Differenze legate al sesso nel thrombus burden nei pazienti con infarto del miocardio con sopraslivellamento del segmento ST sottoposti a rivascolarizzazione coronarica percutanea

Numerosi studi hanno dimostrato che il sesso femminile si associa a tassi più alti di mortalità ed eventi avversi dopo infarto miocardico acuto, rispetto al sesso maschile. Anche se l'esatto meccanismo alla base dell'eccesso di mortalità riscontrato nelle donne, non è ancora chiaro, studi recenti hanno dimostrato l'esistenza di differenze sesso specifiche nella formazione e stabilizzazione del trombo, con una maggiore attivazione piastrinica nelle donne rispetto agli uomini. Rimane ancora sconosciuto se differenze nel burden di trombosi possono spiegare, almeno in parte, le differenze sesso specifiche riportate nella prognosi dopo infarto del miocardio. In questo studio è stata analizzata una popolazione di 19,047 soggetti, sottoposti a P-PCI per STEMI e precedentemente arruolati in uno dei seguenti studi randomizzati: the Thrombus Aspiration during Percutaneous coronary intervention in Acute myocardial infarction Study (TAPAS), the Thrombus Aspiration in ST-Elevation myocardial infarction in Scandinavia (TASTE) e the routine aspiration thrombectomy with PCI versus PCI alone in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI (TOTAL) trials. Il principale outcome di interesse era la morte cardiovascolare ad un anno. Lo studio ha evidenziato che i pazienti con un elevato thrombus burden avevano una prognosi peggiore rispetto ai pazienti con basso thrombus burden (HR per morte cardiovascolare 1.51, 95% CI 1.07-2.12, p=0.02). Inoltre, nell'analisi di Cox non aggiustata per i fattori di confondimento, il sesso femminile era associato con un aumentato rischio di morte cardiovascolare ad un anno, indipendentemente dal grado di thrombus burden. Dopo aggiustamento per i fattori di confondimento, il rischio di morte cardiovascolare ad un anno era alto solo nelle donne con un aumentato thrombus burden (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.15 -1.30, P<0.001). Le donne con elevato thrombus burden avevano, inoltre, un aumentato rischio di morte per tutte le cause e di trombosi dello sten, rispetto agli uomini. Quindi, un elevato thrombus burden ha un impatto prognostico negativo nei pazienti con infarto miocardico acuto STEMI. Tra i pazienti con STEMI ed alto carico trombotico le donne hanno un rischio più elevato di morte cardiovascolare ad un anno rispetto agli uomini

From Structural to Functional Hypertension Mediated Target Organ Damage—A Long Way to Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Arterial hypertension (AH) is a major risk factor for the development of heart failure (HF) which represents one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The chronic hemodynamic overload induced by AH is responsible for different types of functional and morphological adaptation of the cardiovascular system, defined as hypertensive mediated target organ damage (HMOD), whose identification is of fundamental importance for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. Among HMODs, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMVD), and subclinical systolic dysfunction have been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of HF and represent promising therapeutic targets. Furthermore, LVH represents a strong predictor of cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients, influencing per se the development of CMVD and systolic dysfunction. Clinical evidence suggests considering LVH as a diagnostic marker for HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Several studies have also shown that microalbuminuria, a parameter of abnormal renal function, is implicated in the development of HFpEF and in predicting the prognosis of patients with HF. The present review highlights recent evidence on the main HMOD, focusing in particular on LVH, CMD, subclinical systolic dysfunction, and microalbuminuria leading to HFpEF

A single blind, multicenter, randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost of a novel nutraceutical (LopiGLIK®) lowering cardiovascular disease risk

Context: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) costs the economy €210 billion per year in Europe. There is an association between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and CVD risk. Objective: To evaluate the cost and effectiveness of LopiGLIK® (LOPI) in lowering LDL-C and CVD risk. Design: Single blind multicenter randomized controlled trial; patients were divided into two groups, subjected to centralized randomization. Setting: Four Italian regions. Participants: Thirty-one physicians enrolled 573 adult patients with mild hypercholesterolemia between January 2016 and January 2018. Intervention: Patients were treated for 16 weeks either with LOPI (intervention) or Armolipid Plus® (AP; control). Outcome measures: Primary outcome: percentage of patients who achieved LDL-C <130 mg/dL. Secondary outcomes: reduction of HbA1c, survival analysis and HR linked to 38.67 mg/dL reduction of LDL-C and 1% reduction of HbA1c. Costs were assessed per unit and cure. Results: Three hundred and seventy patients treated with LOPI and 203 treated with AP were randomized and completed the study. At baseline 8.9% (n=18) patients treated with AP and 9.5% (n=35) treated with LOPI had LDL-C levels <130 mg/dL (P=0.815). At the 16-week follow-up, 41.4% (n=84) of patients treated with AP and 67.6% (n=250) with LOPI achieved LDL-C levels <130 mg/dL (P<0.001). LOPI patients were three times more likely to achieve LDL-C levels <130 mg/dL; adjusted OR 2.97 (95% CI; 2.08–4.24; P<0.001), number needed to treat was four (95% CI; 5.60–2.90; P<0.001). Survival analysis demonstrated the superiority of LOPI vs AP relative to 38.67 mg/dL LDL-C reduction (P<0.002); HR was 0.761 (95% CI; 0.62–0.94; P<0.001). Both products reduced the HbA1c without a significant difference between them (P=0.156). Survival analysis and HR (0.91; 95% CI; 0.70–1.18) estimated for 1% HbA1c reduction, showed differences between LOPI and AP, which were not significant (P=0.411; P=0.464). The cost of LOPI was €2.11 (unit), €211 (cure), and AP €3.77 and €377, respectively. Conclusion: LOPI appeared more effective and less expensive than AP in lowering LDL-C and CVD risk. Trial registration: NCT02898805, September 8, 2016. Keywords: hypercholesterolemia, nutraceuticals, effectiveness, cardiovascular risk reductio

Determinants of improvement of left ventricular mechano-energetic efficiency in hypertensive patients

BackgroundArterial hypertension, especially when coexisting with other cardiovascular risk factors, could determine an imbalance between myocardial energetic demand and altered efficiency, leading to an early left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction, even in terms of echo-derived mechano-energetic efficiency indexed for myocardial mass (MEEi). We aim to analyse an improvement in LV MEEi, if any, in a population of hypertensive patients with a long-term follow-up and to identify clinical, metabolic and therapeutic determinants of LV MEEi amelioration.Materials and methodsIn total, 7,052 hypertensive patients, followed-up for 5.3 ± 4.5 years, enrolled in the Campania Salute Network, underwent echocardiographic and clinical evaluation. LV MEEi was obtained as the ratio between stroke volume and heart rate and normalized per grams of LV mass and ΔMEEi was calculated as difference between follow-up and baseline MEEi. Patients in the highest ΔMEEi quartile (≥0.0454 mL/s/g) (group 1) were compared to the merged first, second and third quartiles (&lt;0.0454 mL/s/g) (group 2). METS-IR (Metabolic Score for Insulin Resistance), an established index of insulin sensitivity, was also derived.ResultsPatients with MEEi improvement experienced a lower rate of major cardiovascular events (p = 0.02). After excluding patients experiencing cardiovascular events, patients in group 1 were younger (p &lt; 0.0001), less often diabetic (p = 0.001) and obese (p = 0.035). Group 1 experienced more frequently LV mass index reduction, lower occurrence of LV ejection fraction reduction, and had a better metabolic control in terms of mean METS-IR during the follow-up (all p &lt; 0.0001). Beta-blockers were more often used in group 1 (p &lt; 0.0001) than group 2. A logistic regression analysis showed that younger age, lower mean METS-IR values, more frequent LV mass index reduction and therapy with beta-blockers were significantly associated with LV MEEi improvement, independently of presence of diabetes and obesity.ConclusionMetabolic control and therapy with beta-blockers could act in a synergic way, determining an improvement in LV MEEi in hypertensive patients over time, possibly confining cardiac damage and hampering progression toward heart failure

Severity of Coronary Atherosclerosis and Risk of Diabetes Mellitus

Cardio-vascular target organ damage predicts the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in hypertensive patients. Whether an increased incidence of DM is also in relation to the severity of coronary atherosclerosis is unknown

Aprendizajes y prácticas educativas en las actuales condiciones de época: COVID-19

“Esta obra colectiva es el resultado de una convocatoria a docentes, investigadores y profesionales del campo pedagógico a visibilizar procesos investigativos y prácticas educativas situadas en el marco de COVI-19. La misma se inscribe en el trabajo llevado a cabo por el equipo de Investigación responsable del Proyecto “Sentidos y significados acerca de aprender en las actuales condiciones de época: un estudio con docentes y estudiantes de la educación secundarias en la ciudad de Córdoba” de la Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. El momento excepcional que estamos atravesando, pero que también nos atraviesa, ha modificado la percepción temporal a punto tal que habitamos un tiempo acelerado y angustiante que nos exige la producción de conocimiento provisorio. La presente publicación surge como un espacio para detenernos a documentar lo que nos acontece y, a su vez, como oportunidad para atesorar y resguardar las experiencias educativas que hemos construido, inventado y reinventando en este contexto. En ella encontrarán pluralidad de voces acerca de enseñar y aprender durante la pandemia. Este texto es una pausa para reflexionar sobre el hacer y las prácticas educativas por venir”.Fil: Beltramino, Lucia (comp.). Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Escuela de Archivología; Argentina

Modulation of insulin resistance by renin angiotensin system inhibitors: implications for cardiovascular prevention

Insulin resistance (IR) and the related hyperinsulinamia play a key role in the genesis and progression of the continuum of cardiovascular (CV) disease. Thus, it is reasonable to pursue in primary and secondary CV prevention, the pharmacological strategies that are capable to interfere with the development of IR. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of IR. In particular, angiotensin II (Ang II) through the generation of reactive oxygen species, induces a low grade of inflammation, which impairs the insulin signal transduction. The angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are effective not only as blood pressure-lowering agents, but also as modulators of metabolic abnormalities. Indeed, experimental evidence indicates that in animal models of IR, ACE inhibitors are capable to ameliorate the insulin sensitivity. The Ang II receptor blockers (ARBs) modulate the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ activity. PPARâ€"γ is a transcription factor that controls the gene expression of several key enzymes of glucose metabolism. A further mechanism that accounts for the favorable metabolic properties of ARBs is the capability to modulate the hypothalamicâ€"pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The available clinical evidence is consistent with the concept that both ACE inhibitors and ARBs are able to interfere with the development of IR and its consequences like type 2 diabetes. In addition, pharmacological inhibition of the RAAS has favourable effects on dyslipidaemias, metabolic syndrome and obesity. Therefore, the pharmacological antagonism of the RAAS, nowadays, represents the first choice in the prevention of cardio-metabolic diseases

Arterial Hypertension in Aortic Valve Stenosis: A Critical Update

Aortic stenosis (AS) is a very common valve disease and is associated with high mortality once it becomes symptomatic. Arterial hypertension (HT) has a high prevalence among patients with AS leading to worse left ventricle remodeling and faster degeneration of the valve. HT also interferes with the assessment of the severity of AS, leading to an underestimation of the real degree of stenosis. Treatment of HT in AS has not historically been pursued due to the fear of excess reduction in afterload without a possibility of increasing stroke volume due to the fixed aortic valve, but most recent evidence shows that several drugs are safe and effective in reducing BP in patients with HT and AS. RAAS inhibitors and beta-blockers provide benefit in selected populations based on their profile of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Different drugs, on the other hand, have proved to be unsafe, such as calcium channel blockers, or simply not easy enough to handle to be recommended in clinical practice, such as PDE5i, MRA or sodium nitroprusside. The present review highlights all available studies on HT and AS to guide antihypertensive treatment

Advanced imaging tools for evaluating cardiac morphological and functional impairment in hypertensive disease

Arterial hypertension represents a systemic burden, and it is responsible of various morphological, functional and tissue modifications affecting the heart and the cardiovascular system. Advanced imaging techniques, such as speckle tracking and three-dimensional echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, computed tomography and PET-computed tomography, are able to identify cardiovascular injury at different stages of arterial hypertension, from subclinical alterations and overt organ damage to possible complications related to pressure overload, thus giving a precious contribution for guiding timely and appropriate management and therapy, in order to improve diagnostic accuracy and prevent disease progression. The present review focuses on the peculiarity of different advanced imaging tools to provide information about different and multiple morphological and functional aspects involved in hypertensive cardiovascular injury. This evaluation emphasizes the usefulness of the emerging multiimaging approach for a comprehensive overview of arterial hypertension induced cardiovascular damage