Patients perspectives on integrating eHealth in regular care pathways for atrial fibrillation: evaluating photoplethysmography for remote self-assessment.

Aims: Smartphone applications for heart rate and rhythm assessment are increasingly used for the management of atrial fibrillation (AF). Although the use of a photoplethysmography (PPG)-based smartphone application with subsequent (tele)consultations for AF management has been proven feasible in the TeleCheck-AF project, specific needs, and expectations of patients with AF are unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate patients' perspectives on the use of remote PPG-based electronical health (eHealth) integrated in regular care pathways for AF.

Evolution in electrophysiology 100 years after Einthoven: translational and computational innovations in rhythm control of atrial fibrillation.

In 1924, the Dutch physiologist Willem Einthoven received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of the mechanism of the electrocardiogram (ECG). Anno 2024, the ECG is commonly used as a diagnostic tool in cardiology. In the paper 'Le Télécardiogramme', Einthoven described the first recording of the now most common cardiac arrhythmia: atrial fibrillation (AF).

Interpretation of intra-operative strain differences in ascending thoracic aortic repair patients.

Local biaxial deformation plays a pivotal role in evaluating the tissue state of the ascending aorta and in driving intramural cell-mediated tissue remodeling. Unfortunately, the absence of anatomical markers on the ascending aorta presents challenges in capturing deformation. Utilizing our established intra-operative biaxial strain measurement method, we delineated local biaxial deformation characteristics in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass graft surgery recipients (n = 20), and Aortic Repair surgery patients (n = 47).

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in peri-operative care: Dispelling myths and unveiling insights with essential considerations for anaesthesiologists.

With the growing use of glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor (GLP-1R) agonists as anti-obesity medication it is becoming increasingly important to examine its consequences in the peri-operative period. GLP-1R agonists are known for their effects of glucose-lowering and gastroparesis the latter causing some safety concerns regarding induction of anaesthesia, more specifically the risk of pulmonary aspiration. This article gathers the available evidence on this subject in addition to the already established guidelines.

The factor structure of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 in stroke: A comparison with a non-stroke population.

Background: It is unclear if certain post-stroke somatic symptoms load onto items of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a self-report depression questionnaire. We investigated these concerns in a stroke sample using factor analysis, benchmarked against a non-stroke comparison group.

Methods: The secondary dataset constituted 787 stroke and 12,016 non-stroke participants.

Retinal vessel analysis to assess microvascular function in the healthy eye: A systematic review on the response to acute physiological and pathological stressors.

The retina allows noninvasive in vivo assessment of the microcirculation. Autoregulation of the retinal microvasculature meets the changing requirements of local metabolic demand and maintains adequate blood flow. Analysis of the retinal vascular reactivity contributes to the understanding of regulatory physiology and its relationship to the systemic microcirculation.

Prognostic value of hypoxaemic burden from overnight oximetry in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Aims: Nocturnal hypoxaemic burden, quantified as time spent with oxygen saturation below 90% (T90), is an established independent predictor of mortality in heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction. The prognostic value of T90 in HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is unknown. This study aims to determine the association of T90 with adverse outcomes in HFpEF.

A Multiscale Mathematical Model for the Fetal Blood Circulation of the Second Half of Pregnancy.

Doppler ultrasound is a commonly used method to assess hemodynamics of the fetal cardiovascular system and to monitor the well-being of the fetus. Indices based on the velocity profile are often used for diagnosis. However, precisely linking these indices to specific underlying physiology factors is challenging.

Calciprotein particles induce arterial stiffening ex vivo and impair vascular cell function.

Calciprotein particles (CPPs) are an endogenous buffering system, clearing excessive amounts of Ca and PO from the circulation and thereby preventing ectopic mineralization. CPPs circulate as primary CPPs (CPP1), which are small spherical colloidal particles, and can aggregate to form large, crystalline, secondary CPPs (CPP2). Even though it has been reported that CPPs are toxic to vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in vitro, their effect(s) on the vasculature remain unclear.

The interdependence of targets for continuous glucose monitoring outcomes in type 1 diabetes with automated insulin delivery.

Aim: The aim was to determine the interdependence of targets for glucose management indicator (GMI), time within the ranges of 70-180 mg/dL (TIR) and 70-140 mg/dL (time in tight glucose range [TITR]), time above 180 mg/dL (TA180) and 250 mg/dL (TA250) and time below 70 mg/dL (TB70) and 54 mg/dL (TB54) and its implications for setting targets in automated insulin delivery (AID).

Materials And Methods: Real-world data from individuals with type 1 diabetes using the 780G system were used to calculate the receiver operating characteristic curves and establish interdependent targets for time in ranges based on several GMI benchmarks. Correlation, regression and principal component analysis were used to determine their association and dimensionality.

Methylglyoxal mediates the association between 2-hour plasma glucose and HbA1c with inflammation: The Maastricht Study.

Context: Glucose excursions in persons with diabetes may drive chronic inflammation. Methylglyoxal (MGO) is formed from glucose, is elevated in persons with diabetes, and is a potent glycating agent linked with inflammation.

Objective: We investigated whether glucose excursions are associated with low-grade inflammation and whether MGO mediates this association.

Early life socioeconomic inequalities and type 2 diabetes incidence: Longitudinal analyses in the Maastricht study.

Aim: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a common chronic disease that disproportionally affects groups with a low socioeconomic position (SEP). This study aimed to examine associations between childhood SEP and incident T2D, independent of adult SEP.

Methods: Longitudinal data from The Maastricht Study were used (N=6,727, 55.

Do poor psychosocial resources mediate health inequalities in type 2 diabetes mellitus? Findings from the Maastricht study.

Low socioeconomic position (SEP) has been identified as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and psychosocial resources might be on the pathway in this association. We examined two poor psychosocial resources, low control beliefs and inferiority beliefs, that might link low SEP with T2DM. 8292 participants aged 40-75 living in Southern Netherlands participated in The Maastricht Study starting from September 2010 to October 2020 and were followed up to 10 years with annual questionnaires.

Smad1/5 is acetylated in the dorsal aortae of the mouse embryo before the onset of blood flow, driving early arterial gene expression.

Aims: During embryonic development, arteriovenous (AV) differentiation ensures proper blood vessel formation and maturation. Defects in arterial or venous identity cause inappropriate fusion of vessels, resulting in atypical shunts, so-called AV malformations (AVMs). Currently, the mechanism behind AVM formation remains unclear, and treatment options are fairly limited.