OBJECTIVE: Prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is important in individuals with metabolic syndrome components (MetS), and periodontitis may play an important role in this process. This study aims to evaluate the association between periodontitis and ASCVD in participants with the components of MetS, including obesity, dysglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.
METHODS: This study conducted followed the MOOSE reporting guidelines and the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PubMed and OpenGrey were searched for observational studies about the linkage of periodontitis to ASCVD in people with MetS components up to April 9, 2023. Cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies were included after study selection. Quality evaluation was carried out using the original and modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale as appropriate. Random-effects model was employed for meta-analysis.
RESULTS: Nineteen studies were finally included in the quality analysis, and all of them were assessed as moderate to high quality. Meta-analyses among fifteen studies revealed that the participants with periodontitis were more likely to develop ASCVD in those who have dysglycemia (RR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.13-1.37; p < 0.05), obesity (RR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.02-1.24; p < 0.05), dyslipidemia (RR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.13-1.65; p < 0.05), or hypertension (1.20, 95% CI = 1.05-1.36; p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Periodontitis promotes the development of ASCVD in participants with one MetS component (obesity, dysglycemia, hypertension or dyslipidemia).
CONCLUSIONS: In people with MetS components, periodontitis may contribute to the ASCVD incidence.

UNASSIGNED: Maintaining healthy vascular structure and function is important for a healthy pregnancy. Obesity is a well-known predictor for poor postoperative outcomes of vascular surgery. However, the association between pulse wave velocity (PWV), a well-recognized parameter for arterial stiffness assessment, and pregnancy-associated diseases is still unclear. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review, and a meta-analysis was performed to assess the relevant associations.
UNASSIGNED: We systematically searched the Web of Science and PubMed databases to obtain articles on PWV and pregnancy-associated diseases published before April 2023. The mean with standard deviation was used to assess the differences in PWV in pregnant women with or without relevant diseases. Subgroup analysis was conducted according to specific types of PWV. The Newcastle‒Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate the quality of the enrolled studies.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 6488 individuals from 21 studies were included. All enrolled studies were high-quality. Overall, the PWV was elevated in pregnant women who suffered from preeclampsia (mean difference (MD) = 0.67, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.51,0.83, P < 0.00001), hypertension (MD = 1.04, 95 % CI: 1.00,1.08, P < 0.00001), gestational diabetes mellitus (MD = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.19,0.48, P < 0.00001), and diabetes (MD = 0.49, 95%CI: 0.27,0.70, P < 0.00001). Subgroup analysis based on specific types of PWV showed similar results.
UNASSIGNED: In our study, PWV is elevated in pregnancy-associated diseases, including preeclampsia, hypertension, and diabetes. The PWV assessment should be regarded as a clinical routine for pregnant women to prevent and manage cardiovascular diseases during pregnancy.

The irruption of lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) in the study of cardiovascular risk factors is perhaps, together with the discovery and use of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (iPCSK9) inhibitor drugs, the greatest novelty in the field for decades. Lp(a) concentration (especially very high levels) has an undeniable association with certain cardiovascular complications, such as atherosclerotic vascular disease (AVD) and aortic stenosis. However, there are several current limitations to both establishing epidemiological associations and specific pharmacological treatment. Firstly, the measurement of Lp(a) is highly dependent on the test used, mainly because of the characteristics of the molecule. Secondly, Lp(a) concentration is more than 80% genetically determined, so that, unlike other cardiovascular risk factors, it cannot be regulated by lifestyle changes. Finally, although there are many promising clinical trials with specific drugs to reduce Lp(a), currently only iPCSK9 (limited for use because of its cost) significantly reduces Lp(a). However, and in line with other scientific societies, the SEA considers that, with the aim of increasing knowledge about the contribution of Lp(a) to cardiovascular risk, it is relevant to produce a document containing the current status of the subject, recommendations for the control of global cardiovascular risk in people with elevated Lp(a) and recommendations on the therapeutic approach to patients with elevated Lp(a).

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia, is associated with adverse CV outcomes. Vascular aging (VA), which is defined as the progressive deterioration of arterial function and structure over a lifetime, is an independent predictor of both AF development and CV events. A timing identification and treatment of early VA has therefore the potential to reduce the risk of AF incidence and related CV events. A network of scientists and clinicians from the COST Action VascAgeNet identified five clinically and methodologically relevant questions regarding the relationship between AF and VA and conducted a narrative review of the literature to find potential answers. These are: (1) Are VA biomarkers associated with AF? (2) Does early VA predict AF occurrence better than chronological aging? (3) Is early VA a risk enhancer for the occurrence of CV events in AF patients? (4) Are devices measuring VA suitable to perform subclinical AF detection? (5) Does atrial-fibrillation-related rhythm irregularity have a negative impact on the measurement of vascular age? Results showed that VA is a powerful and independent predictor of AF incidence, however, its role as risk modifier for the occurrence of CV events in patients with AF is debatable. Limited and inconclusive data exist regarding the reliability of VA measurement in the presence of rhythm irregularities associated with AF. To date, no device is equipped with tools capable of detecting AF during VA measurements. This represents a missed opportunity to effectively perform CV prevention in people at high risk. Further advances are needed to fill knowledge gaps in this field.

Arteriosclerosis, as the foundation for the development of cardiovascular diseases, is influenced by disturbances in lipid metabolism. Extensive research has consistently shown a correlation between conventional lipid parameters, arteriosclerosis, and cardiovascular diseases. Guidelines highlight the importance of targeting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases, with reducing LDL-C remaining the primary lipid-lowering strategy. However, even when LDL-C is lowered to optimal levels, there is a residual risk of cardiovascular disease. Recent findings have brought attention to remnant cholesterol (RC) as a significant factor contributing to this residual risk. The close association between RC, arteriosclerosis, and cardiovascular diseases presents exciting opportunities for lifestyle interventions and medical treatments to control and lower RC levels, offering new targets for preventing and managing related cardiovascular conditions. Our systematic review sheds light on the importance of considering RC as a valuable biomarker in assessing arteriosclerosis and its potential impact on cardiovascular health. By understanding the link between remnant cholesterol and arteriosclerosis, researchers and healthcare professionals can develop targeted interventions to mitigate cardiovascular risks, thus improving public health outcomes and reducing the economic burden associated with cardiovascular diseases.

Non-invasive ultrasound (US) imaging enables the assessment of the properties of superficial blood vessels. Various modes can be used for vascular characteristics analysis, ranging from radiofrequency (RF) data, Doppler- and standard B/M-mode imaging, to more recent ultra-high frequency and ultrafast techniques. The aim of the present work was to provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art non-invasive US technologies and corresponding vascular ageing characteristics from a technological perspective. Following an introduction about the basic concepts of the US technique, the characteristics considered in this review are clustered into: 1) vessel wall structure; 2) dynamic elastic properties, and 3) reactive vessel properties. The overview shows that ultrasound is a versatile, non-invasive, and safe imaging technique that can be adopted for obtaining information about function, structure, and reactivity in superficial arteries. The most suitable setting for a specific application must be selected according to spatial and temporal resolution requirements. The usefulness of standardization in the validation process and performance metric adoption emerges. Computer-based techniques should always be preferred to manual measures, as long as the algorithms and learning procedures are transparent and well described, and the performance leads to better results. Identification of a minimal clinically important difference is a crucial point for drawing conclusions regarding robustness of the techniques and for the translation into practice of any biomarker.

Arterial pulse waves (PWs) such as blood pressure and photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals contain a wealth of information on the cardiovascular (CV) system that can be exploited to assess vascular age and identify individuals at elevated CV risk. We review the possibilities, limitations, complementarity, and differences of reduced-order, biophysical models of arterial PW propagation, as well as theoretical and empirical methods for analyzing PW signals and extracting clinically relevant information for vascular age assessment. We provide detailed mathematical derivations of these models and theoretical methods, showing how they are related to each other. Finally, we outline directions for future research to realize the potential of modeling and analysis of PW signals for accurate assessment of vascular age in both the clinic and in daily life.

Shift work is a way of organizing rotating schedules throughout the day. This can include 1-3 shifts for the same person on a rotational basis with other workers. Schedules that include night work have been associated with cardiovascular risk, mainly due to circadian misalignment. This systematic review sought to determine whether shift work is a risk factor for increased arterial stiffness. A systematic review of different databases was performed, using the following keywords: work shift, night work, arteriosclerosis, vascular stiffness, arterial stiffness, pulse wave velocity, and their Medical Subject Headings. We selected and analyzed 11 articles regarding pulse wave velocity as an indicator of arterial stiffness. Two studies identified higher levels of arterial stiffness in shift workers compared to day workers, while two studies found the opposite. In addition, four studies found no differences in arterial stiffness between shifts, two studies associated shorter sleep duration with arterial stiffness, and one study observed that physical activity could prevent adverse cardiovascular outcomes in shift workers. The findings are heterogeneous and preclude any robust conclusions. However, the present review points to the need for further studies to investigate arterial stiffness in shift workers, with greater control for confounding factors and longitudinal design.

Cellular memory is a controversial concept representing the ability of cells to \"write and memorize\" stressful experiences via epigenetic operators. The progressive course of chronic, non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, cancer, and arteriosclerosis, is likely driven through an abnormal epigenetic reprogramming, fostering the hypothesis of a cellular pathologic memory. Accordingly, cultured diabetic and cancer patient-derived cells recall behavioral traits as when in the donor\'s organism irrespective to culture time and conditions. Here, we analyze the data of studies conducted by our group and led by a cascade of hypothesis, in which we aimed to validate the hypothetical existence and transmissibility of a cellular pathologic memory in diabetes, arteriosclerotic peripheral arterial disease, and cancer. These experiments were based on the administration to otherwise healthy animals of cell-free filtrates prepared from human pathologic tissue samples representative of each disease condition. The administration of each pathologic tissue homogenate consistently induced the faithful recapitulation of: (1) Diabetic archetypical changes in cutaneous arterioles and nerves. (2) Non-thrombotic arteriosclerotic thickening, collagenous arterial encroachment, aberrant angiogenesis, and vascular remodeling. (3) Pre-malignant and malignant epithelial and mesenchymal tumors in different organs; all evocative of the donor\'s tissue histopathology and with no barriers for interspecies transmission. We hypothesize that homogenates contain pathologic tissue memory codes represented in soluble drivers that \"infiltrate\" host\'s animal cells, and ultimately impose their phenotypic signatures. The identification and validation of the actors in behind may pave the way for future therapies.

OBJECTIVE: A comprehensive understanding of atherosclerotic middle cerebral artery (MCA) plaques aids physicians in diagnosis and treatment of ischemic stroke. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used to identify imaging biomarkers of symptomatic MCA plaque. We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate which characteristics of MCA plaque are markers of culprit lesions.
METHODS: The PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for publications up to March 2022. Two independent reviewers extracted data on study design, high-resolution MRI parameters, and imaging end points. Odds ratios (ORs) for the prevalence of stroke with atherosclerotic MCA plaque features were pooled in the meta-analysis by using a random-effects model. Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and evaluation of publication bias were also conducted.
RESULTS: Seventeen articles were included in this review. Symptomatic MCA plaques were significantly associated with contrast enhancement (OR, 9.4; 95 % CI, 4.3-20.4) and T1 hyperintensity (OR, 6.2; 95 % CI, 2.7-14.3). However, there was no association between symptomatic plaques and T2 hyperintensity (OR, 1.4; 95 % CI, 0.8-2.3). Plaque enhancement was significantly associated with downstream ischemic events in subgroup analyses based on different study designs and MR sequence types.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on current evidence, contrast enhancement and T1 hyperintensity on high-resolution MRI have high potential as imaging biomarkers of patients with MCA plaques at risk of ischemic events. Future prospective, longitudinal studies of intracranial-plaque high-resolution MRI are required to improve decision-making for the management of intracranial atherosclerotic plaques.