Phytochemicals as Therapeutic Interventions in Peripheral Artery Disease.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects over 200 million people worldwide, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality, yet treatment options remain limited. Among the manifestations of PAD is a severe functional disability and decline, which is thought to be the result of different pathophysiological mechanisms including oxidative stress, skeletal muscle pathology, and reduced nitric oxide bioavailability. Thus, compounds that target these mechanisms may have a therapeutic effect on walking performance in PAD patients. Phytochemicals produced by plants have been widely studied for their potential health effects and role in various diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer. In this review, we focus on PAD and discuss the evidence related to the clinical utility of different phytochemicals. We discuss phytochemical research in preclinical models of PAD, and we highlight the results of the available clinical trials that have assessed the effects of these compounds on PAD patient functional outcomes.

Speckle-tracking pela ecocardiografia bidimensional: aplicações clíonicas / Speckle-tracking echocardiography: clinical applications

Strain (ε) e strain rate (SR ou s-1) são índices clínicos de deformação miocárdica regional e global, que podem ser aferidos pela técnica do rastreamento de pontos (speckle tracking) através da ecocardiografia bidimensional (2D-STE). Ambos foram introduzidos e validados utilizando-se a ressonância magnética e a sonomicrometria como padrões de referência. O strain obtido com o 2D-STE apresenta várias vantagens em relação ao strain obtido com o Doppler Tecidual, principalmente uma menor variabilidade intra e inter-observador. Três padrões principais de deformação formam um eixo perpendicular no sistema de coordenadas internas do coração durante a sístole: encurtamento longitudinal, encurtamento circunferencial e espessamento radial. Aplicando-se o 2D-STE é possível aferir o strain no sentido longitudinal, circunferencial e radial da estrutura analisada, sem sofrer influência do ângulo. O 2D-STE, como ferramenta diagnóstica acurada e de fácil uso, está se desenvolvendo muito rapidamente, não só pelo seu poder diagnóstico, mas também pelo valor prognóstico das informações em várias patologias cardíacas. A possibilidade de detecção de lesão sub-clínica cardíaca tem sido uma das grandes vantagens na utilização do 2D-STE. Como todo método diagnóstico, este também tem as suas limitações, que devem ser conhecidas e respeitadas. As perspectivas futuras para o método são bastante promissoras. Embora alguns autores acreditem que o strain irá substituir a FEVE, outros acham que as informações obtidas com o 2D-STE devem ser introduzidas como um complemento e não como um substituto para os índices clínicos estabelecidos.

Strain (ε) and strain rate (SR or s-1) are clinical indices of regional myocardial deformation which can be measured by speckle tracking echocardiography and have been introduced and validated using tagged MRI and sonomicrometry. The strain measured by 2D-STE has several advantages over the strain obtained with Tissue Doppler, mainly a lower intra and inter-observer variability. Three main systolic deformation patterns form perpendicular axis in the heart’s internal coordinate system: longitudinal shortening, circumferential shortening and radial thickening. Applying the 2D-STE is possible to measure the strain in the longitudinal, circumferential, and radial axis without angle influence. The 2D-STE as a relatively user-friendly and accurate diagnostic tool is developing at a rapid pace, not only for its diagnostic power, but also because of the prognostic value of the information in various heart diseases. The possibility of detection of cardiac subclinical damage has been one of the major advantages in using the 2D-STE. Like any diagnostic method, this also has its limitations, which must be known and respected. Future prospects for the method are very promising. Although some authors believe that the strain will replace LVEF, others feel that the information obtained with the 2D-STE should be introduced as a supplement and not as a substitute for established clinical indices.