Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Case Rep Med 2020 9;2020:4065452. Epub 2020 May 9.

Faculdade de Medicina Do ABC, Santo André, Brazil.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a highly prevalent disease with rapid universal growth. In 2013, there were already 382 million people with diabetes, and it is expected that by 2035, this number will double. Chronic hyperglycemia causes a series of biochemical and structural changes, especially in the eyes, kidneys, heart, arteries, and peripheral nerves, which usually leads to the progression of microvascular disease. Read More

Med Sci Monit 2020 May 25;26:e921319. Epub 2020 May 25.

Emergency Department, Shanghai Baoshan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland).

BACKGROUND Sepsis causes acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients. Roflumilast, a phosphodiesterases-4 (PDE4) inhibitor, has been shown to be therapeutically effective in sepsis-induced organ injury. However, the function of roflumilast in sepsis-induced AKI is not clearly understood. Read More

Transplant Proc 2020 May 20. Epub 2020 May 20.

Department and Clinic of Nephrology and Transplantation Medicine, Wrocław Medical University, Wrocław, Poland.

Background: Echocardiographic global longitudinal strain (GLS) has recently been considered as a more effective assessment than the ejection fraction (EF) in detecting subtle changes of left ventricular (LV) systolic function. The aim of the study is to compare GLS in renal transplant recipients (RTrs) with preserved LVEF, depending on the recipient's immunosuppressive regimen. The impaired GLS was considered to be > -18%. Read More

J Forensic Leg Med 2020 May 12;73:101968. Epub 2020 May 12.

Department of Forensic Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Department of Forensic Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8, Nishi-shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan.

Biochemical markers undergo postmortem changes that complicate diagnostic measurement. C-reactive protein (CRP) is one marker that is known to be useful in postmortem specimens, with high levels reported in forensic cases of sepsis, trauma, and ketoacidosis. In the present study, we included 30 cases (17 males and 13 females) that underwent forensic autopsy within 80 h of death and had a CRP result from two postmortem specimens (serum from cardiac blood and pericardial fluid) and an emergency room specimen. Read More

J Allergy Clin Immunol 2020 May 18. Epub 2020 May 18.

Emergency Department, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.

Background: COVID-19 can manifest as a viral induced hyperinflammation with multi-organ involvement. Such patients often experience rapid deterioration and need for mechanical ventilation. Currently, no prospectively validated biomarker of impending respiratory failure is available. Read More

Eur J Prev Cardiol 2020 May 18:2047487320925965. Epub 2020 May 18.

Department of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.

Background: The global coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has highlighted the importance of understanding the cardiovascular implications of coronavirus infections, with more severe disease in those with cardiovascular co-morbidities, and resulting cardiac manifestations such as myocardial injury, arrhythmias, and heart failure.

Design: A systematic review of the current knowledge on the effects of coronavirus infection on the cardiovascular system in humans was performed and results were summarized.

Methods: Databases such as MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Scopus, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials. Read More

Am J Emerg Med 2020 May 4. Epub 2020 May 4.

Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America; Emergency Services Institute, Cleveland Clinic Health System, Cleveland, OH, United States of America.

J Clin Med 2020 May 9;9(5). Epub 2020 May 9.

Department of Medical Communication and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland.

Background: Studies have suggested that taurine may have neuro- and cardio-protective functions, but there is little research looking at taurine levels in patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Our aim was to evaluate the association of taurine with mortality and neurological deficits in a well-defined cohort of OHCA patients.

Methods: We prospectively measured serum taurine concentration in OHCA patients upon admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the University Hospital Basel (Switzerland). Read More

J Clin Med 2020 May 2;9(5). Epub 2020 May 2.

Department of Pathophysiology, University of Split School of Medicine, Soltanska 2, 21000 Split, Croatia.

Right ventricular (RV) function is an important predictor of prognosis in patients with heart failure. However, the relationship of the RV free wall longitudinal strain (RV FWS) and the degree of hepatic dysfunction during the acute worsening of heart failure (AWHF) is unknown. We sought to determine associations of RV FWS with laboratory liver function tests and parameters of RV function including tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), RV fractional area change (RV FAC), maximal tricuspid jet velocity (TR V), RV S' velocity, and estimated RV systolic pressure (RVSP). Read More

J Therm Biol 2020 Apr 2;89:102563. Epub 2020 Mar 2.

Consortium for Health and Military Performance, Department of Military & Emergency Medicine, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, USA.

This study tested the interactive effects of heat and caffeine on exercise-induced physiological strain by using a 2x2 within-subjects factorial design. Thirty-five physically fit Caucasians underwent a bout of exercise under four conditions wherein ambient conditions (heat vs no heat) and caffeine (placebo vs caffeine; double-blinded) were manipulated. Exercise consisted of a 60-min walk and 5-min step/squat test while wearing weighted backpack. Read More

J Clin Med 2020 Apr 24;9(4). Epub 2020 Apr 24.

Department of Toxicology and Health Protection, Faculty of Health Sciences in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 41-902 Bytom, Poland.

We try to determine the association between weight changes (WC), both loss or gain, body composition indices (BCI) and serum levels of 25[OH]D during heart failure (HF). WC was determined in 412 patients (14.3% female, aged: 53. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2020 May 28;9(9):e015247. Epub 2020 Apr 28.

Department of Medicine Morehouse School of Medicine Atlanta GA.

Background Cardiovascular disease incidence, prevalence, morbidity, and mortality have declined in the past several decades; however, disparities persist among subsets of the population. Notably, blacks have not experienced the same improvements on the whole as whites. Furthermore, frequent reports of relatively poorer health statistics among the black population have led to a broad assumption that black race reliably predicts relatively poorer health outcomes. Read More

Diagnostics (Basel) 2020 Apr 21;10(4). Epub 2020 Apr 21.

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea.

Myocardial dysfunction due to acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is common and associated with poor outcomes. The role of cardiac markers, including creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB), high-sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), in identifying patients with CO-induced cardiomyopathy were evaluated. This single-center, retrospective cohort study included 905 consecutive adult patients in the CO poisoning registry from February 2009 to December 2019. Read More

Int J Clin Pharm 2020 Apr 21;42(2):378-392. Epub 2020 Apr 21.

Southern Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia Okanagan, 1088 Discovery Road, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada.

Background Patients with cardiometabolic disease, specifically, stroke, heart disease and diabetes have a high prevalence of polypharmacy. Interventions to better manage or reduce polypharmacy in these populations may help improve patient outcomes. However, there is a paucity of data in this area, which needs to be investigated. Read More

Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2020 Apr 19. Epub 2020 Apr 19.

Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University (Girls), Cairo, Egypt.

Gastric ulcer is a widespread inflammatory disease with high socio-economic burden. C-phycocyanin is one of the active constituents of Spirulina microalgae, and although it is well known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, its protective effects against gastric ulcer have not yet been identified. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a nuclear protein that, once secreted extracellularly, initiates several inflammatory reactions, and it is involved in the pathogenesis of gastric ulcer. Read More

J Crit Care 2020 Mar 26;58:20-26. Epub 2020 Mar 26.

Department of Medical Communication and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 23, 4031 Basel, Switzerland; Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 61, 4056 Basel, Switzerland; Departement of Intensive Care, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, 4031 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Purpose: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a leading cause of mortality, yet the prediction of its outcome remains challenging. Serum Acyl Carnitines (ACs), a biomarker of beta-oxidation, have been associated with cardiovascular events. We evaluated the association of different AC species with mortality and neurological outcome in a cohort of OHCA patients. Read More

Ultrasound J 2020 Apr 9;12(1):16. Epub 2020 Apr 9.

Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Montreal Heart Institute, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Background: Organ congestion is a mediator of adverse outcomes in critically ill patients. Point-Of-Care ultrasound (POCUS) is widely available and could enable clinicians to detect signs of venous congestion at the bedside. The aim of this study was to develop several grading system prototypes using POCUS and to determine their respective ability to predict acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery. Read More

Am J Transl Res 2020 15;12(3):901-911. Epub 2020 Mar 15.

Department of Emergency, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen University First Affiliated Hospital No. 3002, Sungang West Road, Shenzhen 518035, Guangdong, P. R. China.

The present study aimed to investigate the expression of inflammatory markers and mitochondrial function-related genes, as well as their temporal relationship with cardiac myocyte injury in a rat model of sepsis. The sepsis model was constructed using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Two hours after CLP, the levels of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, and TNFα) and myocardial function markers (serum brain natriuretic peptide [BNP], cardiac troponin-I [cTNI], and procalcitonin [PCT]) were increased significantly, falling from around 9 hours postoperatively. Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2020 19;7:84. Epub 2020 Mar 19.

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon-si, South Korea.

In patients presenting with acute vertigo or dizziness, distinguishing central from peripheral is a diagnostic challenge. This study investigated potential serum markers for differentiating central and peripheral vertigo in patients with acute-onset vertigo. This prospective case-control study recruited consecutive participants from the Emergency Department, including patients with acute-onset vertigo or dizziness within 12 h and control subjects. Read More

BMC Pediatr 2020 Apr 6;20(1):151. Epub 2020 Apr 6.

Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Liège, Liège, Belgium.

Background: Unusual clinical presentation of acute appendicitis in preschool children leads to misdiagnosis and complications. We aimed to analyze the influence of age on clinical presentation, laboratory findings and complications in preschool children with acute appendicitis.

Methods: From January 2012 until December 2017, 29 children younger than 6 years of age (median 50 months) with acute appendicitis were enrolled in this retrospective study. Read More

Front Cell Dev Biol 2020 6;8:130. Epub 2020 Mar 6.

Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States.

Studies on cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) and their derived exosomes therapeutic potential have demonstrated only modest improvements in cardiac function. Therefore, there is an unmet need to improve the therapeutic efficacy of CPCs and their exosomes to attain clinically relevant improvement in cardiac function. The hypothesis of this project is to assess the therapeutic potential of exosomes derived from human CPCs (hCPCs) cultured under normoxia (21% O), physoxia (5% O) and hypoxia (1% O) conditions. Read More

Emerg Med Int 2020 9;2020:8718304. Epub 2020 Mar 9.

Health Science University, Adana City Research and Training Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Adana, Turkey.

Background: Myocardial infarction is the most common cause of death all over the world. There are many studies in predicting mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of hematologic parameters measured at the moment of admission to the emergency room in predicting in-hospital mortality and to determine cutoff values of strongly predictive values. Read More

J Emerg Med 2020 Mar 20. Epub 2020 Mar 20.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Republic of Korea.

Background: Differentiating pneumonia from chronic heart failure (HF) in normothermic subjects in the emergency department (ED) is significantly difficult.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in establishing the diagnosis of pneumonia in normothermic subjects with chronic HF in the ED.

Methods: This study included 523 adult dyspneic patients with chronic HF presenting in the ED. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2020 Apr 24;9(7):e015291. Epub 2020 Mar 24.

Department of Emergency, Disaster and Critical Care Medicine Faculty of Medicine Kagawa University Kagawa Japan.

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) followed by targeted temperature management has been demonstrated to significantly improve the outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in adult patients. Although recent narrative and systematic reviews on extracorporeal life support in the emergency department are available in the literature, they are focused on the efficacy of ECPR, and no comprehensively summarized review on ECPR for OHCA in adult patients is available. In this review, we aimed to clarify the prevalence, pathophysiology, predictors, management, and details of the complications of ECPR for OHCA, all of which have not been reviewed in previous literature, with the aim of facilitating understanding among acute care physicians. Read More

Med Care 2020 04;58(4):336-343

Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester.

Background: Heart failure patients have high rates of repeat acute care use. Current efforts for risk prediction often ignore postdischarge data.

Objective: To identify postdischarge patient-reported clinical factors associated with repeat acute care use. Read More

Trials 2020 Mar 17;21(1):267. Epub 2020 Mar 17.

Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, The Second Clinical School of Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou and Zhuhai, China.

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a clinical syndrome caused by coronary atherosclerosis (AS) or functional changes in coronary arteries. We have previously reported that astragaloside IV (in astragalus) and tanshinone IIA (in Salvia miltiorrhiza) improve myocardial ischemic injury.

Methods: This study will employ the randomized, blinded, prospective, single-center experiments approach. Read More

CJC Open 2019 Sep 16;1(5):256-260. Epub 2019 Jul 16.

Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) provides continuous real-time measurement of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO) during resuscitation. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of paramedics using NIRS during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) resuscitation. Paramedics were trained to record rSO and mark events during resuscitation. Read More

Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2020 24;16:545-555. Epub 2020 Feb 24.

Department of Neurosciences and Psychiatry, "Victor Babeş" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the serum levels of intracellular adhesion molecule (sICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1), in the first psychotic episode schizophrenia (SZ) patients, before and after six months of antipsychotic treatment.

Patients And Methods: The study included 50 patients with a first hospitalization for SZ and 50 healthy control subjects that were patient-matched regarding age, gender, body mass index and smoking status. The evaluation included the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, smoking status, ankle-brachial index, carotid intima-media thickness, and echocardiography. Read More

Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med 2020 Apr 5;39(2):253-267. Epub 2020 Mar 5.

Department of Anaesthesiology, Critical Care and Burn Centre, Lariboisière-Saint-Louis Hospitals, DMU Parabol, AP-HP Nord, University of Paris, Paris, France; Inserm UMR-S 942, Cardiovascular Markers in Stress Conditions (MASCOT), University of Paris, Paris, France; Department of Research, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.

Objectives: To provide recommendations to facilitate the management of severe thermal burns during the acute phase in adults and children.

Design: A committee of 20 experts was asked to produce recommendations in six fields of burn management, namely, (1) assessment, admission to specialised burns centres, and telemedicine; (2) haemodynamic management; (3) airway management and smoke inhalation; (4) anaesthesia and analgesia; (5) burn wound treatments; and (6) other treatments. At the start of the recommendation-formulation process, a formal conflict-of-interest policy was developed and enforced throughout the process. Read More

Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2020 Mar 4. Epub 2020 Mar 4.

University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck.

Blood pressure dipping at night is mediated by sleep-inherent, active down-regulation of sympathetic vascular tone. Concomitantly, activity of the renin-angiotensin system is reduced which might contribute to the beneficial effect of baroreflex downward-resetting on daytime blood pressure homeostasis. To evaluate whether experimental non-dipping mediated by Angiotensin-II during sleep would alter blood pressure and baroreflex function the next day in healthy humans Angiotensin-II or placebo (saline) was infused for a 7-hour period at night preventing blood pressure dipping in eleven sleeping normotensive individuals (5 males, balanced, cross-over design). Read More

BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2020 Feb 27;20(1):99. Epub 2020 Feb 27.

Department of Emergency, Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100029, China.

Background: Few studies examined the effect of long-acting nitrates on renal function in chronic heart failure (CHF). Thus, we aimed to investigate the effect of long-acting nitrate on the expression of adrenoceptors (AR) and angiotensin II receptor (ATR) subtypes of the renal cortex, in rats with myocardial infarction-induced CHF.

Methods: Rats were randomly divided into the following groups: control, sham-operated, CHF, low- and high-dose nitrate, positive drug control (olmesartan), and high-dose of long-acting nitrate + olmesartan. Read More

Pediatr Crit Care Med 2020 May;21(5):e228-e235

Children's Acute Transport Service, Heart and Lung Directorate, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.

Objectives: To determine current management of critically ill children and gather views regarding high flow nasal cannula therapy and to evaluate research priorities for a large prospective randomized controlled trial of noninvasive respiratory support in children.

Design: Multinational cross-sectional questionnaire survey conducted in 2018.

Setting: The sample included pediatric intensive care physicians in North and South America, Asia, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand. Read More

Int J Vasc Med 2020 11;2020:4981092. Epub 2020 Feb 11.

Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: Coagulation mechanisms and fibrinolytic assembly are important components role players of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) progression. Our study objective was to see the serial variations in the levels of Von Willebrand factor (VWF) and A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease with ThromboSpondin motif (ADAMTS13) over the course of AMI and to determine their relationship with the cardiovascular risk markers and the patient's clinical characteristics.

Methods: This project was done at the departments of Emergency Medicine, Physiology and Cardiac sciences of King Saud University Medical City. Read More

Dis Markers 2020 6;2020:8143737. Epub 2020 Feb 6.

Department of Internal Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Background: sST2 represents a useful biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with heart failure, but limited data is available on its role in patients with hypertension. The aim of this study is to evaluate the short-term prognosis value of sST2 for an unfavorable outcome in hypertensive patients.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study which enrolled 80 patients with hypertension, who were followed for one year. Read More

Int Immunopharmacol 2020 Apr 18;81:106204. Epub 2020 Feb 18.

Department of Cardiology, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde Foshan), Foshan 528300, Guangdong, China. Electronic address:

Background: Accumulating evidence has revealed the roles of microRNAs (miRs) in sepsis, hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether miR-208a-5p affects sepsis whilst attempting to elucidate the mechanisms by which the suppressors of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2)-mediated nuclear factor-kappaB/hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (NF-κB/HIF-1α) pathway is implicated in this process.

Methods: The sepsis model was established by cecal ligation and puncture in mice. Serum levels of myocardial enzyme cardiac Troponin-I (cTnI) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in mice were measured. Read More

Heart Vessels 2020 Feb 19. Epub 2020 Feb 19.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Aksaray Training and Research Hospital, Aksaray, Turkey.

Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is an acute emergency with high mortality and morbidity rates. This study aimed to investigate the importance of Lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase (L-PGDS) in predicting mortality and prognosis in PTE. The study prospectively included 90 patients who were admitted to the emergency department and in whom PTE was confirmed by computed tomographic pulmonary angiography as well as 40 healthy volunteers with no disease. Read More

Biotech Histochem 2020 Apr 13;95(3):163-170. Epub 2020 Feb 13.

Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that damages many organs. We investigated the effects of reperfusion using lactate Ringer's solution (LR) in a diabetic animal model. Eight-week-old rats were divided into groups: control, hemorrhagic shock induced (HS), diabetes mellitus (DM), DM plus HS (DM + HS) and DM rats that received LR after HS (DM + HS + LR). Read More

Medicina (Kaunas) 2020 Feb 10;56(2). Epub 2020 Feb 10.

Department of Internal Medicine II, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 022328 Bucharest, Romania.

: Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is a chronic cardiac dysfunction associated with liver cirrhosis, in patients without previous heart disease, irrespective of the etiology of cirrhosis. Electrocardiography (ECG) is an important way to evaluate patients with cirrhosis and may reveal significant changes associated with liver disease. Our study aimed to evaluate ECG changes in patients with diagnosed liver cirrhosis and compare them to patients with chronic hepatitis. Read More

Pediatr Res 2020 Feb 11. Epub 2020 Feb 11.

Department of Pediatrics, Section of Neonatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.

Background: Cognitive appraisal of stress can influence performance. Increased awareness could facilitate titration to optimal stress levels. This study's primary aim was to investigate whether physiologic variables change with increasingly stressful simulations. Read More

Dis Markers 2020 14;2020:9608276. Epub 2020 Jan 14.

Department of Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.

Background: Adipokines are a group of cytokines or peptides secreted by adipose tissue to exert numerous biological functions. In the present study, we measured the plasma levels of four adipokines (adiponectin, leptin, fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), and visfatin) in cardiac arrest patients following return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).

Methods: Totally, 21 patients who experienced cardiac arrest and successful ROSC with expected survival of at least 48 hours (from January 2016 to December 2017) were consecutively enrolled into this prospective observational clinical study. Read More

J Cardiovasc Transl Res 2020 Jan 31. Epub 2020 Jan 31.

Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.

There is an unmet need for accurate and practical screening to detect myocarditis. We sought to test the hypothesis that the extent of acute myocarditis, measured by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), can be estimated based on routine blood markers. A total of 44 patients were diagnosed with acute myocarditis and included in this study. Read More

Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2020 Mar 30;40(3):597-610. Epub 2020 Jan 30.

From the Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (X.Z., J.L., S.L., M.W., Q.H., Z.D., C.d.F., A.D., P.X.L., G.K.S., G.-P.S., J.G.).

Objective: By binding to its high-affinity receptor FcεR1, IgE activates mast cells, macrophages, and other inflammatory and vascular cells. Recent studies support an essential role of IgE in cardiometabolic diseases. Plasma IgE level is an independent predictor of human coronary heart disease. Read More

Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care 2020 Jan 24:2048872620901835. Epub 2020 Jan 24.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, USA.

Background: Although pleural effusions are common among patients with acute heart failure, the relevance of pleural effusion size assessed on thoracic ultrasound has not been investigated systematically.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, we included patients hospitalised for acute heart failure and performed a thoracic ultrasound early after admission (thoracic ultrasound 1) and at discharge (thoracic ultrasound 2) independently of routine clinical management. A semiquantitative score was applied offline blinded to clinical findings to categorise and monitor pleural effusion size. Read More

Rheumatology (Oxford) 2020 Mar;59(3):478-486

Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.

SSc is an autoimmune disease characterized by microvascular damage, endothelial dysfunction and fibrosis of the skin and the internal organs. Cardiac manifestation in patients with SSc is one of the major organ involvements. Approximately 20% of SSc patients suffer from primary cardiovascular disease and another 20% may have secondary cardiac involvement. Read More

Indian J Cardiovasc Dis Women WINCARS 2018 Dec;3(4):240-244

Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Cardiovascular Stem Cell Therapeutics Lab, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States.

Cardiac biomarkers are of great importance in the timely, accurate diagnosis and management of acute coronary syndrome as well as the prognosis. Diagnosis in the golden period is of utmost importance to institute therapy at the earliest and possibly reverse the myocardial damage. Cardiac biomarkers are also a powerful tool for triaging. Read More

Eur J Heart Fail 2020 Feb 30;22(2):315-329. Epub 2019 Dec 30.

Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences, and Public Health, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.

Aims: The effectiveness and safety of 48 h intravenous 30 μg/kg/day serelaxin infusion in acute heart failure (AHF) has been studied in six randomized, controlled clinical trials.

Methods And Results: We conducted a fixed-effect meta-analysis including all studies of intravenous serelaxin initiated within the first 16 h of admission for AHF. Endpoints considered were the primary and secondary endpoints examined in the serelaxin phase III studies. Read More

BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2019 12 19;19(1):302. Epub 2019 Dec 19.

Department of Internal Medicine 3, University Hospital St. Poelten, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Dunantplatz 1, 3100, St. Poelten, Austria.

Background: Endomyocardial fibrosis (EMF) represents the most common cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy worldwide. Despite a high prevalence in tropical regions, it occasionally occurs in patients who have never visited these areas. While researches have proposed various possible triggers for EMF, etiology and pathogenesis remain largely unknown. Read More

J Photochem Photobiol B 2020 Jan 13;202:111705. Epub 2019 Nov 13.

Emergency Department, Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116027 China. Electronic address:

The procurance of gold nanoparticles in the plant extracts is an excellent way to attain nanomaterials natural and eco-friendly nanomaterials. The Dehydrated roots of Chinese Euphorbia fischeriana flowering plant are called "Lang-Du". In this study, the retrieving of gold nanoparticles from Euphorbia fischeriana root was amalgamated by standard procedure. Read More

Eur J Heart Fail 2020 Apr 6;22(4):692-700. Epub 2019 Dec 6.

Cardiovascular Research Institute, National University Heart Centre Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore.

Aims: The performance of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in diagnosing acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) among patients presenting with breathlessness is markedly impaired in the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF). We evaluated the diagnostic performance of mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) and cardiac troponin T as possible alternative markers for discrimination of ADHF in this setting.

Methods And Results: Breathless patients (n = 1107) were prospectively and contemporaneously recruited in emergency departments in Singapore and New Zealand. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2020 02 18;300:245-251. Epub 2019 Nov 18.

LA Maison de la MItochondrie (LAMMI), Obesity and heart failure: molecular and clinical investigations, UMR CNRS 5288, 1 Avenue Jean Poulhes, BP 84225, 31432 Toulouse cedex 4, France; INI-CRCT F-CRIN, GREAT Networks, France. Electronic address:

Background: Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 2 (IGFBP2) showed greater heart failure (HF) diagnostic accuracy than the "grey zone" B-type natriuretic peptides, and may have prognostic utility as well.

Objectives: To determine if IGFBP2 provides independent information on cardiovascular mortality in HF.

Methods: A retrospective study of 870 HF patients from 3 independent international cohorts. Read More