European journal of clinical investigation
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Mar 2021
Assessment of coronary artery abnormalities and variability of Z-score calculation in the acute episode of Kawasaki disease - a retrospective study from China.
Accurate classification of coronary artery abnormalities (CAAs) is essential for clinical decision-making and long-term management in Kawasaki disease (KD) patients. To date, there are several echocardiographic criteria of CAA assessment. ⋯ The JMH criteria underestimate the prevalence of CAAs as compared with the Z-score criteria. Quantitative assessment of coronary artery luminal dimensions, normalized as Z scores adjusted for body surface, should be recommended. The larger coronary artery luminal dimensions vary, the more heterogeneous Z scores calculated by different methods have.
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Mar 2021
Observational StudyCompliance of atrial fibrillation treatment with the ABC pathway in patients with concomitant diabetes mellitus in the Middle East based on the Gulf SAFE registry.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) and diabetes mellitus (DM) constitute a heavy burden on healthcare expenditure due to their negative impact on clinical outcomes in the Middle East. The Atrial fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway provides a simple strategy of integrated approach of AF management: A-Avoid stroke; B-Better symptom control; C-Cardiovascular comorbidity risk management. ⋯ Compliance with the ABC pathway care was independently associated with the reduced risk of all-cause death and the composite outcome in DM patients with AF, highlighting the importance of an integrated approach to AF management.
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Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic progressive inflammatory condition with a leading prevalence worldwide. Endothelial dysfunction leads to low-density lipoprotein trafficking into subendothelial space and the subsequent form of oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) within intimal layer, perpetuating the vicious cycle of endothelial dysfunction. K+ exerts beneficial effects in vascular wall by reducing LDL oxidization, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferation, and free radical generation. K+ also modulates vascular tone through a regulatory effect on cell membrane potential. ⋯ In this review, the mechanism of different K+ channels on vascular endothelium will be summarized, mainly focusing on their pathophysiological role in atherosclerosis and potential therapeutic application.
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Mar 2021
High fitness levels, frequent sauna bathing and risk of pneumonia in a cohort study: Are there potential implications for COVID-19?
There is an ongoing debate on a potential protective role of habitual physical activity and passive heat therapy on the risk of COVID-19, a respiratory infectious disease that can manifest as severe pneumonia. To explore these putative roles, we evaluated the independent and joint associations of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and frequency of sauna bathing (FSB) with pneumonia risk in a prospective cohort study of 2275 men aged 42-61 years at recruitment. ⋯ In a general male Caucasian population, a combination of high fitness levels and frequent sauna baths is associated with a substantially lowered future pneumonia risk compared with each modality alone. The implications of these findings in altering COVID-19 disease or its severity deserve study.
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Mar 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialThe value of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy in treating novel coronavirus pneumonia.
This study aimed to investigate the value of high-flow nasal cannula (HNFC) oxygen therapy in treating patients with severe novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19). ⋯ Compared with COT, early application of HFNC oxygen therapy in patients with severe COVID-19 can improve oxygenation and RR, and HFNC oxygen therapy can improve the infection indexes of patients and reduce the length of stay in the ICU of patients. Therefore, it has high clinical application value.