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Biomed Pharmacother 2020 Aug 8;130:110605. Epub 2020 Aug 8.

Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Samut Prakan, 10540, Thailand. Electronic address:

A mass of evidence has identified a promoting of nitric oxide (NO) production in endothelial cells using natural products as a potential strategy to prevent and treat hypertension. This study investigated whether the aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaves (MOE) could lower mean arterial pressure (MAP) and relax mesenteric arterial beds in rats via stimulating endothelium-derived NO production. Intravenous administration of MOE (1-30 mg/kg) caused a dose-dependent reduction in MAP in anesthetized rats. Read More

Retina 2020 Aug 5. Epub 2020 Aug 5.

Department of Ophthalmology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510020, People's Republic of China.

Aim: To investigate the microvascular and neural changes in primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) patients compared with healthy controls.

Method: Forty-four eyes of 22 PPH patients were included in this observational clinical cohort study, while forty-four eyes of 22 healthy participants were enrolled as controls. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images were obtained from each participant using the RTVue XR Avanti device with AngioVue software 2. Read More

Curr Pharm Des 2020 Aug 5. Epub 2020 Aug 5.

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, China Three Gorges University, School of Medicine, Yichang, 443002. China.

Background: In view of the roles of long non-coding RNA CDKN2B antisense RNA 1 (CDKN2B-AS1) in various human diseases, we investigated the function of CDKN2B-AS1 and explored its therapeutic and prognostic target value in the multiple biological processes. The aim of this review was to explore the molecular mechanism and clinical significance of CDKN2B-AS1 in various types of diseases.

Materials And Methods: In this review, the biological functions and mechanisms of lncRNA CDKN2B-AS1 in a variety of pathophysiological processes were summarized and analyzed. Read More

Int Urol Nephrol 2020 Aug 7. Epub 2020 Aug 7.

Nephrology Division, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, 600 Tianhe Avenue, Guangzhou, 510630, China.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. However, the prognostic value of pulmonary hypertension in Chinese predialytic CKD patients is rarely reported. We evaluated the relevant factors and prognostic value of pulmonary hypertension in CKD patients. Read More

Hypertension 2020 Aug 3:HYPERTENSIONAHA12014930. Epub 2020 Aug 3.

Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, and Blood Vascular Medicine Institute (K.S.H., A.L., M.T.G.), University of Pittsburgh, PA.

The nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway regulates NO synthase-independent vasodilation and NO signaling. Ingestion of inorganic nitrite has vasodilatory and blood pressure-lowering effects. Preclinical studies in rodent models suggest there may be a benefit of nitrite in lowering serum triglyceride levels and improving the metabolic syndrome. Read More

J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2020 Jul 31. Epub 2020 Jul 31.

Department of Cardiology, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata, Trieste, Italy.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) function and right atrial (RA) remodeling are major determinants of outcome in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Strain echocardiography is emerging as a valuable approach for the study of RV and RA function. We sought to assess the incremental prognostic value of serial combined speckle-tracking examination of right chambers in newly diagnosed therapy-naïve PAH patients. Read More

Gynecol Oncol 2020 Jul 31. Epub 2020 Jul 31.

Women's Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, United States of America.

Objective: To examine whether blocking multiple points of the angiogenesis pathway by addition of sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor against VEGFR2/3, Raf, c-Kit, and PDGFR, to bevacizumab would yield clinical activity in ovarian cancer (OvCa).

Methods: This phase II study tested bevacizumab plus sorafenib in two cohorts; bevacizumab-naïve and bevacizumab-exposed patients. Bevacizumab (5 mg/kg IV every 2 weeks) was given with sorafenib 200 mg bid 5 days-on/2 days-off. Read More

Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets 2020 Jul 31. Epub 2020 Jul 31.

ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Endocrinology Department, Milan. Italy.

A 24-yo female was admitted for acute renal failure, melanoderma, hyponatremia and hyperkalemia. The clinical suspicion of Addison's disease was confirmed by laboratory test and the appropriate replacement therapy with corticosteroids and fludrocortisone was started. In the mean-time primary hypothyroidism and diabetes mellitus type 1 were disclosed and treated, thus fulfilling a diagnosis of autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 2. Read More

J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 2020 Jul 17. Epub 2020 Jul 17.

Department of Anesthesiology, Hôpital Foch, 9250 Suresnes, France; Université Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, 78646 Versailles, France.

Objectives: To compare intraoperative patterns among patients based on their primary pulmonary disease (cystic fibrosis [CF], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]/emphysema [CE], and pulmonary fibrosis [PF]) during double- lung transplantation. The following 3 major outcomes were reported: blood transfusion, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) management, and the possibility of immediate extubation at the end of surgery.

Design: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database, including donor and recipient characteristics and intraoperative variables. Read More

Orphanet J Rare Dis 2020 Jul 31;15(1):196. Epub 2020 Jul 31.

Inborn Metabolic and Muscular Disorders Unit, Anna Meyer Children Hospital, Florence, Italy.

Background: Primary mitochondrial disorders (PMD) are rare conditions resulting in progressive multi-organ failure. Cardiovascular involvement (CVI) has been reported in paediatric patients. However, its age-related prevalence, clinical presentation and prognostic impact are unresolved. Read More

Trials 2020 Jul 31;21(1):690. Epub 2020 Jul 31.

Clinical Pharmacology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.

Objectives: To determine if a specific intervention reduces the composite of progression of patients with COVID-19-related disease to organ failure or death as measured by time to incidence of any one of the following: death, invasive mechanical ventilation, ECMO, cardiovascular organ support (inotropes or balloon pump), or renal failure (estimated Cockcroft Gault creatinine clearance <15ml/min).

Trial Design: Randomised, parallel arm, open-label, adaptive platform Phase 2/3 trial of potential disease modifying therapies in patients with late stage 1/stage 2 COVID-19-related disease, with a diagnosis based either on a positive assay or high suspicion of COVID-19 infection by clinical, laboratory and radiological assessment.

Participants: Patients aged 18 and over, with a clinical picture strongly suggestive of COVID-19-related disease (with/without a positive COVID-19 test) AND a risk count (as defined below) >3 OR ≥3 if risk count includes "Radiographic severity score >3". Read More

Transplantation 2020 Jul 6. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

William J. von Liebig Center for Transplantation and Clinical Regeneration, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 1 street, SW, Rochester, MN 55902.

Objective: The role of MZ phenotype of α 1 antitrypsin (α1AT) deficiency as a potential cofactor in advanced liver disease arising from other primary etiologies is not widely understood. In the general population, MZ phenotype accounts for 2-4% in Europe and 2-7.1% in North America. Read More

Lancet Respir Med 2020 Jul 27. Epub 2020 Jul 27.

Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA; Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.

Background: In pulmonary hypertension subgroups, elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) of 3·0 Wood units or more is associated with poor prognosis. However, the spectrum of PVR risk in pulmonary hypertension is not known. To address this area of uncertainty, we aimed to analyse the relationship between PVR and adverse clinical outcomes in pulmonary hypertension. Read More

Aging (Albany NY) 2020 07 30;12(14):13849-13859. Epub 2020 Jul 30.

State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.

This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the correlation of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with critical illness in older patients with COVID-19, and evaluate the prognostic power of the NLR at admission. We enrolled 232 patients with COVID-19, aged ≥60 y, in Zhejiang province from January 17 to March 3, 2020. Primary outcomes were evaluated until April 13. Read More

Pulm Circ 2020 Jul-Sep;10(3):2045894020942121. Epub 2020 Jul 16.

Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Service de Pneumologie, Hôpital Bicêtre, Université Paris-Sud, Laboratoire d'Excellence en Recherche sur le Médicament et Innovation Thérapeutique, and Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité 999, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.

Many patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension do not achieve treatment goals with monotherapy, and therefore combination therapy is becoming the standard of care. The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat is licensed for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension; here we present findings from patients who were receiving combined riociguat plus endothelin receptor antagonists or non-intravenous prostanoids in the randomized, placebo-controlled PATENT-1 study and its open-label extension (PATENT-2). Moreover, we include new data from patients receiving early sequential combination therapy (three to six months of endothelin receptor antagonist treatment) or long-term background endothelin receptor antagonist therapy (>6 months). Read More

West J Emerg Med 2020 Jun 24;21(4):1029-1035. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.

Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension, associated with high mortality in pediatric patients, is traditionally screened for by trained professionals by measuring a tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity (TRJV). Our objective was to test the feasibility of novice physician sonographers (NPS) to perform echocardiograms of adequate quality to exclude pathology (defined as TRJV > 2.5 meters per second). Read More

Korean Circ J 2020 Jul 13. Epub 2020 Jul 13.

Division of Cardiology, Severance Cardiovascular Hospital, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea.

Background And Objectives: The effectiveness of angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) compared with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has not been established. We investigated the effects of ARBs on clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in AMI patients.

Methods: Patients receiving ACEIs or ARBs after AMI treated with PCI between January 2005 and December 2014 were selected from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. Read More

Kardiologiia 2020 Jul 7;60(6):953. Epub 2020 Jul 7.

College of Computing, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, USA.

Objective This paper aims to investigate whether machine learning (ML) can be used to predict the state of pulmonary hypertension (PH), including pre-capillary and post-capillary, from echocardiographic data.Methods Two hundred and seventy-five patients with PH who underwent both echocardiography and right heart catheterization were included in the study. Mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary artery wedge pressure measured by right heart catheterization were used as criteria for judging pre-capillary PH and post-capillary PH. Read More

Curr Opin Pulm Med 2020 Sep;26(5):373-383

Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.

Purpose Of Review: Pulmonary hypertension is a deadly disease, the causes of which vary between geographical regions. Eighty four percentage of the world's population lives in majority countries (also called low-income and middle-income countries), yet data on pulmonary hypertension in these settings are proportionally scarce. This article provides a review of pulmonary hypertension in majority countries, focusing in detail on the most common causes in these regions, and highlights contextual challenges faced. Read More

Int J Hematol 2020 Jul 23. Epub 2020 Jul 23.

Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, 110 Inthawaroros Street, Muang, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is emerging as a complication of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). This was a prospective study conducted at Chiang Mai University Hospital. The primary objective was to determine the prevalence of high echocardiographic probability of PH in MPNs patients. Read More

Cardiol Ther 2020 Jul 20. Epub 2020 Jul 20.

Division of Gastroenterology, Jefferson Health New Jersey, Stratford, NJ, USA.

Introduction: There is a paucity of data on the influence of sex, race, insurance, pulmonary hypertension-related complications, and cirrhosis-related complications on mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), and total hospital charges. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors in a national population cohort (in the USA) admitted to hospital between 2012 and 2017.

Methods: All patients aged > 18 years with pulmonary hypertension and cirrhosis, who had been admitted to hospital between 2012 and 2017, were identified from the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), a large publicly available all-payer inpatient care database in the USA. Read More

Heart 2020 Jul 20. Epub 2020 Jul 20.

Department of Cardiology III-Adult Congenital and Valvular Heart Disease, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

Eisenmenger syndrome (ES) represents the most severe phenotype of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with congenital heart disease (CHD) and occurs in patients with large unrepaired shunts. Despite early detection of CHD and major advances in paediatric cardiac surgery, ES is still prevalent and requires a multidisciplinary approach by adult CHD experts in tertiary centres. Central cyanosis is the primary clinical manifestation leading to secondary erythrocytosis and various multiorgan complications that increase morbidity and affect quality of life. Read More

BMC Health Serv Res 2020 Jul 20;20(1):671. Epub 2020 Jul 20.

Department of Healthcare Transformation Initiatives, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 1200 Binz Street, Suite 730, Houston, TX, 77004, USA.

Background: The Institute of Medicine reported that more than 1.5 million preventable adverse drug events occur annually in the United States. Comprehensive Medication Management (CMM) is the medication review process to improve clinical outcomes, enhance patient adherence, reduce drug therapy problems and reduce health care costs. Read More

Channels (Austin) 2020 Dec;14(1):231-245

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

Low voltage activated (I) calcium currents including Cav1.3 and T-type calcium current (I) have not been reported in adult human left ventricular myocytes (HLVMs). We tried to examine their existence and possible correlation with etiology and patient characteristics in a big number of human LVMs isolated from explanted terminally failing (F) hearts, failing hearts with left ventricular assist device (F-LVAD) and nonfailing (NF) human hearts. Read More

Lancet 2020 08 16;396(10247):320-332. Epub 2020 Jul 16.

Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of an ongoing pandemic, with increasing deaths worldwide. To date, documentation of the histopathological features in fatal cases of the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has been scarce due to sparse autopsy performance and incomplete organ sampling. We aimed to provide a clinicopathological report of severe COVID-19 cases by documenting histopathological changes and evidence of SARS-CoV-2 tissue tropism. Read More

Diseases 2020 Jul 15;8(3). Epub 2020 Jul 15.

Department of Military and Community Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.

This study aims to evaluate the risk factors and the association of acute kidney injury with treatments, complications, outcomes, and resource utilization in patients hospitalized for heat stroke in the United States. Hospitalized patients from years 2003 to 2014 with a primary diagnosis of heat stroke were identified in the National Inpatient Sample dataset. End stage kidney disease patients were excluded. Read More

Heart 2020 Jul 16. Epub 2020 Jul 16.

Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.

Objective: To assess the prevalence, characteristics and prognostic value of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) in hospitalised, non-intensive care unit (ICU) patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods: This single-centre, observational, cross-sectional study included 211 patients with COVID-19 admitted to non-ICU departments who underwent a single transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Patients with poor acoustic window (n=11) were excluded. Read More

Pregnancy Hypertens 2020 Jun 20;21:208-217. Epub 2020 Jun 20.

Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Objectives: To develop consensus definitions for the core outcome set for pre-eclampsia.

Study Design: Potential definitions for individual core outcomes were identified across four formal definition development initiatives, nine national and international guidelines, 12 Cochrane systematic reviews, and 79 randomised trials. Eighty-six definitions were entered into the consensus development meeting. Read More

Georgian Med News 2020 May(302):58-63

1JSC "National Scientific Cardiac Surgery Center"; 2JSC "Astana Medical University", Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

This article describes clinical cases with complex cardiac arrhythmias after previous interventions. The aim of this article is to provide the first experience of using the PentaRay high-density mapping catheter in Kazakhstan (Biosense Webster, California, USA). Two clinical cases with the presence of several types of cardiac arrhythmias in each patient are described. Read More

JAMA Intern Med 2020 07 15. Epub 2020 Jul 15.

Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

Importance: The US is currently an epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, yet few national data are available on patient characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of critical illness from COVID-19.

Objectives: To assess factors associated with death and to examine interhospital variation in treatment and outcomes for patients with COVID-19.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This multicenter cohort study assessed 2215 adults with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) at 65 hospitals across the US from March 4 to April 4, 2020. Read More

BMJ Open Respir Res 2020 Jul;7(1)

Department of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) causes increased morbidity and mortality in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILD). Classification schemes, while well-characterised for the vasculopathy of idiopathic PH, have been applied, unchallenged, to ILD-related PH. We evaluated pulmonary arterial histopathology in explanted human lung tissue from patients who were transplanted for advanced fibrotic ILD. Read More

J Korean Med Sci 2020 Jul 13;35(27):e258. Epub 2020 Jul 13.

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University Hospital, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.

A 60-year-old male patient with coronavirus disease-2019 showed new onset ST-segment elevation in V1-V2 leads on electrocardiogram and cardiac enzyme elevation in intensive care unit. He had a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. He was receiving mechanical ventilation and veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatment for severe hypoxia. Read More

Cureus 2020 Jun 8;12(6):e8509. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

Internal Medicine, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University-Cooper University Health Care, Camden, USA.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) can occur in patients with undiagnosed congenital heart disease, like atrial septal defects (ASDs), causing chronic left-to-right shunting. This may ultimately result in Eisenmenger physiology or syndrome (ES), a reversal of left-to-right shunting, resulting in a right-to-left shunt, thereby causing deoxygenated blood to enter systemic circulation as it bypasses the lungs. Development of PH due to an ASD is uncommon, and the occurrence of ES is <1% as most ASDs are corrected early in life. Read More

Am J Transl Res 2020 15;12(6):2521-2537. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan.

Background: FPR1 over-expression and insufficiency of FPR2 and FPR3 are associated with disease severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We hypothesized that epigenetic modification of the genes may underlie intermittent hypoxia with re-oxygenation (IHR) injury in OSA.

Methods: DNA methylation levels over 17 CpG sites of the genes and their gene expression levels in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined in 40 treatment-naïve OSA patients, 12 severe OSA patients under long-term continuous positive airway pressure treatment, 16 primary snoring (PS) subjects, and 10 healthy non-snorers (HS). Read More

PLoS One 2020 10;15(7):e0235709. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Addictions Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Background: Since 2005, the Smoking Treatment for Ontario Patients (STOP) program has provided smoking cessation treatment of varying form and intensity to smokers through 11 distinct treatment models, either in-person at partnering healthcare organizations or remotely via web or telephone. We aimed to characterize the patient populations reached by different treatment models.

Methods: We linked self-report data to health administrative databases to describe sociodemographics, physical and mental health comorbidity, healthcare utilization and costs. Read More

Trials 2020 Jul 9;21(1):632. Epub 2020 Jul 9.

Neumology Department, Hospital Universitario de Burgos, Avda Islas Baleares, 3, Burgos, Spain.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to explore the effectiveness and safety of oral corticosteroids (prednisone) in the treatment of early stage SARS-Cov-2 pneumonia in patients who do not yet meet hospital admission criteria.

Trial Design: Randomized clinical trial, controlled, open, parallel group, to evaluate the effectiveness of steroids in adult patients with confirmed COVID-19, with incipient pulmonary involvement, without hospital admission criteria. Patients will be stratified by the presence or not of radiological data on pneumonia. Read More

Ann Am Thorac Soc 2020 Jul 9. Epub 2020 Jul 9.

VA Connecticut Health System West Haven Campus, 19985, Pain Research Informatics, Medical Comorbidities, and Education, West Haven, Connecticut, United States;

Rationale: Prior research studies on the association of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and pain intensity have examined older patients, there is a need to understand the relationship between OSA and pain intensity among younger adults.

Objective: This study aims to examine whether young adults who are diagnosed with OSA are more likely to report higher pain intensity compared to those without OSA.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of a cohort study of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) Veterans who had at least one visit to a Veterans Health Administration primary care clinic between 2001 and 2014. Read More

Neurol Clin Pract 2020 Jun;10(3):255-264

Department of Neurology (AM, DPT, JAC, AP, AWW), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Department of Neurology Translational Center of Excellence for Neuroepidemiology (DPT, JAC, AWW), Neurological Outcomes and Disparities Research, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; Department of Biostatistics (AWW), Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania; Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (AWW), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics (AWW), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.

Objective: Readmission is used as a quality indicator and is the primary target outcome for disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for multiple sclerosis (MS). However, data on readmissions for patients with MS are limited.

Methods: Using the US Nationwide Readmissions Database, we performed a retrospective cohort study of adults hospitalized for MS in 2014. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2020 May;12(5):2691-2705

State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a chronic progressive disease characterized by increasing pulmonary vascular resistance, poor prognosis and high disability rate. Although many targeted drugs for PH have been put to clinical use, most patients still have poor exercise tolerance and quality of life. Exercise training is considered to further improve exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with PH, but it has not been fully studied and utilized. Read More

J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) 2020 Jul 6. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Health Sciences, San Paolo Hospital; University of Milan, Italy.

Background: Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is an effective treatment to reduce mortality in patients with symptomatic heart failure and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 35% or less. LVEF presents a low sensitivity for predicting arrhythmic events. Aim of this study was to identify predictors of sustained ventricular arrhythmias (SVAs), overall and according to the cause of heart failure. Read More

Pathol Int 2020 Jul 7. Epub 2020 Jul 7.

Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Oita University, Oita, Japan.

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is histologically characterized by micro tumor cell embolism and intimal fibrocellular proliferation of pulmonary arteries or arterioles. We report a secondary case of PTTM associated with extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD). The patient was a 72-year-old man with exertional dyspnea. Read More

Life Sci 2020 Jul 4;257:118001. Epub 2020 Jul 4.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Respiratory Diseases Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, China. Electronic address:

Aims: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a severe and prevalent complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with low quality of life and poor prognosis. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Sildenafil in the treatment of PH caused by COPD (COPD-PH) and provide reference for clinical treatment.

Materials And Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials. Read More

Hosp Pract (1995) 2020 Jul 26:1-6. Epub 2020 Jul 26.

Department of Military and Community Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine , Bangkok, Thailand.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the predictors and associated outcomes of rhabdomyolysis in admitted patients for heat stroke in the United States.

Methods: The National Inpatient Sample was utilized to identify hospitalized patients with a primary diagnosis of heat stroke from the years 2003-2014. Rhabdomyolysis was identified using hospital diagnosis code. Read More

CEN Case Rep 2020 Jul 6. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8, Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Hypercalcemia is usually secondary to one etiology, although two coexisting etiologies can rarely cause hypercalcemia. Here, we report a 47-year-old woman with hypercalcemia caused by comorbid parathyroid adenoma and pulmonary tuberculosis. Primary hyperparathyroidism is the most common cause of hypercalcemia. Read More

Am Heart J 2019 Nov 11;226:222-231. Epub 2019 Nov 11.

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL. Electronic address:

Background: A randomized, sham-controlled trial in patients with heart failure (HF) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥40% demonstrated reductions in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) with a novel transcatheter InterAtrial Shunt Device (IASD). Whether this hemodynamic effect will translate to an improvement in cardiovascular outcomes and symptoms requires additional study.

Study Design And Objectives: REDUCE Elevated Left Atrial Pressure in Patients with Heart Failure II (REDUCE LAP HF-II) is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, sham-controlled, blinded trial designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the IASD in symptomatic HF and elevated left atrial pressures. Read More

Hepatol Commun 2020 Jul 26;4(7):1041-1055. Epub 2020 Apr 26.

Department of Quantitative Health Sciences Lerner Research Institute Cleveland Clinic Cleveland OH.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and secondary liver tumors, such as colorectal cancer liver metastases are significant contributors to the overall burden of cancer-related morality. Current biomarkers, such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) for HCC, result in too many false negatives, necessitating noninvasive approaches with improved sensitivity. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) detected in the breath of patients can provide valuable insight into disease processes and can differentiate patients by disease status. Read More

J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 2020 Jul;33(7):957-961

Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Immunology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

Objectives Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) is a primary immunodeficiency (PID) characterized by persistent severe neutropenia, recurrent infections, and oral aphthous lesions. Severe congenital neutropenia is caused by various genetic defects such as ELANE, GFI, HAX-1, JAGN1, SRP54, and glucose-6 phosphatase catalytic subunit 3 (G6PC3) deficiency. Clinical features of the patients with G6PC3 deficiency vary from neutropenia to several systemic features in addition to developmental delay. Read More

Altern Ther Health Med 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Context: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a complication of numerous pulmonary conditions. Previous studies have confirmed that Selaginella doederleini has pharmacological effects against many cancers, and triflavones have been newly isolated as one of its active ingredients, with antioxidant and antitumor activities. The chronic hypoxia model is one of the models most used to study PH pathogenesis and treatment. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020 07 1;7:CD002251. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Department of Women's Anaesthesia, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, Australia.

Background: Maternal hypotension is the most frequent complication of spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section. It can be associated with nausea or vomiting and may pose serious risks to the mother (unconsciousness, pulmonary aspiration) and baby (hypoxia, acidosis, neurological injury).

Objectives: To assess the effects of prophylactic interventions for hypotension following spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section. Read More

J Hypertens 2020 Jun 25. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Centre for Cardiovascular Evaluations, The Shanghai Institute of Hypertension, Department of Hypertension, Shanghai Key Lab of Hypertension, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Objective: We investigated right ventricular function using speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in patients with primary aldosteronism.

Methods: Our study included 51 primary aldosteronism patients and 50 age and sex-matched primary hypertensive patients. We performed two-dimensional echocardiography to measure cardiac structure and function. Read More