Ericksoncahill5130

248 ± s.e. = 0.088, p = 4.66 × 10-3, C allele) and collagen content (β = -0.259 ± s.e. = 0.095, p = 6.22 × 10-3, C allele), but these associations were not significant after correction for multiple testing. rs13168867 was not associated with intraplaque OSMR expression. Neither was intraplaque OSMR expression associated with plaque vulnerability and no known OSMR eQTLs were associated with coronary artery calcification burden, or cardiovascular disease susceptibility. No associations were found for rs10491509 in the LIFR locus. Conclusions Our study suggests that rs1316887 in the OSMR locus is associated with increased plaque vulnerability, but not with coronary calcification or cardiovascular disease risk. It remains unclear through which precise biological mechanisms OSM signaling exerts its effects on plaque morphology. However, the OSM-OSMR/LIFR pathway is unlikely to be causally involved in lifetime cardiovascular disease susceptibility.Objectives and Aims Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are key constituents of both normal arteries and atherosclerotic plaques. They have an ability to adapt to changes in the local environment by undergoing phenotypic modulation. An improved understanding of the mechanisms that regulate VSMC phenotypic changes may provide insights that suggest new therapeutic targets in treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The amino-acid glutamate has been associated with CVD risk and VSMCs metabolism in experimental models, and glutamate receptors regulate VSMC biology and promote pulmonary vascular remodeling. However, glutamate-signaling in human atherosclerosis has not been explored. Methods and Results We identified glutamate receptors and glutamate metabolism-related enzymes in VSMCs from human atherosclerotic lesions, as determined by single cell RNA sequencing and microarray analysis. Expression of the receptor subunits glutamate receptor, ionotropic, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic (AMPA)-tyomatic patients. These results warrant further mapping of neurotransmitter signaling in the pathogenesis of human atherosclerosis.Background The number of coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) patients with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction is significant, but the clinical outcomes of these patients are rarely reported. The present retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the long-term outcomes of successful recanalization vs. optimal medical therapy (MT) for CTOs in patients with preserved and impaired LV systolic function. Methods A total of 1,895 patients with CTOs were stratified according to LV function. Of these, 1,420 patients (74.9%) with LV ejection fraction (LVEF) >45% and 475 patients (25.1%) with LVEF ≤45% were treated with optimal MT or successful CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). learn more A 11 propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to reduce the impact of potential confounding on the outcomes. The primary outcome was the frequency of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). Results Throughout a 2.6-year follow-up and after adjusting for confounders, among patients with preserved LV function, successful CTO PCI was associated with reduced incidence of MACE (14.2 vs. 23.9%, adjusted HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.48-0.83, p = 0.001) compared to MT. There was no significant difference in MACE occurrence (29.6 vs. 28.9%, adjusted HR 1.05, 95% CI 0.71-1.56, p = 0.792) between successful recanalization and MT in patients with LV systolic dysfunction. The primary outcome among patients with impaired and preserved LV systolic function after PSM was similar to that from earlier findings before PSM was conducted. A significant interaction between LV function and therapeutic strategy for MACE was observed (interaction p = 0.038). Conclusions Compared to MT alone for management of patients with CTOs, successful CTO PCI may reduce the risk of MACE in patients with preserved LV systolic function, but not in patients with LV dysfunction.Thirty four-year-old male with history of D-transposition of the great arteries (D-TGA) who underwent Mustard operation at 14 months of age presented in cardiogenic shock secondary to severe systemic right ventricular failure. Catheterization revealed significantly increased pulmonary pressures. Due to the patient's inotrope dependence and prohibitive pulmonary hypertension, he underwent implantation of a Heart Ware HVAD® for systemic RV support. Within 4 months of continuous flow ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation complete normalization of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) was achieved. He ultimately underwent orthotopic heart transplantation with favorable outcomes. This is the second report of complete normalization of PVR following VAD implantation into a systemic RV in less then 4 months. We conducted a thorough literature review to identify Mustard patients that received systemic RV VAD as a bridge to a successful heart transplantation. In this article, we summarize the outcomes and focus on pulmonary hypertension reversibility following VAD implant.Objective Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals reported declining numbers of patients admitted with ST-segment myocardial infarction (STEMI) associated with increased in-hospital morbidity and mortality. However, the effect of lockdown on outcomes of STEMI patients admitted during the COVID-19 crisis has not been prospectively evaluated. Methods A prospective, observational study on STEMI patients admitted to our tertiary care center during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted. Outcomes of patients admitted during lockdown were compared to those patients admitted before and after pandemic-related lockdown. Results A total of 147 patients were enrolled in our study, including 57 patients in the pre-lockdown group (November 1, 2019 to March 20, 2020), 16 patients in the lockdown group (March 21 to April 19, 2020), and 74 patients in the post-lockdown group (April 20 to September 30, 2020). Patients admitted during lockdown had significantly longer time to first medical contact, longer door-to-needle-time, higher serum troponin T levels, worse left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, and higher need for circulatory support. After a median follow-up of 142 days, survival was significantly worse in STEMI patients of the lockdown group (log-rank p = 0.0035). Conclusions This is the first prospective study on outcomes of STEMI patients admitted during public lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results suggest that lockdown might deteriorate outcomes of STEMI patients. Public health strategies to constrain spread of COVID-19, such as lockdown, have to be accompanied by distinct public instructions to ensure timely medical care in acute diseases such as STEMI.