Reviews in cardiovascular medicine最新文献

Background: Despite the administration of timely reperfusion treatment, patients with acute myocardial infarction have a high mortality rate and poor prognosis. The potential impact of intraluminal imaging guidance, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), on improving patient outcomes has yet to be conclusively studied. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective cohort study to compare OCT-guided primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) versus angiography-guided for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: This study enrolled 1396 patients with STEMI who underwent PCI, including 553 patients who underwent OCT-guided PCI and 843 patients who underwent angiography-guided PCI. The clinical outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, admission due to heart failure, stroke, and unplanned revascularization at the 4-year follow-up.

Results: The prevalence of major adverse cardiovascular events in OCT-guided group was not significantly lower compared to those without OCT guidance after adjustment (unadjusted hazard ratio (HR), 1.582; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.300-1.924; p < 0.001; adjusted HR, 1.095; adjusted 95% CI, 0.883-1.358; p = 0.409). The prevalence of cardiovascular death was significantly lower in patients with OCT guidance compared to those without before and after adjustment (unadjusted HR, 3.303; 95% CI, 2.142-5.093; p < 0.001; adjusted HR, 2.025; adjusted 95% CI, 1.225-3.136; p = 0.004).

Conclusions: OCT-guided primary PCI used to treat STEMI was associated with reduced long-term cardiovascular death.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a growing global health epidemic and is the leading cause of cardiovascular health problems, including ischemic stroke, coronary artery disease, and peripheral vascular disease. Despite extensive research on the underlying mechanisms of AS, iron remains an under-investigated mediator in the atherosclerotic process. Iron's involvement in AS is primarily linked to the iron-induced programmed cell death process known as ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is initiated in endothelial cells when iron overload triggers the Fenton reaction, resulting in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxides. This oxidative stress damages cellular components, ultimately leading to cell death. The review examines the role of iron overload and ferroptosis in the progression and instability of atherosclerotic plaques. Additionally, we explore the potential therapeutic roles of iron chelators and ROS scavengers in mitigating the adverse effects of ferroptosis. The findings indicate that ferroptosis contributes significantly to the progression and instability of atherosclerotic plaques by promoting oxidative damage and cellular dysfunction. Iron chelators and ROS scavengers have shown promise in reducing ferroptosis-induced damage in endothelial cells. These therapeutic agents can potentially stabilize atherosclerotic plaques and prevent the progression of AS. Ferroptosis is a critical yet under-explored pathway in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Targeting iron-induced oxidative stress through iron chelation and ROS scavenging presents a promising therapeutic strategy for mitigating the adverse effects of ferroptosis on atherosclerotic plaque stability. Further research is needed to validate these therapeutic approaches and better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying ferroptosis in atherosclerosis.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) affects over 200 million individuals globally, accounting for approximately 9 million deaths annually. Patients living with diabetes mellitus exhibit an up to fourfold increased risk of developing CAD compared to individuals without diabetes. Furthermore, CAD is responsible for 40 to 80 percent of the observed mortality rates among patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients with diabetes typically present with non-specific clinical complaints in the setting of myocardial ischemia, and as such, it is critical to select appropriate diagnostic tests to identify those at risk for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and for determining optimal management strategies. Studies indicate that patients with diabetes often exhibit more advanced atherosclerosis, a higher calcified plaque burden, and smaller epicardial vessels. The diagnostic performance of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) in identifying significant stenosis is well-established, and as such, CCTA has been incorporated into current clinical guidelines. However, the predictive accuracy of obstructive CAD in patients with diabetes has been less extensively characterized. CCTA provides detailed insights into coronary anatomy, plaque burden, epicardial vessel stenosis, high-risk plaque features, and other features associated with a higher incidence of MACEs. Recent evidence supports the efficacy of CCTA in diagnosing CAD and improving patient outcomes, leading to its recommendation as a primary diagnostic tool for stable angina and risk stratification. However, its specific benefits in patients with diabetes require further elucidation. This review examines several key aspects of the utility of CCTA in patients with diabetes: (i) the diagnostic accuracy of CCTA in detecting obstructive CAD, (ii) the effect of CCTA as a first-line test for individualized risk stratification for cardiovascular outcomes, (iii) its role in guiding therapeutic management, and (iv) future perspectives in risk stratification and the role of artificial intelligence.

Existing techniques for pacing the right ventricle and providing cardiac resynchronization therapy through biventricular pacing are not effective in restoring damage to the conduction system. Therefore, the need for new pacing modalities and techniques with more sensible designs and algorithms is justified. Although the benefits of conduction system pacing (CSP), which mainly include His bundle pacing (HBP) and left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP), are evident in patients who require conduction system recuperation, the critical criteria for left CSP remain unclear, and the roles of different pacing modalities of CSP for cardiac resynchronization are not definite. In this review, we aimed to highlight the advantages of different CSP options, current advancement in the surgical devices, and future directions.

Background: Iron metabolism may play a role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) pathogenesis. The association between iron metabolism and CVD has yet to be fully investigated. This study evaluated whether iron metabolism was associated with CVD risk and whether the body mass index (BMI) of US adults varied the association.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), conducted from 2017 to 2018. Generalized additive models (GAMs) and multivariable logistic regression were adopted to analyze the association between iron metabolism (serum iron (SI), serum ferritin (SF), transferrin saturation (TSAT), and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR)) and CVD risk. Further, stratified analysis was conducted to identify patients with high CVD risk.

Results: Participants with CVD tended to have significantly increased levels of sTfR (p < 0.001) and decreased levels of TSAT (p < 0.001) and SI (p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, sTfR levels had a significant positive association with CVD risk (Q1 as reference, Q4 odds ratio (OR) 2.1, 95% CI 1.54-2.87, p < 0.001). Notably, the association between sTfR and CVD risk differed in the BMI subgroup (p for interaction < 0.05). We identified an inverted U-shaped relationship between sTfR and the CVD risk in the group of overweight individuals (non-linear p < 0.001). When the sTfR level was below the turning point (sTfR = 5.35 mg/L), a per unit increase in the sTfR level was correlated with a 78% greater adjusted OR of CVD risk (OR, 1.78 [1.44, 2.19]).

Conclusions: Increased sTfR levels were non-linearly related to the CVD risk in the overweight population.

Background: Achieving hemostasis of large bore venous access sites can be challenging and time consuming. Closure devices have proven to be superior in achieving hemostasis, reducing time to ambulation and improving patient comfort, compared to manual hemostasis techniques after femoral venous and arterial access. The closure of the jugular vein following large bore access has not been investigated in previous studies. In addition, scar formation of the neck after large bore access of the jugular vein has not been investigated. In this study, the safety and feasibility of the double Perclose ProGlide (PP), for achieving hemostasis of the internal jugular vein (IJV) following large bore access with 27 French Micra Transcatheter Pacemaker System (TPS) was examined. Also, the scar formation in the neck after IJV closure was examined during follow-up.

Methods: 136 consecutive patients from May 2018 until June 2024, in whom the IJV was closed with a double PP, following Micra TPS implantation were included. All patients were examined for hemostasis of the IJV and vascular complications, resulting in additional interventions. Time to ambulation, discharge and patient discomfort were also assessed. During follow-up the scar formation of the neck was examined.

Results: In all patients, the double PP was successful in achieving acute hemostasis of the IJV after large bore access. In all patients, 2 PP were deployed without device failure. One patient required additional manual pressure due to a minor hematoma. Ultrasound guided examination did not reveal any vascular complications. All patients were ambulated immediately. During follow-up, the scar in the neck was hardly visible.

Conclusions: Although the PP was designed as a closure device for femoral venous and arterial access, our data suggest that the PP can be used safely as a closure device for the IJV to achieve acute hemostasis, facilitate direct ambulation and improve patient comfort.

Background: Previous reports have indicated an association between red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and cardiovascular disease. However, few relevant studies exist on the relationship between RDW and aortic valve calcification (AVC). Explore the correlation and predictive value of RDW concerning the occurrence and severity of aortic valve calcification.

Methods: Blood examination results were analyzed from 1720 hospitalized patients at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. Logistic regression analysis and the Cox proportional hazards model examined the relationship between RDW and the incidence and severity of AVC.

Results: The RDW value in cases with AVC was significantly higher than in the control group. Red cell distribution width-standard deviation (RDW-SD) and red cell distribution width-coefficient of variation (RDW-CV) increased with calcification severity. Both RDW-SD and RDW-CV demonstrated high predictive values for the occurrence of aortic valve calcification.

Conclusions: Red blood cell distribution width significantly correlated with the occurrence and severity of aortic valve calcification.

Background: With ageing and lifestyle changes, the coexistence of osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is becoming more common, which greatly increases patient disability and mortality. However, the association of low bone mineral density (BMD) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality in T2DM patients have not been conclusively established.

Methods: Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to obtain a nationally representative sample of the US population, we sought to determine the independent and incremental value of low BMD, particularly in patients with osteoporosis in assessing all-cause and CVD mortality in adults with T2DM.

Results: We demonstrated that increased BMD was significantly related to decreased mortality from all-causes and CVDs among US adults with T2DM. In addition, we found that, after multivariate adjustment, osteoporosis and osteopenia were independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause and CVD mortality in T2DM patients at long-term follow-up.

Conclusions: The clinical diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis in adults with T2DM provides independent prognostic value for CVD and all-cause mortality.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) affects 537 million people as of 2021, and is projected to rise to 783 million by 2045. This positions DM as the ninth leading cause of death globally. Among DM patients, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality. Notably, the prevalence rates of CVD is alarmingly high among diabetic individuals, particularly in North America and the Caribbean (46.0%), and Southeast Asia (42.5%). The predominant form of CVD among diabetic patients is coronary artery disease (CAD), accounting for 29.4% of cases. The pathophysiology of DM is complex, involving insulin resistance, β-cell dysfunction, and associated cardiovascular complications including diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN). These conditions exacerbate CVD risks underscoring the importance of managing key risk factors including hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and genetic predisposition. Understanding the genetic networks and molecular processes that link diabetes and cardiovascular disease can lead to new diagnostics and therapeutic interventions. Imeglimin, a novel mitochondrial bioenergetic enhancer, represents a promising medication for diabetes with the potential to address both insulin resistance and secretion difficulties. Effective diabetes management through oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) can protect the cardiovascular system. Additionally, certain antihypertensive medications can significantly reduce the risk of diabetes-related CVD. Additionally, lifestyle changes, including diet and exercise are vital in managing diabesity and reducing CVD risks. These interventions, along with emerging therapeutic agents and ongoing clinical trials, offer hope for improved patient outcomes and long-term DM remission. This study highlights the urgent need for management strategies to address the overlapping epidemics of DM and CVD. By elucidating the underlying mechanisms and risk factors, this study aims to guide future perspectives and enhance understanding of the pathogenesis of CVD complications in patients with DM, thereby guiding more effective treatment strategies.

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most prevalent sustained cardiac arrhythmia, is intricately linked with atrial functional tricuspid regurgitation (AFTR), a condition distinguished from ventricular functional tricuspid regurgitation by its unique pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical implications. This review article delves into the multifaceted aspects of AFTR, exploring its epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic evaluation, and management strategies. Further, we elucidate the mechanisms underlying AFTR, including tricuspid annular dilatation, right atrial enlargement, and dysfunction, which collectively contribute to the development of tricuspid regurgitation in the absence of significant pulmonary hypertension or left-sided heart disease. The section on diagnostic evaluation highlights the pivotal role of echocardiography, supplemented by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and computed tomography (CT), in assessing disease severity and guiding treatment decisions. Management strategies for AFTR are explored, ranging from medical therapy and rhythm control to surgical and percutaneous interventions, underscoring the importance of a tailored, multidisciplinary approach. Furthermore, the article identifies gaps in current knowledge and proposes future research directions to enhance our understanding and management of AFTR. By providing a comprehensive overview of AFTR, this review aims to raise awareness among healthcare professionals and stimulate further research to improve patient care and outcomes in this increasingly recognized condition.