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Although effective treatments for common mental health problems are available, individual responses to treatments are difficult to predict. Treatment efficacy could be optimized by targeting interventions using individual predictions of treatment outcomes. The aim of this study was to develop a prediction algorithm using data from one of the largest randomized controlled trials on psychological interventions for common mental health problems. This is a secondary analysis of the Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease study investigating the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and care as usual (CAU) for depression and low perceived social support following acute myocardial infarction. 2481 participants were randomly assigned to CBT and CAU. Baseline social-demographics, depression characteristics, comorbid symptoms, and stress and adversity measures were used to build an algorithm predicting post-treatment depression severity using elastic net regularization. Performance and generalizability of this algorithm were determined in a hold-out sample (n = 1203). Treatment matching based on predictions in the hold-out sample resulted in inconsistent and small effects (d = 0.15), that were more pronounced for individuals matched to CBT (d = 0.22). We identified a small subgroup of individuals for which CBT did not appear more efficacious than CAU. Limitations are a poorly defined CAU condition, a low-severity sample, specific exclusion criteria and unavailability of certain baseline variables. Small matching effects are likely a realistic representation of the performance and generalizability of multivariable prediction algorithms based on clinical measures. Results indicate that future work and new approaches are needed. • Machine learning predictions were made for targeted psychological interventions. • Predictions relied on self-report and clinical observation. • Predictions were developed and tested in a large dataset. • Predictions resulted in small matching effects. • Improvements are needed to guarantee clinical relevance of these prediction models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Placebo-controlled evidence from ORBITA-2 (Objective Randomised Blinded Investigation with Optimal Medical Therapy of Angioplasty in Stable Angina-2) found that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in stable coronary artery disease with little or no antianginal medication relieved angina, but residual symptoms persisted in many patients. The reason for this was unclear. This ORBITA-2 secondary analysis investigates the relationship between presenting symptoms and disease severity (anatomic, noninvasive, and invasive ischemia) and the ability of symptoms to predict the placebo-controlled efficacy of PCI. Prerandomization symptom severity and nature were assessed using the ORBITA smartphone application and symptom and quality of life questionnaires including the World Health Organization Rose angina questionnaire (Rose). Disease severity was assessed using quantitative coronary angiography, stress echocardiography, fractional flow reserve, and instantaneous wave-free ratio. Bayesian ordinal regression was used. At prerandomization, the median number of daily angina episodes was 0.8 (Q1-Q3: 0.4-1.6), 64% had Rose angina, quantitative coronary angiography diameter stenosis was 61% (Q1-Q3: 49%-74%), stress echocardiography score was 1.0 (Q1-Q3: 0.0-2.7), fractional flow reserve was 0.63 (Q1-Q3: 0.49–0.75), and instantaneous wave-free ratio was 0.78 (Q1-Q3: 0.55-0.87). There was little relationship between symptom severity and nature and disease severity: angina symptom score with quantitative coronary angiography ordinal correlation coefficient: 0.06 (95% credible interval [CrI]: 0.00-0.08); stress echocardiography: 0.09 (95% CrI: 0.02-0.10); fractional flow reserve: 0.04 (95% CrI: −0.03 to 0.07); and instantaneous wave-free ratio: 0.04 (95% CrI: −0.01 to 0.07). However, Rose angina and guideline-based typical angina were strong predictors of placebo-controlled PCI efficacy (angina symptom score: OR: 1.9; 95% CrI: 1.6-2.1; probability of interaction [Pr Interaction ] = 99.9%; and OR: 1.8; 95% CrI: 1.6-2.1; Pr Interaction = 99.9%, respectively). Although symptom severity and nature were poorly associated with disease severity, the nature of symptoms powerfully predicted the placebo-controlled efficacy of PCI. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Damage to the heart can start the repair process and cause cardiac remodeling. B cells play an important role in this process. B cells are recruited to the injured place and activate cardiac remodeling through secreting antibodies and cytokines. Different types of B cells showed specific functions in the heart. Among all types of B cells, heart-associated B cells play a vital role in the heart by secreting TGFβ1. B cells participate in the activation of fibroblasts and promote cardiac fibrosis. Four subtypes of B cells in the heart revealed the relationship between the B cells' heterogeneity and cardiac remodeling. Many cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis, heart failure (HF), hypertension, myocardial infarction (MI), and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are related to B cells. The primary mechanisms of these B cell-related activities will be discussed in this review, which may also suggest potential novel therapeutic targets. • We summarized the relationship between B cells and cardiac remodeling. • In different cardiovascular diseases, B cells express different biomarkers and play different roles in cardiac fibrosis. • According to the mechanism of B cell action, potential therapeutic targets were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is limited real-world data highlighting recent temporal in-hospital morbidity and mortality trends for cases of acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock. The role of mechanical circulatory support within this patient population remains unclear. The US National Inpatient Sample database was sampled from 2011 to 2018 identifying 206,396 hospitalizations with a primary admission diagnosis of ST- or Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock. The primary outcomes included trends of all-cause in-hospital mortality, mechanical circulatory support use, and sex-specific trends for acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) over the study period. The annual number of AMI-CS hospitalizations increased from 22,851 in 2011 to 30,015 in 2018 and in-hospital mortality trends remained similar (42.9 % to 43.7 %, ptrend < 0.001). The proportion of patients receiving any temporary MCS device decreased (46.4 % to 44.4 %). The use of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) decreased (44.9 % to 32.9 %) and the use of any other non-IABP MCS device increased (2.5 % to 15.6 %), ptrend<0.001. Sex-specific mortality indicate female in-hospital mortality remained similar (50.3 % to 51 %, ptrend<0.001), but higher than male in-hospital mortality, which increased non-significantly (38.8 % to 40.2 %, ptrend = 0.372). From 2011 to 2018, hospitalizations for AMI-CS patients have increased in number. However, there has been no recent appreciable change in AMI-CS mortality despite a changing treatment landscape with decreasing use of IABPs and increasing use of non-IABP MCS devices. Further research is necessary to examine the appropriate use of MCS devices within this population. • AMI complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) is a highly morbid condition. • The number of AMI-CS cases has increased from 22,851 in 2011 to 30,015 in 2018 and mortality has remained unchanged at 40–45%. • Intra-aortic balloon pump use in AMI-CS patients is decreasing (44.9% to 32.9%, p-value<0.001). • Use of other temporary mechanical circulatory devices is increasing (2.5% to 15.6%, p-value<0.001). • Mortality of female AMI-CS patients is consistently nearly 10 % higher than males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the correlation between hyperuricemia and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well known, there have been limited data regarding the impact of hyperuricemia on long-term clinical outcomes in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). A total of 718 patients who underwent PTA for PAD were enrolled. The patients were divided into the hyperuricemia group (N = 168) and the normal group (N = 550). Hyperuricemia was defined as a uric acid level ≥ 7.0 mg/dL in men, and ≥ 6.5 mg/dL in women. The primary endpoint was major adverse cerebral and cardiovascular event (MACCE), including death, myocardial infarction (MI), any coronary revascularization, and stroke, up to 5 years. The secondary endpoint was major adverse limb event (MALE), including any repeated PTA, and target extremity surgery (TES). Inverse probability weighting (IPTW) analysis, derived from the logistic regression model, was performed to adjust potential confounders. After IPTW matching analysis, compared to the normal group, the hyperuricemia group was not associated with increased MACCE but was associated with an increased incidence of MI (2.6 % vs. 0.5 %, p = 0.001), and coronary revascularization (6.7 % vs. 3.9 %, p = 0.018). Also, the hyperuricemia group was associated with a higher incidence of MALE (45.3 % vs. 28.9 %, p < 0.001), including target extremity revascularization (TER; 25.1 % vs. 15.9 %, p < 0.001), non-TER (11.5 % vs. 5.6 %, p < 0.001), and TES (22.8 % vs. 16.2 %, p = 0.002). In the present study, hyperuricemia was associated with worse clinical outcomes in PAD patients following PTA during 5-year clinical follow-up. Further investigations should be made regarding the clinical benefit of controlling hyperuricemia on clinical outcomes. [Display omitted] • Hyperuricemia was associated with worse clinical outcomes in PAD patients who underwent PTA, with higher incidence of MALE. • Subgroup analysis revealed 16% increased risk of MALE for every 1 mg/dL of uric acid, demonstrating dose-respond trend. • Assessing levels of uric acid in PAD patients could contribute to additional risk stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial infarction (MI)-induced impaired cardiomyocyte (CM) mitochondrial function and microenvironmental inflammatory cascades severely accelerate the progression of heart failure for compromised myocardial repair. Modulation of the crosstalk between CM mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and STING has been recently identified as a robust strategy in enhancing MI treatment, but remains seldom explored. To develop a novel approach that can address persistent myocardial injury using this crosstalk, we report herein construction of a biomimetic hydrogel system, Rb1/PDA-hydrogel comprised of ginsenoside Rb1/polydopamine nanoparticles (Rb1/PDA NPs)-loaded carboxylated chitosan, 4-arm-PEG-phenylboronic acid (4-arm-PEG-PBA), and 4-arm-PEG-dopamine (4-arm-PEG-DA) crosslinked networks. An optimized hydrogel formulation presents not only desired adhesion properties to the surface of the myocardium, but also adaptability for deep myocardial injection, resulting in ROS scavenging, CM mitochondrial function protection, M1 macrophage polarization inhibition through the STING pathway, and angiogenesis promotion via an internal-external spatial combination. The enhanced therapeutic efficiency is supported by the histological analysis of the infarcted area, which shows that the fibrotic area of the MI rats decreases from 58.4% to 5.5%, the thickness of the left ventricular wall increases by 1-fold, and almost complete recovery of cardiac function after 28 days of treatment. Overall, this study reported the first use of a strong adhesive and injectable hydrogel with mtDNA and STING signaling characteristics for enhanced MI treatment via an internal-external spatial combination strategy. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • ALKBH5 plays an important protective role during the post-MI repair phase. • The loss of ALKBH5 in fibroblasts leads to cardiac rupture and deteriorated cardiac function. • This study identities the ALKBH5 as hypoxia-related role in cardiac fibroblasts. • ALKBH5 regulates fibroblast activation via ErbB4 mRNA demethylation. • ALKBH5/ErbB4 are possible therapeutic targets to reduce the occurrence of cardiac rupture. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation produces a marked effect on cardiovascular diseases. The m6A demethylase AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5), as an m6A "eraser", is responsible for decreased m6A modification. However, its role in cardiac fibroblasts during the post-myocardial infarction (MI) healing process remains elusive. To investigate the effect of ALKBH5 in cardiac fibroblasts during infarct repair. MI was mimicked by permanent left anterior descending artery ligation in global ALKBH5-knockout, ALKBH5-knockin, and fibroblast-specific ALKBH5-knockout mice to study the function of ALKBH5 during post-MI collagen repair. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing was performed to explore potential ALKBH5 targets. Dramatic alterations in ALKBH5 expression were observed during the early stages post-MI and in hypoxic fibroblasts. Global ALKBH5 knockin reduced infarct size and ameliorated cardiac function after MI. The global and fibroblast-specific ALKBH5-knockout mice both exhibited low survival rates along with poor collagen repair, impaired cardiac function, and cardiac rupture. Both in vivo and in vitro ALKBH5 loss resulted in impaired fibroblast activation and decreased collagen deposition. Additionally, hypoxia, but not TGF-β1 or Ang II, upregulated ALKBH5 expression in myofibroblasts by HIF-1α-dependent transcriptional regulation. Mechanistically, ALKBH5 promoted the stability of ErbB4 mRNA and the degradation of ST14 mRNA via m6A demethylation. Fibroblast-specific ErbB4 overexpression ameliorated the impaired fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transformation and poor post-MI repair due to ALKBH5 knockout. Fibroblast ALKBH5 positively regulates post-MI healing by stabilization of ErbB4 mRNA in an m6A-dependent manner. ALKBH5/ErbB4 might be potential therapeutic targets for post-MI cardiac rupture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Cardiovascular safety of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) among men with hypogonadism is not well established to date. Hence, we sought to evaluate the cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes among patients receiving testosterone therapy by using all recently published randomized controlled trials. We performed a systematic literature search on PubMed, EMBASE, and Clinicaltrial.gov for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception until September 30th, 2023. A total of 30 randomized trials with 11,502 patients were included in the final analysis. The mean age was ranging from 61.61 to 61.82 years. Pooled analysis of primary and secondary outcomes showed that the incidence of any CVD events (OR, 1.12 (95%CI: 0.77–1.62), P = 0.55), stroke (OR, 1.01 (95%CI: 0.68–1.51), P = 0.94), myocardial infarction (OR, 1.05 (95%CI: 0.76–1.45), P = 0.77), all-cause mortality (OR, 0.94 (95%CI: 0.76–1.17), P = 0.57), and CVD mortality (OR, 0.87 (95%CI: 0.65–1.15), P = 0.31) was comparable between TRT and placebo groups. Our analysis indicates that for patients with hypogonadism, testosterone replacement therapy does not increase the CVD risk and all-cause mortality. Central illustration highlighting effect of Testosterone therapy on cardiovascular outcomes among hypogonadism patients. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autoimmune blistering disorders (ABDs) might elevate cardiovascular risk, but studies are lacking. The objective of this study was to examine if ABDs elevate the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, venous thromboembolism, and cardiovascular death. A population-based cohort of Danish patients with ABD (≥18 years of age) diagnosed during 1996–2021 (n = 3322) was compared with an age- and sex-matched comparison cohort from the general population (n = 33,195). Compared with the general population, patients with ABDs had higher 1-year risks of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (3.4% vs 1.6%), heart failure (1.9% vs 0.7%), arrhythmia (3.8% vs 1.3%), venous thromboembolism (1.9% vs 0.3%), and cardiovascular death (3.3% vs 0.9%). The elevated risk persisted after 10 years for all outcomes but arrhythmia. The hazard ratios associating ABDs with the outcomes during the entire follow-up were 1.24 (1.09-1.40) for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, 1.48 (1.24-1.77) for heart failure, 1.16 (1.02-1.32) for arrhythmia, 1.87 (1.50-2.34) for venous thromboembolism, and 2.01 (1.76-2.29) for cardiovascular death. The elevated cardiovascular risk was observed for both pemphigus and pemphigoid. Our findings might only generalize to patients with ABDs without prevalent cardiovascular diseases. Patients with ABDs had an elevated cardiovascular risk compared with age- and sex-matched controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ventricular arrhythmia (VA) is the primary mechanism of sudden death in patients with structural heart disease. Cardiac stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) delivered to the scar in the left ventricle significantly reduces the burden of VA. The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of SBRT on scar morphology and VA inducibility in a porcine infarct model. Myocardial infarction (MI) was created in 10 Yorkshire pigs involving the left anterior descending artery territory. Cardiac positron emission tomography and computed tomography were performed for targeted SBRT. Alternative pigs received SBRT at 25 Gy in a single fraction. The terminal experiment included endocardial mapping, programmed ventricular stimulation, and tissue harvesting. Of the 10 pigs infarcted, 2 died prematurely after MI and 8 (4 MI and 4 MI+SBRT) survived. Mean time from MI to SBRT was 48 ± 12 days, and mean time from SBRT to harvest was 32 ± 12 days. Scar was localized on intracardiac mapping in all pigs, and the scar was denser in the MI+SBRT compared with the MI-only group (33% ± 20% vs 14% ± 11%; P =.07). All 4 MI pigs had inducible VA during programmed stimulation, whereas only 1 of 4 pigs had inducible VA in the MI+SBRT arm (100% vs 25%; P =.07). No myocardial fibrosis was seen in the remote areas in either group. SBRT reduced VA inducibility in pigs with scarring after MI. Endocardial mapping revealed denser scar in pigs receiving SBRT compared with those that did not, suggesting that SBRT suppresses VA inducibility through better scar homogenization. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fibroblast-specific ablation of CCN1 neither impacts cardiac function nor myocardial collagen levels; however, it disrupts collagen fibril organization and increases matrix compliance. • Fibroblast-specific Ccn1 ablated mice display an increased incidence of mortality and cardiac rupture after myocardial infarction. • Post-myocardial infarct scars in fibroblast-specific Ccn1 ablated mice exhibit increased ECM complexity and diminished collagen alignment. • Alterations in ECM structure in fibroblast-specific Ccn1 ablated mice are associated with reductions in fibroblast-matrix interactions. • Findings suggest that CCN1 plays a critical role in acute scar formation by directing the alignment of fibrillar collagen within the developing scar, thereby shaping the structural attributes that underlie its structural integrity. Members of the cellular communication network family (CCN) of matricellular proteins, like CCN1, have long been implicated in the regulation of cellular processes underlying wound healing, tissue fibrogenesis, and collagen dynamics. While many studies suggest antifibrotic actions for CCN1 in the adult heart through the promotion of myofibroblast senescence, they largely relied on exogenous supplementation strategies in in vivo models of cardiac injury where its expression is already induced—which may confound interpretation of its function in this process. The objective of this study was to interrogate the role of the endogenous protein on fibroblast function, collagen structural dynamics, and its associated impact on cardiac fibrosis after myocardial infarction (MI). Here, we employed CCN1 loss-of-function methodologies, including both in vitro siRNA-mediated depletion and in vivo fibroblast-specific knockout mice to assess the role of the endogenous protein on cardiac fibroblast fibrotic signaling, and its involvement in acute scar formation after MI. In vitro depletion of CCN1 reduced cardiac fibroblast senescence and proliferation. Although depletion of CCN1 decreased the expression of collagen processing and stabilization enzymes (i.e. , P4HA1, PLOD1, and PLOD2), it did not inhibit myofibroblast induction or type I collagen synthesis. Alone, fibroblast-specific removal of CCN1 did not negatively impact ventricular performance or myocardial collagen content but did contribute to disorganization of collagen fibrils and increased matrix compliance. Similarly, Ccn1 ablated animals subjected to MI showed no discernible alterations in cardiac structure or function one week after permanent coronary artery ligation, but exhibited marked increases in incidence of mortality and cardiac rupture. Consistent with our findings that CCN1 depletion does not assuage myofibroblast conversion or type I collagen synthesis in vitro, Ccn1 knockout animals revealed no measurable differences in collagen scar width or mass compared to controls; however, detailed structural analyses via SHG and TEM of scar regions revealed marked alterations in their scar collagen topography—exhibiting changes in numerous macro- and micro-level collagen architectural attributes. Specifically, Ccn1 knockout mice displayed heightened ECM structural complexity in post-MI scar regions, including diminished local alignment and heightened tortuosity of collagen fibers, as well as reduced organizational coherency, packing, and size of collagen fibrils. Associated with these changes in ECM topography with the loss of CCN1 were reductions in fibroblast-matrix interactions, as evidenced by reduced fibroblast nuclear and cellular deformation in vivo and reduced focal-adhesion formation in vitro ; findings that ultimately suggest CCN1's ability to influence fibroblast-led collagen alignment may in part be credited to its capacity to augment fibroblast-matrix interactions. These findings underscore the pivotal role of endogenous CCN1 in the scar formation process occurring after MI, directing the appropriate arrangement of the extracellular matrix's collagenous components in the maturing scar—shaping the mechanical properties that support its structural stability. While this suggests an adaptive role for CCN1 in regulating collagen structural attributes crucial for supporting scar integrity post MI, the long-term protracted expression of CCN1 holds maladaptive implications, potentially diminishing collagen structural complexity and compliance in non-infarct regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Myocardial infarction (MI) is an important driver of both morbidity and mortality. • Socioeconomic and psychosocial factors (SPF) impact on treatments and outcomes. • MI patients with SPF had an aggravated cardiovascular profile. • SPF was not associated with an underuse of interventional treatments, but with lower CABG rate. • SPF was not associated with increased in-hospital case-fatality in MI. Myocardial infarction (MI) is an important driver of both morbidity and mortality on a global scale. Elucidating social inequalities may help to identify vulnerable groups as well as treatment imbalances and guide efforts to improve care for MI. All hospitalized patient-cases with confirmed MI 2005-2020 in Germany were included in the study and stratified for socioeconomic or psychosocial factors (SPF) and the impact of SPF on treatment usage and adverse in-hospital events was analyzed. Overall, 4,409,597 hospitalizations of MI patients were included; of these, 17,297 (0.4 %) were coded with SPF. These patients were more often of female sex (49.4 % vs. 36.9 %, P<0.001), older (median 77.0 [IQR: 65.0–84.0] vs. 73.0 [62.0–81.0] years, P<0.001) and revealed an aggravated cardiovascular profile. Although SPF were independently associated with increased usage of cardiac catheterization (OR 1.174 [95 %CI 1.136-1.212]) and percutaneous coronary intervention (OR 1.167 [95 %CI 1.130-1.205]), they were accompanied by higher risk for a prolonged length of in-hospital stay >7 days (OR 1.236 [95 %CI 1.198-1.276]) and >10 days (OR 1.296 [95 %CI 1.254-1.339]). While SPF were associated with increased risk for deep venous thrombosis and/or thrombophlebitis (OR 1.634 [95 %CI 1.427-1.870]), pulmonary embolism (OR 1.337 [95 %CI 1.149-1.555]), and acute renal failure (OR 1.170 [95 %CI 1.105-1.240), these SPF were inversely associated with in-hospital case-fatality (OR 0.461 [95 %CI 0.433-0.490]). This study demonstrates that SPF in hospitalized MI patients have significant impacts on treatments and outcomes. Fortunately, our data did not revealed an underuse of interventional treatments in MI patients with SPF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical guidelines recommend secondary prevention medications following myocardial infarction (MI) regardless of revascularisation strategy. Studies suggest that there is variation in post-MI medication use following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG). We investigated initial dispensing and 12-month patterns of medication use according to revascularisation strategy following non-ST-elevation MI (NSTEMI). We included all public and private hospital admissions for NSTEMI for patients aged ≥30 years in Victoria, Australia, between July 2012 and June 2017. We investigated initial dispensing of P2Y 12 inhibitors (P2Y 12 i), statins (total and high intensity), angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACEi)/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), and beta blockers within 60 days after discharge. Twelve-month post-MI medication use was estimated as the proportion of days covered (PDC) over a 12-month period from the date of hospital discharge. Analyses were performed using adjusted regression models, stratified by revascularisation strategy. There were 15,399 admissions for NSTEMI: 11,754 with PCI and 3,645 with CABG. Following adjustments, predicted probability of initial dispensing in the PCI and CABG groups, respectively, was 0.94 (95% confidence interval 0.93–0.95) vs 0.17 (0.13–0.21) for P2Y 12 i; 0.69 (0.66–0.71) vs 0.42 (0.37–0.48) for ACEi/ARB; 0.59 (0.57–0.62) vs 0.69 (0.64–0.74) for beta blockers; 0.89 (0.87–0.91) vs 0.89 (0.85–0.92) for statins; and 0.60 (0.57–0.62) vs 0.69 (0.63–0.73) for high intensity statins. The 12-month PDC in the PCI and CABG groups, respectively, was 0.82 (0.80–0.83) vs 0.12 (0.09–0.15) for P2Y 12 i; 0.62 (0.60–0.65) vs 0.43 (0.39–0.48) for ACEi/ARB; 0.53 (0.51–0.55) vs 0.632 (0.58–0.66) for beta blockers; 0.79 (0.78–0.81) vs 0.78 (0.74–0.81) for statins; and 0.49 (0.47–0.51) vs 0.55 (0.50–0.59) for high intensity statins. Post-discharge dispensing of secondary prevention medications differed with respect to revascularisation strategy from 2012 to 2017, despite clear evidence of benefit during this period. Interventions may be needed to address possible clinician and patient uncertainty about the benefits of secondary prevention medications, regardless of revascularisation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and remnants (TRL/remnants) have a causal, but not yet quantified, relationship with coronary heart disease (CHD): myocardial infarction plus revascularization. The authors sought to estimate TRL/remnant per-particle atherogenicity, investigate causal relationships with inflammation, and determine whether differences in the atherogenicity of TRL/remnants and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) impact the causal association of non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non–HDL-C) with CHD. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (N = 1,357) identified by genome-wide association in the UK Biobank were ranked into 10 clusters according to the effect on TRL/remnant-C vs LDL-C. Mendelian randomization analysis was used to estimate for each SNP cluster CHD ORs per 10 mg/dL apolipoprotein B (apoB) and per 0.33 mmol/L non–HDL-cholesterol, and to evaluate association of TRL/remnants with biomarkers of systemic inflammation. SNPs in cluster 1 predominantly affected LDL-C, whereas SNPs in cluster 10 predominantly affected TRL/remnant-C. CHD risk per genetically predicted increase in apoB and in non–HDL-C rose across clusters. ORs per 10 mg/dL higher apoB was 1.15 (95% CI: 1.11-1.19) in cluster 1 vs 1.70 (95% CI: 1.52-1.90) in cluster 10. Comparing ORs between these TRL/remnant-predominant and LDL-predominant clusters, we estimated that TRL/remnants were at least 3.9 (95% CI: 2.8-5.4) times more atherogenic than LDL on a per-particle basis. For non–HDL-C, CHD ORs per 0.33 mmol/L rose from 1.15 (95% CI: 1.11-1.19) for cluster 1 to 1.40 (95% CI: 1.30-1.50) for cluster 10. TRL/remnants exhibited causal relationships with inflammation, but this did not explain their greater atherogenicity. TRL/remnants are about 4 times more atherogenic than LDL. Variation in the causal association of non–HDL-C with CHD indicates that adjustment for percentage TRL/remnant-C may be needed for accurate risk prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the optimal timing for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with NSTEMI complicated by heart failure (HF). In total, 762 patients with NSTEMI and HF in a multicenter, prospective registry in South Korea were classified according to the Killip classification (Killip class 2, n = 414 and Killip class 3, n = 348) and underwent early (within 24 h) and delayed (after 24 h) PCI. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality which was further analyzed with landmark analysis with two months as a cut-off. Secondary outcomes were cardiovascular death, in-hospital cardiogenic shock (CS), readmission due to HF, and acute myocardial infarction during follow-up. Delayed PCI was associated with lower rates of 2-month mortality (6.1 % vs. 15.8 %, p = 0.007) and in-hospital CS (4.3 % vs. 14.1 %, p = 0.003), along with lower risks of 2-month mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.38, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.18–0.83, p = 0.014), in-hospital CS (HR = 0.29, 95 % CI = 0.12–0.71, p = 0.006) in multivariate Cox models of Killip class 3 patients. There was no statistical difference of incidence and risk of all predefined outcomes according to varying timing of PCI in Killip 2 patients. Based on these results, the timing of PCI in patients with NSTEMI complicated by HF should be determined based on HF severity. Delayed PCI should be considered in patients with NSTEMI and more severe HF. • In the COREA-AMI registry, 45.7% of the patients were treated with delayed PCI (> 24 h) for NSTEMI complicated by CHF. • The 2-month mortality analysis showed distinct associations between PCI timing and Killip classification (2 or 3). • Delayed PCI was associated with lower rates and risk of 2-month mortality and in-hospital CS in Killip class 3 patients. • There was no statistical difference of mortality and other outcomes according to timings of PCI in Killip 2 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have investigated a 1 to 6-month short dual antiplatelet therapy (S-DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with modern drug eluting-stents to reduce bleeding events. To investigate cardiovascular outcomes in patients at high bleeding risk (HBR) according to the Academic Research Consortium for High Bleeding Risk (ARC-HBR) criteria after PCI with the Synergy bioresorbable-polymer everolimus-eluting stents (EES). We applied ARC-HBR criteria in the population of the prospective, single-arm, multicenter POEM (Performance of Bioresorbable Polymer-Coated Everolimus-Eluting Synergy Stent in Patients at HBR Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Revascularization Followed by 1-Month Dual Antiplatelet Therapy) trial. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or definite or probable stent thrombosis at 12 months. The original POEM cohort included 356 patients (80.4 %) fulfilling ARC-HBR criteria. Oral anticoagulant (OAC) usage and age ≥75 years were the most frequent major and minor ARC-HBR criteria, respectively. The ARC-HBR group was mainly represented by men (71.1 %), with 74.4 ± 9.3 years and a high burden of cardiovascular risk factors. DAPT was prescribed in 79.3 %, and single antiplatelet (SAPT) with OAC in 18.7 %. 12-month follow-up was completed in 96.2 %. The primary endpoint occurred in 5.2 % (95 % CI 3.29–8.10) of patients, whereas bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 3–5 occurred in 2.7 % (95 % CI, 1.39 %–5.05 %). Previous results of the POEM trial showed positive outcomes regarding ischemic and bleeding events with an S-DAPT regimen after Synergy EES. These results are also confirmed in sub-group analysis when ARC-HBR criteria are applied. • High Bleeding Risk patients represent 40 % of coronary angioplasty population. • Short-DAPT could be safely use in PCI performed with several stent platform. • Clinical trials usually apply heterogeneous different bleeding definitions. • ARC-HBR criteria better discern clinical features of high bleeding risk patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outcomes after mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) for the patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) in hemodynamically unstable conditions, such as cardiogenic shock, still remain unclear. We aimed to integrate previous publications regarding M-TEER indicated for life-threatening conditions and indirectly particularly compared the short-term outcomes thereof, with that of other treatments. We systematically searched the PubMed, Cochrane, and MEDLINE databases for studies from inception to June 2023, regarding M-TEER in patients with hemodynamic instability and severe MR. The primary outcomes analyzed included the in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates, and peri-procedural complications. Of the initial 820 publications, we conducted a meta-analysis of a total of 25 studies. The relative risk of moderate-to-severe or severe MR was 0.13 (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.10–0.18, I2 = 45.2 %). The pooled in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates were 11.8 % (95 % CI: 8.7–15.9, I2 = 96.4 %) and 14.1 % (95 % CI: 10.9–18.3, I2 = 35.5 %), respectively. The 30-day mortality rate was statistically significantly correlated with the residual moderate-to-severe or severe MR, as per the meta-regression analysis (coefficient β = 3.48 [95 % CI: 0.99–5.97], p = 0.006). Regarding peri-procedural complications, the pooled rates of a stroke or transient ischemic attack, life-threatening or major bleeding, acute kidney injury, and peri-procedural mitral valve surgery were 2.3 % (95 % CI: 1.9–2.6), 7.6 % (95 % CI: 6.8–8.5), 32.9 % (95 % CI: 31.6–34.3), and 1.0 % (95 % CI: 0.8–1.3), respectively. This meta-analysis demonstrates that the relatively higher rates of procedural complications were observed, nevertheless, M-TEER can potentially provide favorable short-term outcomes even in hemodynamically unstable patients. CRD42023468946. • It remains unclear whether M-TEER can provide benefits to patients with hemodynamic instability. • Our meta-analysis can demonstrate the acceptable short-term outcomes after M-TEER. • M-TEER may be an alternative approach to conservative therapy alone or surgery in such patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We assessed the association of both gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension together with future cardiovascular events. • All female patients discharged from French hospitals in 2013, with 5 years complete follow-up were included, totaling 1, 738, 101 women. • Women with a history of gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension are at a 23-fold increased risk of myocardial infarction. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of female death worldwide. The link between future cardiovascular events and a history of hypertensive disease in pregnancy or gestational diabetes (GDM) has been well established. Less well understood is the impact on future cardiovascular risk when gestational hypertension (GH) and GDM have occurred together. We assessed the association of GDM and GH with future cardiovascular events both alone and in combination. All female patients discharged from French hospitals in 2013 with 5 years of subsequent and complete follow-up were identified. They were grouped depending on their history of GDM, history of GH, history of both or history of neither. After propensity score matching, patients with GDM and/or GH were matched 1:1 with patients with no GDM or GH. Hazard ratios (HR) for cardiovascular events during follow-up were adjusted by age at baseline. Women with a history of GH had an increased risk of cardiovascular death (HR 5.46, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.93–15.49). Women with a history of GDM had no significant difference in the risk of cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction (HR 0.88, 95 %CI 0.38–2.03) and cardiovascular death (HR 1.25, 95 %CI 0.47–3.36) during the 5 year follow up. Those with a history of both GDM and GH had a significantly increased risk of myocardial infarction (HR 23.33, 95 %CI 4.84–112.39). Women with a history of both GH and GDM are at a 23-fold increased risk of myocardial infarction within the first 5 years of their postnatal lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the age- and sex-specific associations of comorbidities with stroke and MI and further calculate the population-attributable fractions (PAFs) of five comorbid diseases for stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) by age and sex. This is a prospective cohort study. This study leveraged data from a sub-cohort of the China Patient-Centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (PEACE) Million Persons Project. Participants aged 35–75 years without a prevalent stroke and MI were enrolled from January 2016 to December 2020, with follow-up through December 2021. Five common comorbidities were collected at baseline, and the study outcome was hospitalization for stroke and MI identified from the Inpatients Registry. Of 100,873 participants, the mean age was 54.2 (±10.2) years, 34.2% were ≥60 years old, and 60.8% were women. After a median follow-up of 3.52 years, 4156 participants had stroke/MI. The strengths of the associations between hypertension, diabetes, and obesity with stroke/MI were higher in younger individuals than in seniors, and obesity had a more hazardous impact on stroke/MI in men than in women. The five comorbidities collectively explained a higher population attributable fraction (PAF) for stroke/MI in the young group (51.5[46.9, 55.7] %) than in the senior group (41.3[37.0, 45.4] %), in men (45.6[40.9, 49.9] %) than in women (41.1[36.1, 45.7] %). Most of the common comorbidities were significantly associated with stroke and MI. Several age and sex differences in the impacts of comorbidities on stroke/MI were observed, highlighting the importance of age- and sex-specific preventive strategies to reduce premature stroke and MI. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) is a scale-based measure with 35 items that assesses various aspects of mental health literacy. The original English version was developed in Australia and has been translated into several languages. The present study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the questionnaire for its use in Germany and to determine the psychometric properties of the German version of the MHLS (MHLS-GER) in two different samples. After translation and cultural adaptation, the MHLS-GER was administered via an online survey in a general population sample and via a postal survey in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to determine the dimensionality. Furthermore, internal consistency, known-groups-validity and measurement invariance were evaluated. Data of 517 participants of the general population sample and 786 participants of the AMI sample were analyzed. In both samples a four-factor structure yielded good model fit indices. The four subscales of the MHLS-GER including 31 items comprise the topics 'knowledge' (11 items), 'information seeking' (4 items), 'stigmatization' (9 items) and 'social distance' (7 items). All four subscales showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.80 to 0.90, average inter-item correlation: 0.30–0.59) and were mostly invariant across the two samples. Participants with previous experience with mental disorders (personal or professional context) showed higher scores on the four subscales. In contrast to the unidimensional structure of the original version, the MHLS-GER comprises four subscales. All subscales showed acceptable to good psychometric properties and can now be used to assess mental health literacy. Further validation studies to evaluate test-retest-reliability and responsiveness are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with high early mortality. However, it remains unclear if patients surviving the early phase have long-term excess mortality. This study aims to assess excess mortality in STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with an age- and- sex-matched general population at landmark periods 0 to 30 days, 31 to 90 days, and 91 days to 10 years. Using the Western Denmark Heart Registry, we identified first-time PCI-treated patients who had primary PCI for STEMI from January 2003 to October 2018. Each patient was matched by age and sex to 5 individuals from the general population. We included 18,818 patients with first-time STEMI and 94,090 individuals from the general population. Baseline comorbidity burden was similar in STEMI patients and matched individuals. Compared with the matched individuals, STEMI was associated with a 5.9% excess mortality from 0 to 30 days (6.0% vs 0.2%; HR: 36.44; 95% CI: 30.86-43.04). An excess mortality remained present from 31 to 90 days (0.9% vs 0.4%; HR: 2.43; 95% CI: 2.02-2.93). However, in 90-day STEMI survivors, the absolute excess mortality was only 2.1 percentage points at 10-year follow-up (26.5% vs 24.5%; HR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01-1.08). Use of secondary preventive medications such as statins, antiplatelet therapy, and beta-blockers was very high in STEMI patients throughout 10-year follow-up. In primary PCI-treated STEMI patients with high use of guideline-recommended therapy, patients surviving the first 90 days had 10-year mortality that was only 2% higher than that of a matched general population. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein B (apoB) are highly correlated measures of atherogenic lipoproteins. The study investigators hypothesized that excess apoB is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and all-cause mortality. The study included 53,484 women and 41,624 men not taking statins from the Copenhagen General Population Study. Associations of excess apoB with the risk of MI, ASCVD, and all-cause mortality were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regressions with 95% CIs. Excess apoB was defined as measured levels of apoB minus expected levels of apoB from LDL-C alone; expected levels were defined by linear regressions of LDL-C levels vs apoB levels in individuals with triglycerides ≤1 mmol/L (89 mg/dL). During a median follow-up of 9.6 years, 2,048 MIs, 4,282 ASCVD events, and 8,873 deaths occurred. There was a dose-dependent association between excess apoB and the risk of MI and ASCVD in both women and men, as well as an association with the risk of all-cause mortality in women. For ASCVD in women compared with those with excess apoB <11 mg/dL, the multivariable adjusted HR was 1.08 (95% CI: 0.97-1.21) for excess apoB 11 to 25 mg/dL, 1.30 (95% CI: 1.14-1.48) for 26 to 45 mg/dL, 1.34 (95% CI: 1.14-1.58) for 46 to 100 mg/dL, and 1.75 (95% CI: 1.08-2.83) for excess apoB >100 mg/dL. Corresponding HRs in men were 1.14 (95% CI: 1.02-1.26), 1.41 (95% CI: 1.26-1.57), 1.41 (95% CI: 1.25-1.60), and 1.52 (95% CI: 1.13-2.05), respectively. Results were robust across the entire LDL-C spectrum. Excess apoB (ie, the value of apoB above that contributed by LDL-C levels alone) is associated dose-dependently with an increased risk of MI and ASCVD in women and men. This finding demonstrates that apoB provides important predictive value beyond LDL-C across the entire LDL-C spectrum. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empagliflozin reduces the risk of heart failure (HF) hospitalizations but not all-cause mortality when started within 14 days of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study sought to evaluate the association of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), congestion, or both, with outcomes and the impact of empagliflozin in reducing HF risk post-AMI. In the EMPACT-MI (Trial to Evaluate the Effect of Empagliflozin on Hospitalization for Heart Failure and Mortality in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction) trial, patients were randomized within 14 days of an AMI complicated by either newly reduced LVEF<45%, congestion, or both, to empagliflozin (10 mg daily) or placebo and were followed up for a median of 17.9 months. Among 6,522 patients, the mean baseline LVEF was 41 ± 9%; 2,648 patients (40.6%) presented with LVEF <45% alone, 1,483 (22.7%) presented with congestion alone, and 2,181 (33.4%) presented with both. Among patients in the placebo arm of the trial, multivariable adjusted risk for each 10-point reduction in LVEF included all-cause death or HF hospitalization (HR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.31-1.69; P < 0.0001), first HF hospitalization (HR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.37-1.96; P < 0.0001), and total HF hospitalizations (rate ratio [RR]: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.51-2.36; P < 0.0001). The presence of congestion was also associated with a significantly higher risk for each of these outcomes (HR: 1.52, 1.94, and RR: 2.03, respectively). Empagliflozin reduced the risk for first (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.60-0.98) and total (RR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.50-0.89) HF hospitalizations, irrespective of LVEF or congestion, or both. The safety profile of empagliflozin was consistent across baseline LVEF and irrespective of congestion status. In patients with AMI, the severity of left ventricular dysfunction and the presence of congestion was associated with worse outcomes. Empagliflozin reduced first and total HF hospitalizations across the range of LVEF with and without congestion. (Trial to Evaluate the Effect of Empagliflozin on Hospitalization for Heart Failure and Mortality in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction [EMPACT-MI]; NCT04509674) [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telemedicine programs can provide remote diagnostic information to aid clinical decisions that could optimize care and reduce unplanned readmissions post–acute coronary syndrome (ACS). TELE-ACS (Remote Acute Assessment of Patients With High Cardiovascular Risk Post-Acute Coronary Syndrome) is a randomized controlled trial that aims to compare a telemedicine-based approach vs standard care in patients following ACS. Patients were suitable for inclusion with at least 1 cardiovascular risk factor and presenting with ACS and were randomized (1:1) before discharge. The primary outcome was time to first readmission at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included emergency department (ED) visits, major adverse cardiovascular events, and patient-reported symptoms. The primary analysis was performed according to intention to treat. A total of 337 patients were randomized from January 2022 to April 2023, with a 3.6% drop-out rate. The mean age was 58.1 years. There was a reduced rate of readmission over 6 months (HR: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.13-0.44; P < 0.001) and ED attendance (HR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.40-0.89) in the telemedicine arm, and fewer unplanned coronary revascularizations (3% in telemedicine arm vs 9% in standard therapy arm). The occurrence of chest pain (9% vs 24%), breathlessness (21% vs 39%), and dizziness (6% vs 18%) at 6 months was lower in the telemedicine group. The TELE-ACS study has shown that a telemedicine-based approach for the management of patients following ACS was associated with a reduction in hospital readmission, ED visits, unplanned coronary revascularization, and patient-reported symptoms. (Telemedicine in High-Risk Cardiovascular Patients Post-ACS [TELE-ACS]; NCT05015634) [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total coronary atherosclerotic plaque activity across the entire coronary arterial tree is associated with patient-level clinical outcomes. We aimed to investigate whether vessel-level coronary atherosclerotic plaque activity is associated with vessel-level myocardial infarction. In this secondary analysis of an international multicenter study of patients with recent myocardial infarction and multivessel coronary artery disease, we assessed vessel-level coronary atherosclerotic plaque activity using coronary 18F-sodium fluoride positron emission tomography to identify vessel-level myocardial infarction. Increased 18F-sodium fluoride uptake was found in 679 of 2,094 coronary arteries and 414 of 691 patients. Myocardial infarction occurred in 24 (4%) vessels with increased coronary atherosclerotic plaque activity and in 25 (2%) vessels without increased coronary atherosclerotic plaque activity (HR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.16-3.72; P = 0.013). This association was not demonstrable in those treated with coronary revascularization (HR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.47-2.25) but was notable in untreated vessels (HR: 3.86; 95% CI: 1.63-9.10; P interaction = 0.024). Increased coronary atherosclerotic plaque activity in multiple coronary arteries was associated with heightened patient-level risk of cardiac death or myocardial infarction (HR: 2.43; 95% CI: 1.37-4.30; P = 0.002) as well as first (HR: 2.19; 95% CI: 1.18-4.06; P = 0.013) and total (HR: 2.50; 95% CI: 1.42-4.39; P = 0.002) myocardial infarctions. In patients with recent myocardial infarction and multivessel coronary artery disease, coronary atherosclerotic plaque activity prognosticates individual coronary arteries and patients at risk for myocardial infarction. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite impressive improvements in the care of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, mortality remains high. Reperfusion is necessary for myocardial salvage, but the abrupt return of flow sets off a cascade of injurious processes that can lead to further necrosis. This has been termed myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and is the subject of this review. The pathologic and molecular bases for myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury are increasingly understood and include injury from reactive oxygen species, inflammation, calcium overload, endothelial dysfunction, and impaired microvascular flow. A variety of pharmacologic strategies have been developed that have worked well in preclinical models and some have shown promise in the clinical setting. In addition, there are newer mechanical approaches including mechanical unloading of the heart prior to reperfusion that are in current clinical trials. [Display omitted] • MIRI exacerbates myocardial necrosis in patients with STEMI, contributing to mortality. • MIRI is mediated by varying combinations of ROS, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, impaired microvascular flow, and other factors. • A variety of pharmacologic and mechanical strategies that mitigate MIRI in preclinical models have shown promise in clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AEGIS-II trial hypothesized that CSL112, an intravenous formulation of human apoA-I, would lower the risk of plaque disruption, decreasing the risk of recurrent events such as myocardial infarction (MI) among high-risk patients with MI. This exploratory analysis evaluates the effect of CSL112 therapy on the incidence of cardiovascular (CV) death and recurrent MI. The AEGIS-II trial was an international, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that randomized 18,219 high-risk acute MI patients to 4 weekly infusions of apoA-I (6 g CSL112) or placebo. The incidence of the composite of CV death and type 1 MI was 11% to 16% lower in the CSL112 group over the study period (HR: 0.84; 95% CI: 0.7-1.0; P = 0.056 at day 90; HR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.74-0.99; P = 0.048 at day 180; and HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.79-1.01; P = 0.07 at day 365). Similarly, the incidence of CV death or any MI was numerically lower in CSL112-treated patients throughout the follow-up period (HR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.80-1.05 at day 90, HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.79-0.996 at day 180, HR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.83-1.01 at day 365). The effect of CSL112 treatment on MI was predominantly observed for type 1 MI and type 4b (MI due to stent thrombosis). Although CSL112 did not significantly reduce the occurrence of the primary study endpoints, patients treated with CSL112 infusions had numerically lower rates of CV death and MI, type-1 MI, and stent thrombosis–related MI compared with placebo. These findings could suggest a role of apoA-I in reducing subsequent plaque disruption events via enhanced cholesterol efflux. Further prospective data would be needed to confirm these observations. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent guidelines from the European Society of Cardiology recommends using high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) in either 0/1-h or 0/2-h algorithms to identify or rule out acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Several studies have reported good diagnostic accuracy with both algorithms, but few have compared the algorithms directly. We aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the algorithms head-to-head, in the same patients. This was a secondary analysis of data from a prospective observational study; 1167 consecutive patients presenting with chest pain to the emergency department at Skåne University Hospital (Lund, Sweden) were enrolled. Only patients with a hs-cTnT sample at presentation AND after 1 AND 2 h were included in the analysis. We compared sensitivity, specificity, and negative (NPV) and positive predictive value (PPV). The primary outcome was index visit AMI. A total of 710 patients were included, of whom 56 (7.9%) had AMI. Both algorithms had a sensitivity of 98.2% and an NPV of 99.8% for ruling out AMI, but the 0/2-h algorithm ruled out significantly more patients (69.3% vs. 66.2%, p < 0.001). For rule-in, the 0/2-h algorithm had higher PPV (73.4% vs. 65.2%) and slightly better specificity (97.4% vs. 96.3%, p = 0.016) than the 0/1-h algorithm. Both algorithms had good diagnostic accuracy, with a slight advantage for the 0/2-h algorithm. Which algorithm to implement may thus depend on practical issues such as the ability to exploit the theoretical time saved with the 0/1-h algorithm. Further studies comparing the algorithms in combination with electrocardiography, history, or risk scores are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ezetimibe with statins during acute coronary syndrome associated with better outcomes. • An addition lowering of LDL-C by 19.55 mg/dl seen at 7-days. • Peak additional LDL-C lowering by 24.67 mg/dl seen by 1-month. • Durable additional LDL-C lowering by 18.0 mg/dl seen by 3-months therapy. • Durable additional LDL-C lowering by 16.90 mg/dl seen by 10–12-months therapy. Scant data is available on the efficacy and safety of adding ezetimibe to high-intensity statin therapy for early and rapid reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) within 4–12 weeks of an acute-event in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We undertook this meta-analysis to address this knowledge-gap. Electronic databases were searched for RCTs involving patients with ACS receiving ezetimibe in intervention arm, and placebo/active comparator in control arm. Primary outcome was to evaluate changes in LDL-C levels post-ACS. Secondary outcomes were to evaluate alterations in other lipid parameters and adverse events. From initially screened 4561 articles, data from 11 studies (20,291 patients) were analyzed. Compared to controls, patients receiving ezetimibe had significantly lower LDL-C at 7-days [MD -19.55 mg/dl(95 %CI:–36.46 to –2.63); P = 0.02; I 2 = 91 %], 1-month [MD-24.67 mg/dl (95 %CI:–34.59 to –14.76); P < 0.001; I 2 = 81 %], 3-months [MD -18.01 mg/dl(95 %CI:–24.11 to –11.90); P < 0.001; I 2 = 92 %] and 10–12 months [MD -16.90 mg/dl (95 % CI: –17.67 to –16.12); P < 0.001; I 2 = 0 %] of treatment. Compared to controls, patients receiving ezetimibe had significantly lower total cholesterol at 7-days [MD-21.05 mg/dl(95 %CI:–26.73 to –15.37); P < 0.001; I 2 = 0 %], 1-month [MD-25.56 mg/dl(95 %CI:–38.29 to –12.83); P < 0.001; I 2 = 85 %], 3-months [MD-22.54 mg/dl(95 %CI:–36.90 to –8.19); P = 0.002; I 2 = 22 %] and 12-months [MD-19.68 mg/dl(95 %CI:–20.78 to –18.59); P < 0.001; I 2 = 0 %] of treatment. Death from any cause, ACS and non-fatal stroke [OR0.89(95 %CI:0.83–0.96); P = 0.002; I 2 = 0 %], non-fatal myocardial infarction [OR0.86(95 %CI:0.79–0.94); P = 0.001; I 2 = 0 %] and ischemic stroke [OR0.80(95 %CI:0.68–0.94); P = 0.009; I 2 = 0 %] was significantly reduced in patients receiving ezetimibe. Addition of ezetimibe to high-intensity statin therapy at the time of ACS event is associated with significantly better cholesterol reduction at day-7,1-month, 3- months and 1-year of follow-up, which translates into a significantly lower recurrent cardiovascular events post an index event of ACS. Addition of ezetimibe to high-intensity statin therapy at the time of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) index event is associated with significantly better low density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol reduction at day-7, 1-month, 3-months and 1-year of follow-up, which translates into a significantly lower recurrent cardiovascular events (death from any cause, major ACS, non-fatal stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke) post an index event of ACS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The percutaneous management of chronic total occlusions (CTO) is a well-established sub-specialty of Interventional Cardiology, requiring specialist equipment, training, and techniques. The heterogeneity of approaches in CTO has led to the generation of multiple algorithms to guide operators in their management. The evidence base for management of CTOs has suffered from inconsistent descriptive and quantitative terminology in defining the nature of lesions and techniques utilised, as well as seemingly contradictory data about improvement in ventricular function, symptoms of angina, and mortality from large-scale registries and randomised controlled trials. Through this review, we explore the history of CTO management and its supporting evidence in detail, with an outline of limitations of CTO-percutaneous coronary intervention and a look at the future of this growing field within cardiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolites in biofluids can serve as biomarkers for diagnosing diseases and monitoring body conditions. Among the available biofluids, interstitial fluid (ISF) in the skin has garnered considerable attention owing to its advantages, which include inability to clot, easy access to the skin, and possibility of incorporating wearable devices. However, the scientific understanding of skin ISF composition is limited. In this study, we aimed to compare metabolites between skin dialysate containing metabolites from the skin ISF and venous blood (plasma) samples, both collected under resting states. We collected forearm skin dialysate using intradermal microdialysis alongside venous blood (plasma) samples from 12 healthy young adults. We analyzed these samples using capillary electrophoresis–fourier transform mass spectrometry–based metabolomics (CE–FTMS). Significant positive correlations were observed in 39 metabolites between the skin dialysate and plasma, including creatine (a mitochondrial disease biomarker), 1-methyladenosine (an early detection of cancer biomarker), and trimethylamine N-oxide (a posterior predictor of heart failure biomarker). Based on the Human Metabolome Technologies database, we identified 12 metabolites unique to forearm skin dialysate including nucleic acids, benzoate acids, fatty acids, amino acids, ascorbic acid, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol (an Alzheimer's disease biomarker), and cysteic acid (an acute myocardial infarction biomarker). We show that some venous blood biomarkers may be predicted from skin dialysate or skin ISF, and that these fluids may serve as diagnostic and monitoring tools for health and clinical conditions. • Skin interstitial fluid offers non-clotting, easy access from the skin surface. • Identified 12 key metabolites in skin dialysate by using CE–FTMS–based metabolomics. • Skin dialysate positively correlates with plasma in 39 metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression and anxiety may be significant prognostic factors after myocardial infarction (MI). Thus, we investigated depression and anxiety prevalence among older MI survivors and their impact on mortality, stroke, and recurrent MI. This population-based cohort study used the Korean National Health Insurance Service database for data concerning individuals aged 66 years who participated in the National Screening Program from 2009 to 2016. Overall, 11,721 individuals with MI history and 58,605 age- and sex-matched controls were included and followed up until 2019. The presence of depression and anxiety was assessed 2 years before and after participation in the program. Mortality and major adverse outcomes, defined as a composite outcome comprising mortality, stroke, and recurrent MI, were analyzed. Depression and anxiety prevalence among MI survivors was 20.4 % and 30.3 %, respectively. Crude odds ratios for depression and anxiety, compared with the control group, were 1.207 (1.148–1.269) and 1.078 (1.032–1.126), respectively. During the follow-up, individuals with depression, anxiety, or both showed increased hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality and major adverse outcomes; after adjustments, their HRs were 1.442 (1.182–1.759), 1.129 (0.960–1.328), and 1.498 (1.263–1.776), respectively, for mortality and 1.505 (1.289–1.758), 1.158 (1.021–1.314), and 1.530 (1.337–1.751), respectively, for major adverse outcomes. Although this was a nationwide cohort study, the MI, depression, and anxiety diagnoses were based on diagnostic codes. Higher depression and anxiety prevalence was observed among older MI survivors. Depression and anxiety occurrence correlated with increased adverse clinical outcomes after adjustments. [Display omitted] • A higher prevalence of depression and anxiety was observed in older myocardial infarction (MI) survivors. • The presence of depression and anxiety was associated with adverse clinical outcomes. • Cardiac rehabilitation models should prioritize the identification and management of depression and anxiety after MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the increasing lifetime burden of non-major cardiovascular conditions on risk for a subsequent major adverse cardiovascular event among survivors of childhood cancer has not been assessed. We aimed to characterise the prevalence of major adverse cardiovascular events and their association with the cumulative burden of non-major adverse cardiovascular events in childhood cancer survivors. This is a longitudinal cohort study with participant data obtained from an ongoing cohort study at St Jude Children's Research Hospital: the St Jude Lifetime Cohort Study (SJLIFE). Prospective clinical follow-up was of 5-year survivors of childhood cancer who were diagnosed when aged younger than 25 years from 1962 to 2012. Age-frequency, sex-frequency, and race-frequency matched community-control participants completed a similar one-time clinical assessment. 22 cardiovascular events were graded using a St Jude Children's Research Hospital-modified version of the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.03). Cumulative incidence and burden of the primary outcome of major adverse cardiovascular events (cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, stroke, and other cardiovascular-related mortality) were estimated. Rate ratios (RR) of the association of major adverse cardiovascular events with 22 non-major adverse cardiovascular events were estimated using multivariable piecewise-exponential regression adjusting for attained age, age at diagnosis, sex, race and ethnicity, treatment era, diagnosis of diabetes, and exposure to cardiotoxic cancer therapies. The St Jude Lifetime Cohort study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT00760656 , and is ongoing. 9602 5-year survivors of childhood cancer, and 737 community controls were included in the longitudinal follow-up (from Sept 13, 2007, to Dec 17, 2021). The median follow-up was 20·3 years (IQR 12·0–31·4) from the date of primary cancer diagnosis (4311 [44.9%] were females). By the age of 50 years (analysis stopped at age 50 years due to the low number of participants older than that age), the cumulative incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events among survivors was 17·7% (95% CI 15·9–19·5) compared with 0·9% (0·0–2·1) in the community controls. The cumulative burden of major adverse cardiovascular events in survivors was 0·26 (95% CI 0·23–0·29) events per survivor compared with 0·009 (0·000–0·021) events per community control participant. Increasing cumulative burden of grade 1–4 non-major adverse cardiovascular events was associated with an increased future risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (one condition: RR 4·3, 95% CI 3·1–6·0; p<0·0001; two conditions: 6·6, 4·6–9·5; p<0·0001; and three conditions: 7·7, 5·1–11·4; p<0·0001). Increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events was observed with specific subclinical conditions (eg, grade 1 arrhythmias [RR 1·5, 95% CI 1·2–2·0; p=0·0017]), grade 2 left ventricular systolic dysfunction (2·2, 1·6–3·1; p<0·0001), grade 2 valvular disorders (2·2, 1·2–4·0; p=0·013), but not grade 1 hypercholesterolaemia, grade 1–2 hypertriglyceridaemia, or grade 1–2 vascular stenosis. Among an ageing cohort of survivors of childhood cancer, the accumulation of non-major adverse cardiovascular events, including subclinical conditions, increased the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events and should be the focus of interventions for early detection and prevention of major adverse cardiovascular events. The US National Cancer Institute and the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are strong associations between oxygen desaturations and cardiovascular outcomes. Additionally, oxygen resaturation rates are linked to excessive daytime sleepiness independent of oxygen desaturation severity. No studies have yet looked at the independent effects of comorbidities or medications on resaturation parameters. The Sleep Heart Health Study data was utilised to derive oxygen saturation parameters from 5804 participants. Participants with a history of comorbidities or medication usage were compared against healthy participants with no comorbidity/medication history. 4293 participants (50.4% female, median age 64 years) were included in the analysis. Females recorded significantly faster resaturation rates (mean 0.61%/s) than males (mean 0.57%/s, p < 0.001), regardless of comorbidities. After adjusting for demographics, sleep parameters, and desaturation parameters, resaturation rate was reduced with hypertension (-0.09 (95% CI -0.16, -0.03)), myocardial infarction (-0.13 (95% CI -0.21, -0.04)) and heart failure (-0.19 (95% CI -0.33, -0.05)), or when using anti-hypertensives (-0.10 (95% CI -0.17, -0.03)), mental health medications (-0.18 (95% CI -0.27, -0.08)) or anticoagulants (-0.41 (95% CI -0.56, -0.26)). Desaturation to Resaturation ratio for duration was decreased with mental health (-0.21 (95% CI -0.34, -0.08)) or diabetic medications (-0.24 (95% CI -0.41, -0.07)), and desaturation to resaturation ratio for area decreased with heart failure (-0.25 (95% CI -0.42, -0.08)). Comorbidities and medications significantly affect nocturnal resaturation parameters, independent of desaturation parameters. However, the causal relationship remains unclear. Further research can enhance our knowledge and develop more precise and safer interventions for individuals affected by certain comorbidities. • Oxygen resaturation rate is faster in females (0.61 %/s) than in males (0.57 %/s). • Oxygen resaturation rate is slowed with hypertension or myocardial infarction. • Mental health medications and anticoagulants significantly slowed resaturation rates. • Resaturation rate was not associated with ESS scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While females have been found to have a higher rate of procedural complications with transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) than males, the effect of valve choice has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the impact of gender and choice of balloon or self-expanding valve on TAVI complications. Data from patients who received a TAVI in our institution from January 2016 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 971 patients were included and divided into self-expanding valve (n = 315) and balloon-expandable valve (n = 656) groups. The endpoints were 30-day mortality, need for a new pacemaker, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) which is defined as cardiac arrest, stroke, myocardial infarction, major bleeding, and unplanned vascular surgery/intervention. There were more females in the self-expanding valve group than in the balloon-expandable valve group (64.1 % vs. 43.6 %: p < 0.0001). There is no significant difference in the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, current smoker, hemodialysis, and the STS risk score between the 2 groups. Females had a higher rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (3.7 % in men vs. 6.8 % in women; p = 0.043), which was driven mostly by vascular complications. This difference was particularly observed in the self-expanding valve group (2.7 % in men vs. 9.4 % in women; p = 0.036). TAVI complications were more common in females than males, driven mostly by vascular complications. This difference was particularly observed in woman treated with a self-expanding valve. Particular attention should be given to access choices in females undergoing TAVI. • We investigated the impact of gender and type of TAVI valve on complications. • Vascular complication was more common in females than males. • This gender difference was mainly observed in patients with self-expanding valve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (Cas9) gene editing holds immense potential for genetic manipulation, its clinical application is hindered by the absence of an efficient heart-targeted drug delivery system. Herein, we developed CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-loaded extracellular vesicles (EVs) conjugated with cardiac-targeting peptide (T) for precise cardiac-specific genome editing. RNP complexes containing Cas9 and single guide RNA targeting miR-34a, an MI-associated molecular target, were loaded into EVs (EV@RNP). Gene editing by EV@RNP attenuated hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in cardiomyocytes via miR-34a inhibition, evidenced by increased B-cell lymphoma 2 levels, decreased Bcl-2-associated X protein levels, and the cleavage of caspase-3. Additionally, to improve cardiac targeting in vivo , we used click chemistry to form functional T-EV@RNP by conjugating T peptides to EV@RNP. Consequently, T-EV@RNP-mediated miR-34a genome editing might exert a protective effect against MI, reducing apoptosis, ameliorating MI injury, and facilitating the recovery of cardiac function. In conclusion, the genome editing delivery system established by loading CRISPR/Cas9 RNP with cardiac-targeting EVs is a powerful approach for precise and tissue-specific gene therapy for cardiovascular disease. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful analytical technique in metabolomics, enabling the identification and quantification of metabolites. However, analyzing MS data poses challenges such as batch effects, outliers, and high-dimensional data. In this paper, we propose a comprehensive framework for MS data analysis. The framework integrates data calibration, outlier detection, and automatic classification modules. Data calibration is performed using a deep autoencoder to remove batch effects. Outlier detection combines multiple algorithms through ensemble learning to identify and remove outliers. Automatic classification utilizes a transformer model to handle high-dimensional data and capture global feature relationships. Experimental results on myocardial infarction (MI) and coronary heart disease (CHD) datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the framework. It outperforms traditional classification models and achieves higher accuracy. The proposed framework provides a robust solution for MS data analysis, facilitating more accurate classification and enabling reliable biological insights in metabolomics research. [Display omitted] • Novel framework integrates three steps for MS data analysis. • Deep AE removes batch effects, while an ensemble approach removes outliers. • Transformer captures intrinsic relationships in MS data for accurate classification. • The framework provides a comprehensive solution to improve classification accuracy. • The framework also facilitates reliable biological insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac complications after major noncardiac surgery are common and associated with high morbidity and mortality. How preoperative use of beta-blockers may impact perioperative cardiac complications remains unclear. In a multicentre prospective cohort study, preoperative beta-blocker use was ascertained in consecutive patients at elevated cardiovascular risk undergoing major noncardiac surgery. Cardiac complications were prospectively monitored and centrally adjudicated by two independent experts. The primary endpoint was perioperative myocardial infarction or injury attributable to a cardiac cause (cardiac PMI) within the first three postoperative days. The secondary endpoints were major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as a composite of myocardial infarction, acute heart failure, life-threatening arrhythmia, and cardiovascular death and all-cause death after 365 days. We used inverse probability of treatment weighting to account for differences between patients receiving beta-blockers and those who did not. A total of 3839/10 272 (37.4%) patients (mean age 74 yr; 44.8% female) received beta-blockers before surgery. Patients on beta-blockers were older, and more likely to be male with established cardiorespiratory and chronic kidney disease. Cardiac PMI occurred in 1077 patients, with a weighted odds ratio of 1.03 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94–1.12, P =0.55) for patients on beta-blockers. Within 365 days of surgery, 971/10 272 (9.5%) MACE had occurred, with a weighted hazard ratio of 0.99 (95% CI 0.83–1.18, P =0.90) for patients on beta-blockers. Preoperative use of beta-blockers was not associated with decreased cardiac complications including cardiac perioperative myocardial infarction or injury and major adverse cardiac event. Additionally, preoperative use of beta-blockers was not associated with increased all-cause death within 30 and 365 days. NCT02573532. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this systematic review was to characterize the association between tobacco use and postoperative outcomes, complications, and revision rates following shoulder arthroplasty through a systematic review of the literature. The PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase databases were queried for studies published between January 1, 1985, and April 18, 2023, comparing outcomes following both anatomic and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) between tobacco users and nontobacco users. Studies with a level of evidence IV or greater were included, while case reports, systematic reviews, basic science studies, and studies including revision arthroplasty were excluded. American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores, simple shoulder test scores, visual analog scale for pain, complications, readmissions, and reoperations were reported. A total of 20 unique studies including 338,117 shoulder arthroplasties (38,225 [11.3%] performed on tobacco users) were included in this review. Patient-reported outcome measures, including American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, simple shoulder test, and visual analog scale, were overall superior in nontobacco users compared to tobacco users. Similarly, tobacco users had lower patient acceptable symptomatic state achievement, worse Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores (odds ratio 0.647; 95% confidence interval, 0.324-1.293; P =.0221), and worse constant scores (odds ratio, 0.478; 95% confidence interval, 0.251-0.909; P =.027). Tobacco users demonstrated a higher rate of complications in four of the eight included studies. Two included studies found higher rates of readmission in tobacco users (15.3% vs. 13.6%, P =.007 and 7.8% vs. 7.1%, P =.001), though six included studies found no significant difference in readmissions. Nine of 11 studies that included reoperation as a variable found higher rates of reoperation in tobacco users, with three reaching statistical significance (P <.05). Tobacco users experienced higher rates of gastrointestinal complications (0.07% vs. 0.01%, P =.021), acute renal failure (2.5% vs. 1.9%, P =.005), acute respiratory distress (1.3% vs. 0.9%, P =.002), need for ventilator assistance (1.2% vs. 0.7%, P <.001), instability of the prosthesis (P <.001), pneumonia (P <.001), sepsis (P =.001), and myocardial infarction (P <.001). Smokers also demonstrated increased postoperative opioid use (2643 mg oral morphine equivalents) compared to nonsmokers (2121 mg) and former smokers (2015 mg; P =.04). Tobacco use is associated with inferior outcomes after TSA, including lower patient-reported outcome measures, increased complications, and higher reoperation rates. Further high-level, prospective studies with long-term follow-up are required to further elucidate the impact of tobacco use on long-term postoperative outcomes following TSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA) remains a viable treatment option in elderly patients with proximal humerus fractures (PHF). However, the risk profile of this procedure in this patient population has not been well established by prior studies. The aim of this study is to examine whether there are differences in sociodemographic variables, underlying medical comorbidities, and 90-day outcomes between patients undergoing rTSA for osteoarthritis (OA) vs. PHF. We hypothesized that patients with PHF would be older and have higher comorbidity burden compared to glenohumeral OA controls. Furthermore, we hypothesized that rTSA would yield inferior outcomes and higher costs of care in patients with PHF compared to glenohumeral OA. Patients who underwent primary rTSA from 2016 to 2020 were identified in the Premier Healthcare Database. PHF patients were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision diagnosis codes and compared to OA controls. All patients < 18 years old and those who underwent rTSA for other indications were excluded. Patients were matched in a 2:1 fashion based on age (± 3 years), sex, race, and presence of pertinent comorbidities. Patient demographics, hospital factors, comorbidities and 90-day surgical (wound complications, dislocation, periprosthetic fracture, periprosthetic joint infection, stiffness, loosening, mechanical complications, and revision) and medical (deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, respiratory failure, renal failure, stroke, myocardial infarction, and sepsis) complications and readmission were compared between the two cohorts. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were employed with significance set at P <.05. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval were calculated. Before matching 51,150 OA controls and 11,394 PHF cases were identified. After matching, 8661 PHF cases were matched to 17,332 controls. Regarding surgical complications, PHF patients were at significantly increased risk of periprosthetic fracture (OR 2.35), dislocation (OR 2.87), superficial wound infection (OR 5.51), periprosthetic joint infection (OR 1.91) and 90-day revision (OR 4.76). PHF patients were at increased risk of all medical complications examined including hemorrhage (OR 2.20), anemia (OR 2.78) deep vein thrombosis (OR 3.10), pulmonary embolism (OR 2.83), pneumonia (OR 2.93), respiratory failure (OR 3.37), pneumonia (OR 2.93), stroke (OR 2.61), myocardial infarction (OR 2.79), acute renal failure (OR 4.06), urinary tract infection (OR 5.50) and sepsis (OR 3.71) as well as 90-day readmission (OR 2.13). Patients undergoing rTSA for PHF are at significantly increased risk of complications compared to OA controls. Furthermore, these patients are at increased risk of 90-day readmission. These findings should prompt diligent preoperative risk stratification by surgeons and healthcare providers to prevent patient morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Medical Imaging & Radiation Sciences is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Española de Cardiología (18855857) is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Compared with the seven-step exercise, the sitting baduanjin combined with the seven-step exercise imparts cardiovascular and psychological rehabilitation. • To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the autonomic neuromodulation ability of patients with AMI after the intervention of seated baduanjin by measuring HRV. • The application of sitting baduanjin in primary cardiac rehabilitation can significantly improve heart rate variability and cardiac autonomic nervous functions. Early cardiac rehabilitation plays a crucial role in the recovery of patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study sought to determine the effect of a program of sitting Baduanjin exercises on early cardiac rehabilitation. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of sitting Baduanjin exercises on cardiovascular and psychosocial functions in patients with STEMI following PCI. This quasi-experimental study employed a randomized, non-equivalent group design. Patients in the intervention group received daily sitting Baduanjin training in addition to a series of seven-step rehabilitation exercises, whereas those in the control group received only the seven-step rehabilitation training, twice daily. Differences in heart rate variability (HRV) indicators, exercise capacity (Six-Minute Walking Distance; 6-MWD), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7; GAD-7), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; PHQ-9) between the two study groups during hospitalization were analyzed. Patients in the intervention group exhibited lower rates of abnormalities in the time domain and frequency domain parameters of HRV. The median scores of GAD-7 and PHQ-9 in both groups were lower than those at the time of admission, with the intervention group exhibiting lower scores than the control group (P < 0.001; P < 0.001, respectively). The 6-MWD after the intervention was greater in the intervention group compared to the control group (P = 0.014). We found that sitting Baduanjin training has the potential to enhance HRV, cardiac function, and psychological well-being in patients with STEMI after PCI. This intervention can potentially improve the exercise capacity of a patient before discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to daily energy intake and, therefore, their health effects may vary between countries. We aimed to investigate the association between UPFs and the incidence risk of cardiovascular events (CVEs) and cardiovascular mortality in the Isfahan cohort study. In 2001, 6504 participants aged ≥35 years were enrolled and followed until 2017. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and the NOVA system was applied for UPF classification. Any new case of CVE, including fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke, unstable angina (UA), and CVD death, was recorded. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated through Cox proportional hazards regression models. A total number of 819 CVE, 164 MI, 348 UA, 172 strokes, and 181 cardiovascular deaths were recorded during 61352.5 person-years of follow-up. The median (IQR) of UPF consumption was 2.47 (1.00–5.23) times/week. In the fully adjusted model, individuals in the fourth quartile of UPFs had no higher risk for incident MI and UA (HR = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.46; P for trend = 0.364), stroke (HR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.58, 1.46; P for trend = 0.601), cardiovascular mortality (HR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.61, 1.47; P for trend = 0.596), and CVE (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.88,1.34; P for trend = 0.515) in comparison with those in the first quartile. This mid-term prospective cohort study provides no evidence for a significant association between UPF and CVE risk. Longer studies are required to confirm this association. • The contribution of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to daily energy intake and, therefore, their health effects vary between countries. • The median (IQR) of UPF consumption was 2.47 (1–5.23) times/week. • Higher consumption of UPFs was not associated with the risk for incident MI, UA, and stroke. • No association was found between UPF consumption and cardiovascular events. • UPFs were not related to the increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural Australians with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) face higher mortality rates due to limited access to specialised cardiac services. Paramedic-administered prehospital thrombolysis (PHT) has emerged as an alternative to primary percutaneous intervention (pPCI) for patients facing barriers or delays to cardiac care. There is variability in PHT practices among Australian ambulance services, lacking standardised definitions and outcome measures. The aim of this scoping review was to identify quality indicators and influencing factors associated with outcomes for patients receiving PHT. A systematic search of literature in SCOPUS and Academic Search Complete, CINAHL and Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition databases via EBSCO (Health) was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Peer-reviewed studies from the past decade were screened using search criteria relevant to prehospital thrombolysis and quality indicators. Data extraction was performed and themed using five domains from the Utstein-style template commonly known for standardised prehospital cardiac arrest reporting. After removing duplicates, the search yielded 3596 articles with 28 empirical studies meeting inclusion criteria for the review. These were primarily retrospective cohort studies performed in Australia, Canada and the United States. The scoping review identified 24 clinical quality indicators and factors related to Emergency Medical Service (EMS) systems, AMI recognition and ambulance dispatch, patient variables, PHT processes and patient outcomes. These findings correlate to the Donabedian structure-process-outcome quality of care model and have utility to inform future PHT reporting guidelines for jurisdictional ambulance services. Given the variability in prehospital practice across Australian ambulance services, standardised reporting on quality indicators for PHT is needed. The Utstein-style template used to report data on pre-hospital cardiac arrest, trauma and airway management could be used for quality improvement in PHT. This review presents 24 quality indicators representing system, recognition and response, patient, process, and outcomes related to PHT. These results could be used to inform a future Delphi study and Utstein-like reporting guideline for prehospital thrombolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of new and functional cardiomyocytes requires a 3-step process: dedifferentiation, proliferation, and redifferentiation, but the critical genes required for efficient dedifferentiation, proliferation, and redifferentiation remain unknown. In our study, a circular trajectory using single-nucleus RNA sequencing of the pericentriolar material 1 positive (PCM1+) cardiomyocyte nuclei from hearts 1 and 3 days after surgery-induced myocardial infarction (MI) on postnatal Day 1 was reconstructed and demonstrated that actin remodeling contributed to the dedifferentiation, proliferation, and redifferentiation of cardiomyocytes after injury. We identified four top actin-remodeling regulators, namely Tmsb4x , Tmsb10 , Dmd , and Ctnna3 , which we collectively referred to as 2D2P. Transiently expressed changes of 2D2P, using a polycistronic non-integrating lentivirus driven by Tnnt2 (cardiac-specific troponin T) promoters (Tnnt2-2D2P-NIL), efficiently induced transiently proliferative activation and actin remodeling in postnatal Day 7 cardiomyocytes and adult hearts. Furthermore, the intramyocardial delivery of Tnnt2-2D2P-NIL resulted in a sustained improvement in cardiac function without ventricular dilatation, thickened septum, or fatal arrhythmia for at least 4 months. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of actin remodeling in cardiac regeneration and provides a foundation for new gene-cocktail-therapy approaches to improve cardiac repair and treat heart failure using a novel transient and cardiomyocyte-specific viral construct. Transient transfection of the 2D2P genes (Tmsb4x , Tmsb10 , Dmd , and Ctnna3) promotes actin cytoskeletal remodeling and cardiac regeneration, which is associated with the dedifferentiation, proliferation, and redifferentiation of cardiomyocytes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and challenges the capacity of health care systems globally. Atherosclerosis is the underlying pathophysiological entity in two-thirds of patients with CVD. When considering that atherosclerosis develops over decades, there is potentially great opportunity for prevention of associated events such as myocardial infarction and stroke. Subclinical atherosclerosis has been identified in its early stages in young individuals; however, there is no consensus on how to prevent progression to symptomatic disease. Given the growing burden of CVD, a paradigm shift is required—moving from late management of atherosclerotic CVD to earlier detection during the subclinical phase with the goal of potential cure or prevention of events. Studies must focus on how precision medicine using imaging and circulating biomarkers may identify atherosclerosis earlier and determine whether such a paradigm shift would lead to overall cost savings for global health. [Display omitted] • Early-stage subclinical atherosclerosis can be identified in young individuals, but evidence-based strategies are needed to prevent progression of disease and clinical events. • Precision medicine using imaging and circulating biomarkers could facilitate early identification of atherosclerosis and the development of curative interventions. • A paradigm shift based on these principles could reduce the global burden of CVD with enormous implications for population health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the procedural characteristics, case volumes, and mortality rates for early- vs non–early-career interventional cardiologists in the United States. This study examined operator-level data for patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between April 2018 and June 2022. Data were collected from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI Registry, American Board of Internal Medicine certification database, and National Plan and Provider Enumeration System database. Early-career operators were within 5 years of the end of training. Annual case volume, expected mortality and bleeding risk, and observed/predicted mortality and bleeding outcomes were evaluated. A total of 1,451 operators were early career; 1,011 changed their career status during the study; and 6,251 were non–early career. Overall, 514,540 patients were treated by early-career and 2,296,576 patients by non–early-career operators. The median annual case volume per operator was 59 (Q1-Q3: 31-97) for early-career and 57 (Q1-Q3: 28-100) for non–early-career operators. Early-career operators were more likely to treat patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and urgent indications for PCI (both P < 0.001). The median predicted mortality risk was 2.0% (Q1-Q3: 1.5%-2.7%) for early-career and 1.8% (Q1-Q3: 1.2%-2.4%) for non–early-career operators. The median predicted bleeding risk was 4.9% (Q1-Q3: 4.2%-5.7%) for early-career and 4.4% (Q1-Q3: 3.7%-5.3%) for non–early-career operators. After adjustment, an increased risk of mortality (OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.05-1.17; P < 0.0001) and bleeding (OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.05-1.12; P < 0.0001) were associated with early-career status. Early-career operators are caring for patients with more acute presentations and higher predicted risk of mortality and bleeding compared with more experienced colleagues, with modestly worse outcomes. These data should inform institutional practices to support the development of early-career proceduralists. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]