Vol 2-6 Commentary

Commentary to an Article: "Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Oxytocin-Induced Cardiomyocyte Protection From Simulated Ischemia-Reperfusion"

Marek Jankowski1,2*, Tom L. Broderick3, Jolanta Gutkowska1,2#

1Cardiovascular Biochemistry Laboratory, CRCHUM (7-134), Tour Viger, 900 St-Denis St, Montreal, Canada H2X 0A9, USA

2Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, USA

3Department of Physiology, Laboratory of Diabetes and Exercise Metabolism, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA

DOI: 10.29245/2578-3025/2018/6.1158 View / Download Pdf
Vol 2-6 Mini Review

Mini Review on: Simple, Practical, and Evidence-Based - an Algorithm for The Diagnosis and Treatment of Iron Deficiency

Erland Erdmann*

University in Cologne, Germany

Iron deficiency is a common comorbidity in chronic heart failure (CHF) with a negative impact on the outcome of the patient. Even without anaemia iron deficiency can cause decreased physical performance, poor quality of life, and increased mortality. Therefore it is important to diagnose and treat iron deficiency, especially in patients with CHF.

Despite the great relevance for the outcome of CHF-patients little attention is being payed to iron deficiency in these patients, even though a specific diagnosis and therapy is available and is recommended by the current ESC guidelines.

A simple, practical and evidence based algorithm is available and can now help to improve diagnosis and treatment of iron deficiency in everyday practice. This article reviews a discussion of a group of German cardiologists who aimed to give practical advice on how to diagnose and treat iron deficiency in CHF patients.

DOI: 10.29245/2578-3025/2018/6.1162 View / Download Pdf
Vol 2-6 Commentary

Commentary: Evaluation of the Comorbidity Burden in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis Using a Large US Administrative Claims Data Set

Jessica A. Walsh1, Xue Song2*, Gilwan Kim2, Yujin Park3

1University of Utah School of Medicine and Salt Lake City Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Division of Rheumatology, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

2IBM Watson Health, Cambridge, MA, USA

3Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ, USA

Patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis, are at a higher risk of comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease. Although the prevalence of spondyloarthritis is estimated to be similar to that of rheumatoid arthritis, the risk of cardiovascular comorbidities in spondyloarthritis is not as well understood. Furthermore, the inflammatory rheumatic diseases differ in their pathogenic mechanisms, the populations affected, and treatment recommendations; therefore, it is important to examine these diseases separately. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is the prototype of spondyloarthritis; the onset of disease occurs at a relatively young age, and patients with AS are often undiagnosed for long periods of time. This increased duration of exposure to inflammation and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may contribute to the higher risk of cardiovascular comorbidities in these patients.

Here we describe our recently published study (Walsh JA, et al. Clin Rheumatol. 2018;37[7]:1869-1878.), which used large national claims databases and showed that US patients with AS had significantly more comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, than matched controls. We also review the current understanding of the risk of cardiovascular comorbidities in patients with AS. Knowledge of the frequency and risk of comorbidities can assist rheumatologists and primary care physicians with comorbidity screening and strategies for a holistic care approach for patients with AS, including the possibility of adapting the existing cardiovascular risk assessments for these patients. Counseling patients on additional lifestyle risk factors, early cardiovascular screening, and the necessity of further diagnostic testing will be important for optimizing patient care for AS.

DOI: 10.29245/2578-3025/2018/6.1159 View / Download Pdf
Vol 2-6 Mini Review

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Everolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds in Diffuse Coronary Artery Disease: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives

Giulia Masiero1, Luca Nai Fovino1, Alessandro Schiavo1, Daisuke Ueshima1, Mostafa Rabea Abdelhaleem Badawy1, 2, Giuseppe Tarantini1*

1Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua Medical School, Padua, Italy

2Cardiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Egypt

The optimal percutaneous treatment of diffuse coronary artery disease (CAD) remains an unsolved issue. Bioresorbable scaffold (BRS) technology has been developed to overcome the disadvantages of metallic drug-eluting stents (DES) due to their permanent struts. Through the resorption process, BRS may provide complete vascular restoration, which appears very attractive in the treatment of diffuse CAD. However, robust evidence on the use of BRS in this setting is lacking and recent data have raised concerns about the safety of this novel technology, especially when BRS are used in complex CAD or without adequate protocol implantation. This review aims at summarizing current evidence and future perspectives on Absorb BRS implantation in complex CAD, such as in distal coronary segments involvement and diffused disease.

DOI: 10.29245/2578-3025/2018/6.1148 View / Download Pdf