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Dtsch Med Wochenschr 2020 Jun 3;145(11):710-715. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Kardiologie, Campus Virchow-Klinikum (CVK), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening disease and the third most frequent cardiovascular cause of death after stroke and myocardial infarction. The annual incidence is increasing. The recently published 2019 guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology integrate numerous new study findings and provide updated diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms. Read More

Steroids 2020 May 31:108660. Epub 2020 May 31.

Laboratory of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Anabolic steroids (AS) are synthetic testosterone-derivatives developed by the pharmaceutical industry to mimic testosterone biological effects. So far, AS have been implicated in the treatment of pathological conditions, such as hypogonadism, anemia, and cachexia. Since their discovery, though, AS have been illicitly used by elite and recreational athletes, bodybuilders and weightlifters in order to enhance athletic and aesthetic performance. Read More

Biochem Pharmacol 2020 May 31:114065. Epub 2020 May 31.

Department of Cardiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Intervention and Regenerative Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China. Electronic address:

At present, ischemic heart failure (HF) caused by coronary heart disease (CHD) has a high morbidity and mortality, placing a heavy burden on global human health. L-Proline (Pro), a nonessential amino acid and the foundation of proteins in the human body, was found to be protective against oxidative stress in various diseases. However, the role of Pro in cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear. Read More

Can J Cardiol 2020 Feb 19. Epub 2020 Feb 19.

Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Liverpool and Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital, Liverpool, United Kingdom.

Background: Evidence of clinical outcomes for oral anticoagulants and antiplatelet treatment (APT) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and critical limb ischemia (CLI) is very limited.

Methods: In this nationwide retrospective cohort study collected from Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, 1223 patients with AF and CLI taking direct-acting oral coagulants (DOACs), warfarin, or APT were identified from June 1, 2012, to December 31, 2017. We used propensity score stabilized weighting (PSSW) to balance covariates across study groups. Read More

JAMA Cardiol 2020 Jun 3. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

Importance: Recent European guidance supports a diminished role for exercise electrocardiography (ECG) in the assessment of suspected stable angina.

Objective: To evaluate the utility of exercise ECG in contemporary practice and assess the value of combined functional and anatomical testing.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This is a post hoc analysis of the Scottish Computed Tomography of the Heart (SCOT-HEART) open-label randomized clinical trial, conducted in 12 cardiology chest pain clinics across Scotland for patients with suspected angina secondary to coronary heart disease. Read More

J Biomed Mater Res A 2020 Jun 3. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

Gelatin coatings are effective in increasing the retention of MSCs injected into the heart and minimizing the damage from acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but early studies suffered from low fractions of the MSCs coated with gelatin. Biotinylation of the MSC surface is a critical first step in the gelatin coating process, and in this study, we evaluated the use of biotinylated cholesterol "lipid insertion" anchors as a substitute for the covalent NHS-biotin anchors to the cell surface. Streptavidin-eosin molecules, where eosin is our photoinitiator, can then be bound to the cell surface through biotin-streptavidin affinity. Read More

Arq Bras Cardiol 2020 Apr 29;114(4):730-731. Epub 2020 May 29.

Department of Internal Medicine, Centro Hospitalar Cova da Beira EPE, Covilhã, Portugal.

Turk J Med Sci 2020 Jun 3. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Background/aim: The predictability of clinical outcomes in hypertension in specific patient groups, especially underrepresented populations is the key to rational treatment. This study aimed to investigate the impact of baseline characteristics of <65-year-old hypertensive women with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, managed with standard- or intensive-approach, on their clinical outcomes and serious adverse events (SAEs).

Materials And Methods: Baseline characteristics of <65-year-old hypertensive women (n=1247) in SPRINT, a multicenter randomized trial to compare standard and intensive antihypertensive treatment, were analyzed with Cox-regression method to determine potential predictors of the clinical outcomes and SAEs. Read More

J Cell Mol Med 2020 Jun 3. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and the heart failure (HF) that often result remain the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. As such, new therapeutic targets need to be discovered to protect the myocardium against acute ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in order to reduce myocardial infarct (MI) size, preserve left ventricular function and prevent the onset of HF. Mitochondrial dysfunction during acute I/R injury is a critical determinant of cell death following AMI, and therefore, ion channels in the inner mitochondrial membrane, which are known to influence cell death and survival, provide potential therapeutic targets for cardioprotection. Read More

Cardiovasc J Afr 2020 May 5;31:1-4. Epub 2020 May 5.

Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul Yeni Yuzyil University, Gaziosmanpasa Hospital, Gaziosmanpasa, Istanbul, Turkey.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a recently recognised pandemic spreading rapidly from Wuhan, Hubei, to other provinces in China and to many countries around the world. The number of COVID-19-related deaths is steadily increasing. Acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a disease with high morbidity and mortality rates, and primary percutaneous coronary intervention is usually recommended for the treatment. Read More

Int J Cardiol Heart Vasc 2020 Jun 29;28:100531. Epub 2020 May 29.

University Hospital Center Dijon Bourgogne, Cardiology Department, Dijon, France.

Introduction: Cerebral microbleeds (CMB) are associated with intracerebral haemorrhage. Therefore they may represent a concern if anticoagulant and/or antiplatelet therapy is needed. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of CMB in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and to follow their progression at 3 months under dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). Read More

Glob Heart 2020 Feb 6;15(1). Epub 2020 Feb 6.

University of Groningen, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, PharmacoTherapy, -Epidemiology and -Economics, Groningen, NL.

Background And Aims: Acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a potentially fatal presentation of coronary artery disease (CAD). Evidence of the impact of acute pharmacological interventions in non-reperfused STEMI patients on subsequent events is limited. We aimed to assess the association between adherence to guideline-recommended preventive medications and in-hospital mortality among this high-risk patient population. Read More

Glob Heart 2020 Feb 6;15(1). Epub 2020 Feb 6.

Cardiovascular Center, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, KR.

Background: Endeavor®-zotarolimus-eluting stent (E-ZES) was the first ZES to be developed, and Resolute integrity®-ZES (I-ZES) has been developed more recently. Comparative studies on long-term usage of these two ZESs have been rare.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of E-ZES and I-ZES during a long-term follow-up of patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Read More

Glob Heart 2020 Feb 6;15(1). Epub 2020 Feb 6.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR.

Background: High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was proven to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The aim of this study was to investigate the benefits of assessing hs-CRP among individuals with different cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods: This nested case-control study was obtained from the Isfahan Cohort Study (ICS). Read More

J Intensive Care Soc 2020 May 11;21(2):148-157. Epub 2019 Jun 11.

University of Liverpool and The Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool Healthcare Partners, Liverpool, UK.

Variation in the time interval between consecutive R wave peaks of the QRS complex has long been recognised. Measurement of this RR interval is used to derive heart rate variability. Heart rate variability is thought to reflect modulation of automaticity of the sinus node by the sympathetic and parasympathetic components of the autonomic nervous system. Read More

Circulation 2020 Jun 3. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Cardiovascular Research Center and Department of Physiology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.

Cardiac rupture is a major lethal complication of acute myocardial infarction (MI). Despite significant advances in reperfusion strategies, mortality from cardiac rupture remains high. Studies suggest that cardiac rupture can be accelerated by thrombolytic therapy, but the relevance of this risk factor remains controversial. Read More

Heart Fail Rev 2020 Jun 2. Epub 2020 Jun 2.

Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi, 156124, Pisa, Italy.

The use of cocaine constitutes a major health problem. Cocaine use is associated with acute and chronic complications that might involve any system, the most common being the cardiovascular system. The precise incidence of cocaine-induced cardiomyopathy remains mysterious and probably underreported. Read More

Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 2020 Jun 2. Epub 2020 Jun 2.

Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Department of Cardiology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia (INCLIVA), University of Valencia, Blasco Ibanez 17, 46010, Valencia, Spain.

Purpose: In ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients, longitudinal strain (LS) in remote non-infarcted myocardium (RNM) has not yet been characterized by tissue tracking (TT) cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). In STEMI patients, we aimed to characterize RNM-LS by TT-CMR and to assess both its dynamics and its structural and prognostic implications.

Methods: We recruited 271 patients with a first STEMI studied with TT-CMR 1 week after infarction. Read More

Egypt Heart J 2020 Jun 1;72(1):32. Epub 2020 Jun 1.

Mansoura Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.

Background: Renal dysfunction is one of the major causes of in-hospital mortality in STEMI patients. In this study, we evaluated the combined predictive value of eGFR by CKD-EPI equation and shock index for in-hospital mortality and other adverse clinical outcomes in Egyptian patients with STEMI.

Results: A total of 450 STEMI patients were divided into 2 groups according to their eGFR with a cutoff value of 60 ml/min/1. Read More

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2020 Jun;75(6):516-525

Cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) is the key second messenger molecule in nitric oxide signaling. Its rapid generation and fate, but also its role in mediating acute cellular functions has been extensively studied. In the past years, genetic studies suggested an important role for cGMP in affecting the risk of chronic cardiovascular diseases, for example, coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction. Read More

Curr Opin Crit Care 2020 Jun 1. Epub 2020 Jun 1.

Service de Réanimation Médicale Brabois, CHRU Nancy, Pôle Cardio-Médico-Chirurgical.

Purpose Of Review: Data and interventional trials on vasopressor use during cardiogenic shock are scarce. Their use is limited by their side-effects and the lack of solid evidence regarding their effectiveness in improving outcomes. In the present article, we review the current use of vasopressor therapy during cardiogenic shock. Read More

Open Heart 2020 Jun;7(1)

Department of Vascular Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, The University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Background: In this study, we discovered and validated candidate microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for coronary artery disease (CAD).

Method: Candidate tissue-derived miRNAs from atherosclerotic plaque material in patients with stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) (n=14) and unstable coronary artery disease (UCAD) (n=25) were discovered by qPCR-based arrays. We validated differentially expressed miRNAs, along with seven promising CAD-associated miRNAs from the literature, in the serum of two large cohorts (n=395 and n=1000) of patients with SCAD and UCAD and subclinical atherosclerosis (SubA) and controls, respectively. Read More

Rev Port Cardiol 2020 May 30. Epub 2020 May 30.

Serviço de Cardiologia, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário do Algarve, Faro, Portugal. Electronic address:

Heart Lung Circ 2020 May 7. Epub 2020 May 7.

CSANZ Indigenous Health Council, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, and University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

The Challenges: Rural and remote Australians and New Zealanders have a higher rate of adverse outcomes due to acute myocardial infarction, driven by many factors. The prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is also higher in regional and remote populations, and people with known CVD have increased morbidity and mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In addition, COVID-19 is associated with serious cardiac manifestations, potentially placing additional demand on limited regional services at a time of diminished visiting metropolitan support with restricted travel. Read More

Arch Med Res 2020 May 30. Epub 2020 May 30.

Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address:

Background: Platelet hyper adhesiveness orchestrates with inflammation and vascular muscle proliferation leading to atheroma formation and endothelial dysfunction.

Objectives: The current study aims to compare the prophylactic role of Aspirin and Clopidogrel therapy against isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial infarction (AMI), in mice on high-fat, cholesterol-rich diet (HFD-C).

Methods: The animals received HFD-C with Aspirin or Clopidogrel for 8 weeks and were subjected to AMI by isoproterenol. Read More

BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2020 Jun 1;20(1):99. Epub 2020 Jun 1.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, 06351, Republic of Korea.

Background: The Elliot wave principle commonly characterizes the impulsive and corrective wave trends for both financial market trends and electrocardiograms. The impulsive wave trends of electrocardiograms can annotate several wave components of heart-beats including pathological heartbeat waveforms. The stopping time inquires which ordinal element satisfies the assumed mathematical condition within a numerical set. Read More

BMC Med Genet 2020 Jun 1;21(1):119. Epub 2020 Jun 1.

Department of Cardiology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, No. 3002, Sungang West Road, Futian District, Shenzhen, 518035, China.

Background: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is frequently reported as a disorder that primarily affects women without risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Although it has been recognized as one of the genetically mediated vascular disorders, the genetic pathogenesis of SCAD remains obscure to date.

Case Presentation: In this report, we presented a rare case of pregnancy-associated SCAD in a young woman that occurred in multiple coronary arteries within a short period. Read More

Vascular 2020 Jun 2:1708538120929504. Epub 2020 Jun 2.

The First People's Hospital of Chenzhou, Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of South China, Hunan, China.

Objectives: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the primary cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The abnormal proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is a key event in the pathogenesis of CVD. The functional and phenotypic changes in vascular cells are mediated by complex signaling cascades that initiate and control genetic reprogramming. Read More

Tissue Eng Part A 2020 Jun 3. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

PUCPR, Post Graduation, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.

Background: The difficulty in the regeneration of cardiomyocytes after myocardial infarction is a major cause of heart failure. Together, the amniotic membrane and 15d-PGJ2 can help in the recovery of cardiomyocyte, as they present many growth factors an anti-inflammatory effect, respectively. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of AHAS loaded with 15d-PGJ2 in improving ventricular function in a rat model of post-infarct ventricular dysfunction. Read More

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi 2020 Jun;100(21):1623-1628

Department of Cardiology, Fuwai Hospital and Cardiovascular Institute, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China.

To investigate the impact of metabolic syndrome (MS) and its individual components on long-term prognosis of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI). Patients who underwent PCI in Fuwai Hospital in 2013 were enrolled and divided to two groups: with MS and without MS. The primary endpoint of 2-year follow-up was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including death, myocardial infarction, and repeat revascularization. Read More

Biomedicines 2020 May 30;8(6). Epub 2020 May 30.

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 357610, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.

Elevated epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are known to be cardioprotective during ischemia-reperfusion injury in cardiomyocyte-specific overexpressing cytochrome P450 2J2 (CYP2J2) transgenic (Tr) mice. Using the same Tr mice, we measured changes in cardiac and erythrocyte membranes EETs following myocardial infarction (MI) to determine if they can serve as reporters for cardiac events. Cardiac function was also assessed in Tr vs. Read More

Cells 2020 May 30;9(6). Epub 2020 May 30.

Department of Nuclear Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany.

Angiogenesis plays a central role in the healing process following acute myocardial infarction. The PET tracer [Ga]-NODAGA-RGD, which is a ligand for the αβ integrin, has been investigated for imaging angiogenesis in the process of healing myocardium in both animal and clinical studies. It´s value as a prognostic marker of functional outcome remains unclear. Read More

Sensors (Basel) 2020 May 29;20(11). Epub 2020 May 29.

Department of Signal Theory and Communications, Telematics and Computing Systems, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28943 Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Spain.

During the last years, attention and controversy have been present for the first commercially available equipment being used in Electrocardiographic Imaging (ECGI), a new cardiac diagnostic tool which opens up a new field of diagnostic possibilities. Previous knowledge and criteria of cardiologists using intracardiac Electrograms (EGM) should be revisited from the newly available spatial-temporal potentials, and digital signal processing should be readapted to this new data structure. Aiming to contribute to the usefulness of ECGI recordings in the current knowledge and methods of cardiac electrophysiology, we previously presented two results: First, spatial consistency can be observed even for very basic cardiac signal processing stages (such as baseline wander and low-pass filtering); second, useful bipolar EGMs can be obtained by a digital processing operator searching for the maximum amplitude and including a time delay. Read More

J Clin Med 2020 May 29;9(6). Epub 2020 May 29.

Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Białystok, 15-276 Białystok, Poland.

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a new independent risk factor in the development and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of the study was to evaluate whether Gal-3 concentration has prognostic value and if it reflects the progression of atherosclerosis in carotid arteries in patients with CAD after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The analysis included 110 patients who were hospitalized due to AMI, treated with primary coronary intervention (PCI) and further attended a follow-up visit, and 100 healthy volunteers. Read More

Eur J Med Chem 2020 May 21;200:112469. Epub 2020 May 21.

Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, PR China; Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, PR China. Electronic address:

SCM-198 (Leonurine) has attracted great attention due to its cardioprotective effects in myocardial infarction (MI). However, no systematic modifications and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies could be traced so far. In this study, 35 analogs of SCM-198 were designed, synthesized and their cardioprotective effects were evaluated. Read More

Clin Biochem 2020 May 30. Epub 2020 May 30.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

Background: Cardiac troponin (cTn) is the keystone for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We examined the analytical and clinical diagnostic characteristics of the ACCESS hsTnI assay in a United States (US) population.

Methods: All measurements and studies were conducted using a lithium heparin matrix. Read More

Can J Cardiol 2020 Feb 19. Epub 2020 Feb 19.

Department of Gerontology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. Electronic address:

Background: Cardiac rehabilitation is a medically supervised program after coronary events that involves exercise and dietary modification. We evaluated the comparative benefits and harms of cardiac rehabilitation strategies via a network meta-analysis.

Methods: We followed a pre-specified protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42018094998). Read More

J Card Surg 2020 Jun 2. Epub 2020 Jun 2.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool, UK.

Cardiac disease is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the United Kingdom. Major causes of cardiac death in pregnant women include cardiomyopathies, myocardial infarction, ischemic heart disease, and aortic dissection. Uncorrected congenital heart disease and women who have had corrective or palliative surgery may have complicated pregnancies as well. Read More

Eur Heart J 2020 Jun 2. Epub 2020 Jun 2.

University Heart Center, Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.

Aims: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is an acute heart failure syndrome, which shares many features with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Although TTS was initially described with angiographically normal coronary arteries, smaller studies recently indicated a potential coexistence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in TTS patients. This study aimed to determine the coexistence, features, and prognostic role of CAD in a large cohort of patients with TTS. Read More