Effect of Statins on Platelet Activation and Function: From Molecular Pathways to Clinical Effects.

PURPOSE: Statins are a class of drugs widely used in clinical practice for their lipid-lowering and pleiotropic effects. In recent years, a correlation between statins and platelet function has been unveiled in the literature that might introduce new therapeutic indications for this class of drugs. This review is aimed at summarizing the mechanisms underlying statin-platelet interaction in the cardiologic scenario and building the basis for future in-depth studies. METHODS: We conducted a literature search through PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Web of Science from their inception to June 2020. RESULTS: Many pathways could explain the interaction between statins and platelets, but the specific effect depends on the specific compound. Some could be mediated by enzymes that allow the entry of drugs into the cell (OATP2B1) and others by enzymes that mediate their activation (PLA2, MAPK, TAX2, PPARs, AKT, and COX-1), recruitment and adhesion (LOX-1, CD36, and CD40L), or apoptosis (BCL2). Statins also appear to have a synergistic effect with aspirin and low molecular weight heparins. Surprisingly, they seem to have an antagonistic effect with clopidogrel. CONCLUSION: There are many pathways potentially responsible for the interactions between statins and platelets. Their effect appears to be closely related, and each single effect can be barely measured. Also, the same compound might have complex downstream signaling with potentially opposite effects, i.e., beneficial or deleterious. The multiple clinical implications that can be derived as a result of this interaction, however, represent an excellent reason to develop future in-depth studies.

Statin treatment and hypertrophic scarring after cardiac surgery.

Wound healing process after surgical procedure plays a crucial role to prevent blood loss and infections. Hypertrophic scars might occur after surgery and are generally associated with an inflammatory burden. Cardiac surgery is intrinsically related to a strong systemic inflammatory state that might favor hypertrophic scarring. Besides lipid-lowering effects, statins are known for their pleiotropic and anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of statins in the healing process after median sternotomy in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. All patients undergoing major cardiac surgery with median sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass, and subsequently evaluated in the outpatient clinic after discharge, were included in this study. A total of 930 Caucasian patients were retrospectively reviewed. At outpatient visit, 276 patients (29.7%) showed the formation of hypertrophic scars. Patients with hypertrophic scars tended to be younger (P = .001) and nonstatin users (P = .001). Logistic regression analysis confirmed the protective role of statins (odds ratio 0.39, 95% confidence interval 0.29-0.53, P = .001), after adjustment for age. A dose-dependent effect was confirmed, showing a more intensive protective effect for higher doses of statins. Statin use might be correlated with reduced hypertrophic scars after cardiac surgery through median sternotomy. A dose-dependent effect has been shown, and statin effect seems to be independent of age in a selected population undergoing surgery with an elevated inflammatory burden. Although further studies are warranted to elucidate the biologic mechanisms, the concept of using statins as anti-scarring agents is novel and should be investigated with tailored studies.

Deep Sternal Wound Infection (DSWI) and Mediastinitis After Cardiac Surgery: Current Approaches and Future Trends in Prevention and Management.

Median sternotomy is the most common access for cardiac surgery. Deep surgical wound infection (DSWI) and mediastinitis after median sternotomy remain significant clinical problems after cardiac surgery in terms of mortality, morbidity and healthcare-associated costs. Despite recent advances in medical management and consensus papers, their incidence ranges from 1% to 5%, and the associated mortality ranges from 20% to 50%. Recent studies in this field are providing excellent outcomes with promising results for the near future. The choice of sternal closure technique plays a crucial role in the prevention of DSWI and mediastinitis and should be tailored to the patient's characteristics, as clinical judgement and experience play a pivotal role. Early aggressive surgical debridement, vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy, muscle flap and newer technologies are revolutionizing the paradigm of treatment of DSWI. Also, recent advances in tissue engineering have been refining potential approaches to tissue regeneration or substitution for enhanced wound repair. This editorial aims to briefly summarize the current and future techniques in DSWI prevention and treatment after cardiac surgery.

Guidelines on prosthetic heart valve management in infective endocarditis: a narrative review comparing American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology and European Society of Cardiology guidelines.

Infective endocarditis (IE) represented over the last year a growing medical and surgical concern. The changes in etiology and demographic of the disease, which now includes also a large proportion of iatrogenic conditions, has prompted new studies and updates in the guideline for IE treatment. The increasing use of intravascular and intracardiac devices has introduced new challenges in terms of both antibiotic resistance and surgical treatment of prosthetic endocarditis. Also, patients with complex congenital heart diseases, intravenous drug abusers and patients with chronic renal failure under hemodialysis have been added to the list of high-risk subjects for IE. Important aspects concerning the establishment of the endocarditis team, the clinical management, the optimal medical therapy and the indication and timing for surgery are arguments of debate and controversy across the literature. In particular, the most adequate strategy to be adopted in the context of concomitant neurological complication remains greatly debated. Despite attempts to standardize the practice in IE, the lack of powered randomized clinical evidence prevented the achievement of a univocal consensus in several aspects of the management of IE. This situation reflects in some differences in the recommendation promoted by the European Society of Cardiology and American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology. In this review, we will compare the European Society of Cardiology and the American Heart Association guidelines and discuss important aspects related to clinical management and indications of for treatment.