Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Am J Med Sci 2021 May 4. Epub 2021 May 4.

Division of Cardiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL. Electronic address:

Background: This study aimed to assess sex and racial differences related to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in those presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) .

Methods: Records from patients with ACS presenting to the Emergency Department of University of Florida Hospital Jacksonville from 2009-2012, were reviewed. Detailed medical history was obtained. Read More

Am Heart J 2021 May 4. Epub 2021 May 4.

Section of Interventional Cardiology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC. Electronic address:

Background: To date, there are no real-world studies comparing cangrelor to glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Thus, we performed this study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of cangrelor compared to GPI during PCI.

Methods: We identified patients who underwent PCI at our institution who received either cangrelor or GPI during PCI. Read More

Curr Cardiol Rep 2021 May 7;23(6):69. Epub 2021 May 7.

Division of Cardiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

Purpose Of Review: To identify and address the challenges associated with the care of ACS patients during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic.

Recent Findings: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a considerable global impact with over 2.0 million deaths worldwide so far. Read More

Eur Heart J 2021 May 7. Epub 2021 May 7.

GenesisCare, 3/140 Mounts Bay Rd, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.

Colchicine is a unique, sophisticated anti-inflammatory agent that has been used for decades for the prevention of acute inflammatory flares in gout and familial Mediterranean fever. In recent years, clinical trials have demonstrated its potential in a range of cardiovascular (CV) conditions. Colchicine is avidly taken up by leucocytes, and its ability to bind to tubulin and interfere with microtubular function affects the expression of cytokines and interleukins, and the ability of neutrophils to marginate, ingress, aggregate, express superoxide, release neutrophil extracellular traps, and interact with platelets. Read More

Front Aging Neurosci 2021 20;13:646961. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.

Background: The risk of recurrent stroke following a minor stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is high, when inflammation might play an important role. We aimed to evaluate the value of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting composite cardiovascular events in patients with minor stroke and TIA.

Methods: Consecutive patients with acute minor stroke or TIA admitted within 24 h of symptoms onset during a 5-year period in a prospective stroke registry were analyzed. Read More

Int J Gen Med 2021 30;14:1621-1629. Epub 2021 Apr 30.

Department of Cardiology, Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University Medical School, Nanjing, 210009, People's Republic of China.

Background: Higher serum myeloperoxidase (MPO) in patients with acute coronary syndrome is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is associated with worse prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease following angiography. We have no idea whether patients with higher serum myeloperoxidase have a higher risk of CIN in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Read More

Sci Rep 2021 May 6;11(1):9696. Epub 2021 May 6.

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82, Gumi-ro 173Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13620, Republic of Korea.

It is well established that the risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) increases after respiratory infection. However, the reverse association has not been evaluated. We tested the hypothesis that the long-term risk of pneumonia is increased after a new ACS event. Read More

Open Heart 2021 May;8(1)

Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany, and DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), partner site Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany

Background: In patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), it is unknown how patient delay modulates the beneficial effects of timely reperfusion.

Aims: To assess the prognostic significance of a contact-to-balloon time of less than 90 min on in-hospital mortality in different categories of symptom-onset-to-first-medical-contact (S2C) times.

Methods: A total of 20 005 consecutive patients from the Feedback Intervention and Treatment Times in ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (FITT-STEMI) programme treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were included. Read More

Emerg Med J 2021 May 6. Epub 2021 May 6.

Emergency Department, North Bristol NHS Trust, Westbury on Trym, UK

Rehabilitacion (Madr) 2021 Apr 14. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Unitat de Rehabilitació Cardíaca Institut d'Assistència Sanitària, Hospital Santa Caterina, Salt, España; Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, Salt, España; Hospital Universitari Dr. Josep Trueta de Girona, Girona, España; Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Girona, Girona, España; Centre de Genètica Cardiovascular, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona, IDIBGI, Salt, España; Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red: Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV).

Introduction And Objective: Cardiac rehabilitation has the highest level of recognition in medical guideline references. The rise of COVID-19 pandemic, particularly during the first months of strict containment, cause to temporally stop most of the ongoing programs. We studied the effects of an interdisciplinary phase II secondary prevention in patients diagnosed with a recent acute coronary syndrome with the use of new technologies, home-exercise and telemedicine. Read More

Ann Cardiol Angeiol (Paris) 2021 May 3. Epub 2021 May 3.

Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Douera, Service de Médecine interne et de Cardiologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Blida1, Rue Étienne Dinet 54, 09000 Blida, Algérie. Electronic address:

Aims: Identify the predective echocardiographic parameters of major cardiovascular events (death, ischemic recurrence, heart failure and rehospitalization) in-hospital and after six months of follow-up and to establish an echocardiographic prognostic score and to evaluate its prognostic value alone or in association with clinical risk scores.

Methods: We recruited 302 patients in intensive care unit of cardiology for ACS consecutively on admission, patients were assessed by clinical risk scores (GRACE, TIMI, CRUSADE) and resting doppler echocardiography, a follow-up of six months.

Results: The echocardiographic risk score has four variables: LV-EF (RR=0. Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2021 May;14(9):995-1008

Section of Interventional Cardiology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA. Electronic address:

Although congenital coronary artery anomalies are relatively rare, they are the second most common cause of sudden cardiac death among young athletes. When encountered in the cardiac catherization laboratory, they are often challenging to selectively engage, requiring multiple catheters, plus increased contrast volume and radiation exposure. In the setting of acute coronary syndromes, it is not infrequent that percutaneous intervention is delayed because of the inability to engage an anomalous coronary artery. Read More

Am J Emerg Med 2021 Apr 14;48:165-169. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Computer Science and Engineering, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address:

Background: Coronary risk scores (CRS) including History, Electrocardiogram, Age, Risk Factors, Troponin (HEART) score and Emergency Department Assessment of Chest pain Score (EDACS) can help identify patients at low risk of major adverse cardiac events. In the emergency department (ED), there are wide variations in hospital admission rates among patients with chest pain.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of CRS on the disposition of patients with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome in the ED. Read More

Eur J Prev Cardiol 2021 May 6. Epub 2021 May 6.

PLoS One 2021 6;16(5):e0251253. Epub 2021 May 6.

Department of Neurosurgery, Tosei General Hospital, Aichi, Japan.

A percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is widely performed for acute coronary syndromes or chronic coronary syndromes. Periprocedural stroke is a clinically significant complication during PCI. The incidence of cerebrovascular events (CVEs) after PCI in the chronic phase is obscure. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2021 10;2021:6611051. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Background: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a critical disease encountered in the emergency department (ED). Despite the development of diagnostic tools, it may be difficult to diagnose ACS because of atypical symptoms and equivocal test results. We investigated the difference in the rates of revisit and undetected ACS between adult and elderly patients who visited the ED with chest pain. Read More

Cureus 2021 Apr 2;13(4):e14255. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

Cardiology, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, ISR.

Background: Myocardial ischemia may lead to lethal arrhythmias. Treatment of these arrhythmias without addressing the cause of ischemia may be futile. The length of resuscitation is an important parameter for determining when to stop resuscitation but with shockable rhythms and reversible cause of the cardiac arrest, the decision to terminate resuscitation is complex. Read More

Oxid Med Cell Longev 2021 12;2021:6663948. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Sixth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.

Objective: To explore the association between EAT volume and plaque precise composition and high risk plaque detected by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA).

Methods: 101 patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) underwent CCTA examination from March to July 2019 were enrolled, including 70 cases acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and 31 cases stable angina pectoris (SAP). Based on CCTA image, atherosclerotic plaque precise compositions were analyzed using dedicated quantitative software. Read More

Nat Rev Cardiol 2021 May 5. Epub 2021 May 5.

Cardiology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Although acute coronary syndromes (ACS) remain one of the leading causes of death, the clinical presentation has changed over the past three decades with a decline in the incidence of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and an increase in non-STEMI. This epidemiological shift is at least partially explained by changes in plaque biology as a result of the widespread use of statins. Historically, atherosclerotic plaque rupture of the fibrous cap was thought to be the main culprit in ACS. Read More

Int Heart J 2021 May 1. Epub 2021 May 1.

Department of Cardiology, Gebze Fatih State Hospital.

This study aimed to identify the serum copeptin levels in patients diagnosed with unstable angina (UA) and evaluate the relationship between the patients' copeptin levels and angiographic severity.A total of 200 patients who were diagnosed with UA and underwent coronary angiography were included in the study. Clinical, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, and laboratory data (high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T and copeptin levels) as well as The Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) 1. Read More

Int Heart J 2021 May 1. Epub 2021 May 1.

Department of Cardiology, Sendai City Medical Center, Sendai Open Hospital.

The recurrence rate of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients after first-time myocardial infarction (MI) is over ten times higher than in the general population. However, it is unclear whether patients with multiple-time MI have an even higher recurrence rate of MI. This study aimed to compare the recurrence rate in patients with multiple-time MI with the rate in patients after first-time MI. Read More

Int Heart J 2021 May 1. Epub 2021 May 1.

Department of Cardiology, Cardiac Intensive Care Units, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University.

This study aims to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on patient admissions to Hunan's cardiac intensive care units (CCUs).We conducted a retrospective, single-center study. Data were collected from patients who were confirmed to have critical cardiovascular disease and admitted to the CCU of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan, from January 23 to April 23, 2020. Read More

Circ Cardiovasc Imaging 2021 May 5:CIRCIMAGING120012290. Epub 2021 May 5.

Department of Cardiology, The Heart Centre, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark (K.E., J.V.W.N., L.N.-C., K.A.A., K.K., C.G., L.B., A.A.G., D.E.H., L.K., M.M.S., N.V., J.L., T.E.).

Background: In patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention, reperfusion injury accounts for a significant fraction of the final infarct size, which is directly related to patient prognosis. In animal studies, brief periods of ischemia in noninfarct-related (nonculprit) coronary arteries protect the culprit myocardium via remote ischemic preconditioning. Positive fractional flow reserve (FFR) documents functional significant coronary nonculprit stenosis, which may offer remote ischemic preconditioning of the culprit myocardium. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 May;100(18):e25775

Department of Cardiology, Hiroshima Red Cross Hospital and Atomic-bomb Survivors Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.

Rationale: The relationship between spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) and takotsubo syndrome (TTS) remains unclear. Coexistence of SCAD and TTS has been reported in the literature. However, the relationship between these two diseases has not yet been elucidated. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 May;100(18):e25677

Department of Cardiology, Cangzhou Teaching Hospital of Tinjin Medical University, Cangzhou Central Hospital, Cangzhou, China.

Abstract: Homocysteine (Hcy) is a risk factor for the presence of atherosclerotic vascular disease and hypercoagulability states, which is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events in cardiovascular disease patients. Whereas the role of Hcy in premature acute coronary syndrome (ACS) female patients is still obscure. Hence, we aimed to explore the relationship of Hcy with clinical features, and more importantly, to probe its predictive value for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) risk in premature ACS female patients. Read More

Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 2021 May 5. Epub 2021 May 5.

Oxford Heart Centre, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford University Hospitals, Headley Way, Oxford, OX39DU, UK.

To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of (1) hyperaemic angiography-derived index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) in defining coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) across patients with acute coronary syndromes (ST-elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI]; non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome [NSTE-ACS]) and stable chronic coronary syndrome [CCS]) and (2) the accuracy of non-hyperaemic IMR (NH-IMR) to detect CMD in STEMI. 145 patients (STEMI = 66; NSTEMI = 43; CCS = 36) were enrolled. 246 pressure-wire IMR measurements were made in 189 coronary vessels. Read More

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther 2021 May 5:10742484211011026. Epub 2021 May 5.

Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece.

In the era of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, acute cardiac injury (ACI), as reflected by elevated cardiac troponin above the 99th percentile, has been observed in 8%-62% of patients with COVID-19 infection with highest incidence and mortality recorded in patients with severe infection. Apart from the clinically and electrocardiographically discernible causes of ACI, such as acute myocardial infarction (MI), other cardiac causes need to be considered such as myocarditis, Takotsubo syndrome, and direct injury from COVID-19, together with noncardiac conditions, such as pulmonary embolism, critical illness, and sepsis. Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) with normal or near-normal coronary arteries (ACS-NNOCA) appear to have a higher prevalence in both COVID-19 positive and negative patients in the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic era. Read More

Nurs Crit Care 2021 May 4. Epub 2021 May 4.

Department of Clinical and Surgical Nursing, Paulista Nursing School, Federal University of São Paulo-UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are often admitted to intensive cardiac care units (ICCUs) to have their vital signs and ventricular function monitored. In most cases, they are conscious and bedbound, causing high stress and anxiety levels.

Aims And Objectives: To assess the stressors affecting patients admitted to ICCUs. Read More

Cureus 2021 Mar 31;13(3):e14227. Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Adult Cardiology, Arnot Ogden Medical Center, Elmira, USA.

Acute coronary syndromes from coronary emboli are rare, but well described in the literature. Saphenous vein grafts (SVG), used in coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, are vessels prone to atherosclerotic occlusion and aneurysmal dilation. Descriptive cases of embolization of these atherosclerotic lesions are lacking. Read More

J Cardiol 2021 May 1. Epub 2021 May 1.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan.

Background: Recent guidelines recommend risk stratification using objective scoring systems in patients with acute coronary syndrome. In this context, the CADILLAC (Controlled Abciximab and Device Investigation to Lower Late Angioplasty Complications) and GRACE (Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) risk scores were both originally established to predict short-term mortality. However, their impact on short- and long-term clinical outcomes in a contemporary cohort of patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) is unclear. Read More