Cardiovascular Diseases Commons^™

Statin Utilization And Cardiovascular Outcomes In A Real-World Primary Prevention Cohort Of Older Adults, Aaron J. Walker, Jianhui Zhu, Floyd Thoma, Oscar Marroquin, Amber Makani, Martha Gulati, Eugenia Gianos, Salim S. Virani, Fatima Rodriguez, Steven E. Reis, Christie Ballantyne

Office of the Provost

Background: Statins are a cost-effective therapy for prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Guidelines on statins for primary prevention are unclear for older adults (>75 years).
Objective: Investigate statin utility in older adults without ASCVD events, by risk stratifying in a large healthcare network.
Methods: We included 8,114 older adults, without CAD, PVD or ischemic stroke. Statin utilization based on ACC/AHA 10-year ASCVD risk calculation, was evaluated in intermediate (7.5%-19.9%) and high-risk patients (≥ 20%); and categorized using low and 'moderate or high' intensity statins with a follow up period of ∼7 years. Cox regression models were used to …

Coronary Stenosis And Cardiogenic Shock Secondary To Aortitis Following Aortic Root Support Procedure, Alexander Carpenter, Stephanie Connaire, Nitin Chandra Mohan, Stephanie L Curtis, Serban C Stoica, Massimo Caputo, Julian W Strange

Journal Articles

A woman with recent personalized external aortic root support implant presented in cardiogenic shock with bilateral coronary ostial occlusion and aortic inflammation requiring emergency coronary angioplasty. Subsequent computed tomography with positron emission tomography scanning demonstrated aortitis with extensive inflammation adjacent to the personalized external aortic root support mesh, the first report of this important complication.

What Is The Additive Value Of Nutritional Deficiency To Va-Fi In The Risk Assessment For Heart Failure Patients?, Seulgi Erica Kim, Mehrnaz Azarian, Aanand D Naik, Catherine Park, Molly J Horstman, Salim S Virani, Orna Intrator, Christopher I Amos, Ariela Orkaby, Javad Razjouyan

Journal Articles

OBJECTIVES: to assess the impact of adding the Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) to the U.S. Veterans Health Administration frailty index (VA-FI) for the prediction of time-to-death and other clinical outcomes in Veterans hospitalized with Heart Failure.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of veterans hospitalized for heart failure (HF) from October 2015 to October 2018. Veterans ≥50 years with albumin and lymphocyte counts, needed to calculate the PNI, in the year prior to hospitalization were included. We defined malnutrition as PNI ≤43.6, based on the Youden index. VA-FI was calculated from the year prior to the hospitalization and identified three groups: …

Definition Of Polypharmacy In Heart Failure: A Scoping Review Of The Literature, Keshav Patel, Jorge A Irizarry-Caro, Adil Khan, Travis Holder, Darrell Salako, Parag Goyal, Min Ji Kwak

Journal Articles

Patients with heart failure (HF) have a high prevalence of polypharmacy, which can lead to drug interactions, cognitive impairment, and medication non-compliance. However, the definition of polypharmacy in these patients is still inconsistent. The aim of this scoping review was to find the most common definition of polypharmacy in HF patients. We conducted a scoping review searching Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane using terms including polypharmacy, HF and deprescribing, which resulted in 7,949 articles. Articles without a definition of polypharmacy in HF patients and articles which included patients < 18 years of age were excluded; only 59 articles were included. Of the 59 articles, 49% (n = 29) were retrospective, 20% (n = 12) were prospective, 10% (n = 6) were cross-sectional, and 27% (n = 16) were review articles. Twenty percent (n = 12) of the articles focused on HF with reduced ejection fraction, 10% (n = 6) focused on HF with preserved ejection fraction and 69% (n = 41) articles either focused on both diagnoses or did not clarify the specific type of HF. The most common cutoff for polypharmacy in HF was five medications (59%, n = 35). There was no consensus regarding the inclusion or exclusion of over-the-counter medications, supplements, or vitamins. Some newer studies used a cutoff of 10 medications (14%, n = 8), and this may be a more practical and meaningful definition for HF patients.

Chronic Glp1 Therapy Reduces Postprandial Il6 In Obese Humans With Prediabetes, Vala Hamidi, Hongyu Wang, Vi Pham, Karla Bermudez Saint Andre, Heinrich Taegtmeyer, Absalon D Gutierrez

Journal Articles

Single-dose glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) therapy increases postprandial plasma IL6 levels in prediabetic, obese humans. GLP1-IL6 interactions underly multiple antidiabetic effects, but these may differ after acute versus chronic therapy. This study examines postprandial effects of GLP1 after chronic therapy. Seven humans (six Black) with prediabetes and obesity completed 6 weeks of exenatide extended release therapy. Then subjects returned for pre- and post-meal measurements of plasma IL6, GLP1, glucagon, and related inflammatory markers. Weight, which was measured before and after therapy, did not change. Plasma IL6 decreased from baseline to postmeal state ( = 0.016), with decreases in free fatty …

Association Of Cardiovascular Risk Profile With Premature All-Cause And Cardiovascular Mortality In Us Adults: Findings From A National Study, Ryan T. Nguyen, Vardhmaan Jain, Isaac Acquah, Safi U. Khan, Tarang Parekh, Mohamad Taha, Salim S. Virani, Michael J. Blaha, Khurram Nasir, Zulqarnain Javed Zulqarnain Javed

Office of the Provost

Objective: To assess the association between cardiovascular risk factor (CRF) profile and premature all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality among US adults (age < 65).
Methods: This study used data from the National Health Interview Survey from 2006 to 2014, linked to the National Death Index for non-elderly adults aged < 65 years. A composite CRF score (range = 0-6) was calculated, based on the presence or absence of six established cardiovascular risk factors: hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, obesity, and insufficient physical activity. CRF profile was defined as "Poor" (≥ 3 risk factors), "Average" (1-2), or "Optimal" (0 risk factors). Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) were reported across CRF profile categories, separately for all-cause and CVD mortality. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between CRF profile and all-cause and CVD mortality.
Results: Among 195,901 non-elderly individuals (mean age: 40.4 ± 13.0, 50% females and 70% Non-Hispanic (NH) White adults), 24.8% had optimal, 58.9% average, and 16.2% poor CRF profiles, respectively. Participants with poor CRF profile were more likely to be NH Black, have lower educational attainment and lower income compared to those with …

Artificial Intelligence Model Predicts Sudden Cardiac Arrest Manifesting With Pulseless Electric Activity Versus Ventricular Fibrillation, Lauri Holmstrom, Bryan Bednarski, Harpriya Chugh, Habiba Aziz, Hoang Nhat Pham, Arayik Sargsyan, Audrey Uy-Evanado, Damini Dey, Angelo Salvucci, Jonathan Jui, Kyndaron Reinier, Piotr J Slomka, Sumeet S Chugh

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: There is no specific treatment for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) manifesting as pulseless electric activity (PEA) and survival rates are low; unlike ventricular fibrillation (VF), which is treatable by defibrillation. Development of novel treatments requires fundamental clinical studies, but access to the true initial rhythm has been a limiting factor.

METHODS: Using demographics and detailed clinical variables, we trained and tested an AI model (extreme gradient boosting) to differentiate PEA-SCA versus VF-SCA in a novel setting that provided the true initial rhythm. A subgroup of SCAs are witnessed by emergency medical services personnel, and because the response time is …

Incidence And Predictors Of Post-Thrombotic Syndrome In Patients With Proximal Dvt In A Real-World Setting: Findings From The Garfield-Vte Registry., Paolo Prandoni, Sylvia Haas, Meg E Fluharty, Sebastian Schellong, Harry Gibbs, Eric Tse, Marc Carrier, Barry Jacobson, Hugo Ten Cate, Elizaveta Panchenko, Peter Verhamme, Karen Pieper, Gloria Kayani, Lord A Kakkar

Journal Articles

Although substantial progress has been made in the pathophysiology and management of the post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), several aspects still need clarification. Among them, the incidence and severity of PTS in the real world, the risk factors for its development, the value of patient's self-evaluation, and the ability to identify patients at risk for severe PTS. Eligible participants (n = 1107) with proximal deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) from the global GARFIELD-VTE registry underwent conventional physician's evaluation for PTS 36 months after diagnosis of their DVT using the Villalta score. In addition, 856 patients completed a Villalta questionnaire at 24 months. Variable selection …

Association Between Regulatory T Cells And Ischemic Heart Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Study, Yucheng Hou, Ke Si, Jingyue Yang, Tan Liu, Basel Abdelazeem, Nonthikorn Theerasuwipakorn, Jingwei Zhao, Zhenya Shen

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: An imbalance of innate and acquired immune responses is significantly involved in the pathophysiology of coronary atherosclerosis and the occurrence of ischemic heart disease (IHD). Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an essential regulatory role in atherosclerotic plaque formation and maintenance; therefore, dysfunction of Tregs triggers the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and accelerates their progression. However, due to the inherent limitations of observational research, clinical evidence is limited concerning the relationship between the variation in peripheral Tregs and the risk of IHD, and the cause-and-effect relationship between these factors is unclear. Mendelian randomization (MR) uses genetic variation as a proxy …

Common Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction Animal Models Yield Disparate Myofibril Mechanics, Axel J. Fenwick, Vivek P. Jani, D. Brian Foster, Thomas E. Sharp, Traci T. Goodchild, Kyle Lapenna, Jake E. Doiron, David J. Lefer, Joseph A. Hill, David A. Kass, Anthony Cammarato

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Contextualizing The Revised Patient Perception Of Patient-Centeredness (Pppc-R) Scale In Primary Healthcare Settings: A Validity And Reliability Evaluation Study, Yiyuan Cai, Pengfei Guo, Jiong Tu, Mengyao Hu, Lingrui Liu, Bridget L Ryan, Jing Liao, Rubee Dev, Yiran Li, Tianyu Huang, Ruilin Wang, Li Kuang, Ruonan Huang, Xinfang Li, Edmundo Roberto Melipillán, Shuaixiang Zhao, Wenjun He, Xiaohui Wang, Nan Zhang, Dong Roman Xu

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: An English version of the Patient Perception of Patient-Centeredness (PPPC) scale was recently revised, and it is necessary to test this instrument in different primary care populations.

AIM: This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of a Chinese version of the PPPC scale.

DESIGN: A mixed method was used in this study. The Delphi method was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data to address the content validity of the PPPC scale by calculating the Content Validity Index, Content Validity Ratio, the adjusted Kappa, and the Item Impact Score. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis …

The Use Of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance In Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Over The Past 10 Years [2013-2023]: A Citespace-Based Bibliometric Analysis, Mengyao Hu, Yu Shen, Yipei Song, Shuhao Li, Pei Yang, Ao Kan, Qiming Fang, Yun Peng, Haibo Ren, Yajing Zhang, Lianggeng Gong

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common genetic cardiac disorder characterized by the hypertrophy of a segment of the myocardium. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has been widely used in the assessment of HCM. However, no bibliometric assessment has been conducted on the progress of research in this field. This study thus aimed to examine the current state of research into the application of CMR in HCM and the hotspots and trends that have emerged in this field over the past decade.

METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on the Web of Science regarding CMR in the assessment of HCM. The …

Effect Of Flecainide And Ibutilide Alone And In Combination To Terminate And Prevent Recurrence Of Atrial Fibrillation, Alexander Burashnikov, José M. Di Diego, Bence Patocskai, Debra S. Echt, Luiz Belardinelli, Charles Antzelevitch

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: There is a need for improved approaches to rhythm control therapy of atrial fibrillation (AF).

METHODS: The effectiveness of flecainide (1.5 µmol/L) and ibutilide (20 nmol/L), alone and in combination, to cardiovert and prevent AF recurrence was studied in canine-isolated coronary-perfused right atrioventricular preparations. We also examined the safety of the combination of flecainide (1.5 µmol/L) and ibutilide (50 nmol/L) using canine left ventricular wedge preparations.

RESULTS: Sustained AF (>1 hour) was inducible in 100%, 60%, 20%, and 0% of atria in the presence of acetylcholine alone, acetylcholine+ibutilide, acetylcholine+flecainide, and acetylcholine+ibutilide+flecainide, respectively. When used alone, flecainide and ibutilide …

In Memoriam: Prof. Dr. Rer. Nat. Jeanette Erdmann, Pashmina Wiqar Shah, Satwat Hashmi, Tobias Reinberger, Nadine Odenthal, Luis Eichelmann, Daria Kosenko, Ilyas Ahmad, Jaafar Al-Hasani, Till Joscha Demal, Zouhair Aherrahrou

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Closing The Gaps In Care Of Dyslipidemia: Revolutionizing Management With Digital Health And Innovative Care Models, Samuel J. Apple, Rachel Clark, Jonathan Daich, Macarena Lopez Gonzalez, Robert J. Ostfeld, Peter P. Toth, Vera Bittner, Seth S. Martin, Jamal S. Rana, Salim S. Virani

Office of the Provost

Although great progress has been made in the diagnostic and treatment options for dyslipidemias, unawareness, underdiagnosis and undertreatment of these disorders remain a significant global health concern. Growth in digital applications and newer models of care provide novel tools to improve the management of chronic conditions such as dyslipidemia. In this review, we discuss the evolving landscape of lipid management in the 21st century, current treatment gaps and possible solutions through digital health and new models of care. Our discussion begins with the history and development of value-based care and the national establishment of quality metrics for various chronic conditions. …

Perioperative Quality Initiative (Poqi) Consensus Statement On Perioperative Assessment Of Right Ventricular Function, Stephanie O Ibekwe, Jean Deschamps, Michael P W Grocott, Yafen Liang, Andrew Shaw, Tjorvi E Perry

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: The right ventricle (RV) plays a central role in the maintenance of effective cardiac pump function. Despite overwhelming evidence that perioperative RV dysfunction (RVD) and failure (RVF) are associated with poor clinical outcomes, there are very few published recommendations or guidelines for comprehensive, evidence-based RV assessment on the risk of developing either during the perioperative period.

MAIN TEXT: To address this gap, the Perioperative Quality Initiative-IX (POQI-IX) investigators group, comprised of clinical experts in anesthesiology, cardiovascular surgery, internal medicine, critical care medicine, and advanced practice nursing, has developed a consensus statement based on current literature, published society recommendations, and …

Temporal Artery Pseudoaneurysm In A Pediatric Patient, Gowri Gowda, Donald Mendoza, Amanda Tullos, Jessica Zagory, Malachi Sheahan

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysms are an uncommon vascular pathology that can present after head or facial trauma. Furthermore, they are rarely reported in the pediatric population. Ultrasound can be a useful tool in the diagnosis because it is easily accessible and can be rapidly acquired. We report a case that demonstrates the utility of ultrasound in the diagnosis of a superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysm.

Pm2.5 And Cardiovascular Diseases: State-Of-The-Art Review, Chayakrit Krittanawong, Yusuf Kamran Qadeer, Richard B. Hayes, Zhen Wang, George D. Thurston, Salim S. Virani, Carl J. Lavie

Office of the Provost

Air pollution, especially exposure to particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), has been associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality around the world. Specifically, it seems that PM2.5 promotes the development of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and atherosclerosis, while being associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, heart failure, and arrhythmias. In this review, we seek to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms by which exposure to PM2.5 can result in adverse cardiovascular outcomes, in addition to understanding the link between exposure to PM2.5 and cardiovascular events. It is hypothesized that PM2.5 functions via 3 …

Association Between E-Cigarette Use And Myocardial Infarction: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Muhammad Talal Ashraf, Asim Shaikh, Muhammad Shakeel Khuzzaim Khan, Naseer Uddin, Muhammad Arham Bin Kashif, Syed Hassan Ahmed Rizvi, Hammad Khalid, Stafford Jude Sam, Affan Sohail

Department of Medicine

Background: The popularity of e-cigarettes has risen dramatically over the last few years, particularly among the younger population. Although the use of combustible cigarettes has established evidence to be associated with the development of several adverse cardiopulmonary diseases, the investigations regarding the prospective long-term effects of e-cigarette use on the cardiovascular system have just begun. We set to investigate if there is an association between the history of MI and e-cigarette use among smokers and non-smokers?
Methods: The current review aims to assess the association of myocardial infarction with e-cigarette consumption. PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled …

Heartburn's Hidden Impact: A Narrative Review Exploring Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (Gerd) As A Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor, Jacob J. Gries, Bing Chen, Salim S. Virani, Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk, Hani Jneid, Chayakrit Krittanawong

Office of the Provost

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a very common disease with an estimated 442 million cases worldwide. It is a well-documented independent risk factor for many gastrointestinal pathologies, however, its role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) is unclear, despite its high prevalence in patients with CVD. Although traditionally considered a causative agent of noncardiac chest pain, a common imitator of cardiac chest pain, or an incidentally shared comorbidity in patients with CVD, a number of studies have implicated GERD and its therapies as risk factors for CVD. This narrative review will explore the relationship between GERD and CVD, including medical and mechanical …

Trend Of Outcome Metrics In Recent Out-Of-Hospital-Cardiac-Arrest Research: A Narrative Review Of Clinical Trials, Natalie N Htet, Daniel Jafari, Jennifer A Walker, Ali Pourmand, Anna Shaw, Khai Dinh, Quincy K Tran

Journal Articles

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) research traditionally focuses on survival. In 2018, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) proposed more patient-centered outcomes. Our narrative review assessed clinical trials after 2018 to identify the trends of outcome metrics in the field OHCA research. We performed a search of the PubMed database from 1 January 2019 to 22 September 2023. Prospective clinical trials involving adult humans were eligible. Studies that did not report any patient-related outcomes or were not available in full-text or English language were excluded. The articles were assessed for demographic information and primary and secondary outcomes. We included 89 studies …

Pakistan Study Of Premature Coronary Atherosclerosis In Young Adults (Pak-Sehat): A Prospective Longitudinal Study Protocol Investigating The Prevalence, Severity And Determinants Of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease In The Young Adult Pakistani Population, Bashir Hanif, Sana Sheikh, Ghazal Peerwani, Miguel Cainzos-Achirica, Wajiha Javed, Jaffer Bin Baqar, Zainab Samad, Faiza Bashir, Salim S. Virani, Khurram Nasir

Section of Cardiology

Introduction: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a major cause of morbidity, mortality and health expenditures worldwide. Despite having higher ASCVD in the Pakistani population, data on subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in young Pakistanis remain scarce. The PAKistan Study of prEmature coronary atHerosclerosis in young AdulTs (PAK-SEHAT) aims to assess the prevalence, severity and determinants of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis among Pakistani men (35-60 years) and women (35-65 years) free of clinically symptomatic ASCVD and will assess 5-year rates of ASCVD events.
Methods and analysis: PAK-SEHAT is an ongoing prospective cohort study with 2000 participants from all provinces of Pakistan who will be …

Utilizing Stakeholder Input Within The Tennessee Heart Health Network To Improve Cardiovascular Health Outcomes In Tennessee, Abigail C. Bennett

Longitudinal Scholar's Project

Background: Tennessee ranks sixth nationwide for most deaths related to heart disease. The Tennessee Heart Health Network (TN-HHN), an initiative coordinated by the Tennessee Population Health Consortium (TN-PHC), was created to combat this issue. The TN-HHN is a statewide network of primary care practices, health systems, and academic centers committed to implementing patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) approaches to demonstrably improve cardiovascular disease (CVD) health outcomes and health equity across Tennessee.

Objective: Evaluate stakeholder experiences in participating in the Network in an effort to assess partner satisfaction and improve the TN-HHN as a whole.

Methods: Eligible stakeholders were invited via …

Acute Myocardial Infarction From A Lower-Middle Income Country-A Comprehensive Report On Performance Measures And Quality Metrics Using National Cardiovascular Data Registry, Farhala Mari Baloch, Ainan Arshad, Sher Sethi, Javed Tai

Section of Cardiology

Introduction: Epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is widely projected in South Asian population and estimated to get double in two decades. Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is one of the spectrums of CVD and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) being the common manifestations of IHD. National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) is a registry data that measure their practices and improve quality of care. In this project we aim to see our performance trends in the care of IHD including AMI patients over two year's period.
Material & methods: A cross sectional study conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. All …

Ten Steps Toward Improving In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Quality Of Care And Outcomes, Brahmajee K. Nallamothu, Robert Greif, Theresa Anderson, Huba Atiq, Thomaz Bittencourt Couto, Julie Considine, Allan R De Caen, Therese Djärv, Ann Doll, Matthew J. Douma

Department of Anaesthesia

No abstract provided.

Novel Size-Based High-Density Lipoprotein Subspecies And Incident Vascular Events, Austin Deets, Parag H. Joshi, Alvin Chandra, Kavisha Singh, Amit Khera, Salim S. Virani, Christie M. Ballantyne, James D. Otvos, Robin P F. Dullaart, Eke G. Gruppen

Office of the Provost

Background: High‐density lipoprotein (HDL) particle concentration likely outperforms HDL cholesterol in predicting atherosclerotic cardiovascular events. Whether size‐based HDL subspecies explain the atheroprotective associations of HDL particle concentration remains unknown. Our objective was to assess whether levels of specific size‐based HDL subspecies associate with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in a multiethnic pooled cohort and improve risk prediction beyond traditional atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Methods and Results: Seven HDL size‐based subspecies were quantified by nuclear magnetic resonance (LP4 algorithm; H1=smallest; H7=largest) among participants without prior atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities), MESA (Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis), PREVEND (Prevention of …

Interplay Of Hypoxia-Inducible Factors And Oxygen Therapy In Cardiovascular Medicine, Yafen Liang, Wei Ruan, Yandong Jiang, Richard Smalling, Xiaoyi Yuan, Holger K Eltzschig

Journal Articles

Mammals have evolved to adapt to differences in oxygen availability. Although systemic oxygen homeostasis relies on respiratory and circulatory responses, cellular adaptation to hypoxia involves the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF). Given that many cardiovascular diseases involve some degree of systemic or local tissue hypoxia, oxygen therapy has been used liberally over many decades for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders. However, preclinical research has revealed the detrimental effects of excessive use of oxygen therapy, including the generation of toxic oxygen radicals or attenuation of endogenous protection by HIFs. In addition, investigators in clinical trials conducted in the past decade have …

Contaminant Metals And Cardiovascular Health, Karl Kristian Lundin, Yusuf Kamran Qadeer, Zhen Wang, Salim S. Virani, Roman Leischik, Carl J. Lavie, Markus Strauss, Chayakrit Krittanawong

Office of the Provost

A growing body of research has begun to link exposure to environmental contaminants, such as heavy metals, with a variety of negative health outcomes. In this paper, we sought to review the current research describing the impact of certain common contaminant metals on cardiovascular (CV) health. We reviewed ten metals: lead, barium, nickel, chromium, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, selenium, zinc, and copper. After a literature review, we briefly summarized the routes of environmental exposure, pathophysiological mechanisms, CV health impacts, and exposure prevention and/or mitigation strategies for each metal. The resulting article discloses a broad spectrum of pathological significance, from relatively benign …

Left Pulmonary Artery Occlusion Following Device Closure Of Patent Ductus Arteriosus In Premature Infants, Jesus C. Jaile, Ernest Siwik, Sergio Bartakian

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Device closure of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is rapidly evolving, with the Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder (Abbott) receiving US Food and Drug Administration approval and becoming the first device approved for PDA closure in patients ≥700 g. We report on the first known cases of complete left pulmonary artery (LPA) occlusion following Piccolo closure of a PDA in premature infants. Methods: Retrospective chart analysis of PDA closures. Results: We have performed over 50 cases of Piccolo device closure of the PDA in preterm neonates in the past 2 years, with these 2 cases representing our only complications (4%). This …

Association Of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease, Hypertension, Diabetes, And Hyperlipidemia With Gulf War Illness Among Gulf War Veterans, Sarah T Ahmed, Ruosha Li, Peter Richardson, Saurendro Ghosh, Lea Steele, Donna L White, Alice Nono Djotsa, Kellie Sims, Elizabeth Gifford, Elizabeth R Hauser, Salim S Virani, Robert Morgan, George Delclos, Drew A Helmer

Journal Articles

BACKGROUND: Approximately 30% of the 700 000 Gulf War veterans report a chronic symptom-based illness of varying severity referred to as Gulf War illness (GWI). toxic deployment-related exposures have been implicated in the cause of GWI, some of which contribute to metabolic dysregulation and lipid abnormalities. As this cohort ages, the relationship between GWI and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a growing concern. We evaluated associations between GWI and ASCVD, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension in veterans of the Gulf War (1990-1991).

METHODS AND RESULTS: Analysis of survey data collected in 2014 to 2016 from a national sample of deployed Gulf …