New cardiovascular biomarkers in patients with advanced cancer - A prospective study comparing MR-proADM, MR-proANP, copeptin, high-sensitivity troponin T and NT-proBNP.

Aims: Traditional cardiovascular (CV) biomarkers (high-sensitivity troponinT [hsTnT] and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide [NT-proBNP]) are important to monitor cancer patients' cardiac function and to assess prognosis. Newer CV biomarkers (mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin [MR-proADM], C-terminal pro-arginine vasopressin [copeptin], and mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide [MR-proANP]) might outperform traditional biomarkers.

Methods And Results: Overall, 442 hospitalized cancer patients without significant CV disease or current infection were enrolled (61 ± 15 years, 52% male, advanced cancer stage: 85%) and concentrations of CV biomarkers were analysed.

Antigen presentation plays positive roles in the regenerative response to cardiac injury in zebrafish.

In contrast to adult mammals, adult zebrafish can fully regenerate injured cardiac tissue, and this regeneration process requires an adequate and tightly controlled immune response. However, which components of the immune response are required during regeneration is unclear. Here, we report positive roles for the antigen presentation-adaptive immunity axis during zebrafish cardiac regeneration.

Association of an impaired GH-IGF-I axis with cardiac wasting in patients with advanced cancer.

Background: Growth hormone (GH) resistance is characterized by high GH levels but low levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and growth hormone binding protein (GHBP) and, for patients with chronic disease, is associated with the development of cachexia.

Objectives: We investigated whether GH resistance is associated with changes in left ventricular (LV) mass (cardiac wasting) in patients with cancer.

Methods: We measured plasma IGF-I, GH, and GHBP in 159 women and 148 men with cancer (83% stage III/IV).

The effects of cool roofs on health, environmental, and economic outcomes in rural Africa: study protocol for a community-based cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: High ambient air temperatures in Africa pose significant health and behavioral challenges in populations with limited access to cooling adaptations. The built environment can exacerbate heat exposure, making passive home cooling adaptations a potential method for protecting occupants against indoor heat exposure.

Methods: We are conducting a 2-year community-based stratified cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) implementing sunlight-reflecting roof coatings, known as "cool roofs," as a climate change adaptation intervention for passive indoor home cooling.

Global Alliance for the Promotion of Physical Activity: the Hamburg Declaration.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression and cancers, are on the rise worldwide and are often associated with a lack of physical activity (PA). Globally, the levels of PA among individuals are below WHO recommendations. A lack of PA can increase morbidity and mortality, worsen the quality of life and increase the economic burden on individuals and society.

Evidence for positive long- and short-term effects of vaccinations against COVID-19 in wearable sensor metrics.

Vaccines are among the most powerful tools to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. They are highly effective against infection and substantially reduce the risk of severe disease, hospitalization, ICU admission, and death. However, their potential for attenuating long-term changes in personal health and health-related wellbeing after a SARS-CoV-2 infection remains a subject of debate.

Cardiovascular health-related quality of life in cancer: a prospective study comparing the ESC HeartQoL and EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire.

Aims: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is highly relevant in cancer and often assessed with the EORTC QLQ-C30. Cardiovascular HRQoL in cancer can be measured with the ESC HeartQoL questionnaire. We compared these instruments and examined their prognostic value.

Clinical and Prognostic Relevance of Cardiac Wasting in Patients With Advanced Cancer.

Background: Body wasting in patients with cancer can affect the heart.

Objectives: The frequency, extent, and clinical and prognostic importance of cardiac wasting in cancer patients is unknown.

Methods: This study prospectively enrolled 300 patients with mostly advanced, active cancer but without significant cardiovascular disease or infection.

Intraoperative Beat-to-Beat Pulse Transit Time (PTT) Monitoring via Non-Invasive Piezoelectric/Piezocapacitive Peripheral Sensors Can Predict Changes in Invasively Acquired Blood Pressure in High-Risk Surgical Patients.

Background: Non-invasive tracking of beat-to-beat pulse transit time (PTT) via piezoelectric/piezocapacitive sensors (PES/PCS) may expand perioperative hemodynamic monitoring. This study evaluated the ability for PTT via PES/PCS to correlate with systolic, diastolic, and mean invasive blood pressure (SBP, DBP, and MAP, respectively) and to detect SBP fluctuations.

Methods: PES/PCS and IBP measurements were performed in 20 patients undergoing abdominal, urological, and cardiac surgery.

Occupational life-style programme over 12 months and changes of metabolic risk profile, vascular function, and physical fitness in blue-collar workers.

Purpose: Occupational health programmes have been successfully implemented to improve body composition, physical fitness and cardiovascular risk. However, most programmes have been small and have not included long-term evaluation. Therefore, we evaluated a twelve-month life-style change programme in a German refinery.

Cardiovascular risk factors, exercise capacity and health literacy in patients with chronic ischaemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Germany: Baseline characteristics of the Lifestyle Intervention in Chronic Ischaemic Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes study.

Background: Lifestyle interventions are a cornerstone in the treatment of chronic ischaemic heart disease (CIHD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed at identifying differences in clinical characteristics between categories of the common lifestyle intervention targets BMI, exercise capacity (peak V̇O) and health literacy (HL).

Methods: Cross-sectional baseline characteristics of patients enrolled in the LeIKD trial (Clinicaltrials.

Lipoprotein(a) and Metabolic Syndrome.

Background: An inverse association between lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) and type 2 diabetes mellitus is well documented. However, data on the association of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) with Lp(a) are sparse.

Methods: Cross-sectional data for MetS and Lp(a) were available for 5743 BASE-II and SHIP-0 participants (48.

Cardiogenic Shock After Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Review.

Importance: Cardiogenic shock affects between 40 000 and 50 000 people in the US per year and is the leading cause of in-hospital mortality following acute myocardial infarction.

Observations: Thirty-day mortality for patients with cardiogenic shock due to myocardial infarction is approximately 40%, and 1-year mortality approaches 50%. Immediate revascularization of the infarct-related coronary artery remains the only treatment for cardiogenic shock associated with acute myocardial infarction supported by randomized clinical trials.

Surgical Ventricular Reconstruction Eligible for Late Assist Device Implantation.

In patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and left ventricular aneurysm formation who are symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy, it is challenging to determine whether surgical ventricular reconstruction, heart transplantation, or left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is the treatment of choice. This report describes the concept of surgical ventricular reconstruction with a specially prepared LVAD fixation ring to facilitate subsequent LVAD implantation if required. In the patient reported in this case, endoventricular circular LVAD ring plasty sufficiently reduced the ventricular volume, normalized the left ventricular geometry, and subsequently led to an improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction.

Exercise and sports after COVID-19-Guidance from a clinical perspective.

SARS-CoV-2 infection has emerged as not only a pulmonary but also potentially multi-organ disease, which may cause long-term structural damage of different organ systems including the lung, heart, vasculature, brain, liver, kidney, or intestine. As a result, the current SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic will eventually yield substantially increased numbers of chronically diseased patients worldwide, particularly suffering from pulmonary fibrosis, post-myocarditis, chronic heart failure, or chronic kidney disease. Exercise recommendations for rehabilitation are complex in these patients and should follow current guidelines including standards for pre-exercise medical examinations and individually tailored exercise prescription.

Recommendations for Face Coverings While Exercising During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In an effort to reduce transmission and number of infections of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) virus, governments and official bodies around the world have produced guidelines on the use of face masks and face coverings. While there is a growing body of recommendations for healthcare professionals and the wider population to use facial protection in "enclosed spaces" where minimal distancing from other individuals is not possible, there is a dearth of clear guidelines for individuals undertaking exercise and sporting activity. The present viewpoint aims to propose recommendations for face coverings while exercising during the COVID-19 pandemic that consider physical distancing, the environment, the density of active cases associated with the specific sports activity, and the practical use of face coverings in order to reduce potential viral transmission.

EACVI survey on investigations and imaging modalities in chronic coronary syndromes.

Aims: The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) Scientific Initiatives Committee performed a global survey to evaluate current practice for the assessment and management of patients with suspected and confirmed chronic coronary syndromes.

Methods And Results: One-hundred and ten imaging centres from 37 countries across the world responded to the survey. Most non-invasive investigations for coronary artery disease were widely available, except cardiovascular magnetic resonance (available 40% centres).

Is Healthy Neuroticism Associated with Chronic Conditions? A Coordinated Integrative Data Analysis.

Early investigations of the neuroticism by conscientiousness interaction with regards to health have been promising, but to date, there have been no systematic investigations of this interaction that account for the various personality measurement instruments, varying populations, or aspects of health. The current study - the second of three - uses a coordinated analysis approach to test the impact of the neuroticism by conscientiousness interaction on the prevalence and incidence of chronic conditions. Using 15 pre-existing longitudinal studies ( > 49,375), we found that conscientiousness did not moderate the relationship between neuroticism and having hypertension ( = 1.