Abaloparatide Real-World Patient Experience Study.

Despite the availability of various osteoporosis treatments, adherence remains suboptimal. One contributing factor may be patient experience with therapy. This US, multicenter, combined retrospective chart review and patient questionnaire study included postmenopausal women at high risk for fracture and is the first study to describe real-world patient experience with abaloparatide (ABL) injection.

Novel Acoustic Biomarker of Quality of Life in Left Ventricular Assist Device Recipients.

Background Although technological advances to pump design have improved survival, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients experience variable improvements in quality of life. Methods for optimizing LVAD support to improve quality of life are needed. We investigated whether acoustic signatures obtained from digital stethoscopes can predict patient-centered outcomes in LVAD recipients.

Molecular Mechanisms Linking Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis to Cancer.

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Association Between ECG Abnormalities and Fatal Cardiovascular Disease Among Patients With and Without Severe Mental Illness.

Background ECG abnormalities are associated with adverse outcomes in the general population, but their prognostic significance in severe mental illness (SMI) remains unexplored. We investigated associations between no, minor, and major ECG abnormalities and fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) among patients with SMI compared with controls without mental illness. Methods and Results We cross-linked data from Danish nationwide registries and included primary care patients with digital ECGs from 2001 to 2015.

Posttransplant Outcomes in Older Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Are Driven by Non-Hepatocellular Carcinoma Factors.

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is growing in the United States, especially among the elderly. Older patients are increasingly receiving transplants as a result of HCC, but the impact of advancing age on long-term posttransplant outcomes is not clear. To study this, we used data from the US Multicenter HCC Transplant Consortium of 4980 patients.

Ultrafiltration in Acute Heart Failure: Implications of Ejection Fraction and Early Response to Treatment From CARRESS-HF.

Background Ultrafiltration is not commonly used because of higher incidence of worsening renal function without improved decongestion. We examined differential outcomes of high versus low fluid removal and preserved versus reduced ejection fraction (EF) in CARRESS-HF (Cardiorenal Rescue Study in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure). Methods and Results Baseline characteristics in the ultrafiltration arm were compared according to 24-hour ultrafiltration-based fluid removal above versus below the median.

Risk Factor Burden and Long-Term Prognosis of Patients With Premature Coronary Artery Disease.

Background Coronary artery disease (CAD) is increasing among young adults. We aimed to describe the cardiovascular risk factors and long-term prognosis of premature CAD. Methods and Results Using the Duke Databank for Cardiovascular Disease, we evaluated 3655 patients admitted between 1995 and 2013 with a first diagnosis of obstructive CAD before the age of 50 years.

Association of Serum Lipoprotein (a) Levels and Coronary Atheroma Volume by Intravascular Ultrasound.

Background Lp(a) (lipoprotein (a)) is a risk factor for cardiovascular events, but the mechanism of increased risk is uncertain. This study evaluated the relationship between Lp(a) and coronary atheroma volume by intravascular ultrasound. Methods and Results This was a post hoc analysis of 6 randomized trials of coronary atheroma by intravascular ultrasound.

The insertion of a mitochondrial selfish element into the nuclear genome and its consequences.

Homing endonucleases (HE) are enzymes capable of cutting DNA at highly specific target sequences, the repair of the generated double-strand break resulting in the insertion of the HE-encoding gene ("homing" mechanism). HEs are present in all three domains of life and viruses; in eukaryotes, they are mostly found in the genomes of mitochondria and chloroplasts, as well as nuclear ribosomal RNAs. We here report the case of a HE that accidentally integrated into a telomeric region of the nuclear genome of the fungal maize pathogen .

Acute exertional compartment syndrome of the lumbar paraspinal muscles in a weightlifter. A case report.

Background: Compartment syndrome (CS) is a well-known phenomenon in orthopaedics associated with traumatic injury to an extremity or over exertion which ultimately leads to prolonged and elevated intrafascial pressures. CS was initially described by Volkmann in 1881[1]. With any active muscle, there is a transient rise in intrafascial pressure from resting range of approximately 3 mmHg to 7.

A Systematic Review of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Primary Biliary Cholangitis and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are associated with decreased health-related quality of life and debilitating symptoms. These experiences can be defined as patient-reported outcome (PRO) concepts and measured using PRO instruments. We identified all PRO concepts and instruments used in the PBC and PSC literature.

Disparities in the Management of Newly Diagnosed Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia for Women Versus Men in the United States.

Background Information on differences in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) diagnosis, healthcare resource use, expenditures, and treatment among women versus men is limited. Methods and Results Study participants identified in the IBM MarketScan Commercial Research Databases were aged 18 to 40 years with newly diagnosed PSVT ( []: 427.0; []: I47.

Association of Health Status Scores With Cardiovascular and Limb Outcomes in Patients With Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease: Insights From the EUCLID (Examining Use of Ticagrelor in Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease) Trial.

Background There are limited data on health status instruments in patients with peripheral artery disease and cardiovascular and limb events. We evaluated the relationship between health status changes and cardiovascular and limb events. Methods and Results In an analysis of the EUCLID (Examining Use of Ticagrelor in Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease) trial, we examined the characteristics of 13 801 patients by tertile of health status instrument scores collected in the trial (EuroQol 5-Dimensions [EQ-5D], EQ visual analog scale [VAS], and peripheral artery questionnaire).

Reducing ECG Artifact From Left Ventricular Assist Device Electromagnetic Interference.

Background Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) generate electromagnetic interference that causes high-frequency noise artifacts on 12-lead ECGs. We describe the causes of this interference and potential solutions to aid ECG interpretation in patients with LVAD. Methods and Results Waveform data from ECGs performed before and after LVAD implantation were passed through a fast Fourier transform to identify LVAD-related changes in the spectral profile.

Medium-Term Complications Associated With Coronary Artery Aneurysms After Kawasaki Disease: A Study From the International Kawasaki Disease Registry.

Background Coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) may occur after Kawasaki disease (KD) and lead to important morbidity and mortality. As CAA in patients with KD are rare and heterogeneous lesions, prognostication and risk stratification are difficult. We sought to derive the cumulative risk and associated factors for cardiovascular complications in patients with CAAs after KD.

Use of QT Prolonging Medications by Hemodialysis Patients and Individuals Without End-Stage Kidney Disease.

Background The rate of sudden cardiac death in the hemodialysis population exceeds that of the general population by >20-fold. Hemodialysis patients may be particularly susceptible to sudden cardiac death provoked by drug-induced QT prolongation because of their substantial cardiovascular disease burden, exposure to electrolyte shifts during dialysis, and extensive polypharmacy. However, population-specific data regarding the frequency and patterns of QT prolonging medication use are limited.

Mitral Valve Surgical Volume and Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair Outcomes: Impact of a Proposed Volume Requirement on Geographic Access.

Background There is an open Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services National Coverage Decision for Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair (TMVr) and a recent multisociety consensus document suggesting that TMVr centers should achieve prespecified mitral valve replacement or repair (MVRr). Yet, little is known about the MVRr volume-TMVr outcome relationship. Methods and Results Using Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrative claims from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018, we computed the Pearson correlation coefficient and performed multivariable hierarchical modeling to estimate the MVRr volume to TMVr outcome relationship for mortality and heart failure hospitalization.

Ten-Year Trends in Enrollment of Women and Minorities in Pivotal Trials Supporting Recent US Food and Drug Administration Approval of Novel Cardiometabolic Drugs.

Background In 1993, the US Food and Drug Administration established guidelines to increase diversity by sex and race/ethnicity of participants in clinical trials supporting novel drug approvals. In this study we investigated the 10-year trends of participation of women and minorities in pivotal trials supporting approval of new molecular entities in cardiometabolic drugs from January 2008 to December 2017. Methods and Results A list of new molecular entities was abstracted from publicly available data at Drugs@Fda.

Differential Associations of Circulating MicroRNAs With Pathogenic Factors in NAFLD.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a heterogeneous disease driven by genetic and environmental factors. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) serve as pleiotropic post-transcriptional regulators of cellular pathways. Although several miRNAs have been associated with NAFLD and fibrosis, there are limited studies in humans examining their differential association with pathogenic factors or histological features of NAFLD.

Focal impulse and rotor modulation of atrial rotors during atrial fibrillation leads to organization of left atrial activation as reflected by waveform morphology recurrence quantification analysis and organizational index.

Background: Focal impulse and rotor modulation (FIRM) can cause slowing, organization, and occasionally termination of atrial fibrillation (AF), although results have been mixed. To further characterize changes in AF during rotor ablation, we quantified morphologic and temporal activation changes following FIRM.

Methods: In patients undergoing FIRM ablation for AF, we retrospectively analyzed coronary sinus bipolar EGMs before and after rotor ablation, including EGM activation frequency and regularity, dominant frequency (DF), and organizational index (OI).

Sex-Related Differences in Patients at High Bleeding Risk Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Patient-Level Pooled Analysis From 4 Postapproval Studies.

Background Women have been associated with higher rates of recurrent events after percutaneous coronary intervention than men, possibly attributable to advanced age at presentation and greater comorbidities. These factors also put women at higher risk of bleeding, which may influence therapeutic strategies and clinical outcomes. Methods and Results We performed a patient-level pooled analysis of 4 postapproval registries to evaluate sex-related differences in patients at high bleeding risk (HBR) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

PINK1-Dependent Mitophagy Regulates the Migration and Homing of Multiple Myeloma Cells via the MOB1B-Mediated Hippo-YAP/TAZ Pathway.

The roles of mitochondrial dysfunction in carcinogenesis remain largely unknown. The effects of PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1)-dependent mitophagy on the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma (MM) are determined. The levels of the PINK1-dependent mitophagy markers and parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase ( in CD138 plasma cells are reduced in patients with MM and correlate with clinical outcomes in myeloma patients.