Endothelial dysfunction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an update on mechanisms, assessment tools and treatment strategies.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex condition marked by chronic respiratory symptoms, such as cough and dyspnoea, and persistent irreversible airway obstruction, punctuated by acute episodes of exacerbations. COPD is associated with a significant mortality risk and several comorbidities, including cardiovascular diseases. The link between COPD, acute exacerbations and cardiovascular diseases has been recently acknowledged under the unifying concept of cardiopulmonary risk.

The Potential Role of Nasal Cytology in Respiratory Diseases: Clinical Research and Future Perspectives.

Nasal cytology is a non-invasive, affordable, and easily executable technique commonly used in research to study rhinitis and, to a lesser extent, chronic rhinosinusitis. It is particularly useful for the differential diagnosis of non-allergic rhinitis and for phenotyping chronic rhinosinusitis. Allergic rhinitis, asthma, and aspirin intolerance are frequent comorbidities of chronic rhinosinusitis.

Long-Term Survival of Methotrexate as First-Line Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Undifferentiated Arthritis.

: In the era of biotechnological drugs, methotrexate (MTX) still represents the first-line treatment in chronic inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and undifferentiated arthritis (UA). The aim of our study was to evaluate the persistence of MTX as a first-line treatment in a group of patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis. : We conducted a retrospective analysis of a database of outpatients diagnosed with RA, PsA, or UA who visited our Rheumatology Clinic from January 2014 to January 2022.

Addressing Oxidative Stress and Endothelial Dysfunction in Chronic Respiratory Diseases: The Role of Exercise and Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation.

Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) are highly prevalent conditions, causing over 4 million deaths every year and representing a major source of physical, psychological, and occupational disability [...

Effects of Mediterranean Diet on Endothelial Reactivity in Individuals with High Cardiometabolic Risk: A Randomized Controlled Parallel-Group Preliminary Trial.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction is recognized as an early modification involved in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases. Evidence suggests that the Mediterranean Diet (MD) is associated with endothelial function improvement and, in turn, plays an important role in atherosclerosis development and progression.

Objectives: To evaluate both acute and sustained effects of the MD on endothelial function in patients with high cardiometabolic risk.

A Comparison of GOLD and STAR Severity Stages in Individuals With COPD Undergoing Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

Background: Alongside the recognized Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) classification, the Staging of Airflow Obstruction by Ratio (STAR) severity scheme has been proposed for categorizing COPD.

Study Question: What are the agreement and utility of the GOLD and STAR classifications in patients with severe COPD entering the rehabilitation setting?

Study Design And Methods: Medical records were reviewed in this multicenter retrospective study, examining key functional variables and their changes in a large cohort of patients with COPD undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation.

Results: A total of 1,516 participants (33.

Exploring the Impact of Inhaled Corticosteroids on Endothelial Function in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients Undergoing Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction, which can be assessed non-invasively through flow-mediated dilation (FMD). In this study, we evaluated the potential impact of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy on FMD of COPD patients undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). : Medical records of COPD patients undergoing FMD assessment upon admission to our Pulmonary Rehabilitation Unit were reviewed in this retrospective post hoc analysis.

Serum parathormone, vitamin D and cardiovascular risk factors and markers: A pilot study.

Background And Aims: Vitamin D deficiency is a common cause of secondary hyperparathyroidism, particularly in elderly people. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of serum vitamin D and parathormone (PTH) concentrations with blood pressure values and hypertension-mediated target organ damage (HMOD), including left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and carotid plaque (CP).

Methods And Results: We enrolled consecutive patients admitted to the Hypertension Center of Federico II University Hospital in Naples, Italy.

Endotyping Chronic Respiratory Diseases: T2 Inflammation in the United Airways Model.

Over the past 15 years, the paradigm of viewing the upper and lower airways as a unified system has progressively shifted the approach to chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs). As the global prevalence of CRDs continues to increase, it becomes evident that acknowledging the presence of airway pathology as an integrated entity could profoundly impact healthcare resource allocation and guide the implementation of pharmacological and rehabilitation strategies. In the era of precision medicine, endotyping has emerged as another novel approach to CRDs, whereby pathologies are categorized into distinct subtypes based on specific molecular mechanisms.

Visual vertical neglect in acquired brain injury: a systematic review.

Vertical neglect represents a visuospatial deficit occurring as a possible consequence of acquired brain injury (ABI). Differently from unilateral spatial neglect on horizontal space, vertical neglect is poorly studied in the literature and rarely assessed in clinical practice. In the available studies, the terms "radial," "vertical," and "altitudinal" neglect are often used interchangeably, although they do not describe the same spatial dimension.

Novel Strategies in Diagnosing Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Comprehensive Literature Review.

Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a prevalent global condition affecting approximately 50% of the HF population. With the aging of the worldwide population, its incidence and prevalence are expected to rise even further. Unfortunately, until recently, no effective medications were available to reduce the high mortality and hospitalization rates associated with HFpEF, making it a significant unmet need in cardiovascular medicine.