Perivascular fat attenuation for predicting adverse cardiac events in stable patients undergoing invasive coronary angiography

BackgroundInflammation surrounding the coronary arteries can be non-invasively assessed using pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation (PCAT). While PCAT holds promise for further risk stratification of patients with low coronary artery disease (CAD) prevalence, its value in higher risk populations remains unknown.MethodsCORE320 enrolled patients referred for invasive coronary angiography with known or suspected CAD. Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) images were collected for 381 patients for whom clinical outcomes were assessed 5 years after enrollment. Using semi-automated image analysis software, PCAT was obtained and normalized for the right coronary (RCA), left anterior descending (LAD), and left circumflex arteries (LCx). The association between PCAT and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) during follow up was assessed using Cox regression models.ResultsThirty-seven patients were excluded due to technical failure. For the remaining 344 patients, median age was 62 (interquartile range, 55–68) with 59% having ≥1 coronary artery stenosis of ≥50% by quantitative coronary angiography. Mean attenuation values for PCAT in RCA, LAD, and LCx were ?74.9, ?74.2, and ?71.2, respectively. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for normalized PCAT in the RCA, LAD, and LCx for MACE were 0.96 (CI: 0.75–1.22, p ?= ?0.71), 1.31 (95% CI: 0.96–1.78, p ?= ?0.09), and 0.98 (95% CI: 0.78–1.22, p ?= ?0.84), respectively. For death, stroke, or myocardial infarction only, hazard ratios were 0.68 (0.44–1.07), 0.85 (0.56–1.29), and 0.57 (0.41–0.80), respectively.ConclusionsIn patients referred for invasive coronary angiography with suspected CAD, PCAT did not predict MACE during long term follow up. Further studies are needed to understand the relationship of PCAT with CAD risk.     

Assessing the Effects of Geniculate Artery Embolization in a Nonsurgical Animal Model of Osteoarthritis

PurposeTo create a nonsurgical animal model of osteoarthritis (OA) to evaluate the effects of embolotherapy during geniculate artery embolization (GAE).Materials and MethodsFluoroscopy-guided injections of 700 mg of sodium monoiodoacetate were performed into the left stifle in 6 rams. Kinematic data were collected before and after induction. At 10 weeks after induction, Subjects 1 and 4–6 underwent magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with dynamic contrast enhancement (DCE) and Subjects 1, 3, and 4–6 underwent angiography with angiographic scoring to identify regions with greatest disease severity for superselective embolization (75–250-μm microspheres). Target vessel size was measured. At 24 weeks after angiography, DCE-MR imaging, angiography, and euthanasia were performed, and bilateral stifles were harvested. Medial/lateral tibial and femoral condylar, patellar, and synovial samples were cut, preserved, decalcified, and scored using the Osteoarthritis Research Society International criteria. The stifle and synovium Whole-Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score and Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study score were determined. The volume transfer constant (K_trans) and extracellular volume fraction (v_e) were calculated from DCE-MR imaging along the lateral synovial regions of interest.ResultsThe mean gross and microscopic pathological scores were elevated at 38 and 61, respectively. Mean synovitis score was elevated at 9.2. Mean pre-embolization and postembolization angiographic scores were 5 and 3.8, respectively. Mean superior, transverse, and inferior geniculate artery diameters were 3.1 mm ± 1.21, 2.0 mm ± 0.50, and 1.6 mm ± 0.41 mm, respectively. Mean pre-embolization and postembolization cartilage and synovitis scores were elevated at 35.13 and 73.3 and 5.5 and 9.2, respectively. The K_trans/v_e values of Subjects 4, 5, and 6 were elevated at 0.049/0.38, 0.074/0.53, and 0.065/0.51, respectively. Altered gait of the hind limb was observed in all subjects after induction, with reduced joint mobility. No skin necrosis or osteonecrosis was observed.ConclusionsA nonsurgical ovine animal knee OA model was created, which allowed the collection of angiographic, histopathological, MR imaging, and kinematic data to study the effects of GAE.     

Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion,A Misnomer?: Where Do We Go From Here?

The importance of the left atrial appendage (LAA) as the source of thromboembolism including stroke in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation is well documented, with more than 90% of ischemic strokes related to a LAA thrombus. Although oral anticoagulation has been the standard of care, approximately 50% to 60% of patients either have contraindications to oral anticoagulation or do not continue the medication beyond the first year. This led to the development of local site-specific therapy to occlude the LAA by either surgical or transcatheter means. Despite marked advancements, incomplete LAA closure with surgical and transcatheter approaches remains frequent. The etiology of incomplete LAA closure and its clinical implications remain unclear. Multiple strategies are in development including changes in deployment techniques, a new device design, and alternative approaches to leak closure.     

瘀热型慢性前列腺炎与心理性因素及性功能的相关性

目的分析瘀热型慢性前列腺炎(CP)临床症状与心理性因素及性功能的相关性。方法收集2020年6月至2021年6月在南京市江宁中医院泌尿外科门诊诊治的91例瘀热型CP患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析,使用美国国立卫生研究院慢性前列腺炎症状指数评分表(NIH-CPSI)、中医证候量表、7项广泛性焦虑障碍量表(GAD-7)、抑郁症筛查量表(PHQ-9)、疼痛灾难化量表(PCS)、国际勃起功能评分表(IIEF-5)和早泄诊断量表(PEDT)对患者进行评估,对量表评定结果进行Pearson相关性分析和多元线性回归分析。结果(1)症状量表:NIH-CPSI总分与中医量表总分、GAD-7总分呈正相关,中医证候量表总分与CPSI、GAD-7、PHQ-9、PCS、PEDT总分呈正相关(P<0.05);CPSI总分随中医量表总分递增而升高,中医证候量表总分随CPSI疼痛症状、PHQ-9总分递增而升高(P<0.05)。(2)情绪量表:GAD-7总分与CPSI、中医证候量表总分、排尿症状、PHQ总分、PEDT总分呈正相关,PHQ-9总分与中医证候量表总分、疼痛及排尿症状、PCS总分、PEDT总分呈正相关,PCS总分与中医证候量表总分及疼痛症状分值呈正相关(P<0.05);GAD-7总分随PHQ-9总分递增而升高;PHQ-9总分随中医证候量表排尿症状、GAD-7、PCS分值递增而升高;PCS总分随中医证候量表疼痛症状、PHQ-9分值递增而升高(P<0.05)。(3)性功能量表:IIEF-5总分与中医证候量表疼痛分值呈负相关,PEDT总分与中医证候量表总分及疼痛症状、GAD-7、PHQ-9分值呈正相关(P<0.05);IIEF-5总分随中医证候量表疼痛症状分值递减而升高(P<0.05)。结论瘀热型CP患者表现为以疼痛为主,伴随排尿异常、情绪异常、认知障碍和性功能障碍的系列症状,同时使用中医证候量表及CPSI评估能较好的反映其病情的严重程度。