Abdominal Compared With Coronary Artery Calcification and Incident Cardiovascular Events and Mortality in Black Adults.

Background: Black adults show heightened cardiovascular risk compared with other groups despite comparable or lower coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores, indicating potential cardiovascular risk underestimation by CAC. Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC), preceding CAC, may predict cardiovascular events better in Black adults who are prone to early atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and excess events at low CAC scores.

Methods: We included 2551 participants from the JHS (Jackson Heart Study) visit 2 examination (2005-2008) without cardiovascular disease, followed through 2016.

Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential is associated with increased risk of immune checkpoint inhibitor myocarditis in a prospective study of a cardio-oncology cohort.

Background: Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) has been shown to increase all-cause mortality and risk of cardiomyopathy in patients with solid malignancies. CHIP has also been shown to increase T cell activation in heart failure patients. It is unclear whether CHIP can affect the risk of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) myocarditis in patients with cancer treated with immunotherapy.

First case report of a percutaneous coronary intervention with intracoronary lithotripsy in a heavily calcified and tortuous right coronary artery using the R-One robotic system.

Background: Advancement in interventional techniques has significantly improved the ability of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to treat complex coronary artery disease. Despite these advancements, coronary artery calcification poses a substantial challenge during PCI, contributing to increased risks of procedural complications, prolonged procedure duration, and an increase in radiation exposure dose for both patients and physicians. Recently, robotic PCI has emerged, allowing physicians to remotely control and deliver wires and catheters, leading to a notable reduction of the operator radiation exposure and a decrease in the risk of operator physical injuries such as back pain.

Challenging clinical management of a patient with Gaucher disease type IIIC homozygous for the D409H mutation, aortic valve calcification and porcelain aorta.

Background: Gaucher disease is a rare lysosomal storage disorder caused by glucocerebrosidase enzyme deficiency resulting in the cumulative deposition of glucocerebroside in macrophages, predominantly effecting bone marrow, liver and spleen. Gaucher disease type IIIC is a rare subtype that is characterized by cardiovascular involvement, eye-movement disorders, and late-onset neurological symptoms.

Case Presentation: We present a 14-year-old adolescent boy diagnosed with Gaucher disease type IIIC at age four with a homozygous D409H mutation who developed severe aortic valve stenosis, extensive aortic calcification and a porcelain aorta despite enzyme replacement treatment since the diagnosis.

Multi-Modality Imaging in Caseous Calcification of the Mitral Annulus: Case Series and Clinical Implications.

BACKGROUND Echogenic masses in the mitral annulus are often incidental findings during routine echocardiography examinations. Most represent the wide spectrum of underlying mitral annular calcifications and usually do not require further diagnostic workup. However, a rare variant called "caseous calcification of the mitral annulus" (CCMA) can be challenging to diagnose and often requires an extensive workup with the use of multiple imaging studies in order to accurately confirm the pathology.

Intravascular Lithotripsy in Acute Coronary Syndromes: Procedural and One-Year Clinical Outcomes From the BENELUX-IVL Registry.

Background: Despite the excellent success and safety of intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) in heavily calcified lesions, evidence in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) remains limited.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the procedural and clinical outcomes of IVL in heavily calcified ACS.

Methods: Patients who underwent IVL between 2019 and 2024 from the ongoing prospective BENELUX registry were eligible for inclusion.

Longitudinal assessment of serum albumin levels with the risk of coronary artery calcification progression in an asymptomatic population of Korean adults: an observational cohort study.

Objectives: This study evaluated the association between serum albumin levels and coronary artery calcification (CAC) progression in asymptomatic adults without hypoalbuminaemia at baseline.

Design: Observational cohort study.

Setting: Data from the Korea Initiatives on Coronary Artery Calcification (KOICA) which is a retrospective, single ethnicity, multicentre and observational registry were analysed.

Elabela alleviates cuproptosis and vascular calcification in vitaminD3- overloaded mice via regulation of the PPAR-γ /FDX1 signaling.

Background: Vascular calcification is a crucial pathophysiological process associated with age-related cardiovascular diseases. Elabela, a recently identified peptide, has emerged as a significant player in the regulation of cardiovascular function and homeostasis. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of Elabela on age-related vascular calcification remain largely unexplored.

Sex difference in the risk of coronary artery calcification progression related to hyperuricemia among asymptomatic 12,316 Korean adults.

Data on hyperuricemia-related changes in coronary atherosclerosis are limited, especially in sex difference. This study evaluated the association between hyperuricemia and coronary artery calcification (CAC) progression in asymptomatic Korean men and women. We analysed the data of 12,316 asymptomatic adults (51.

Stepwise cardiovascular risk stratification in patients with type 2 diabetes based on coronary CT assessment.

Background: We aimed to examine the stepwise risk stratification for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with DM and suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).

Method: 1187 patients with suspected CAD enrolled in a prospective cohort study were examined. The patients were evaluated step-by-step with coronary artery calcification (CAC), coronary artery stenosis (CAS), and FFR analysis.

Different associations of atherogenic index of plasma, triglyceride glucose index, and hemoglobin A1C levels with the risk of coronary artery calcification progression according to established diabetes.

Background: Both insulin resistance and hyperglycemia are important risk factors for atherosclerosis. While the characteristics of atherosclerosis are obviously different according to established diabetes, little has been known regarding the risk of coronary artery calcification (CAC) progression related to the biomarkers of atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) in conditions with and without diabetes.

Methods: We analyzed 12,326 asymptomatic Korean adults (mean age 51.

Outcomes of Complex Percutaneous Cardiac Interventions in Women.

Complex percutaneous cardiac intervention (PCI) is a growing procedure in modern day cath labs. The treated population is often older, with multiple comorbidities, complex coronary anatomy, left ventricular dysfunction, and possibly concomitant valvular heart disease and/or cardiogenic shock. As such, PCI of bifurcations, chronic total occlusions, and atherectomy coronary interventions are becoming more common.

Optical coherence tomography-guided approach in diagnosing and managing spontaneously recanalized coronary thrombus.

Recanalized coronary thrombus is a rare and under-recognized condition in interventional practice, however its incidence is steadily increasing with the use of endo-coronary imaging. It has been initially described by pathological studies in approximately one-third of chronic coronary occlusions. It is described as a chronic occlusion that constitutes several endothelium-covered channels separated by septa that converge into a single lumen.

Leptin levels are associated with coronary artery calcification in patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Background: Convergent data suggest that advanced prostate cancer and coronary heart disease (CHD) share biological vulnerabilities that may be linked to adiposity. Here we explore whether leptin, as a marker and mediator of adiposity, could link prostate cancer to CHD.

Methods: Patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) enrolled in a phase II trial (NCT02703623) studying androgen deprivation therapy, abiraterone, prednisone, and apalutamide were eligible if they had plasma and a chest CT scan available.

Atherosclerosis, calcific aortic valve disease and mitral annular calcification: same or different?

There are similarities in the pathophysiologic mechanisms of atherosclerosis, calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) and mitral annular calcification (MAC), however, medical treatment to slow or stop the progression of CAVD or MAC has been more elusive as compared to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis and CAVD share common demographic, clinical, protein, and genetic factors even more so than with MAC, which supports the possibility of shared medical therapies, though abrogating calcific extracellular vesicle shedding could be a common target for all three conditions. Herein, we summarize the overlapping and distinct pathways for further investigation, as well as key areas where additional research is needed.