Publications by authors named "Theodoropoulos K"
Psoriasis predisposes to cardiovascular dysfunction. We investigated whether glycocalyx dietary supplement (GDS), which contains glycosaminoglycans and fucoidan, improves endothelial glycocalyx and arterial stiffness in psoriatic patients. Fifty participants with psoriasis under biological agents were randomly assigned to GDS (n = 25) or placebo (n = 25) for 4 months.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEngaging intracoronary imaging (IC) techniques such as intravascular ultrasound or optical coherence tomography enables the precise description of vessel architecture. These imaging modalities have well-established roles in providing guidance and optimizing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) outcomes. Furthermore, IC is increasingly recognized for its diagnostic capabilities, as it has the unique capacity to reveal vessel wall characteristics that may not be apparent through angiography alone.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Despite advancements in treatment, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) still results in high mortality rates, leading to a greater focus on comfort-oriented care for those with poor prognoses.
- In a study of 536 STEMI patients, 11.4% died during hospitalization, with a significant number transitioning to comfort-focused care, especially those on mechanical circulatory support.
- Palliative care consultations were infrequent, occurring in only about 10% of cases, typically late in hospitalization, suggesting a need for earlier integration of comfort care strategies.
Article Synopsis
- The study examined the incidence of radial artery occlusion (RAO) in patients undergoing transradial coronary catheterization, involving 1357 participants across multiple centers.
- The overall incidence of RAO was found to be 9.5%, with higher occurrences in the angiography-only group compared to the PCI group (10.6% vs. 6.2%).
- Several independent risk factors for RAO were identified, including female gender, access site cross-over, radial artery spasms, and post-catheterization use of dabigatran, while factors like performing PCI and higher doses of intravenous heparin were associated with lower odds of RAO.
A 58-year-old male with a medical history of arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, and psoriasis was admitted for a scheduled surgical removal of the thyroid gland. During the surgery, the patient suffered severe blood loss caused by vascular complications. After the operation, his electrocardiogram showed diffuse ST segment elevation along with high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T elevation and severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Belatacept (BTC) is a fusion protein that inhibits T-cell activation and has primarily been used for immunosuppression in kidney transplants, but its effectiveness for heart transplant patients remains less understood.
- A retrospective study analyzed 21 heart transplant recipients who received BTC between 2017 and 2021, focusing on their health outcomes, including rejection rates and kidney function over a follow-up period that extended to December 2023.
- Results indicated that BTC treatment had a low rejection rate (4.8%) and stable graft function, with a slight improvement in kidney health for the majority of the patients, though a significant portion of them discontinued the treatment within the study period.
Article Synopsis
- A 73-year-old man with a history of a drug-eluting stent in his left main stem artery experienced worsening chest pain (angina).
- He underwent a coronary angiogram to investigate his symptoms further.
- A myocardial perfusion SPECT scan indicated ischemia in the left anterior descending artery area.
An emergency transradial coronary angiography in a 68-year-old woman demonstrated sub-total occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending artery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAfter a myocardial infarction, the inflammatory response is connected to major adverse outcomes such as ischemia-reperfusion injury, adverse cardiac remodeling, infarct size and poor prognosis. INFlammatIoN amI sTudY (INFINITY) is a multicenter, prospective, observational, cohort study designed to investigate the prognostic role of the cytokines IL-6, IL-10, IL-18 and IL-17 and the adipokines leptin, apelin and chemerin in patients with acute coronary syndrome. The study will test if these inflammatory biomarkers reflect different clinical manifestations of coronary artery disease and have a prognostic role in a 6-month follow-up period.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Right heart failure (RHF) commonly complicates left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, leading to higher morbidity and mortality rates in patients.
- Understanding RHF mechanisms and predictors can help identify patients early, allowing for proactive management and better outcomes.
- Despite available therapies for post-LVAD RHF, current risk assessment tools are inadequate, highlighting the need for further research to improve identification and treatment strategies.
Article Synopsis
- Monitoring for graft rejection is essential in post-transplant care, especially in heart transplants, where traditional methods like endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) have limitations, including complications and variability in interpretation.
- Newer noninvasive tools, such as cardiac biomarkers, imaging, gene expression profiling, donor-derived cell-free DNA, and the molecular microscope diagnostic system (MMDx), have emerged as important alternatives for rejection surveillance.
- The paper argues for the use of MMDx to enhance early detection of rejection when results from EMB don't align with other noninvasive screening methods.