Identification of key genes involved in calcific aortic valve disease based on integrated bioinformatics analysis.

The calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) develops as an aortic valve sclerosis and progresses to an advanced form of stenosis. In many biological fields, bioinformatics becomes a fundamental component. The key mechanisms involved in CAVD are discovered with the use of bioinformatics to investigate gene function and pathways.

Clinical Relevance of Plasma Endogenous Tissue-Plasminogen Activator and Aortic Valve Sclerosis: Performance as a Diagnostic Biomarker.

Aortic valve sclerosis (AVSc), a common precursor to calcific aortic valve disease, may progress into advanced aortic stenosis with hemodynamic instability. However, plasma biomarkers of such a subclinical condition remain lacking. Since impaired fibrinolysis featuring dysregulated tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) is involved in several cardiovascular diseases, we investigated whether endogenous t-PA was also associated with AVSc.

Clinical significance of pain in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: There is a paucity of studies investigating the clinical and biochemical characteristics of pain in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. This study aimed to determine the clinical and biochemical characteristics and outcomes in Chinese patients with CHF and symptoms of pain.

Methods: Sociodemographics, serum levels of creatinine, NT-proBNP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10, and two-dimensional echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were determined in 305 patients with CHF.

Impact of potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias on long-term outcome in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias (PLVAs) occur frequently in survivors after acute myocardial infarction and are increasingly recognized in other forms of structural heart diseases. This study investigated the prevalence and prognostic significance of PLVAs in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods: Data concerning demographics, etiology of heart failure, NYHA functional class, biochemical variables, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings, and medical treatments were collected by reviewing hospital medical records from 1080 patients with NYHA II-IV and a left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction ≤ 45%.