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Affective empathy is generally considered an important inhibitor of aggression. However, the meta-analysis studies on the relationship between affective empathy and aggression have challenged this common-sense view and found no substantial correlation between the two variables. We proposed a double-edged sword model to explain this counterintuitive phenomenon and tested this model by establishing an inconsistent mediation model. A total of 663 college students in China (59.1% female; Mage = 20.69 years) completed questionnaires measuring affective empathy, sympathy, personal distress, anger proneness, and physical aggression. The results showed that on the one hand, affective empathy can indirectly inhibit physical aggression by increasing sympathy; on the other hand, affective empathy can indirectly promote physical aggression through the serial mediation of personal distress and anger proneness. Such two pathways offset each other, leading to an insignificant relation observation between affective empathy and physical aggression. The findings revealed the complexity of the relationship between affective empathy and aggression, which suggested that more efforts to reduce aggression should be made to develop individuals' sympathy, while affective empathy training should be moderate to avoid excessive empathic emotional arousal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have demonstrated that non-invasive liver fibrosis scores (LFSs) are associated with kidney function deterioration. This study aimed to assess the predictive performance of LFSs in contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This retrospective study involved 5627 patients. The frequency of CA-AKI was 6.3% (n = 353). In a multivariate logistic analysis after adjustment, non-invasive LFSs, including fibrosis-5 score (FIB-5), fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4), aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio (AAR), and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index were independent risk factors for CA-AKI (all P <.05), whereas the Forns score was not (P >.05). The highest predictive performance was observed for FIB-5 (area under the curve [AUC] =.644) compared to other LFSs. A restricted cubic spline analysis confirmed approximately linear relationships between LFSs and risks of CA-AKI. Furthermore, adding FIB-5 (AUC =.747; net reclassification improvement [NRI] =.441, P <.001; integrated discrimination improvement [IDI] =.008, P <.001) or AAR (AUC =.747; NRI =.419, P <.001; IDI =.006, P =.010) to an established clinical risk model could significantly improve the prediction of CA-AKI. The LFSs were significantly associated with CA-AKI, possibly serving as predictive tools for early identification of CAD patients undergoing elective PCI that are at high risk of CA-AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the management and outcomes among hospitalized patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, peripheral artery disease (PAD), or with multiple (≥2) cardiovascular (CV) risk factors (multiple risk factors [MRFs]). We retrospectively studied 3732 hospitalized patients of either CV disease or ≥2 risk factors for atherothrombosis from October 2004 to January 2005. Outcomes included CV death, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and hospitalization for atherothrombotic events. About one-third had disease involving ≥1 vascular bed. Medication was more intense in patients with CAD than in others. The lowest use of statins and antiplatelet treatment was in the PAD-only group. Patients with PAD experienced a higher CV mortality (5.1%) than the patients with CAD (3.73%) or stroke (4.1%), P < .001. Cardiovascular death ranged from 1.2% for patients with MRFs, 2.8% for patients with 1-bed disease, 4.7% for patients with 2-bed disease to 6.4% for patients with 3-bed disease (P for trend <.001). For hospitalized patients with established atherosclerotic arterial disease, a substantial increase in CV event rates occurs with increasing numbers of affected arterial beds. Patients with PAD were at an especially high risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transradial approach (TRA) has been used as access site for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for years. However, no large sample study has evaluated the effect of TRA in elderly patients. A total of 1098 elderly patients (age ≥ 75 years) who underwent PCI by TRA or transfemoral approach were recruited. A 1:1 matched propensity score analysis was performed to minimize bias. The rates of major adverse cardiovascular events that included death, myocardial infarction (MI), and target vessel revascularization during hospitalization (1.3% vs 6.6%, P = .014) and at 1-year follow-up (6.0% vs 13.9%, P = .019) were significantly lower in the TRA group. Transradial approach was also associated with lower rates of in-hospital MI (1.3% vs 5.3%, P = .046), access-site complications (3.3% vs 9.9%, P = .018), and major bleeding (1.3% vs 5.3%, P = .046). In conclusion, TRA showed better safety in elderly patients; it should be considered as a preferred route for elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We assessed the association between tea consumption and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) using INTERHEART China data. Cases (n = 2909) and controls (n = 2947) were randomly selected and frequency matched by age and sex. Participants who drank tea ≥4 cups/d had a significantly higher risk of AMI than tea nondrinkers; odds ratio (OR) was 1.29 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.61) compared with tea nondrinkers. A similar trend was found in green tea drinkers; OR was 1.52 (95% CI: 1.13-2.05) in the participants who drank 3 cups/d and 1.73 (95% CI: 1.35-2.22) in the participants who drank ≥4 cups/d compared with tea nondrinkers. We also found that green tea consumption had a greater effect on females; OR was 2.80 (95% CI: 1.43-5.50) in females. In conclusion, we found that the risk of AMI increases as tea consumption increases. Further studies are needed to confirm this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity (PA) during leisure time has been inversely associated with cardiovascular disease risk in the Western populations. We evaluated PA at work and leisure time in relation to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Chinese population. We conducted a hospital-based case–control study. The cases had first AMI (n = 2909). The controls (n = 2947) were matched to the cases in age and sex. The odds ratios (ORs) of leisure-time PA for strenuous exercise compared to mainly sedentary was 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.61-0.90) and for moderate exercise it was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.85-1.08). Multivariate adjustment did not substantially alter the association. The ORs of work-related PA for heavy PA compared to mainly sedentary was 1.44 (95% CI: 1.06-1.94), for climbing and lifting was 1.00 (95% CI: 0.77-.30), and for walking was 0.90 (95%CI: 0.75-1.07). Leisure-time PA was protective for AMI risk compared to sedentary lifestyles in a population in China. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]