Diagnostic value of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor in patients with acute coronary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In contemporary clinical practice, there is an increasing need for new clinically relevant biomarkers potentially optimizing management strategies in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study aimed to determine the diagnostic utility of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) levels in individuals with suspected ACS. METHODS: A literature search was performed in Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases, for studies comparing suPAR levels among patients with and without ACS groups. The methodological quality of the included papers was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). A fixed-effects model was used if I² < 50%; otherwise, the random-effects model was performed. RESULTS: Five studies with 3417 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled analysis showed that mean suPAR levels in the ACS group were statistically significantly higher than in the control group (3.56 ± 1.38 vs. 2.78 ± 0.54 ng/mL, respectively; mean difference: 1.04; 95% confidence interval: 0.64-1.44; I² = 99%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In the context of acute coronary syndrome, suPAR is a potential biomarker for the early identification of medical conditions in individuals who are being treated in emergency rooms.

Nanoparticles: a breakthrough in COVID-19 prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). The three key principles in management of the COVID-19 pandemic are prevention, early detection and targeted treatment. Vaccine-based prevention together with early detection has already proven its efficacy in controlling the pandemic. Early detection of infected patients could substantially accelerate the implementation of treatment, but also help to identify infection hotspots, whereas targeted treatment might destroy the virus and minimize damage to healthy tissue. Nanoparticles hold great promise with respect to these aspects. They may also be the solution to emerging clinical problems such as reinfection, pregnancy-related COVID-19 and coinfection. Here, we aim to discuss the potential applications of nanoparticles to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emerging Role of Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Disease-Insights from the 2022 ESC Guidelines.

In this article, we discuss the topic of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease (CTEPD) and the growing role of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in its treatment. We present the pathophysiology of CTEPD which arises from an incomplete resolution of thrombi in the pulmonary arteries and leads to stenosis and occlusion of the vessels. The article focuses mainly on the chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) subpopulation for which prognosis is very poor when left untreated. We describe a multimodal approach to treating CTEPH, including pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), BPA, and pharmacological therapies. Additionally, the benefits of pharmacological pre-treatment before BPA and the technical aspects of the procedure itself are outlined. It is emphasized that BPA does not replace PEA but serves as a complementary treatment option for eligible patients. We summarized efficacy and treatment goals including an improvement in functional and biochemical parameters before and after BPA. Patients who received pre-treatment with riociguat prior to BPA exhibited a notable reduction in the occurrence of less severe complications. However, elderly patients are still perceived as an especially vulnerable group. It is shown that the prognosis of patients undergoing BPA is similar to PEA in the first years after the procedure but the long-term prognosis of BPA still remains unclear. The 2022 ESC/ERS guidelines highlight the significant role of BPA in the multimodal treatment of CTEPH, emphasizing its effectiveness and recommending its consideration as a therapeutic option for patients with CTEPD, both with and without pulmonary hypertension. This review summarizes the available evidence for BPA, patient selection, procedural details, and prognosis and discusses the potential future role of BPA in the management of CTEPH.

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors to Decrease the Uric Acid Concentration-A Novel Mechanism of Action.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) are glucose-lowering agents whose positive impact on cardiovascular risk has been described extensively. Not only do they influence lipid profile, blood pressure, atherosclerosis risk, hemoglobin level, and insulin resistance, but they also reduce cardiovascular events, all-cause mortality, and hospitalization rates. Some of these effects may be due to their impact on serum uric acid (SUA) concentration. Findings from nine meta-analyses showed that, indeed, SGLT2is significantly reduce SUA. The data on the drug- and dose-dependency of this effect were inconclusive. Several factors alternating the beneficial effects of SGLT2is on SUA, such as glycated hemoglobin concentration (HbA1c), presence of diabetes, and baseline SUA level, were described. Even though there is a consensus that the lowering of SUA by SGLT2is might be due to the increased urinary excretion rate of uric acid (UEUA) rather than its altered metabolism, the exact mechanism remains unknown. The influence of SGLT2is on SUA may not only be used in gout treatment but may also be of huge importance in explaining the observed pleiotropic effects of SGLT2is.

Meta-analysis of chest compression-only versus conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation by bystanders for adult with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: According to the guidelines of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) conducted by bystanders, two methods of CPR are feasible: standard CPR (sCPR) with mouth-to-mouth ventilations and continuous chest compression-only CPR (CCC) without rescue breathing. The goal herein, was to evaluate the effect of sCPR (30:2) and CCC on resuscitation outcomes in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. METHODS: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis. Using standardized criteria, Pub- Med, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE and Cochrane Collaboration were searched for trials assessing the effect of sCPR vs. CCC on resuscitation outcomes after adult OHCA. Random-effects model meta-analysis was applied to calculate the mean deviation (MD), odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Overall, 3 randomized controlled trials and 12 non-randomized trials met the inclusion criteria. Survival to hospital discharge with sCPR was 10.2% compared to 9.3% in the CCC group (OR = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.93-1.16; p = 0.46). Survival to hospital discharge with good neurological outcome measured with the cerebral performance category (CPC 1 or 2) was 6.5% for sCPR vs. 5.8% for CCC (OR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.84-1.20; p = 0.98). Prehospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in sCPR and CCC groups was 15.9% and 14.8%, respectively (OR = 1.13; 95% CI: 0.91-1.39; p = 0.26). Survival to hospital admission with ROSC occurred in 29.5% of the sCPR group compared to 28.4% in CCC group (OR = 1.20; 95% CI: 0.89-1.63; p = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that there were no significant differences in the resuscitation outcomes between the use of standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation and chest compression only.

Inhibitors of sodium-glucose transport protein 2: A new multidirectional therapeutic option for heart failure patients.

Several mechanisms have been suggested to explain positive cardiovascular effects observed in studies with sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. The reduction in glucose reabsorption in proximal tubuli induced by SGLT2 inhibitors increases urinary glucose and sodium excretion resulting in increased osmotic diuresis and consequently in decreased plasma volume, followed by reduced preload. In addition, the hemodynamic effects of SGLT2 inhibition were observed in both hyper and euglycemic patients. Due to the complex and multidirectional effects induced by SGLT2 inhibitors, this originally antidiabetic group of drugs has been successfully used to treat patients with heart failure as well as for subjects with chronic kidney disease. Moreover, their therapeutic potential seems to be even broader than the indications studied to date.

Should targeted temperature management be used in cardiogenic shock patients? Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic hypothermia, or targeted temperature management (TTM), is a strategy of reducing the core body temperature of survivors of sudden cardiac arrest, cardiogenic shock (CS) or stroke. Therefore, a systematic literature review and meta-analysis were performed to tackle the question about whether the implementation of TTM is actually beneficial for patients with CS. METHODS: Study was designed as a systematic review and meta-analysis. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Scopus were searched from these databases inception to July 17, 2022. Eligible studies were those comparing TTM and non-TTM treatment in CS patients. Data were pooled with the Mantel-Haenszel method. RESULTS: Thirty-day mortality was reported in 3 studies. Polled analysis of 30-day mortality was 44.2% for TTM group and 48.9% for non-TTM group (risk ratio: 0.90; 95% confidence interval: 0.75 to 1.08; p = 0.27). Other mortality follow-up periods showed also no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). The occurrence of adverse events in the studied groups also did not show statistically significant differences between TTM and non-TTM groups (p > 0.05 for myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, sepsis, pneumonia, stroke or bleeding events). CONCLUSIONS: The present analysis shows no significant benefit of TTM in patients with CS. Moreover, no statistically significant increase of the incidence of adverse effects was found. However, further randomized studies with higher sample size and greater validity are needed to determine if TTM is worth implementing in CS patients.

Diagnostic value of lactate dehydrogenase in COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This meta-analysis outlines the role of elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in assessing the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: The current study was designed as a systematic review and meta-analysis. Embase, Pub- Med, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to identify the usefulness of LDH as a marker of COVID-19 severity. All extracted data were analyzed using RevMan V.5.4 or STATA V.14 software. RESULTS: A total of 264 records were selected for this meta-analysis. Pooled analysis showed that LDH levels were statistically significantly lower in the group of survivors compared to patients who died in hospital (standardized mean differences [SMD] = -3.10; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -3.40 to -2.79; I2 = 99%; p < 0.001). Lower LDH levels were observed in non-severe groups compared to severe course of COVID-19 (SMD = -2.38; 95% CI: -2.61 to -2.14; I2 = 99%; p < 0.001). The level of LDH was statistically significantly lower in the severe group compared to the critical group (SMD = -1.48; 95% CI: -2.04 to -0.92; I2 = 98%; p < 0.001). Patients who did not require treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) showed significantly lower levels of LDH compared to patients who required treatment in the ICU (SMD = -3.78; 95% CI: -4.48 to -3.08; I2 = 100%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis showed that elevated LDH was associated with a poor outcome in COVID-19.

The diagnostic and prognostic value of copeptin in patients with acute ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is the second main cause of mortality and the third leading cause of mortality and permanent disability combined. Many potential biomarkers have been described to contribute to the diagnosis, prognosis of outcomes, and risk stratification after stroke. Copeptin is an inactive peptide that is produced in an equimolar ratio to arginine vasopressin (AVP) in response to the activation of the endogenous stress system. METHODS: The present study isa systematic review and meta-analysis to assess plasma copeptin concentrations, diagnostic and prognostic values for risk stratification after acute ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack. RESULTS: Mean copeptin level in stroke vs. non-stroke groups varied and amounted to 19.8 ± 17.4 vs. 9.7 ± 6.6 pmol/L, respectively (mean differences [MD]: 12.75; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.00 to 20.49; p < 0.001), in good vs. poor outcome 12.0 ± 3.6 vs. 29.4 ± 14.5 (MD: -8.13; 95% CI: -8.37 to -7.88; p < 0.001) and in survive vs. non-survive stroke patients: 13.4 ± 3.2 vs. 33.0 ± 12.3, respectively (MD: -13.43; 95% CI: -17.82 to -9.05; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The above systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that monitoring the copeptin levels may help predict the long-term prognosis of ischemic stroke efficiently. Determining the copeptin level may help individualize the management of ischemic stroke patients, keep stroke risk lower, reduce post-stroke complications, including patient death, and minimize healthcare costs.

Statins and the risk of pancreatic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 2,797,186 patients.

BACKGROUND: Statin use in many studies is related to the improvement of a patients' condition including reducing the risk of various malignancies. Herein, is a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the evidence on the association between statin therapy and the risk of the occurrence of pancreatic cancer, mainly in terms of decreased risk of developing pancreatic cancer among patients using statin therapy in the long-term perspective. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched from database inception to December 1st, 2021. Random effect models were used to estimate summary odds ratios (OR) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: A total of 26 studies comprising 2,797,186 patients were included. Polled analysis showed that pancreatic cancer occurrence in statin vs. no-statin group varied and amounted to 0.4% vs. 0.6% (RR = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.72-0.96; I² = 84%; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the present analysis shows that overall statins use is significantly associated with a reduction in risk of pancreatic cancer. However, these results were not confirmed for the randomized controlled trial subgroup. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm the current results.

Effect of Coronary Artery Disease on COVID-19-Prognosis and Risk Assessment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Patients with pre-existing CAD were shown to have a more severe course of COVID-19, but this association has not been clarified. We performed a meta-analysis to determine the association between CAD and COVID-19 outcomes. We searched Scopus, Medline (PubMed), Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane databases up to 2 November 2021. There were 62 studies with a total population of 49,286 patients included in the meta-analysis. CAD occurrence in survivor vs. non-survivor groups varied and amounted to 9.2% vs. 22.9%, respectively (OR = 0.33; 95%CI: 0.29 to 0.39; I2 = 70%; p < 0.001). CAD was also associated with increased severity of COVID-19 disease and was (10.8% vs. 5.6%, respectively, for severe vs. non-severe groups (OR = 2.28; 95%CI: 1.59 to 3.27; I2 = 72%; p < 0.001). The role of history of CAD in mortality and severe condition in COVID-19 presents itself as prominent-although a risk of bias in retrospective trials needs to be assessed, in case of our meta-analysis the statistically significant results when it comes to higher mortality among patients with CAD compared to non-CAD patients, a more severe condition observed in patients with CAD, and a visibly more frequent admission to intensive care unit in patients with CAD, it seems that an incidence of cardiovascular events plays a role in COVID-19 prognosis.

Health-related Quality of Life Increases After First-time Acute Myocardial Infarction: a Population-based Study.

INTRODUCTION: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) affects patients' health-related quality of life (HRQOL). AMI may decrease HRQOL, thus negatively affecting QOL. However, the improvements in interventional treatment and early rehabilitation after AMI may have a positive effect on HRQOL. AIM: We evaluated HRQOL in patients after the first AMI treated in a reference cardiology centre in Poland and assessed which clinical variables affect HRQOL after AMI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated HRQOL in 60 consecutive patients suffering after their first AMI during the index hospitalisation and again after 6 months, using: (i) MacNew, (ii) World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) BREF, and (iii) Short Form (SF) 36. RESULTS: As measured by the MacNew questionnaire, global, social, and physical functioning did not change (p≥0.063), whereas emotional functioning improved 6 months after AMI, compared to index hospitalisation (p=0.002). As measured by WHOQOL BREF, physical health, psychological health, and environmental functioning did not change (p≥0.321), whereas social relationships improved 6 months after AMI (p=0.042). As assessed by SF-36, the global HRQOL improved after AMI (p=0.044). Patients with improved HRQOL in SF-36 often had a higher baseline body mass index (p=0.046), dyslipidaemia (p=0.046), and lower left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF; p=0.013). LVEF<50% was the only variable associated with improved HRQOL in multivariate analysis (OR 4.463, 95% CI 1.045 - 19.059, p=0.043). CONCLUSIONS: HRQOL increased 6 months after the first AMI, especially in terms of emotional functioning and social relationships. Patients with LVEF<50% were likely to have improved HRQOL.