Role of circulating Interleukin-7 (IL-7) and its inverse correlation with Pulmonary arterial hypertension
The team at the pediatric cardiology and critical care department at Hanover medical school in Germany, including Franziska Diekmann, Ekaterina Legchenko, Philippe Chouvarine, Ralf Lichtinghagen, Harald Bertram, Christoph M. Happel, and Georg Hansmann, recently published a study investigating the role of circulating Interleukin-7(IL-7) and its inverse correlation with the Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in humans….
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Pigmentation Affects Elastic Fiber Patterning and Biomechanical Behavior of the Murine Aortic Valve
Sana Nasim, Popular Pandey, Rosemerie M. Kanashiro-Takeuchi, Jin He, Joshua D. Hutcheson, and Lisi Kos recently published a paper looking at the relationship between aortic valve pigmentation and elasticity, building on their previously-published work. Their full manuscript is publicly available in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. Here, we summarize their findings. The aortic valve is necessary for unidirectional…
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Study Explores Size Ratio in Aortic Valve Leaflets and Root Using CT Imaging
This is a summary of the study conducted by Tianyang Yang, Haini Wen, Ismail El-Hamamsy, Qiming Ni, Yanbin Sun, and Dan Zhu available to read here entitled “Relationship Between Leaflets and Root in Normal Aortic Valve Based on Computed Tomography Imaging: Implication for Aortic Valve Repair” published in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine in November 2021. This study explores the…
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Using Deep Learning for Tricuspid Valve Segmentation in HLHS Patients
Christian Herz and colleagues recently published a research report on their novel, deep learning-based approach to tricuspid valve segmentation in pediatric patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Their full manuscript is publicly available on Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. Here, we summarize their findings. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a severe congenital heart defect that…
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Study Finds Predictive Polling Useful in Disease Forecasting
This is a summary of the study “Using prediction polling to harness collective intelligence for disease forecasting” by Tara Kirk Sell, Kelsey Lane Warmbrod, Crystal Watson, Marc Trotochaud, Elena Martin, Sanjana J. Ravi, Maurice Balick, and Emile Servan-Schreiber, and published on BMC Public Health’s website. Please click here to view the original article and Creative Commons license for the…
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Diagnostic Modalities in Critical Care: Point-of-Care Approach
In December of 2022, Sasa Rajsic, Robert Breitkopf, Mirjam Bachler, and Benedikt Treml published a useful review on current point of care (POC) diagnostic modalities in critical care. Here, we summarize their review for our readers; their full manuscript is available online. Since the organization of the first intensive care unit (ICU) in the 1950s in…
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Case Report: Sclerodermiform Dermatitis After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft with an Internal Thoracic Artery Conduit
In November of 2021, Caroline Gerhardt and colleagues published a report on the first case of sclerodermiform dermatitis at an internal thoracic artery donor graft site. Here we summarize their findings, which are a cautionary tale for those providing post-operative care for patients who undergo a coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedure using the internal…
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Case Report: Use of VA-ECMO as opposed to CPB in PE treatment
This is a summary of a case study entitled “Surgical pulmonary embolectomy on VA-ECMO” reported by Rachel Steinhorn, Adam A. Dalia, Edward A. Bittner, and Marvin G. Chang, analyzing the use of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) as opposed to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in a patient undergoing treatment for pulmonary embolism. The full study is…
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Deep Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest Outcomes in Type A Aortic Dissection Patients
This is a summary of a research study conducted by Xinghua Peng, Ganhua Zeng, Yan Li, and Longren Cai and published in 2021 on PubMed entitled “Analysis of poor prognostic factors of cerebral nerve after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest in patients with type A aortic dissection.” The study examines the cerebral nerve prognosis of patients…
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Frailty Impacts on Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair
This is a summary of a research study and statistical analysis conducted by Joseph Hayada, Zachary Tran, Yas Sanaiha, Esteban Aguayo, Vishal Dobaria, Marcella Calfon Press, and Peyman Benharash entitled “Impact of frailty on short term outcomes, resource use, and readmissions after transcatheter mitral valve repair: A national analysis.” This study analyzes data on the…
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Heparin sourcing and best practices for use in cardiopulmonary bypass
In this detailed review, Shane Pullins, M.S., C.C.P, provides an overview of the history of heparin sourcing and best practices for heparin use in cardiopulmonary bypass. This is a useful resource for clinicians and students interested in learning more about a drug critical to our practice. History of heparin sourcing Historically, commercial heparin isolation and…
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Hyperglycemia and Thrombocytopenia Increase the Risk of Mortality in Patients with AMI Undergoing VA-ECMO
In December of 2021, Yusuke Okadome and colleagues published a retrospective study on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients who had undergone VA-ECMO to better understand clinical indicators that could predict mortality in this group. Here we summarize their findings; their full manuscript is available on PubMed. Patients who show potential to recover from cardiogenic shock following…
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