Current and emerging bone resorption inhibitors for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Introduction: Osteoporosis is a metabolic skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and strength, and increased risk for fragility fractures. It is a major health issue in aging populations, due to fracture associated increased disability and mortality. Antiresorptive treatments are first line choices in most of the cases.

Atrial Fibrosis in Atrial Fibrillation: Mechanistic Insights, Diagnostic Challenges, and Emerging Therapeutic Targets.

Atrial fibrosis is a hallmark of atrial cardiomyopathy and plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF), contributing to its onset and progression. The mechanisms underlying atrial fibrosis are multifaceted, involving stretch-induced fibroblast activation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and coagulation pathways. Variations in fibrosis types-reactive and replacement fibrosis-are influenced by patient-specific factors such as age, sex, and comorbidities, complicating therapeutic approaches.

Nighttime systolic blood pressure a major factor of retinal vascular caliber changes in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Changes in retinal vessel caliber are crucial for detecting early retinopathy, a significant cause of blindness in individuals with Diabetes Mellitus type 2 (T2DM). This study aims to evaluate the changes in retinal vessel caliber and identify factors associated with these changes in recently diagnosed T2DM patients.

Methods: The study included newly diagnosed T2DM patients (within 6 months of diagnosis) who were free of antidiabetic treatment (except metformin) and matched individuals based on age and blood pressure (BP).

Training and validating a treatment recommender with partial verification evidence.

Background: Current clinical decision support systems (DSS) are trained and validated on observational data from the clinic in which the DSS is going to be applied. This is problematic for treatments that have already been validated in a randomized clinical trial (RCT), but have not yet been introduced in any clinic. In this work, we report on a method for training and validating the DSS core before introduction to a clinic, using the RCT data themselves.

Coronary Artery Disease and Severe Aortic Stenosis: Contemporary Treatment Options for Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Approximately 50% of individuals eligible for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) have coronary artery disease (CAD). The influence of CAD, both its prevalence and severity, on post-TAVI clinical results has yielded conflicting findings. Recent research has shown positive results for the use of computed tomography angiography and functional percutaneous evaluation of coronary lesions in the pre-TAVI assessment, besides the classic coronary angiography.

Arrhythmias Following Patent Foramen Ovale Closure: An Unsolved Enigma.

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure has proven to be an effective method of reducing the risk of recurrent stroke in patients with embolic stroke of unknown origin (ESUS). One of the most recognized post-procedural complications is the de novo occurrence of supraventricular arrhythmias, mainly atrial fibrillation, in the first three months following PFO closure. Earlier studies reported the incidence to be around 3.

Effect of an Exercise Intervention Program on BMI and Distance Covered in the 6 Min Walking Test (6MWT) in Obese Children.

Background/objectives: Childhood obesity appears to be an alarmingly growing global threat. Current evidence has shown that obesity can be successfully managed with interventions targeting movement skills, motor coordination and physical activity. However, data concerning physiotherapy practice are limited.

Cancer Therapy-Related Cardiac Dysfunction: A Review of Current Trends in Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment.

Cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) has emerged as a significant concern with the rise of effective cancer treatments like anthracyclines and targeted therapies such as trastuzumab. While these therapies have improved cancer survival rates, their unintended cardiovascular side effects can lead to heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmias. The pathophysiology of CTRCD involves oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and calcium dysregulation, resulting in irreversible damage to cardiomyocytes.

The Implication of NT-proBNP in the Assessment of the Clinical Phenotype of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Without Established Cardiovascular Disease.

: Natriuretic peptide (NP) levels have been proposed for characterization and risk stratification of heart failure (HF) among patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, their role in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) has not been well studied and understood. The aim of this study was to assess phenotypical, functional characteristics and imaging parameters in relation to N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) values in T2DM patients without known CVD that may predispose to overt HF.

Impact of C-FOS/C-JUN Transcriptional Factors Co-Expression in Non-small Cell Lung Carcinoma.

Background/aim: Significant transcription factors - including c-Fos (gene locus: 14q24.3) and c-Jun (gene locus: 1p32-p31) - regulate cell homeostasis preventing abnormal signal transduction to nucleus. Their over-activation seems to be associated with an aggressive phenotype in non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs).

Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Hypertension.

Arterial hypertension is a silent and progressive disease with deleterious vascular implications on all target organs, including the heart, the brain, the kidneys, and the eyes. Oxidative stress, defined as the overproduction of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) over antioxidants, is capable of deteriorating not only the normal endothelial but also the cellular function with further cardiovascular implications. Xanthine oxidase activity, NADPH oxidase overexpression, and ROS production lead to hypertension and high arterial tone, culminating in end-organ damage.

Effects of Sympathetic Denervation in Metabolism Regulation: A Novel Approach for the Treatment of MASLD?

Although metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously termed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, has become the most common chronic liver disorder, its complex pathophysiology has not been fully elucidated up to date. A correlation between elevated sympathetic activation and MASLD has been highlighted in recent preclinical and clinical studies. Furthermore, increased sympathetic activity has been associated with the main mechanisms involved in MASLD, such as lipid accumulation in the liver, insulin resistance, and metabolic dysregulation, while it has been also correlated with the progression of MASLD, leading to liver fibrosis.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in 7704 Individuals: An Analysis from the Greek Registry for the Prevalence of Familial Hypercholesterolemia (GRegistry-FH).

The intention of this study was to profile the cohort from the Greek Registry for the prevalence of Familial Hypercholesterolemia (GRegistry-FH) by estimating the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), pre-DM, smoking, abnormal thyroid function (ATF), and lipid values. The GRegistry-FH is a prospective study involving door-to-door interviews conducted by trained interviewers. Overall, 7704 individuals aged ≥18 years, randomly selected from all the regions of Greece, participated.

Spotlight on the Mechanism of Action of Semaglutide.

Initially intended to control blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes, semaglutide, a potent glucagon-like peptide 1 analogue, has been established as an effective weight loss treatment by controlling appetite. Integrating the latest clinical trials, semaglutide in patients with or without diabetes presents significant therapeutic efficacy in ameliorating cardiometabolic risk factors and physical functioning, independent of body weight reduction. Semaglutide may modulate adipose tissue browning, which enhances human metabolism and exhibits possible benefits in skeletal muscle degeneration, accelerated by obesity and ageing.

Physical Activity in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: The Effects of Caregivers and Residential Factors.

Introduction Physical inactivity is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients; several patient- and disease-related factors are linked to a sedentary lifestyle, but social and environmental influences remain unexplored. This study evaluates the level of physical activity in patients with CKD and investigates the associations with caregivers' physical activity levels, characteristics of the residential environment, and objective measures of exercise capacity. Methods Eighty CKD patients (20 per CKD stage 2-4) were included; patients and their carers filled out the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), questionnaires about residential environment and past exercise habits.

Endothelial dysfunction in adults with congenital heart disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) can face a lifelong risk of premature cardiovascular events. Endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness may be some of the key mechanisms involved. Early identification of endothelial damage in ACHD could be crucial to mitigate the adverse events.

Effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and co-agonists on body composition: Systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: While glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) effectively reduce body weight, their impact on lean mass remains uncertain. This meta-analysis evaluated the effects of GLP-1RAs and GLP-1/GIP receptor dual agonists (GLP-1/GIP-RAs) on body composition, focusing on total weight, fat mass, and lean mass in adults with diabetes and/or overweight/obesity.

Methods: A systematic search of Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was conducted through November 12, 2024.

The Relationship Between Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Response During Exercise Testing with Microcirculation Indices.

Introduction: Hypertension is associated with changes in microcirculation, while increased blood pressure (BP) during exercise stress testing has been correlated with adverse outcomes.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship of microcirculation with exercise BP response in hypertensive individuals.

Methods: 105 hypertensive individuals underwent exercise stress testing and nail-fold videocapillaroscopy assessment, in order to evaluate the relationship of BP response to exercise with capillary density.

Large tumor thrombus extending into the right atrium through the inferior vena cava due to hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report.

This is a case report of a 54-year-old patient with hepatocellular cancer under palliative chemotherapy who admitted with dyspnea on minimal exertion and peripheral oedema over the past 5 days. Echocardiogram revealed a large echogenic mass in the right atrial cavity which did not enhance with intravenous echo contrast agent, and a distended inferior vena cava (IVC) which was occluded by echogenic material with no signs of flow. To distinguish with accuracy if the thrombus was a bland or tumor thrombus, contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography (CT) was performed.