Influence of sex, age and race on coronary and heart failure events in patients with diabetes and post-acute coronary syndrome.

Background: Women, older patients and non-White ethnic groups experience a substantial proportion of acute coronary syndromes (ACS), although they have been historically underrepresented in ACS randomized clinical trials (RCTs). To assess the influence of sex, age and race on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and on heart failure events, we studied patients with type 2 diabetes in a large post-ACS trial (EXAMINE).

Methods: Differences in baseline characteristics and the respective composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke (MACE) and cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization (HF events) were evaluated by subgroups in a cohort of post-ACS patients with diabetes, using unadjusted and adjusted Cox regression modelling.

Alcohol Use Disorder in the Age of Technology: A Review of Wearable Biosensors in Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment.

Biosensors enable observation and understanding of latent physiological occurrences otherwise unknown or invasively detected. Wearable biosensors monitoring physiological constructs across a wide variety of mental and physical health conditions have become an important trend in innovative research methodologies. Within substance use research, explorations of biosensor technology commonly focus on identifying physiological indicators of intoxication to increase understanding of addiction etiology and to inform treatment recommendations.

Etiology and management of hypertension in patients with cancer.

The pathophysiology of hypertension and cancer are intertwined. Hypertension has been associated with an increased likelihood of developing certain cancers and with higher cancer-related mortality. Moreover, various anticancer therapies have been reported to cause new elevated blood pressure or worsening of previously well-controlled hypertension.

Red cell distribution width in patients with diabetes and myocardial infarction: An analysis from the EXAMINE trial.

Aim: To determine the clinical correlates of increased red blood cell distribution width (RDW), its potential mechanistic association with multiple circulating biomarkers, and its prognostic value in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who had a recent acute coronary syndrome.

Methods: We used time-updated Cox models applied to patients enrolled in the Examination of Cardiovascular Outcomes with Alogliptin versus Standard of Care (EXAMINE) trial.

Results: A total of 5380 patients were included, the median age was 61 years and 32% were women.

Age-Related Trajectories of Cardiovascular Risk and Use of Aspirin and Statin Among U.S. Adults Aged 50 or Older, 2011-2018.

Objectives: To examine age-related trajectories of cardiovascular risk and use of aspirin and statin among U.S. adults aged 50 or older.

Upregulation of transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) in ventricular fibroblasts from heart failure patients.

The transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) is a Ca-activated nonselective monovalent cation channel belonging to the TRP channel superfamily. TRPM4 is widely expressed in various tissues and most abundantly expressed in the heart. TRPM4 plays a critical role in cardiac conduction.

Patiromer and Spironolactone in Resistant Hypertension and Advanced CKD: Analysis of the Randomized AMBER Trial.

Background: Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists reduce mortality in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and have become a standard of care in those with resistant hypertension (rHTN). Yet, their use is limited among patients with CKD, primarily due to hyperkalemia.

Methods: AMBER was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study that reported that the use of the potassium-binding drug patiromer allowed a more persistent use of spironolactone in patients with CKD and rHTN.

Alternative Splicing of FN (Fibronectin) Regulates the Composition of the Arterial Wall Under Low Flow.

Objective: Exposure of the arterial endothelium to low and disturbed flow is a risk factor for the erosion and rupture of atherosclerotic plaques and aneurysms. Circulating and locally produced proteins are known to contribute to an altered composition of the extracellular matrix at the site of lesions, and to contribute to inflammatory processes within the lesions. We have previously shown that alternative splicing of FN (fibronectin) protects against flow-induced hemorrhage.

Delirium is an important predictor of mortality in elderly patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: insight from National Inpatient Sample database.

Objective: Delirium is a frequently encountered clinical condition in hospitalized patients and is known to be associated with poor outcomes. This study aims to assess the impacts of delirium in elderly patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) following ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: We queried the National Inpatient Samples from 2010 to 2014 to identify all patients aged 65 and older, and admitted with a primary diagnosis of STEMI undergoing PCI by using the International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Edition-Clinical Modification diagnosis codes.

Subaortic Membranes in Patients With Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia and Liver Vascular Malformations.

Background Patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia have liver vascular malformations that can cause high-output cardiac failure (HOCF). Known sequelae include pulmonary hypertension, tricuspid regurgitation, and atrial fibrillation. Methods and Results The objectives of this study were to describe the clinical, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic characteristics and prognosis of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia patients with HOCF who were found to have a subaortic membrane (SAoM).

Development of a Cardiac Sarcomere Functional Genomics Platform to Enable Scalable Interrogation of Human Variants.

Background: Pathogenic variants are a cause of hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies, which promote heart failure by incompletely understood mechanisms. The precise functional significance for 87% of variants remains undetermined, in part, because of a lack of functional genomics studies. The knowledge of which and how variants cause hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies could improve heart failure risk determination, treatment efficacy, and therapeutic discovery, and provide new insights into cardiomyopathy pathogenesis, as well.

Alcohol Use and Clinical Outcomes in Adults in the Type 1 Diabetes Exchange.

Objectives: Alcohol consumption has serious potential consequences for persons with type 1 diabetes. This cross-sectional study examined associations between drinking status and diabetes-related outcomes.

Methods: Participants included 934 adults at Type 1 Diabetes Exchange Registry clinics who responded to an e-mail invitation to complete an electronic survey with items on alcohol consumption; glycated hemoglobin (A1C) and body mass index (BMI) were extracted from medical charts.

Multi-proteomic approach to predict specific cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes and myocardial infarction: findings from the EXAMINE trial.

Background: Patients with diabetes who had a recent myocardial infarction (MI) are at high risk of cardiovascular events. Therefore, risk assessment is important for treatment and shared decisions. We used data from EXAMINE trial to investigate whether a multi-proteomic approach would provide specific proteomic signatures and also improve the prognostic capacity for determining the risk of cardiovascular death, MI, stroke, heart failure [HF], all-cause death, and combinations of these outcomes.

A comparison of figure-of-8-suture versus manual compression for venous access closure after cardiac procedures: An updated meta-analysis.

Background: Manual compression (MC) is the current standard to achieve postprocedural hemostasis in patients who need venous vascular access closure after cardiovascular procedures. Figure-of-8 (F8) suture for venous access closure has been reported to be a safe and efficacious alternative to MC.

Methods: A systematic search was done using PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and ClinicalTrials.

Effect of combined renal denervation and pulmonary vein isolation in atrial fibrillation recurrence in hypertensive patients: A meta-analysis.

Background: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and hypertension is the most common risk factor associated with AF. The addition of renal sympathetic nerve denervation (RSDN) to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in AF patients with hypertension has been reported to improve clinical outcomes.

Methods: A systematic search was performed for studies on patients with AF and hypertension that compared RSDN with PVI versus PVI-alone.

Cushing syndrome cardiomyopathy: an unusual manifestation of small-cell lung cancer.

Cushing syndrome is a rare cause of dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Cases describing this association are scarce. We describe a patient presenting with acute heart failure, new cardiomyopathy, refractory hypokalaemia, severe hyperglycaemia, and uncontrolled hypertension who was found to have hypercortisolism secondary to an ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting primary lung neoplasm.

Methodological and Regulatory Considerations for Updated Guidance on the Pressor Effects of Drugs.

Elevated blood pressure increases the risk of adverse cardiovascular events and death. Accordingly, characterizing the off-target blood pressure effects of drugs is an important component of regulatory benefit-risk assessment and post-marketing clinical decision-making. The U.

Patiromer versus placebo to enable spironolactone use in patients with resistant hypertension and chronic kidney disease (AMBER): results in the pre-specified subgroup with heart failure.

Aims: The AMBER trial demonstrated that concomitant use of patiromer enabled the more persistent use of spironolactone by reducing the risk of hyperkalaemia in patients with resistant hypertension and advanced chronic kidney disease. We report herein the pre-specified subgroup analysis in patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either placebo or patiromer (8.

Predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients with left ventricular assist device.

Background: A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is used to support patients with end-stage heart failure.

Aims: To examine the role of comorbidities and complications in predicting in-hospital mortality since the introduction of continuous flow (CF)-LVAD.

Methods: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried from 2010 to 2014 using International Classification of Disease-9 code for LVAD among patients 18 years or older.

Neuroprotective and neuro-rehabilitative effects of acute purinergic receptor P2X4 (P2X4R) blockade after ischemic stroke.

Stroke remains a leading cause of disability in the United States. Despite recent advances, interventions to reduce damage and enhance recovery after stroke are lacking. P2X4R, a receptor for adenosine triphosphate (ATP), regulates activation of myeloid immune cells (infiltrating monocytes/macrophages and brain-resident microglia) after stroke injury.