Age and Sex Differences in Carotid Intima-Media Thickness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Ageing is a significant risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis, affecting over a billion people worldwide. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) is a surrogate marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, with age- and sex-related differences in levels and progression. The onset of clinical manifestations of CVD in women is delayed by about 10 years compared to men.

The Role of Adiponectin and Leptin in Fibro-Calcific Aortic Valve Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Fibro-calcific aortic valve disease (FCAVD) is a progressive disorder characterized by the thickening and calcification of the aortic valve, eventually leading to aortic stenosis. Adiponectin and leptin, known for their anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory properties, respectively, have been implicated in cardiovascular diseases, but their associations with FCAVD are controversial. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the relationships between adiponectin and leptin levels and FCAVD, particularly in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS).

Exploiting the anti-fibrotic effects of statins on thoracic aortic aneurysm progression: results from a meta-analysis and experimental data.

Aims: Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) that progress to acute aortic dissection is often fatal and there is no pharmacological treatment that can reduce TAA progression. We aim to evaluate statins' effects on TAA growth rate and outcomes using a meta-analysis approach.

Methods And Results: A detailed search related to the effects of statins on TAA was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines.

2-Substituted-4,7-dihydro-4-ethylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-ones alleviate LPS-induced inflammation by modulating cell metabolism via CD73 upon macrophage polarization.

Macrophage polarization towards the M1 phenotype under bacterial product-related exposure (LPS) requires a rapid change in gene expression patterns and cytokine production along with a metabolic rewiring. Metabolic pathways and redox reactions are such tightly connected, giving rise to an area of research referred to as immunometabolism. A role in this context has been paid to the master redox-sensitive regulator Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and to the 5'-ectonucleotidase CD73, a marker related to macrophage metabolism rearrangement under pro-inflammatory conditions.

When Should I Get My Next COVID-19 Vaccine? Data From the Surveillance of Responses to COVID-19 Vaccines in Systemic Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases (SUCCEED) Study.

Objective: To determine how serologic responses to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination and infection in immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) are affected by time since last vaccination and other factors.

Methods: Post-COVID-19 vaccination, data, and dried blood spots or sera were collected from adults with rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis and spondylarthritis, and psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The first sample was collected at enrollment, then at 2 to 4 weeks and 3, 6, and 12 months after the latest vaccine dose.