Progress in drug-delivery systems in cardiovascular applications: stents, balloons and nanoencapsulation.

Drug-delivery systems in cardiovascular applications regularly include the use of drug-eluting stents and drug-coated balloons to ensure sufficient drug transfer and efficacy in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In addition to the delivery of antiproliferative drugs, the use of growth factors, genetic materials, hormones and signaling molecules has led to the development of different nanoencapsulation techniques for targeted drug delivery. The review will cover drug delivery and coating mechanisms in current drug-eluting stents and drug-coated balloons, novel innovations in drug-eluting stent technologies and drug encapsulation in nanocarriers for delivery in vascular diseases.

Application of ensemble machine learning algorithms on lifestyle factors and wearables for cardiovascular risk prediction.

This study looked at novel data sources for cardiovascular risk prediction including detailed lifestyle questionnaire and continuous blood pressure monitoring, using ensemble machine learning algorithms (MLAs). The reference conventional risk score compared against was the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). The outcome variables were low or high risk based on calcium score 0 or calcium score 100 and above.

Moderate aortic stenosis: importance of symptoms and left ventricular ejection fraction.

Aims: The aim of this study is to investigate the independent determinants of survival in patients with moderate aortic stenosis (AS), stratified by severity of symptoms and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Methods And Results: Patients with a first diagnosis of moderate AS (aortic valve area >1.0 and ≤1.

Cardiac Tissue Engineering for the Treatment of Myocardial Infarction.

Poor cell engraftment rate is one of the primary factors limiting the effectiveness of cell transfer therapy for cardiac repair. Recent studies have shown that the combination of cell-based therapy and tissue engineering technology can improve stem cell engraftment and promote the therapeutic effects of the treatment for myocardial infarction. This mini-review summarizes the recent progress in cardiac tissue engineering of cardiovascular cells from differentiated human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), highlights their therapeutic applications for the treatment of myocardial infarction, and discusses the present challenges of cardiac tissue engineering and possible future directions from a clinical perspective.

Nanoparticles-reinforced poly-l-lactic acid composite materials as bioresorbable scaffold candidates for coronary stents: Insights from mechanical and finite element analysis.

Current generation of bioresorbable coronary scaffolds (BRS) posed thrombogenicity and deployment issues owing to its thick struts and overall profile. To this end, we hypothesize that the use of nanocomposite materials is able to provide improved material properties and sufficient radial strength for the intended application even at reduced strut thickness. The nanocomposite formulations of tantalum dioxide (TaO), L-lactide functionalized (LA)-TaO, hydroxyapatite (HA) and LA-HA with poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) were evaluated in this study.

Bone mineral density following liver transplantation: a 10-year trend analysis.

Unlabelled: We evaluated the prevalence of osteoporosis and annual changes in bone mineral density (BMD) over 10 years post-liver transplantation. BMD in the lumbar spine improved significantly post-transplantation, reaching a 12% increase at year 10. In contrast, BMD in the femoral neck and hip deteriorated and did not return to baseline levels.

Explainable machine learning predictions to support personalized cardiology strategies.

Aims: A widely practiced intervention to modify cardiac health, the effect of physical activity on older adults is likely heterogeneous. While machine learning (ML) models that combine various systemic signals may aid in predictive modelling, the inability to rationalize predictions at a patient personalized level is a major shortcoming in the current field of ML.

Methods And Results: We applied a novel methodology, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), on a dataset of older adults  = 86 (mean age 72 ± 4 years) whose physical activity levels were studied alongside changes in their left ventricular (LV) structure.

Severe mitral regurgitation from Libman-Sacks endocarditis treated with MitraClip: a case report.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) valvulopathy can manifest as a spectrum of pathologies and treatment of severe valvular dysfunction thus far has been surgical. However, surgery in patients with SLE is frequently associated with high morbidity and mortality due to the presence of significant co-morbidities.

Case Summary: We report the case of a 41-year-old woman with SLE and anti-phospholipid syndrome with extensive co-morbidities including lupus nephritis, pancytopaenia, cerebrovascular accident, and severe airway obstruction from ipsilateral lung collapse and bronchiectasis.

Predicting premature termination of exercise during Bruce protocol stress echocardiography.

Aims: Clinical guidelines recommend that the exercise protocol of a stress echocardiogram is selected to induce volitional exhaustion after a target duration of at least 8 minutes. While the Bruce protocol is very commonly used for clinical stress tests, it is known to be "steep", and many patients therefore fail to reach 8 minutes. We studied predictors of failure and developed a method for identifying patients not suitable for Bruce protocol which was accurate and yet simple enough to be used as a point-of-care decision support tool.

Regional and ethnic influences on the response to empagliflozin in patients with heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction: the EMPEROR-Reduced trial.

Aims: The aim of this article is to explore the influence of region and race/ethnicity on the effects of empagliflozin in the Empagliflozin Outcome Trial in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure and a Reduced Ejection Fraction (EMPEROR-Reduced) trial.

Methods And Results: Of 3730 patients, 1353 (36.3%) were enrolled in Europe, 1286 (34.

A diastolic dysfunction model in non-human primates with transverse aortic constriction.

Transverse aortic constriction (TAC) has been widely used to study cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, diastolic dysfunction, and heart failure in rodents. Few studies have been reported in preclinical animal models. The similar physiology and anatomy between non-human primates (NHPs) and humans make NHPs valuable models for disease modeling and testing of drugs and devices.

Modified double guiding catheter 'Ping Pong' technique to treat large coronary perforation: a case report.

Background: Despite improvement in available tools and techniques, procedural complications like coronary perforation can occur during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Severe proximal coronary perforations are usually caused by balloon and vessel size mismatch but can also occur with appropriately sized balloons or stents if the coronary vessel has very eccentric calcification or if there is negative remodelling of the vessel.

Case Summary: A 74-year-old man with a history of type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and chronic coronary syndrome (previous PCI 10 years before) presented with unstable angina of 2 weeks of duration.

Impairment of left atrial function in pediatric patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot: a cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging study.

We aimed to assess left atrial (LA) strain before LA dilatation in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF) compared with healthy controls. We also determined the effects of right atrial (RA) dilatation on LA performance using cardiovascular magnetic resonance-feature tracking (CMR-FT). Forty-nine pediatric patients with rTOF and 36 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were prospectively recruited between June 2017 and August 2019.

Prognostically relevant periprocedural myocardial injury and infarction associated with percutaneous coronary interventions: a Consensus Document of the ESC Working Group on Cellular Biology of the Heart and European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI).

A substantial number of chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) experience periprocedural myocardial injury or infarction. Accurate diagnosis of these PCI-related complications is required to guide further management given that their occurrence may be associated with increased risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Due to lack of scientific data, the cut-off thresholds of post-PCI cardiac troponin (cTn) elevation used for defining periprocedural myocardial injury and infarction, have been selected based on expert consensus opinions, and their prognostic relevance remains unclear.

Impact of age, sex and ethnicity on intra-cardiac flow components and left ventricular kinetic energy derived from 4D flow CMR.

Background: Four-dimensional flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance (4D flow CMR) allows quantification of left ventricular (LV) blood flow. We aimed to 1) establish reference ranges for 4D flow CMR-derived LV relative flow components and kinetic energy parameters indexed to end-diastolic volume (KEi) among healthy Asian subjects, 2) assess effects of age and sex on these parameters, and 3) compare these parameters between Asian and Caucasian subjects.

Methods: 74 healthy Asian subjects underwent cine and 4D flow CMR.

ECMO in cardiogenic shock and bridge to heart transplant.

Purpose: The aim of this review is to discuss the role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in cardiogenic shock and its use to bridge patients to heart transplantation.

Methods And Results: Consideration of published literature reveals indications for ECMO in cardiogenic shock and tools for patient selection, adequate evidence of its efficacy, its advantages when compared with other temporary mechanical circulatory support devices and details of its use as a bridge to decision, bridge to recovery, bridge to bridge (durable ventricular assist device) and bridge to heart transplant.

Conclusion: ECMO is invaluable in treating patients with medically refractory profound cardiogenic shock and allows for cardiac recovery or planning for permanent heart replacement treatments.

Financial difficulties and patient-reported outcomes among patients with advanced heart failure.

Purpose: Management of congestive heart failure (CHF) is associated with high health care costs and financial difficulties for patients. We aimed to comprehensively assess the association between financial difficulties and patients' quality of life (QOL) (physical, emotional, social and spiritual), perceived health care quality, and perception of being a burden to the family among patients with CHF; and to assess whether perceived control over stress moderated these associations.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 250 patients using the baseline data of the Singapore Cohort of Patients with Advanced Heart Failure (SCOPAH).

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance-assessed fast global longitudinal strain parameters add diagnostic and prognostic insights in right ventricular volume and pressure loading disease conditions.

Background: Parameters of myocardial deformation may provide improved insights into right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. We quantified RV longitudinal myocardial function using a fast, semi-automated method and investigated its diagnostic and prognostic values in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (rTOF) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), who respectively exemplify patients with RV volume and pressure overload conditions.

Methods: The study enrolled 150 patients (rTOF, n = 75; PAH, n = 75) and 75 healthy controls.

Metabolomics and cardiovascular imaging: a combined approach for cardiovascular ageing.

The purpose of this review is to explore how metabolomics can help uncover new biomarkers and mechanisms for cardiovascular ageing. Cardiovascular ageing refers to cardiovascular structural and functional alterations that occur with chronological ageing and that can lead to the development of cardiovascular disease. These alterations, which were previously only detectable on tissue histology or corroborated on blood samples, are now detectable with modern imaging techniques.

Multiparametric exercise stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease: the EMPIRE trial.

Background: Stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) offers assessment of ventricular function, myocardial perfusion and viability in a single examination to detect coronary artery disease (CAD). We developed an in-scanner exercise stress CMR (ExCMR) protocol using supine cycle ergometer and aimed to examine the diagnostic value of a multiparametric approach in patients with suspected CAD, compared with invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) as the reference gold standard.

Methods: In this single-centre prospective study, patients who had symptoms of angina and at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor underwent both ExCMR and invasive angiography with FFR.

Effectiveness of a nurse-led temporal self-regulation theory-based program on heart failure self-care: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Heart failure self-care is crucial for sustainable heart failure management but its adherence remains poor worldwide. Despite having an intention to change, individuals often face difficulties in modifying existing lifestyle habits and sustaining change motivations.

Objectives: To examine the effectiveness of a novel theory-driven nurse-led self-regulation program on improving heart failure self-care behaviours, future-thinking and behavioural automaticity.