Galectin-3 and Blood Group: Binding Properties, Effects on Plasma Levels, and Consequences for Prognostic Performance.

Previous studies have reported an association between ABO type blood group and cardiovascular (CV) events and outcomes. The precise mechanisms underpinning this striking observation remain unknown, although differences in von Willebrand factor (VWF) plasma levels have been proposed as an explanation. Recently, galectin-3 was identified as an endogenous ligand of VWF and red blood cells (RBCs) and, therefore, we aimed to explore the role of galectin-3 in different blood groups.

A Kinase Interacting Protein 1 (AKIP1) promotes cardiomyocyte elongation and physiological cardiac remodelling.

A Kinase Interacting Protein 1 (AKIP1) is a signalling adaptor that promotes physiological hypertrophy in vitro. The purpose of this study is to determine if AKIP1 promotes physiological cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vivo. Therefore, adult male mice with cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of AKIP1 (AKIP1-TG) and wild type (WT) littermates were caged individually for four weeks in the presence or absence of a running wheel.

Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 and Risk of New Onset Heart Failure With Preserved or Reduced Ejection Fraction: The PREVEND Study.

Background The role of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) in the development of new-onset heart failure (HF) with reduced (HFrEF) or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in the general population is unknown. Therefore, we set out to investigate associations of C-terminal FGF23 with development of new-onset HF and, more specifically, with HFrEF or HFpEF in a large, prospective, population-based cohort. Methods and Results We studied 6830 participants (aged 53.

Unravelling the Difference Between Men and Women in Post-CABG Survival.

Objectives: Women have a worse prognosis after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery compared to men. We sought to quantify to what extent this difference in post-CABG survival could be attributed to sex itself, or whether this was mediated by difference between men and women at the time of intervention. Additionally, we explored to what extent these effects were homogenous across patient subgroups.

Pectins from various sources inhibit galectin-3-related cardiac fibrosis.

Purpose Of The Study: A major challenge in cardiology remains in finding a therapy for cardiac fibrosis. Inhibition of galectin-3 with pectins attenuates fibrosis in animal models of heart failure. The purpose of this study is to identify pectins with the strongest galectin-3 inhibitory capacity.

The erythropoietin receptor expressed in skeletal muscle is essential for mitochondrial biogenesis and physiological exercise.

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a haematopoietic hormone that regulates erythropoiesis, but the EPO-receptor (EpoR) is also expressed in non-haematopoietic tissues. Stimulation of the EpoR in cardiac and skeletal muscle provides protection from various forms of pathological stress, but its relevance for normal muscle physiology remains unclear. We aimed to determine the contribution of the tissue-specific EpoR to exercise-induced remodelling of cardiac and skeletal muscle.

Cardiac complications in patients hospitalised with COVID-19.

Aims: To determine the frequency and pattern of cardiac complications in patients hospitalised with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Methods And Results: CAPACITY-COVID is an international patient registry established to determine the role of cardiovascular disease in the COVID-19 pandemic. In this registry, data generated during routine clinical practice are collected in a standardised manner for patients with a (highly suspected) severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection requiring hospitalisation.

Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Progression as Surrogate Marker for Cardiovascular Risk: Meta-Analysis of 119 Clinical Trials Involving 100 667 Patients.

Background: To quantify the association between effects of interventions on carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) progression and their effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

Methods: We systematically collated data from randomized, controlled trials. cIMT was assessed as the mean value at the common-carotid-artery; if unavailable, the maximum value at the common-carotid-artery or other cIMT measures were used.

Rationale and design of the PRAETORIAN-COVID trial: A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial with valsartan for PRevention of Acute rEspiraTORy dIstress syndrome in hospitAlized patieNts with SARS-COV-2 Infection Disease.

There is much debate on the use of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected patients. Although it has been suggested that ARBs might lead to a higher susceptibility and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection, experimental data suggest that ARBs may reduce acute lung injury via blocking angiotensin-II-mediated pulmonary permeability, inflammation, and fibrosis. However, despite these hypotheses, specific studies on ARBs in SARS-CoV-2 patients are lacking.

Digital arterial pressure pulse wave analysis and cardiovascular events in the general population: the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease study.

Background: Arterial stiffness influences the contour of the digital pressure pulse wave.

Method: Here, we investigated whether the digital pulse propagation index (DPPI), based on the digital pressure pulse wave, DPPI is associated with cardiovascular events, heart failure, and mortality in a large population-based cohort. Between 2001 and 2003, DPPI was measured with a PortaPres noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring device (FinaPres Medical Systems, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) in participants of the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease study, a community-based cohort.

Progression of conventional cardiovascular risk factors and vascular disease risk in individuals: insights from the PROG-IMT consortium.

Aims: Averaged measurements, but not the progression based on multiple assessments of carotid intima-media thickness, (cIMT) are predictive of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in individuals. Whether this is true for conventional risk factors is unclear.

Methods And Results: An individual participant meta-analysis was used to associate the annualised progression of systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol with future cardiovascular disease risk in 13 prospective cohort studies of the PROG-IMT collaboration ( = 34,072).

Treating oxidative stress in heart failure: past, present and future.

Advances in cardiovascular research have identified oxidative stress as an important pathophysiological pathway in the development and progression of heart failure. Oxidative stress is defined as the imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the endogenous antioxidant defence system. Under physiological conditions, small quantities of ROS are produced intracellularly, which function in cell signalling, and can be readily reduced by the antioxidant defence system.

The Association of Obesity and Cardiometabolic Traits With Incident HFpEF and HFrEF.

Objectives: This study evaluated the associations of obesity and cardiometabolic traits with incident heart failure with preserved versus reduced ejection fraction (HFpEF vs. HFrEF). Given known sex differences in HF subtype, we examined men and women separately.

Association of Cardiovascular Biomarkers With Incident Heart Failure With Preserved and Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Importance: Nearly half of all patients with heart failure have preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) as opposed to reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), yet associations of biomarkers with future heart failure subtype are incompletely understood.

Objective: To evaluate the associations of 12 cardiovascular biomarkers with incident HFpEF vs HFrEF among adults from the general population.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This study included 4 longitudinal community-based cohorts: the Cardiovascular Health Study (1989-1990; 1992-1993 for supplemental African-American cohort), the Framingham Heart Study (1995-1998), the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (2000-2002), and the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease study (1997-1998).

Statin Effects on Metabolic Profiles: Data From the PREVEND IT (Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-stage Disease Intervention Trial).

Background: Statins lower cholesterol by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme of the metabolic pathway that produces cholesterol and other isoprenoids. Little is known about their effects on metabolite and lipoprotein subclass profiles. We, therefore, investigated the molecular changes associated with pravastatin treatment compared with placebo administration using a nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics platform.

Predictors and outcomes of heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction.

Aims: While heart failure with preserved (HFpEF) and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) are well described, determinants and outcomes of heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF) remain unclear. We sought to examine clinical and biochemical predictors of incident HFmrEF in the community.

Methods And Results: We pooled data from four community-based longitudinal cohorts, with ascertainment of new heart failure (HF) classified into HFmrEF [ejection fraction (EF) 41-49%], HFpEF (EF ≥50%), and HFrEF (EF ≤40%).

Accumulation of 5-oxoproline in myocardial dysfunction and the protective effects of OPLAH.

In response to heart failure (HF), the heart reacts by repressing adult genes and expressing fetal genes, thereby returning to a more fetal-like gene profile. To identify genes involved in this process, we carried out transcriptional analysis on murine hearts at different stages of development and on hearts from adult mice with HF. Our screen identified , encoding for 5-oxoprolinase, a member of the γ-glutamyl cycle that functions by scavenging 5-oxoproline.

Anemia is associated with bleeding and mortality, but not stroke, in patients with atrial fibrillation: Insights from the Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and Other Thromboembolic Events in Atrial Fibrillation (ARISTOTLE) trial.

Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are prone to cardiovascular events and anticoagulation-related bleeding complications. We hypothesized that patients with anemia are at increased risk for these outcomes.

Methods: We performed a post hoc analysis of the ARISTOTLE trial, which included >18,000 patients with AF randomized to warfarin (target international normalized ratio, 2.

Plasma calcidiol, calcitriol, and parathyroid hormone and risk of new onset heart failure in a population-based cohort study.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a major problem in the Western world, with increasing prevalence and incidence. Because HF cannot be cured, prevention of HF is of utter importance. Calcidiol, calcitriol, and parathyroid hormone (PTH) have been identified as risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

52 Genetic Loci Influencing Myocardial Mass.

Background: Myocardial mass is a key determinant of cardiac muscle function and hypertrophy. Myocardial depolarization leading to cardiac muscle contraction is reflected by the amplitude and duration of the QRS complex on the electrocardiogram (ECG). Abnormal QRS amplitude or duration reflect changes in myocardial mass and conduction, and are associated with increased risk of heart failure and death.

Determinants of temporal changes in galectin-3 level in the general population: Data of PREVEND.

Background: High baseline galectin-3 levels are associated with increased risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes in the general population, but determinants of changes in galectin-3 levels over time have not been established. Therefore, we aimed to identify determinants of (temporal) change in galectin-3 levels.

Methods: Galectin-3 plasma levels were measured in a large community based cohort (PREVEND study) at 3 different time points: at baseline, after ~4 and ~9years.

In EXOG-depleted cardiomyocytes cell death is marked by a decreased mitochondrial reserve capacity of the electron transport chain.

Depletion of mitochondrial endo/exonuclease G-like (EXOG) in cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes stimulates mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and induces hypertrophy via reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we show that neurohormonal stress triggers cell death in endo/exonuclease G-like-depleted cells, and this is marked by a decrease in mitochondrial reserve capacity. Neurohormonal stimulation with phenylephrine (PE) did not have an additive effect on the hypertrophic response induced by endo/exonuclease G-like depletion.

Overexpression of A kinase interacting protein 1 attenuates myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury but does not influence heart failure development.

Aims: A kinase interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) stimulates physiological growth in cultured cardiomyocytes and attenuates ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in ex vivo perfused hearts. We aimed to determine whether AKIP1 modulates the cardiac response to acute and chronic cardiac stresses in vivo.

Methods And Results: Transgenic mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of AKIP1 (AKIP1-TG) were created.