Methamphetamine-Associated Heart Failure Hospitalizations Across the United States: Geographic and Social Disparities.

Background Although methamphetamine abuse is associated with the development of heart failure (HF), nationwide data on methamphetamine-associated HF (MethHF) hospitalizations are limited. This study evaluates nationwide HF hospitalizations associated with substance abuse to better understand MethHF prevalence trends and the clinical characteristics of those patients. Methods and Results This cross-sectional period-prevalence study used hospital discharge data from the National Inpatient Sample to identify adult primary HF hospitalizations with a secondary diagnosis of abuse of methamphetamines, cocaine, or alcohol in the United States from 2002 to 2014.

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients With Heart Failure and Methamphetamine Abuse.

Background: Despite a global epidemic of methamphetamine abuse, methamphetamine-associated heart failure (MethHF) remains poorly understood. We sought to evaluate characteristics and outcomes for patients with MethHF.

Methods: We reviewed the electronic health records of the University of California, San Diego, from 2005 to 2016.

The Impact of Substance Abuse on Heart Failure Hospitalizations.

Background: The burden of substance abuse among patients with heart failure and its association with subsequent emergency department visits and hospital admissions are poorly characterized.

Methods: We evaluated the medical records of patients with a diagnosis of heart failure treated at the University of California-San Diego from 2005 to 2016. We identified substance abuse via diagnosis codes or urine drug screens.

Regression of inflammation in atherosclerosis by the LXR agonist R211945: a noninvasive assessment and comparison with atorvastatin.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to noninvasively detect the anti-inflammatory properties of the novel liver X receptor agonist R211945.

Background: R211945 induces reversal cholesterol transport and modulates inflammation in atherosclerotic plaques. We aimed to characterize with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) and dynamic contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (DCE-CMR) inflammation and neovascularization, respectively, in atherosclerotic plaques with R211945 treatment compared with atorvastatin treatment and a control.

Pioglitazone modulates vascular inflammation in atherosclerotic rabbits noninvasive assessment with FDG-PET-CT and dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging.

Objectives: We sought to determine the antiatherosclerotic properties of pioglitazone using multimethod noninvasive imaging techniques.

Background: Inflammation is an essential component of vulnerable or high-risk atheromas. Pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma agonist, possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties.

Multimodal clinical imaging to longitudinally assess a nanomedical anti-inflammatory treatment in experimental atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease causing great morbidity and mortality in the Western world. To increase the anti-inflammatory action and decrease adverse effects of glucocorticoids (PLP), a nanomedicinal liposomal formulation of this drug (L-PLP) was developed and intravenously applied at a dose of 15 mg/kg PLP to a rabbit model of atherosclerosis. Since atherosclerosis is a systemic disease, emerging imaging modalities for assessing atherosclerotic plaque are being developed.

Iron oxide core oil-in-water emulsions as a multifunctional nanoparticle platform for tumor targeting and imaging.

Nanoemulsions are increasingly investigated for the delivery of hydrophobic drugs to improve their bioavailability or make their administration possible. In the current study, oil-in-water emulsions with three different mean diameters (30, 60, and 95 nm) were developed as a new multimodality nanoparticle platform for tumor targeting and imaging. To that aim, hydrophobically coated iron oxide particles were included in the soybean oil core of the nanoemulsions to enable their detection with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), while the conjugation of a near infrared fluorophore allowed optical imaging.