A gut feeling of statin.

Statins, known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are widely utilized to reduce blood cholesterol levels and possess pleiotropic effects, including the influence on inflammation and macrophage proliferation. Despite their significant impact in diminishing the incidence of cardiovascular events and mortality, individual responses to statin therapy vary considerably. Understanding this variability is essential for optimizing treatment outcomes and minimizing adverse effects.

A Prediction Nomogram for No-Reflow in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients after Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: The coronary no-reflow (NR) phenomenon is an independent predictor of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). This study aimed to establish a clinical and comprehensive nomogram for predicting NR in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI).

Methods: The multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the NR-related factors.

Endothelial POFUT1 controls injury-induced liver fibrosis by repressing fibrinogen synthesis.

Background & Aims: NOTCH signaling in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) regulates liver fibrosis, a pathological feature of chronic liver diseases. POFUT1 is an essential regulator of NOTCH signaling. Here, we investigated the role of LSEC-expressed POFUT1 in liver fibrosis.

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the altered innate immunity in immune checkpoint inhibitor-related myocarditis.

Myocarditis has emerged as a rare but lethal immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-associated toxicity. However, the exact mechanism and the specific therapeutic targets remain underexplored. In this study, we aim to characterise the transcriptomic profiles based on single-cell RNA sequencing from ICI-related myocarditis.

The association of long-term trajectories of BMI, its variability, and metabolic syndrome: a 30-year prospective cohort study.

Background: Limited data exists on how early-life weight changes relate to metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk in midlife. This study examines the association between long-term trajectories of body mass index (BMI), its variability, and MetS risk in Chinese individuals.

Methods: In the Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension study (March 10, 1987-June 3, 2017), 1824 participants with at least five BMI measurements from 1987 to 2017 were included.

Statins aggravate insulin resistance through reduced blood glucagon-like peptide-1 levels in a microbiota-dependent manner.

Statins are currently the most common cholesterol-lowering drug, but the underlying mechanism of statin-induced hyperglycemia is unclear. To investigate whether the gut microbiome and its metabolites contribute to statin-associated glucose intolerance, we recruited 30 patients with atorvastatin and 10 controls, followed up for 16 weeks, and found a decreased abundance of the genus Clostridium in feces and altered serum and fecal bile acid profiles among patients with atorvastatin therapy. Animal experiments validated that statin could induce glucose intolerance, and transplantation of Clostridium sp.

Predictive value of serum TBA for 2-year MACEs in ACS patients undergoing PCI: a prospective cohort study.

Bile acids play important roles in lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis. Limited research exist on the association between serum total bile acid (TBA) levels and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), particularly those with comorbid type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study was conducted to examine the relationship between baseline serum TBA level and T2DM status in patients with ACS after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and to identify the predictive value of TBA levels for a 2-year risk of MACEs.

A gut microbiota-bile acid axis promotes intestinal homeostasis upon aspirin-mediated damage.

Aspirin-related gastrointestinal damage is of growing concern. Aspirin use modulates the gut microbiota and associated metabolites, such as bile acids (BAs), but how this impacts intestinal homeostasis remains unclear. Herein, using clinical cohorts and aspirin-treated mice, we identified an intestinal microbe, Parabacteroides goldsteinii, whose growth is suppressed by aspirin.

Epigenetic repression of by lysine-specific demethylase 1 is essential for murine heart development.

Epigenetic regulation of heart development remains incompletely understood. Here we show that LSD1, a histone demethylase, plays a crucial role in regulating cardiomyocyte proliferation during heart development. Cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of in mice inhibited cardiomyocyte proliferation, causing severe growth defect of embryonic and neonatal heart RNA-seq and functional studies identified as a target suppressed by LSD1.

Circulating miR-423-5p levels are associated with carotid atherosclerosis in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background And Aims: Carotid atherosclerosis is associated with an elevated risk of stroke in patients with chronic kidney disease. However, the molecular basis for the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with CKD is poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether circulating miR-423-5p is a crucial link between CKD and carotid atherosclerosis.

Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of coronary microvascular diseases (2023 Edition).

Since the four working groups of the Chinese Society of Cardiology issued first expert consensus on coronary microvascular diseases (CMVD) in 2017, international consensus documents on CMVD have increased rapidly. Although some of these documents made preliminary recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of CMVD, they did not provide classification of recommendations and levels of evidence. In order to summarize recent progress in the field of CMVD, standardize the methods and procedures of diagnosis and treatment, and identify the scientific questions for future research, the four working groups of the Chinese Society of Cardiology updated the 2017 version of the Chinese expert consensus on CMVD and adopted a series of measures to ensure the quality of this document.

Plasma Cell-Free DNA Is a Potential Biomarker for Diagnosis of Calcific Aortic Valve Disease.

Introduction: Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is the third most common cardiovascular disease in aging populations. Despite a growing number of biomarkers having been shown to be associated with CAVD, a marker suitable for routine testing in clinical practice is still needed. Plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has been suggested as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis in multiple diseases.

Mitochondria-derived Vesicle Packaging as a Novel Therapeutic Mechanism in Pulmonary Hypertension.

Increasing evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction in pulmonary endothelial cells (ECs) plays a causative role in the initiation and progression of pulmonary hypertension (PH); how mitochondria become dysfunctional in PH remains elusive. Mitochondria-derived vesicles (MDVs) are small subcellular vesicles that excise from mitochondria. Whether MDV deregulation causes mitochondrial dysfunction in PH is unknown.

Moderate selenium alleviates the pulmonary function impairment induced by cadmium and lead in adults: A population-based study.

Selenium (Se) has been reported to have an antagonistic effect on heavy metals in animals. However, there is no epidemiological study investigating whether Se could protect against the pulmonary toxicity of Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb). Data was collected from the 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycle.

Hepatic transcriptome signatures in mice and humans with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the main reason for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. As a starting point for NAFLD, the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) is receiving increasing attention. Mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and hereditary leptin deficiency (ob/ob) mice are important NAFL animal models.

Coffee consumption and abdominal aortic calcification among adults with and without hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

Background And Aims: This study was performed to investigate the effect of coffee consumption on abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) among adults with and without hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Methods And Results: A total of 2548 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 were included. Coffee consumption was obtained from 24-h dietary recalls.

2023 Chinese expert consensus on the impact of COVID-19 on the management of cardiovascular diseases.

The primary site of infection in COVID-19 exhibit is the respiratory system, but multiple organ systems could be affected. The virus could directly invade cardiomyocytes. Alternatively, cytokine storm could lead to myocardial injury.

The Predictive Values of White Blood Cell Indices (Lymphocyte and Eosinophilic Granulocyte) for Heart Failure in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: White blood cell (WBC) indices are strongly associated with cardiovascular disease, but data on the prognostic values of these parameters in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are sparse. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between baseline WBC indices levels and the incidence of heart failure (HF) in ACS patients after PCI and explore the predictive values over a 2-year follow-up period.

Methods: A total of 416 consecutive ACS patients treated with PCI were enrolled and received a median of 27.

Lung function indices do not affect the incidence of coronary heart disease in patients with sleep-disordered breathing.

Background: Currently, it's unclear whether sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and reduced lung function could synergistically increase the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD). Furthermore, the predictive value of different lung function indices for the incidence of CHD remains unknown.

Methods: We enrolled 3749 participants from the Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS) to conduct a retrospective study.

Cardiac Fibroblast Activation Induced by Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation Depends on the HIF-1α/miR-212-5p/KLF4 Pathway.

It is widely accepted that miRNAs play an important role in the pathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis. This study aimed to identify a new pathway of miR-212-5p in the activation of human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs) induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). First, we found that KLF4 protein was markedly decreased in OGD-induced HCFs.

MiR-146a rs2910164 (G/C) polymorphism is associated with the development and prognosis of acute coronary syndromes: an observational study including case control and validation cohort.

Background: Polymorphisms in microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The purpose of this study was to assess the association of miR-146a rs2910164 and miR-34b rs4938723 polymorphisms with the development and prognosis of ACS and to explore the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: A case-control study of 1171 subjects was included to determine the association of miR-146a rs2910164 and miR-34b rs4938723 polymorphisms with ACS risk.

Effect of in-hospital evolocumab therapy on lipoprotein(a) in patients with acute myocardial infarction: a retrospective cohort study and a propensity score matching analysis.

Unlabelled: Elevated lipoprotein(a) is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Evolocumab, a proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor, has been shown to reduce lipoprotein(a). However, the effect of evolocumab on lipoprotein(a) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is poorly studied.

Increased circulating uric acid aggravates heart failure via impaired fatty acid metabolism.

Background: Increased circulating uric acid (UA) concentration may disrupt cardiac function in heart failure patients, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. Here, we postulate that hyperuremia induces sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP1), which in turn activate hepatic fatty acid biosynthesis response, leading to cardiac dysfunction.

Methods And Results: Increased circulating uric acid was observed in heart failure patients and inversely correlated to cardiac function.

Effectiveness of a non-physician community health-care provider-led intensive blood pressure intervention versus usual care on cardiovascular disease (CRHCP): an open-label, blinded-endpoint, cluster-randomised trial.

Background: Effectiveness of a non-physician community health-care provider-led intensive blood pressure intervention on cardiovascular disease has not been established. We aimed to test the effectiveness of such an intervention compared with usual care on risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause death among individuals with hypertension.

Methods: In this open-label, blinded-endpoint, cluster-randomised trial, we recruited individuals aged at least 40 years with an untreated systolic blood pressure of at least 140 mm Hg or a diastolic blood pressure of at least 90 mm Hg (≥130 mm Hg and ≥80 mm Hg for those at high risk for cardiovascular disease or if currently taking antihypertensive medication).

GSDME-mediated pyroptosis promotes the progression and associated inflammation of atherosclerosis.

Pyroptosis, a type of Gasdermin-mediated cell death, contributes to an exacerbation of inflammation. To test the hypothesis that GSDME-mediated pyroptosis aggravates the progression of atherosclerosis, we generate ApoE and GSDME dual deficiency mice. As compared with the control mice, GSDME/ApoE mice show a reduction of atherosclerotic lesion area and inflammatory response when induced with a high-fat diet.