Cardiovascular Diseases Commons^™

Systematic Review Did Not Consider Problem Of Treatment Effects, Su May Liew, Jenny Doust, Paul Glasziou

Jenny Doust

Extract: Siontis and colleagues’ systematic review comparing established risk prediction models for cardiovascular disease is a useful validation of previous studies, but they seem to have ignored the problem of treatment effects.

Effects Of Niacin In Human Vascular Endothelial Cells During Lipotoxicity, Jennifer M. Hughes-Large

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Nicotinic acid (NA) can improve vascular function and regeneration independent of correcting dyslipidemia. NA, as a potential biosynthetic precursor for NAD⁺, may elicit these vascular benefits through SIRT-mediated NAD⁺-dependent responses. We hypothesized that NA improves endothelial cell function under lipotoxic conditions through NAD⁺-dependent pathways. Angiogenic function in excess palmitate was assessed by tube formation assay following treatment of human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC) with NA or nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN; a direct NAD⁺ precursor). Both NA and NMN improved HMVEC angiogenic function during palmitate overload. Only NMN increased cellular NAD⁺ and SIRT1 activity, …

Coronary Artery Disease, Coronary Revascularization, And Outcomes In Chronic Advanced Systolic Heart Failure, Mihai Gheorghiade, James Flaherty, Gregg Fonarow, Ravi Desai, Richard Lee, David Mcgiffin, Thomas Love, Inmaculada Aban, Eric Eichhorn, Robert Bonow, Ali Ahmed

Ravi V Desai MD

No abstract provided.

Can Kawasaki Disease Be Managed?, Alberto Coustasse, Julius Larry, Doohee Lee

Doohee Lee

Kawasaki Disease (KD) is the leading cause of acquired cardiovascular disease among children, but management of KD has received relatively little attention. In the US alone, about 5500 cases were estimated in 2009. KD is most common among Asian and Pacific Islander children but can affect all ethnicities and races. Timely and accurate diagnosis remains critical, but difficult: the etiology of KD is unknown, and no accurate diagnostic laboratory test has been developed. Continuing medical education can help physicians, clinicians, and nurse practitioners accurately diagnose and treat KD. A registry specific to KD or a surveillance system may be necessary …

Can Kawasaki Disease Be Managed?, Alberto Coustasse, Julius Larry, Doohee Lee

Alberto Coustasse, DrPH, MD, MBA, MPH

Kawasaki Disease (KD) is the leading cause of acquired cardiovascular disease among children, but management of KD has received relatively little attention. In the US alone, about 5500 cases were estimated in 2009. KD is most common among Asian and Pacific Islander children but can affect all ethnicities and races. Timely and accurate diagnosis remains critical, but difficult: the etiology of KD is unknown, and no accurate diagnostic laboratory test has been developed. Continuing medical education can help physicians, clinicians, and nurse practitioners accurately diagnose and treat KD. A registry specific to KD or a surveillance system may be necessary …

Vitamin D Status Is Associated With Early Markers Of Cardiovascular Disease In Prepubertal Children, Benjamin U. Nwosu, Louise Maranda, Karen Cullen, Carol A. Ciccarelli, Mary M. Lee

Benjamin U. Nwosu

Background: The associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and related markers of early cardiovascular disease (CVD) are unclear in prepubertal children.

Objective: To investigate the association of 25(OH)D with markers of CVD. The hypothesis was that 25(OH)D would vary inversely with non-HDL-C.

Subjects and methods: A prospective cross-sectional study of children (n=45; 26 males, 19 females) of mean age 8.3 ± 2.5 years to investigate the relationships between 25(OH)D and glucose, insulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and lipids. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25(OH)D/mL; overweight as body mass index (BMI) ≥ 85 th but …

Moderate Alcohol Use And Cardiovascular Disease From Mendelian Randomization, Shiu Lun Au Yeung, Chaoqiang Jiang, Kar Keung Cheng, Benjamin J. Cowling, Bin Liu, Weisen Zhang, Tai Hing Lam, Gabriel M. Leung, Mary Schooling

Publications and Research

Background
Observational studies show moderate alcohol use negatively associated with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, healthier attributes among moderate users compared to never users may confound the apparent association. A potentially less biased way to examine the association is Mendelian randomization, using alcohol metabolizing genes which influence alcohol use.

Methods
We used instrumental variable analysis with aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) genotypes (AA/GA/GG) as instrumental variables for alcohol use to examine the association of alcohol use (10 g ethanol/day) with CVD risk factors (blood pressure, lipids and glucose) and morbidity (self-reported IHD and CVD) among men in …

Redefining Myocardial Infarction: What Is New In The Esc/Accf/Aha/Whf Third Universal Definition Of Myocardial Infarction?, Hani Jneid, Mahboob Alam, Salim S. Virani, Biykem Bozkurt

Office of the Provost

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Each year, an estimated 785,000 persons will have a new MI in the United States alone, and approximately every minute an American will succumb to one.1 In addition, MI has major psychological and legal implications for patients and the society and is an important outcome measure in research studies. The prevalence of MI provides useful data regarding the burden of coronary artery disease and offers insight into health care planning, policy, and resource allocation. The importance of accurately and reproducibly defining MI is therefore self-evident. The Third Universal …

Causes Of Post Stroke Falls Along The Care Continuum: Implications For Improving Patient Safety, Mona Madady

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In Western countries stroke is responsible for 10-12% of all deaths. In 2000, strokes cost $3.6 billion for the Canadian healthcare system and lost productivity due to premature death and long-term disability. Falls are a frequent occurrence at all stages of post-stroke recovery and can have significant negative impacts. While information about the incidence and risk factors of falling among stroke survivors is available, considerably less is known about the specific factors contributing to falls and the circumstances surrounding these adverse events. The purpose of this project was to identify similarities between systemic factors of falls in stroke survivors across …

Improved Survival After Heart Failure: A Community-Based Perspective, Samuel W. Joffe, Kristy T. Webster, David D. Mcmanus, Michael S. Kiernan, Darleen M. Lessard, Jorge L. Yarzebski, Chad E. Darling, Joel M. Gore, Robert J. Goldberg

Jorge L. Yarzebski

BACKGROUND: Heart failure is a highly prevalent, morbid, and costly disease with a poor long-term prognosis. Evidence-based therapies utilized over the past 2 decades hold the promise of improved outcomes, yet few contemporary studies have examined survival trends in patients with acute heart failure. The primary objective of this population-based study was to describe trends in short- and long-term survival in patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). A secondary objective was to examine patient characteristics associated with decreased long-term survival.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We reviewed the medical records of 9748 patients hospitalized with ADHF at all 11 medical …

The Obesity Epidemic, Lenka Kollar, Evienne Epifano, Molly Mckneight, Jeff Miskovich, Heather Moore

Student Papers in Public Policy

The incidence of chronic, noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, is increasing at an alarming rate on the global scale. The growing prevalence of overweight and obesity have led to an upsurge in cases of diabetes and other obesity-related diseases. About 18 million people die every year from heart disease, of which diabetes and obesity are major predisposing factors. Worldwide, more than 1.1 billion adults are overweight, 312 million of which are obese. The number of children that are overweight or obese is also growing (Hossain, Parvez et al.). Obesity, and the associated diseases, has become a worldwide epidemic and …

Regulation Of Lipid Homeostasis, Inflammatory Signalling And Atherosclerosis By The Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Delta, Lazar A. Bojic

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) δ is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that has been implicated in metabolic and inflammatory regulation. The molecular and physiological mechanisms by which PPARδ activation regulates lipid metabolism, inflammatory signaling and protection from atherosclerosis in states of metabolic disturbance such as insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, were investigated in a series of in vitro and in vivo studies. In vitro experiments demonstrated that PPARδ activation inhibits atherogenic lipoprotein-induced lipid accumulation and the associated proinflammatory responses. The primary mechanisms for these effects were increased fatty acid β-oxidation, decreased lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, reduced MAPK signaling and improved insulin …

Genetic Approaches To Studying Complex Human Disease, Joseph B. Dube

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Common, complex diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) represent an intricate interaction between environmental and genetic factors and now account for the leading causes of mortality in western society. By investigating the genetic component of complex disease etiology, we have gained a better understanding of the biological pathways underlying complex disease and the heterogeneity of complex disease risk. However, the development of high throughput genomic technologies and large well-phenotyped multi-ethnic cohorts has opened the door towards more in-depth and trans-disciplinary approaches to studying the genetics of complex disease pathogenesis. Accordingly, we sought to investigate select complex traits and diseases using …

Corrigendum For “Acute Aortic Valve Rupture From Infective Endocarditis”, Julia Ansari, Gurkaran Singh Garcha, Henry Huang, Faisal G. Bakaeen, Salim S. Virani, Hani Jneid

Office of the Provost

No abstract provided.

Studying The Material Properties Of The Embryonic Chicken Heart, Kyra Burnett

Honors Theses

Congenital heart disease is the number one cause of birth defects in the United States, affecting approximately 40,000 newborns each year. Research has shown that serious structural defects of the heart can occur due to abnormal looping. Looping refers to the positional and morphological changes of the early embryo heart and is divided into different phases. Although progress has been made in identifying the genetic processes behind heart looping, the forces involved with the developmental process are still not fully understood. In this research, the chicken embryo heart was used as the experimental model and certain material properties were characterized. …

Iron-Induced Cardiac Damage: Role Of Apoptosis And Deferasirox Intervention, Yeling Wang, Miaozong Wu, Rabaa Al-Rousan, Hua Liu, Jacqueline Fannin, Satyanarayana Paturi, Ravi Arvapalli, Anjaiah Katta, Sunil Kakarla, Kevin Rice, William Triest, Eric Blough

Kevin M Rice

Excess cardiac iron levels are associated with cardiac damage and can result in increased morbidity and mortality. Here, we hypothesize that elevations in tissue iron can activate caspase-dependent signaling, which leads to increased cardiac apoptosis and fibrosis, and that these alterations can be attenuated by iron chelation. Using an iron-overloaded gerbil model, we show that increased cardiac iron is associated with reduced activation of Akt (Ser473 and Thr308), diminished phosphorylation of the proapoptotic regulator Bad (Ser136), and an increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. These iron-overload-induced alterations in Akt/Bad phosphorylation and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio were coupled with increased activation of the downstream caspase-9 (40/38- …

Acetaminophen Combinations Protect Against Iron-Induced Cardiac Damage In Gerbils, Ernest M. Walker Jr., Ryan G. Morrison, Lucy Dornon, Joseph P. Laurino, Sandra M. Walker, Mark Studeny, Paulette S. Wehner, Kevin M. Rice, Miaozong Wu, Eric R. Blough

Kevin M Rice

This study tested if acetaminophen, N-methyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate (NMGDTC), deferoxamine, and combinations of these agents reduce excess iron content, prevent iron-induced pathology, reduce cardiac arrhythmias, and reduce mortality in iron-overloaded gerbils. Eight groups of 16 gerbils received iron dextran injections (ferric hydroxide dextran complex, 120 mg/kg, ip) or saline solution (controls) twice/wk for 8 wk. The 8 groups were treated every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with one of the following: saline control, acetaminophen, 150 mg/kg, ip), acetaminophen (150 mg/kg, po), deferoxamine, 83 mg/kg, ip), NMGDTC (200 mg/kg, ip), or combinations of acetaminophen (75 mg/kg) with deferoxamine (42 mg/kg, each ip, separately) …

Age-Associated Changes In Hearts Of Male Fischer 344/Brown Norway F1 Rats, Ernest M. Walker Jr., Michael S. Nillas, Elsa I. Mangiarua, Sylvestre Cansino, Ryan G. Morrison, Romaine R. Perdue, William E. Triest, Gary L. Wright, Mark Studeny, Paulette Wehner, Kevin M. Rice, Eric R. Blough

Kevin M Rice

Aging is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, dilatation, and fibrosis of the heart. The Fischer 344/Brown Norway F1 (F344/BNF1) rat is recommended for age-related studies by the National Institutes on Aging because this hybrid rat lives longer and has a lower rate of pathological conditions than inbred rats. However, little is known about age-associated changes in cardiac and aortic function and structure in this model. This study evaluated age-related cardiac changes in male F344/BNF1 rats using ECHO, gross, and microscopic examinations. Rats aged 6-, 30-, and 36-mo were anesthetized and two-dimensional ECHO measurements, two-dimensional guided M-mode, Doppler M-mode, and other …

Improved Survival After Heart Failure: A Community-Based Perspective, Kristy T. Webster, Samuel W. Joffe, David D. Mcmanus, Michael S. Kiernan, Darleen M. Lessard, Jorge L. Yarzebski, Chad E. Darling, Joel M. Gore, Robert J. Goldberg

Jorge L. Yarzebski

Background: Heart failure is a highly prevalent, morbid, and costly disease with a poor long-term prognosis. Evidence-based therapies utilized over the past 2 decades hold the promise of improved outcomes, yet few contemporary studies have examined survival trends in patients with acute heart failure. Objectives: The primary objective of this population-based study was to describe trends in short and long-term survival in patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). A secondary objective was to examine patient characteristics associated with decreased long-term survival. Methods and Results: We reviewed the medical records of 9,748 patients hospitalized with ADHF at all 11 …

A Literature Review Of The Health Effects Of A Plant Based Diet Versus An Animal Based Diet, James Cote

Senior Honors Theses

Health and nutrition can mean a myriad of things to many people in today’s culture. The majority of the time people are unaware of the proper nutrients their body needs and how to get them from food. This thesis will seek to expose the health benefits that are associated with consuming a raw plant-based die, offering a more profound and encompassing view on nutrition. Investigating further into today’s most common diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, cancer and autoimmune disorders, it will seek to discover and answer why we have so many health issues. This thesis will discuss the …