Predictive Modeling of Acute Hypertensive Disorders in a Real-World Cohort: Integrating Clinical Predictors and Data-Driven Methods.

: Acute hypertensive disorders, including hypertensive emergencies (HEs) and urgencies (HUs), are a frequent cause of emergency department (ED) visits. Early differentiation between HEs and HUs is essential, as their clinical management and prognostic implications differ substantially. : We retrospectively analyzed patients admitted to an Italian second-level ED between January and June 2022 with systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 180 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure(DBP) ≥ 110 mmHg.

A Forcecardiography dataset with simultaneous SCG, Heart Sounds, ECG, and Respiratory signals.

FOSTER is the first ever publicly available dataset of forcecardiography (FCG) signals with simultaneous recordings of conventional seismocardiography (SCG), phonocardiography (PCG), electrocardiography (ECG), and respiratory signals. The dataset contains recordings from 40 participants (20 males and 20 females) and aims to foster and facilitate research on non-invasive cardio-respiratory monitoring using mechanical sensors. All signals were acquired simultaneously to ensure precise temporal alignment for accurate analysis.

Aspirin reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes associated with COVID-19.

This study aimed to determine whether daily low-dose aspirin reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) associated with COVID-19. A longitudinal cohort of 200,000 adults followed from 2018 to 2022 was analyzed, comparing T2D incidence between aspirin users and non-users. Propensity score matching was used to balance the groups.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the incidence of newly diagnosed cancers: evidence from a large cohort study in Southern Italy.

Background: Recent studies based on hospital and outpatient clinic databases have reported a decline in cancer diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic, an observation that has been mainly attributed to halted screenings.

Methods: We investigated the impact of COVID-19 on cancer incidence in the Campania Region (Italy) among adults followed by their primary care physicians over a 6-year period (2017-2022). Using a single-cohort design, we employed interrupted time series (ITS) analysis to compare cancer incidence rates during the 3 years preceding the pandemic (2017-2019) with those during the three pandemic years (2020-2022).

EACVI survey on evaluation and quantification of aortic regurgitation by multi-modality imaging.

Aims: To investigate the real-world, current clinical practice of the assessment and management of aortic regurgitation (AR).

Methods And Results: An electronic survey was distributed to cardiovascular imaging specialists by the European Society Association of Cardiovascular Imaging Scientific Initiatives Committee. Three hundred respondents from 66 countries completed the survey.

Daily low dose aspirin halves incident type 2 diabetes in elderly subjects with prediabetes: a five-year longitudinal cohort study in a real-word population.

Background: Prediabetes represents the final stage on the glycemic spectrum before the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and delaying its progression offers a unique opportunity to address the growing T2DM epidemic.

Methods: In this longitudinal cohort study, we investigated the effect of daily low-dose aspirin on the development of T2DM in individuals with prediabetes residing in Naples, Italy, who were followed by their primary care physicians between 2018 and 2022. Outcomes in the aspirin-treated group were compared with those in a control group not receiving aspirin, using data from the same database.

Statin-induced risk of diabetes does not reduce cardiovascular benefits in primary prevention: a 6-year propensity-score matched study in a large population.

Background: The long-term risk of cardiovascular (CV) events in individuals who develop new-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) after having received statin therapy in primary prevention is mostly unknown.

Methods: We designed a population-based cohort study in individuals without T2D and atherosclerotic CV disease (ASCVD), divided in two groups according to the presence or not of statin therapy. We also balanced the study groups for demographic and clinical factors using propensity score matching.

Aortic Remodeling in Patients with Arterial Hypertension: Pathophysiological Mechanisms, Therapeutic Interventions and Preventive Strategies-A Position Paper from the Heart and Hypertension Working Group of the Italian Society of Hypertension.

In patient with arterial hypertension the whole aorta is exposed to increased wall stress due to pressure overload. Different blood pressure (BP) components have been reported as main determinant of aortic remodelling. In particular increased diastolic BP has been associated with aortic dilatation across all its segments with smaller increase in aortic root and ascending aorta related to increased systolic BP and pulse pressure.

Low LDL-cholesterol drives the risk of bleeding in patients treated with aspirin: A 15-year study in a real-world large population.

We aimed to investigate the link between LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and hemorrhage risk over an extended period, both in subjects taking aspirin and in individuals not receiving any antiplatelet agent. We calculated the predicted adjusted relative hazard of bleeding by LDL-C concentration for the whole cohort and the aspirin-treated subgroup. The study included 39,784 individuals with a mean follow-up of 14.

Prolonged Time-to-antihypertensive Therapy Worsens Organ Damage and Blood Pressure Control in Arterial Hypertension.

Introduction: Delay in arterial hypertension (AH) diagnosis and late therapy initiation may affect progression towards hypertensive-mediated organ damage (HMOD) and blood pressure (BP) control.

Aim: We aimed to assess the impact of time-to-therapy on BP control and HMOD in patients receiving AH diagnosis.

Methods: We analysed data from the Campania Salute Network, a prospective registry of hypertensive patients (NCT02211365).

Sex-Related Differences in Left Ventricular Geometry Patterns in Patients With Arterial Hypertension.

Background: Sex-specific differences in left ventricular (LV) geometry might help in developing tailored strategies for hypertension management.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to evaluate sex-related differences in LV geometry at baseline and over time in hypertension.

Methods: From a prospective registry, we included hypertensives without prevalent cardiovascular disease, incident myocardial infarction, chronic kidney disease > stage III, and with normal LV ejection fraction.

Quantitative Computed Tomography Angiography for the Evaluation of Valvular Fibrocalcific Volume in Aortic Stenosis.

Background: Aortic stenosis (AS) is characterized by calcification and fibrosis. The ability to quantify these processes simultaneously has been limited with previous imaging methods.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the aortic valve fibrocalcific volume by computed tomography (CT) angiography in patients with AS, in particular, to assess its reproducibility, association with histology and disease severity, and ability to predict/track progression.

Application of the 2016 ASE-EACVI Criteria for the Assessment of Diastolic Function in Arterial Hypertension.

Introduction: No data are available on the diagnostic algorithms recommended by guidelines for the assessment of diastolic dysfunction (DD) in patients with arterial hypertension.

Aim: To fill this gap, we evaluated diastolic function in hypertensive patients with and without LVH matched with healthy subjects by applying 2016 American Society of Echocardiography-European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging Guidelines for the evaluation of LV diastolic function.

Methods: 717 healthy and hypertensives with normal LV ejection fraction and with and without LV hypertrophy (LVH), matched 1:1:1 from two prospective registries, represented the study population.

European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging survey on cardiovascular multimodality imaging in acute myocarditis.

Aims: To assess the current role of cardiac imaging in the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of patients with acute myocarditis (AM) through a European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging survey.

Methods And Results: A total of 412 volunteers from 74 countries responded to the survey. Most participants worked in tertiary centres (56%).

Incidence of new-onset hypertension before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a 7-year longitudinal cohort study in a large population.

Background: While the augmented incidence of diabetes after COVID-19 has been widely confirmed, controversial results are available on the risk of developing hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: We designed a longitudinal cohort study to analyze a closed cohort followed up over a 7-year period, i.e.

Obesity: the perfect storm for heart failure.

Obesity condition causes morphological and functional alterations involving the cardiovascular system. These can represent the substrates for different cardiovascular diseases, such as atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, sudden cardiac death, and heart failure (HF) with both preserved ejection fraction (EF) and reduced EF. Different pathogenetic mechanisms may help to explain the association between obesity and HF including left ventricular remodelling and epicardial fat accumulation, endothelial dysfunction, and coronary microvascular dysfunction.

Incidence of type 2 diabetes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Naples, Italy: a longitudinal cohort study.

Background: The association of COVID-19 with the development of new-onset diabetes has been recently investigated by several groups, yielding controversial results. Population studies currently available in the literature are mostly focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D), comparing patients with a SARS-CoV-2 positive test to individuals without COVID-19, especially in paediatric populations. In this study, we sought to determine the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Achieving a Systolic Blood Pressure Below 130 mmHg Reduces the Incidence of Cardiovascular Events in Hypertensive Patients with Echocardiographic Left Ventricular Hypertrophy.

Recent reports have evidenced an increased mortality rate in hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy (ECG-LVH) achieving systolic blood pressure (SBP) <130 mmHg. However, to the best of our knowledge, the actual effects of blood pressure reduction to the ≤130/80 mmHg target on the incidence of cardiovascular (CV) events have never been determined in hypertensive patients with a diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy based on echocardiographic criteria (Echo-LVH). To fill this long-standing knowledge gap, we harnessed a population of 9511 hypertensive patients, followed-up for 33.

Normalization of ascending aorta dimension for body size influences pathophysiologic correlation in hypertensive patients: the Campania Salute Network.

Aims: In the present study, we assessed correlates and their consistency of ascending aorta (AscAo) measurement in treated hypertensive patients.

Methods And Results: A total of 1634 patients ≥ 18 years old with available AscAo ultrasound were included. Ascending aorta was measured at end-diastole with leading edge to leading edge method, perpendicular to the long axis of the aorta in parasternal long-axis view at its maximal identifiable dimension.