Minerva cardioangiologica
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Minerva cardioangiologica · Jun 2017
Left ventricular end-diastolic volume as early indicator of trastuzumab-related cardiotoxicity in HER2+ breast cancer patients: results from a single-center retrospective study.
Adjuvant trastuzumab therapy increases survival rates in patients with early HER2-positive breast cancer, although it can be potentially cardiotoxic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction; and the relationship between the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, cardiac therapy and/or echocardiographic parameters of systolic function at baseline and the development of cardiotoxicity in such patients. ⋯ The prevalence of trastuzumab-related cardiotoxicity in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer is relatively frequent, although asymptomatic in most cases. Baseline EDV resulted as independent predictor of cardiotoxicity suggesting that EDV may be more reliable than LVEF to identify patients at higher risk of developing cardiac damage.
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Minerva cardioangiologica · Feb 2017
Pycnogenol® and Centella asiatica to prevent asymptomatic atherosclerosis progression in clinical events.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the nutritional supplements Pycnogenol® and Centella asiatica (CA) on atherosclerosis progression in low-risk, asymptomatic subjects with carotid or femoral stenosing plaques. ⋯ Pycnogenol® and the combination of Pycnogenol® plus CA reduce the progression of arterial plaques and the progression to clinical stages. The reduction in plaques and clinical progression was associated with a reduction in oxidative stress. The results justify a larger study to define the efficacy of the combination of Pycnogenol® plus CA as a prophylaxis in preclinical atherosclerosis.
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Minerva cardioangiologica · Dec 2016
Carotid plaque stabilization induced by the supplement association Pycnogenol® and centella asiatica (Centellicum®).
Aim of this registry study was the evaluation of the stability of carotid plaques by ultrasound in asymptomatic subjects with high oxidative stress following supplementation with a combination of the extract from bark of Pinus pinaster, Pycnogenol®, with an extract from Centella asiatica leaves, Centellicum®. ⋯ This registry study revealed a significant increase in stability of plaques, indicated by an enhanced density of the plaques, following supplementation with the combination of Pycnogenol® and Centellicum®. As size and number of plaques was simultaneously reduced, the combination of the two plant extracts could be a safe option for prevention of cardiovascular events for patients with carotid plaques.
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Minerva cardioangiologica · Apr 2016
Poor concordance between different definitions of worsening renal function in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic heart failure: a retrospective study.
Approximately one-third of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) treated with an intravenous (iv) loop diuretic at a relatively high dose (>80 mg/day of furosemide, or an equivalent dose of another loop diuretic), exhibit worsening renal function (WRF) after a single course of iv infusions or iv bolus injections maintained for several days. WRF is currently defined as an increase in serum creatinine >0.3 mg/dL (WRF-Cr) or a decrease in the estimated glomerular filtration rate of ≥20% (WRF-GFR) compared to baseline measurements. Furthermore, small increases in serum creatinine in the high-normal range of its values are indicative of significant reductions in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) due to the exponential relationship between serum creatinine and eGFR. Therefore, underestimating this relationship could lead to an erroneous quantitative estimate of new-onset renal dysfunction, diuretic-related. ⋯ The criterion to discontinue the iv diuretic or to reduce its dosage in the presence of WRF-Cr for patients with ADHF or resistance to oral diuretic should be joined with the useful notion that this finding indicates a significant reduction of eGFR only for values of serum creatinine in the normal or near-normal ranges.
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Minerva cardioangiologica · Apr 2016
Five-year mortality in cardiac surgery patients with low cardiac output syndrome treated with levosimendan: prognostic evaluation of NT-proBNP and C-reactive protein.
To determine the clinical risk factors predictive of the 5-year mortality in patients with low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) after cardiac surgery. In addition, to assess the influence of inflammation and myocardial dysfunction severity, as measured by C-reactive protein (CRP) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentrations, on outcome. ⋯ The presence of dilated cardiomyopathy, elevated CVP at 48 h and reduced CRP levels on day 7 predicted 5-year mortality in patients who developed postoperative LCOS after cardiac surgery. NT-proBNP levels in the first postoperative week were not predictors of long-term outcomes.