Left ventricular myocardial work for the prediction of postoperative outcomes in patients with bicuspid aortic stenosis.

Chronic elevation of left ventricular (LV) afterload contributes to adverse LV remodeling and myocardial impairment in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). Incorporating LV afterload into global longitudinal strain (GLS) analysis, myocardial work facilitates early detection of LV dysfunction. The present study was to evaluate myocardial work in BAV patients with severe AS undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and to evaluate its prognostic impact on early postoperative outcomes.

Mendelian randomization indicates that atopic dermatitis contributes to the occurrence of diabetes.

Background: An association has been indicated between atopic dermatitis (AD), a prevalent chronic inflammatory skin disease, and diabetes mellitus. However, the exact causal relationship between AD and both type 1 diabetes (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains controversial. This study aimed to explore the causal association between AD and diabetes by Mendelian Randomization (MR) approaches.

Activation of the Hedgehog signaling pathway leads to fibrosis in aortic valves.

Background: Fibrosis is a pathological wound healing process characterized by excessive extracellular matrix deposition, which interferes with normal organ function and contributes to ~ 45% of human mortality. Fibrosis develops in response to chronic injury in nearly all organs, but the a cascade of events leading to fibrosis remains unclear. While hedgehog (Hh) signaling activation has been associated with fibrosis in the lung, kidney, and skin, it is unknown whether hedgehog signaling activation is the cause or the consequence of fibrosis.

Recurrent germline mutations as genetic markers for aortic root dilatation in bicuspid aortic valve patients.

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is characterized by elevated risk of aortic dilatation and aneurysm. Although genetic susceptibility is suspected to influence on the development of BAV aortopathy, clinical application of genetic markers still needs validation in BAV entities with strictly defined phenotypic features. The 'root phenotype' represents a young, male predominant, and severely aortic regurgitant BAV population prone to aortic root dilatation.