Inflammation reprogramming and immunomodulation: Next-generation treatments for atherosclerosis.

The current generation of highly successful atherosclerosis treatments, such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol reduction, blood pressure management, and smoking cessation, has largely focused on ameliorating factors perceived to drive incident disease and its complications. The adverse contributions of these factors have typically been identified through epidemiological studies. The therapeutic strategies that arose in response focused on risk factors for disease development and tended to overlook the fact that patients already have established disease, by the time of presentation.

Stent-Retriever Thrombectomy in STEMI With Large Thrombus Burden: The RETRIEVE AMI Randomized Trial.

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) restores epicardial flow in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but large thrombus burden (LTB) can impair myocardial perfusion due to embolization. While manual aspiration (MA) devices have limited efficacy in STEMI, the success of stent-retriever thrombectomy (SRT) in stroke suggests it as a promising option for STEMI.

Objectives: The RETRIEVE AMI (stent-retriever thrombectomy for thrombus burden reduction in patients with acute myocardial infarction) trial assessed the safety and efficacy of Solitaire X SRT vs Export MA in STEMI patients with LTB.

DCCAT: Dual-Coordinate Cross-Attention Transformer for thrombus segmentation on coronary OCT.

Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, with atherosclerotic plaque rupture and subsequent thrombus formation as the main underlying substrate. Thrombus burden evaluation is important for tailoring treatment therapy and predicting prognosis. Coronary optical coherence tomography (OCT) enables in-vivo visualization of thrombus that cannot otherwise be achieved by other image modalities.

Emerging opportunities to target inflammation: myocardial infarction and type 2 diabetes.

After myocardial infarction (MI), patients with type 2 diabetes have an increased rate of adverse outcomes, compared to patients without. Diabetes confers a 1.5-2-fold increase in early mortality and, importantly, this discrepancy has been consistent over recent decades, despite advances in treatment and overall survival.

Comparison of bolus versus continuous thermodilution derived indices of microvascular dysfunction in revascularized coronary syndromes.

Background: The assessment of coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) using invasive methods is a field of growing interest, however the preferred method remains debated. Bolus and continuous thermodilution are commonly used methods, but weak agreement has been observed in patients with angina with non-obstructive coronary arteries (ANOCA). This study examined their agreement in revascularized acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) patients.

Role of open access echocardiography in detection of cardiac structural and functional abnormalities.

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence and incidence of significant structural heart disease in targeted patients with cardiac symptoms referred by general practitioners (GPs) using open access echocardiography, without prior clinical evaluation by a cardiologist.

Design: Data were derived from 488 subjects who underwent transthoracic echocardiography between January and April 2018. Patients were referred directly by GPs in East Berkshire, South England, through an online platform.

Role of open access echocardiography in detection of cardiac structural and functional abnormalities.

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence and incidence of significant structural heart disease in targeted patients with cardiac symptoms referred by general practitioners (GPs) using open access echocardiography, without prior clinical evaluation by a cardiologist.

Design: Data were derived from 488 subjects who underwent transthoracic echocardiography between January and April 2018. Patients were referred directly by GPs in East Berkshire, South England, through an online platform.

Diagnostic aids: the Surgical Sieve revisited.

Background: Diagnostic errors are well documented in the literature and emphasise the need to teach diagnostic skills at an early stage in medical school to create effective and safe clinicians. Hence, there may be a place for diagnostic aids (such as the Surgical Sieve) that provide a framework for generating ideas about diagnoses. With repeated use of the Surgical Sieve in teaching sessions with students, and prompted by the traditional handheld wheels used in antenatal clinics, we developed the Compass Medicine, a handheld diagnostic wheel comprising three concentric discs attached at the centre.

Predicting malignancy in thyroid nodules: feasibility of a predictive model integrating clinical, biochemical, and ultrasound characteristics.

Background: Although the majority of thyroid nodules are benign the process of excluding malignancy is challenging and sometimes involves unnecessary surgical procedures. We explored the development of a predictive model for malignancy in thyroid nodules by integrating a combination of simple demographic, biochemical, and ultrasound characteristics.

Methods: Retrospective case-record review.