatin organization, and gene expression in GALNT2- versus rosiglitazone-induced 3T3L1 adipogenesis. 3T3L1 overexpressing either GALNT2 (GALNT2) or GFP and treated with rosiglitazone (GFPR) were differentiated into adipocytes.

Estimation of Mortality Risk in Type 2 Diabetic Patients (ENFORCE): An Inexpensive and Parsimonious Prediction Model.

Context: We previously developed and validated an inexpensive and parsimonious prediction model of 2-year all-cause mortality in real-life patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective: This model, now named ENFORCE (EstimatioN oF mORtality risk in type 2 diabetiC patiEnts), was investigated in terms of (i) prediction performance at 6 years, a more clinically useful time-horizon; (ii) further validation in an independent sample; and (iii) performance comparison in a real-life vs a clinical trial setting.

Design: Observational prospective randomized clinical trial.

GALNT2 as a novel modulator of adipogenesis and adipocyte insulin signaling.

Background/objectives: A better understanding of adipose tissue biology is crucial to tackle insulin resistance and eventually coronary heart disease and diabetes, leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. GALNT2, a GalNAc-transferase, positively modulates insulin signaling in human liver cells by down-regulating ENPP1, an insulin signaling inhibitor. GALNT2 expression is increased in adipose tissue of obese as compared to that of non-obese individuals.

Circulating adiponectin levels are paradoxically associated with mortality rate. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Context: Some studies have surprisingly indicated that serum adiponectin is positively related to mortality rate, thus casting doubts on its role as a therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease.

Objective: To summarize evidence about direction, strength and modulators of this controversial association.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINHAL, Cochrane Library and Scopus from inception through June 2018.

Urn models for response-adaptive randomized designs: a simulation study based on a non-adaptive randomized trial.

Recently, response-adaptive designs have been proposed in randomized clinical trials to achieve ethical and/or cost advantages by using sequential accrual information collected during the trial to dynamically update the probabilities of treatment assignments. In this context, urn models-where the probability to assign patients to treatments is interpreted as the proportion of balls of different colors available in a virtual urn-have been used as response-adaptive randomization rules. We propose the use of Randomly Reinforced Urn (RRU) models in a simulation study based on a published randomized clinical trial on the efficacy of home enteral nutrition in cancer patients after major gastrointestinal surgery.

Insights From Molecular Characterization of Adult Patients of Families With Multigenerational Diabetes.

Multigenerational diabetes of adulthood is a mostly overlooked entity, simplistically lumped into the large pool of type 2 diabetes. The general aim of our research in the past few years is to unravel the genetic causes of this form of diabetes. Identifying among families with multigenerational diabetes those who carry mutations in known monogenic diabetes genes is the first step to then allow us to concentrate on remaining pedigrees in which to unravel new diabetes genes.

Pharmacogenetics of oral antidiabetes drugs: evidence for diverse signals at the IRS1 locus.

To investigate the role of IRS1 locus on failure to oral antidiabetes drugs (OADs) we genotyped single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs2943641, rs7578326 (tagging all SNPs genome-wide associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and related traits at this locus) and rs1801278 (that is, the loss-of-function IRS1 G972R amino acid substitution) in 2662 patients with T2D. Although no association with OAD failure was observed for rs2943641 and rs7578326 SNPs (odds ratio (OR): 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.

Role of urocortin in pregnancy: An update and future perspectives.

The activities of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and related peptides are mediated a number of receptors with seven transmembrane domains that are coupled to the Gs and Gq proteins. These receptors are known as CRF-Rs. In vitro studies have evidenced that urocortin (UCN) and CRF provoke an increase in the contractility of the uterus which is induced by endometrial prostaglandin F2a.

Electrophysiological detection of delayed postretinal neural conduction in human amblyopia.

Purpose: To evaluate macular function and neural conduction along postretinal visual pathways in amblyopic patients.

Methods: Twenty-five anisometropic amblyopic patients (mean age, 7 ± 1.9 years; visual acuity [VA]: 0.

[Ureteral jet in patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy: prognostic evaluation during single and combined therapy].

By color-Doppler ultrasound it's possible to visualize urine flow jet from ureter into the bladder. Aim of the study was to evaluate of ureteral jet in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia before, during and after with one or two drugs medical therapy. Thirteen patients, aged 51-63 years, were studied; they were not affected by metabolic, hepatic, renal diseases and by prostate inflammation.