An analysis of early and long-term gender-related outcomes after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Objectives: To evaluate gender-related outcomes during endovascular treatment of thoracic and thoraco-abdominal aortic diseases (TEVAR).

Methods: Multicentre, retrospective, observational cohort study. All TEVARs between January 2005 and April 2023 were identified.

Preliminary experience of the isolate left subclavian artery in-situ fenestration during 'zone 2' thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Objectives: To evaluate the results of isolated left subclavian artery in-situ fenestration (ISF) during 'zone 2' thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) using a new adjustable needle puncturing device system.

Methods: It is a multicentre, retrospective, physician-initiated cohort study of patients treated from 28 July 2021 to 3 April 2024. Inclusion criteria were isolate left subclavian artery revascularization for elective or urgent/emergent 'zone 2' TEVAR.

Inhibition of de novo ceramide synthesis by sirtuin-1 improves beta-cell function and glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetes.

Aims: Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are major risk factors for cardiovascular (CV) diseases. Dysregulated pro-apoptotic ceramide synthesis reduces β-cell insulin secretion, thereby promoting hyperglycaemic states that may manifest as T2D. Pro-apoptotic ceramides modulate insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance while being linked to poor CV outcomes.

Endovascular aneurysm repair under local anesthesia through bilateral percutaneous femoral access is a safe strategy to improve early outcomes and reduce hospital stay.

Background: To estimate the impact of anesthetic conduct, alone and in combination with the type of femoral access, on early results after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).

Methods: A retrospective multicenter analysis on patients undergoing elective standard EVAR at four academic centers was performed. Patients undergoing the procedure through either local or general anesthesia were compared.

Results of the Italian Collaborators for Evar Registry on Acute Kidney Injury After Elective Endovascular Aortic Repair of Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

Objectives: To analyze the incidence and predictive factors of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) after elective standard endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) in a large recent, multicenter cohort.

Materials And Methods: This is a multicenter, retrospective, financially unsupported physician-initiated observational cohort study. Between January 2018 and March 2021, only patients treated with elective standard EVAR for infrarenal non-infected abdominal aortic aneurysm were analyzed.

Circulating Levels of Sclerostin Predict Glycemic Improvement after Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Among the different effects of bariatric surgery, here we focus on bone-derived inflammatory molecules, and in particular, sclerostin; an osteocyte product potentially associated with cardio-metabolic diseases. In 94 morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG), over-time changes in anthropometric and biochemical measures-including insulin resistance (IR) indexes-were correlated with serum sclerostin levels. Sclerostin was positively associated with anthropometric indexes of obesity, and inversely with IR, namely homeostatic model assessment for peripheral insulin sensitivity (HOMA2%S) (r = -0.

The role of potassium in atherosclerosis.

Background: Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic progressive inflammatory condition with a leading prevalence worldwide. Endothelial dysfunction leads to low-density lipoprotein trafficking into subendothelial space and the subsequent form of oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) within intimal layer, perpetuating the vicious cycle of endothelial dysfunction. K+ exerts beneficial effects in vascular wall by reducing LDL oxidization, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferation, and free radical generation.

Safety and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced urological cancers with pre-existing autoimmune disorders: a retrospective international multicenter study.

Background: There is limited experience regarding the safety and efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors (CPI) in patients with autoimmune disorders (AD) and advanced urological cancers as they are generally excluded from clinical trials due to risk of exacerbations.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort analysis of patients with advanced renal cell cancer (RCC) and urothelial cancer (UC) with pre-existing AD treated with CPI catalogued the incidence of AD exacerbations, new immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and clinical outcomes. Competing risk models estimated cumulative incidences of exacerbations and new irAEs at 3 and 6 months.

Safety and efficacy of restarting immune checkpoint inhibitors after clinically significant immune-related adverse events in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) induce a range of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) with various degrees of severity. While clinical experience with ICI retreatment following clinically significant irAEs is growing, the safety and efficacy are not yet well characterized.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study identified patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with ICI who had >1 week therapy interruption for irAEs.

HDL protects against myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury via miR-34b and miR-337 expression which requires STAT3.

Purpose: High density lipoprotein (HDL) protects against myocardial infarction via mechanisms that remain unclear. STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) plays a key role in HDL-induced cardioprotection. In the heart, microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in ischemia reperfusion injury.

Radiologic Cerebral Reperfusion at 24 h Predicts Good Clinical Outcome.

Cerebral reperfusion and arterial recanalization are radiological features of the effectiveness of thrombolysis in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. Here, an investigation of the prognostic role of early recanalization/reperfusion on clinical outcome was performed. In AIS patients (n = 55), baseline computerized tomography (CT) was performed ≤ 8 h from symptom onset, whereas CT determination of reperfusion/recanalization was assessed at 24 h.

High serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) predict beneficial decrease of visceral fat in obese females after sleeve gastrectomy.

Background & Aims: Gender-related differences represent an emerging investigation field to better understand obesity heterogeneity and paradoxically associated cardiovascular (CV) risk. Here, we investigated if high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) might differently affect adiposity and predict the clinical response to bariatric surgery in obese males and females.

Methods And Results: In 110 morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, hs-CRP as well as anthropometric assessment of adiposity, completed by electric bioimpedance and ultrasonography quantification of visceral fat area (VFA), were measured before and one year after surgery.

Serum levels of osteopontin predict major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with severe carotid artery stenosis.

Background: Inflammatory mediators in the blood stream and within plaques are key determinants in atherogenesis. Here, we investigated serum osteopontin (OPN) as a potential predictor of poor outcome in patients with severe carotid atherosclerosis.

Methods: Carotid plaques and serum were collected from patients asymptomatic (n=185) or symptomatic (n=40) for ischemic stroke.

Coronary stenting: A matter of revascularization.

In the last few decades, the recommended treatment for coronary artery disease has been dramatically improved by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the use of balloon catheters, bare metal stents (BMSs), and drug-eluting stents (DESs). Catheter balloons were burdened by acute vessel occlusion or target-lesion re-stenosis. BMSs greatly reduced those problems holding up the vessel structure, but showed high rates of in-stent re-stenosis, which is characterized by neo-intimal hyperplasia and vessel remodeling leading to a re-narrowing of the vessel diameter.

Alamandine abrogates neutrophil degranulation in atherosclerotic mice.

Background: Neutrophil-mediated inflammation was recently identified as an active contributor to athero-progression. Therapeutic strategies inhibiting neutrophil degranulation or recruitment were hypothesized to positively impact on plaque vulnerability. In this study, we investigated whether treatment with the recently discovered agonist of the Mas-related G-coupled receptor type D (MrgD) alamandine would impact on neutrophil degranulation in vivo and in vitro.

Pathophysiological relevance of macrophage subsets in atherogenesis.

Macrophages are highly heterogeneous and plastic cells. They were shown to play a critical role in all stages of atherogenesis, from the initiation to the necrotic core formation and plaque rupture. Lesional macrophages primarily derive from blood monocyte, but local macrophage proliferation as well as differentiation from smooth muscle cells have also been described.

Effects of Blood Pressure Control in Cardiovascular Prevention.

Background: High blood pressure is the main risk factor worldwide for mortality and morbidity. Subjects with uncontrolled hypertension increased in the last decades.

Methods: This review is based on the material searched for and obtained via MEDLINE and PubMed up to June 2016.

Update on the effects of treatment with recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in acute ischemic stroke.

Introduction: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) represents a major cause of death and disability all over the world. The recommended therapy aims at dissolving the clot to re-establish quickly the blood flow to the brain and reduce neuronal injury. Intravenous administration of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is clinically used with this goal.

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir: A promising combination.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) affects 3% of the world population. It represents the main cause of chronic liver disease and is responsible for extra-hepatic complications, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. HCV includes 7 genotypes differing in the nucleotide sequence variability, the geographic distribution, the rates of viral clearance, the risk of progression to liver fibrosis and to hepatocellular carcinoma, and the response to therapy.

Treatment with anti-RANKL antibody reduces infarct size and attenuates dysfunction impacting on neutrophil-mediated injury.

Selective pharmacological treatments targeting reperfusion injury produced modest protective effects and might be associated with immunosuppression. In order to identify novel and better-tolerated approaches, we focused on the neutralization of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand [RANKL], a cytokine recently shown to activate inflammatory cells (i.e.