Changes in Arterial Stiffness in Response to Blood Flow Restriction Resistance Training: A Narrative Review.

Arterial stiffness naturally increases with age and is a known predictor of cardiovascular morbimortality. Blood flow restriction (BFR) training involves decreasing muscle blood flow by applying a strap or a pneumatic cuff during exercise. BFR induces muscle hypertrophy even at low intensities, making it an appealing option for older, untrained individuals. However, BFR use in patients with cardiovascular comorbidities is limited by the increased pressor and chronotropic response observed in hypertensive elderly patients. Furthermore, the impact of BFR on vascular function remains unclear. We conducted a comprehensive literature review according to PRISMA guidelines, summarizing available data on the acute and long-term consequences of BFR training on vascular function. Although evidence is still scarce, it seems that BFR has a mild or neutral long-term impact on arterial stiffness. However, current research shows that BFR can cause an abrupt, albeit transient, increase in PWV and central blood pressure. BFR and, preferably, lower-body BFR, should be prescribed with caution in older populations, especially in hypertensive patients who have an exacerbated muscle metaboreflex pressor response. Longer follow-up studies are required to assess the chronic effect of BFR training on arterial stiffness, especially in elderly patients who are usually unable to tolerate high-intensity resistance exercises.

Autonomic Dysfunction and Cardiovascular Risk in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Can Heart Rate Variability Analysis Contribute to a Better Evaluation of the Cardiovascular Profile of a Patient?

(1) Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of autoimmune etiology. Increased scientific evidence suggests that immune-mediated inflammatory dis-eases are associated with autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction. Studies proved that autonomic imbalance is correlated with RA evolution and may explain augmented cardiovascular pathology and mortality not attributable to classical risk factors. (2) Methods: 75 patients (25 males, 50 females) with RA were submitted to standard ECG recording and 24 h Holter monitoring. Twenty-five healthy patients were used as controls. Both time (SDNN, SDANN, SDANN Index, RRmed, rMSSD, and pNN50) and frequency domain (TP, VLF, HF, LF and LF/HF) heart rate variability (HRV) parameters were obtained. Parameters were compared to controls, and correlations with the QTc-interval and inflammatory status expressed through the C-reactive protein (CRP) were evaluated. (3) Results: In patients with a CRP > 5 mg/L, HRV parameters were lower compared to controls and to patients with a CRP ≤ 5 mg/L. All HRV parameters generated by Holter monitoring are negatively correlated with CRP levels and QTc values. The number of premature ventricular contractions (PVC) recorded is correlated with SDNN, SDANN, and LF/HF values. (4) Conclusions: Our study supports recent data suggesting that in RA there is an autonomic system dysfunction strongly connected with the inflammatory status of the patient. The autonomic dysfunction can contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular death observed in patients with RA.

Gender Differences and Amputation Risk in Peripheral Artery Disease-A Single-Center Experience.

Background and Objectives: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects both genders, but the knowledge of clinical and therapeutic aspects particular to each gender has a prognostic value, modulating the risk of amputation and helping to reduce the risk of death or the occurrence of an acute vascular event secondary to optimal management. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive study that included 652 patients with PAD who were evaluated at "St. Spiridon" Hospital's Cardiology Department and divided into two groups according to gender: women (100 cases) and men (552 cases). We evaluated demographics, anthropometric data, as well as clinical and paraclinical parameters in the two groups. Results: Men had a lower mean age (p < 0.001), higher mean BMI (p = 0.049) and were more frequent smokers. (p = 0.008). Hypercholesterolemia (p = 0.026), obesity (p = 0.009), concomitant cerebrovascular (p = 0.005) and chronic kidney disease (p = 0.046) were more common in women, while coronary artery disease (p = 0.033) was more common in men. The number of angiographic stenotic lesions (p = 0.037) is a statistically significant parameter in our study, with both genders predominantly associated with stenotic lesions. In addition, directly proportional relationships were found between smoking, uric acid, inflammatory markers, and the number of stenotic lesions and thromboses or the ankle-brachial index (ABI). In the subgroup of men, the number of stenotic and thrombosed lesions positively correlated with the ABI value (p < 0.001). The presence of more than three cardiovascular risk factors (p = 0.001) and serum triglyceride levels (p = 0.019) significantly correlated with the number of angiographically detected lesions. We applied several risk scores (PREVENT III, Finnvasc Score, or GermanVasc risk score) in our study group for prognostic purposes, without showing statistically significant differences between genders. Men, rest pain, gangrene, smoking status, the presence of more than three cardiovascular risk factors, or a serum HDL-cholesterol level below 40 mg/dL (p < 0.001 for all parameters) are independent predictors associated with amputation in our study group. Conclusions: In our study, we demonstrated that several clinical-paraclinical particularities guide the diagnosis, providing the clinician with prognostic and therapeutic tools to choose the optimal management with maximum benefits.

Winter Holidays and Their Impact on Eating Behavior-A Systematic Review.

(1) Background: There has been a growing interest in understanding the causes of obesity and developing effective prevention strategies. Lifestyle change programs are often considered the gold standard for weight reduction, and they can help individuals with obesity achieve an annual weight loss of around 8-10%. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effect of food during the winter holidays. This knowledge will serve as a valuable foundation for the development of targeted interventions and prevention programs. (2) Methods: We conducted a systematic search of the literature via one database (PubMed). The search was limited to studies published in English in the last 10 years, with adult participants, but without specifying limits regarding the study design. We excluded articles that addressed intermittent fasting diets or weight loss intervention methods during the holidays through various diets. (3) In separate sections, we analyzed the psychological causes of gaining weight during the winter holidays, behavioral patterns, prevention strategies and the nutritional composition of the different types of food served during the festive period. Results: Using the combination of the terms "holiday and obesity", "holiday and weight gain", "festive season and obesity", and "festive season and weight gain" we obtained 216 results involving the addressed topic. Thus, only ten articles remained after screening, with a total of 4627 participants. Most participants experienced weight fluctuations during the study period, particularly during holidays. One concerning observation was that most of the weight gained during these periods was maintained even after the end of the studies, especially in those with obesity. A supervised exercise program and a controlled diet at work over the Christmas period are effective strategies for avoiding weight gain and its deleterious effects in people with metabolic syndrome or weight problems. (4) In addition, attention must be focused on the psycho-social factors during the holidays because for some people it is a stressful period and can cause a much higher caloric consumption. The simplest method to approach during the holidays is to implement small tips and tricks during this period that will prevent individuals from gaining extra pounds. Conclusions: It is essential to acknowledge that obesity is a multifaceted condition that requires a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to address its underlying factors and provide ongoing assistance to individuals in their weight-management endeavors. Even the most effective short-term interventions are likely to produce continued positive outcomes with persistent intervention and support.

Beyond the Acute Phase: Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Functional Capacity and Prothrombotic Risk-A Pilot Study.

Background and Objectives: Assessment of the prothrombotic, proinflammatory, and functional status of a cohort of COVID-19 patients at least two years after the acute infection to identify parameters with potential therapeutic and prognostic value. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive study that included 117 consecutive patients admitted to Iasi Pulmonary Rehabilitation Clinic for reassessment and a rehabilitation program at least two years after a COVID-19 infection. The cohort was divided into two groups based on the presence (n = 49) or absence (n = 68) of pulmonary fibrosis, documented through high-resolution computer tomography. Results: The cohort comprises 117 patients, 69.23% females, with a mean age of 65.74 ± 10.19 years and abnormal body mass index (31.42 ± 5.71 kg/m2). Patients with pulmonary fibrosis have significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) (p < 0.05), WBC (7.45 ± 7.86/mm3 vs. 9.18 ± 17.24/mm3, p = 0.053), neutrophils (4.68 ± 7.88/mm3 vs. 9.07 ± 17.44/mm3, p < 0.05), mean platelet volume (MPV) (7.22 ± 0.93 vs. 10.25 ± 0.86 fL, p < 0.05), lactate dehydrogenase (p < 0.05), and D-dimers (p < 0.05), but not ferritin (p = 0.470), reflecting the chronic proinflammatory and prothrombotic status. Additionally, patients with associated pulmonary fibrosis had a higher mean heart rate (p < 0.05) and corrected QT interval (p < 0.05). D-dimers were strongly and negatively correlated with diffusion capacity corrected for hemoglobin (DLCO corr), and ROC analysis showed that the persistence of high D-dimers values is a predictor for low DLCO values (ROC analysis: area under the curve of 0.772, p < 0.001). The results of pulmonary function tests (spirometry, body plethysmography) and the 6-minute walk test demonstrated no significant difference between groups, without notable impairment within either group. Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19-related pulmonary fibrosis have a persistent long-term proinflammatory, prothrombotic status, despite the functional recovery. The persistence of elevated D-dimer levels could emerge as a predictive factor associated with impaired DLCO.

QT Interval Prolongation in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis-Are the Holter ECG Recordings a Better Option for QT Interval Evaluation?

Background and Objectives: Cardiac involvement in systemic sclerosis has important consequences on patient survival. Myocardial fibrosis and microcirculation involvement can generate arrhythmic complications, which can be associated with a higher death risk. QT interval prolongation is considered as a risk factor for ectopic ventricular events and can be evaluated using standard short ECG recordings or 24-h Holter ECG recordings. Materials and Methods: 39 patients with systemic sclerosis were submitted to a standard ECG recording at admission and 24-h Holter ECG monitoring. Results: QT interval values resulted from Holter ECG monitoring are higher than the values generated by the short-term ECG recordings. Holter ECG monitoring permits the detection of ventricular ectopy in patients with no events on standard ECG. Conclusions: In patients with systemic sclerosis, 24-h Holter ECG recordings can realize a more precise evaluation of the extent of QTc interval prolongation and ventricular ectopic events associated with myocardial involvement.

DEPRESSION--A FELLOW TRAVELER WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic multisystem inflammatory disorder that occurs primarily in women of childbearing age, immunologic abnormalities being a prominent feature of the disease. Psychiatric disorders frequently coexist, depression being the most common mood disorder in neuropsychiatric lupus. This literature review was performed through searching MEDLINE database for full-text English-language articles--original research, systematic review and updates published in the last five years (2010-2015), using the keywords "depression and systemic lupus erythematosus". The main outcomes identified were prevalence and predictors of depression in various cultural and ethnic groups, depression-related clinical issues (suicidal ideation, cognitive impairment, altered body image, sleep and sexual disturbances, influence of SLE treatment), and influence on quality of life. A multidisciplinary approach that takes into account the polymorphism and individual variability of the SLE clinical manifestations helps to improve early detection of depression, which is responsible for the increased risk of comorbidities, suicidal attempts, decreased treatment adherence, and impaired quality of life. Physicians across all specialties involved in the care for lupus patients should be aware of the major prevalence of this condition, while helping patients to cope with their disabling disease.

Tracheomalacia in children and adults--not so rare as expected.

Tracheomalacia remains a special entity present also in children and adults. Tracheomalacia refers to a weakness of the trachea. Bronchoscopy is the "golden standard" for diagnosis. Differential diagnosis includes foreign body aspiration, difficult controlled asthma and other diseases. This disease may be congenital or it may be acquired. Acquired tracheomalacia can be treated. The main symptoms in tracheomalacia are: dyspnea, sputum production, hemoptysis and cough in adults and expiratory stridor and cough in children. Tracheomalacia could be progressive in some patients. We want to bring to your attention the tools for diagnosis and different methods of treatment. Tracheomalacia is not a rare disease and therefore we need to consider it.

Progressive dyspnea--comprehensive evaluation of a common symptom.

Dyspnea is one of the most common symptoms in the clinical setting, the main causes being represented by respiratory and cardiovascular disorders but sometimes it is difficult to identify and document the underlying mechanism of breathlessness. We present the case of a 75-years-old male patient, former smoker, with progressive worsening dyspnea. He performed a complex imagistic, respiratory, and functional assessment, the results showing severe emphysema with mild obstructive syndrome, in contrast with severe impairment of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) due to inhomogeneous distribution of ventilation/perfusion ratio. This case brings to front a certain type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with suggestive clinical exam but with minimal impairment of spirometry results in the presence of debilitating dyspnea. In order to perform an accurate diagnosis, alternative functional diagnostic measurements, like estimation of DLCO, should be used.

Pulmonary rehabilitation and quality of life in lung cancer patients.

Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, often diagnosed in advanced stages. Chest surgery is the main component of curative treatment, the pre-operative functional status being predictive for post-operative morbidity. The potential benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation in lung cancer management appear in pre-operative period, improving the exercise capacity and increasing the number of patients sent to surgery, in post-operative period, decreasing the number of complications, and during the medical treatment of patients with advanced disease, improving the symptoms and increasing the quality of life. The quality of life (QOL) in patients with lung cancer is determined by factors related to patient (stage of disease, co morbidities) as well as treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy). The assessment of QOL is made through questionnaires, mainly related to therapeutic regimens and symptoms. Among the most used are Questionnaire of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC QLQ - C30), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (FACT - G), FACT - L (Lung) and the Lung Cancer Symptom Scale (LCSS).

Anxiety and depression in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an open agenda for research.

Depression andnxiety are psychiatric conditions often associated with poor survival rate and impaired social functioning in chronic illnesses, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality, being nowadays the fourth leading cause of mortality worldwide and the burden of this disease is increasing as the population is ageing and it is continuously exposed to risk factors. Common mechanisms for explaining the association of anxiety, depression and COPD include cigarette smoke exposure, physical inactivity, social isolation, multiple episodes of dyspnea and chronic hypoxia. BODE index and MMRC dyspnea score could be associated with anxiety and depression in COPD patients and the screening usually implies administration of simple questionnaires. Therapeutic options for anxiety include serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, which decrease the perception of dyspnea, while newer antidepressants, such as venlafaxine, duloxetine and mirtazapine are particularly useful in depression, since they do not produce respiratory depression.

Orthostatic intolerance--an expression of autonomic disfunction in Parkinson's disease.

UNLABELLED: Orthostatic intolerance syndrome is an important issue, having multiple etiologies and being the result of an inadequate response to changing in body position, namely the transition from supine to standing, a process that causes a series of responses regulated by the autonomic nervous system. AIM: The aim of this study was to create a profile of patients with Parkinson's disease and orthostatic hypotension, a form of orthostatic intolerance, identifying the risk factors for this condition. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a study on 41 patients with Parkinson's disease selected from 200 consecutive patients with orthostatic hypotension, hospitalized in Cardiology Clinic of Colentina Clinic Hospital which met the diagnosis criteria for orthostatic hypotension. In order to meet the inclusion criteria, all patients were evaluated according to a preset protocol: medical history, clinical and paraclinical examination, including neuro-psychiatric assessment and the orthostatic tolerance test. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The decline in standing blood pressure was related to the presence of hypotensive neurological drugs, especially Levodopa, in chronic treatment, but it was not influenced by age or cardiovascular co morbidities. There is an improvement in blood pressure both in supine and upright position at discharge when compared to admission values. CONCLUSION: The degree of decrease in the standing blood pressure values was correlated with the presence of potentially hypotensive neurological drugs, particularly Levodopa treatment, with a favorable effect of administration of non-pharmacological treatment and changes made in chronic neurological treatment.

Pulmonary rehabilitation--from guidelines to practice.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is an integral part of clinical management and health maintenance of patients with chronic respiratory disease who remain symptomatic or continue to have decreased function despite standard medical therapy. It is a spectrum of evidence-based, multidisciplinary, and comprehensive intervention for patients with chronic respiratory problems. Most evidence for the efficacy of respiratory rehabilitation is for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but there are encouraging results for extending its indications. Current programs of pulmonary rehabilitation are based on guidelines which formally grade the level of scientific evidence and on practical recommendations developed by several prestigious societies. The main components of a pulmonary rehabilitation program are patient selection and assessment, exercise training, education and self-management of the disease, psychosocial and behavioral intervention, nutritional support, outcome assessment and enhancement of long-term adherence to the rehabilitation recommendations. Exercise training is the central component of respiratory rehabilitation, aiming at physical reconditioning, and upper and lower limb muscle training, using several strategies to optimize training. Outcome assessment is an integral part of the program including the measurement of several valid, interpretable and easy to administer parameters. The beneficial effects of pulmonary rehabilitation are the improvement of dyspnea and degree of physical and social disability, less hospitalizations and exacerbations, better overall quality of life by increasing independence.

Markers of insulin resistance in a case of Launois-Bensaude syndrome.

Launois-Bensaude syndrome (benign symmetric lipoma-tosis) is a rare disease characterized by symmetric fat deposits localized in the cervical region, shoulders and proximal parts of upper and lower limbs. We present the case of a 63-year-old male who presented the typical location of fatty masses and a history of chronic alcoholism associated with elements defining the metabolic syndrome. The biological profile indicated high-atherogenic mixed dyslipidemia, high basal insulinemia (30 microU/ml), and multiple markers of insulin resistance (Reaven index, lipid accumulation product, homeostatic model, insulin sensitivity index, and modified glycemic curve following oral glucose load). The particularity of the presented case is the discordance between the severity of metabolic disturbances and their clinical expression, raising the question whether this patient's cardiometabolic risk is increased or rather lowered by the association of benign symmetric lipomatosis.

Metachronous lung cancer--case presentation.

Multiple primary tumors can be synchronous when detected simultaneously or metachronous when detected after a variable time interval. We present the case of a 62-year-old female patient with a history of keratinized squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, stage T3bNxM, operated, and treated by chemotherapy and radiation therapy which develops after three years a large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung detected by imaging. Of major importance in the selection of the optimal therapeutic approach was the accurate determination of the histological type of the metachronous tumor by microscopy and immunohistochemical techniques. The discrete respiratory symptoms and the absence of lung imaging screening accounted for tumor development to an inoperable stage, thus emphasizing the importance of close monitoring of the oncologic patient, thus greatly increasing their chances of survival.

Ebstein's anomaly.

Ebstein's anomaly is a rare congenital heart disease, accounting for less than 1% of all congenital heart diseases, characterized by a wide clinical, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, anatomic and prognostic polymorphism. The disease can be fatal since birth or may remain asymptomatic until adulthood, sometimes being associated with septal defects, transposition of great vessels, preexcitation syndromes, or left ventricular noncompaction. The genetic changes underlying this syndrome are not fully known, but in the cases associating left ventricular nonompaction a mutation in MYH7 gene encoding the beta-myosin heavy chain was recently detected. The authors present 2 cases of Ebstein's anomaly with different onset and course and discuss the current clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic criteria used for prognostic stratification of Ebstein disease in relation to international literature.