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Acta Medica Iranica 2015Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a spiral-shaped gram negative bacterium that naturally colonizes the human gastric epithelium. In recent years, large evidence has... (Review)
Review
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a spiral-shaped gram negative bacterium that naturally colonizes the human gastric epithelium. In recent years, large evidence has come to the literature strongly proposing causal link between H. pylori and extra gastric disorders. Cardiovascular system is one of the extra gastric organs that can be affected by H. pylori infection. The first evidence suggestive of such an association comes from seroepidemiological evaluations, but histopathological and eradication studies have strongly confirmed existence of a causal association between H. pylori infection and cardiovascular events.
Topics: Atherosclerosis; Helicobacter Infections; Helicobacter pylori; Humans
PubMed: 25725176
DOI: No ID Found -
Annals of Palliative Medicine Jun 2021It was a meta-analysis on the efficacy of statins in the treatment of atherosclerosis. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
It was a meta-analysis on the efficacy of statins in the treatment of atherosclerosis.
METHODS
The PubMed, Medline, Embase, Web of Sciences, and other Chinese and English databases were used to retrieve literature on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of statins in the treatment of atherosclerosis, published from January 2000 to January 2021. The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Intervention 5.0.2 was used to conduct bias risk assessment, and Review Manager 5.3 software (RevMan) was used for meta-analysis.
RESULTS
A total of 12 articles with 1,180 participants were included in the meta-analysis. In the observation group, the plaque area [mean difference (MD) =-1.21; 95% confidence interval (CI): -2.03 to -0.38; Z =2.87; P=0.004], total cholesterol (TC) level (MD =-0.72; 95% CI: -1.01 to -0.43; Z =4.83; P<0.00001), triglyceride (TG) level (MD =-0.43; 95% CI: -0.76 to -0.09; Z =2.51; P=0.01), and the low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) level (MD =-0.79; 95% CI: -1.41 to -0.18; Z =2.54; P=0.01) were lower, while the clinical effective rate (MD =3.64; 95% CI: 1.39 to 9.53; Z =2.64; P=0.008) was higher, and the difference was notable. No notable difference was noted in intra-media thickness (IMT) (MD =-0.41; 95% CI: -0.88 to -0.06; Z =1.7; P=0.09), hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level (MD =-1.61; 95% CI: -3.59 to 0.37; Z =1.7; P=0.09), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) level (MD =0.14; 95% CI: -0.02 to 0.30; Z =2.54; P=0.09) between the 2 groups.
DISCUSSION
The use of statins in the treatment of atherosclerosis can reduce the levels of TC, TG, and LDL-C, mitigate clinical symptoms, and reduce blood lipids with good efficacy.
Topics: Atherosclerosis; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; Lipoproteins, LDL; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 34237978
DOI: 10.21037/apm-21-1243 -
Journal of Inflammation (London,... May 2023To perform a systematic literature review and meta-analysis on endothelial cell (EC) markers that are involved and dysregulated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
To perform a systematic literature review and meta-analysis on endothelial cell (EC) markers that are involved and dysregulated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in relation to disease activity, as EC dysregulation plays a major role in the development of premature atherosclerosis in SLE.
METHODS
Search terms were entered into Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Cochrane. Inclusion criteria were 1) studies published after 2000 reporting measurements of EC markers in serum and/or plasma of SLE patients (diagnosed according to ACR/SLICC criteria), 2) English language peer reviewed articles, and 3) disease activity measurement. For meta-analysis calculations, the Meta-Essentials tool by Erasmus Research Institute and of Management (ERIM) was used. Only those EC markers, which were 1) reported in at least two articles and 2) reported a correlation coefficient (i.e. Spearman's rank or Pearson's) between the measured levels of the EC marker and disease activity were included. For meta-analyses, a fixed effect model was used.
RESULTS
From 2133 hits, 123 eligible articles were selected. The identified SLE-related endothelial markers were involved in EC activation, EC apoptosis, disturbed angiogenesis, defective vascular tone control, immune dysregulation and coagulopathy. Meta-analyses of primarily cross-sectional studies showed significant associations between marker levels and disease activity for the following endothelial markers: Pentraxin-3, Thrombomodulin, VEGF, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, IP-10 and MCP-1. Dysregulated EC markers without associations with disease activity were: Angiopoeitin-2, vWF, P-Selectin, TWEAK and E-Selectin.
CONCLUSIONS
We provide a complete literature overview for dysregulated EC markers in SLE comprising a wide range of different EC functions. SLE-induced EC marker dysregulation was seen with, but also without, association with disease activity. This study provides some clarity in the eminent complex field of EC markers as biomarkers for SLE. Longitudinal data on EC markers in SLE are now needed to guide us more in unravelling the pathophysiology of premature atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events in SLE patients.
PubMed: 37194071
DOI: 10.1186/s12950-023-00342-1 -
Biomedicines Jan 2023Accumulating evidence considers psoriasis a systemic inflammatory disorder that is associated with comorbidities such as psoriatic arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and... (Review)
Review
Accumulating evidence considers psoriasis a systemic inflammatory disorder that is associated with comorbidities such as psoriatic arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. Although the precise pathogenetic links between psoriasis and atherosclerosis warrants further investigation, it is believed that chronic systemic inflammation along with the T helper (Th)-1 and Th17 polarization are associated with endothelial dysfunction and subsequent acceleration of atherosclerosis. Considering the above, several studies have evaluated if optimal control of the inflammation in psoriasis by inhibiting interleukins targeting the Interleukin (IL)-23/Th17 axis could subsequently reduce the atherosclerotic process during anti-psoriatic treatment by using a variety of surrogate markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. This systematic review summarizes current knowledge on the pathogenetic mechanisms and diagnostic evaluation of atherosclerosis in the context of psoriasis and provides a systematic review of the literature on the impact of treatment with biologics targeting the IL-23/Th17 axis on subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with plaque psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis.
PubMed: 36830855
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11020318 -
Virology Journal Feb 2018Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is closely associated with coronary heart disease. In 1987, Adam et al. were the first to report an association between HCMV... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is closely associated with coronary heart disease. In 1987, Adam et al. were the first to report an association between HCMV infection and atherosclerosis (AS), and later, many serum epidemiology and molecular biology studies showed that HCMV-infected endothelial cells play an important role in the development of AS. As patients with HCMV are generally susceptible to coronary heart disease, and with the increasing elderly population, a review of recent studies focusing on the relationships of HCMV infection and coronary heart disease is timely and necessary.
SHORT CONCLUSION
The role of HCMV infection in the development of AS needs further study, since many remaining issues need to be explored and resolved. For example, whether HCMV promotes the development of coronary AS, and what the independent factors that lead to coronary artery AS by viral infection are. A comprehensive understanding of HCMV infection is needed in order to develop better strategies for preventing AS.
Topics: Animals; Atherosclerosis; Blood Coagulation; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation; Coronary Disease; Cytomegalovirus; Cytomegalovirus Infections; Disease Models, Animal; Endothelial Cells; Humans; Immunomodulation; Inflammasomes; Lipid Metabolism; Population Surveillance
PubMed: 29409508
DOI: 10.1186/s12985-018-0937-3 -
Journal of Vascular Surgery Oct 2017Intermittent claudication (IC) is frequently associated with deterioration in walking capacity and physical function, and it can often result in an impairment in... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Intermittent claudication (IC) is frequently associated with deterioration in walking capacity and physical function, and it can often result in an impairment in balance. Whereas supervised exercise is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence as the first-line treatment, the mechanism behind walking improvement is poorly understood. The existing literature suggests that there may be some physiologic change to the skeletal muscle contributing to the functional impairment, but these data are conflicting. We therefore sought to undertake a systematic review to clarify the muscle properties of patients with IC.
METHODS
A systematic review of randomized and nonrandomized trials that investigated the role of muscle function in patients diagnosed with IC was undertaken using MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase databases. The searches were limited from 1947 to June 2016 in the English language.
RESULTS
The search yielded a total of 506 articles, of which 206 were duplicate articles. Of the remaining 300, a total of 201 were excluded from full-text analysis; 99 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, with 30 articles deemed appropriate for inclusion in the review. There were four main categories of functional outcome measures: muscle strength, muscle size, muscle fiber type, and muscle metabolism. A total of 2837 patients were included in the study. Nine studies reported on muscle strength, incorporating isometric, concentric, eccentric, and endurance measures. Eight studies reported on muscle size, incorporating circumference, computed tomography scans, and ultrasound imaging techniques. Eleven studies reported on muscle fibers, incorporating fiber type proportions, fiber size, and capillarity measures. Seven papers reported on muscle metabolism, incorporating adenosine diphosphate recovery and phosphocreatine recovery measures.
CONCLUSIONS
Previous literature has found clear evidence that strength (of the calf and thigh musculature) and calf characteristics are related to mortality and functional declines. However, this review has demonstrated the vast array of muscle groups assessed and multiple methods employed to determine strength; therefore, it is unclear exactly what measure of "strength" is impaired. Furthermore, the underlying morphologic causes of potential changes in strength are unclear. This information is essential for designing optimal exercise interventions. The data acquired during this systematic review are heterogeneous, with a substantial lack of high-quality intervention-based studies. Future research should endeavor to establish standardized testing procedures and to implement randomized controlled trials for targeted therapeutic interventions.
Topics: Aged; Angioplasty; Exercise Therapy; Exercise Tolerance; Female; Humans; Intermittent Claudication; Lower Extremity; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Strength; Muscle, Skeletal; Peripheral Arterial Disease; Recovery of Function; Treatment Outcome; Walking
PubMed: 28822657
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2017.05.106 -
Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular... Jul 2017Carotid atherosclerosis is responsible for ~20% of ischemic strokes, but it is unclear whether carotid disease is associated with the presence of downstream silent brain... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Carotid atherosclerosis is responsible for ~20% of ischemic strokes, but it is unclear whether carotid disease is associated with the presence of downstream silent brain infarction (SBI). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to study the relationship between SBI and 2 separate manifestations of carotid atherosclerosis, carotid intima-media thickening (IMT) and luminal stenosis.
METHODS
Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, and the Cochrane Library Database were searched with an additional search of references and citing articles of target studies. Articles were included if they reported an association between carotid IMT or stenosis and magnetic resonance imaging-defined SBI, excluding SBIs found after carotid intervention.
RESULTS
We pooled 7 studies of carotid IMT reporting on 1469 subjects with SBI and 5102 subjects without SBI. Subjects with SBI had a larger mean IMT than subjects without SBI (pooled standardized mean difference, .37; 95% confidence interval [CI], .23-.51; P < .0001). We pooled 11 studies of carotid stenosis reporting on 12,347 subjects (2110 subjects with carotid stenosis and 10,237 subjects without carotid stenosis). We found a higher prevalence of SBI among subjects with carotid stenosis (30.4% versus 17.4%). Our pooled random-effects analysis showed a significant positive relationship between carotid stenosis and SBI (odds ratio, 2.78; 95% CI, 2.19-3.52; P < .0001).
CONCLUSIONS
Two forms of atherosclerotic disease, carotid IMT and stenosis, are both significantly associated with SBI. This review highlights a lack of consistent definitions for carotid disease measures and little evidence evaluating SBI prevalence downstream from carotid stenosis.
Topics: Asymptomatic Diseases; Brain Infarction; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Carotid Stenosis; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Odds Ratio; Prognosis; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Severity of Illness Index
PubMed: 28318958
DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2017.02.028 -
Journal of Women's Health (2002) Jun 2022Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine pathology affecting women of reproductive age characterized by chronic anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine pathology affecting women of reproductive age characterized by chronic anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis and prognostic of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Some studies have shown that women with PCOS have a greater risk of CAC; however, a few others report contrary findings. The objective of this study is to examine and quantify the association between PCOS and CAC. We searched EMBASE, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science from inception to November 2021 to identify studies that provided information on PCOS and CAC. We used a random-effects model to aggregate the odds ratios (ORs) for CAC (score >0) among women with PCOS compared with controls adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and CVD risk factors. From the 36 articles reviewed, 3 prospective cohort and 4 cross-sectional studies met the inclusion criteria with a total of 2341 participants. Six studies used CAC > 0 as an outcome and were included in the pooled analysis. Using the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman method, the pooled adjusted ORs for the associations between PCOS and the presence of CAC were 2.48 (95% confidence interval: 2.11-2.84) with no significant heterogeneity ( = 0.10%, = 0.97) for the cohort studies and 1.88 (0.71-3.06) with no significant heterogeneity ( = 13.95%, = 0.87) for the cross-sectional studies. In pooled analyses, women with PCOS had approximately twofold greater odds of having CAC compared with women without PCOS. However, additional prospective studies will be needed to further understand the relationship between PCOS and CAC.
Topics: Coronary Artery Disease; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 35575750
DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2021.0608 -
Advances in Respiratory Medicine Aug 2022There is a lot of evidence to suggest that patients infected with the COVID-19 and influenza viruses are at risk of atherosclerosis. Additionally, there are... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
There is a lot of evidence to suggest that patients infected with the COVID-19 and influenza viruses are at risk of atherosclerosis. Additionally, there are heterogeneous studies on the risk of arthrosclerosis in patients infected with the influenza and COVID-19 viruses. We conducted a case−control and cross-sectional study and examined the association between the risk of atherosclerosis, and influenza virus (IV-A and IV-B) and COVID-19 infections in this study. We searched for keywords such as influenza virus, COVID-19 and atherosclerosis in English and Persian in well-known databases such as PubMed, SID, Magiran and Google Scholar. In this study, we analyzed the information using a meta-analysis, the random effect model, the I2 index and STAT (version 11.2). The results from the analysis of ten studies on influenza virus and nine studies on COVID-19 reviewed individually (totaling 6428 samples for influenza virus infections and 10,785 samples for COVID-19 infections) demonstrated a risk of arthrosclerosis in patients with influenza and COVID-19 infections, with an OR (odds ratio) = 0.45 ((95% CI): 0.25 to 0.64) and an OR (odds ratio) = 1.04 ((95% CI): 0.82 to 1.26), respectively. The present study provides new insights into the risk of atherosclerosis in patients infected with the COVID-19 and influenza viruses. Therefore, it seems necessary to consider different strategies for managing and eradicating viral infections among individuals.
Topics: Atherosclerosis; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Influenza, Human; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 36004963
DOI: 10.3390/arm90040043 -
BMC Pediatrics Oct 2015Adiposity in childhood is associated with later cardiovascular disease (CVD), but it is unclear whether this relationship is independent of other risk factors... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Adiposity in childhood is associated with later cardiovascular disease (CVD), but it is unclear whether this relationship is independent of other risk factors experienced in later life, such as smoking and hypertension. Carotid-intima media thickness (cIMT) is a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis that may be used to assess CVD risk in young people. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between adiposity and cIMT in children and adolescents.
METHODS
We searched Medline, Embase, Global Health, and CINAHL Plus electronic databases (1980-2014). Population-based observational studies that reported a measure of association between objectively-measured adiposity and cIMT in childhood were included in this review.
RESULTS
Twenty-two cross-sectional studies were included (n = 7,366 children and adolescents). Thirteen of nineteen studies conducted in adolescent populations (mean age ≥ 12 years, n = 5,986) reported positive associations between cIMT and adiposity measures (correlation coefficients 0.13 to 0.59). Three studies of pre-adolescent populations (n = 1,380) reported mixed evidence, two studies finding no evidence of a correlation, and one an inverse relationship between skinfolds and cIMT. Included studies did not report an adiposity threshold for subclinical atherosclerosis.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on studies conducted mostly in Western Europe and the US, adiposity does not appear to be associated with cIMT in pre-adolescents, but may be associated in adolescents. If further studies confirm these findings, a focus on cardiovascular disease prevention efforts in pre-adolescence, before arterial changes have emerged, may be justified.
Topics: Adiposity; Adolescent; Atherosclerosis; Body Mass Index; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Global Health; Humans; Morbidity; Risk Factors
PubMed: 26475608
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-015-0478-5