Homoarginine concentrations correlate with early depressive symptoms and the reduction in physical functioning within the first days after myocardial infarction.

Early depressive symptoms within the first days after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are mainly manifested with performance parameters (lack of energy, concentration difficulties, reduction in physical functioning). Homoarginine (hArg), a non-proteinogenic amino acid, might increase the availability of nitric oxide (NO). NO controls vasodilatation, blood flow, mitochondrial respiration and improves performance.

Central vs. Brachial Blood Pressure and Pulse Pressure Amplification for Mortality Risk Prediction in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography.

Background: Arterial hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Although central blood pressure (BP) evaluation is considered the gold standard, the reliability of non-invasive measurements remains unclear. Therefore, we compared the predictive value of invasively measured central BP with non-invasively measured brachial BP and analyzed pulse pressure (PP) amplification (delta-PP; difference between central and peripheral PP) as an independent predictor of mortality.

Radiotherapy and inflammaging: the influence of prostate cancer radiotherapy on systemic inflammation.

Purpose: The present study was performed to investigate the association of prostate cancer radiotherapy with inflammaging, a condition characterized by the elevation of inflammatory blood parameters that significantly increases the susceptibility to the occurrence or progression of age-related conditions.

Patients And Methods: A total of 306 patients treated with curative radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer were enrolled into the prospective study. Aging-related inflammatory parameters including C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, fibrinogen, cholesterol, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were analyzed before and at the end of RT, and 3 and 15 months after completion of the RT.

Association between magnesium and vitamin D status in adults with high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency.

Purpose: It has been assumed that magnesium (Mg) status may interact with vitamin D status. We therefore aimed at investigating the association between Mg and vitamin D status in a large cohort of adult individuals with a high prevalence of deficient/insufficient vitamin D and Mg status.

Methods: We used data from the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health Study (n = 2,286) to analyze differences according to serum Mg status in circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] (primary endpoint), 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [24,25(OH)D], vitamin D metabolite ratio and calcitriol, and odds ratios for deficient or insufficient 25(OH)D (secondary endpoints).

Sex-Related Differences in the Associations between Adiponectin and Serum Lipoproteins in Healthy Subjects and Patients with Metabolic Syndrome.

The strong associations between the serum levels of adiponectin and the lipoprotein subclasses observed in healthy subjects are much weaker in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). However, the impact of sex on these associations remained unexplored. Therefore, in the present study, we examined associations between adiponectin and the lipoprotein subclasses, analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, separately in healthy females and males, as well as in females and males with MS.

Predicting early-stage coronary artery disease using machine learning and routine clinical biomarkers improved by augmented virtual data.

Aims: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a highly prevalent disease with modifiable risk factors. In patients with suspected obstructive CAD, evaluating the pre-test probability model is crucial for diagnosis, although its accuracy remains controversial. Machine learning (ML) predictive models can help clinicians detect CAD early and improve outcomes.

Vitamin D assay and supplementation: still debatable issues.

Over the last decades, in addition to the improvement of pathophysiological knowledge regarding the role and mechanisms of action of vitamin D, there has been a progressive advancement in analytical technologies for its measurement, as well as in methodological standardization. A significant number of scientific works, meta-analyses, and guidelines have been published on the importance of vitamin D and the need for supplementation in deficient individuals. However, it appears necessary to clarify the fundamental elements related to the measurement of vitamin D (both at the strictly analytical and post-analytical levels) and the scientific evidence related to the efficacy/safety of supplementation.

Blood coagulation in Prediabetes clusters-impact on all-cause mortality in individuals undergoing coronary angiography.

Background: Metabolic clusters can stratify subgroups of individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus and related complications. Since obesity and insulin resistance are closely linked to alterations in hemostasis, we investigated the association between plasmatic coagulation and metabolic clusters including the impact on survival.

Methods: Utilizing data from the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) study, we assigned 917 participants without diabetes to prediabetes clusters, using oGTT-derived glucose and insulin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and anthropometric data.

The Functional Erythropoetin rs1617640 Gene Polymorphism does not Affect Life Expectancy of Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Background: A common functional variant (c.-1306A C, rs1617640) in the gene encoding erythropoietin () has been linked to expression of erythropoietin and markers of erythropoiesis. Aim of the current study was the analysis of the role of this polymorphism for long term survival of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Comparative Analysis of the Clarus Aspergillus Galactomannan Enzyme Immunoassay Prototype for the Diagnosis of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid.

Background: Galactomannan (GM) testing using Platelia Aspergillus enzyme immunoassay (Platelia AGM) from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) aids in early diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). Globally, only a minority of laboratories have the capability to perform on-site GM testing, necessitating accessible and affordable alternatives. Hence, we conducted a comparative evaluation of the new clarus Aspergillus GM enzyme immunoassay prototype (clarus AGM prototype) with Platelia AGM using BALF samples.

Loss of Y Chromosome and Cardiovascular Events in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: Chronic kidney disease represents one of the strongest risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, and particularly for heart failure. Despite improved pharmaceutical treatments, mortality remains high. Recently, experimental studies demonstrated that mosaic loss of Y chromosome (LOY) associates with cardiac fibrosis in male mice.

IL-6 and hsCRP predict cardiovascular mortality in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Aims: Inflammation accompanies heart failure (HF) and elevated levels of inflammatory biomarkers are linked to new onset of HF. However, whether the prognostic relevance of inflammatory biomarkers is different in HF with reduced (HFrEF) and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is unclear. The aim of the current study is to explore the role of inflammation on the mortality risk in patients with HF.

Performance evaluation of a smartphone-based home test for fecal calprotection.

Objectives: Fecal calprotectin (FC) serves as a non-invasive marker for the assessment of gut inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Laboratory measurements are usually performed with immunologic methods like enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Recently, quantitative home tests based on the lateral flow technology with smartphones as read-out devices have been developed.

Clinical characterization and mutation spectrum of patients with hypertriglyceridemia in a German outpatient clinic.

Background: Severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) has predominantly multifactorial causes (MCS). Yet a small subset of patients have the monogenetic form (FCS). It remains a challenge to distinguish patients clinically, since decompensated MCS might mimic FCS´s severity.

Association of Serum Trimethylamine-N-Oxide Concentration from Childhood to Early Adulthood with Age and Sex.

Background: Primary prevention is the cornerstone of cardiometabolic health. In the randomized, controlled Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project (STRIP), dietary counseling intervention was given to children from infancy to 20 years of age and a follow-up was completed at age 26 years. We investigated the associations of age, sex, gut microbiome, and dietary intervention with the gut metabolite and the cardiac biomarker trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO).

The role of functional vitamin D deficiency and low vitamin D reservoirs in relation to cardiovascular health and mortality.

Objectives: The role of vitamin D deficiency in cardiovascular disease (CVD) is controversial. Inherent biological and analytical limitations compromise the specificity of widely used 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] cut-offs. Simultaneous determination of 25(OH)D and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [24,25(OH)D] permits a functional assessment of vitamin D metabolism.

Performance of the clarus Aspergillus galactomannan enzyme immunoassay prototype for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in serum.

Background: Serum galactomannan (GM) testing is essential for diagnosing invasive aspergillosis (IA), particularly in immunocompromised individuals. The global lack of on-site GM testing capacities necessitates cost-effective alternatives, such as .the clarus Aspergillus GM enzyme immunoassay prototype (clarus AGM prototype).