Smooth muscle Cxcl12 contributions to vascular remodeling in flow and hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.

Patients with congenital heart disease causing significant left-to-right shunting of blood are at risk of developing pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, the underlying mechanism by which pulmonary overcirculation and shear stress drive vascular remodeling remains poorly understood. Our study established a "two-hit" murine model of severe pulmonary hypertension by combining left pneumonectomy (LP) and chronic hypoxia (LP/Hx).

Optimized outcome of the Ross procedure in children: single-centre experience†.

Objectives: The Ross procedure with autograft reinforcement has been proposed as a strategy to prevent autograft failure in adults, but outcome data in children during somatic growth remain limited. We investigated long-term outcomes following an individualized autograft reinforcement protocol to evaluate survival and reintervention rates.

Methods: Between January 1995 and December 2022, 233 patients <18 years [median age: 7 (1-13) years] underwent the Ross procedure, including 60 infants (26%).

Subcoronary versus full-root Ross procedure for the paediatric population: an early-to-midterm bicentric experience.

Objectives: With 2 different Ross autograft implantation techniques: subcoronary versus full-root evolving, the question remains which strategy demonstrates the better early/mid-term performance, especially concerning autograft durability.

Methods: Patients (0-18 years) undergoing Ross procedure from January 2012 to December 2022 in 2 high-volume centres were included. Patients undergoing both subcoronary and full-root Ross were analysed for early mortality, direct postoperative complications, 5-year survival, incidence of reinterventions/reoperations and autograft durability over time.

Repair of complex transposition of great arteries: What is the best technique to avoid outflow tract obstructions?

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the short-/mid-term outcome of patients with complex dextro (d)-/levo (l)-transposition of the great arteries (TGA), ventricular septal defect and left ventricular outflow tract obstructions.

Methods: A single-centre, retrospective review of all complex dextro-TGA (n = 85) and levo-TGA (n = 22) patients undergoing different surgeries [Arterial switch operation + left ventricular outflow tract obstruction-resection (ASO-R), half-turned truncal switch/Mair (HTTS), Nikaidoh and Rastelli] between May 1990 and September 2022 was performed. Groups were analysed using Kruskal-Wallis test with post hoc pairwise comparison and Kaplan-Meier time-to-event models.

Challenges to Implementation of Community Health Worker-Led Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Screening and Referral in Rural Uganda: A Qualitative Study using the Implementation Outcomes Framework.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death globally. The burden of COPD is expected to increase in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). COPD screening and diagnostics tools are often inaccessible in rural settings of LMICs.

Principles for task shifting hypertension and diabetes screening and referral: a qualitative study exploring patient, community health worker and healthcare professional perceptions in rural Uganda.

Background: A shortage of healthcare workers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) combined with a rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension and diabetes mellitus has resulted in increasing gaps in care delivery for NCDs. As community health workers (CHWs) often play an established role in LMIC healthcare systems, these programs could be leveraged to strengthen healthcare access. The objective of this study was to explore perceptions of task shifting screening and referral for hypertension and diabetes to CHWs in rural Uganda.