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Atherosclerosis 2021 May 31;328:83-91. Epub 2021 May 31.

Division of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; National-Guangdong Joint Engineering Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, PR China; NHC Key Laboratory of Assisted Circulation, Sun Yat-sen University, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Vascular Diseases, PR China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease,Guangzhou, 510080, PR China. Electronic address:

Background And Aims: The apolipoprotein A-I mimetic peptide D-4F, among its anti-atherosclerotic effects, improves vasodilation through mechanisms not fully elucidated yet.

Methods: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor null (LDLr) mice were fed Western diet with or without D-4F. We then measured atherosclerotic lesion formation, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation and its association with heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide anion (O) production, and tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) and GTP-cyclohydrolase 1 (GCH-1) concentration in the aorta. Read More

J Vet Cardiol 2021 May 16;36:77-88. Epub 2021 May 16.

Clinica Veterinaria Gran Sasso, Milan, Italy.

Objectives: To identify the predictive value on time to onset of heart failure (HF) or cardiac death of clinical, radiographic, and echocardiographic variables, as well as cardiac biomarkers N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and cardiac troponin I in dogs with preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD).

Animals: One hundred sixty-eight dogs with preclinical MMVD and left atrium to aortic root ratio ≥1.6 (LA:Ao) and normalized left ventricular end-diastolic diameter ≥1. Read More

Int J Surg Case Rep 2021 May 26;83:106043. Epub 2021 May 26.

Department of General Surgery, Grant Government Medical College and Sir J&J Group of Hospitals, Mumbai, India.

Introduction And Importance: The origin of the mesenteric vasculature is highly variable. One such variation is the common celiaco-mesenteric trunk (CMT). To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of subacute duodenal obstruction caused by common CMT. Read More

Exp Cell Res 2021 Jun 10:112703. Epub 2021 Jun 10.

Department of Vascular Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) is a life-threatening vascular disease with no effective pharmaceutical therapies currently available. Inflammation plays a key role in the progression of aneurysms. Dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid, has showed alleviating effects on cells in vitro from TAAD patients. Read More

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2021 Jun 12. Epub 2021 Jun 12.

Klinikum Nürnberg, Cardiovascular Center, Paracelsus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany.

Objectives: Platelet count reduction is a common but not fully understood phenomenon after aortic valve replacement (AVR) with bioprosthesis implantation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence and the clinical impact of platelet count reduction in patients receiving the Perceval bioprosthesis compared to those receiving standard sutured stented bioprosthetic aortic valve in a randomized, controlled AVR study.

Methods: PERceval Sutureless Implant versus STandard Aortic Valve Replacement is a prospective, randomized, adaptive, open-label trial. Read More

Am J Case Rep 2021 Jun 12;22:e931740. Epub 2021 Jun 12.

Division of Clinical Pathology, Niigata University Faculty of Medicine, Niigata, Japan.

BACKGROUND Primary aortic sarcoma often poses diagnostic challenges for pathologists and clinicians because of a very low incidence and controversy over nomenclature and definition. We report a case of aortic angiosarcoma in association with a graft. We also conducted a clinicopathological review of cases of primary aortic sarcomas associated with implanted grafts. Read More

Chem Biodivers 2021 Jun 12. Epub 2021 Jun 12.

Chengde Medical College: Chengde Medical University, Biochemistry, Anyuan Road, Chengde, CHINA.

We aimed to investigate the impact of apigenin on LOX-1, Bcl-2, and Bax expression in hyperlipidemia rats and explore the possible molecular pathological mechanism of apigenin in improving hyperlipidemia and preventing atherosclerosis. In hyperlipidemia models, the levels of TC, TG, LDL and the LOX-1 protein expression were apparently increased ( P <0.01), while the HDL levels and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax were reduced significantly ( P <0. Read More

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2021 Jun 12. Epub 2021 Jun 12.

The Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.

Objectives: To describe the incidence, predictors, and clinical impact of permanent pacemaker insertion (PPI) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in women.

Background: Data on pacemaker insertion complicating TAVR in women are scarce.

Methods: The Women's International Transcatheter Aortic Valve implantation (WIN-TAVI) is a prospective registry evaluating the safety and efficacy of TAVR in women. Read More

J Card Surg 2021 Jun 12. Epub 2021 Jun 12.

Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Madras Medical Mission, Chennai, India.

Background: Meticulous transfer of coronary arteries is of crucial importance in transposition and determines the success of the switch procedure. This report describes a coronary arterial anatomy consisting of four separate ostia from the two facing sinuses in a 6-month-old infant presenting with transposition and ventricular septal defect.

Conclusion: Being a rare coronary arterial pattern not described in previous coding systems, the surgeon would do well to be aware of this possibility while performing the switch procedure. Read More

J Cell Mol Med 2021 Jun 12. Epub 2021 Jun 12.

INSERM U1148, Laboratory for Vascular Translational Sciences (LVTS), UFR SMBH Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Bobigny, France.

Atherosclerosis, in the ultimate stage of cardiovascular diseases, causes an obstruction of vessels leading to ischemia and finally to necrosis. To restore vascularization and tissue regeneration, stimulation of angiogenesis is necessary. Chemokines and microRNAs (miR) were studied as pro-angiogenic agents. Read More

Ann Biomed Eng 2021 Jun 11. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, 304 Weill Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853-7202, USA.

Mechanical forces are essential for proper growth and remodeling of the primitive pharyngeal arch arteries (PAAs) into the great vessels of the heart. Despite general acknowledgement of a hemodynamic-malformation link, the direct correlation between hemodynamics and PAA morphogenesis remains poorly understood. The elusiveness is largely due to difficulty in performing isolated hemodynamic perturbations and quantifying changes in-vivo. Read More

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2021 Jun 12. Epub 2021 Jun 12.

Department of Vascular Surgery, Vita-Salute University, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.

A staged endovascular strategy was used to treat the aneurysmal evolution of the aortic island including intercostal arteries reimplanted in a loop-graft, following thoraco-abdominal aortic open repair in a young patient diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. First, selective coil embolization of patent intercostal arteries was performed in 2 separate sessions, to minimize the risk of spinal cord ischaemia. Then, the aneurysm was successfully excluded occluding the loop graft with 2 PTFE-membrane vascular plugs. Read More

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2021 Jun 12. Epub 2021 Jun 12.

Division of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, University Heart Centre Hamburg, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.

Even though preoperative diagnostics have improved significantly, intraoperative surprises may still occur especially in the case of complex congenital heart disease. An instance of such a complex congenital heart disease is a hypoplastic left heart syndrome with a right-sided aortic arch. In this case report, we present 1 patient with such a complex and unexpected anatomy, as well as a possible way to overcome the obstacles. Read More

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2021 May 31. Epub 2021 May 31.

Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario de Salamanca. Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain. Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain. Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (Network Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases), CIBER-CV, Madrid, Spain. Interventional Cardiology. Instituto de Investigación del Hospital La Paz (IDIPAZ). University Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain. Cardiology Department, Hospital Alvaro Cunqueiro, University Hospital of Vigo,Vigo, Spain. Cardiovascular Research Unit, Cardiology Department, Hospital Alvaro Cunqueiro, University Hospital of Vigo, Vigo, Spain; Cardiovascular Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), SERGAS-UVIGO, Vigo, Spain. Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge, Barcelona,Spain. Cardiology Department, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada,Spain. Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela.

Abstract: The aim of our study is to assess the impact of anemia, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes mellitus on platelet reactivity (PR) in patients with severe aortic stenosis, both at baseline and after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). This study is a pre-specified subanalysis of the REAC-TAVI prospective, multicentre trial that included patients pre-treated with aspirin+clopidogrel before TAVI. PR was measured at baseline and at 5 different time points after TAVI with the VerifyNow assay (Accriva Diagnostics, San Diego, CA), over a 3-month follow-up period. Read More

BMJ Open 2021 Jun 11;11(6):e044319. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Department of Cardiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Japan.

Objective: Data on statin for patients with aortic stenosis (AS) who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) are limited. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of statin on midterm mortality of TAVI patients.

Design: Observational study. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2021 Jun 11;14(6). Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

Women with Turner syndrome (TS) are subfertile due to premature ovarian insufficiency. Most women require hormone replacement therapy for attaining menarche and assisted reproductive technology (ART) using donor oocytes, autologous oocytes or in-vitro fertilisation for conception. Irrespective of the karyotype, monosomy X (45, X) or mosaic pattern, women with TS hold a very high risk for pregnancy due to high mortality rate secondary to aortic dissection and severe pre-eclampsia. Read More

Cardiovasc Revasc Med 2021 Jun 6. Epub 2021 Jun 6.

Faculty of Health Sciences, Ardahan University, Ardahan, Turkey.

Heart Lung Circ 2021 Jun 8. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Department of Cardiology, National University Heart Centre Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore. Electronic address:

Background: Paradoxical low-flow (LF) severe aortic stenosis (AS) despite preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF) has been shown to be distinct from normal-flow (NF) AS, with a poorer prognosis. Relative valve load (RVL) is a novel echocardiographic haemodynamic index based on the ratio of transaortic mean pressure gradient to the global valvulo-arterial impedance (Zva) in order to estimate the contribution of the valvular afterload to the global LV load. We aimed to determine the usefulness of RVL in LF AS versus NF AS. Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2021 May 12. Epub 2021 May 12.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Heart Center, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Objective: In complex and high-risk aortic root disease, the porcine Freestyle stentless bioprosthesis (Medtronic Inc, Minneapolis, Minn) is an important surgical treatment option. We aimed to determine prevalence and clinical effect of structural and functional abnormalities after full-root Freestyle implantation.

Methods: Our cross-sectional 2-center study combined with clinical follow-up included 253 patients with full-root Freestyle bioprostheses implanted from 1999 to 2017. Read More

Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Pediatr Card Surg Annu 2021 ;24:85-94

Coronary Artery Anomalies Program, Texas Children's Hospital; Houston, Texas; Division of Congenital Heart Surgery, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine; Houston, Texas. Electronic address:

Anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA) can be associated with myocardial ischemia and sudden cardiac arrest. We describe and compare the management and surgical techniques for patients with AAOCA. Patients presenting to the Coronary Artery Anomalies Program are evaluated and managed following a standardized approach. Read More

Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Pediatr Card Surg Annu 2021 ;24:62-66

Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Heart Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.

The management of aortic valve disease in the pediatric population is complex and requires an individualized approach and opportune application of techniques focused on each individual patient's specific anatomy, pathology, and clinical presentation. Though some patients may require variations in the approach to management, the ultimate goal should be to perform a Ross procedure when aortic valve replacement is indicated. Read More

Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Pediatr Card Surg Annu 2021 ;24:2-9

Texas Children's Hospital Heart Center, Texas Children's Hospital and Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. Electronic address:

Patients with ccTGA or d-TGA managed via atrial switch (Mustard or Senning operations) have biventricular circulations with a sub-aortic right ventricle (2V-RV). Other than in a tiny percentage of ccTGA patients, premature heart failure (HF) is common, driven by chronic RV dilatation and dysfunction and/or tricuspid regurgitation. These patients are different from the general HF population in that they are younger, more heterogeneous, are predisposed to pulmonary hypertension and present unique and complex surgical challenges. Read More

Microvasc Res 2021 Jun 8:104195. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Department of Neonatology, Kaifeng Maternity and Children Health Hospital, Kaifeng City, Henan Province 475002, PR China.

Background: This study was carried out to investigate the effect of microRNA miR-532-5p on the proliferation of hypertension endothelial cells.

Methods: Angiotensin II (Ang II)-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and primary human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were used as cell models to imitate the pathological changes in endothelial cells under hypertensive conditions. The expression levels of miR-532-5p and programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4) were detected by Quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Read More

Ann Thorac Surg 2021 Jun 8. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY; Division of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Electronic address:

Background: This large cohort, single center study aims to compare the 10-year survival and freedom from aortic valve reintervention between valve sparing root replacement (VSRR) and bioprosthetic Bentall (bio-Bentall).

Methods: All patients undergoing elective VSRR or bio-Bentall for aortic root aneurysm between March 2005 through October 2019 were retrospectively reviewed (n=796 [VSRR = 360]). Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) balanced clinical variables between groups. Read More

Biomol Concepts 2021 Jun 11;12(1):55-67. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Department of Basic Research, Institute for Atherosclerosis Research, Moscow121609, Russia.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a complex degenerative vascular disease, with considerable morbidity and mortality rates among the elderly population. The mortality of AAA is related to aneurysm expansion (the enlargement of the aortic diameter up to 30 mm and above) and the subsequent rupture. The pathogenesis of AAA involves several biological processes, including aortic mural inflammation, oxidative stress, vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis, elastin depletion, and degradation of the extracellular matrix. Read More

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2021 Jun 11. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Department of Vascular Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Endovascular Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Heart Valvular Diseases, and Endovascular Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Aortic Dissection, Navy Medical University, Shanghai, China.

Objectives: We sought to explore the efficacy of the endovascular repair of an ascending aortic aneurysm with aortic and mitral regurgitation by 2 novel valved stents.

Methods: We established models of ascending aortic aneurysms combined with aortic and mitral regurgitation in 10 pig hearts, then implanted self-expanding aortic fenestrated and mitral valved stents via the transapical approach. We applied a fluoroscopy-guided in vitro setting to test the approach, then analysed continuous circulating flushing at 37°C. Read More

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2021 Jun 11. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Division of Vascular Surgery, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.

Radiographics 2021 Jun 11:200163. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

From the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, 505 Parnassus Ave, Box 0628, San Francisco, CA 94143-0628 (P.J., V.A.F.); Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn (M.V.R.); Department of Radiology, Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, NY (D.S.K.); and Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash (M.M.).

US has an established role in the prenatal detection of congenital and developmental disorders. Many pregnant women undergo US at 18-20 weeks of gestation for assessment of fetal anatomy and detection of structural anomalies. With advances in fetoscopy and minimally invasive procedures, in utero fetal interventions can be offered to address some of the detected structural and physiologic fetal abnormalities. Read More

Radiographics 2021 Jun 11:200142. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

From the Departments of Radiology (M.D.G., R.D.M., S.D.K., R.M.B., J.D.M., D.W.G., E.A.R.) and Cardiology (J.M.R.), Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040 Jackson Ave, Tacoma, WA 98431; and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md (M.D.G., J.M.R., D.W.G., E.A.R.).

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is the primary initial imaging modality in cardiac imaging. Advantages include portability, safety, availability, and ability to assess the morphology and physiology of the heart in a noninvasive manner. Because of this, many patients who undergo advanced imaging with CT or MRI will have undergone prior TTE, particularly when cardiac CT angiography or cardiac MRI is performed. Read More

Pharmacol Rep 2021 Jun 11. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 9 Medyczna Street, 30-688, Kraków, Poland.

Background: Antiplatelet drugs have been used in the treatment of acute coronary syndromes and for the prevention of recurrent events. Unfortunately, many patients remain resistant to the available antiplatelet treatment. Therefore, there is a clinical need to synthesize novel antiplatelet agents, which would be associated with different pathways of platelet aggregation, to develop an alternative or additional treatment for resistant patients. Read More