Epidemiological findings on interventional cardiology procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multi-center study

Background: The rates of in-hospital mortality following percutaneous interventional procedures (PIP) during the COVID-19 pandemic period compared to the non-pandemic period has not been reported so far. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled all consecutive patients admitted for PIP across five centers from February 2020 to May 2020. Results: A total of 4092 PIP were performed during the reference periods. The total number of procedures dropped from 2380 to 1712 (28.0% reduction). Overall in-hospital mortality increased from 1.1% in 2019, to 2.6% in 2020 (63% relative increase). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-hospital all-cause mortality significantly increased in patients admitted for cardiological PIP

TCT-381 Optical coherence tomography for the early detection of cardiac allograft vasculopathy after heart trasplant

Digitalitzat per Artypla

Peripheral and placental immune responses in sheep after experimental infection with "Toxoplasma gondii" at the three terms of gestation

P. 1-9Although it is known that gestation could infuence the clinical course of ovine toxoplasmosis, the precise efect of the term of gestation when sheep are infected are yet mostly unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the peripheral and placental immune responses developed in pregnant sheep after experimental infection with Toxoplasma gondiiat diferent times of gestation. Thirty‑six pregnant sheep were allocated in diferent groups, orally inocu‑lated with sporulated oocysts of T. gondiiat early, mid and late gestation and culled within 30 days post‑infection. The peripheral humoral and cytokine responses were evaluated, as well as the transcription of cytokines at the placenta. Serological analysis revealed that, regardless the term of gestation when infected, specifc IgG against T. gondiiwere detected from day 8 post‑infection and there was an early peripheral release of IFN‑γ at the frst week post‑infection followed by a short peak of IL10 and TNF‑α at the second week post‑infection. There were no signifcant diferences in this response between infected groups. At the placenta, a similar increase in transcription of IFN‑γ, and TNF‑α was found at the three terms of gestation, while IL‑4 increased mainly at the frst and second terms and IL‑10 transcription was higher at the last term. While these fndings show that both Th1 and Th2 cytokines play a key role in the patho‑genesis of ovine toxoplasmosis and that placental and peripheral immune responses do not closely correlate, there seems to be no clear modulation of these responses along the gestation.S

Experimental ovine toxoplasmosis: influence of the gestational stage on the clinical course, lesion development and parasite distribution

P. 1-14The relation between gestational age and foetal death risk in ovine toxoplasmosis is already known, but the mechanisms involved are not yet clear. In order to study how the stage of gestation influences these mechanisms, pregnant sheep of the same age and genetic background were orally dosed with 50 oocysts of Toxoplasma gondii (M4 isolate) at days 40 (G1), 90 (G2) and 120 (G3) of gestation. In each group, four animals were culled on the second, third and fourth week post infection (pi) in order to evaluate parasite load and distribution, and lesions in target organs. Ewes from G1 showed a longer period of hyperthermia than the other groups. Abortions occurred in all groups. While in G2 they were more frequent during the acute phase of the disease, in G3 they mainly occurred after day 20 pi. After challenge, parasite and lesions in the placentas and foetuses were detected from day 19 pi in G3 while in G2 or G1 they were only detected at day 26 pi. However, after initial detection at day 19 pi, parasite burden, measured through RT-PCR, in placenta or foetus of G3 did not increase significantly and, at in the third week pi it was lower than that measured in foetal liver or placenta from G1 to G3 respectively. These results show that the period of gestation clearly influences the parasite multiplication and development of lesions in the placenta and foetus and, as a consequence, the clinical course in ovine toxoplasmosis.S

Diferencias en el tratamiento antitrombótico y pronóstico en función del sexo en pacientes con síndrome coronario agudo tratados con stent

Antecedentes y objetivo: El interés sobre la influencia del sexo en pacientes con síndrome coronario agudo (SCA) tratados con stent y nuevos antiagregantes inhibidores de P2Y12 en la práctica clínica es creciente. Se analizan las diferencias en función del sexo en el tratamiento con doble antiagregación plaquetaria (DAPT) y los eventos adversos isquémicos y hemorrágicos Materiales y métodos: Estudio prospectivo de pacientes consecutivos con diagnóstico de SCA tratados con stent coronario desde julio de 2015 hasta enero de 2016. Resultados: De un total de 283 pacientes incluidos, 75 (26.5%) correspondió a mujeres y 208 (73.5%) a hombres. La edad media fue de 71 ± 13 y 66.5 ± 13 años, respectivamente. Un 44% de mujeres se presentó como SCA con elevación del segmento ST contra un 52.4 de los hombres, p = 0.21. Las mujeres mostraron un mayor riesgo de sangrado (CRUSADE), sin diferencias en el riesgo isquémico (GRACE y TIMI). Se usaron stents farmacoactivos con más frecuencia en mujeres (88.9 vs. 75.5%, p = 0.04). Se observó una tendencia de menor prescripción del ticagrelor en mujeres (42.6 vs. 50.9%, p = 0.29) en favor de un mayor uso del clopidogrel. No se identificaron diferencias en cuanto a la prescripción del prasugrel. Las mujeres presentaron al año una menor mortalidad (1.4 vs. 6.7%, p = 0.19), aunque mayor sangrado (23.3 vs. 17.4%, p = 0.27). Conclusiones: En este estudio de pacientes consecutivos con SCA tratados con stent se registró una mayor prescripción de clopidogrel en las mujeres que en los hombres. Las mujeres presentaron una menor incidencia anual de mortalidad, pero mayor sangrado en comparación con los hombres, no significativo. Aims and objective: Impact of sex-related differences in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention and treated with new P2Y12 inhibitors is not adequately characterised. We aimed to analyse gender-based differences in dual antiplatelet therapy, and adverse cardiovascular events and bleeding. Materials and methods: Prospective-observational study of the consecutive ACS patients treated with stent from July 2016 to January 2016, with a follow-up of 1 year. Results: We examined 283 patients, 75 (26.5%) women and 208 (73.5%) men. Women were older than men (71 ± 13 vs. 66, 5 ± 13 years). There were 44% of women and 52% of men presenting with ST-elevation ACS (p = 0.21). Women had a higher bleeding risk (CRUSADE), without differences in the ischaemic risk (GRA-CE and TIMI). More women were treated with drug-eluting stent (88.9 vs. 75.5%, p = 0.04). There was a lower rate of ticagrelor prescription in women (42.6 vs. 50.9%, p = 0.29), in favour of clopidogrel. No differences were observed in prasugrel prescription. No significant differences were observed after a year of follow up, but women had a tendency towards lower mortality (1.4 vs. 6.7%, p = 0.19) and higher bleeding rates (23.3 vs. 17.4%, p = 0.27). Conclusions: In our study of patients presenting with ACS treated with stent, clopidogrel was preferred in women, whereas ticagrelor was the most frequent prescription in men. No significant differences were noted in clinical outcomes, but women experienced a tendency towards less mortality and more bleeding events

Recurrent Syncope in Patient with Multinodular Goiter

El síncope es una manisfestación clínica poco frecuente de los tumores cervicale

Dual Action of BPC194:A Membrane Active Peptide Killing Bacterial Cells

<p>Membrane active peptides can perturb the lipid bilayer in several ways, such as poration and fusion of the target cell membrane, and thereby efficiently kill bacterial cells. We probe here the mechanistic basis of membrane poration and fusion caused by membrane-active, antimicrobial peptides. We show that the cyclic antimicrobial peptide, BPC194, inhibits growth of Gram-negative bacteria and ruptures the outer and inner membrane at the onset of killing, suggesting that not just poration is taking place at the cell envelope. To simplify the system and to better understand the mechanism of action, we performed Forster resonance energy transfer and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy studies in model membranes and show that the BPC194 causes fusion of vesicles. The fusogenic action is accompanied by leakage as probed by dual-color fluorescence burst analysis at a single liposome level. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations reveal how the peptides are able to simultaneously perturb the membrane towards porated and fused states. We show that the cyclic antimicrobial peptides trigger both fusion and pore formation and that such large membrane perturbations have a similar mechanistic basis.</p>