Air pollution increases the risk of pulmonary embolism: a meta-analysis.

Objectives: Air pollution can lead to many cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, but the impact of air pollution on pulmonary embolism is still uncertain. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the relationship between air pollution and pulmonary embolism.

Content: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochran Library for citations on air pollutants (carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and particulate matter) and pulmonary embolism.

Gastric polyp detection in gastroscopic images using deep neural network.

This paper presents the research results of detecting gastric polyps with deep learning object detection method in gastroscopic images. Gastric polyps have various sizes. The difficulty of polyp detection is that small polyps are difficult to detect from the background.

[Long-term outcomes and risk factors of ostial/shaft lesions in unprotected left main coronary artery after percutaneous coronary intervention].

To evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES) for ostial/shaft lesions in patients with unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA). A total of 271 patients with isolated ostial/midshaft lesions in unprotected left main coronary artery who received drug-eluting stents (DES) implantation between January 2003 and July 2009 in Beijing An Zhen Hospital were consecutively enrolled . The endpoints of the study were all-cause death, repeat revascularization, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke.

Distal anastomosis support for bypass grafting with coronary endarterectomy for the severe diseased posterior descending artery.

Background: The posterior descending artery is the most common vessel chosen for an endarterectomy, while endarterectomy to the posterior descending artery is associated with decreased graft patency. The purpose of this study was to describe a distal anastomosis support (DAS) technique and retrospectively investigate the effect of DAS on the mid-term graft patency.

Methods: Between January 2016 and December 2018, 200 patients with a PDA severe lesion who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) with CE (OPCAB + CE group,  = 95) and OPCAB + CE with DAS for anastomosis of PDA grafted by saphenous vein (SVG) (OPCAB + CE + DAS group,  = 105) were evaluated retrospectively.

Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight.

From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape of the distribution.

Angiopoietin-like proteins 8 knockout reduces intermittent hypoxia-induced vascular remodeling in a murine model of obstructive sleep apnea.

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular mortality. Apnea-induced chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) is a primary pathophysiological manifestation of OSA that promotes various cardiovascular alterations, such as aortic vascular remodeling. In this study, we investigated the association between angiopoietin-like proteins 8 (ANGPTL8) and CIH-induced aortic vascular remodeling in mice.

Association between cumulative blood pressure and long-term risk of cardiovascular disease: findings from the 26-year Chinese Multi-provincial Cohort Study-Beijing Project.

Background: Cumulative blood pressure (BP), a measure incorporating the level and duration of BP exposure, is associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the level at which cumulative BP could significantly increase the risk remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association of 15-year cumulative BP levels with the long-term risk of CVD, and to examine whether the association is independent of BP levels at one examination.

Extracellular vesicle microRNA cargoes from intermittent hypoxia-exposed cardiomyocytes and their effect on endothelium.

Intermittent hypoxia (IH), a main characteristic of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome, is an independent risk factor of cardiovascular complications. However, the mechanism has not been fully elucidated. Growing evidence has revealed alterations of extracellular vesicle (EV) contents, mostly miRNAs, playing a pathogenic role in cardiovascular complications.

Combined effect of menopause and cardiovascular risk factors on death and cardiovascular disease: a cohort study.

Background: Observational studies suggest that early menopause is associated with increased risk of death and cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, the results of these studies have been inconsistently. We aimed to assess the association of menopause with death and CVD and whether this association was modified by cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods: The study population was women age 35-64 years living in two communities of Beijing who were enrolled in the Chinese Multi-provincial Cohort Study in 1992.

The main trunk of RCA may be the best choice of sequential vein graft distal end-to-side anastomosis.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different anastomotic positions on the early patency of the distal end-to-side anastomosis of sequential saphenous vein grafts (SVG) in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB).

Methods: A total of 259 patients who underwent OPCAB between August 2014 and August 2019 and presented for coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) to evaluate graft patency at 1 year post-OPCAB were analyzed. There are two kinds of distal end-to-side anastomosis of SVG, to posterior descending artery (PDA) and main trunk of right coronary artery (RCA).

Effects of different ventilation on cerebral oxygen saturation and cerebral blood flow before and after modified ultrafiltration in infants during ventricular septal defect repair.

Objective: To analyse the changes of different ventilation on regional cerebral oxygen saturation and cerebral blood flow in infants during ventricular septal defect repair.

Methods: Ninety-two infants younger than 1 year were enrolled in the study. End-expiratory tidal pressure of carbon dioxide was maintained at 40-45 and 35-39 mmHg in relative low and high ventilation groups.

Inhibition of Notch1-mediated inflammation by intermedin protects against abdominal aortic aneurysm via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

The Notch1-mediated inflammatory response participates in the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The vascular endogenous bioactive peptide intermedin (IMD) plays an important role in maintaining vascular homeostasis. However, whether IMD inhibits AAA by inhibiting Notch1-mediated inflammation is unclear.

Transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation.

Objective: Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a common valvular heart disease with unsatisfactory medical therapeutics and high surgical mortality. The present study aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) in high-risk patients with severe TR.

Methods: This was a compassionate multicentre study.

p38/JNK Is Required for the Proliferation and Phenotype Changes of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Induced by in Essential Hypertension.

Aim: Hypertension is a complicated disorder with multifactorial etiology and high heritability. Our previous work has identified as a novel susceptibility gene for the development of essential hypertension, accompanied with activation of p38/JNK. Yet, little evidence has been reported whether p38/JNK contributed directly to -induced vascular remodeling and exploring the potential mechanism of in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).

New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation and Adverse In-Hospital Outcome in Patients with Acute Pulmonary Embolism.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) can be secondary to acute pulmonary embolism (PE). This study aimed to investigate the prognostic impact of new-onset AF on patients with acute PE. In this study, 4,288 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with acute PE were retrospectively screened.

Sleep-Disordered Breathing Is Associated With Impaired Odor Identification in Older U.S. Adults.

Background: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a common, underdiagnosed condition in older adults with major health consequences, including disrupted central nervous system functioning. Whether SDB may affect sensory function is unclear. We sought to address this question by comparing 2 forms of olfactory testing which measure peripheral and central olfactory processing.

Association of menopause with risk of carotid artery atherosclerosis.

Objectives: Observational studies suggest that the risk of cardiovascular disease increases during menopause; however, the menopause-related risk of subclinical atherosclerosis is unclear. The aim of the current study is to evaluate menopause and the risk of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis through a retrospective analysis of data from a population-based prospective cohort study.

Study Design: The study sample comprised 879 women in the Beijing community enrolled in the Chinese Multi-provincial Cohort Study at baseline study in 1992 and followed up to at least one carotid ultrasound examination at three on-site follow-up surveys.

Clinical significance of glycated hemoglobin in acute coronary syndrome patients from the CCC-ACS project : Findings from a multicenter retrospective observational study.

Background: Blood glucose levels are associated with the prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) reflects the average blood glucose level. The purpose of the study was to evaluate HbA1c as a prognostic indicator for ACS.

Obstructive sleep apnea-induced multi-organ dysfunction after elective coronary artery bypass surgery in coronary heart disease patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the underlying impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on postoperative parameters of multi-organ function among coronary heart disease (CHD) patients following elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: Electronic literature databases were searched manually and automatically for relevant English articles. All of the included articles focused on a comparison of the incidence of postoperative parameters of multi-organ function in CHD patients undergoing elective CABG with and without OSA.

Isolated subclavian or brachiocephalic arteries with tetralogy of Fallot, left retro-aortic brachiocephalic vein.

Background: Isolated subclavian or brachiocephalic artery are uncommon aortic arch anomalies. Here we report the anatomy and histology of this disease.

Methods: Four cases of congenital isolated subclavian or brachiocephalic artery in fetuses are described.

Radium-223 in Asian patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer with symptomatic bone metastases: A single-arm phase 3 study.

Aim: Radium-223, a targeted alpha therapy, is approved widely for the treatment of patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer, based on a pivotal phase 3 study in predominantly white patients. We investigated the efficacy and safety of radium-223 in Asian patients with castrate-resistant prostate cancer and metastatic bone disease.

Methods: This multicenter, prospective, single-arm, open-label phase 3 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of the standard radium-223 regimen (55 kBq/kg every 4 weeks for six cycles) in patients from Asian countries.

Low arousal threshold is associated with unfavorable shift of PAP compliance over time in patients with OSA.

Purpose: To determine the predictive factors of initial and long-term adherence to positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy and factors leading to an unfavorable shift of PAP compliance.

Methods: This follow-up study was comprised of newly diagnosed patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) amenable to PAP therapy from January 2017 to April 2019. Information on basic demographics, comorbidities, and sleep-related symptoms were collected.

Efficacy of a WeChat-based intervention for adherence to secondary prevention therapies in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft in China: A randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: We assessed whether the social media-based (WeChat) intervention integrated with follow-up care could improve adherence to drugs, lifestyle changes and clinical risk markers in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) in China.

Methods: We randomized patients at hospital discharge following CABG to intervention group or control care in China. The intervention is a structured programme of cardiac health education, medication reminders and cardiologist-based follow-up service using WeChat platform.