Background: Only the incidence, management, and prognosis of catheter-induced coronary artery and aortic dissections have been systematically studied until now. We sought to evaluate their mechanisms, risk factors, and propagation causes. Methods: Electronic databases containing 76,104 procedures and complication registries from 2000–2020 were searched and relevant cineangiographic studies adjudicated. Results: Ninety-six dissections were identified. The overall incidence was 0.126%, and 0.021% for aortic injuries. The in-hospital mortality rate was 4.2%, and 6.25% for aortic dissections. Compared to the non-complicated population, patients with dissection were more often female (48% vs. 34%, p = 0.004), with a higher prevalence of comorbidities such as hypertension (56% vs. 25%, p < 0.001) or chronic kidney disease (10% vs. 4%, p = 0.002). They more frequently presented with acute myocardial infarction (72% vs. 43%, p < 0.001), underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (85% vs. 39%, p < 0.001), and were examined with a radial approach (77% vs. 65%, p = 0.011). The most prevalent predisposing factor was small ostium diameter and/or atheroma. Deep intubation for support, catheter malalignment, and vessel prodding were the most frequent precipitating factors. Of the three dissection mechanisms, ‘wedged contrast injection’ was the commonest (the exclusive mechanism of aortic dissections). The propagation rate was 30.2% and led to doubling of coronary occlusions and aortic extensions. The most frequent progression triggers were repeat injections and unchanged catheter. In 94% of cases, dissections were inflicted by high-volume operators, with ≥ 5-year experience in 84% of procedures. The annual dissection rate increased over a 21-year timespan. Conclusions: Catheter-induced dissection rarely came unheralded and typically occurred during urgent interventions performed in high-risk patients by experienced operators. Background: Only the incidence, management, and prognosis of catheter-induced coronary artery and aortic dissections have been systematically studied until now. We sought to evaluate their mechanisms, risk factors, and propagation causes. Methods: Electronic databases containing 76,104 procedures and complication registries from 2000–2020 were searched and relevant cineangiographic studies adjudicated. Results: Ninety-six dissections were identified. The overall incidence was 0.126%, and 0.021% for aortic injuries. The in-hospital mortality rate was 4.2%, and 6.25% for aortic dissections. Compared to the non-complicated population, patients with dissection were more often female (48% vs. 34%, p = 0.004), with a higher prevalence of comorbidities such as hypertension (56% vs. 25%, p < 0.001) or chronic kidney disease (10% vs. 4%, p = 0.002). They more frequently presented with acute myocardial infarction (72% vs. 43%, p < 0.001), underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (85% vs. 39%, p < 0.001), and were examined with a radial approach (77% vs. 65%, p = 0.011). The most prevalent predisposing factor was small ostium diameter and/or atheroma. Deep intubation for support, catheter malalignment, and vessel prodding were the most frequent precipitating factors. Of the three dissection mechanisms, ‘wedged contrast injection’ was the commonest (the exclusive mechanism of aortic dissections). The propagation rate was 30.2% and led to doubling of coronary occlusions and aortic extensions. The most frequent progression triggers were repeat injections and unchanged catheter. In 94% of cases, dissections were inflicted by high-volume operators, with ≥ 5-year experience in 84% of procedures. The annual dissection rate increased over a 21-year timespan. Conclusions: Catheter-induced dissection rarely came unheralded and typically occurred during urgent interventions performed in high-risk patients by experienced operators.

We compared the effects of right ventricular (RVP; n = 26) and His bundle (HBP; n = 24) pacing in patients with atrioventricular conduction disorders and preserved LVEF. Postoperatively (1D), and after six months (6M), the patients underwent global longitudinal strain (GLS) and peak systolic dispersion (PSD) evaluation with 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography, assessment of left atrial volume index (LAVI) and QRS duration (QRSd), and sensing/pacing parameter testing. The RVP threshold was lower than the HBP threshold at 1D (0.65 ± 0.13 vs. 1.05 ± 0.20 V, p < 0.001), and then it remained stable, while the HBP threshold increased at 6M (1.05 ± 0.20 vs. 1.31 ± 0.30 V, p < 0.001). The RVP R-wave was higher than the HBP R-wave at 1D (11.52 ± 2.99 vs. 4.82 ± 1.41 mV, p < 0.001). The RVP R-wave also remained stable, while the HBP R-wave decreased at 6M (4.82 ± 1.41 vs. 4.50 ± 1.09 mV, p < 0.02). RVP QRSd was longer than HBP QRSd at 6M (145.0 ± 11.1 vs. 112.3 ± 9.3 ms, p < 0.001). The absolute value of RVP GLS decreased at 6M (16.32 ± 2.57 vs. 14.03 ± 3.78%, p < 0.001), and HBP GLS remained stable. Simultaneously, RVP PSD increased (72.53 ± 24.15 vs. 88.33 ± 30.51 ms, p < 0.001) and HBP PSD decreased (96.28 ± 33.99 vs. 84.95 ± 28.98 ms, p < 0.001) after 6 months. RVP LAVI increased (26.73 ± 5.7 vs. 28.40 ± 6.4 mL/m², p < 0.05), while HBP LAVI decreased at 6M (30.03 ± 7.8 vs. 28.73 ± 8.7 mL/m², p < 0.01). These results confirm that HBP does not disrupt ventricular synchrony and provides advantages over RVP.

Hypercholesterolemia plays an important role in the lipid abnormalities in chronic renal failure (CRF). It is thought to contribute to both a progression of renal failure and atherosclerosis. Despite intensive research, the etiopathogenesis of hypercholesterolemia in CRF patients is still obscure. The present study was designed to evaluate the possible role of cholesterol overproduction in the development of hypercholesterolemia associated with experimental CRF. We found that plasma total cholesterol and cholesterol distributed in VLDL, LDL and HDL concentrations were significantly enhanced in CRF rats. Simultaneously, the rate of liver cholesterol biosynthesis in vivo (measured by determining the incorporation of tritium from tritiated water intraperitoneally injected into cholesterol), liver microsomal 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase activity and liver HMG-CoA reductase mRNA presence were elevated. Significant increases in activity of liver malic enzyme, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, NADPH-producing enzyme (required for cholesterol synthesis) have also been observed in CRF rats. In conclusion, the increased rate of liver cholesterol biosynthesis due to increase of HMG-CoA reductase and NADPH-producing enzyme gene expression could be one of the possible causes of hypercholesterolemia in CRF animals.

This study evaluates whether the presence of cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) affects functional and morphological responses to anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Retrospective analysis included 98 treatment-naïve eyes followed for at least 12 months. Patients received intravitreal injections of ranibizumab or aflibercept with the dosage and regimen set according to each manufacturer’s recommendations for their product. Parameters evaluated at each follow-up visit included best-corrected visual acuity and central retinal thickness. Additionally, the presence of the following CRFs was evaluated: male sex, age of older than 70 years, history of current or past smoking, systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, total hypercholesterolemia, low-density lipoprotein hypercholesterolemia, high-density lipoprotein concentration of 45 mg/dL or less, atherogenic dyslipidemia, family history of cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. A statistically significant better letter gain in visual acuity (p = 0.012) and greater percentage of responders (p = 0.035)—that is patients in whom best corrected visual acuity was stabilized or improved at 12 months—were noted among patients without a diagnosis of arterial hypertension. A statistically significant better mean visual improvement was also achieved in patients with higher total cholesterol plasma levels (p = 0.004), but this finding was not reflected in the significantly higher percentage of responders. The presence of remaining analyzed risk factors did not substantially affect the results of treatment. Systemic arterial hypertension is an independent factor leading to a poor functional outcome following anti-VEGF therapy in patients with nAMD. Effects of anti-VEGF treatment in patients with high total cholesterol levels should be analyzed in further research.

The optimal structure of the acute ischaemic stroke treatment network is unknown and eagerly sought. To make it most effective, different treatment and transportation strategies have been developed and investigated worldwide. Since only a fraction of acute stroke patients with large vessel occlusion are treated, a new entity—thrombectomy-capable stroke centre (TCSC)—was introduced to respond to the growing demand for timely endovascular treatment. The purpose of this study was to present the early experience of the first 70 patients treated by mechanical means in a newly developed cardiac Cathlab-based TCSC. The essential safety and efficacy measures were recorded and compared with those reported in the invasive arm of the HERMES meta-analysis—the largest published dataset on the subject. We found no significant differences in terms of clinical and safety outcomes, such as early neurological recovery, level of functional independence at 90 days, symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage, parenchymal haematoma type 2, and mortality. These encouraging results obtained in the small endovascular centre may be an argument for the introduction of the TCSC into operating stroke networks to increase patient access to timely treatment and to improve clinical outcomes.