A critical role of NO/cGMP/PKG dependent pathway in hippocampal post-ischemic LTP:Modulation by zonisamide

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Edge-to-Edge Technique to Minimize Ovelapping of Multiple Bioresorbable Scaffolds Plus Drug Eluting Stents in Revascularization of Long Diffuse Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery Disease

Background: Implantation of Drug Eluting Stents (DES) plus bioresorbable scaffolds (BVS) in very long diffuse left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) disease may be problematic because of multiple devices overlapping. We sought to assess the short and mid-tern outcomes of combined implantation of DES and BVS using a novel "edge-to-edge" technique in patients with diffuse LAD disease. Methods: Patients with long diffuse LAD disease were enrolled in a prospective registry from 1st August 2014 to 1st August 2015 and treated with IVUS-aided percutaneous coronary intervention using a DES plus a single or multiple BVS using a novel "edge-to-edge" technique. Clinical follow up and invasive follow up driven by clinical justification was performed. Results: Twenty-three patients (5 females, mean age 59.1 +/- 9.1 years) were enrolled. Mean length of LAD disease was 73.1 +/- 20.6 mm. Mean number of DES and BVS implanted was 1.2 +/- 0.4 and 1.7 +/- 1.3, respectively. At a mean follow-up of 11.3 +/- 3.8 months, no stent thrombosis or MACE were observed. Angiographic and IVUS follow-up at a mean of 6.6 +/- 0.7 months showed no significant angiographic restenosis and no appreciable stent gaps. Conclusions: In revascularization of long diffuse disease of the LAD, the edge-to-edge implantation technique appears to be feasible resulting in no restenosis or thrombosis on the short-term follow-up

In-hospital and thirty-day outcomes of the SAPIEN 3 Ultra balloon-expandable transcatheter aortic valve : the S3U registry

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate 30-day safety and efficacy outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) performed with the SAPIEN 3 Ultra system. Methods and results: The S3U registry is a physician-led, post-approval, multicentre, observational registry of transfemoral TAVI with the SAPIEN 3 Ultra. New features include an improved sealing skirt, a 14 Fr expandable sheath and a new delivery catheter. Overall, 139 consecutive patients at nine participating centres were enrolled. Mean age was 81.4 +/- 8.3 years, average STS score 3.8 +/- 2.4%. The vast majority (97.2%) underwent TAVI with local anaesthesia (28.8%) or conscious sedation (68.3%). Balloon predilatation was performed in 30 patients (21.6%), post-dilatation in three (2.2%). In-hospital, there were no cases of death, stroke, or conversion to open heart surgery. Major vascular complications occurred in three patients (2.2%), as well as major or life-threatening bleedings in three patients (2.2%). There were two moderate (1.4%) and no moderate/severe paravalvular leaks. Median length of stay after TAVI was three days (IQR 3-5 days). At 30 days, there were no deaths, MI, or strokes, and the incidence of new permanent pacemaker implantation was 4.4%. Conclusions: This first multicentre international experience of transfemoral TAVI with the SAPIEN 3 Ultra transcatheter heart valve shows good in-hospital and 30-day clinical outcomes.Peer reviewe

Coronary Angiography After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) to Evaluate the Risk of Coronary Access Impairment After TAVR‐in‐TAVR

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Exercise addiction in athletes: Comparing two assessment instruments and willingness to stop exercise after medical advice

Exercise is overwhelmingly beneficial for physical and mental health, but for some people exercise addiction (EA) can develop and negatively impact an individual. This study sought to (a) compare the latent structure of two instruments assessing EA and (b) examine differences in attitudes toward stopping exercise, if required to on medical grounds, among exercise-addicted and non-addicted athletes. In a cross-sectional study, 1,011 athletes competing at different levels completed an anonymous on-line survey. The survey contained Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised (EDS-R), Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), and questions on adherence to medical prescriptions to stop exercise. We tested the latent structure of EDS-R and EAI with multigroup confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), across gender and competition level. Finally, we measured the difference of athletes' attitudes toward stopping exercise, if prescribed by a physician. Both instruments showed good fit indexes, even across gender. CFAs on EAI scores showed some violations of measurement invariance across competition level (ΔCFI = .03; ΔRMSEA = .02). On the contrary, CFAs on EDS-R scores did not show invariance violations across competition level (ΔCFI = <.01; ΔRMSEA = <.01). Finally, athletes who reached thresholds for exercise addiction, by means of EDS-R, were more prone to not follow medical prescriptions to cease exercise, independently of the competition level. These results suggest that athletes' answers on the EDS-R seem to be less affected by competition level, compared to EAI. Moreover, EDS-R outcomes could be used to identify individuals who may be unlikely to cease exercise for medical reasons, independently of their competition level

Long-term outcomes and prosthesis performance after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: results of self-expandable and balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valves

BACKGROUND: Data on transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) long-term clinical outcomes and hemodynamic performance of the self-expandable CoreValve (CV) and the balloon-expandable Edwards SAPIEN XT (ES) (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California, USA) transcatheter heart valves (THV) are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to compare long-term clinical outcome data and hemodynamic performance of TAVR with either CV or ES. METHODS: We reviewed prospectively collected data of 171 patients treated with TAVR for severe aortic stenosis (AS) at our center between June 2007 and December 2010, with last follow-up contact in 2016. RESULTS: Out of 171 patients treated with TAVR at our Institution, 87 received a CV and 84 an ES THV. Mean age was 81 [78-85] years, and mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score was 7.5% (4.5-13.9%). Hemodynamic success by Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC) definition was 97.1%. Mean trans-prosthetic gradient remained low and stable during follow-up in both groups (at 5-year 9.2±6.4 versus 12.7±5.1 mmHg, P=0.10). Late prosthesis failure occurred in 4 cases (2.4%). Thirty-day mortality was 4.7%, and estimated survival rates by Kaplan-Meyer after 1, 5 and 8 years were 87.6%, 44.9%, and 24.5%, respectively, without difference between THV groups. Rates of cardiovascular death, stroke, myocardial infarction (MI) and congestive heart failure (CHF) were also similar with CV and ES at long-term follow-up. History of CHF, pre-existent severe mitral regurgitation, paravalvular leak grade ≥2+, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were independent predictors of late mortality at multivariable analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and hemodynamic outcomes of patients treated by self-expandable CV or balloon-expandable ES THV were favorable and similar throughout long-term follow-up, with a rate of prosthesis failure of less than 3%

TAVR and stroke: A common evolution

Periprocedural cerebrovascular events (CVE) after transcatheter aortic‐valve replacement (TAVR) are infrequent (but not rare) and fearsome complications. Stroke rates after TAVR remain below 4% in recent literature, but data on predictors of peri‐procedural CVE occurrence is generally controversial and inconsistent. The incidence of peri‐procedural stroke seems to be lower in patients treated with TAVR rather than surgical aortic valve replacement, especially among those patients with low‐surgical risk