bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of sacubitril/valsartan on the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias and the risk of sudden cardiac death in heart failure: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Liu Xue-Hui , Wang Guan-Ling , Xu Qiang , Zhang Lei , Liu Hong-Jun 
Published: September 2022

BackgroundSacubitril/valsartan therapy reduced the risks of death and of hospitalization for heart failure (HF). HF and cardiac arrhythmias have shared physiological mechanisems. Therefore, sacubitril/valsartan may exhibit anti-arrhythmic properties in HF. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of sacubitril/valsartan on the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias and the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in HF.MethodsThis meta-analysis was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. We searched PubMed and Embase (from inception up to 6 February 2022) to identify randomized control trials (RCTs) on the effect of sacubitril/valsartan on the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias and the risk of SCD in HF. Primary outcomes were the occurrence of atrial arrhythmias, ventricular arrhythmias, and SCD. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using a random-effects model for meta-analysis.ResultsWe included 9 RCTs (published between 2012 and 2021) with 18,500 patients (9,244 sacubitril/valsartan vs. 9,256 active control). Enalapril and valsartan were used as active control in six and two studies, respectively. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 35 months. The cumulative occurrence of events was 76, 13, and 48 per 1,000 patient-years for atrial arrhythmias, ventricular arrhythmias and SCD, respectively. There was no significant association between sacubitril/valsartan therapy and the occurrence of atrial arrhythmias (RR 1.06; 95% CI: 0.97–1.17; P = 0.19) and ventricular arrhythmias (RR 0.86; 95% CI 0.68–1.10; P = 0.24). However, sacubitril/valsartan therapy significantly reduced the risk of SCD (RR 0.79; 95% CI 0.70–0.90; P = 0.03) compared with control.ConclusionNo association between sacubitril/valsartan therapy and the occurrence of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias was found, but sacubitril/valsartan therapy significantly reduced the risk of SCD.
Role of endothelial CXCR4 in the development of aortic valve stenosis
Authors: Winnicki Anna , Gadd James , Ohanyan Vahagn , Hernandez Gilbert , Wang Yang , Enrick Molly , McKillen Hannah , Kiedrowski Matthew , Kundu Dipan , Kegecik Karlina , Penn Marc , Chilian William M. , Yin Liya , Dong Feng 
Published: September 2022

BackgroundCXCL12/CXCR4 signaling is essential in cardiac development and repair, however, its contribution to aortic valve stenosis (AVS) remains unclear. In this study, we tested the role of endothelial CXCR4 on the development of AVS.Materials and methodsWe generated CXCR4 endothelial cell-specific knockout mice (EC CXCR4 KO) by crossing CXCR4fl/fl mice with Tie2-Cre mice to study the role of endothelial cell CXCR4 in AVS. CXCR4fl/fl mice were used as controls. Echocardiography was used to assess the aortic valve and cardiac function. Heart samples containing the aortic valve were stained using Alizarin Red for detection of calcification. Masson’s trichrome staining was used for the detection of fibrosis. The apex of the heart samples was stained with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) to visualize ventricular hypertrophy.ResultsCompared with the control group, the deletion of CXCR4 in endothelial cells led to significantly increased aortic valve peak velocity and aortic valve peak pressure gradient, with decreased aortic valve area and ejection fraction. EC CXCR4 KO mice also developed cardiac hypertrophy as evidenced by increased diastolic and systolic left ventricle posterior wall thickness (LVPW), cardiac myocyte size, and heart weight (HW) to body weight (BW) ratio. Our data also confirmed increased microcalcifications, interstitial fibrosis, and thickened valvular leaflets of the EC CXCR4 KO mice.ConclusionThe data collected throughout this study suggest the deletion of CXCR4 in endothelial cells is linked to the development of aortic valve stenosis and left ventricular hypertrophy. The statistically significant parameters measured indicate that endothelial cell CXCR4 plays an important role in aortic valve development and function. We have compiled compelling evidence that EC CXCR4 KO mice can be used as a novel model for AVS.
Left atrial appendage flow velocity predicts recurrence of atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chen Pengfei , Shi Yujiao , Ju Jianqing , Pan Deng , Miao Lina , Guo Xiaolin , Chen Zhuhong , Du Jianpeng 
Published: September 2022

PurposeThere is increasing evidence that left atrial appendage flow velocity (LAAFV) is linked to the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after catheter ablation (CA), suggesting the potential predictable significance of LAAFV in this setting. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess whether LAAFV is association with AF recurrence after CA.MethodsUp to May 1, 2022, six databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and CINAHL) were searched for literature reporting the association between LAAFV and AF recurrence after CA. All statistical analyses were carried out using STATA version 16 software. Heterogeneity was determined by the Cochrane’s Q test and I2 statistics. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the methodological quality of each included study, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) method was adopted to evaluate the quality of evidence.ResultSixteen studies with 5,006 AF patients after CA (1,479 patients with AF recurrence, 3,527 without AF recurrence) were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis of 15 studies (16 data sets) showed that patients with recurrence exhibited lower LAAFV values than those without recurrence [standardized mean difference (SMD): −0.65, 95% CI: −0.88 to −0.42, P &lt; 0.01]. Moreover, we evaluated the association of LAAFV and the risk of AF recurrence after CA. Nine studies (11 data sets) defined LAAFV as continuous variables, and the pooled analysis suggested that for every 1 cm/s rise in LAAFV values, the risk of AF recurrence after CA decreased by 3% [Odds Ratio (OR): 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95 to 0.99, P &lt; 0.01]. Seven studies defined LAAFV as categorical variables, and the pooled analysis showed that lower LAAFV were associated with an increased risk of AF recurrence after CA [OR: 2.28, 95% CI: 1.46 to 3.57, P &lt; 0.01]. The subgroup analyses showed that the association between LAAFV and AF recurrence after CA was not significantly affected by the AF type and ablation procedure. The NOS indicated that included studies were moderate to high quality, while the GRADE assessment suggested a low certainty of the evidence.ConclusionLower LAAFV may be associated with an increased risk of AF recurrence after CA. Further studies with well designed and randomized studies for LAAFV should be conducted.Systematic review registration[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/], identifier [CRD42022333627].
The diagnostic value of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α in identifying different chronic heart failure phenotypes
Authors: Zhang Shiwen , Zhou Yufei , Ma Yanfang , Li Zhan , Hou Yinglong 
Published: September 2022

BackgroundDespite advances in diagnosing and treating chronic heart failure (HF), the underlying mechanisms in different HF phenotypes remain unclear. Mitochondrial energy metabolism is crucial in HF etiology. Our study aimed to explore the value of metabolic-associated biomarker peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC1α) in identifying different HF phenotypes.MethodsA total of 172 participants were enrolled in the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University and were subsequently divided into four groups based on the European Society of Cardiology HF management guideline: the non-HF control (Control, N = 46), heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF, N = 54), heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF, N = 22), and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF, N = 50) groups. Each participant’s baseline data were recorded, blood samples were taken, and echocardiography was conducted. The level of PGC1α expression was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The receiver operative characteristics (ROC) curve was further established in the four groups to assess the diagnostic value for overall HF and each HF phenotype with the calculation of the area under the curve (AUC) and 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsPGC1α expression was significantly increased in HF patients (315.0 ± 69.58 nmol/L) compared to non-HF participants (233.3 ± 32.69 nmol/L). Considering different HF phenotypes, PGC1α expression was considerably higher in the HFmrEF group (401.6 ± 45.1 nmol/L)than in the other two phenotypes (299.5 ± 62.27 nmol/L for HFrEF and 293.5 ± 56.37 nmol/L for HFpEF, respectively).Furthermore, the AUCs of PGC1α in overall HF and each HF phenotype were all over 0.8, showing the ideal diagnostic value. Additionally, we provided the cut-off criteria for clinical use, which needs further validation. There was no significant correlation between PGC1α and N-terminal (NT)-prohormone B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)/blood glucose, suggesting that PGC1α might exert a unique function in HF yet in a different pattern.ConclusionWe discovered that PGC1α could be used as a potential biomarker for differentiating HF patients from those without HF and for distinguishing HFmrEF from HFrEF and HFpEF.
COVID-19 is associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease death: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Miao Jia-peng , Gu Xiao-yu , Shi Rui-zheng 
Published: September 2022

ObjectiveThis study aimed to estimate the causal effects of Coronavirus disease 2019 susceptibility and hospitalization on cardiovascular disease death using two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.MethodsWe used statistics from a genome-wide association study. A total of 2,568,698 participants were assessed in this study, including 1,299,010 in Coronavirus disease 2019 susceptibility databases, 908,494 in Coronavirus disease 2019 hospitalization database, and 361,194 in a cardiovascular disease death database. We performed two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis using the inverse variance weighted method. As sensitivity analysis techniques, Mendelian randomization-Egger regression, heterogeneity analyses, and Leave-one-out analysis were employed. Reverse Mendelian randomization analysis was used to detect reverse causality. Statistical significance was defined as P &lt; 0.05.ResultsCoronavirus disease 2019 susceptibility may be a causal factor for cardiovascular disease death (β = 2.188 × 10–3, P = 0.002), which involves five common single nucleotide polymorphisms. Similarly, Coronavirus disease 2019 hospitalization may also be a causal factor for cardiovascular disease death (β = 8.626 × 10–4, P = 0.010), which involves nine common single nucleotide polymorphisms. Furthermore, sensitivity and reverse Mendelian randomization analysis suggested that no heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy or reverse causality was found between Coronavirus disease 2019 and cardiovascular disease death.ConclusionOur bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis showed a causal relationship between Coronavirus disease 2019 susceptibility and hospitalization associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease death.
Psychometric properties and validation of the revised Chinese Medication Literacy Scale for Hypertensive Patients (C-MLSHP-R)
Authors: Qin Ning , Duan Yinglong , Yao Ziqiang , Shi Shuangjiao , Liu Haoqi , Li Xiao , Zheng Feng , Zhong Zhuqing 
Published: September 2022

BackgroundMedication literacy is one of the key indicators that can affect the self-management of medications and medication safety. This study aimed to revise the Chinese Medication Literacy Scale for hypertensive patients (C-MLSHP) and test the reliability and validity of the revised scale.MethodsWe revised the C-MLSHP by several methods, i.e., focus group discussion, expert consultation, patient interview, and pilot study, based on the established evaluation index system of medication literacy for hypertensive patients. Then, a formal survey using the revised Chinese Medication Literacy Scale for hypertensive patients (C-MLSHP-R) was carried out on hypertensive patients from hospitals and community healthcare centers in Changsha city of China to test its reliability and validity. The reliability was evaluated with Cronbach's α coefficient, split-half reliability, and test–retest reliability. The validity was evaluated with content validity, construct validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and criterion-related validity.ResultsThe C-MLSHP-R contained 18 items within four domains, i.e., the knowledge domain included four items, the attitude domain had three items, the skill domain involved seven items, and the practice domain included four items. A total of 339 hypertensive patients participated in the formal survey. The results showed that the Cronbach's α coefficient of C-MLSHP-R was 0.802, and for each domain ranged from 0.639 to 0.815. The split-half reliability coefficient of C-MLSHP-R was 0.709, and for each domain ranged from 0.648 to 0.792. The test–retest reliability coefficient of C-MLSHP-R was 0.851, and for each domain ranged from 0.655 to 0.857. The I-CVI of each item ranged from 0.833 to 1.000, the S-CVI/Ave of C-MLSHP-R was 0.981, the S-CVI/UA was 0.889, and for each domain ranged from 0.958 to 1.000. Confirmatory factor analysis results showed that the model fitted well. The convergent validity of C-MLSHP-R was acceptable, and the discriminant validity was good. The criterion coefficient between C-MLSHP-R and C-MLSHP was 0.797, and for each domain ranged from 0.609 to 0.755.ConclusionCompared with C-MLSHP, the C-MLSHP-R with 18 items was much shorter for measuring, and had decreased reliability within the acceptable range and better validity, which was more appropriate and time-saving to assess the medication literacy level for hypertensive patients scientifically and conveniently.
Percutaneous endovascular arteriovenous fistula: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Sun Ji-Bo , Liu Chun-Cheng , Shen Xi , Chen Qin , Xu Cheng-Liang , Cui Tian-Lei 
Published: September 2022

ObjectiveCurrently, percutaneous endovascular creation of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) shows excellent outcomes. However, few systematic research evidence to support clinical decision making on the benefit of endovascular AVF is available. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of endovascular AVF (endoAVF) in patients with renal failure.MethodsWe searched the Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases for studies on endovascular or endovascular versus surgery for the creation of AVF. Two reviewers independently selected studies and extracted data. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed by Review Manager 5.4 software (Revman, The Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, United Kingdom) and Stata 15.0 (Stata Corp, College Station, TX, United States).ResultsA total of 14 case series and 5 cohort studies, with 1,929 patients, were included in this study. The technique success was 98.00% for endoAVF (95% CI, 0.97–0.99; I2 = 16.25%). There was no statistically significant difference in 3 cohort studies between endovascular and surgical AVF for procedural success (OR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.04–11.98; P = 0.80; I2 = 53%). The maturation rates of endoAVF were 87.00% (95% CI, 0.79–0.93; I2 = 83.96%), and no significant difference was observed in 3 cohort studies between the 2 groups (OR = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.20–2.63; P = 0.63; I2 = 88%). Procedure-related complications for endoAVF was 7% (95% CI, 0.04–0.17; I2 = 78.31%), and it did not show significant difference in 4 cohort studies between the 2 groups (OR = 1.85; 95% CI, 0.37–9.16; P = 0.45; I2 = 59%).ConclusionThe endovascular creation of AVF is potentially effective and safe. These important data may provide evidence to support clinicians and patients in making decisions with endovascular AVF. But further research is great necessary due to lack of randomized controlled studies.
Assessment of three types of surgical procedures for supravalvar aortic stenosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lv Lizhi , Lang Xinyue , Zhang Simeng , Wang Cheng , Wang Qiang 
Published: September 2022

ImportanceThe safety and efficacy of different surgical repairs of supravalvar aortic stenosis (SVAS) are inconsistent.ObjectiveTo compare the prognosis of single-, two- and three-patch repair for patients with SVAS.Data sourcesPubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and clinicaltrials.gov were searched until April 17, 2022.Study selectionStudy reported SVAS patients treated with single-, two- or three-patch repair.Data extraction and synthesisTwo reviewers independently extracted the data of study characteristics and clinical outcomes. Multiple pairwise and frequentist network meta-analyses were conducted. And a fixed-effect model was used when no heterogeneity existed.Main outcomes and measuresOutcomes included the rate of reintervention, aortic insufficiency, early mortality and late mortality, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, cross-clamping (CCP) time, and postoperative/ follow-up pressure gradient. Binary variables were evaluated by odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI), while continuous variables were assessed by standardized mean difference (SMD) and its 95% CI.ResultsTwenty-seven retrospective cohort studies were included, comprising 1,162 patients, undergoing single-patch (46.6% of cases), two-patch (33.9%), and three-patch repair (19.4%). Two-patch method had a lower rate of reintervention compared with single-patch (OR = 0.47, 95 % CI 0.28–0.89), and three-patch (OR = 0.31, 95 % CI 0.15–0.64). This finding also applied to juvenile and non-Asian patients. Three-patch method had a lower rate of aortic insufficiency compared with single-patch (OR = 0.11, 95 % CI 0.01–0.63), and two-patch (OR = 0.11, 95 % CI 0.02–0.83). But this repair had the longest CCP time, which was significantly longer than that of single- (SMD = 0.76, 95 % CI 0.36–1.17) or two-patch repair (SMD = 0.61, 95 % CI 0.06–1.16). No significant difference was found in mortality and pressure gradient among three procedures.Conclusion and relevanceTwo-patch repair has the lowest reintervention rate and relatively reasonable operation time. Complex and severe SVAS is suggested to be treated with two-patch repair. Further prospective studies of a reasonable sample size will be required with a special focus on the use of different patch materials and surgeons' unique working experience.Systematic review registrationhttp://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD42022328146.
Multimorbidity, polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation: A report from the China Atrial Fibrillation Registry Study
Authors: Guo Xueyuan , Li Mengmeng , Du Xin , Jiang Chenxi , Li Songnan , Tang Ribo , Sang Caihua , Yu Ronghui , Long Deyong , Dong Jianzeng , Ma Changsheng 
Published: September 2022

BackgroundMultimorbidity, polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing is common in elderly patients worldwide. We aimed to explore the current status of multimorbidity, polypharmacy and the appropriateness of pharmacological therapy among elderly patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in China.Materials and methodsWe randomly selected 500 patients aged 65 years or older from the China AF Registry study. Multimorbidity was defined as ≥2 comorbidities and polypharmacy was defined as ≥5 long-term prescribed drugs. Appropriateness of prescribing was evaluated using the Screening Tool of Older People’s Prescriptions/Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment (STOPP/START) criteria version 2. Patients’ attitudes toward polypharmacy were evaluated by the Patients’ Attitudes Towards Deprescribing (PATD) questionnaire.ResultsAmong the 500 patients included (mean age 75.2 ± 6.7 years, 49.0% male), 98.0% had multimorbidity and 49.4% had polypharmacy. The prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs) was 43.6% (n = 218) and 71.6% (n = 358), respectively. Traditional Chinese medicine attributed largely to PIMs. Anticoagulants were the most common PPOs. Many clinical factors increased the risk of PIMs and PPOs. However, polypharmacy increased the risk of PIMs (OR 2.70, 95%CI 1.78–4.11; p &lt; 0.0001), but not PPOs. In addition, 73.7% patients with polypharmacy were willing to have one or more of their medications prescribed if advised by their doctor.ConclusionMultimorbidity and polypharmacy were highly prevalent in elderly patients with AF in China. A high prevalence of inappropriate prescribing was also observed. Therefore, much more attention should be paid to the serious health problem in the elderly population.
Analysis on the ecological impact of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir on the Yellow River Delta wetland and coastal areas
Authors: Shang Wenxiu , Yan Dengming , Peng Shaoming , Wang Yu , Ge Lei , Shang Yi 
Published: September 2022

An environmental water supplement through reservoir regulation is an important way to restore the deltaic coastal wetland. In order to quantify the impact of the reservoir on the deltaic coastal wetland ecosystem, this article proposes a quantitative analysis method for the ecological impact and contribution rate of the reservoir, which compares the ecological status in two scenarios with the presence or absence of the reservoir during the assessment period, and reveals the reservoir’s impact on and contribution rate to the ecological status and environmental water supplement conditions. The results show that during 2000–2019, through the regulation of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir, the average annual drying up days at the Lijin section reduced by 81.15 days, the average annual assurance rate of ecological base flow at the Lijin section increased by 20.60%, and the volume of water flowing into the sea from April to June increased by 2.37 billion m³. During 2008–2015, the Xiaolangdi Reservoir increased the environmental water supplement of the Yellow River Delta by 19.95 million m³. Compared with the flow and water withdrawal during 1980–1999, the natural flow of the Yellow River decreased by 10.59% and the measured flow in the lower reaches decreased by 22.15%, and the water withdrawal in the lower reaches increased by 0.32 billion m³ during 2000–2019, which is detrimental to provide environmental water to the Yellow River Delta wetland and coastal areas. The Xiaolangdi Reservoir reversed the adverse effects of flow and water withdrawal and ensured the continuous ecological improvement in the Yellow River Delta and coastal areas, providing the respective contribution rate of 187.85%, 137.24%, and 125.83% to the prevention of drying up at the Lijin section, the increase in the assurance rate of ecological base flow at the Lijin section, and the increase in the volume of water flowing into the sea in the critical period.