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Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy May 2024Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) carriers may develop adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), or HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM)/tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP)....
INTRODUCTION
Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) carriers may develop adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), or HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (HAM)/tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP). The evidence is limited regarding other diseases potentially associated with HTLV-1, such as HTLV-1-associated autoimmune diseases.
AREA COVERED
We summarized the available information on complications associated with HTLV-1 infection.
EXPERT OPINION
Previous studies showed that HTLV-1 carriers have an increased incidence of collagen diseases including Sjögren's syndrome, as well as dysthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and atherosclerosis. Furthermore, cognitive deficits are observed in asymptomatic carriers and in symptomatic carriers who develop HAM/TSP. It is hypothesized that altered immunoregulation occurs as a result of persistent HTLV-1 infection. A systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated that HTLV-1 infection itself has an adverse impact on overall survival. ATL alone cannot entirely explain the adverse impact of HTLV-1 infection on overall mortality, because the incidence is low, and therefore HTLV-1-associated diseases as a whole may contribute to the inferior clinical outcome. However, there are insufficient data to determine the causal relationship between HTLV-1 infection and each complication. While non-cancerous events linked to HTLV-1 infection are not fatal, they are likely to reduce quality of life. Large prospective studies should be conducted by international collaborators.
Topics: Humans; Autoimmune Diseases; Carrier State; HTLV-I Infections; Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell; Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic
PubMed: 38536666
DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2024.2336547 -
Journal of Cardiology Jul 2024Atherosclerosis is a chronic, progressive cardiovascular disease characterized by cholesterol deposition within blood vessel walls. Recent literature has suggested that... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Atherosclerosis is a chronic, progressive cardiovascular disease characterized by cholesterol deposition within blood vessel walls. Recent literature has suggested that the NLRP3 [NOD (nucleotide oligomerization domain)-, LRR (leucine-rich repeat)-, and PYD (pyrin domain)-containing protein 3] inflammasome is a key mediator in the development, progression, and destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques. This review aims to evaluate the current literature on the role of NLRP3 in human atherosclerosis. This systematic review was registered on the PROSPERO database (ID = CRD42022340039) and involved the search of a total of 8 databases. Records were screened in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 20 studies were included and quality assessed using the NIH: NHLBI tool. Six were eligible for meta-analysis using RevMan 5.4.1. We identified 20 relevant articles representing 3388 participants. NLRP3 mRNA levels and downstream cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 were found to be associated with atherosclerotic disease. Fold changes in NLRP3 mRNA levels were most strongly associated with high risk atherosclerotic disease, compared to controls [0.84 (95 % CI: 0.41-1.28)]. IL-1β mRNA fold change was more robustly associated with high-risk atherosclerotic disease [0.61 (95 % CI: 0.10-1.13)] than IL-18 [0.47 (95 % CI: 0.02-0.91)]. NLRP3, IL-1β, and IL-18 are associated with high-risk atherosclerotic disease. However, given the scope of this review, the role of this inflammasome and its cytokine counterparts in acting as prognosticators of coronary artery disease severity is unclear. Several upstream activators such as cholesterol crystals are involved in the canonical or non-canonical activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and its downstream cytokines. These findings highlight the necessity for further research to delineate the exact mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and potential drug targets.
Topics: NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; Humans; Atherosclerosis; Inflammasomes; Interleukin-18; Interleukin-1beta
PubMed: 38521117
DOI: 10.1016/j.jjcc.2024.03.003 -
Annals of Vascular Surgery Jul 2024This Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) sought to evaluate the efficacy of different endovascular treatments for femoropopliteal artery in-stent restenosis (FP-ISR). (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
This Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) sought to evaluate the efficacy of different endovascular treatments for femoropopliteal artery in-stent restenosis (FP-ISR).
METHODS
PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of science for clinical trials from database inception to March 31, 2023, with no language restrictions to retrieve randomized controlled trials or cohort studies evaluating the impact of any kind of endovascular treatments for FP-ISR. Pair-wise meta-analysis and Bayesian NMA were performed to pool the outcome estimates different endovascular treatments. The primary end points under consideration were primary patency rates at both 6-month and 12-month follow-up.
RESULTS
A total of 15 studies with 1,424 patients were ultimately enrolled to be analyzed, 7 types of endovascular treatment were identified for comparison. In terms of primary patency and freedom from target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 6-month and12-month follow-up, the direct meta-analysis findings showed that drug-coated balloons (DCB) and covered stent (CS) are considerably superior to plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA), Excimer laser atherectomy (ELA) + DCB is significantly better than DCB. According to the meta-analysis based on Bayesian theory, during the 6-month and 12-months follow-up, we could not find significant difference between the different treatments in terms of the primary patency and the freedom from TLR, based on the surface values under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA), CS was considered the best treatment in terms of primary patency (6 months SUCRA = 85.2; 12 months SUCRA = 78.9) and freedom from TLR (6 months SUCRA = 84.9; 12 months SUCRA = 70.9); directional atherectomy + POBA may lead to higher survival rate at 12 months (SUCRA = 89.1) than others treatments; in addition, both ELA + POBA and ELA + DCB have higher limb salvage than POBA.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this NMA suggest that CS showed positive encouraging results in primary patency and TLR in FP-ISR at 6 and 12 months. However, due to the potential influence of certain confounding factors, the long-term results necessitate validation through numerous randomized controlled trials.
Topics: Aged; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Angioplasty, Balloon; Bayes Theorem; Coated Materials, Biocompatible; Endovascular Procedures; Femoral Artery; Network Meta-Analysis; Peripheral Arterial Disease; Popliteal Artery; Recurrence; Risk Factors; Stents; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Vascular Patency
PubMed: 38492725
DOI: 10.1016/j.avsg.2023.12.081 -
European Journal of Gastroenterology &... May 2024Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), characterized by hepatic steatosis without heavy alcohol consumption or other chronic conditions, encompasses a spectrum from... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), characterized by hepatic steatosis without heavy alcohol consumption or other chronic conditions, encompasses a spectrum from non-alcoholic fatty liver to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis leading to cirrhosis. This analysis aimed to investigate the correlation between NAFLD and carotid intimal media thickness (C-IMT), a non-invasive surrogate for atherosclerosis.
METHODOLOGY
Database searches, including PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library, yielded studies up to April 2023. Included were studies exploring the NAFLD-C-IMT relationship in populations aged >18 years. Exclusions comprised non-English papers, those involving animals or pediatric populations and studies lacking control groups.
RESULTS
No statistical significance was noted between mild and moderate NAFLD compared to the control group regarding C-IMT [95% confidence intervals (CI): -0.03, 0.12] and (95% CI: -0.03, 0.21), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference only in the Severe NAFLD group ( P value 0.03). NAFLD with and without metabolic syndrome showed statistically significant differences compared to control regarding C-IMT (95% CI: 0.04, 0.12) and (95% CI: 0.01, 0.07), respectively. Fifty-nine studies were mentioned without classification of NAFLD severity and revealed a high statistically significant difference between NAFLD and controls regarding C-IMT with (95% CI: 0.09, 0.12, P < 0.00001). Stratified analysis according to sex was done in two studies and revealed statistical differences between NAFLD and control regarding C-IMT in both groups.
CONCLUSION
This meta-analysis underscores a significant association between NAFLD and increased C-IMT, emphasizing the importance of assessing C-IMT in NAFLD patients to identify cardiovascular risk and tailor therapeutic interventions for improved patient outcomes.
Topics: Animals; Child; Humans; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Atherosclerosis; Metabolic Syndrome; Carotid Arteries; Risk Factors
PubMed: 38489662
DOI: 10.1097/MEG.0000000000002721 -
Angiology Mar 2024The aim of this review was to perform a critical appraisal of serum inflammatory biomarkers used for the prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. We conducted a... (Review)
Review
The aim of this review was to perform a critical appraisal of serum inflammatory biomarkers used for the prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. We conducted a systematic review of studies listed on MEDLINE and Scopus from January 2000 to December 2023, focused on the prognostic value of serum inflammatory biomarkers [i.e., C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] in individuals without known CVD. Eligible studies used a multivariate prediction model and included discrimination or risk reclassification analysis. The Quality in Prognostic Studies (QUIPS) tool was used to evaluate study quality and potential bias. Thirty-five studies (i.e., total 208,897 participants) that evaluated the added prognostic value of CRP, IL-6, TNF-α on CVD risk prediction were retrieved. Significant improvements in CVD risk model's predictive ability were observed in 7 out of 32 studies relating CRP and 1 out of 8 studies relating IL-6 with CVD risk. The single study found no added prognostic value of TNF-α use in CVD risk model. The integration of serum inflammatory biomarkers into CVD risk prediction models does not appear to improve risk discrimination models, suggesting that these biomarkers may act as surrogate markers, but not as predictors of atherosclerotic CVD.
PubMed: 38486395
DOI: 10.1177/00033197241239691 -
Endocrine Mar 2024Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is one of the most common inherited diseases characterized by elevated LDL-cholesterol levels, leading to early-onset atherosclerosis.... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is one of the most common inherited diseases characterized by elevated LDL-cholesterol levels, leading to early-onset atherosclerosis. While the association between FH and coronary and carotid artery disease is well-established, its association with peripheral artery disease (PAD) is less robust. This systematic review aims at exploring existing evidence on PAD prevalence and incidence in FH individuals.
METHODS
A comprehensive search was conducted on MEDLINE and Embase databases, for studies published between January 2013 and December 2023, evaluating prevalence and incidence of PAD in FH patients. Literature reviews, case reports, responses to editors and non-English language articles were excluded.
RESULTS
The initial research provided 53 results. After article screening, 28 articles were fully reviewed and 24 were finally included in the analysis. Among these, 19 reported PAD prevalence, while 5 PAD incidence over a mean follow-up time of 8.7 years. PAD prevalence and incidence ranged from 0.3 to 60% and from 0.5 to 4.2% respectively, probably reflecting the heterogeneity in PAD definition criteria.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review sheds light on the limited number of studies on PAD in FH patients. Particularly, considering the potential positive effects of newly available lipid-lowering strategies on PAD outcomes, addressing this research gap is pivotal for a more comprehensive understanding of peripheral vascular manifestations in FH patients and for optimal management of this population.
PubMed: 38457056
DOI: 10.1007/s12020-024-03763-x -
Journal of the European Academy of... Jun 2024Immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) patients including psoriasis, inflammatory arthritides and bowel diseases have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Comparative Study Review
Reducing cardiovascular risk in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases: Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors compared to conventional therapies-A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) patients including psoriasis, inflammatory arthritides and bowel diseases have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular (CV) diseases compared to the general population. The increased CV risk may be promoted by tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α-mediated immunological processes, which are present both in the pathomechanism of IMIDs and atherosclerosis. Our objective was to comprehensively investigate the effect of TNF inhibitors (TNFi) on CV risk compared with conventional therapies in IMIDs. The systematic literature search was conducted in three databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library) on 14 November 2022. Randomized controlled trials, cohort and case-control studies were eligible for inclusion. Outcomes consisted of the incidence of CV events, with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) as a main endpoint. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed by pooling fully adjusted multivariate hazard ratios (HR) and incidence rate ratios (IRR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) comparing TNFis with conventional systemic non-biologicals (CSNBs). Of a total of 8724 search results, 56 studies were included overall, of which 29 articles were eligible for the meta-analysis, and 27 were involved in the systematic review. Including all IMIDs, the TNFi group showed a significantly reduced risk of MACE compared with the CSNB group (HR = 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58-0.95, p = 0.025; IRR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.67-0.88, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis of Pso, PsA patients by pooling IRRs also confirmed the significantly decreased risk of MACE in TNFi-treated patients compared with CSNB groups (IRR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.64-0.98). The observational nature of most included studies leading to high heterogeneity represents a limitation. Based on the results, TNFis may reduce the risk of CV events compared to CSNBs. Therefore, earlier use of TNFis compared to conventional systemic agents in the therapeutic sequence may benefit CV risk in IMID patients.
Topics: Humans; Cardiovascular Diseases; Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors; Psoriasis; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Heart Disease Risk Factors
PubMed: 38433519
DOI: 10.1111/jdv.19900 -
Journal of Translational Medicine Feb 2024Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death around the world. Most CVDs-related death can be prevented by the optimal management of risk factors such...
Quality appraisal and descriptive analysis of clinical practice guidelines for self-managed non-pharmacological interventions of cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review.
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death around the world. Most CVDs-related death can be prevented by the optimal management of risk factors such as unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for CVDs, provide some evidence-based recommendations which help healthcare professionals to achieve the best care for patients with CVDs. This systematic review aims to appraise the methodological quality of CPGs systematically and summarize the recommendations of self-managed non-pharmacological interventions for the prevention and management of CVDs provided by the selected guidelines.
METHODS
A comprehensive electronic literature search was conducted via six databases (PubMed, Medline, The Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science), seven professional heart association websites, and nine guideline repositories. The Appraisal of Guidelines, Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument was adopted to critically appraise the methodological quality of the selected guidelines. Content analysis was used to summarise recommended self-managed non-pharmacological interventions for CVDs.
RESULTS
Twenty-three CPGs regarding different CVDs were included, in which four guidelines of CVDs, three for coronary heart diseases, seven for heart failure, two for atrial fibrillation, three for stroke, three for peripheral arterial disease, and one for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Twenty CPGs were appraised as high quality, and three CPGs as moderate quality. All twenty-three CPGs were recommended for use with or without modification. The domain of "Editorial Independence" had the highest standardized percentage (93.47%), whereas the domain of "Applicability" had the lowest mean domain score of 75.41%. The content analysis findings summarised some common self-managed non-pharmacological interventions, which include healthy diet, physical activity, smoking cessation, alcohol control, and weight management. Healthy diet and physical acidity are the most common and agreed on self-managed interventions for patients with CVDs. There are some inconsistencies identified in the details of recommended interventions, the intervention itself, the grade of recommendation, and the supported level of evidence.
CONCLUSION
The majority of the summarized non-pharmacological interventions were strongly recommended with moderate to high-quality levels of evidence. Healthcare professionals and researchers can adopt the results of this review to design self-managed non-pharmacological interventions for patients with CVDs.
Topics: Humans; Cardiovascular Diseases; Heart Failure; Peripheral Arterial Disease; Self-Management; Practice Guidelines as Topic
PubMed: 38424641
DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-04959-5 -
Clinical Nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Apr 2024Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) provides data on short-term glycemic variability (GV). GV is associated with adverse outcomes in individuals with diabetes. Whether... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Glycemic variability assessed using continuous glucose monitoring in individuals without diabetes and associations with cardiometabolic risk markers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND & AIMS
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) provides data on short-term glycemic variability (GV). GV is associated with adverse outcomes in individuals with diabetes. Whether GV is associated with cardiometabolic risk in individuals without diabetes is unclear. We systematically reviewed the literature to assess whether GV is associated with cardiometabolic risk markers or outcomes in individuals without diabetes.
METHODS
Searches were performed in PubMed/Medline, Embase and Cochrane from inception through April 2022. Two researchers were involved in study selection, data extraction and quality assessment. Studies evaluating GV using CGM for ≥24 h were included. Studies in populations with acute and/or critical illness were excluded. Both narrative synthesis and meta-analyzes were performed, depending on outcome.
RESULTS
Seventy-one studies were included; the majority were cross-sectional. Multiple measures of GV are higher in individuals with compared to without prediabetes and GV appears to be inversely associated with beta cell function. In contrast, GV is not clearly associated with insulin sensitivity, fatty liver disease, adiposity, blood lipids, blood pressure or oxidative stress. However, GV may be positively associated with the degree of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events in individuals with coronary disease.
CONCLUSION
GV is elevated in prediabetes, potentially related to beta cell dysfunction, but less clearly associated with obesity or traditional risk factors. GV is associated with coronary atherosclerosis development and may predict cardiovascular events and type 2 diabetes. Prospective studies are warranted, investigating the predictive power of GV in relation to incident disease. GV may be an important risk measure also in individuals without diabetes.
Topics: Humans; Blood Glucose; Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; Cardiovascular Diseases; Continuous Glucose Monitoring; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Prediabetic State
PubMed: 38401227
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2024.02.014 -
Liver International : Official Journal... May 2024The beneficial effect of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication by direct antiviral agents (DAAs) on liver fibrosis is well defined. Despite this, the impact of viral... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
The beneficial effect of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication by direct antiviral agents (DAAs) on liver fibrosis is well defined. Despite this, the impact of viral eradication in both hepatic and extra-hepatic metabolic features is underreached. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the evidence on the impact of HCV eradication by DAAs on liver steatosis, carotid atherosclerosis, glucidic impairment, dyslipidaemia, and weight gain.
METHODS
A systematic search of the existing literature (up to December 2022) identified 97 original studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria.
RESULTS
Whereas total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) seem to increase after viral eradication, the cardiovascular damage expressed as carotid plaques and intima-media thickness seems to improve. Otherwise, the effect on liver steatosis, glucidic homeostasis, and weight seems to be strictly dependent on the presence of baseline metabolic disorders.
CONCLUSION
Despite high heterogeneity and relatively short follow-up of included studies, we can conclude that the presence of metabolic risk factors should be strictly evaluated due to their impact on liver steatosis, glucidic and lipid homeostasis, and on weight gain to better identify patients at risk of liver disease progression despite the virus eradication.
Topics: Humans; Antiviral Agents; Hepacivirus; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Hepatitis C, Chronic; Fatty Liver; Hepatitis C; Carotid Artery Diseases; Weight Gain
PubMed: 38385567
DOI: 10.1111/liv.15876