Impact of nutritional status on heart failure mortality: a retrospective cohort study

Background Chronic heart failure (CHF) is one of the most common causes of mortality in industrialized countries despite regular therapeutic advances. Numerous factors influence mortality in CHF patients, including nutritional status. It is known that malnutrition is a risk factor for mortality, whereas obesity may play a protective role, a phenomenon dubbed the “obesity paradox”. However, the effect of the obesity-malnutrition association on mortality has not been previously studied for CHF. Our aim was to study the effect of nutritional status on overall mortality in CHF patients. Methods This retrospective, multicenter study was based on a French nationwide database (PMSI). We included all CHF patients aged ≥18 years admitted to all public and private hospitals between 2012 and 2016 and performed a survival analysis over 1 to 4 years of follow-up. Results Malnutrition led to a significant decrease in life expectancy in CHF patients when compared with normal nutritional status (aHR=1.16 [1.14-1.18] at one year and aHR=1.04 [1.004-1.08] at four years), obese, and obese-malnutrition groups. In contrast, obesity led to a significant increase in life expectancy compared with normal nutritional status (aHR=0.75 [0.73-0.78] at one year and aHR=0.85 [0.81-0.90] at four years), malnutrition, and obese-malnutrition groups. The mortality rate was similar in patients presenting both malnutrition and obesity and patients with normal nutritional status. Conclusions Our results indicate that the protective effect on mortality observed in obese CHF patients seems to be linked to fat massincrease. Furthermore, malnourished obese and normal nutritional status patients had similar mortality rates. Further studies should be conducted to confirm our results and to explore the physiopathological mechanisms behind these effects.

Construction of a Novel Ferroptosis-Related Gene Signature of Atherosclerosis

Atheroclerosis refers to a chronic inflammatory disease featured by the accumulation of fibrofatty lesions in the intima of arteries. Cardiovasular events associated with atherosclerosis remain the major causes of mortality worldwide. Recent studies have indicated that ferroptosis, a novel programmed cell death, might participate in the process of atherosclerosis. However, the ferroptosis landscape is still not clear. In this study, 59 genes associated with ferroptosis were ultimately identified in atherosclerosis in the intima. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed for functional annotation. Through the construction of protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, five hub genes (TP53, MAPK1, STAT3, HMOX1, and PTGS2) were then validated histologically. The competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network of hub genes was ultimately constructed to explore the regulatory mechanism between lncRNAs, miRNAs, and hub genes. The findings provide more insights into the ferroptosis landscape and, potentially, the therapeutic targets of atherosclerosis.

Infertility, Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and the Risk of Stroke Among Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background and Purpose: Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality, and women are impacted more from stroke than men in terms of their absolute number and in having worse outcomes. A growing number of studies have explored the association between pregnancy complications, pregnancy outcomes, and stroke. Limited studies, however, have investigated links involving infertility, miscarriage, and stillbirth, which could plausibly be associated via a background of endocrine conditions, endothelial dysfunction, and chronic systematic inflammation. This review aims to summarize current evidence and provide up-to-date information on the associations of infertility, miscarriage, and stillbirth, with stroke incidence. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted for cohort and case-control studies on associations between infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, and stroke up to September 26, 2020. Seven databases were searched: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, CINIHL, PsyclNFO, Wanfang, and CNKI. Random-effects models were used to estimate the pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs. Results: Sixteen cohort studies and 2 case-control studies enrolling 7 808 521 women were included in this meta-analysis. Women who had experienced miscarriage or stillbirth were at higher risk of stroke (miscarriage: HR, 1.07 [95% CI, 1.00–1.14]; stillbirth: HR, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.11–1.71]) than other women. The HRs of stroke for each additional miscarriage and stillbirth were 1.13 (95% CI, 0.96–1.33) and 1.25 (95% CI, 1.06–1.49), respectively. In subgroup analysis, increased risk of stroke was associated with repeated miscarriages and stillbirths (miscarriage ≥3: HR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.05–1.90]; stillbirth ≥2: HR, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.04–1.26]). Associations between infertility and stroke were inconsistent and inconclusive (HR, 1.07 [95% CI, 0.87–1.32]). Conclusions: Miscarriage and stillbirth are associated with increased risk of stroke among women, which could be used as a contributing risk factor to help identify women at higher risk of stroke.

Current Standards for and Clinical Impact of Emergency Radiology in Major Trauma

In industrialized countries, high energy trauma represents the leading cause of death and disability among people under 35 years of age. The two leading causes of mortality are neurological injuries and bleeding. Clinical evaluation is often unreliable in determining if, when and where injuries should be treated. Traditionally, surgery was the mainstay for assessment of injuries but advances in imaging techniques, particularly in computed tomography (CT), have contributed in progressively changing the classic clinical paradigm for major traumas, better defining the indications for surgery. Actually, the vast majority of traumas are now treated nonoperatively with a significant reduction in morbidity and mortality compared to the past. In this sense, another crucial point is the advent of interventional radiology (IR) in the treatment of vascular injuries after blunt trauma. IR enables the most effective nonoperative treatment of all vascular injuries. Indications for IR depend on the CT evidence of vascular injuries and, therefore, a robust CT protocol and the radiologist’s expertise are crucial. Emergency and IR radiologists form an integral part of the trauma team and are crucial for tailored management of traumatic injuries.

Dynamics of mortality from diseases of the circulatory system in the Voronezh region

INTRODUCTION: The mortality rate of the population from diseases of the circulatory system is one of the most pressing problems in the socio-economic development of the Russian Federation and its regions. Since mortality from diseases of the circulatory system ranks first among all causes of mortality in the population, this problem needs special attention and measures addressed to them. AIM: Conduct a comparative analysis of indicators of the level, structure and dynamics of mortality from diseases of the circulatory system of the population of the Voronezh region for 2010–2019. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this article analytical and statistical research methods were used. RESULTS: The features of the dynamics of the mortality rate from diseases of the circulatory system in the Voronezh region from 2010 to 2019 have been revealed: there is a positive steady downward trend, including mortality from diseases of the circulatory system at working age, by 18.2%; the leading place in the structure of the causes belongs to diseases of the circulatory system (42.5% and 37.4% for the working age); in the structure of deaths from diseases of the circulatory system, persons over 60 years of age prevale (63.3%), the involvement people under the working age is insignificant and amounts to 7%, the total amount of women younger than the working age and working age is 1.5 times less than in corresponding groups in men, respectively, 28.8% and 42.7% (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Comparative analysis of indicators of the level, structure and dynamics of mortality from diseases of the circulatory system in population of the Voronezh region for 2010–2019 allowed revealing a stable positive trend of a decrease of mortality rate from diseases of the circulatory system.

SITUASI MALARIA DI KOTA LUBUKLINGGAU PROVINSI SUMATERA SELATAN DALAM MENCAPAI ELIMINASI MALARIA TAHUN 2021

Malaria is a vector borne disease and is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In general, the prevalence of malaria parasites differed between age and sex with the highest prevalence occurring in children and women. This study uses secondary data from the Lubuklinggau City Health Office in 2015 - 2018. The number of malaria cases in Lubuklinggau City has decreased during 2015 - 2018. Most cases of malaria occur in women. The distribution of malaria cases was highest in the age group 15 - 64 years and there were still cases in children aged 0 - 5 years. The most common type of Plasmodium found is Plasmodium vivax. To maintain malaria elimination, Lubuklinggau City must eliminate indigenous cases and improve treatment management and management of malaria cases.

PDE-Mediated Cyclic Nucleotide Compartmentation in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells: From Basic to a Clinical Perspective

Cardiovascular diseases are important causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are major components of blood vessels and are involved in physiologic and pathophysiologic conditions. In healthy vessels, vascular SMCs contribute to vasotone and regulate blood flow by cyclic nucleotide intracellular pathways. However, vascular SMCs lose their contractile phenotype under pathological conditions and alter contractility or signalling mechanisms, including cyclic nucleotide compartmentation. In the present review, we focus on compartmentalized signaling of cyclic nucleotides in vascular smooth muscle. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms clarifies the most relevant axes for the regulation of vascular tone. Furthermore, this allows the detection of possible changes associated with pathological processes, which may be of help for the discovery of novel drugs.

On the Safety of the COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Treatment: Thrombotic and Thromboembolic Concerns

Recently, it was reported that near-sourced COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CP) is more efficient than distantly sourced CP. What was left behind in this analysis is the investigation of the possible causes of mortality associated with the CP transfusion itself. Knowing this information is important for determining whether not receiving CP of near source is the main cause of high rate of death in the group of patients who received distantly sourced CP. We argue that the thrombotic and thromboembolic events may act as risk factors for adverse complications and death associated with CP transfusion. Therefore, they have to be considered and carefully accounted for in population studies as they can affect the CP safety profiles and change the interpretation of the cause of death in the studied groups.