Serum Vitamin D Level Correlates Significantly With Leptin and Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha in Overweight Postmenopausal Women With Hypertension.

Background: Association of serum vitamin D (vitD) with leptin (Lep) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is not precisely known in overweight hypertensive (OW-HT) postmenopausal (PMP) women. Hence, the present study was carried out to investigate the body mass index (BMI)-based correlation of serum vitD with Lep and TNF-α in OW-HT PMP women.

Methods: Women subjects in their early PMP (n = 346, age: 51 - 60 years) categorized into three groups had main inclusion criteria of specified range of age, BMI and blood pressure (BP).

Knowledge and Attitudes Toward E-cigarette Use: A Cross-Sectional Study From Saudi Arabia.

Background In light of the fact that electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is a newly emerging behavior in the Middle Eastern region, where tobacco consumption is widespread, it is imperative to examine the present state of e-cigarette awareness and attitudes toward e-cigarettes. The aim of this research is to investigate the level of knowledge and attitudes pertaining to the utilization of e-cigarettes within the context of Saudi Arabia. Methodology A cross-sectional online survey study was conducted between May and September 2023 to assess public knowledge and attitudes toward e-cigarettes in Saudi Arabia.

Minimally-invasive approach via percutaneous femoral cannulation for the resection of intra-cardiac masses: a single center experience in the Middle-East.

Background: Intra-cardiac masses are rare and challenging lesions with an overall incidence ranging of 0.02-0.2%.

Blood Pressure Correlates with Serum Leptin and Body Mass Index in Overweight Male Saudi Students.

The precise association of serum leptin (Lep) with the body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) is not well known for understanding their involvement in health and disease. Hence, the present study was conducted to investigate the association of BP, BMI and serum Lep levels in young normal-weight (NW) and overweight (OW) male Saudi students. The NW (n: 198) and OW (n: 192) male subjects in the age range of 18-20 years were consulted.

Risk of bleeding with ticagrelor in elderly patients over 75 years old: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Bleeding is an untoward outcome in the management of elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Although the potent oral P2Y12 inhibitor, ticagrelor is clinically beneficial, its association with bleeding events in elderly ACS patients (≥75 years) is poorly understood.

Methods: We conducted a systematic search of 7 databases up to May 20, 2020 to identify studies which examined the risk of bleeding (defined according to each study) among elderly ACS patients (≥75 years) receiving ticagrelor compared to clopidogrel.

Hospital admission trends due to respiratory diseases in England and Wales between 1999 and 2019: an ecologic study.

Background: Identifying trends of hospital admissions for respiratory diseases is crucial for public health and research to guide future clinical improvements for better outcomes. This study aims to define the trends of respiratory disease-related hospital admissions (RRHA) in England and Wales between 1999 and 2019.

Methods: An ecological study was conducted using hospital admission data taken from the Hospital Episode Statistics database in England and the Patient Episode Database for Wales.

Dynamism of the aortic annulus: Effect of diastolic versus systolic CT annular measurements on device selection in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Background: Annular dimensions, including cross-sectional area, perimeter and subsequently derived diameters, are subject to dynamic changes throughout the cardiac cycle. There is ongoing controversy as to whether perimeter measurement changes between systole and diastole are too small to impact on valve sizing.

Objectives: To assess both the variability of aortic annular dimensions throughout the cardiac cycle across a range of sub-annular calcification using computed tomography (CT) and the impact of this variability on device size selection for balloon-expandable valves in a large, all-comer multi-center cohort.

Right Ventricular Assessment in Adult Congenital Heart Disease Patients with Right Ventricle-to-Pulmonary Artery Conduits.

Background: There is little data on right ventricular (RV) remodeling patterns in complex congenital heart disease (CHD) patients with right ventricle to pulmonary artery (PA) conduits, and novel RV imaging modalities have not been explored in this population. Knowledge of the RV remodeling process is an important first step to future understanding and tracking of the RV response to pressure and volume overload in this diverse population. Three-dimensional knowledge-based reconstruction (3DKBR) derived from two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (TTE-3DKBR) is a novel approach to RV assessment.