3 research outputs found
Artificial Intelligence in Assessing Cardiovascular Diseases and Risk Factors via Retinal Fundus Images: A Review of the Last Decade
Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be the leading cause
of mortality on a global scale. In recent years, the application of artificial
intelligence (AI) techniques, particularly deep learning (DL), has gained
considerable popularity for evaluating the various aspects of CVDs. Moreover,
using fundus images and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to
diagnose retinal diseases has been extensively studied. To better understand
heart function and anticipate changes based on microvascular characteristics
and function, researchers are currently exploring the integration of AI with
non-invasive retinal scanning. Leveraging AI-assisted early detection and
prediction of cardiovascular diseases on a large scale holds excellent
potential to mitigate cardiovascular events and alleviate the economic burden
on healthcare systems. Method: A comprehensive search was conducted across
various databases, including PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of
Sciences, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library, using specific keywords related
to cardiovascular diseases and artificial intelligence. Results: A total of 87
English-language publications, selected for relevance were included in the
study, and additional references were considered. This study presents an
overview of the current advancements and challenges in employing retinal
imaging and artificial intelligence to identify cardiovascular disorders and
provides insights for further exploration in this field. Conclusion:
Researchers aim to develop precise disease prognosis patterns as the aging
population and global CVD burden increase. AI and deep learning are
transforming healthcare, offering the potential for single retinal image-based
diagnosis of various CVDs, albeit with the need for accelerated adoption in
healthcare systems.Comment: 40 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, 91 reference
Worsening renal function in hospitalized patients with systolic heart failure: prevalence and risk factors
Abstract Aims Heart failure (HF) is usually associated with complications of other organs. Renal impairment is seen in a significant proportion of HF patients and is characterized by worsening renal function (WRF). WRF can be used for predicting symptom exacerbation in systolic HF. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of WRF among hospitalized patients with systolic HF. Methods and results In this crossâsectional study, data from medical records of 347 hospitalized patients diagnosed with HFrEF from 2019 to 2020, admitted to Tabriz Shahid Madani Heart Hospital, who met the predefined inclusion criteria, were retrieved. Patients were divided into two groups based on the inâhospital occurrence of WRF. Laboratory tests and paraâclinical findings were collected and analysed using SPSS Version 20.0. Statistical significance was accepted at a P value of <0.05. In this study, 347 hospitalized patients with HFrEF were included. The mean (standard deviation) age was 62.34 (±18.87) years. The mean (SD) length of stay was 6.34 (±4) days. According to our findings, 117 patients (33.71%) had WRF. Following multivariate analysis of potential predictors of WRF occurrence, hyponatremia, haemoglobin concentration, white blood cell count and prior diuretic use were found to be independent predictors for WRF occurrence in patients with systolic heart failure. Conclusions This study revealed that in patients with WRF, mortality rate and length of stay were significantly greater than those of patients without WRF. Initial clinical characteristics of HF patients who developed WRF can help physicians identify patients with a higher risk of WRF
Case report: Endovascular treatment of transplant renal artery stenosis in patient with normal color duplex ultrasound of the renal artery
Key Clinical Message Proper diagnosis and treatment of vascular stenosis which is a possible complication of renal transplant is important in improving patients' quality of life and prognosis. Abstract One known consequence among recipients of renal transplants is graft renal artery stenosis. Early identification and therapy are crucial to avoid graft malfunction and the serious consequences that might arise due to elevated hypertension in several organs. We report a rare case of transplant renal artery stenosis in a midâaged woman who presented with edema, hypertension, and increased creatinine 2âmonths after kidney transplant. The patient had normal renal arterial resistive index (RI) and perfusion index (PI), and there was only a modest decrease in perfusion on duplex ultrasound. Following the patient's renal stenting treatment, angiographic resolution was observed. After 14âdays of regulated blood pressure following renal artery stenting, she was discharged from the hospital with her edema resolved. Considering complications in patients with clinical manifestations such as hypertension resistant to treatment and graft dysfunction, vascular stenosis is a notable issue to consider even in the context of normal renal arterial RI, PI, and duplex ultrasound. Proper diagnosis and treatment are of importance to improve patients' quality of life and prognosis