Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Background: The 9p21 region is the most relevant locus associated with coronary heart disease in different populations. However, there are no studies that prove that this region is a risk factor in the Venezuelan population. Objectives: To analyze whether or not the 9p21 rs1333049 polymorphism is a risk factor for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Venezuelan patients, as well as to investigate its correlation with cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), age of occurrence, type and severity of infarction, and the correlation of the rs10757274 polymorphism with severity of coronary artery disease. Methods: This was an association study, including 487 unrelated Venezuelan individuals, grouped in 354 patients with AMI and 133 controls. The rs1333049 and rs10757274 polymorphisms were determined using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique with sequence-specific primers. The analysis of association was determined using the SNPStats tool. The continuous variable description and the correlations were performed using the SPSS statistical software. Significance was established at p<0.05. Results: A positive correlation was observed between the rs1333049 polymorphism and the presence of hypertension ( r: 0.145, p: 0.006), and between hypertension and heart infarction ( r: 0.318, p: <0.0001). A positive correlation was found between the rs10757274 polymorphism and the number of coronary vessels that presented obstructive lesions in patients aged ≤ 55 years ( r: 0.276, p: 0.0078). Conclusion: The rs1333049 polymorphism at the 9p21 locus is correlated with hypertension in Venezuelan patients, while the rs10757274 polymorphism is associated with the progression of coronary atherosclerosis, suggested by the correlation with the number of coronary vessels that presented significant obstructive lesions.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Background The neuropeptide Y (NPY) is one of the most abundant neurotransmitters in the nervous system. NPY acts as a potent stimulator of angiogenesis, inflammation, and adipogenesis, through the NPY 2 receptor (NPY2R). Changes in the NPY signaling pathway have been linked to Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). Objectives The purpose of this study is to determine the association between variants in the NPY and NPY2R genes, as well as the severity of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods Approximately 221 ACS patients and 278 healthy controls were selected for this study. Four variants in NPY and two variants in NPY2R genes were genotyped using Taqman allelic discrimination and sequencing. The Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to verify the genotype frequencies. The logistic regression analyses were used for the evaluation of the studied variables. Haplotype analysis was used to evaluate the linkage disequilibrium (LD) between the variants (p<0.05). Results An association of NPY c.20T>C variant was found with the ACS group when compared to the healthy group. In the analysis between variants and risk factors in the ACS group, NPY c.84G>A was associated with hypertension. The analysis between TIMI risk showed a significance for NPY c.20T>C between the low and intermediate/high TIMI risk groups. In the haplotype analysis, strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) was found between the variants NPY c.150G>A and NPY c.-485T>C. Conclusion The NPY c.20T>C variant appears to contribute to the development of ACS. The NPY2R c.-1116A>G variant may contribute to the early development of ACS and the NPY c.84G>A variant appears to contribute to the development of hypertension. In addition, the NPY c.20T>C is associated with a protective effect in ACS severity.

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Abstract Background: Hyperthyroidism (Hy) is an endocrine disorder, in which the thyroid hormones markedly alter the cardiac function. Increased myocardial contractility and cardiac output, improvement in diastolic relaxation, changes in electrical activity, increments in ventricular mass, and arrhythmias have been reported. However, the influences of thyroid hormones upon molecular mechanisms of cardiac functions have not yet been fully understood. Objectives: To evaluate changes in cardiac contractile parameters and the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) function in induced hyperthyroid rats. Methods: Hy was induced by intraperitoneal injections of T3 (15 μg/100 g) for 10 days. Contractile parameters and NCX function were evaluated in the isolated papillary muscle. Data normality was confirmed by the Shapiro-Wilk test. The comparison between groups was performed through an unpaired Student’s t-test. Results are expressed as mean ± SD. The accepted significance level was p < 0.05. Results: Our data revealed, in the Hy group, an increase of 30.98% in the maximum speed of diastolic relaxation (–284.64 ± 70.70 vs. –217.31 ± 40.30 mN/mm2/sec (p = 0.027)) and a boost of 149% in the NCX function in late phase of relaxation (20.17 ± 7.90 vs. 50.22 ± 11.94 minutes (p = 0.002)), with no changes in the maximum twitch force (p = 0.605) or maximum speed of systolic contraction (p = 0.208) when compared to the control. Conclusion: The improvement in relaxation parameters is hypothetically attributed to an increase in Sarco-Endoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ATPase isoform 2 (SERCA2) expression and an increased calcium flow through L-type channels that boosted the NCX function.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Background Infective endocarditis (IE) is a disease with high morbimortality and an increasing incidence. With improved diagnosis and treatment, a number of epidemiological changes have been reported over time. Objectives We sought to describe the epidemiological profile, mortality predictors, and analysis of a possible microbiological transition in patients admitted to three tertiary centers in Brazil. Methods In this cross-sectional retrospective study, data from 211 patients with definite or probable IE were analyzed according to the modified Duke criteria between 2003 and 2017. The association between categorical variables was assessed using the chi-square or Fisher's exact test, and binary logistic models were built to investigate mortality. We considered p <0.05 statistically significant. Results The median age of the sample was 48 (33-59) years old, 70.6% were men, and the most prevalent pathogen was Staphylococcus spp. (19%). Mortality was 22.3%, with increasing age being the leading risk factor for death (p = 0.028). Regarding the location of the disease, native valves were the most affected site, with the aortic valve being more affected in men than women (p = 0.017). The mean number of cases of Staphylococcus spp. (τ = 0.293, p = 0.148) and Streptococcus spp. (τ = -0.078, p = 0.727) has remained stable over the years. Conclusion No trend towards reduced or increased mortality was evident between 2003 and 2017. Although Staphylococcus spp. were the most prevalent pathogen, the expected epidemiological transition could not be observed.

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Abstract Background: Sarcopenia is a disease that involves skeletal muscle mass loss and is highly prevalent in the older adult population. Moreover, the incidence of sarcopenia is increased in patients with hypertension. Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate the association between the classes of the drugs used for arterial hypertension treatment and the presence or absence of sarcopenia. Methods: 129 older adults with hypertension were evaluated by the researchers who registered the participants medication for arterial hypertension treatment. Sarcopenia level was measured by anthropometric parameters, muscular strength, and functional capacity. The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by post-hoc test and Fisher’s exact test; statistical significance was set at 0.05. Results: Age was not different between women with different levels of sarcopenia, but significant differences were observed between men with absent sarcopenia (66.8±4.2 years) and men with probable sarcopenia (77.0±10.2 years). Individuals with absent sarcopenia showed higher handgrip strength (men: 33.8±7.4, women: 23.2±4.6 Kgf) in comparison with those with sarcopenia (men with probable sarcopenia: 9.5±3.3 Kgf, women with probable, confirmed, and severe sarcopenia: 11.7±2.5, 12.2±3.0, 11.8±1.8 Kgf, respectively). The analysis showed an association between the type of medication and degree of sarcopenia; diuretics were significantly associated with probable sarcopenia, and angiotensin II receptor blockers (alone or in combination with diuretics) was associated with absence of sarcopenia. Conclusion: In conclusion, handgrip strength was a good method to diagnose sarcopenia, and diuretics were associated with increased risk of sarcopenia in older adults with hypertension.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, including among physicians. Professional peculiarities increase cardiovascular risk in this population, making it relevant to analyze mortality in the medical population (MPop) and non-medical population (NMPop). Objectives: To compare the CVD mortality coefficient (MC) in between MPop and NMPop in Brazil by analyzing the epidemiological profile and the main causes of deaths from CVD. Methods: Time-series study with data obtained from the Mortality Information System of the Federal Council of Medicine and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, from 2014 to 2018. The variables age group, sex, race, occupation, and CVD that caused the death were assessed in MPop and NMPop. MC, relative risk and odds ratio between the populations were calculated. Tests for difference in proportions, with approximation to the normal distribution, and chi-squared tests were performed, assuming p<0.01 as statistically significant. Results: Both MPop and NMPop had a predominance of men (86.7% and 52.3%), senior citizens (85.9% and 79.7%) and white individuals (86.4% and 52.2%). The MCs of the MPop and NMPop was 92.2 and 255.1 deaths/100,000 individuals, respectively. The main cause of death was acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (32.5% and 24.6% in MPop and NMPop, respectively) followed by cerebrovascular accident (CVA) (5.1% and 10.5% in MPop and NMPop, respectively). Conclusion: In Brazil, mortality from CVD was more prevalent in white elderly males, and mainly caused by AMI and CVA. Being a doctor, man and over 60 years old represents a greater chance of death from CVD in comparison with non-physicians.

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Abstract Background: The use of combined oral contraceptives (COC) is a risk factor for atherosclerotic disease, and physical exercise can minimize this condition. Objective: To verify if high intensity interval training (HIIT) promotes changes in the lipid and inflammatory profile of women using COC. Methods: Sequential crossover study with women aged 20-30 years, classified as irregularly active by the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), when using COC. A physical-clinical assessment was performed with anthropometric measurements, VO2max, and analysis of lipid and inflammatory profile. Participants were divided into 2 groups: the initial intervention group (GII), which began practicing HIIT for 2 months, and the posterior intervention group (GIP), which remained inactive for the same period. The GII and GIP would then alternate their conditions. The collected data was divided into: Initial moment (IM), post-exercise moment (PEM) and post-inactivity (PIM). The statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, adopting a significance level of p <0.05 . Results: Twelve women were evaluated. After crossing the GII and GIP data, there was a difference in the C-reactive protein values between the IM of 4 (1.6-6.3 mg/dL) vs. PEM 2 (1.5-5 mg/dL); as well as between the PEM vs. the PIM= 4 (1.5-5.8 mg/dL), with a p -value = 0.04 in the comparisons. There was no change between the “moments” of the lipid profile, although it was possible to notice a reduction in resting HR and an increase in indirect VO2max. Conclusion: The HIIT program was able to reduce the inflammatory profile, but it did not alter the lipid profile of irregularly active women using COC.

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Abstract Background: Due to its poor prognosis and mortality rates, heart failure (HF) has been recognized as a malignant condition, comparable to some cancers in developed countries. Objectives: To compare mortality from HF and prevalent cancers using data from a nationwide database in Brazil. Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study using secondary data obtained from Brazilian administrative databases of death records and hospitalization claims maintained by the Ministry of Health. Data were analyzed according to main diagnosis, year of occurrence (2005-2015), sex and age group. Descriptive analyses of absolute number of events, hospitalization rate, mortality rate, and in-hospital mortality rate were performed. Results: The selected cancers accounted for higher mortality, lower hospitalization and higher in-hospital mortality rates than HF. In a group analysis, HF showed mortality rates of 100-150 per 100,000 inhabitants over the period, lower than the selected cancers. However, HF had a higher mortality rate than each type of cancer, even when compared to the most prevalent and deadly ones. Regarding hospitalization rates, HF was associated with a higher risk of hospitalization when compared to cancer-related conditions as a group. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that HF has an important impact on mortality, hospitalization and in-hospital mortality, comparable to or even worse than some types of cancer, representing a potential burden to the healthcare system.

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Abstract Background: Air pollution and sex independently affect cardiac autonomic control, which can be assessed by heart rate variability (HRV). The research hypothesis is that individuals exposed to low concentrations of pollution have higher cardiac autonomic modulation compared to those exposed to high concentrations and that women have better cardiac autonomic control than men. Objective: To analyze the impact of exposure to air pollutants, specifically smoke, and sex on HRV in healthy young people exposed to different concentrations of pollution over an average period of 22 years. Methods: From April to September 2011, 36 participants of both sexes (20-30 years old) were selected, grouped by levels of air pollution exposure according to indices provided by the Environmental Company of São Paulo State. The R-R intervals (R-Ri) of the electrocardiogram were captured using a heart rate monitor during supine rest. HRV was analyzed by spectral analysis and conditional entropy. The Queen's College step test was used to characterize functional capacity. A between-group comparison was performed using the two-way ANOVA statistical test (post hoc Tukey) and p<0.05. Results: Significant differences were found in mean R-Ri (p<0.01) and cardiac parasympathetic modulation between sexes in the same city (p=0.02) and between groups exposed to different air pollution concentrations (p<0.01). Conclusion: Our results suggest that long-term exposure to air pollutants, specifically smoke, has an unfavorable impact on HRV, with reduced cardiac vagal autonomic modulation in healthy young adults, especially females.

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Abstract Background: Although electrical and structural remodeling has been recognized to be important in the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation, the mechanisms underlying remodeling process are unknown. There has been increasing interest in the involvement of inflammatory molecules and adipokines released from the epicardial fat tissue in the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation. Objectives: In our study, we aimed to investigate the relationship of atrial fibrillation with increased epicardial adipose tissue, inflammatory molecules released from this tissue and omentin. Methods: Thirty-six patients who were followed up with a diagnosis of permanent AF at the cardiology outpatient clinic 33 individuals without atrial fibrillation (controls) were included in the study. Epicardial adipose tissue thickness of patients was measured by echocardiography. Serum omentin, IL 6, IL 1 beta, TNF alpha and CRP levels were measured. Man-Whitney U test was performed for comparisons and significance was established at 5% (p<0.05). Results: Epicardial adipose tissue thickness was significantly greater in the patient group (6mm [4-5.5]) than controls (4mm [3-5.5]) (p <0.001). No significant difference was found in the concentrations of omentin or inflammatory molecules between the groups. Conclusion: No relationship was found between atrial fibrillation and serum levels or omentin or inflammatory markers. A relationship between epicardial adipose tissue thickness measured by echocardiography and atrial fibrillation was determined.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract The prevalence of depression varies from 1 to 17% in different geographic regions, and its incidence is 70% higher in women than men. Today, depression affects more than 300 million people worldwide, affecting twice as many women from adolescence to adulthood. In addition to this earlier onset, depression in women tends to be more severe. Cardiovascular disease and depression are chronic diseases that have a major impact on cardiovascular and all-cause morbidity and mortality, with evidence of a two-way relationship between them, in which depression is a predictor of cardiovascular disease and vice versa. In females, the degree of illness and prognosis are more severe when both diseases are present, than when diagnosed alone. In patients with acute or chronic cardiovascular disease, especially women, a systematic screening for depression should be considered as a preventive strategy of cardiovascular events, aiming to reduce the risk of future events. There are still no clinical studies designed to assess the impact of antidepressant treatment on cardiovascular outcomes in women.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Ischemic strokes secondary to occlusion of large vessels have been described in patients with COVID-19. Also, venous thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism have been related to the disease. Vascular occlusion may be associated with a prothrombotic state due to COVID-19-related coagulopathy and endotheliopathy. Intracranial hemorrhagic lesions can additionally be seen in these patients. The causative mechanism of hemorrhage could be associated with anticoagulant therapy or factors such as coagulopathy and endotheliopathy. We report on cases of ischemic, thrombotic, and hemorrhagic complications in six patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed typical SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia findings in all the cases, which were all confirmed by either serology or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests.