Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

JAMA Cardiol 2019 Mar 17. Epub 2019 Mar 17.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston.

Importance: Similar to other patients with acute myocardial infarction, patients with type 2 myocardial infarction (T2MI) are included in several value-based programs, including the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program and the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program. To our knowledge, whether nonischemic myocardial injury is being misclassified as T2MI is unknown and may have implications for these programs.

Objective: To determine whether patients with nonischemic myocardial injury are being miscoded as having T2MI and if this has implications for 30-day readmission and mortality rates. Read More

Atheroscler Suppl 2019 Mar;36:19-23

Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University - Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, 100029, China; Department of Atherosclerosis, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, China. Electronic address:

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia developed into severe cardiovascular consequences early. Untreated HoFH usually cannot survive over 30 years old. Acute coronary syndrome(ACS) caused by plaque rupture is one of the main causes of death in HoFH. Read More

BMJ Open 2019 Mar 13;9(3):e022479. Epub 2019 Mar 13.

Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Objectives: Successful treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) relies on its rapid recognition. It is unclear whether the accepted presentation of chest pain applies to different ethnic groups. We thus examined potential ethnic variations in ACS symptoms and clinical care outcomes in white, South Asian and Chinese patients. Read More

JAMA Cardiol 2019 Mar 13. Epub 2019 Mar 13.

Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Università Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.

Importance: At one end of the coronary artery disease (CAD) spectrum, there are patients with multiple recurrent acute coronary syndromes (rACS), and at the other end there are those with long-standing clinical stability. Predicting the natural history of these patients is challenging because unstable plaques often heal without resulting in ACS.

Objective: To assess in vivo the coronary atherosclerotic phenotype as well as the prevalence and characteristics of healed coronary plaques by optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging in patients at the extremes of the CAD spectrum. Read More

Lancet 2019 Mar 8. Epub 2019 Mar 8.

University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, USA.

Background: Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease lose the capacity to fully excrete endogenous acid, resulting in chronic metabolic acidosis that increases the risk of disease progression and causes muscle catabolism and bone resorption. Veverimer, a non-absorbed, counterion-free, polymeric drug, selectively binds and removes hydrochloric acid from the gastrointestinal lumen, unlike current oral sodium bicarbonate therapy for metabolic acidosis that only neutralises accumulated acid. We assessed the efficacy and safety of veverimer as a treatment for metabolic acidosis in patients with chronic kidney disease. Read More

J Vasc Surg 2019 Mar 5. Epub 2019 Mar 5.

Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Mass. Electronic address:

Objective: Management of significant carotid stenosis in those with symptomatic coronary disease remains controversial. Staged and combined carotid endarterectomy (CEA) with coronary artery bypass grafting has been described. Yet, an understanding of the additive risks of these approaches is poor. Read More

J Med Case Rep 2019 Mar 9;13(1):78. Epub 2019 Mar 9.

Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Pelita Harapan, Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia.

Background: Coronary artery ectasia is characterized by an abnormal dilatation of the coronary arteries. Coronary artery ectasia is observed in 3-8% of patients undergoing coronary angiography and sometimes leads to acute coronary syndrome regardless of the presence or absence of coronary stenosis or atrial fibrillation.

Case Presentation: A 61-year-old Indonesian man presented with typical angina that began 1 week before admission and had worsened 3 hours prior to admission. Read More

Heart 2019 Mar 6. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Background: To evaluate the effects of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Methods: Our systematic review included randomised controlled trials if they studied PCSK9 inhibitors in patients for primary and/or secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases or with hypercholesterolaemia/hyperlipidaemia. Dichotomous variables from individual studies were pooled by relative risks (RR) and their 95% CIs using the random-effect model. Read More

World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg 2019 Mar;10(2):192-196

1 Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina Children's Hospital, Charleston, SC, USA.

Background:: Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ARCAPA) is rare. Unique anatomical characteristics observed include tethering secondary to the extensive collateral vessels, severe native coronary tortuosity, and massive dilation of the coronary arteries. This requires specific technical consideration to ensure safe translocation. Read More

JAMA Cardiol 2019 Mar 6. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

MonashHeart, Monash University, Clayton, Australia.

Importance: Higher baseline high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The usefulness of serial hsCRP measurements for risk stratifying patients after ACS is not well characterized.

Objective: To assess whether longitudinal increases in hsCRP measurements during the 16 weeks after ACS are independently associated with a greater risk of a major adverse cardiac event (MACE), all-cause death, and cardiovascular death. Read More

BMC Psychiatry 2019 Mar 5;19(1):85. Epub 2019 Mar 5.

Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, No.106 Zhongshan Er Road, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China.

Background: Depression and anxiety are prevalent and associated with a worse prognosis in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. However, the influence of disease severity on mood symptoms is unknown. The specific associations of mood symptoms with NYHA classes remain unexplored. Read More

Zhonghua Xin Xue Guan Bing Za Zhi 2019 Feb;47(2):117-122

Cardiovascular Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, China.

To explore the predictive value of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) on admission on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and the in-hospital major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in hospitalized patients with unstable angina (UA). Data of 2 972 consecutive hospitalized patients with UA in Beijing Friendship Hospital from January 2013 to September 2017 were retrospective analyzed. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to the level of NT-proBNP on admission: 733 cases with NT-proBNP lower than 61 ng/L, 749 cases with NT-proBNP between 61 and 133 ng/L, 747 cases with NT-proBNP between 133 and 326 ng/L, and 743 cases with NT-proBNP higher than 326 ng/L. Read More

J Cardiovasc Transl Res 2019 Feb 27. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Molecular Immunology Unit, Thrombosis Research Institute, Bangalore, India.

The pathogenic roles of inflammatory T cells and monocytes subsets have not been explored in different manifestations of coronary artery disease. We studied the frequency of these cells, their response to autoantigens, regulatory cell functional assay, foam cell formation and macrophage differentiation in 181 patients (stable angina, ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI), NSTEMI, and unstable angina), and 34 controls and in samples collected during recurrent cardiac events and from patients showing clinical improvement. The proportion of Th17 cells and monocytes gradually increased in patients with stable angina at one end of the spectrum followed by NSTEMI, STEMI, and unstable angina at other end. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2019 Mar;8(5):e012157

1 Department of Clinical Sciences Karolinska Institutet Danderyd Sweden.

Background Bleeding risk stratification in acute coronary syndrome is of highest clinical interest but current risk scores have limitations. We sought to develop and validate a new in-hospital bleeding risk score for patients with acute myocardial infarction. Methods and Results From the nationwide SWEDEHEART (Swedish Web-System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies) register, 97,597 patients with acute myocardial infarction enrolled from 2009 until 2014 were selected. Read More

Echocardiography 2019 03 25;36(3):512-520. Epub 2019 Feb 25.

Okmeydani Research and Training Hospital Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey.

Introduction: Two-dimensional (2D) speckle-tracking echocardiographic (STE) imaging is frequently performed in the assessment of cardiovascular diseases. We aim to investigate the role of the global and territorial longitudinal strain (GLS and TLS) values assessed via 2D STE imaging to detect significant coronary artery disease (CAD) in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients without wall-motion abnormalities.

Methods: This study enrolled 150 patients with the diagnosis of NSTEMI. Read More

Eur Radiol 2019 Feb 22. Epub 2019 Feb 22.

Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82, Gumi-ro 173beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, 13620, South Korea.

Objective: Chest pain is a common symptom in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), causing difficulty determining whether there is coexistent coronary artery disease (CAD). We investigated whether coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) can assess the prevalence and clinical significance of CAD in adult patients with HCM showing chest pain through longitudinal follow-up.

Methods: In 238 adult patients with HCM, who underwent CCTA for chest pain, we analyzed the degree of stenosis and adverse plaque characteristics (APCs) as CCTA variables. Read More

J Cardiovasc Comput Tomogr 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. Electronic address:

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the prognostic value of dynamic CT perfusion imaging (CTP) and CT derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) for major adverse cardiac events (MACE).

Methods: 81 patients from 4 institutions underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) with dynamic CTP imaging and CT-FFR analysis. Patients were followed-up at 6, 12, and 18 months after imaging. Read More

Avicenna J Phytomed 2019 Jan-Feb;9(1):1-9

Department of Internal Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Objective: Inflammation along with oxidative stress has an important role in the pathophysiology of unstable angina which leads to acute myocardial infarction, arrhythmias and eventually heart failure. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects and thereby, it may reduce cardiovascular complications. This randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the effects of curcumin on the prevention of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias and heart failure in patients with unstable angina. Read More

J Cell Physiol 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) function rather than level may better predict cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the contribution of the impaired antioxidant function of HDL that is associated with increased HDL lipid peroxidation (HDLox) to the development of clinical CVD remains unclear. We have investigated the association between serum HDLox with incident CVD outcomes in Mashhad cohort. Read More

J Cardiovasc Comput Tomogr 2019 Feb 12. Epub 2019 Feb 12.

Department of Imaging, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; The Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Background: It has been shown that CT attenuation of noncalcified plaques depends on luminal contrast attenuation (LCA). Although tube potential (kilovolt [kV]) has been shown to exert influence on plaque attenuation through LCA as well as its direct effects, in-vivo studies have not investigated plaque attenuation at lower tube potentials less than 120 kV. We sought to evaluate the effect of kV and LCA on thresholds for lipid-rich and fibrous plaques as defined by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Read More

Clin Biochem 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Center of Clinical and Epidemiological Research, Hospital Universitário, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address:

Introduction: We aimed to analyze the association of nitrotyrosine (N-TYR) levels and long-term survival in an ongoing coronary heart disease (CHD) prospective cohort, the Acute Coronary Syndrome Registry Strategy (ERICO study).

Methods: N-TYR levels collected during acute and subacute phase from onset of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) symptoms (myocardial infarction and unstable angina) were evaluated in 342 patients. We calculated case-fatality rates (180-days, 1 year, 2 years and 4 years) and survival analyses up to 4 years using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression with respective cumulative hazard ratios (95% confidence interval; 95%CI), according to N-TYR tertiles up to 4 years of follow-up. Read More

Am Heart J 2019 Jan 15;210:98-107. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou (HEGP), Department of Cardiology, Paris, France; Université Paris-Descartes, Paris, France; INSERM U-970, Paris, France.

Background: About 30% of angina patients have persisting symptoms despite successful revascularization and antianginal therapy. Moreover, in stable patients, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) does not improve survival as compared with medical therapy alone. Trimetazidine, an antianginal agent devoid of hemodynamic effect, may help reducing symptoms and improving outcomes after PCI. Read More

Biosci Rep 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China

Unstable angina pectoris (UA) is one of the most dangerous clinical symptoms of acute coronary syndrome due to the risk of myocardial ischemia, which can lead to high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Though there are many advantages in understanding the pathophysiology of UA, the identification of biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of UA remains a challenge in the clinic. A global metabolomics research based on ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) combined with time of flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF/MS) was performed to discover the metabolic profile of health controls, UA patients, and UA patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), and screen for potential biomarkers. Read More

Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2019 Feb;12(2):e005244

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC (W.S.J., Y.L., M.R.P.).

Background Guidelines recommend patient engagement in shared decision-making regarding coronary revascularization, but studies demonstrate poor patient understanding of risks, benefits, and alternatives. Effective strategies are needed to integrate informed patient preferences into clinical care, particularly for patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography. Methods and Results We developed a web-based decision aid to educate patients and survey their treatment preferences before angiography. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Feb;98(7):e14309

Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Molecular Diagnostics of Cardiovascular Diseases.

Coronary heart disease (CHD), one of the leading causes of death in the world, is a complex metabolic disorder due to genetic and environmental interactions. The potential mechanisms and diagnostic biomarkers for different types of coronary heart disease remain unclear. Metabolomics is increasingly considered to be a promising technology with the potential to identify metabolomic features in an attempt to distinguish the different stages of CHD. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Feb 11;9(1):1795. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Université Paris 13, Equipe de Recherche en Epidémiologie Nutritionnelle (EREN), Centre de Recherche en Epidémiologie et Statistiques, Inserm U1153, Inra U1125, Cnam, COMUE Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-93017, Bobigny, France.

The objectives of this study were to assess the associations among various physical and mental chronic conditions and napping. A cross-sectional epidemiological survey was proposed within the NutriNet-Santé population-based e-cohort launched in France in 2009. Participants were 43,060 French volunteers aged 18 y and over with Internet access. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2019 Jan 25. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.

Risk prediction following acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains challenging. Data-driven machine-learning algorithms can potentially identify patients at high risk of clinical events. The Improved Reduction of Outcomes: Vytorin Efficacy International Trial randomized 18,144 post-ACS patients to ezetimibe + simvastatin or placebo + simvastatin. Read More

Med Clin (Barc) 2019 Feb 6. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

Unidad de Medicina Preventiva, Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Palencia, Palencia, España.

Introduction And Objective: Influenza virus infection can contribute to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study is to confirm if the increase in seasonal influenza rates is associated with a growth in hospitalisation and mortality rates for acute cardiovascular diseases (ACVD).

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of hospital discharges due to ACVD (myocardial infarction, unstable angina, heart failure and ischemic stroke) in the Castilla y León (Spain) hospital system between 2001 and 2015. Read More

Klin Lab Diagn 2018 ;63(8):471-477

Tyumen Cardiology Research Center, Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 625026, Tomsk, Russia.

The study of the causes of the development of vascular coronary complications after angioplasty with stenting using the evaluation of biochemical parameters in the dynamic observation of patients with IHD with significant coronary stenosis determines the relevance of the study. To analyze the parameters of lipid spectrum and markers of vascular inflammatory reaction in patients with IHD, in groups with stable angina and episode of unstable angina after angioplasty with stenting, to trace the dynamics of biochemical parameters and to reveal the predictors of undesirable coronary events. Patients with IHD with significant coronary stenosis of the arteries (SCS, n = 95) after coronary angiography at the point of maximum increase in the level of markers of the inflammatory reaction (3 months after angioplasty) are divided into 2 groups - patients with persistent stable angina pectoris (SA, n = 77) until the end of the study and patients with developed postvascularization episode of unstable angina (UA, n = 18). Read More

Cardiovasc J Afr 2019 Jan 16;30:1-8. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.

Background: Egypt is the most populous country in the Middle East and North Africa and has more than 15% of the cardiovascular deaths in the region, but little is known about the prevalence of traditional risk factors and treatment strategies in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients across Egypt.

Methods: From November 2015 to August 2017, data were collected from 1 681 patients with ACS in 30 coronary care centres, covering 11 governorates across Egypt, spanning the Mediterranean coast, Nile Delta and Upper Egypt, with a focus on risk factors and management strategies.

Results: Women constituted 25% of the patients. Read More

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2019 3;2019:7125162. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), 70 Cheomdan-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea.

Thrombotic events mainly occurred by platelet activation and aggregation. The vascular occlusion causes serious disease states such as unstable angina, ischemic stroke, and heart attack. Due to the pervading of thrombotic diseases, new antiplatelet drugs are necessary for preventing and treating arterial thrombosis without adverse side effects. Read More

Am Heart J 2019 Jan 10;210:18-28. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Department of Epidemiology, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address:

The current guidelines of statins for primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention were based on results from systematic reviews and meta-analyses that suffer from limitations.

Methods: We searched in PubMed for existing systematic reviews and individual open-label or double-blinded randomized controlled trials that compared a statin with a placebo or another, which were published in English until January 01, 2018. We performed a random-effect pairwise meta-analysis of all statins as a class and network meta-analysis for the specific statins on different benefit and harm outcomes. Read More

Laeknabladid 2019 Feb;105(2):79-84

Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Department of Finance and Information, Landspitali - The National University Hospital of Iceland.

Background: Marked changes in the epidemiology of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) have been observed over the last few decades in the Western Hemisphere. Incidence rates of ACS in Iceland 2003-2012 are presented.

Methods: All patients with unstable angina (UA), non ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and ST-elevation myocardial infarc-tion (STEMI) admitted to Landspitali were included in the study. Read More

Prim Care Diabetes 2019 Jan 31. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.

The aim of this network meta-analysis (NMA) was to indirectly compare the cardiovascular (CV) safety of new antidiabetic medications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). DATA SYNTHESIS: A search of the Embase and MEDLINE databases was conducted systematically to identify cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOTs) of new antidiabetic medications (DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 agonists and SGLT-2 inhibitors) in patients with T2DM. The primary outcomes were the composite endpoint of CV death, nonfatal MI, and nonfatal stroke (MACE), death from CV causes, nonfatal MI, nonfatal stroke and death from any cause. Read More

Avicenna J Med 2019 Jan-Mar;9(1):23-27

Department of Cardiology, Prince Sultan Cardiac Center Qassim, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Buraydah, Al-Qassim Province, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is commonly used to diagnose coronary artery diseases (CADs). We aimed to determine the utility of CCTA among patients suspected with CAD at the Prince Sultan Cardiac Center Qassim.

Materials And Methods: CCTA results of 425 cardiac patients, complaining of chest pain with suspected CAD, were used to classify coronary artery stenosis into two types: obstructive if the luminal stenosis was ≥50% or nonobstructive if it was <50%. Read More

BMJ Open 2019 Jan 28;9(1):e025977. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

The George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre, Caribbean Institute for Health Research, University of the West Indies, Bridgetown, Barbados.

Objectives: In Barbados, high case fatality rates have been reported after myocardial infarction (MI) with higher rates in women than men. To explore this inequality, we examined documented pharmacological interventions for ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-STEMI (NSTEMI) and unstable and chronic angina in women and men.

Design: Prospective cohort registry data for STEMI and NSTEMI and retrospective chart review for unstable and chronic angina. Read More

J Cardiol Cases 2019 Jan 17;19(1):9-11. Epub 2018 Oct 17.

Department of Cardiology, Ehime Prefectural Imabari Hospital, Imabari, Japan.

Coronary high-intensity plaques (HIPs) visualized by non-contrast T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) are associated with slow-flow phenomena during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We report a case of a 52-year-old man who had undergone left anterior descending artery stent implantation for unstable angina 5 years previously. He underwent CMR imaging for screening of vulnerable plaques. Read More

Curr Cardiol Rep 2019 Jan 28;21(1). Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, 4800 Alberta Avenue, El Paso, TX, 79905, USA.

Purpose Of Review: As the management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) continues to evolve, many old practices proved to be of a little benefit and other approaches established the new pillars of modern medicine. Treating ACS patients with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for a year by combining aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor (clopidogrel, ticagrelor, or prasugrel) has resulted in better outcomes and is currently the standard of therapy. However, owing to the persistent activation of the coagulation cascade, patients may continue to experience recurrent ischemia and high mortality rates despite compliance with the dual antiplatelet therapy. Read More

Front Pharmacol 2018 9;9:1502. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Korean Medicine-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daegu, South Korea.

Platelet activation and accumulation at the site of vascular injury are central to thrombus formation resulted in thrombotic disorders. Medicinal herbs could be one of the most important pharmaceutical agents that ameliorate thrombotic disorders, such as unstable angina, myocardial infarction, stroke, and peripheral vascular diseases. Hwangryunhaedok-tang (HRT) is a traditional herbal medicine that displays multiple biological properties including anti-inflammatory abilities. Read More

Am J Case Rep 2019 Jan 28;20:117-120. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida/HCA West Florida Division Blake Medical Center, Bradenton, FL, USA.

BACKGROUND Acute chest pain is a common presentation in emergency departments worldwide. Ruling out acute coronary syndrome is essential in ensuring patient safety. Workup includes electrocardiogram (ECG) and cardiac biomarkers. Read More

Ann Cardiol Angeiol (Paris) 2019 Feb 22;68(1):39-48. Epub 2019 Jan 22.

Service de médecine interne, CHU Amiens-Picardie, avenue Rene-Laennec, 80480 Salouël, France.

Objectives: To study the use, efficiency and wishes for a "medicalization" of the electronic cigarette (EC) for smoking cessation in secondary prevention of acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Patients And Method: Prospective epidemiological study with inclusion of smoker patients hospitalized from 1st June 2015 to 31st March 2016 at the St Quentin Hospital (Picardy, France) for an ACS (except unstable angina), interviewed 1 year after their ACS, excluding patients over 75 years or with personal history of ACS.

Results: Eighty-one patients were included. Read More

Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 2019 Jan 24. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.

The purpose of this study was to assess the prognostic value of ultra-low dose thallium myocardial perfusion imaging. Three hundred and sixty-six patients (245 men) underwent ultra-low dose stress-redistribution imaging on CZT SPECT camera GE Discovery NM 530c. The stress test was performed by bicycle ergometry or regadenoson injection. Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2019 Jan;73(3):251-260

Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.

Background: Evaluation of stable symptomatic outpatients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) may be challenging because they have a wide range of cardiovascular risk. The role of troponin testing to assist clinical decision making in this setting is unexplored.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the prognostic meaning of single-molecule counting high-sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI) (normal range <6 ng/l) among outpatients with stable chest symptoms and suspected CAD. Read More

Zhonghua Xin Xue Guan Bing Za Zhi 2019 Jan;47(1):26-33

Tianjin Cardiovascular Institute, Tianjin 300222, China.

To investigate the features of plaques of saphenous venous graft (SVG) with virtual histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) in patients underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery. From March 2016 to March 2018, a total of 45 patients ((64.4±7. Read More

EuroIntervention 2019 Jan 22. Epub 2019 Jan 22.

The Heart Center, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Aims: Treatment of the infarct-related artery only (IRA-only) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with a significantly higher rate of ischemia-driven revascularization (ID-RV) during follow-up than fractional flow reserve-guided complete revascularization (FFR-CRV).

Methods And Results: In this study, we characterized the lesions that underwent ID-RV in the DANAMI-3-PRIMULTI-trial (n=627) with respect to location, angiographic diameter stenosis and functional significance. Rates of admission for suspected cardiac ischemia (17%) were similar in both groups; however, ID-RV was significantly less frequent in the FFR-CRV group than in the IRA-only group (5% vs. Read More

Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2019 Jan 21. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Center for Clinical Pharmaceutical, Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Background And Objectives: Trimethylamine -oxide (TMAO), a compound derived from byproducts of intestinal bacteria, has been shown to accelerate atherosclerosis in rodents. To date, there are conflicting data regarding the association of serum TMAO with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with ESKD, a population exhibiting both high serum TMAO and excessive atherosclerosis.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: We measured baseline serum TMAO concentrations in a subset of participants (=1243) from the Evaluation of Cinacalcet Hydrochloride Therapy to Lower Cardiovascular Events (EVOLVE) trial and conducted analyses evaluating the association between baseline serum TMAO and cardiovascular outcomes. Read More

Clin Rheumatol 2019 Jan 16. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Rheumatology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.

Introduction: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by endothelial dysfunction, which is also associated with other disorders, such as atherosclerosis. The direct role of SSc in facilitating cardiovascular events should be clarified. We compared the prevalence of established coronary artery disease (CAD) between SSc and type 2 diabetes, a well-known phenotype associated with high cardiovascular risk. Read More

Eur Heart J Qual Care Clin Outcomes 2019 Jan 12. Epub 2019 Jan 12.

Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.

Aims: This study aimed to estimate the rate of cardiovascular (CV) events in the real world in patients at high risk of recurrent CV events similar to the FOURIER trial population.

Methods And Results: A retrospective population-based cohort study was conducted using Swedish national registers from July 1, 2001 to December 31, 2015. Patients in the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) prevalent cohort met the FOURIER-like inclusion criteria, including treatment with high/moderate-intensity statins, on July 1, 2006. Read More

J Diabetes Res 2018 16;2018:1631263. Epub 2018 Dec 16.

Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Introduction: We investigated the association of diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy with increased risk of recurrent cardiovascular (CV) events in 6068 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS) enrolled in the Evaluation of Lixisenatide in Acute Coronary Syndrome (ELIXA).

Methods: History of retinopathy and neuropathy as well as duration of T2DM were self-reported at screening. Proportional hazards regression models were used to assess relationships between retinopathy, neuropathy, and recurrent CV events. Read More