Background: This study investigated the association between periodontal disease and acute coronary syndrome (ACS), while examining periodontitis as an independent predictor of STEMI. Materials and Methods: This study included 166 patients with ACS, of whom 103 had a history of periodontal disease. Results: The results showed that patients with periodontal disease were more likely to have a history of tobacco use (78.6%), diabetes (53.1%), and poor oral hygiene (72.8%). This study also found a significant association between periodontal disease and the severity of ACS (STEMI—44.7%, three-vessel/LM disease—30.1%), with patients experiencing more frequent and severe cardiovascular complications (HF—51.6%, valvulopathy and mechanical complications—22.6%, arrhythmias—19.4%). The findings support previous studies suggesting a link between periodontal disease and cardiovascular risk. This study highlights the importance of considering periodontal disease as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease and the need for improved access to oral health care to reduce the burden of cardiovascular events. Conclusions: Periodontal disease was identified as an independent predictor of STEMI, highlighting the need for periodontal health assessments as part of routine management in cardiovascular risk stratification. The precise mechanisms continue to be an area of active investigation.

Background/Objectives: Depression is associated with an increased risk for the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. This research investigated the association between depressive symptoms and inflammation in the development of atherosclerotic coronary events. Methods: This retrospective observational study included 276 patients who were not previously diagnosed with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease at the beginning of the research. Participants were categorized using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID) into two groups: the depression group and the control group. Inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and cortisol) were measured at the beginning of the study, as well as at six months, one year, and two years. Results: Among patients with mild depression (17.3% vs. 4.2%) or moderate depression (15.4% vs. 6.7%), there were significantly more men than women, while among patients with very severe depression, there were significantly more women than men (21.7% vs. 11.5%). Participants with depression showed significantly higher increases at 2 years compared to baseline for all investigated parameters (p < 0.001). Depressed patients were significantly associated with an acute coronary syndrome (p = 0.038). Conclusions: This research highlights that individuals with depression face a greater risk of developing an acute coronary syndrome than those without depression.

Background: The identification of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery as the culprit vessel in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is critical for rapid decision-making and targeted reperfusion. Electrocardiography (ECG) remains a vital diagnostic tool, especially in cases of no prior clinical or imaging data. This study evaluates the accuracy of 12-lead ECG in identifying LAD involvement and occlusion level, while examining the prognostic significance of proximal versus distal LAD lesions in the era of modern reperfusion techniques. Methods: Data from 382 patients with STEMI were analyzed, focusing on the correlation between specific ECG patterns, particularly ST-segment elevation in aVL and aVR, and coronary angiographic findings. The predictive performance of ECG in localizing proximal LAD lesions was assessed through sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values. Clinical outcomes at 30 days and 2.5 years were compared between patients with proximal and distal LAD occlusions. Results: ST-segment elevation ≥ 0.5 mm in aVL or elevation in aVR, when associated with elevation in at least two contiguous precordial leads (V2–V4), demonstrated good sensitivity and predictive value for proximal LAD occlusion. Contrary to earlier studies, no significant difference in short- or long-term clinical outcomes was observed between proximal and distal LAD occlusion groups, possibly reflecting improvements in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) techniques and modern pharmacotherapy. Conclusions: The 12-lead ECG remains a valuable tool for identifying LAD as the culprit artery and approximating lesion location. However, in the era of advanced reperfusion therapy, the prognostic value of proximal LAD occlusion may be less pronounced than previously thought. These findings support a nuanced interpretation of ECG in guiding acute management without overestimating the long-term prognostic weight of lesion location alone.

Objectives: True trifurcation disease of the left main coronary artery is a rare situation encountered in clinical practice. To date, there is no evidence for a standardized strategy of percutaneous coronary intervention in this type of lesion. Methods: This article describes a novel three-stent strategy using a combination of Triple-Kissing Balloon Crush in both of the side branches. This technique is based on a well-established bifurcation stenting technique, namely, the Double-Kissing Crush technique. Results: This strategy was implemented successfully, demonstrating technical feasibility and optimal stent apposition in the trifurcation lesion, ensuring the preservation of all three branches. Conclusions: Although more data and clinical trials are needed to develop proper evidence-based guidelines, three-stent implantation with Double-Trissing Crush should be taken into consideration as a viable strategy for LM trifurcation lesions in the proper set of patients.

Background/Objectives: Broad-range bacterial 16S rRNA gene PCR followed by sequencing may improve the etiological diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE), particularly when conventional cultures are negative. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the overall molecular detection yield and incremental value of valve-tissue 16S molecular testing in surgically managed IE. Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, and Europe PMC were searched for Open Access studies published from 2016 to 2026. Eligible studies evaluated broad-range bacterial 16S PCR with sequence-based identification on excised native or prosthetic heart-valve tissue. Random-effects generalized linear mixed models were used to pool overall diagnostic yield, strict blood-culture-negative IE (BCNE) yield, and strict incremental etiologic yield beyond conventional microbiology. Diagnostic accuracy was summarized descriptively when complete 2 × 2 data were available. Results: Eight studies comprising 925 patients, surgical cases, or IE episodes contributed to the primary analysis, with 704 study-reported molecular-positive results. The pooled diagnostic yield was 75.9% (95% CI, 68.7–82.0%), with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 81.8%) and a 95% prediction interval of 49.2–91.2%. In strict BCNE, the pooled yield was 53.7% (95% CI, 41.2–65.8%). The strict incremental etiologic yield was 8.8% (95% CI, 6.1–12.5%). Sensitivity analyses yielded similar estimates. Conclusions: Valve-tissue 16S PCR/sequencing can provide valuable etiological information, particularly in BCNE. However, the substantial between-study heterogeneity and wide prediction interval indicate that its expected molecular detection yield varies considerably across clinical settings and is influenced by patient selection, local diagnostic algorithms, laboratory methods, and reference standards.