Background/Objectives: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a leading cause of mortality worldwide, with a particularly high burden in Central Asian countries. Despite ongoing urbanization, rural populations constitute a significant demographic in this region, yet epidemiological data stratified by urban and rural residence are limited and fragmented. This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and risk factor profiles of CVDs among urban and rural populations in Central Asia, identify disparities, and inform targeted prevention and control strategies. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across the PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases for studies published between 2015 and 2025. Included studies reported cardiovascular health indicators with urban–rural stratification in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Data extraction and qualitative synthesis were performed, with methodological quality assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Results: Eight original studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing national and regional datasets with diverse designs, including retrospective analyses, cross-sectional surveys, and registry data. Overall, CVD incidence and prevalence showed increasing trends in both urban and rural areas, with consistently higher mortality rates in urban populations. Key modifiable risk factors—hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and smoking—were prevalent, particularly in rural settings. Variability in healthcare access and preventive program implementation contributed to the observed disparities. Limited data from some countries, particularly Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, highlight gaps in epidemiological surveillance. Conclusions: The cardiovascular disease burden in Central Asia demonstrates significant urban–rural disparities, underscoring the need for tailored public health interventions and enhanced healthcare resource allocation in rural regions. Strengthening epidemiological monitoring and implementing region-specific prevention programs targeting modifiable risk factors are imperative for reducing CVD morbidity and mortality. Further high-quality research is necessary to address existing data gaps and optimize cardiovascular health strategies across the region.

Background and Objectives: Leadless pacemakers provide an innovative alternative to traditional transvenous pacemakers for managing cardiac arrhythmias. The objective of this systematic review is to conduct a meta-analysis comparing acute complication and mortality rates associated with leadless pacemakers versus transvenous pacemaker placements using national-level data. Specifically, we aim to summarize the current evidence and calculate pooled odds ratios for acute overall complications, acute device-related complications, and acute mortality to assess the early safety outcomes of leadless pacemaker placement relative to traditional transvenous pacemakers. Materials and Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar was conducted by two independent researchers using a predefined search protocol. The search included articles published up to 10 October 2024, without limits on review depth. Studies were included if they provided national-level data comparing leadless pacemaker and traditional pacemaker recipients in terms of acute mortality, acute overall complications, and acute device-related complications. Outcomes were pooled to calculate odds ratios using a random-effects model in RStudio (version 2024.12.1+563). Results: A total of five studies met the eligibility criteria. The pooled odds ratio for acute mortality was 2.03 (95% CI: 0.65–6.34, I² = 99%; p < 0.01), for acute overall complications was 1.08 (95% CI: 0.45–2.61, I² = 99%; p < 0.01), and for acute device-related complications was 1.02 (95% CI: 0.23–4.44, I² = 99%; p < 0.01). Conclusions: The reviewed studies suggest that leadless pacemakers offer a promising alternative to transvenous pacemakers, offering a comparable short-term safety profile. Ongoing technological advancements may further enhance their applicability in clinical practice.

Background/Objectives: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia worldwide, with inflammatory cytokines increasingly implicated in its development, persistence, and post-ablation recurrence. However, prospective perioperative cytokine data from Central Asia are lacking. The objective of the study is to evaluate temporal changes in inflammatory cytokines in AF patients undergoing catheter ablation and assess differences by AF type and recurrence status. Methods: In this prospective observational study conducted at the Syzganov National Scientific Center of Surgery, Almaty, Kazakhstan, 166 AF patients (mean age 66.1 ± 8.2 years; 57.8% male) were enrolled. Serum cytokines were measured using ELISA at baseline, immediately postablation, and at 6 months. Temporal changes were analysed using Friedman and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, while between-group comparisons used Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Results: IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17A showed significant temporal changes (all p < 0.001). IL-6 increased immediately after ablation (0.088 to 0.122 pg/mL) before decreasing below baseline at 6 months (0.079 pg/mL). IL-17A progressively declined across all time points (0.073, 0.069, and 0.048 pg/mL). At 6 months, IL-1α levels were higher in primary versus recurrent AF (0.079 vs. 0.067 pg/mL; p = 0.047). Baseline IL-1β and IL-28A differed across AF subtypes (p = 0.040 and p = 0.014). No pre-operative cytokine independently predicted recurrence. Conclusions: AF ablation is associated with distinct cytokine trajectories, particularly for IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17A. Cytokine profiles vary by AF type and recurrence, highlighting the potential role of immune monitoring in AF management. These findings should be regarded as exploratory and hypothesis-generating.

Background/Objectives: Mental health problems among university students represent a growing public health concern and are shaped by both psychological and socioeconomic determinants that may act independently and interactively. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the separate and combined effects of these determinants on depression, anxiety, stress, and psychological distress in higher education students. Methods: A structured and targeted search strategy using predefined keyword groups and Boolean combinations across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar identified 99 records, of which 19 duplicates were removed. After screening 80 titles and 52 abstracts, 34 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 30 studies were ultimately included in the final review. Data were extracted on study characteristics, mental health outcomes, psychological determinants, socioeconomic factors, and their interactions. Results: The included studies consistently showed that psychological factors, including resilience, coping strategies, loneliness, self-efficacy, and perceived control, were associated with mental health outcomes, with higher resilience and self-efficacy linked to lower levels of depression and anxiety, and maladaptive coping and loneliness associated with increased psychological distress. Socioeconomic determinants, including financial stress, low socioeconomic status, parental education, housing insecurity, and food insecurity also independently contributed to elevated risks of depression, anxiety, and stress. Importantly, several studies demonstrated an interaction between these domains, where socioeconomic disadvantage amplified the adverse effects of poor coping capacity, low resilience, and social isolation, whereas social support and adaptive coping mitigated these effects. Conclusions: Student mental health is influenced by both distinct and interacting psychological and socioeconomic mechanisms, emphasizing the need for integrated institutional strategies that address structural vulnerabilities alongside individual psychological resilience.