Background Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is the treatment of choice for patients with acute and chronic coronary syndromes as it reduces mortality and prevents recurrent thrombotic complications. The assessment of both ischaemic burden and bleeding risk is crucial in deciding which DAPT to choose and how long it should be continued. Objectives The aim of our study was to perform prospective clinical follow-up of patients receiving fixed-dose combination therapy (ASA 75 mg + clopidogrel 75 mg). Our study is a multicentric, cross-sectional, observational, cohort study. Methods A total of 1500 patients who were started on fixed-dose combination DAPT for acute or chronic coronary syndrome were included in the study. Primary endpoints were hospitalization for any reason, hospitalization for cardiovascular cause, acute myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, target vessel revascularization and bleeding; the secondary endpoints were death for any reason or cardiovascular cause and stroke. The significance level adopted in the statistical analysis was 5%. Results Median age was 63 years; 78.5% of the patients were receiving DAPT treatment for acute coronary syndrome. The rates of hospitalization for cardiovascular reasons, acute myocardial infartion, stent thrombosis and target-vessel revascularization were 7.9%, 2.3%, 1.3% and 4.2%, respectively. While the rate of BARC type 1 bleeding was 3.3%, the rate of BARC type 5, 3, or 2 bleeding was 0.6%. The secondary endpoints which were death from any cause, cardiovascular death and stroke were 0.5%, 0.3% and 0.3%, respectively. Conclusion: Our study shows that fixed-dose combination therapy is effective and safe in appropriately selected patients with acute or chronic coronary syndromes.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (Hs-cTnI) and D-dimer on in-hospital mortality of adult patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Materials and Methods: The COVID-19 outbreak, a global health disaster, has resulted in significant morbidity and mortality around the world since it emerged in December 2019. The outbreak has gradually spread nationwide. COVID-19 is associated with hemostatic abnormalities and cardiac injury. This retrospective cohort study included a total of 221 adult inpatients. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was made according to the World Health Organization's interim guideline and confirmed by RNA detection of SARS-CoV-2. Participants were divided into 2 groups, survivors and non-survivors. Results: Hs-cTnI and D-dimer levels on admission were significantly higher in non-survivors COVID-19 patients (p18.6 ng/L for hs-cTnI to predict in-hospital mortality of adult patients with COVID-19 with 100% sensitivity and 74% specificity, and a cut-off value of > 1.41 mg/L for D-dimer with 93.3% sensitivity and 71.5% specificity. Conclusion: High-sensitivity cardiac troponin I and D-dimer levels on admission predict in-hospital mortality of adult patients with COVID-19.

Aim: To compare the effectiveness of thromboembolic risk scores in determining in-hospital events of COVID-19 patients. Methods: This retrospective study included a total of 410 consecutive COVID-1... Plain language summary COVID-19 continues to be a pandemic that threatens human health all over the world. The main aim of our study was to examine the relationship between risk scores routinely us... Tweetable abstract Thromboembolism has been of paramount importance in further understanding the pathophysiology of COVID-19. Learn more about the association of various thromboembolism risk scores...

Background: Achieving target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) frequently requires combination lipid-lowering therapy. Single-pill combination (SPC) regimens may improve adherence compared with free-dose combinations (FDC) in real-world clinical practice. Methods: This retrospective observational study included 450 ASCVD patients with baseline LDL-C levels of 70–189 mg/dL who were followed in cardiology outpatient clinics between January 2023 and December 2024. Patients received atorvastatin–ezetimibe either as a single-pill combination (SPC, n = 392) or as a free-dose combination (FDC, n = 58). Primary endpoints were LDL-C reduction and treatment adherence (≥ 80% of prescribed doses). Secondary endpoints included LDL-C target attainment and adverse events. Non-parametric tests and chi-square/Fisher’s exact tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: At 1 month, LDL-C levels were significantly lower in the SPC group compared with the FDC group (90.6 vs. 119 mg/dL; p = 0.005), and adherence was higher (89.8% vs. 70.7%; p < 0.001). At 4 months, LDL-C levels were comparable between groups, while continuous adherence remained significantly higher in the SPC group (86% vs. 69%; p = 0.001). A higher proportion of SPC-treated patients achieved LDL-C < 100 mg/dL at 1 month (81.9% vs. 67.2%; p = 0.009). Conclusions: In this real-world ASCVD cohort, SPC therapy with atorvastatin and ezetimibe was associated with superior adherence and comparable lipid-lowering efficacy despite lower statin doses. Fixed-dose combination strategies may represent an effective approach to optimize adherence and cardiovascular risk management.

Introduction: Early detection of muscle loss and prediction of prognosis in cancer patients are of great importance for clinical management. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between temporal muscle thickness changes over time and clinical outcomes in patients with advanced solid cancer, and to evaluate the prognostic value of temporal muscle loss rate in predicting 90-day mortality. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, patients with advanced solid cancer who had at least two cranial computed tomography scans during follow-up were included. Temporal muscle thickness was measured on both the right and left sides at two different time points, and the temporal muscle loss rate (mm/month) was calculated. Demographic data, laboratory parameters, and anthropometric measurements were obtained from patient records. Factors predicting mortality were evaluated using logistic regression analysis, and prognostic performance was assessed by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Results: A total of 57 patients were included in the study. 90-day mortality occurred in 78.9% of patients. Neutrophil levels were significantly higher in the mortality group, while albumin and magnesium levels were significantly lower. Baseline temporal muscle thickness measurements were not associated with mortality; however, right and left temporal muscle loss rate were significantly higher in the mortality group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified left temporal muscle loss rate and neutrophil level as independent predictors of mortality. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated good discriminative performance, with the left temporal muscle loss rate exhibiting superior predictive ability. Conclusion: Temporal muscle loss rate may serve as a useful dynamic biomarker for predicting short-term mortality in patients with advanced solid cancer.