The effect of inflammatory bowel diseases on the risk of atherosclerosis: assessment according to ultrasound imaging and sphygmometry

Aim. To evaluate the effect of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on the risk of atherosclerosis in patients without known cardiovascular disease. Materials and methods. The study included 115 patients divided into three groups: 37 patients with Crohn's disease (CD), 44 with ulcerative colitis (UC), and 34 in the control group without known IBD and other risk factors. Doppler ultrasound of the brachiocephalic arteries and sphygmometry were used for diagnosis. The main indicators were the thickness of the intima-media complex (TIMC) and vascular stiffness, measured by the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and the ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI). Results. IBD patients showed an increase in TIMC compared to controls. TIMC of the common carotid arteries on the right: in patients with CD – 0.07 cm (p=0.001), with UC – 0.08 cm (p=0.019), in the control group – 0.06 cm. TIMC of the common carotid arteries on the left: in patients with CD – 0.07 cm (p=0.001), with UC – 0.07 cm (p=0.012), in the control group – 0.06 cm. The sphygmometry indicators (CAVI and ABI) did not differ significantly between the groups. The mean CAVI on the right was 6.8±0.98 for the CD group, 6.6±0.79 for the UC group, and 6.82±0.76 for the control group (p=0.692). Conclusion. IBD can contribute to the thickening of the vascular walls, thus increasing the risk of atherosclerosis, as shown by TIMC. Vascular stiffness indicators (CAVI, ABI) did not differ significantly between the groups

The Effects of Intermittent Hypoxic–Hyperoxic Exposures on Lipid Profile and Inflammation in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome

Background: Patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) tend to suffer from comorbidities, and are often simultaneously affected by obesity, dysglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. This syndrome can be reversed if it is timely diagnosed and treated with a combination of risk factors-reducing lifestyle changes and a tailored pharmacological plan. Interval hypoxic-hyperoxic training (IHHT) has been shown as an effective program in reducing cardiovascular risk factors in patients with MS even in the absence of exercise. However, the influence of IHHT on the lipid profile and inflammation in this clinical population remains relatively unknown.Methods: A prospective, single-center, randomized controlled trial was conducted on 65 (33 men) patients with MS aged 29–74 years, who were randomly allocated to the IHHT or control (sham) experimental groups. The IHHT group completed a 3-week, 5 days/week intermittent exposure to hypoxia and hyperoxia. The control (sham) group followed the same protocol but was breathing room air instead. The primary endpoints were the lipid profile (concentrations of total cholesterol [TC], low-density lipoprotein [LDL], high-density lipoprotein [HDL], and triglycerides [TG]) and the inflammatory factors such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), galectin-3, heat shock proteins (Hsp70). The secondary endpoints were alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), N-terminal pro-hormone of brain natriuretic peptide level (NTproBNP), transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1), heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP), and nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2).Results: There were no differences between the two groups but the different baseline values have affected these results. The IHHT group demonstrated pre-post decrease in total cholesterol (p = 0.001), LDL (p = 0.001), and TG levels (p = 0.001). We have also found a decrease in the CRP-hs (p = 0.015) and Hsp70 (p = 0.006) in IHHT-group after intervention, and a significant decrease in pre-post (delta) differences of NTproBNP (p &amp;lt; 0.0001) in the IHHT group compared to the control group. In addition, the patients of the IHHT group showed a statistically significant decrease in pre-post differences of ALT and AST levels in comparison with the control group (p = 0.001). No significant IHHT complications or serious adverse events were observed.Conclusions: The IHHT appears to improve lipid profile and anti-inflammatory status. It is a safe, well-tolerated procedure, and could be recommended as an auxiliary treatment in patients suffering from MS, however, the experiment results were limited by the baseline group differences.Clinical Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier [NCT04791397]. Evaluation of the effect of IHHT on vascular stiffness and elasticity of the liver tissue in patients with MS.</jats:p

Evaluation of microRNA Expression Features in Patients with Various Types of Arterial Damage: Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Coronary Atherosclerosis

Circulating serum miRNA are increasingly used as biomarkers and potential treatment targets in several clinical scenarios, including cardiovascular diseases. However, the current data on circulating miRNA in thoracic aorta aneurism (TAA) patients are inconclusive. The aim of the present study is to compare the levels of several circulating miRNA in patients with degenerative TAA, coronary artery disease (CAD), and controls for special profile identification. We have identified several candidates for the role of new biomarkers: miR-143-3p, miR-181-5p, miR-126-3p, miR-126-5p, miR-145-5p, miR-150-5p, and miR-195-5p. Materials and methods: Serum samples of 100 patients were analyzed, including 388 TAA patients scheduled for elective surgery, 67 patients with stable CAD and 17 controls, were used for miRNA isolation and identification. Results: More specific for TAA with very high predictive ability in ROC analysis was an increase in the levels of miR-21-5p, miR-29b-5p, miR-126-5p/-3p, miR-181b-5p, and miR-92a-3p, with the latter microRNA being investigated as a novel potential marker of TAA for the first time. Conclusion: TAA and CAD patients demonstrated a significant increase in the levels of circulating miR-126-5p/-3p, miR-181b-5p, and miR-29b-3p. More specific for TAA with very high predictive ability in ROC analysis was an increase in the levels of miR-21-5p, -29b-5p, -126-5p/-3p, 181b-5p, and -92a-3p, with the latter microRNA being investigated as a potential marker of TAA for the first time