Hearts, Volume 5, Issue 3 (September 2024) – 12 articles

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease wherein neutrophils play a key role in plaque evolution. We observed that neutrophil CD11b was associated with a higher necrotic core volume in coronary plaques. Since platelets modulate neutrophil function, we explored the influence of neutrophil–platelet conjugates on the cytokine-modulated neutrophil complex CD11b/CD18 and CCR5 receptor expression. In 55 patients [68.53 ± 7.95 years old (mean ± SD); 71% male], neutrophil positivity for CD11b, CD18 and CCR5 was expressed as Relative Fluorescence Intensity (RFI) and taken as a dependent variable. Cytokines and chemokines were assessed by ELISA. Following log-10-based logarithmic transformation, they were used as independent variables in Model 1 of multiple regression together with Body Mass Index and albumin. Model 1 was expanded with the RFI of neutrophil CD41a+ (model 2). The RFI of neutrophil CD41a+ correlated positively and significantly with CD11b, CD18, and CCR5. In Model 2, CCR5 correlated positively only with the RFI of neutrophil CD41a+. Albumin maintained its positive effect on CD11b in both models. These observations indicate the complexity of neutrophil phenotypic modulation in stable CAD. Despite limitations, these findings suggest there is a role played by neutrophil–platelet interaction on the neutrophil cytokine-modulated expression of adhesive and chemotactic receptors. Full article

Cardiac angiosarcoma is the most common malignant tumor of the heart. The typical clinical profile is a young male with 30–50 years of age. Due to varied clinical presentation, it can disguise common cardiovascular disorders, such as pericarditis, congestive cardiac failure, and angina. This can delay the diagnosis, thus allowing the tumor to progress to the advanced stage by the time it is detected. Depending on tumor grade and size, a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation is advocated. Despite aggressive management, these tumors have a propensity to recur, advance, and metastasize, thereby underscoring the treatment resistance commonly encountered with these tumors. Resultantly, most of the patients are more prone to have shorter survival time, worse clinical outcomes, and grave prognosis. Research efforts should be directed toward decoding the inherent immune-genetic traits of these aggressive tumors so that their rapid progression can be extensively repressed. So, we propounded basic and clinical research studies to grasp the genetic makeup of these tumors so that crafting novel therapeutic modalities for improving prognosis and survival interval in these malignant tumors can materialize. Full article

The field of cardio-oncology is an expanding frontier within cardiovascular medicine, and the need for evidence-based guidelines is apparent. One of the emerging focuses within cardio-oncology is the concomitant use of medications for cardioprotection in the setting of chemotherapy regimens that have known cardiovascular toxicity. While clinical trials focusing on cardioprotection during chemotherapy are sparse, an inaugural trial exploring the prophylactic potential of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) for anthracycline (ANT)-induced cardiotoxicity has recently commenced. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, though less studied in this oncology demographic, have exhibited promise in preclinical studies for conferring cardiac protection during non-ischemic toxic insults. While primarily used to reduce low-density lipoprotein, PCSK9 inhibitors exhibit pleiotropic effects, including the attenuation of inflammation, reactive oxygen species, and endothelial dysfunction. In ANT-induced cardiotoxicity, these same processes are accelerated, resulting in premature termination of treatment, chronic cardiovascular sequelae, heart failure, and/or death. This review serves a dual purpose: firstly, to provide a concise overview of the mechanisms implicated in ANT-induced cardiotoxicity, and, finally, to summarize the existing preclinical data supporting the theoretical possibility of the cardioprotective effects of PCSK9 inhibition in ANT-induced cardiotoxicity. Full article

Echocardiography is recommended as a first-line diagnostic tool in patients with premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). However, standard echocardiography is not always able to identify early signs of myocardial dysfunction and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) may offer additional information. Since CMR has lower accessibility and higher cost compared to echocardiography, we wanted to evaluate how additional echocardiographic parameters, not included in routine examinations, perform compared to CMR in detecting signs of cardiomyopathy in PVC patients with normal findings at a standard echocardiogram. We compared CMR findings and results from an extended echocardiographic examination in thirty-nine patients who had a high PVC burden. The additional echocardiographic parameters were global longitudinal strain, mechanical dispersion, ventricular–arterial coupling, integrated backscatter and left atrial activation time. Eleven patients had pathological findings at CMR. The additional echocardiographic parameters did not significantly differ between patients with or without CMR findings. However, several patients with normal CMR findings showed signs of ventricular dysfunction when evaluated with the additional echocardiographic parameters, which suggests that these could possibly offer supplementary information in the assessment of PVC patients. Full article

In cardiac surgery, poststernotomy pain is a significant issue, peaking within 48 h and requiring proper analgesia for both acute relief and avoidance of chronicization. Opioids are commonly used for pain management postsurgery but pose risks such as adverse effects and dependency. Post-cardiac surgery pain can stem from various sources—somatic, visceral, and neuropathic—making opioid reliance a concern. Multimodal analgesia, which combines different medications and regional anesthesia techniques, is increasingly recommended to decrease opioid use and its related problems. Strategies include acetaminophen, gabapentinoids, NMDA antagonists, alpha-2 agonists, intravenous lidocaine, anti-inflammatory drugs, and regional anesthesia. These approaches can enhance pain control, reduce opioid reliance, and improve cardiac surgery outcomes. The ERAS^® Cardiac Society strongly advocates for an opioid-sparing multimodal approach to improve patient recovery by reducing complications and increasing patient satisfaction. This review aims to consolidate current evidence to assist healthcare providers in customizing pain management for patients post-cardiac surgery, emphasizing reduced opioid use and optimizing the recovery process. Full article

Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) is a life-threatening disorder that involves a complex interplay between the two organs. Managing this multifaceted syndrome is challenging in the hospital and requires a multidisciplinary approach to tackle the many manifestations and complications. There is no universally accepted algorithm to treat patients, and therapeutic options vary from one patient to another. The mainstays of therapy involve the stabilization of hemodynamics, decongestion using diuretics or renal replacement therapy, improvement of cardiac output with inotropes, and goal-directed medical treatment with renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors, beta-blockers, and other medications. Mechanical circulatory support is another viable option in the armamentarium of agents that improve symptoms in select patients. Full article

Endocarditis is a severe infection affecting the heart’s inner layer, the endocardium. Its pathophysiology may involve heart valve damage, bacteria adhesion and biofilm formation, potentially leading to fatal complications. Bacteria from various sources, including from endodontic diseases and its treatments may enter the bloodstream provoking this condition. This systematic review aimed to explore the influence of endodontic factors on endocarditis. Searches across PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and manual sources yielded 14 relevant articles from 1562 screened studies. Assessment platforms from JBI Critical Appraisal Tools evaluated studies biases. Findings mainly focused on transient bacteraemia as a key indicator of risk correlating bacterial virulence and counts with endocarditis development. Worryingly, multi-species bacteraemia post-endodontic treatment was noted including the genera Enterococcus, Parvimonas, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. Conclusive validation of the incidence and association between endodontic patients and endocarditis was limited due to a lack of robust longitudinal investigations, such as randomized controlled trials. This emphasizes the need for further research with well-designed methodologies to provide a full understanding of the causative bacterial population and its pathological mechanisms. A current guideline (2023 European Society of Cardiology) was developed to support healthcare professionals in diagnosing and managing infective endocarditis; this 2023 version is introducing a new diagnostic algorithm to aid in patient classification aiming to improve outcomes for this challenging disease. The study was a priori registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023407736). Full article

There is emerging evidence to suggest that diet and dietary interventions can have an impact on heart failure (HF) outcomes. Currently, the restriction of salt intake is the only dietary advice that is consistently guideline-recommended for the management of HF despite conflicting evidence for its efficacy. Dietary components that have been investigated in people with HF include middle-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) salts, ketone esters and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Supplementation with these components is thought to be cardioprotective possibly due to an increase in myocardial energy production. There have been research studies on the effectiveness of The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) in the treatment of HF, but with conflicting results. The ketogenic diet (KD) has come to the forefront of interest due to evidence indicating its effectiveness in addressing the metabolic shift that occurs in HF. However, there is a lack of randomised controlled trials (RCT) centred around the KD. In any dietary intervention, factors such as adherence and compliance affect the validity of the results. Malnutrition, sarcopenia and/or cardiac cachexia can be present in the more advanced stages of heart failure. Nutritional screening, assessment and support/intervention are important aspects of treatment in the advanced stages of heart failure. Furthermore, HF management through dietary intervention is further complicated by the presence of comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus (DM) and coronary artery disease (CAD). Long-term studies on the use of dietary modifications in people with HF are warranted to ascertain their efficacy, safety and side effects. Full article

The occurrence of pericardial rupture as a complication of blunt thoracic trauma has the potential to result in cardiac dislocation unless promptly identified and subjected to suitable surgical intervention. This phenomenon is exceptionally uncommon and is associated with a significant mortality rate between 30 and 67%. The diagnosis remains complex due to the scarcity of symptoms. However, the routine application of computed tomography (CT) scans in the management of trauma patients could facilitate the early identification of cardiac dislocation. In this case report, we described the diagnostic–therapeutic pathway of a pericardial rupture due to high-intensity trauma. Full article

Background: There are many types of arrhythmias which may threaten health that are well-known or opaque. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine how different cardiac health risk factors rank together in association with arrhythmias in young, middle-aged, and older adults. Methods: The analytic sample included 101 adults aged 50.6 ± 22.6 years. Several prominent heart-health-related risk factors were self-reported. Mean arterial pressure and body mass index were collected using standard procedures. Hydraulic handgrip dynamometry measured strength capacity. A 6 min single-lead electrocardiogram evaluated arrhythmias. Respiratory sinus arrhythmias (RSAs) and ectopic heart beats were observed and specified for analyses. Classification and Regression Tree analyses were employed. Results: A mean arterial pressure ≥ 104 mmHg was the first level predictor for ectopic beats, while age ≥ 41 years was the first level predictor for RSAs. Age, heart rate, stress and anxiety, and physical activity emerged as important variables for ectopic beats (p < 0.05), whereas age, sodium, heart rate, and gender were important for RSAs (p < 0.05). Conclusions: RSAs and ectopic arrhythmias may have unique modifiable and non-modifiable factors that may help in understanding their etiology for prevention and treatment as appropriate across the lifespan. Full article

Aim and Background: To determine whether occupational physical activity (OPA) and physical fitness (Fitscore) predict cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and its components. Methods: Among middle-aged men (N = 5482) of seven cohorts of the Seven Countries Study (SCS), several baseline risk factors were measured, and there was a follow-up for 60 years until virtual extinction. OPA was estimated from the type of work while Fitscore was derived from linear combinations of levels of arm circumference, heart rate and vital capacity computed as a factor score by principal component analysis. The predictive adjusted power of these characteristics was obtained by Cox models for coronary heart disease (CHD), heart diseases of uncertain etiology (HDUE), stroke and CVD outcomes. Results: Single levels of the three indicators of fitness were highly related to the three levels of OPA and Fitscore. High levels of both OPA and Fitscore forced into the same models were associated with lower CVD, CHD, HDUE and stroke mortality. When assessed concomitantly in the same models, hazard ratios (high versus low) for 60-year CVD mortality were 0.88 (OPA: 95% CI: 0.78–0.99) and 0.68 (Fitscore 95% CI: 0.61–0.75), and the predictive power of Fitscore outperformed that of OPA for CHD, HDUE and stroke outcomes. Similar results were obtained in individual outcome models in the presence of risk factors. Segregating the first 30 from the second 30 years of follow-up indicated that people dying earlier had lower arm circumference and vital capacity, whereas heart rate was higher for CVD and most of its major components (all p < 0.0001). Conclusions: OPA was well related to the indicators of fitness involving muscular mass, cardio-circulatory and respiratory functions, thus adding predictive power for CVD events. The Fitscore derived from the above indicators represents another powerful long-term predictor of CHD, HDUE and stroke mortality. Full article

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital heart malformation in adults, but it can also cause childhood-onset complications. The presentation and clinical course of young adults who present due to BAV complications are relatively uncharacterized. In a multicenter study, we found that young people who experience significant complications related to BAV disease before age 30 are distinguished from the majority of BAV cases that manifest after age 50 by a relatively severe clinical course, with higher rates of surgical interventions, more frequent second interventions, and a greater burden of congenital heart malformations. These observations highlight the need for prompt recognition, regular lifelong surveillance, and targeted interventions to address the significant health burdens of patients with early-onset BAV complications. Full article