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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic where several comorbidities have been shown to have a significant effect on mortality. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have a higher mortality rate than non-DM patients if they get COVID-19. Recent studies have indicated that patients with a history of diabetes can increase the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Additionally, patients without any history of diabetes can acquire new-onset DM when infected with COVID-19. Thus, there is a need to explore the bidirectional link between these two conditions, confirming the vicious loop between "DM/COVID-19". This narrative review presents (1) the bidirectional association between the DM and COVID-19, (2) the manifestations of the DM/COVID-19 loop leading to cardiovascular disease, (3) an understanding of primary and secondary factors that influence mortality due to the DM/COVID-19 loop, (4) the role of vitamin-D in DM patients during COVID-19, and finally, (5) the monitoring tools for tracking atherosclerosis burden in DM patients during COVID-19 and "COVID-triggered DM" patients. We conclude that the bidirectional nature of DM/COVID-19 causes acceleration towards cardiovascular events. Due to this alarming condition, early monitoring of atherosclerotic burden is required in "Diabetes patients during COVID-19" or "new-onset Diabetes triggered by COVID-19 in Non-Diabetes patients".

Background: Recently, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) unexplained gut microbe has been proposed as a promising risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) pathogenesis and adverse events. The relationship of TMAO with coronary atherosclerotic burden has been evaluated in patients with stable coronary artery disease and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, but still needs to be explored in newly diagnosed non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients. Material and methods: A prospective, single-center, SZ-NSTEMI trial (ChiCTR1900022366) is underway to investigate the relationship of TMAO with the severity and prognosis of coronary atherosclerosis in newly diagnosed NSTEMI patients who will undergo coronary angiography with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). The primary endpoint of the study will be assessed the association of TMAO with coronary atherosclerotic severity quantify by the number of diseased coronary arteries and SYNTAX score after the coronary angiography. The secondary endpoints will be identified the TMAO as a prognostic biomarker for the short (1 month) and long-term (12 months) major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) rate including myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, stroke, heart failure, all-cause rehospitalization, and all-cause mortality after the pPCI. The blood samples will be collected from each patient before the procedure to measure the TMAO by isotope dilution high-performance liquid chromatography. In conclusion, SZ-NSTEMI will be the first cohort that will be investigated the association of TMAO with the severity and prognosis of coronary atherosclerotic burden in NSTEMI patients, aiming to identify TMAO as a predictor and a prognostic biomarker.

ObjectivesThis study sought to evaluate the interrelation of atherosclerotic burden, as assessed by coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and coronary vascular function, as assessed by quantitative estimates of coronary flow reserve (CFR), with respect to prediction of clinical outcomes.BackgroundThe contribution of coronary vascular dysfunction, atherosclerotic burden, and the 2 combined to cardiac events is unknown.MethodA total of 901 consecutive patients underwent 82Rubidium myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) positron emission tomography (PET) and CAC scan. All patients had normal MPI. The primary endpoint was a composite of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, late revascularization, and admission for heart failure.ResultsAt baseline, CFR decreased (2.15 ± 0.72, 2.02 ± 0.65, and 1.88 ± 0.64, p < 0.0001) with increasing levels of CAC (0, 1 to 399, and ≥400). Over a median of 1.53 years (interquartile range: 0.77 to 2.44), there were 57 MACE. Annual risk-adjusted MACE rates were higher for patients with CFR

Previous studies have suggested that oral diseases may in- fluence the development of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that poor self-reported oral health (SROH) and tooth loss are positively associated with coronary atherosclerotic burden (CAB). 382 consecutive subjects undergoing coronary angiography were included. Socio-demographic characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors and oral health status were collected using a standardized questionnaire, including data on SROH and use of dental prosthesis. Number of teeth and anthropometric measures were collected through clinical examina- tions. CAB at coronary angiography was quantified using the Friesinger score (FS). Prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated with Poisson regression analyses. Mean age was 60.3 ± 10.8 years, with 63.2% males. In the bivariate analysis, there was a significant association (p < 0.05) between CAB and age (≥ 60y) (PR = 1.01, 95% CI = 1.02-1.16), male gender (PR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.03-1.19), smoking (PR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.01- 1.16), hypertension (PR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.03-1.22), diabetes (PR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.05-1.21), poor SROH (PR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.02-1.46) and tooth loss (< 20teeth present) (PR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.02-1.19). The use of dental prosthesis was not associated with CAB. The multivariate mod- els, adjusted for age, gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes and dyslip- idemia showed that poor SROH (p = 0.03) and tooth loss (p = 0.02) were independently associated with CAB, confirming the study hypothesis.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to correlate left main (LM) coronary artery dimensions with the presence of atherosclerosis by multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) coronary angiography (CA) and to assess coronary atherosclerotic plaques with a semiquantitative method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-two consecutive patients (41 men, mean age 60+/-11) with suspected coronary artery disease underwent 64-MDCT coronary angiography. LM dimensions (length, ostial and bifurcation diameters), quantitative [location, Hounsfield unit (HU) attenuation] and qualitative (composition, shape) analysis of plaques within the LM were performed. All patients underwent conventional CA. RESULTS: Thirty patients (mean age 55+/-10) without plaques in the LM presented the following average dimensions: length 10.6+/-6.1 mm, ostial diameter 5.5+/-0.7 mm, bifurcation diameter 4.9+/-0.9 mm. LM plaques (n=36) were detected in 32 patients (mean age 64+/-10) with the following LM average dimensions: length 11.3+/-4.0 mm, ostial diameter 6.0+/-1.2 mm and bifurcation diameter 6.0+/-1.2 mm. Plaques were calcified (40%, mean attenuation 742+/-191 HU), mixed (43%, mean attenuation 387+/-94 HU) or noncalcified (17%, mean attenuation 56+/-14 HU) and were frequently eccentric (77%). Age was significantly different in the two groups (p