Ponamgi, Shiva P

Abstract Reporting the sex of biological material is critical for transparency and reproducibility in science. This study examined the reporting of the sex of cells used in cardiovascular studies. Articles from 16 cardiovascular journals that publish peer‐reviewed studies in cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology in the year 2018 were systematically reviewed using terms “cultured” and “cells.” Data were collected on the sex of cells, the species from which the cells were isolated, and the type of cells, and summarized as a systematic review. Sex was reported in 88 (38.6%) of the 228 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Reporting rates varied with Circulation, Cardiovascular Research and American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology having the highest rates of sex reporting (>50%). A majority of the studies used cells from male (54.5%) or both male and female animals (32.9%). Humans (31.8%), rats (20.4%), and mice (43.8%) were the most common sources for cells. Cardiac myocytes were the most commonly used cell type (37.0%). Overall reporting of sex of experimental material remains below 50% and is inconsistent among journals. Sex chromosomes in cells have the potential to affect protein expression and molecular signaling pathways and should be consistently reported.

Background Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) risk is higher in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation on antithrombotic therapy as well as those with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). We investigated if mortality among patients with atrial fibrillation on antithrombotic therapy presenting with non‐traumatic ICH was influenced by underlying CAA. Methods and Results We used the Rochester Epidemiology Project to identify 6045 patients with atrial fibrillation aged >55 years on anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy from 1995 to 2016. Seventy‐four patients in this cohort presented with non‐traumatic ICH. Medical records including imaging data were reviewed to identify those with CAA and record baseline variables and outcomes of interest; 38 of our 74 patients (51.4%) (mean age 81.5 years) met Modified Boston Criteria for possible or probable CAA. Twenty‐six of 74 patients (35%) died during the first 30 days while 56 of the 74 (76%) patients died by 10 years follow‐up after index ICH. Overall mortality was not significantly different between the CAA and non‐CAA groups at any point of time during follow‐up ( P =0.89) even amongst patients restarted on anticoagulation +/− antiplatelet (n=19) ( P =0.46) or those patients restarted only on antiplatelet therapy (n=22) ( P =0.66). Three of the 41 patients who restarted on antithrombotic therapy had a recurrent ICH; these 3 patients met criteria for possible or probable CAA. Conclusions Although more than half of our patients with atrial fibrillation on antithrombotic therapy and non‐traumatic ICH met Modified Boston Criteria for CAA, CAA did not significantly influence the high mortality seen in this cohort.

Abstract We performed a case–control study to evaluate an electronic, asynchronous infectious diseases consultative service at 2 rural hospitals within our health system. Patients with consultation via this platform (n = 100) had a significantly decreased odds of death at 30 days compared with propensity-matched controls (n = 300; adjusted odds ratio, 0.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.2–0.7; P = .003).

BackgroundEchocardiographically detected patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been associated with stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). We sought to evaluate the relationship between echocardiographic characteristics and risk of stroke/TIA and mortality in CIED patients with PFO.MethodsIn 6,086 device patients, PFO was detected in 319 patients. A baseline echocardiogram was present in 250 patients, with 186 having a follow‐up echocardiogram.ResultsOf 250 patients with a baseline echocardiogram, 9.6% (n = 24) had a stroke/TIA during mean follow‐up of 5.3 ± 3.1 years; and 42% (n = 105) died over 7.1 ± 3.7 years. Atrial septal aneurysm, prominent Eustachian valve, visible shunting across PFO, baseline or change in estimated right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP)/tricuspid regurgitation (TR), or maximum RVSP were not associated with postimplant stroke/TIA (P > 0.05). An exploratory multivariate analysis using time‐dependent Cox models showed increased hazard of death in patients with increase in TR ≥2 grades (hazard ratio [HR] 1.780, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.447–2.189, P < 0.0001), or increase in RVSP by >10 mm Hg (HR 2.018, 95% CI 1.593–2.556, P < 0.0001), or maximum RVSP in follow‐up (HR 1.432, 95% CI 1.351–1.516, P < 0.0001). A significant increase (P < 0.001) in TR was also noted during follow‐up.ConclusionsIn patients with CIED and PFO, structural and hemodynamic echocardiographic markers did not predict future stroke/TIA. However, a significantly higher TR or RVSP was associated with higher mortality.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) or stress-induced cardiomyopathy is also popularly referred to as “broken heart syndrome” or “apical ballooning syndrome”. [...]