A Comprehensive Clinical Outcome Analysis of Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting for Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

The long saphenous vein is routinely used for coronary bypass graft (CABG) surgery, and two primary techniques are commonly utilized: endoscopic vessel harvesting (EVH) and open vessel harvesting (OVH). The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of the EVH and OVH techniques used for CABG within the confines of a tertiary hospital. The clinical data of all patients subjected to either EVH or OVH for CABG surgery between 2014 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.

ALDH2 polymorphism and myocardial infarction: From alcohol metabolism to redox regulation.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Increased formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the early reperfusion phase is thought to trigger lipid peroxidation and disrupt redox homeostasis, leading to myocardial injury. Whilst the mitochondrial enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is chiefly recognised for its central role in ethanol metabolism, substantial experimental evidence suggests an additional cardioprotective role for ALDH2 independent of alcohol intake, which mitigates myocardial injury by detoxifying breakdown products of lipid peroxidation including the reactive aldehydes, malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE).

Features and outcomes of female and male patients requiring postcardiotomy extracorporeal life support.

Objectives: Although cardiogenic shock requiring extracorporeal life support after cardiac surgery is associated with high mortality, the impact of sex on outcomes of postcardiotomy extracorporeal life support remains unclear with conflicting results in the literature. We compare patient characteristics, in-hospital outcomes, and overall survival between females and males requiring postcardiotomy extracorporeal life support.

Methods: This retrospective, multicenter (34 centers), observational study included adults requiring postcardiotomy extracorporeal life support between 2000 and 2020.

Non-selective Del Nido and St Thomas cardioplegia in adults: analysis of early clinical experience using propensity matching.

Background: Del Nido cardioplegia (DNC) is a single-dose, high potassium, low-volume cardioplegia solution that has grown in favor recently. However, the use of DNC in the Asian population may be associated with certain challenges.

Methods: Between January 2017 and April 2022, DNC was used for myocardial protection in this single-center retrospective study.

Predicting late aortic complications after acute type A dissection surgery with volumetric measurements in a Singapore cohort.

Introduction: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of postoperative computed tomography (CT) measurements of aortic lumen volumes in predicting aortic-related complications following acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) repair.

Methods: We conducted a single-institution retrospective aortic volumetric analysis of patients after ascending aorta replacement performed during 2001-2015. The volumetric measurements of total lumen (total-L), true lumen (TL), false lumen (FL), as well as the TL:FL ratio from the first and second postoperative computer angiograms were obtained.

Antimicrobial-free graphene nanocoating decreases fungal yeast-to-hyphal switching and maturation of cross-kingdom biofilms containing clinical and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

and methicillin-resistant () synergize in cross-kingdom biofilms to increase the risk of mortality and morbidity due to high resistance to immune and antimicrobial defenses. Biomedical devices and implants made with titanium are vulnerable to infections that may demand their surgical removal from the infected sites. Graphene nanocoating (GN) has promising anti-adhesive properties against .

Vascular smooth muscle cells in low SYNTAX scores coronary artery disease exhibit proinflammatory transcripts and proteins correlated with IL1B activation.

Background And Aims: The SYNTAX score is clinically validated to stratify number of lesions and pattern of CAD. A better understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms influencing the pattern and complexity of coronary arteries lesions among CAD patients is needed.

Methods: Human arterial biopsies from 49 patients (16 low-SYNTAX-score (LSS, <23), 16 intermediate-SYNTAX-score (ISS, 23 to 32) and 17 high-SYNTAX-score (HSS, >32)) were evaluated using Affymetrix GeneChip® Human Genome U133 Plus 2.

Hybrid type II and frozen elephant trunk in acute Stanford type A aortic dissections.

. Composite frozen elephant trunk is an increasingly popular solution for complex aortic pathologies. This review aims to compare outcomes of zone 0 type II hybrid (hybrid II) with the composite frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique in managing acute Stanford type A aortic dissections.

Pro-Inflammatory Derangement of the Immuno-Interactome in Heart Failure.

Chronic heart failure (HF) is a syndrome of heterogeneous etiology associated with multiple co-morbidities. Inflammation is increasingly recognized as a key contributor to the pathophysiology of HF. Heterogeneity and lack of data on the immune mechanism(s) contributing to HF may partially underlie the failure of clinical trials targeting inflammatory mediators.

Aging-induced isoDGR-modified fibronectin activates monocytic and endothelial cells to promote atherosclerosis.

Background And Aims: Aging is the primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the mechanisms underlying age-linked atherosclerosis remain unclear. We previously observed that long-lived vascular matrix proteins can acquire 'gain-of-function' isoDGR motifs that might play a role in atherosclerotic pathology.

Methods: IsoDGR-specific mAb were generated and used for ELISA-based measurement of motif levels in plasma samples from patients with coronary artery diseases (CAD) and non-CAD controls.

Role of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Plasticity and Interactions in Vessel Wall Inflammation.

The pathobiology of atherosclerotic disease requires further elucidation to discover new approaches to address its high morbidity and mortality. To date, over 17 million cardiovascular-related deaths have been reported annually, despite a multitude of surgical and nonsurgical interventions and advances in medical therapy. Existing strategies to prevent disease progression mainly focus on management of risk factors, such as hypercholesterolemia.

Left heart bypass versus circulatory arrest for open repair of thoracoabdominal aortic pathologies.

Background: Most large-volume centres use left heart bypass (LHB) as their preferred organ protection strategy during repair of descending thoracic aortic (DTA) and thoracoabdominal aortic (TAA) pathologies. We investigate the use of hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) for similar pathologies and compare the outcomes of both.

Methods: A PubMed, Embase and Scopus search for studies in English on LHB versus HCA for repair of DTA and TAA pathologies published from inception till February 2020 was performed.

Genetic and Epigenetic Mechanisms Underlying Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypic Modulation in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) refers to the localized dilatation of the infra-renal aorta, in which the diameter exceeds 3.0 cm. Loss of vascular smooth muscle cells, degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM), vascular inflammation, and oxidative stress are hallmarks of AAA pathogenesis and contribute to the progressive thinning of the media and adventitia of the aortic wall.

Sleep apnoea and cardiovascular outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: Patients with advanced coronary artery disease are referred for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and it remains unknown if sleep apnoea is a risk marker. We evaluated the association between sleep apnoea and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in patients undergoing non-emergent CABG.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study conducted between November 2013 and December 2018.

The interaction between miRNA and mRNA is involved in vascular smooth muscle cell differentiation in patients with coronary atherosclerosis.

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the arterial wall have diverse functions. In pathological states, the interplay between transcripts and microRNAs (miRNAs) leads to phenotypic changes. Understanding the regulatory role of miRNAs and their target genes may reveal how VSMCs modulate the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease.

Mid-term single-center outcomes of BioIntegral compared to Freestyle aortic conduit implantation.

Background: Full aortic root replacement with biological conduit has limited options. This non-randomized cohort study aims to compare mid-term clinical and hemodynamic results of the BioIntegral (BI) composite biological versus the stentless Freestyle (FS) conduits in patients undergoing full aortic root replacement.

Methods: From February 2013 to July 2017, 265 patients underwent aortic root replacement at a single institution (202 BI, 65 FS).

Coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with low ejection fraction: what are the risk factors?

Background: Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction alone is insufficient as an independent predictor of postoperative complications and mortality in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Our objective was to identify additional independent risk factors in patients with low left ventricle ejection fraction (EF) who underwent CABG.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed CABG results of 346 consecutive patients with low EF (≤30%) in a single institution between 2009 and 2015.

Plasma Ceramides as Prognostic Biomarkers and Their Arterial and Myocardial Tissue Correlates in Acute Myocardial Infarction.

We identified a plasma signature of 11 C14 to C26 ceramides and 1 C16 dihydroceramide predictive of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery, those with recent AMI, compared with those without recent AMI, showed a significant increase in 5 of the signature's 12 ceramides in plasma but not simultaneously-biopsied aortic tissue. In contrast, a rat AMI model, compared with sham control, showed a significant increase in myocardial concentrations of all 12 ceramides and up-regulation of 3 ceramide-producing enzymes, suggesting ischemic myocardium as a possible source of this ceramide signature.

Transcriptome alterations of vascular smooth muscle cells in aortic wall of myocardial infarction patients.

This article contains further data and information from our published manuscript [1]. We aim to identify significant transcriptome alterations of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the aortic wall of myocardial infarction (MI) patients. Microarray gene analysis was applied to evaluate VSMCs of MI and non-MI patients.

Gene expression profile analysis of aortic vascular smooth muscle cells reveals upregulation of cadherin genes in myocardial infarction patients.

Myocardial infarction (MI) induced by acute coronary arterial occlusion is usually secondary to atherosclerotic plaque rupture. Dysregulated response of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in atherosclerotic plaques may promote plaque rupture. Cadherins (CDHs) form adherens junctions and are known stabilizers of atherosclerotic plaques.

Distinctive molecular signature and activated signaling pathways in aortic smooth muscle cells of patients with myocardial infarction.

Background And Aims: We aim to identify significant transcriptome alterations of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the aortic wall of myocardial infarction (MI) patients. Providing a robust transcriptomic signature, we aim to highlight the most likely aberrant pathway(s) in MI VSMCs.

Methods And Results: Laser-captured microdissection (LCM) was used to obtain VSMCs from aortic wall tissues harvested during coronary artery bypass surgery.