Objective To elucidate the application scope and delineate the criteria of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) in assessing surgical risk associated with valvular heart diseases in patients presenting with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods This retrospective analysis encompassed data from patients with reduced LVEF (LVEF<40%) who underwent DSE prior to valvular heart surgery at the Valvular Surgery Center of Beijing Anzhen Hospital between May 2016 and September 2024. Patients were stratified based on the terminal dose of dobutamine into two cohorts: a limited dose group [receiving a maximum dobutamine dose of <5 µg/(kg·min) due to concomitant conditions such as suspected atrial thrombus, aortic dilation, or previous myocardial infarction] and a non-limited dose group (where dosage was adjusted to either achieve the maximum positive standard or the maximal dose tolerable by the patient). Within the non-limited dose group, patients were further classified into positive and negative response groups. The positive response post DSE was defined based on the following criteria: LVEF≥55% (the maximum positive standard), LVEF<55% but with a 5% improvement (the minimum positive standard) from resting situation, aortic maximum velocity (AVmax)≥400 cm/s, or mean pressure gradient (meanPG)≥40 mm Hg, latter two applicable only to patients with aortic stenosis. Clinical indicators were compared in the three groups. Results A total of 99 patients were enrolled, aged 35 to 87 years, with an average age of (61.7±10.1) years. The number of males was significantly higher than that of females (3:1). There were 61 (61.6%) patients undergoing aortic valve surgery, 25 (25.3%) undergoing mitral valve surgery, and 13 (13.1%) undergoing combined aortic and mitral valve surgery. Nineteen (19.2%) patients experienced adverse symptoms such as palpitations, head and face numbness, dizziness, chest tightness post DSE. Additionally, new-onset or aggravated ventricular premature ventricular contractions were in 40 (40.4%) patients. All above symptoms and signs resolved minutes after cessation of the test. No severe adverse events necessitating oxygen therapy or emergency intervention occurred. Among the 93 patients in the non-limited dose group, 86 were classified in the positive response group and 7 in the negative response group. The left ventricular end diastolic diameter, left ventricular end systolic diameter, and LVEF in the positive group all showed significant improvement compared to preoperative values, and were also significantly better than those in the negative group (P<0.05). All 7 patients with negative DSE results underwent interventional surgery, which was significantly different from the positive group (36 patients, 41.9%). In the limited dose group (n=6), 4 patients with a positive result or a positive trend on DSE underwent median sternotomy, 2 received interventional treatment due to a negative response. No significant differences in mortality were observed among the groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Dobutamine stress echocardiography significantly contributes to risk stratification in surgical interventions for patients with valvular heart disease complicated by reduced LVEF. It aids in determining optimal timing and methods for surgery. With comprehensive patient evaluation and controlled dobutamine dosing, the application of DSE can be safely expanded.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of danshenol A （DA） pretreatment in alleviating myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury （MIRI） by regulating cardiomyocyte ferroptosis by in vivo and in vitro experiments. MethodsA MIRI model was established in SD rats， and an in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation （OGD/R） model was constructed with H9C2 cells. Both models were treated with DA. H9C2 cells were allocated into blank， model （OGD/R）， DA， ferroptosis inducer （erastin）， and ferroptosis inhibitor （Fer-1） groups. Cell viability was assessed by the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） assay. Biochemical assays were performed to measure the superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione （GSH）， and ferrous ion （Fe²⁺） levels. Dihydroethidium （DHE） fluorescence assay was adopted to quantify the reactive oxygen species （ROS） level. Real-time PCR and Western blot were employed to quantify the mRNA and protein levels， respectively， of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 （PTGS2）， glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4）， ferritin heavy chain 1 （FTH1）， and acyl-coA synthetase long-chain family 4 （ACSL4）. Sixty SPF-grade healthy male SD rats were randomly assigned to control， model （MIRI）， DA， erastin， and Fer-1 groups. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was adopted to measure the serum levels of cardiac troponin I （cTnI）， lactate dehydrogenase （LDH）， and creatine kinase （CK）. Histopathological changes in the myocardial tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling （TUNEL）. The effect of DA on cardiomyocyte ferroptosis were observed and analyzed by in vivo and in vitro experiments. ResultsIn vitro experiment： compared with the blank group， the OGD/R model group showed reduced cell viability， elevated levels of ROS， MDA， and Fe²⁺， up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of ACSL4， lowered levels of SOD and GSH， and down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of PTGS2， GPX4， and FTH1 （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The DA and Fer-1 groups exhibited consistent trends： cell viability， SOD and GSH levels， and the mRNA and protein levels of PTGS2， GPX4， and FTH1 were significantly restored， while the ROS， MDA， and Fe²⁺ levels， and the mRNA and protein levels of ACSL4 were reduced （P<0.05，P<0.01）. In vivo experiment： Compared with the control group， the MIRI model group showed elevated serum levels of cTnI， LDH， and CK， increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate， risen levels of ROS， MDA， and Fe²⁺， and up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of ACSL4. However， both DA and Fer-1 groups exhibited reductions in the indicators above （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group， the MIRI model group demonstrated reduced levels of SOD and GSH and down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of PTGS2， GPX4， and FTH1 （P<0.05）. In contrast， both DA and Fer-1 upregulated these indicators （P<0.05）， effectively reversing the trends in the model group. In addition， the MIRI model group showed swelling of cardiomyocytes， disarrangement of cardiac muscle fibers， and massive inflammatory cell infiltration， which were alleviated in the DA and Fer-1 groups. ConclusionDA alleviates MIRI by inhibiting ferroptosis and inflammation， demonstrating therapeutic potential in acute myocardial infarction.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of danshenol A （DA） pretreatment in alleviating myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury （MIRI） by regulating cardiomyocyte ferroptosis by in vivo and in vitro experiments. MethodsA MIRI model was established in SD rats， and an in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation （OGD/R） model was constructed with H9C2 cells. Both models were treated with DA. H9C2 cells were allocated into blank， model （OGD/R）， DA， ferroptosis inducer （erastin）， and ferroptosis inhibitor （Fer-1） groups. Cell viability was assessed by the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium （MTT） assay. Biochemical assays were performed to measure the superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， glutathione （GSH）， and ferrous ion （Fe²⁺） levels. Dihydroethidium （DHE） fluorescence assay was adopted to quantify the reactive oxygen species （ROS） level. Real-time PCR and Western blot were employed to quantify the mRNA and protein levels， respectively， of prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 （PTGS2）， glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4）， ferritin heavy chain 1 （FTH1）， and acyl-coA synthetase long-chain family 4 （ACSL4）. Sixty SPF-grade healthy male SD rats were randomly assigned to control， model （MIRI）， DA， erastin， and Fer-1 groups. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was adopted to measure the serum levels of cardiac troponin I （cTnI）， lactate dehydrogenase （LDH）， and creatine kinase （CK）. Histopathological changes in the myocardial tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling （TUNEL）. The effect of DA on cardiomyocyte ferroptosis were observed and analyzed by in vivo and in vitro experiments. ResultsIn vitro experiment： compared with the blank group， the OGD/R model group showed reduced cell viability， elevated levels of ROS， MDA， and Fe²⁺， up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of ACSL4， lowered levels of SOD and GSH， and down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of PTGS2， GPX4， and FTH1 （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The DA and Fer-1 groups exhibited consistent trends： cell viability， SOD and GSH levels， and the mRNA and protein levels of PTGS2， GPX4， and FTH1 were significantly restored， while the ROS， MDA， and Fe²⁺ levels， and the mRNA and protein levels of ACSL4 were reduced （P<0.05，P<0.01）. In vivo experiment： Compared with the control group， the MIRI model group showed elevated serum levels of cTnI， LDH， and CK， increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate， risen levels of ROS， MDA， and Fe²⁺， and up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of ACSL4. However， both DA and Fer-1 groups exhibited reductions in the indicators above （P<0.05）. Compared with the control group， the MIRI model group demonstrated reduced levels of SOD and GSH and down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of PTGS2， GPX4， and FTH1 （P<0.05）. In contrast， both DA and Fer-1 upregulated these indicators （P<0.05）， effectively reversing the trends in the model group. In addition， the MIRI model group showed swelling of cardiomyocytes， disarrangement of cardiac muscle fibers， and massive inflammatory cell infiltration， which were alleviated in the DA and Fer-1 groups. ConclusionDA alleviates MIRI by inhibiting ferroptosis and inflammation， demonstrating therapeutic potential in acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the efficacy and safety of luspatercept in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes （MDS） anemia， and provide reference for clinical medication. METHODS The literature related to luspatercept for MDS anemia in PubMed， Cochrane Library， Embase and Web of Science were searched by computer， and the search time was from the establishment of the database to January 2024. The quality of literature was evaluated after they were screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria， the single-group rate meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed by using RevMan 5.4 software， and the subgroup analysis was conducted. RESULTS A total of 756 patients in 9 articles were included in this study. The results of meta-analysis showed that the proportion of MDS patients who reached ≥8 weeks of red blood cell transfusion independence （RBC-TI） was 46% after using luspatercept [95%CI （0.28， 0.64）， P＜0.000 01]. The proportion of MDS patients whose hematological improvement in erythrocyte （HI-E） was 59% [95%CI （0.43， 0.74）， P＜0.000 01]. Among them， 5 articles reported that the proportion of MDS patients with grade 3-4 adverse reactions was 14% [95%CI （0.07， 0.22）， P＝0.000 2]， and the poor general condition， infection， blood and lymphatic system disease were the common adverse reactions. Subgroup analysis showed that the source of heterogeneity was the blood transfusion burden in the proportion of MDS patients with RBC-TI≥8 weeks， and the source of heterogeneity was the 0931-8356251。revised international prognostic scoring system （IPSS-R） risk grade， SF3B1 mutation status and blood transfusion burden in the proportion of MDS patients with HI-E. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results of this study were stable. CONCLUSIONS Luspatercept can significantly improve blood transfusion dependence， reduce blood transfusion burden and promote hematology improvement in MDS patients. But attention should be paid to the occurrence of grade 3-4 adverse events； adverse events such as poor general condition， infection， blood and lymphatic system diseases are more common.

OBJECTIVES: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major public health concern that poses a significant threat to human health. Investigating its underlying mechanisms and identifying potential intervention targets has important clinical implications. This study aims to explore the association between serum gastric biomarkers and MetS and its components. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 24 635 individuals (aged 18 to 80 years) who underwent routine health examinations from May 2017 to June 2021 at the Health Management Medical Center, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University. Demographic data, medical and medication history, height, weight, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and creatinine levels were collected. Serum levels of pepsinogen (PG) I, PGII, and gastrin-17 (G-17) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. MetS was diagnosed based on the International Diabetes Federation criteria. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between gastric biomarkers and MetS. RESULTS: Among the 24 635 participants, the overall prevalence of MetS was 35.72%, with a higher rate in males than in females (42.41% vs 24.31%). Compared with the non-MetS group, MetS group were older and had higher metabolic-related diseases rate, Helicobacter pylori infection rate, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and creatinine levels (all P<0.05). Serum G-17 levels were significantly elevated in the MetS group, and PGI levels decreased (both P<0.05). Males had higher G-17, PGI, PGII, and PGI/PGII ratios than females (all P<0.05). Subgroup analysis revealed that G-17 was consistently elevated in MetS patients regardless of sex, whereas PGI was decreased. PGII levels exhibited sex-specific differences. After adjusting for confounders, Logistic regression analysis revealed that high G-17 level was independently associated with MetS, with a stronger correlation observed in males. Moreover, G-17 level progressively increased with higher MetS scores (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Serum G-17 level is positively associated with both the presence and severity of MetS, with a more pronounced correlation in males, suggesting its potential involvement in MetS-related metabolic dysregulation.
Humans ; Metabolic Syndrome/epidemiology* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Aged ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Gastrins/blood* ; Pepsinogen A/blood* ; Pepsinogen C/blood* ; Aged, 80 and over

OBJECTIVES: In recent years, the role of remnant cholesterol (RC) in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases has gained increasing attention. However, evidence on the association between RC and subclinical atherosclerosis is limited. This study aims to examine the relationship between RC and atherosclerotic plaques in single and multiple vascular territories. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study used baseline data from participants enrolled between October 2022 and May 2024 in the National Key Research Program "Study on the Prevention and Control System of Risk Factors for Panvascular Diseases". Color Doppler ultrasonography was performed to detect plaques in 4 vascular territories: Bilateral carotid arteries, bilateral subclavian arteries, abdominal aorta, and iliac-femoral arteries. RC was calculated as total cholesterol minus the sum of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Participants were categorized into quartiles (Q1-Q4) according to RC levels. The proportions of participants with ≥2 plaques in a single vascular territory and with plaques in ≥2 vascular territories were compared across RC quartiles. Multivariate ordinal Logistic regression was used to assess the association between RC and the number of plaques in a single vascular territory, as well as the risk of multiple vascular territory involvement. Additionally, the effects of LDL-C/RC concordance on plaque distribution were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 3 539 participants were included, of whom 2 169 (61.29%) were male, with a age of (51.94±9.22) years. From Q1 to Q4, the proportion of participants with ≥2 plaques in a single vascular territory (bilateral carotid, subclavian, abdominal aorta, and iliac-femoral arteries), as well as those with plaques in ≥2 vascular territories, increased progressively. Compared with Q1, both Q3 and Q4 were significantly associated with higher plaque numbers in a single vascular territory (both P<0.05). When treated as a continuous variable, higher RC levels were associated with an increased risk of greater plaque numbers within a single vascular territory (all P<0.05). RC levels were also significantly associated with multiple vascular territory involvement: Compared with Q1, Q4 had a 1.015-fold higher risk [odds ratio (OR)=2.015, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.669 to 2.433], and each 1 mmol/L increase in RC corresponded to a 0.160-fold increased risk (OR=1.160, 95% CI 1.073 to 1.271). In LDL-C/RC coordination analysis, compared with the low LDL-C/low RC group, the low LDL-C/high RC group was significantly associated with multiple vascular territory involvement (OR=1.576, 95% CI 1.220 to 2.036). CONCLUSIONS Elevated RC levels are closely associated with atherosclerotic plaques in both single and multiple vascular territories, even among individuals with normal LDL-C, suggesting that RC should be considered in clinical risk assessment and management of atherosclerosis.
Humans ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Female ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Cholesterol/blood* ; Cholesterol, LDL/blood* ; Aged ; Cholesterol, HDL/blood* ; Risk Factors ; Atherosclerosis ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; Femoral Artery/diagnostic imaging*

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) poses a major threat to global health. Evaluating atherosclerosis in asymptomatic individuals can help identify those at high risk of CVD. This study aims to establish an individualized nomogram prediction model to estimate the risk of vascular plaque formation in asymptomatic individuals. METHODS: A total of 5 655 participants who underwent CVD screening at the Health Management Center of The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, between January 2022 and June 2024 we retrospectively enrolled. Using simple random sampling, participants were divided into a training set (n=4 524) and a validation set (n=1 131) in an 8꞉2 ratio. Demographic and clinical data were collected and compared between groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent factors associated with vascular plaques and to construct a nomogram prediction model. The predictive performance and clinical utility of the model were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 52 years old. There were 3 400 males (60.12%). The overall detection rate of vascular plaque in the screening population was 49.87% (2 820/5 655). No statistically significant differences were observed in clinical indicators between the training and validation sets (all P>0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis identified age, systolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), lipoprotein(a), male sex, smoking history, hypertension history, and diabetes history as independent risk factors for vascular plaque in asymptomatic individuals (all P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of the nomogram model for predicting vascular plaque risk were 0.778 (95% CI 0.765 to 0.791, P<0.001) in the training set and 0.760 (95% CI 0.732 to 0.787, P<0.001) in the validation set. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test indicated good model calibration (training set: P=0.628; validation set: P=0.561). The calibration curve plotted using the Bootstrap method demonstrated good agreement between predicted probabilities and actual probabilities. DCA showed that the nomogram provided a clinical net benefit for predicting vascular plaque risk when the threshold probability ranged from 0.02 to 0.99. CONCLUSIONS The nomogram prediction model for vascular plaque risk, constructed using readily available and cost-effective physical examination indicators, exhibited good predictive performance. This model can assist in the early identification and intervention of asymptomatic individuals at high risk for cardiovascular disease.
Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Nomograms ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic/diagnosis* ; Aged ; Adult ; Physical Examination ; Logistic Models ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology* ; ROC Curve

Objective To analyze the clinical efficacy of valve surgeries for infective endocarditis and the affecting factors, and compare the early- and long-term postoperative outcomes of different surgery approaches. Methods The patients with infective endocarditis who underwent valve replacement/valvuloplasty in our hospital from 2010 to 2022 were retrospectively collected. The clinical data of the patients were analyzed. Results A total of 343 patients were enrolled, including 197 patients with mechanical valve replacement, 62 patients with bioprosthetic valve replacement, and 84 patients with valvuloplasty. There were 238 males and 105 females with an average age of (44.2±14.8) years. Single-valve endocarditis was present in 200 (58.3%) patients, and multivalve involvement was present in 143 (41.7%) patients. Sixty (17.5%) patients had suffered thrombosis before surgery, including cerebral embolisms in 32 patients. The mean follow-up time was (60.6±43.8) months. Early mortality within one month after the surgery occurred in 17 (5.0%) patients, while later mortality occurred in 19 (5.5%) patients. Eight (2.3%) patients underwent postoperative dialysis, 13 (3.8%) patients suffered postoperative stroke, 6 patients underwent reoperation, and 3 patients suffered recurrence of infective endocarditis. Smoking (P=0.002), preoperative embolisms (P=0.001), duration of surgery (P=0.001), and postoperative dialysis (P=0.001) were risk factors for early mortality, and left ventricular ejection fraction ≥60% (P=0.022) was protective factor for early mortality. New York Heart Association classification Ⅲ-Ⅳ (P=0.010) and ≥3 valve procedures (P=0.028) were risk factors for late mortality. The rate of composite endpoint events was significantly lower in the valvuloplasty group than that in the valve replacement group. Conclusion For patients with infective endocarditis, smoking and preoperative embolisms are associated with high postoperative mortality, multiple-valve surgery is associated with a poorer prognosis, and valvuloplasty has advantages over valve replacement and should be attempted in the surgical management of patients with infective endocarditis.

Point-of-care testing (POCT) provides key support for clinical decision-making through rapid detection. This article introduces the development background of POCT in the field of pre-hospital emergency, as well as the development status of POCT in Hangzhou City, and analyzes the problems of quality management. Pre-hospital emergency medical institutions in Hangzhou City have been equipped with POCT equipment, and the test items include blood glucose, cardiac troponin, etc. The implementation rates of internal quality control, comparison test, and proficiency testing were 58.2%, 50.3% and 42.6%, respectively. POCT quality management has problems such as unclear responsibility subjects, insufficient professional personnel, and a lack of standardization of the process. It is proposed to build a hierarchical collaborative management system, strengthen the double access mechanism of personnel and equipment, implement the whole process quality control, and build a digital management platform, so as to provide the reference for the high-quality development of POCT in pre-hospital medical emergency institutions.

With the development of point-of-care testing(POCT)technology,the demand for pre-hospital applications has gradually increased.Blood glucose,troponin,blood gas analysis and other projects have been gradually carried out in pre-hospital.The development of the above projects has played an important role in the timely diagnosis of critical diseases such as pre-hospital stroke,chest pain,and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.However,due to the shortcomings of trained professionals and standardized equipment in pre-hospital systems,it is challenging to carry out quality control work such as POCT in-house quality control,comparison,ability verification,etc.,and POCT pre-hospital quality management has shortcomings.In order to improve the quality of POCT and eliminate potential safety hazards,the"expert consensus on POCT pre-hospital quality management standards"was formulated after consultation between pre-hospital and in-hospital experts.The consensus focuses on the establishment of POCT pre-hospital quality management system,management organization,quality control plan formulation and implementation path,personnel access,equipment access,digital intelligence integration and other issues,which can be used by pre-hospital medical emergency institutions at all levels to carry out POCT quality management.