Cardiac rehabilitation engagement and associated factors among heart failure patients: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) still affects millions of people worldwide despite great advances in therapeutic approaches in the cardiovascular field. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is known to improve disease-related symptoms, quality of life and clinical outcomes, yet implementation is suboptimal, a frequently low engagement in rehabilitation programs has been found globally. OBJECTIVE: To quantify diverse CR-engaged processes and elucidate associated factors of the various levels of CR engagement in CHF patients. METHODS: Discharged patients admitted from cardiology departments between May 2022 to July 2022 were enrolled by mobile phone text messaging, CHF patients from same department between August 2022 to December 2022 were enrolled by face-to-face. Individuals who met the inclusion criteria filled the questionnaires, including the generalized anxiety disorders scale, patient health questionnaire, cardiac rehabilitation inventory, patient activation measure, Tampa scale for kinesiophobia heart, social frailty, Patient Health Engagement Scale (PHE-s®). We obtained sociodemographic characteristics and clinical data from medical records. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the factors associated with CR engagement phases. RESULTS: A total of 684 patients were included in the study. 52.49% patients were in the Adhesion phase. At the multivariate level, compared with the blackout phase process anxiety, monthly income (RMB yuan) equal to or more than 5,000 were the most important factor impacting CHF patients CR engagement. Compared with the Blackout phase, regular exercise or not, severe depression, previous cardiac-related hospitalizations 1 or 2 times, Age influenced patient CR engagement in the Arousal phase. Besides, compared with the Blackout phase, outcome anxiety and activation level were independent factors in the Eudaimonic Project phase. CONCLUSION: This study characterized CR engagement, and explored demographic, medical, and psychological factors-with the most important being process anxiety, monthly income, patient activation, severe depression, and previous cardiac-related hospitalizations. The associated factors of CR engagement were not identical among different phases. Our findings suggested that factors could potentially be targeted in clinical practice to identify low CR engagement patients, and strategies implemented to strengthen or overcome these associations to address low CR engagement in CHF patients.

Patients' experiences across the trajectory of atrial fibrillation: A qualitative systematic review.

AIM: This study aimed to synthesize qualitative evidence on experiences of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) during the course of diagnosis and treatment. We addressed three main questions: (a) What were the experiences of patients with AF during the course of diagnosis and treatment? (b) How did they respond to and cope with the disease? (c) What were the requirements during disease management? DESIGN: In this study, qualitative evidence synthesis was performed using the Thomas and Harden method. DATA SOURCES: Electronic databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, the China Biomedical Database, the WanFang Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and VIP, were searched. The databases were searched from inception to August 2021. REVIEW METHODS: Two researchers independently selected studies using qualitative assessment and review instruments for quality evaluation and thematic synthesis for the data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 2627 studies were identified in the initial search and 15 studies were included. Five analytical themes were generated: 'Diagnosing AF'; 'The impact of AF on the patients'; 'Self-reorientation in the therapeutic process'; 'Living with AF and QoL'; and 'External support to facilitate coping strategies.' CONCLUSIONS: Our findings point out unique experiences of patients across the trajectory of AF related to delayed diagnosis, feelings of nonsupport, disappointment of repeated treatment failure and multiple distress associated with unpredictable symptoms. Future research and clinical practice are expected to improve the quality of medical diagnosis and treatment, optimize administrative strategy and provide diverse health support for patients with AF. IMPACT: Understanding the experiences and needs of patients with AF in the entire disease process will inform future clinical practice in AF integrated management, which would be helpful in improving the professionalism and confidence of healthcare providers. In addition, our findings have implications for improving the effectiveness of AF diagnostic and treatment services. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This paper presents a review of previous studies and did not involve patients or the public.

A novel model of home-based, patient-tailored and mobile application-guided cardiac telerehabilitation in patients with atrial fibrillation: A randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of tele-monitored cardiac rehabilitation in patients who have undergone ablation for atrial fibrillation. DESIGN: Single-centre, prospective, assessment-blinded, randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Domiciliary rehabilitation with support from a tertiary care hospital. SUBJECTS: One hundred patients who underwent ablation for atrial fibrillation were recruited. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomly allocated to a 12-week standard rehabilitation treatment (control group) or a comprehensive, domiciliary, mobile application-guided and tele-monitored cardiac rehabilitation program (intervention group) in a 1:1 fashion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoint was the improvement in VO2peak. The secondary outcomes included adherence, physical activity, beliefs related to cardiovascular disease and exercise self-efficacy. RESULTS: Ninety-seven patients completed follow-up. The mean VO2peak increased significantly in both the intervention group (n = 49) (baseline vs 12 weeks: 19.1 ± 4.7 vs 27.3 ± 5.6 ml/(min kg), P < 0.01) and the control group (n = 48) (baseline vs 12 weeks: 18.7 ± 4.9 vs 22.9 ± 6.3 ml/(min kg), P < 0.01). The results of the between-group analysis of aerobic capacity were significantly in favour of the intervention group. During the 12-week program, patients in the intervention group exhibited better adherence than those in the control group. Moreover, self-reported physical activity improved more in the intervention group than in the control group, as did the beliefs related to cardiovascular disease and exercise self-efficacy (all P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our domiciliary, mobile application-guided and tele-monitored cardiac rehabilitation program could lead to a more significant improvements in physical fitness, adherence and health beliefs than standard cardiac rehabilitation in patients who have undergone ablation for atrial fibrillation.

A lightweight network based on multi-feature pseudo-color mapping for arrhythmia recognition.

Heartbeats classification is a crucial tool for arrhythmia diagnosis. In this study, a multi-feature pseudo-color mapping (MfPc Mapping) was proposed, and a lightweight FlexShuffleNet was designed to classify heartbeats. MfPc Mapping converts one-dimensional (1-D) electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings into corresponding two-dimensional (2-D) multi-feature RGB graphs, and it offers good excellent interpretability and data visualization. FlexShuffleNet is a lightweight network that can be adapted to classification tasks of varying complexity by tuning hyperparameters. The method has three steps. The first step is data preprocessing, which includes de-noising the raw ECG recordings, removing baseline drift, extracting heartbeats, and performing data balancing, the second step is transforming the heartbeats using MfPc Mapping. Finally, the FlexShuffleNet is employed to classify heartbeats into 14 categories. This study was evaluated on the test set of the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database (MIT/BIH DB), and it yielded the results i.e., accuracy of 99.77%, sensitivity of 94.60%, precision of 89.83% and specificity of 99.85% and F1-score of 0.9125 in 14-category classification task. Additionally, validation on Shandong Province Hospital database (SPH DB) yielded the results i.e., accuracy of 92.08%, sensitivity of 93.63%, precision of 91.25% and specificity of 99.85% and F1-score of 0.9315. The results show the satisfied performance of the proposed method.

The impact of ankle movements on venous return flow: A comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the haemodynamic effects of different ankle movements combined ankle and toe movements on the femoral vein of the lower extremity. METHODS: 28 healthy volunteers participated in the study. Doppler ultrasound was used to measure peak systolic velocity and time-averaged mean velocity of the common femoral vein during ankle dorsiflexion, ankle dorsiflexion with simultaneous toe extension, ankle plantarflexion, and ankle plantarflexion with simultaneous toe flexion. RESULTS: In comparison to the resting state, both ankle alone or ankle combined with toe movement showed statistically significant differences (p < .01). However, there were no significant difference in the velocity of the common femoral vein between ankle alone and ankle combined with toe movement (p > .05). It is noteworthy that dorsiflexion of the ankle resulted in the highest peak velocity of blood flow. CONCLUSION: The impact of ankle movement, with or without toe movement, the velocity of the common femoral vein is not significantly correlated.

Resilience in Informal Caregivers of Patients with Heart Failure in China: Exploring Influencing Factors and Identifying the Paths.

Background: In the fight against heart failure (HF), informal caregivers are an indispensable part of the team. As a protective factor against stress, resilience can help to enhance caregivers' psychological adaptation and ultimately increase the quality of care during the HF caregiving period. Recognizing its predictors and exploring how these variables interact could promote tailored strategies to enhancing caregivers' resilience of HF patients. Thus, this study aimed to identify promoting and risk factors of resilience in informal caregivers of HF patients from the Chinese context and to understand the interactions between these factors and resilience. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from December, 2020 to March, 2022 among 210 caregivers in Nanjing, China. The General Information Questionnaire, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Perceived Social Support Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Scale, the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire and the Family Hardiness Index were used in this survey. Data were analysed with Pearson's correlation analysis, the multiple linear regression model and the structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: The resilience of 210 Chinese HF caregivers was at the moderate and higher level (66.40±15.08). The SEM had a good fit (root mean square error of approximation=0.047, comparative fit index=0.994, Tucker-Lewis index=0.987). Perceived social support (ß=0.390, P<0.001), positive coping style (ß=0.159, P=0.019) and self-efficacy (ß=0.332, P<0.001) had positive direct effects on resilience among HF caregivers, separately. Both perceived social support (ß=0.04, P<0.001) and self-efficacy (ß=0.07, P<0.001) indirectly influenced resilience through positive coping style. Conclusion: We recommended that multi-dimensional and greater social support, higher self-efficacy and especially, positive coping strategies should be offered or encouraged during the caregiving period, which may contribute to enhancing HF caregivers' resilience.

Effectiveness of a Mindfulness Meditation App Based on an Electroencephalography-Based Brain-Computer Interface in Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation for Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) can generate considerable physical and psychological discomfort under conscious sedation. App-based mindfulness meditation combined with an electroencephalography (EEG)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) shows promise as effective and accessible adjuncts in medical practice. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a BCI-based mindfulness meditation app in improving the experience of patients with AF during RFCA. METHODS: This single-center pilot randomized controlled trial involved 84 eligible patients with AF scheduled for RFCA, who were randomized 1:1 to the intervention and control groups. Both groups received a standardized RFCA procedure and a conscious sedative regimen. Patients in the control group were administered conventional care, while those in the intervention group received BCI-based app-delivered mindfulness meditation from a research nurse. The primary outcomes were the changes in the numeric rating scale, State Anxiety Inventory, and Brief Fatigue Inventory scores. Secondary outcomes were the differences in hemodynamic parameters (heart rate, blood pressure, and peripheral oxygen saturation), adverse events, patient-reported pain, and the doses of sedative drugs used in ablation. RESULTS: BCI-based app-delivered mindfulness meditation, compared to conventional care, resulted in a significantly lower mean numeric rating scale (mean 4.6, SD 1.7 [app-based mindfulness meditation] vs mean 5.7, SD 2.1 [conventional care]; P=.008), State Anxiety Inventory (mean 36.7, SD 5.5 vs mean 42.3, SD 7.2; P<.001), and Brief Fatigue Inventory (mean 3.4, SD 2.3 vs mean 4.7, SD 2.2; P=.01) scores. No significant differences were observed in hemodynamic parameters or the amounts of parecoxib and dexmedetomidine used in RFCA between the 2 groups. The intervention group exhibited a significant decrease in fentanyl use compared to the control group, with a mean dose of 3.96 (SD 1.37) mcg/kg versus 4.85 (SD 1.25) mcg/kg in the control group (P=.003).The incidence of adverse events was lower in the intervention group (5/40) than in the control group (10/40), though this difference was not significant (P=.15). CONCLUSIONS: BCI-based app-delivered mindfulness meditation effectively relieved physical and psychological discomfort and may reduce the doses of sedative medication used in RFCA for patients with AF. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05306015; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05306015.

Clinical significance and correlation of compliance to thirst in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: The main treatment method for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). With the continuous improvement of dialysis technology, the survival period of MHD patients has been effectively prolonged, but dialysis technology still cannot completely replace renal function. OBJECTIVE: To study the dietary compliance and its correlation with thirst in MHD patients and to provide guidance for clinical development of corresponding intervention countermeasures. METHODS: A total of 90 patients who received MHD treatment from March 2021 to March 2022 were selected as objects. The Renal Adherence Attitudes Questionnaire (RAAQ) and the Renal Adherence Behaviour Questionnaire (RABQ) were used to analyze the dietary compliance and thirst status of patients. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between diet compliance and thirst. RESULTS: Positive correlations were found between VAS and DTI, SXI and TDS (P< 0.05). Social restrictive attitude was positively correlated with VAS, DTI, SXI, TDS, acceptance attitude and compliance in facing difficulties (P< 0.05), and negatively correlated with self-care compliance (r=-0.35, P< 0.05). Health attitude was positively correlated with VAS, DTI and SXI (P< 0.05). Acceptance attitude was positively correlated with DTI, SXI and TDS (P< 0.05). High RAAQ was associated with high VAS (b= 0.11, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.18), DTI (b= 0.28, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.38), SXI (b= 0.24, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.34) and TDS (b= 0.26, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.4). CONCLUSION: The overall performance of dietary compliance in patients with MHD is at a moderate level, and dietary compliance is negatively correlated with disease perception.

Epidemiological investigation of emergency infusion adverse drug reactions in Nanjing, China: a prospective cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the morbidity and mortality of infusion Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the emergency department. We sought to evaluate the epidemiology of emergency infusion ADRs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study of infusion ADRs in the emergency infusion unit (EIU) of a tertiary hospital from 1 January 20201 January 2020, to 31 December 2021w31 December 2021. Emergency infusion ADRs were identified as intravenous drug-related ADRs that the causality was determined using the Naranjo algorithm. The incidence, severity and preventability of these ADRs were assessed using other standard criteria. RESULTS: A total of 327 ADRs were recorded for 320 participants, antibiotics were the class of drugs most commonly involved, and 76.15% of ADRs occurred within the first hour. The most common symptoms observed were skin manifestations, accounting for 46.04% of ADRs. Mild reactions accounted for 85.32% based on the Hartwig and Siegel scale. In 89.30% of the reports, the ADRs were evaluated as not preventable based on the modified Schumock and Thornton scale. The causality and severity of ADRs were related to Charlson Comorbidity Index score and age (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This epidemiological study described the pattern of emergency infusion ADRs in East China in detail. These findings may be useful to compare patterns among different centers.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inhibitor salubrinal protects against ceramide-induced SH-SY5Y cell death.

In the present study, we examined the mechanisms of ceramide-induced cell death in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. Our results demonstrate a significant endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response in SH-SY5Y cells after short-chain ceramide (C6) treatment. Administration of ceramide (C6) to SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells caused apoptotic cell death, which was inhibited by ER stress inhibitor salubrinal. Further, ceramide-induced cell death reduced significantly in stable SH-SY5Y cells expressing C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) shRNA. Salubrinal inhibited ceramide-induced inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α)/apoptosis signal regulating kinase 1 (ASK1)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation. Taken together, these data suggest that ceramide-induced SH-SY5Y cell death may be linked to the ER stress-regulated intrinsic pathway, and proposed the potential protective effects of salubrinal.

Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on Pulmonary Function and Exercise Capacity in Individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on pulmonary function and exercise capacity in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: Ten databases (PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, CNKI, Wanfang, Weipu, and CBM) were searched for relevant articles published from inception to 30 June 2020. Studies were included if they were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing a HIIT group with usual care or other training groups. Quality was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale, and the overall quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. The primary outcomes were peak VO2 and FEV1% predicted, and the secondary outcomes were FEV1/FVC, peak VE, peak WR, 6MWD, dyspnea, health-related quality of life, and adverse event. RESULTS: Twelve articles (689 patients) were included. HIIT was shown to have a positive effect on exercise capacity (peak WR, 6MWD), pulmonary function (FEV1% pred, peak VE), dyspnea, and quality of life. However, sensitivity analyses for dyspnea were unstable, and the result changed from positive to negative after removing one study (SMD = - 0.13, 95% CI [- 0.44, 0.17], P = 0.40). CONCLUSIONS: HIIT could improve pulmonary function, exercise capacity, and quality of life but may not decrease dyspnea in patients with COPD. It can be recommended as a safe and effective exercise modality in rehabilitation programs. Given that the overall results were based on a limited number of studies with significant heterogeneity and some of the results were based on low GRADE rating evidence, more high-quality, larger sample size, multicenter, and long-term follow-up RCTs are needed to confirm the clinical efficacy of HIIT in patients with COPD. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42020165897.

Case Report: Multimodal Imaging Guides the Management of an Eosinophilic Leukemia Patient With Eosinophilic Myocarditis and Intracardiac Thrombus.

Background: Eosinophilic leukemia (EL) is a rare, serious and potentially life-threatening condition characterized by the overproduction of eosinophils leading to tissue eosinophilic infiltration and damage. Although multiple organ systems may be involved, progressive eosinophilic myocarditis (EM) is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and follow-up surveillance combined with multimodal imaging are crucial for appropriate treatment of EM. Case Summary: It's a rare case of EL with EM and intracardiac thrombus in a 59-year-old patient who presented with asthenia for 3 weeks. Full blood count analysis indicated significant eosinophilia. Bone marrow aspirate revealed dysplastic eosinophilia and a FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion gene (4q12) was detected, confirming EL. Echocardiography revealed EM with intracardiac thrombus. This was later confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. The patient was commenced on imatinib and prednisolone and good clinical response was obtained. Through 18F-FAPI PET/CT imaging, we obtained in vivo visualization of fibroblast activation changes in the early stage of cardiac structure remodeling. With anti-fibrotic therapy after heart failure, the patient achieved a good clinical response. Conclusion: This case demonstrates in vivo visualization of fibroblast activation after EM. Multimodality imaging can provide early diagnosis and may guide tailored antifibrotic therapy in early stage of EM.

Family Hardiness in Patients with Heart Failure: Exploring Protective Factors and Identifying the Mediator.

BACKGROUND: Struggling with heart failure (HF) may be a distressful experience for the entire family. As a key variable contributing to positive family functioning, family hardiness can protect against HF-related harm. Thus, recognizing factors associated with family hardiness could promote strategies that enable successful adaptation to HF. This study aimed to explore protective factors linked to family hardiness among HF patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in 2020 among 167 HF patients in Nanjing, China. The study measures comprised a self-designed general information questionnaire, the Family Hardiness Index, the Mutuality Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Scale, and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire. The data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS, version 25 and comprised Pearson's correlation analysis, a multiple linear regression model, and an analysis of mediating effects. RESULTS: The average Family Hardiness Index score for the 167 HF patients was 57.95 ± 11.41. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that mutuality, active coping style, and positive emotions of HF patients positively predicted family hardiness (ß = 0.359, 0.308, and 0.215, respectively; all P ˂ 0.05). Mutuality between patients and family members had partial mediating effects between active coping style, positive emotions, and family hardiness. CONCLUSION: Our results revealed that patients' active coping styles, positive emotions, and mutuality were protective factors associated with family hardiness. In light of our findings, we suggest that active coping strategies, positive emotions, and, especially, closer relationships within families should be encouraged during the rehabilitation and follow-up care of HF patients.

Comparative effectiveness of exercise training program in patients with heart failure: protocol for a systematic review of randomised controlled trials and network meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Heart failure (HF) is an end-stage of numerous heart diseases including hypertension, coronary heart disease and arrhythmia, in which the heart is unable to perform its circulatory function with sufficient efficiency due to structural or functional dysfunction (systolic or diastolic alterations). Strategies such as exercise rehabilitation may improve cardiac function, exercise capacity and health-related quality of life and reduce anxiety and depression in patients with HF. However, the relative effectiveness as well as the hierarchy of exercise interventions have not been well established, although various exercise options are available. Therefore, this protocol proposes to conduct a network meta-analysis (NMA) aiming to compare the effectiveness of different types of exercise training in patients with HF. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library will be searched from inception to March 2021 for relevant randomised controlled trials. Other resources, such as Google Scholar and Clinical Trials.gov will also be considered. Studies assessing exercise rehabilitation in patients with HF will be selected. Two independent reviewers will identify eligible trials. The PEDro risk of bias assessment tool will be used to assess the quality of the included studies. Bayesian NMA will be used when possible to determine the comparative effectiveness of the different exercise interventions. The mean ranks and surface will estimate the ranking probabilities for the optimal intervention of various treatments under the cumulative ranking curve. Subgroup, sensitivity and meta-regression will be conducted to explain the included studies' heterogeneity if possible. We will also use the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system to assess the strength of evidence. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review and NMA will synthesise evidence on the effectiveness of the different exercises in patients with HF. The results will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. No ethical approval will be required because the data used for the review will be exclusively extracted from published studies. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020165870.

Effects of high-intensity interval training in patients with coronary artery disease after percutaneous coronary intervention: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To evaluate whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) was superior to low-intensity training or usual care among patients after percutaneous coronary intervention. The hypothesis was that HIIT would help patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) improve cardiopulmonary function, lipid profiles and in-stent restenosis. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA)2009 Checklist. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focusing on HIIT programme in patients after PCI were searched in Cochrane Library, Web of Science Core Collection, EMbase, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and SinoMed from the inception to 24 March 2020. Standard Mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were performed to summarize the effect sizes. RESULTS: Six RCTs (247 patients) met the criteria. HIIT programme had a statistically significant effect on raising left ventricular ejection function (LVEF) (SMD = 0.38, 95%CI [0.03, 0.73], I2  = 3%), VO2peak (SMD = 0.94, 95%CI [0.61, 1.28], I2  = 0%), as well as improving the serum level of high-density lipoprotein (SMD = 0.55, 95%CI [0.06, 1.03], I2  = 0%) and late luminal loss (SMD = -0.65, 95%CI [-1.07, -0.23], I2  = 0%). But HIIT had no prominent effect on improving heart rate (SMD = -0.04, 95%CI [-0.29, 0.21], I2  = 0%). Summarily, HIIT programme appears to be favourable for CAD patients after PCI by improving cardiopulmonary function, such as LVEF and VO2peak , as well as reducing late luminal loss in per stented arteries. Nevertheless, HIIT has no advantage for adjusting heart rate. More researches with rigorous methods are warranted to explore the controversy about lipid profiles.

Biomimetic hydroxyapate/polydopamine composites with good biocompatibility and efficiency for uncontrolled bleeding.

Uncontrolled bleeding is thought to be the most deadly cause of pre-hospital, traffic, and military accidents death. However, the popular commercial hemostats can only realize the hemostasis of mild bleeding. Therefore, we developed polydopamine (PDA) composite materials (PMs), which applied hydroxyapatite as the parent body. The PMs were produced via lyophilization and functionalized with amino, phenol hydroxyls groups, which endowed hydrophobicity to materials. This ensured a high aggregation ability of blood cells to the PMs and they were tested to be as high as 300% compared with the negative control group. The clotting time was shortened to 79.7% compared with the usually used commercial hemostat (Celox) in the test of in vitro hemostasis. Through the results of PT and APTT tests, blood coagulation index test, and the analysis of intracellular Ca2+ activation, we further understood the mechanism of the hemostasis of the materials, which explained the low blood loss and quick coagulation time of the PM hemostats in detail. Besides, the low hemolysis and cytotoxicity of the PMs suggested the good biocompatibility of the hemostats, which was further proved by the regular morphology maintained by erythrocytes in the hemolysis tests. The study of nanoscale composites led the research for the methods of hemostasis.

The Combined Effects of Patient Activation and Relational Aspects on the Quality of Life in Atrial Fibrillation Patients.

Objective: This study aims to explore the influence of patient activation (PA) and relational aspects on the quality of life (QoL) in patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF) for developing measures to improve PA and QoL. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in 2021 among 190 AF patients in Nanjing, China. Research instruments included a self-designed social-demographic characteristics scale, the Patient Activation Measure (PAM), the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life (AFEQT). The data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 25.0. Spearman correlation analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to assess the association accordingly. Results: The average AFEQT score for the 190 AF patients was 69.32 ± 14.52. The distribution of activation Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4, were where 4.7, 34.2, 47.4, and 13.7%, respectively. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that patient activation, work status, and cardiac rehabilitation of AF patients predicted AF-related QoL (ß = 0.270, -0.205, and 0.183, respectively; all P < 0.05). The influences of PA level on subdimensions of AF-related QoL were as follows: symptoms, daily activities and treatment concern. Conclusion: The level of QoL of patients with AF was moderate. Higher levels of patient activation in those with AF were associated with milder symptoms, more positive daily activities and fewer treatment concern. Based on our findings, we suggest that healthcare personnel should encourage AF patients to take active participation in cardiac rehabilitation, disease self-management and foster progression of PA level. Future research is warranted to develop tailor-made interventions aimed at the activation level.

Association Between Waist Circumference and the Prevalence of (Pre) Hypertension Among 27,894 US Adults.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the association between waist circumference and the prevalence of (pre) hypertension. Methods: Cross-sectional data from the 2007-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. The historical trend of abdominal obesity was assessed by the Cochran-Armitage trend test. After preprocessed by the multiple imputation strategy, we used generalized additive models to assess the association of waist circumference with systolic/diastolic blood pressure and performed correlation analysis by the Spearman correlation coefficient. Moreover, we used multivariable logistic regression (non-adjusted, minimally adjusted, and fully adjusted models), restricted cubic spline, and sensitivity analysis to investigate the association between waist circumference and (pre) hypertension. Results: A total of 27,894 participants were included in this study. In the fully adjusted model, waist circumference was positively associated with (pre) hypertension with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 1.28 (1.18-1.40) in the young group and 1.23 (1.15-1.33) in the old group. Restricted cubic spline showed a higher prevalence of (pre) hypertension with the increase of waist circumference. In the subgroup analysis, waist circumference showed a robust trend across all BMI categories with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 3.33 (1.29-8.85), 1.35 (1.17-1.57), 1.27 (1.13-1.41), and 1.09 (1.01-1.17) in underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese individuals, respectively. Conclusion: This study highlighted waist circumference as a significant biomarker to evaluate the risk of (pre) hypertension. Our results supported the measure of waist circumference regardless of BMI when evaluating the cardiometabolic risk related to fat distribution.

Cardiotoxicity in cancer immune-checkpoint therapy: Mechanisms, clinical evidence, and management strategies.

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a unique antibody-based therapeutic strategy, have revolutionized the treatment landscape of solid and hematological cancers. Despite the proven benefits of ICIs, the cardiotoxicity from unspecific immune activation (uncommon but potentially fatal) is a continuing concern. Accumulating preclinical research has demonstrated that ICIs initiate inflammation in the myocardium, while clinically significant cardiotoxicity were reported in few patients receiving ICI therapy, probably due to the low incidence and unspecific symptoms. The subtle signs and symptoms (e.g., chest pain, dizziness, and dyspnea) were likely attributed to cancer and/or non-cardiac events by previous studies, thus limiting the understanding of the incidence, outcomes, risk factors, and management of ICI-related cardiotoxicity. The heterogeneous clinical presentation and complex diagnostic procedure further make it challenging to accurately identify ICI-related cardiac events in clinical trials. Therefore, ICI-related cardiotoxicity, whose incidence is probably underestimated, has not been well recognized. In this article, we provide an overview of potential mechanisms underlying ICI-related cardiotoxicity and review accumulating clinical evidence of ICI-related cardiotoxicity, with a focus on myocarditis. Moreover, we discuss possible strategies to manage ICI-related cardiotoxicity and highlight the importance of developing cardio-oncology.