Relationship of peripheral and coronary artery disease to cardiovascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: To investigate the impact of concomitant asymptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) and pre-existing coronary artery disease (CAD) on cardiovascular events (CVEs) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients.

Methods: Prospective multicenter study including 1138 anticoagulated AF patients. PAD was diagnosed by can ankle-brachial index (ABI)≤0.

Quantifying Time in Atrial Fibrillation and the Need for Anticoagulation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the major cardiovascular diseases, and the number of patients with AF is predicted to increase markedly in the coming years. Despite recent advance in management of patients with AF, AF remains one of the main causes of stroke or systemic embolism. Application of simple stroke risk-stratification schemes, such as the CHADS-VASc score has been introduced to identify patients who mostly benefit from oral anticoagulants (OACs) for stroke prevention.

PNPLA3 variant and portal/periportal histological pattern in patients with biopsy-proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a possible role for oxidative stress.

Pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is influenced by predisposing genetic variations, dysmetabolism, systemic oxidative stress, and local cellular and molecular cross-talks. Patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 (PNPLA3) gene I148M variant is a known determinant of NAFLD. Aims were to evaluate whether PNPLA3 I148M variant was associated with a specific histological pattern, hepatic stem/progenitor cell (HpSC) niche activation and serum oxidative stress markers.

Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Effect on Insulin Resistance.

Objectives: The prevalence of cardiometabolic disorders, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is increasing in western countries, because of changes in lifestyle and dietary habits. Mediterranean Diet (Med-Diet) is effective for cardiovascular prevention, but its relationship with NAFLD has been scarcely investigated.

Methods: We included 584 consecutive outpatients presenting with one or more cardiovascular risk factor such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), arterial hypertension, overweight/obesity, and dyslipidemia.

Early decrease of oxidative stress by non-invasive ventilation in patients with acute respiratory failure.

Oxidative stress plays an important role in chronic respiratory diseases where the use of non-invasive ventilation seems to reduce the oxidative damage. Data on acute respiratory failure are still lacking. The aim of the study is to investigate the interplay between oxidative stress and acute respiratory failure, and the role of non-invasive ventilation in this setting.

Relationship of PCSK9 and Urinary Thromboxane Excretion to Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Soluble proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has been shown to be predictive of cardiovascular events (CVEs) in patients who are at high cardiovascular risk. No data on the effect of PCSK9 levels in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are available.

Objectives: This study investigated the association between PCSK9 and CVEs in AF as well as the relationship between PCSK9 and urinary 11-dehydro-thromboxane B (11-dh-TxB), a marker of platelet activation.

Atherothrombosis and Oxidative Stress: Mechanisms and Management in Elderly.

Significance: The incidence of cardiovascular events (CVEs) increases with age, representing the main cause of death in an elderly population. Aging is associated with overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which may affect clotting and platelet activation, and impair endothelial function, thus predisposing elderly patients to thrombotic complications. Recent Advances: There is increasing evidence to suggest that aging is associated with an imbalance between oxidative stress and antioxidant status.

Circulating is up-regulated in paediatric patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia and correlates with levels: implication of a ZEB1-dependent mechanism.

Hypercholesterolaemia provokes reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase and is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. We previously showed that circulating expression levels were up-regulated in children with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). control cholesterol homoeostasis and recently has been demonstrated to directly target the transcription factor zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1).

Gut-Derived Serum Lipopolysaccharide is Associated With Enhanced Risk of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Atrial Fibrillation: Effect of Adherence to Mediterranean Diet.

Background: Gut microbiota is emerging as a novel risk factor for atherothrombosis, but the predictive role of gut-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is unknown. We analyzed (1) the association between LPS and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in atrial fibrillation (AF) and (2) its relationship with adherence to a Mediterranean diet (Med-diet).

Methods And Results: This was a prospective single-center study including 912 AF patients treated with vitamin K antagonists (3716 patient-years).

Severe reduction of blood lysosomal acid lipase activity in cryptogenic cirrhosis: A nationwide multicentre cohort study.

Background And Aims: Blood lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) is reduced in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, which is the major cause of cryptogenic cirrhosis (CC); few data on LAL activity in CC do exist. We investigated LAL activity in a cohort of patients with liver cirrhosis.

Methods: This is a multicentre cohort study including 274 patients with liver cirrhosis of different aetiology from 19 centres of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology distributed throughout Italy.

NADPH Oxidase-2 and Atherothrombosis: Insight From Chronic Granulomatous Disease.

The phagocytic cell enzyme NADPH oxidase-2 (Nox2) is critical for killing micro-organisms via production of reactive oxygen species and thus is a key element of the innate immune system. Nox2 is also detectable in endothelial cells and platelets where it has vasoconstrictive and aggregating properties, respectively. Patients with X-linked chronic granulomatous disease with hereditary Nox2 deficiency not only have impaired bacterial killing but, in association with loss of Nox2 function, also have enhanced carotid artery dilation, impaired platelet-related thrombosis, and reduced carotid atherosclerotic burden.

Adherence to oral anticoagulant therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation. Focus on non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants.

Oral anticoagulation is pivotal in the management of thromboembolic risk in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients. Effective anticoagulation is important to avoid major adverse events and medication adherence is central to achieve good anticoagulation control. Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are as effective and safe as vitamin K antagonist (VKAs) in NVAF patients.

Is There an Interplay Between Adherence to Mediterranean Diet, Antioxidant Status, and Vascular Disease in Atrial Fibrillation Patients?

Mediterranean Diet (Med-Diet) is associated with reduced incidence of vascular events (VEs) in atrial fibrillation (AF), but the mechanism accounting for its beneficial effect is only partially known. We hypothesized that Med-Diet may reduce VEs by improving antioxidant status, as assessed by glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). We performed a prospective cohort study investigating the relationship between adherence to Med-Diet, serum baseline GPx3 and SOD activities, and the occurrence of VEs in 690 AF patients.

Age-related increase of thromboxane B2 and risk of cardiovascular disease in atrial fibrillation.

Aging is strictly associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular events (CVEs) in the general population. Mechanisms underlying the risk of CVEs are still unclear. Platelet activation contributes to the onset of cardiovascular complications.

Impaired flow-mediated dilation in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia.

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is complicated by cardiovascular events as myocardial infarction and stroke but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. We hypothesized that endothelial dysfunction may be implicated and that endotoxemia may have a role.

Methods: Fifty patients with CAP and 50 controls were enrolled.

Aging-Related Decline of Glutathione Peroxidase 3 and Risk of Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Experimental studies demonstrated that glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3), an antioxidant enzyme that catabolizes hydrogen peroxide, protects against thrombosis. Little is known about its role in cardiovascular disease.

Methods And Results: A prospective cohort study was conducted in 909 atrial fibrillation patients.

Aspirin and renal insufficiency progression in patients with atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease.

Background: In experimental models, thromboxane (Tx)A reduced renal perfusion and accelerated renal failure. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between the use of aspirin, which inhibits TxA production, and the incidence of an estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) <60 and <45ml/min/1.73m in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Effects of dark chocolate on NOX-2-generated oxidative stress in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Background: Activation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase is considered a pathogenetic mechanism determining fibrosis and disease progression in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Polyphenols exert antioxidant action and inhibit NADPH oxidase in humans.

Aim: To analyse the effect of cocoa polyphenols on NADPH oxidase isoform 2 (NOX2) activation, oxidative stress and hepatocyte apoptosis in a population affected by NASH.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Is Associated With Ventricular Arrhythmias in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Referred for Clinically Indicated 24-Hour Holter Monitoring.

Objective: Recent studies have suggested that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with an increased risk of heart rate-corrected QT interval prolongation and atrial fibrillation in patients with type 2 diabetes. Currently, no data exist regarding the relationship between NAFLD and ventricular arrhythmias in this patient population.

Research Design And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 330 outpatients with type 2 diabetes without preexisting atrial fibrillation, end-stage renal disease, or known liver diseases who had undergone 24-h Holter monitoring for clinical reasons between 2013 and 2015.

Atrial Fibrillation and Myocardial Infarction: A Systematic Review and Appraisal of Pathophysiologic Mechanisms.

Background: A growing body of evidence suggests that atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with myocardial infarction (MI). However, incidence and management of MI in AF is still undefined.

Methods And Results: We searched MEDLINE via PubMed and Cochrane database between 1965 and 2015.

Portal vein thrombosis relevance on liver cirrhosis: Italian Venous Thrombotic Events Registry.

Portal vein thrombosis may occur in cirrhosis; nevertheless, its prevalence, and predictors are still elusive. To investigate this issue, the Italian Society of Internal Medicine undertook the "Portal vein thrombosis Relevance On Liver cirrhosis: Italian Venous thrombotic Events Registry" (PRO-LIVER). This prospective multicenter study includes consecutive cirrhotic patients undergoing Doppler ultrasound examination of the portal area to evaluate the prevalence and incidence of portal vein thrombosis over a 2-year scheduled follow-up.