Journal of the American Heart Association
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Intermittent hypoxia (IH) induced by obstructive sleep apnea is the key factor involved in cardiovascular fibrosis. Under persistent hypoxia condition, endothelial cells respond by endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), which is associated with cardiovascular fibrosis. Prolyl 4-hydroxylase domain protein 3 (PHD3) is a cellular oxygen sensor and its expression increased in hypoxia. However, its role in obstructive sleep apnea-induced EndMT and cardiovascular fibrosis is still uncertain. We investigated the potential mechanism of obstructive sleep apnea-induced cardiac perivascular fibrosis and the role of PHD3 in it. ⋯ Obstructive sleep apnea-induced cardiac perivascular fibrosis is associated with EndMT, and PHD3 overexpression might be beneficial in the prevention of it by inhibiting EndMT. PHD3 overexpression might have therapeutic potential in the treatment of the disease.
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The relationship between light intensity physical activity (PA), which is common in older adults, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors is unclear. This study examined associations of accelerometer-measured PA intensity with CVD risk factors in older women of different race-ethnicities. ⋯ PA measured by accelerometry, including light intensity PA, was associated with lower CVD risk factor levels in race-ethnically diverse older women.
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Comparative Study Observational Study
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Using Quadripolar Versus Non-Quadripolar Left Ventricular Leads Programmed to Biventricular Pacing With Single-Site Left Ventricular Pacing: Impact on Survival and Heart Failure Hospitalization.
In cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), quadripolar (QUAD) left ventricular (LV) leads are less prone to postoperative complications than non-QUAD leads. Some studies have suggested better clinical outcomes. ⋯ CRT using QUAD, programmed to biventricular pacing with single-site LV pacing, is associated with a lower total mortality, cardiac mortality, and HF hospitalization. These trends were observed for both CRT-defibrillation and CRT-pacing, after adjustment for HF cause and other confounders. Re-intervention for LV lead displacement or phrenic nerve stimulation was associated with worse outcomes.
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Up to 40% of patients with transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) experience lead-associated complications and may suffer from high complication rates when lead extraction is indicated. Subcutaneous ICD may represent a feasible alternative; however, the efficacy of the subcutaneous ICD in the detection and treatment of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with hereditary arrhythmia syndromes has not been fully evaluated. ⋯ Our study supports the use of the subcutaneous ICD for both secondary and primary prevention of sudden cardiac death as a reliable alternative to the conventional transvenous ICD.
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Intracoronary stent restenosis, characterized by excessive smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation and myointimal hyperplasia, remains a clinical challenge. Mitochondrial membrane potential has been linked to the proliferative rate of SMCs. This study aimed to screen a critical gene regulating mitochondrial potential and to confirm its effects on myointimal formation in preclinical animal models. ⋯ UCP2 inhibits myointimal hyperplasia after vascular injury, probably through suppressing nuclear factor-κB-dependent SMC proliferation and migration, rendering UCP2 a potential therapeutic target against restenosis.