Cardiac Disease – Pubmed

Stroke occupies an important position in the global disease burden, but the combined effect of heavy metal exposure and the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) on stroke remains unclear. Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, this study explores the association between blood lead, blood cadmium, blood mercury, CRP, and the risk of stroke. A total of 8297 American adults aged 20 years and older were included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey....

Glutamate transporters are essential for maintaining CNS homeostasis by clearing extracellular glutamate following synaptic transmission. Dysregulation of these transporters contributes to glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity across numerous neurological disorders, including ischemic stroke, underscoring their potential as therapeutic targets. However, the regulatory response of these transporters following ischemic insult remains poorly defined. In this study, using a model of oxygen-glucose...

This study extracted radiomics features of blood clots from computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) images of acute pulmonary embolism (APE) patients, and constructs a predictive model for APE patient risk stratification by comparing multiple machine learning (ML) algorithms. This retrospective study analyzed patients with APE, documenting their clinical characteristics (clinical and hematological indicators), conventional CTPA imaging parameters. Patients are stratified into low-risk...

Vascular dementia (VaD) is the second most common age-related condition worldwide in aging populations. Neuroinflammation is a key contributor to the pathological process of VaD. Shrimp oil is a by-product of shrimp processing that is rich in astaxanthin and lipids. This study aimed to investigate the effect of shrimp oil on neuroinflammation and its underlying mechanisms in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) rats. Male Wistar rats subjected to bilateral common carotid artery occlusion...

BACKGROUND: Endovascular procedures using a mobile C-arm are commonly performed in patients with peripheral artery disease. During these procedures, digital subtraction angiography (DSA) requires intra-arterial administration of contrast agent and exposes both patients and staff to radiation from the C-arm. The Vascular Navigation PAD system (Brainlab, Germany) may reduce the number of DSAs performed and thereby decrease both contrast agent use and radiation exposure. The objective of this study...

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the associations between total intake of 3 B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin) and hypertension and increased pulse pressure in U.S. adults, and to explore potential nonlinear relationships.Data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2023 were analyzed. A total of 17,484 participants aged ≥ 20 years were included. Total vitamin intake (diet plus supplements) was categorized into quartiles. Hypertension was...

In patients with chronic total occlusion on coronary angiography, myocardial viability assessment is an essential tool in guiding treatment decisions, especially revascularization. Current non-invasive tests are often limited by the presence of myocardial fibrosis. This narrative review incorporates evidence from 76 studies and aims to provide an updated overview of non-invasive methods for myocardial viability assessment, with emphasis on the role of myocardial fibrosis. Every imaging modality...

Cardiovascular disease is frequently diagnosed in birds that are presented to veterinary hospitals, and atherosclerosis is a common cardiovascular condition identified in postmortem evaluations of pet psittacine birds. Atherosclerotic lesions are accumulations of lipids, smooth muscle cells, macrophages, and foam cells in the intimal layer of a blood vessel, narrowing the lumen. A reduced lumen diameter in a blood vessel typically results in physiological complications, such as ischemia,...

Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are a chronic and often debilitating condition, affecting a significant number of individuals worldwide. One of the most distressing aspects of VLUs is the persistent pain they can cause, which impacts quality of life, mobility and overall wellbeing. Despite advances in wound care, VLU-related pain remains under-recognised and poorly managed. Pain in VLUs is complex and typically includes nociceptive pain from tissue damage, neuropathic pain due to nerve involvement, and...

CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed that the rate of amputations was relatively high and highest survival rate was patients with cardiovascular disease. Receiving insulin therapy, staying in rural area, no-neuropathy, underweight and normal weight and no-hypertension showed more likely to amputation. Early detection of comorbidities is recommended to prevent amputation among patients with DFU.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with substantial cardiovascular morbidity, but echocardiographic data from Latin American populations remain scarce. We aimed to characterise the structural, functional, and haemodynamic echocardiographic profile of adults with SCD attending a tertiary referral centre in Cali, Colombia. We conducted an observational, cross-sectional study based on systematic review of medical records and transthoracic echocardiography reports of consecutive adult patients...

CONCLUSIONS: This 13-year nationwide overview highlights the growing uptake of TAVR in France, likely driven by clinical practice and procedural innovation rather than guidelines. Further analyses will compare efficacy and safety between TAVR and SAVR.

CONCLUSIONS: While behaviour change strategies can enhance engagement in cardiac rehabilitation, their impact on measurable health outcomes remains unclear. Social support, professional oversight, and structured programming appear effective in maintaining physical activity levels, but future interventions should prioritise exercise confidence and education to promote sustained behaviour change.

CONCLUSIONS: Engagement with home telemonitoring technologies among older adults depends not only on usability but also on the relational context in which these technologies are embedded. Combining technofunctional and relational perspectives provides a more comprehensive understanding of how telemonitoring interventions are experienced and highlights the importance of personalized support, reliable technology, and sustained clinical engagement to promote meaningful adoption.

CONCLUSION: Research on CES has progressed rapidly, and research development and collaboration frequently occur across countries, regions, and institutions. Further strengthening these partnerships may advance the field. The recent focus on ESUS, Mendelian randomization, and atrial cardiopathy highlights the need for refined etiological phenotyping and individualized secondary prevention.

Pacemakers are implantable cardiac devices used in the treatment of bradycardia and heart failure. They monitor electrical signals in the heart and deliver electrical stimuli to cause contraction in the targeted heart chamber. Permanent pacemaker therapy is recommended in patients with symptomatic bradycardia or asymptomatic infranodal atrioventricular block to improve symptoms and quality of life. Biventricular pacemakers can also be used in cardiac resynchronization therapy, which corrects...

Endothelial dysfunction plays a central role in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic diseases. The Endothelial Activation Stress Index (EASIX) has emerged as a promising prognostic marker in endothelial-related disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the association between EASIX and the risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in individuals with cardio-renal-metabolic (CKM) syndrome stages 0 to 3. Data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition...

CONCLUSIONS: This prospective observational study found that different ventilation strategies influenced catheter-tissue interaction and procedural metrics during pediatric RF ablation. Notably, HFLTV ventilation was linked to higher contact force metrics. Additional research is necessary to verify these results.

This study investigates the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Participants were divided into 3 groups based on their 25(OH)D status: normal (group A), insufficient (group B), and deficient (group C). The study analyzed the relationship between 25(OH)D and DR, as well as its association with various clinical parameters. In T2DM patients, 25(OH)D levels were significantly correlated with serum...

CONCLUSIONS: Shifting to an integrated and digitalized model is essential to ensure continuity of care and therapeutic adherence, thereby reducing exacerbations and optimizing the use of public resources.

CONCLUSION: Long-term SBP trajectories and variability demonstrated sex-specific effects on AF risk. An elevated SBP trajectory and high variability conferred an increased risk of AF in men, but not in women. This novel finding may provide new insights into sex-specific differences in the pathogenesis of AF.

Home-based rehabilitation after stroke is increasingly important, as pressure on hospital services rise and recovery occurs mostly at home. Enriching the home (Environmental Enrichment, EE) represents a potential strategy to support rehabilitation by providing continuous task- and context-specific stimulation that promotes functional recovery through frequent and exploratory use of the affected arm. Exploratory behaviour - self-initiated, varied and adaptive movements - is an important driver of...

CONCLUSIONS: ICAS was independently associated with an increased risk of 1-year cognitive impairment after AIS/TIA, particularly in memory performance.

Ischemic stroke is a major cause of mortality globally, but single-target therapies often fail due to the complex "ischemic cascade". This study investigated the neuroprotective effects and multitarget mechanisms of Curcumae Rhizoma (CR) using an integrated network pharmacology approach and in vivo validation. The active compounds of CR were screened through ADME filtering, and their potential targets were identified using the TCMSP, TTD, and UniProt databases. Molecular docking was used to...

CONCLUSIONS: This study will provide insight into the prevalence of MetS, ED, and accelerated aging, as well as potentially modifiable risk factors, including those that have not been previously examined, among survivors of HSCT for hematological malignancies in childhood. The findings will inform surveillance guidelines and support the development of health behavioral and anti-inflammatory interventions to mitigate the risk of these severe late effects.

CONCLUSION: SREBP gene polymorphisms exhibited suggestive associations with ambulatory blood pressure in Chinese adolescents. Although the associations were not significant after multiple testing correction, these findings suggest potential genetic influences on blood pressure regulation in youth and may inform future research on genetically informed approaches to hypertension prevention.

CONCLUSION: The changes and improvements were relatively easy to implement and were highly impactful across measured outcomes. Empowering nurses to lead quality initiatives and using a structured change management framework benefits patients and fosters a more fulfilled, effective nursing team.

CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical CPR in prehospital blunt traumatic cardiac arrest was associated with improved survival to hospital arrival compared with manual CPR; however, in-hospital mortality remained extremely high. These findings suggest that mechanical CPR may facilitate transport of patients in traumatic cardiac arrest without substantially improving overall outcomes. While mechanical devices can provide continuous chest compressions during transport, their impact on meaningful survival in the...

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is a noninvasive, detailed imaging modality regarded as the gold standard for assessing cardiac structure, function, and tissue characteristics. Data on its impact in acute settings, particularly in regional centers, remain limited. We evaluated the clinical impact of CMR on diagnostic accuracy and management decisions in acute cardiovascular presentations at a single regional Australian hospital. This retrospective, single-center study included 111 adult...

Electroacupuncture (EA) has been documented to exert therapeutic benefits in vascular dementia (VD). This study seeks to elucidate the therapeutic efficacy and underlying molecular mechanisms of EA in VD. A VD model was induced in rats, which received EA with or without an Shh pathway inhibitor. An in vitro VD model was generated by exposing BV2 microglial cells to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). A battery of tests was employed: cognitive function (novel object recognition and morris water...

Short-video platforms are important sources of cerebral infarction-related health information, but the completeness, reliability, and platform differences of such content remain unclear. This study compared engagement, topic coverage, and information quality of cerebral infarction-related videos on TikTok and Bilibili. Using the keyword "cerebral infarction," we screened the top 150 search results from each platform. Of 300 retrieved videos, 289 were included (TikTok: n = 146; Bilibili: n =...

A man in his early 60 s developed persistent hyponatremia following lumbar spine surgery complicated by traumatic brain injury with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Initial evaluation demonstrated hypotonic hyponatremia with inappropriately concentrated urine, consistent with the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretio. Standard therapy including hypertonic saline and oral sodium supplementation resulted in only transient improvement. Given a history of secondary adrenal insufficiency...

The transition from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic to the endemic phase was accompanied by strict infection control measures and changes in hospital resource allocation, which may have influenced the characteristics and outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). This study investigated changes in patient demographics, arrest location, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) outcomes following the transition to the post-pandemic era. We retrospectively analyzed adult patients with IHCA...

Background Cardiac gallium 68-labeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI)-4 (^(68)Ga-FAPI-4) PET/MRI allows simultaneous assessment of cardiac tissue characteristics, function, and molecular remodeling in myocardial diseases. An integrated workflow for nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has yet to be developed. Purpose To evaluate the feasibility and performance of a time-efficient cardiac ^(68)Ga-FAPI-4 PET/MRI protocol in participants with DCM. Materials and Methods In this...

Limited evidence links chronic inflammation to stroke prevalence, and the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) serves as a valid tool to quantify the inflammatory potential of diets. This cross-sectional study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007 to 2016, enrolling 27,250 adult participants. DII was calculated based on 24 dietary components and categorized into tertiles (Q1: anti-inflammatory diet, Q2: intermediate diet, Q3: pro-inflammatory diet). Stroke...

Background Ischemic lesion net water uptake (NWU), a CT biomarker of cerebral edema, has been linked to poor outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to large vessel occlusion (LVO). Whether NWU outperforms other imaging markers in predicting futile recanalization (FR) (ie, poor functional outcome despite successful endovascular thrombectomy [EVT]) remains uncertain. Purpose To evaluate the association between NWU and FR and compare the predictive performance of NWU with Alberta...

CONCLUSION: Current evidence shows that HPI-directed hemodynamic management effectively reduces IOH and decreases intraoperative fluid administration and phenylephrine utilization. However, these physiological improvements did not translate into clinical benefits for postoperative AKI.

CONCLUSIONS: At the 10-year follow-up, TAVR in intermediate-risk patients with the SAPIEN XT prosthesis compared with surgery was associated with lower survival rates, with differences predominantly observed in the TA/TAo access cohort. TAVR with the XT valve was also associated with significantly higher rates of aortic valve reintervention. (PARTNER II Trial: Placement of AoRTic TraNscathetER Valves II - XT Intermediate and High Risk [PII A]; NCT01314313).

CONCLUSION: Elderly patients with non-valvular AF with SA ≤ 3.6 g/dL show a higher risk of MACE and non-cardiovascular mortality.

CONCLUSIONS: At 10 years, TAVR with the SAPIEN 3 valve and surgery resulted in similar rates of mortality and aortic valve reintervention, and similar hemodynamics in intermediate-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. This analysis highlights challenges associated with extended long-term follow-up of clinical trials, including differential loss to follow-up and the competing risk of mortality in elderly populations. (PARTNER 2A Trial; NCT01314313; PARTNER 2 SAPIEN 3...

CONCLUSION: As serum albumin level predicts CAVI mediated by changes in lean body mass, appropriate nutrition management aimed at enhancing skeletal muscle mass may be useful for reliable prevention of CVD.

CONCLUSIONS: In this national in-home echocardiography study, VHD was common among older adults, with important age-related and valve-specific patterns. PREVUE-VALVE establishes the feasibility of large-scale decentralized cardiovascular imaging studies and provides a contemporary foundation for clinical and policy planning related to the burden of VHD. (Age- and Sex-Specific Prevalence of Acquired Valvular Heart Disease (PREVUE-VALVE; NCT05357404).

CONCLUSION: This study defines a genetically anchored plasma protein panel that mechanistically links CKD to CAD via a lipid-inflammation axis. The findings support the development of precision blood-based tools for early risk stratification and highlight potential targets for therapeutic intervention in cardiorenal disease.

CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence underscores substantial gaps in understanding the natural history and optimal management of diabetic foot disease in dialysis-dependent ESKD. Future research should prioritise well-designed prospective studies to delineate dialysis-specific risk pathways, incorporate robust stratification by dialysis modality, and evaluate interventions targeting ischaemia and limb preservation. Standardisation of outcome reporting, particularly for healing durability and...

CONCLUSION: EA remains a biologically plausible but clinically unconfirmed adjunctive approach for EH. Its clinical efficacy, optimal parameters, and target populations require confirmation in completed, adequately powered, sham-controlled multicenter randomized trials.

Pyroptosis, as an inflammatory type of regulated cell death, is associated with the pathogenesis of various inflammatory diseases. Targeted therapy for pyroptosis has shown promise in multiple preclinical models of neurological injury and disorders. Stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and the top cause of disease-related death in China. Although the pyroptosis signaling pathway has been studied in cerebral ischemic diseases, its pathophysiological mechanisms...

CONCLUSION: The findings of this sub-study will provide new evidence on the renal effects of the STEPCARE trial interventions and may inform the future of individualized kidney-protective treatment approaches.

The cardiovascular system is among the earliest functional systems in fetal development, playing a central role in maintaining circulation and ensuring oxygen and nutrient delivery. The fetal heart undergoes continuous maturation in anatomical configuration, hemodynamics, and biventricular coupling throughout gestation. Recent advances in ultrasound imaging-including Doppler, tissue doppler imaging (TDI), and two- and three-dimensional speckle tracking-have enabled comprehensive assessment of...

CONCLUSIONS: In HFpEF, sex-related differences in circulating NO-related metabolites were limited and metabolite-specific, with SDMA showing the most consistent sex-associated difference with higher concentrations in men. The substantial overlap of metabolic profiles between women and men showed no distinct patterns of circulating metabolites linked to endothelial function in patients with HFpEF.

CONCLUSION: Brief cognitive screening tools, used in isolation, may not be suitable for assessment in acute stroke settings.