bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mapping 18F-FDG PET uptake in the aortic wall and thrombus
Authors: Bragulat-Arevalo M , Ferrer-Cornet M , Dux-Santoy L , Olivero-Soldevila R , Carrasco-Poves A , Teixido-Tura G , Garrido-Oliver J , Galian-Gay L , Lopez-Gutierrez P , Morales-Galan A , Catala-Santarrufina A , Solsona J , Ferreira-Gonzalez I , Rodriguez-Palomares J , Guala A 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) uptake allows for the assessment of molecular activity, being 18F-FDG uptake indicative of glucose metabolism. PET uptake is commonly quantified manually by drawing regions of interest, which is subjective, poorly-reproducible and may miss relevant information.

Purpose
To develop and test an image analysis method to quantify and map 18F-FDG uptake on the whole aortic wall and thrombus.

Methods
PET-MRI was acquired in patients with thoracic or abdominal aortic aneurysms. The aorta was semi-automatically segmented in the MR angiography using 3DSlicer, generating a surface mesh that was expanded by 3 mm inward and outward. PET uptake was interpolated over this volume with a uniform spatial resolution of 1 mm. By means of 9 reference points, the aortic wall was discretized into 52 (thoracic) or 80 (thoraco-abdominal) standardized regions (i.e. wall patches). For each aortic patch and for the whole thrombus volume, the target to background Ratio (TBR) was calculated by dividing the uptake by a reference uptake in the left atrium. Two observers segmented the aorta and thrombus, located the anatomical reference points and quantified TBR. Inter-observer agreement for segmentation and aortic wall discretization was evaluated in terms of the 95% Hausdorff Distance (HD) and Dice Score Coefficient (DSC), while both median and 95% TBR in each region were tested via intra-class correlation coefficient (absolute value, single measure).

Results
Data from 20 patients with thoracic or abdominal aneurysms were analysed, 10 of them presented thrombus. The reproducibility of the segmentation of the aorta (median HD 3.16 IQR [2.42 - 3.94] mm, DSC 0.90 [0.89 - 0.92]) and of the thrombus (HD 4.87 [3.51 - 8.45] mm, DSC 0.85 [0.80 - 0.87]) were excellent. The inter-observer agreement in the localization of reference points was good (HD 5.10 [3.29 - 8.73] mm), resulting in excellent overlapping of the standardized aortic wall patches (HD 3.80 [2.44 - 5.08] mm). Inter-observer agreement of median and 95% TBR in each aortic patch were excellent (ICC of 0.90 and 0.93, respectively, Figure 1), with minimal bias (Figure 2). Similarly, excellent interobserver reproducibility was observed for median and 95% TBR in the thrombus (ICC of 0.97 and 0.96, respectively, Figure 2).

Conclusions
A robust and reproducible image analysis method to map PET uptake along the aortic wall was developed, extending the possibilities to study aortic diseases molecular activity and its association with local aortic characteristics.
Comparison of endovascular therapy and open surgical revascularization in patients with acute superior mesenteric artery occlusion
Authors: Yanishi K , Goto D , Ozawa T , Yoshimura J , Kawamata H , Fujioka A , Seki T , Zen K , Matoba S 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is rare, and few large-scale trials have evaluated endovascular therapy (EVT) and open surgical revascularisation (OS). This study aimed to assess clinical outcomes after EVT or OS for acute superior mesenteric artery occlusion (SMAO) and identify predictors of mortality and bowel resection.

Methods
Data from the Japanese Registry of All Cardiac and Vascular Diseases-Diagnosis Procedure Combination database from April 2012 to March 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Overall, 746 patients with acute SMAO who underwent revascularisation were classified into two groups: EVT (n=475) or OS (n=271). The primary clinical outcome was in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcomes were bowel resection, bleeding complications (transfusion or endoscopic hemostasis), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), hospitalisation duration, and cost.

Results
The in-hospital death or bowel resection rate was approximately 30%. In-hospital mortality (22.5% vs. 21.4%, p=0.72), bowel resection (8.2% vs. 8.5%, p=0.90), and MACEs (11.6% vs. 9.2%, p=0.32) were comparable between the EVT and OS groups, respectively (Table.1). EVT was advantageous in terms of hospitalisation duration and cost (both p&lt;0.0001). Interaction analyses revealed that EVT and OS had no significant difference in terms of in-hospital death in patients with thromboembolic and atherothrombotic characteristics (Figure.1). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that advanced age, decreased activities of daily living, chronic kidney disease, and old myocardial infarction were significant predictive factors for in-hospital mortality. Diabetes Mellitus was a predictor of bowel resection after revascularisation.

Conclusions
EVT was comparable to OS in terms of clinical outcomes in patients with acute SMAO. Some predictive factors for mortality or bowel resection were obtained.

Clinical implications
EVT may be a feasible alternative to OS, potentially impacting clinical practice as a less invasive option for managing patients with acute SMAO.In-hospital clinical outcomesInteraction effect test for mortality
Plasma levels of sCASP3 predicts carotid intima media thickness progression
Authors: Pan M , Sharify D , Melander O , Melander M , Engstrom G , Nilsson J A N , Goncalves I , Sun J , Edsfeldt A 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Studies on human atherosclerotic plaques have shown that apoptosis is associated with rupture prone plaques and that apoptosis is a key process for fast plaque progression. In line with this, we showed that circulating levels of soluble Caspase-3 (sCaspase-3) predict atherosclerotic events. However, the relationship between circulating levels of apoptosis markers and plaque progression remains to be explored.

Purpose
Here we aimed to investigate if circulating levels of apoptosis markers could predict mean intima-media thickness in the common carotid artery (IMT-CCA) progression among individuals with atherosclerotic carotid plaques.

Methods
The Malmö Diet and Cancer (MDC) cardiovascular cohort was used. MDC is a prospective population-based cohort study. Baseline variables (blood, clinical information and carotid ultrasound measurements) were collected between 1991-1994 and the right carotid ultrasound re-examinations were performed between 1994-2001. IMT was measured at by ultrasound at baseline as well as at the re-examinations. The Olink Proximity Extension Assay (SciLifeLab, Uppsala, Sweden) was used to analyze plasma levels of sCaspase-3, sFADD, sCaspase-8, sTRAIL-R2 and sTNFR1 at baseline. Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses, adjusted for age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors, were employed to evaluate the relationships between apoptosis biomarkers and IMT-CCA as well as average annual change in IMT-CCA.

Results
In total, 1929 participants (median age 60 years) with an ultrasound confirmed carotid plaque (focal IMT &gt;1.2mm) at baseline were included. Subjects who underwent ultrasound IMT re-examination over a period of &gt;4.5 years were divided into a discovery (n=406) and a validation (n=355) cohort. sCaspase-3 was identified as the marker with the strongest correlation to IMT-CCA at baseline (p=0.02) and upon re-examination (p=0.04), among the five apoptosis markers examined, in both the discovery and validation cohorts. sCaspase-3 also showed a correlation with the average annual change of IMT-CCA (r=0.12, p=8×10-4) in both cohorts. Furthermore, when diving the cohort into tertiles based on plasma levels of sCapase-3, subjects with high levels of sCaspase-3 (3rd tertile) had greater annual changes in IMT-CCA compared to the 1st tertile (p=0.03). Multiple linear regression analyses confirmed that sCapase-3 was associated with the average annual IMT-CCA change in both the discovery (beta=0.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.04–0.24) cohort and the validation cohort (beta=0.11, 95%CI 0.01–0.21).

Conclusion
Using a large, population-based study with repeated IMT measurements, we demonstrated that circulating levels of sCapase-3 were associated with increasing IMT in the CCA. While further studies are warranted, these results suggest that sCapase-3 levels could serve as potential screening marker to identify individuals at higher risk for plaque progression.
The influence of concomitant antiplatelet therapy in venous thromboembolism patients treated with anticoagulants in the DOAC era: insight from the COMMAND VTE Registry-2
Authors: Kaneda K , Yamashita Y , Nishikawa R , Chatani R , Nishimoto Y , Ikeda N , Ono K 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background/Introduction
The mainstay of treatment and second prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is anticoagulation therapy, and recently direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) for VTE have prevailed all over the world as oral anticoagulation therapy. Although concomitant antiplatelet therapy in addition to oral anticoagulation therapy could have an influence on both recurrent VTE and bleeding events, there have been still limited real-world data on the issue in the DOAC era.

Purpose
We aimed to investigate long-term clinical outcomes in VTE patients treated with concomitant antiplatelet therapy in the DOAC era.

Methods
The COMMAND VTE Registry-2 is a multicenter registry enrolling 5197 consecutive acute symptomatic VTE patients among 31 centers in Japan between January 2015 and August 2020. After excluding 407 patients without oral anticoagulation therapy, the current study population was consisted of 4790 VTE patients with oral anticoagulation therapy, who were divided into 374 patients (7.8%) treated with concomitant antiplatelet therapy and 4416 patients (92.2%) treated with only oral anticoagulation therapy.

Results
Patients with concomitant antiplatelet therapy were older (Concomitant antiplatelet therapy: 74.1 vs. Only oral anticoagulation therapy: 67.3 years, P&lt;0.001), were less often women (52% vs 59%, P=0.005) and more frequently had history of major bleeding (9.8% vs 6.0%, P=0.003), myocardial infarction (16% vs 0.9%, P&lt;0.001) and stroke (33% vs 6.8%, P&lt;0.001). The cumulative incidences of recurrent VTE were not significantly different between the 2 groups (5.9% vs 9.6% at 5-year, Log rank P=0.06). Similarly, the cumulative incidences of major bleeding (14.6% vs 13.3% at 5-year, Log rank P=0.11) and stroke (8.3% vs 6.0% at 5-year, Log rank P=0.12) were not significantly different between 2 groups. However, the cumulative incidences of clinically relevant all bleeding (29.0% and 23.0% at 5-year, Log rank P=0.007) were significantly higher in concomitant antiplatelet therapy group, which was statistically significant even after adjusting confounders.

Conclusion
In the current large VTE registry in the DOAC era, concomitant antiplatelet therapy in addition to oral anticoagulation therapy for patients with VTE was not significantly associated with the risks recurrent VTE, major bleeding or stroke, but was associated with an increased risk of clinically relevant all bleeding.Study Flow ChartMain results
Lipoprotein(a) levels in patients with cryptogenic stroke and persistent foramen ovale
Authors: Bernhard J , Galli L , Schrutka L , Haider P , Hengstenberg C , Gabriel H , Krychtiuk K , Speidl W 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Elevated levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] are an independent risk factor for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). However, it is not known whether high Lp(a) is associated with cryptogenic stroke.

Methods
We included 478 patients with cryptogenic stroke that underwent closure of a persistent foramen ovale and had Lp(a) measurement available. These patients were matched according to age and gender in a 1:3 ratio to 1434 controls.

Results
Mean age of patients was 49.9 +/-12.9 years and 275 patients (57.4%) were male. Median Lp(a) levels were significantly higher in cases (26 IQR 13 – 87 nmol/L) as compared to controls (16 IQR 2 – 61 nmol/L; p&lt;0.00001). Lp(a) levels &gt; 200 nmol/L were significantly more frequent in patients with cryptogenic stroke as compared to controls (10.0 % vs. 7.0 %; p&lt;0.05). The odds-ratio for an increase of Lp(a) by 50nmol/L was 1.09 (95% CI 1.03 – 1.15) independent of age and gender.

Conclusion
Patients with cryptogenic stroke and persistent foramen ovale showed significantly higher plasma levels of Lp(a) and an increase of Lp(a) was associated with a significant increased risk for cryptogenic stroke. Whether high Lp(a) increases risk for deep vein thrombosis leading to embolization or for arterial thrombosis has to be elucidated in further studies.
Predictors of Ischemic Stroke in a cohort of patients with Chagas Cardiomyopathy: the CLOT-Chagas study
Authors: Echeverria L E , Rojas L Z , Becerra-Motta L P , Cantillo-Reines M , Serrano-Garcia A Y , Botero D R , Gomez-Ochoa S A 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Introduction
a high risk of embolic events characterizes Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy (CCC) due to the presence of structural alterations of the left ventricle, the high incidence of arrhythmias, and intrinsic coagulation disorders. Despite its relevance, there is limited information on factors associated with this type of embolic event in patients with CCC, with most studies designed as case-control studies. This study aimed to prospectively analyze independently associated factors with this population's Ischemic Stroke (IS).

Materials and Methods
A prospective study was conducted between 2019 and 2023 at a cardiovascular center's Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Clinic. Adult patients diagnosed with CCC were included, recording sociodemographic, clinical, and echocardiographic variables as potential predictors of IS. Patients were followed up for 18 months via telephone for outcome assessment. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors potentially associated with IS during follow-up.

Results
A total of 232 patients diagnosed with CCC were included (males: 54.9%; median age: 67 years), the majority of whom were receiving anticoagulant therapy (n=144; 62.1%), with DOACs being the most frequently prescribed type of anticoagulants (51%). During follow-up, 16 patients (6.9%) developed an IS. There was a trend towards a lower incidence of IS in patients treated with direct oral anticoagulants (6.8%) compared to those receiving Warfarin (11.5%); however, this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.584). In the multivariate regression analysis including all potential predictors of IS, only the presence of a ventricular aneurysm (RR 5.64; 95% CI 1.61-19.70, p=0.007) and the score obtained when applying the Pfeiffer cognitive impairment questionnaire (RR 0.56; 95% CI 0.42-0.75, p&lt;0.001) were significantly associated with the outcome of IS, even after adjusting for age, sex, NYHA functional class, ejection fraction, and anticoagulant therapy. The model composed of ventricular aneurysms and the Pfeiffer questionnaire score showed adequate performance in predicting IS during follow-up (AUC 0.79).

Conclusions
and Discussion: The incidence of IS in this population was higher than reported in the literature for both CCC patients and those with heart failure from other etiologies. The finding of an association between the presence of ventricular aneurysms and IS has been previously reported; however, the association between the Pfeiffer cognitive test and the development of IS represents a novel observation that deserves validation in future studies for its applicability in the clinical setting.
The incidence and outcome of patients with early cardiovascular complications following intracerebral haemorrhage: An individual patient data pooled analysis from the VISTA database
Authors: Ishiguchi H , Huang B , El-Bouri W K , Dawson J , Lip G Y H , Abdul-Rahim A H 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Early cardiovascular (CV) complications in patients following intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is poorly understood. Such incident CV complications could be part of the so-called stroke-heart-syndrome occurring following ICH (SHS-ICH). We investigated the incidence and outcomes of patients with SHS-ICH.

Methods
Data were sought from the Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive (VISTA), an international repository of clinical trials data. We reviewed relevant adverse events and identified patients based on the incidence of cardiovascular complications within 30 days of post-ICH or ischaemic stroke (acute coronary syndrome [ACS] including acute myocardial injury, heart failure [HF]/left ventricular [LV] dysfunction, atrial fibrillation [AF]/atrial flutter [AFL], other arrhythmia/ ECG abnormalities, and cardio-respiratory arrest [CRA]). We conducted propensity score matching (PSM) to compare the incidence and outcomes of patients with SHS following ICH (SHS-ICH) with patients with SHS following acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). Poor outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale, mRS ≥2, at 90 days.

Results
We pooled data from 12,438 participants recruited in acute stroke trials (mean age 68±12 years; 56% male), of which 1,171 (9.4%) were patients with ICH. Of the ICH patients, 150 patients (12.8%) had SHS-ICH. Following PSM, a total of 2,342 patients (1,171 for each of the ICH and AIS cohorts) were analysed. The incidence of SHS was not significantly different in the ICH and AIS cohorts (Table 1). The incidence of AF was significantly lower in patients with ICH compared to patients with AIS (1.5% vs. 4.5%, p&lt;0.0001), despite comparable incidences of other arrhythmia/ECG abnormalities (9% vs. 9%, p=0.9). Multivariate-adjusted analysis found that SHS-ICH was associated with poor outcomes (Table 2, odds ratio, OR 1.08 [95%CI: 1.03-1.16], p=0.04, compared to ICH patients without SHS).

Conclusions
Stroke-heart syndrome is common and serves as a crucial prognostic marker in patient with ICH, with outcomes similar to SHS patients related to AIS. The development of SHS-ICH was associated with poorer outcomes compared to ICH patients without SHS.
Association of non-invasive assessed anatomical features with functional testing in coronary artery anomalies - NARCO trial
Authors: Stark A W , Bigler M R , Kakizaki R , Shiri I , Siepe M , Raeber L , Graeni C 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Introduction
Anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (AAOCA) is a rare congenital condition believed to carry an increased risk for myocardial ischemia. However, correlation between anatomical characteristics and ischemia remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to assess: 1. The difference of invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-based minimal lumen area (MLA) between baseline and stress. 2. The association of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA)-based anatomical characteristics to invasively measured hemodynamics and IVUS in AAOCA.

Methods
Consecutive patients with AAOCA and presence of ≥1 anatomical high-risk features (i.e. intramural course (IM), slit-like ostium, acute take-off angle or proximal narrowing), were systematically evaluated as part of the NARCO trial using CCTA, FFR using adenosine (140 µg/kg/min), dobutamine-volume stress (20-40mcg/kg/min, 0.5-1mg atropine and 3L of saline solution) and IVUS- MLA of IM. Anatomic high-risk features were quantified by CCTA including ostial lumen area and IM-MLA, IM-width, IM-height, IM-elliptic ratio, take-off angle, proximal narrowing and IM length of the anomalous coronary segment.

Results
A total of 94 patients with AAOCA were screened, whereas 48 showed high-risk anatomic features and underwent the complete stress protocol. Mean age was 54±12 years and 36 (75%) were male and 39 (81%) presented with symptoms. FFRstress was significantly lower than FFRadenosine (0.88 [0.81-0.91] vs. 0.91 [0.87-0.94], p&lt;0.001) (Figure 1). FFRadenosine was ≤0.8 in 5 patients (10%), and FFRdobutamine was ≤0.8 in 12 patients (25%), resulting in 7 (15%) with FFRadenosine &gt;0.8 while FFRdobutamine was ≤0.8. IVUS-MLA was decreased from 6.3 (5.4-8.2) mm2 to 5.4 (4.2-7.1) mm2 during stress (p&lt;0.001) (Figure 2), while elliptic ratio increased from 2.6 (2.1-3.4) to 3.3 (2.5-4.4) (p&lt;0.001). Logistic regression analysis for body surface area adjusted CCTA derived high-risk features showed, that only ostial lumen area, IM-MLA, -elliptic ratio and -width could predict FFRstress ≤0.8. Receiver operating curve analysis showed that ostial width had the greatest AUC with 0.86 (accuracy 83%, sensitivity 83%, and specificity 83%). Eight out of 12 (67%) patients with hemodynamic relevance underwent surgery, 2 (17%) underwent stenting and 2 (17%) were treated with medication.

Conclusion
In patients with AAOCA and anatomic high-risk features, only one quarter are hemodynamic relevant. FFR during dobutamine-volume stress showed to be the more sensitive stress modality as compared to FFRadenosine. CCTA derived ostial and IM anatomical severity is associated with ischemia under stress. Comprehensive functional and anatomical assessment of AAOCA helps to optimize patient management and avoid unnecessary revascularization.Figure 1:FFRadenosine vs FFRstressFigure 2:IVUS-MLArest vs IVUS-MLAstress