Abstract Background Arterial stiffness independently predicts cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. It is shown to be increased in vascular mediated conditions, such as preeclampsia and foetal growth restriction. ARTSENS Plus device assesses arterial stiffness and is validated in older populations. The study aimed to validate its use for measuring arterial stiffness in pregnant women by comparing it with SphygmoCor XCEL as a reference standard. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in two centres in the south-eastern region of India, recruiting 147 pregnant women. Arterial stiffness was assessed by the carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) using both devices and validated according to the ‘2024 recommendations for validation of non-invasive arterial pulse wave velocity measurement devices.’ Bland–Altman plot and coefficient of variation of the test–retest reproducibility were calculated. Results The mean age of the included women was 28 ± 4 years, and their mean gestational age was 24.6 ± 9.5 weeks. The mean difference in cfPWV values obtained from SphygmoCor XCEL and ARTSENS Plus was 0.16 ± 0.54 m/s ( p = 0.12) with a measurement error of 0.85 m/s, indicating good accuracy of the ARTSENS plus device in assessing arterial stiffness. Both devices demonstrated good intra-observer reproducibility, with coefficients of variation of 2.53% for ARTSENS Plus and 3.48% for SphygmoCor XCEL. Conclusions ARTSENS Plus assesses arterial stiffness with good accuracy and intra-observer reproducibility when validated amongst pregnant women.

Abstract Introduction Our study applies machine learning methods to identify determinants of low–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in northeastern Iran. Clarifying these risk factors may support earlier diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and inform timely prevention strategies. Methods This analytic cross-sectional study used baseline data from the Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerotic Disorder (MASHAD) cohort to develop predictive models of factors associated with low HDL-C. Participants were stratified into two groups based on HDL-C cut-off values: 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women. Our objective was to construct and evaluate predictive models to identify key factors associated with low HDL-C using Logistic Regression (LR), Decision Tree (DT), and Bootstrap Forest (BF). Results Among the 7526 participants assessed, 4842 (64.3%) were identified with low HDL-C levels. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that physical activity level (PAL) was the most influential determinant, followed by sex and hip circumference. In parallel, the Bootstrap Forest model underscored mid-upper arm circumference and demi-span as the principal predictors of HDL-C status. Conclusion PAL, sex, hip circumference, mid-upper arm circumference, and demi-span emerged as potential predictors of HDL-C levels. Moreover, DT and BF models demonstrated robust capabilities in constructing predictive models for HDL-C-related factors.

Abstract Background/Objective The nature of pressure ulcer is ischemia and hypoxia leading to tissue necrosis, and the role of Shh protein in oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) may increase the vascular capacity of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), thereby reducing the degree of tissue necrosis after pressure ulcer. Purpose of the Study To explore the effects of ischemia on EPCs. Methods We established the EPCs in vitro ischemia model induced by OGD and detected the expression of Sonic Hedgehog (Shh). Results The results show that the expression level of Shh was reduced obviously in EPCs cultured under the OGD conditions. Invasion, migration, and tube formation abilities were significantly decreased in OGD-EPCs, as well as the ratio between the level of serine/threonine kinase B (AKT) and phosphorylated AKT (p-AKT), the ratio between the level of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and phosphorylated GSK-3β (p-GSK-3β), and the expression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in OGD-EPCs, while they were recovered remarkably after adding smoothened agonist (SAG), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), or IGF-1 + SAG. Conclusion In conclusion, invasion, migration, tube formation abilities, and angiogenic factors were increased in OGD-EPCs by activation of the Shh signaling pathway and the Akt/GSK-3β/mTOR pathway.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) refers to the abnormal dilation of the thoracic aorta above the diaphragm, and dyslipidemia has been implicated in increasing the risk of its development. The emergence of lipidomics technology has deepened our understanding of this disease. In this study, we utilized Mendelian randomization analysis (MR) to elucidate the causal relationship between TAA and plasma lipidome. We found a strong correlation between increased levels of phosphatidylethanolamine (18:0_18:2) in the blood and occurrence of TAA. Our research also revealed that TAA may lead to a decrease in levels of phosphatidylcholine (16:0_18:3), phosphatidylcholine (18:2_20:4), and phosphatidylcholine (O − 17:0_17:1) in the plasma. Through genetic techniques, our study has shed light on the close relationship between TAA and plasma lipidome, providing direction for future clinical research.

Vascular aging is closely associated with the development of cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment and is a determining factor in overall morbidity and mortality. The continued presence of modifiable risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle, accelerates this process and contributes to its complications. In this context, arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis play a central role in the loss of arterial elasticity, increasing susceptibility to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Arterial stiffness, measured by pulse wave velocity, has been correlated with the risk of dementia and cognitive decline, highlighting the need for early intervention. In addition, monitoring intracranial pressure has emerged as a potential biomarker for assessing the impact of vascular aging on the brain, helping to preserve brain integrity and prevent cognitive impairment. In this narrative review, we discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms of vascular aging and their relationship with pulse wave velocity, as well as explore intracranial pressure monitoring as a possible marker for the progression of cerebral vascular aging and its impact on cognitive function.

BackroundThe main aim of this study was to determine correlation between parameters of arterial stiffness measured in the office (SphygmoCor) and during 24 h (Mobil-O-Graph and Arteriograph) with hemodynamic and cardiac parameters in the group of young and middle-aged patients with stage 1 primary hypertension.ResultsThis study included 154 patients (average age 38.75 ± 12.65 years, 69.5% men). The majority of participants were overweight (48.7%) and had positive heredity on hypertension (HT) (89.6%) and cardiovascular (CV) diseases (65.4%). Pulse wave velocity (PWV), augumentation index (AiX) and amplification of pulse pressure (APP) were measured in the office and during 24 h, and cardiac parameters were measured with appropriate echocardiographic and electrocardiogram parameters. We found only higher values of office carotid-femoral (c-f) PWV values (measured in m/s), and 24 h and daily values using the Mobil-O-Graph to be associated with an increase in systemic vascular resistance (SVR) (p < 0.05).Office arterial stiffness measurements were not inferior to 24-h measurements in correlation between parameters of cardiac remodeling and hemodynamics.ROC analysis showed very low specificity and sensitivity for predicting left ventricular hypertrophy regardless of which method was used. Analyzing PWV, the lowest cut-off value was PWV measured using the Mobil-O- Graph and was 5.75. The highest cut-off value is the PWV measured during 24 h using the Arteriograph with the corresponding sensitivity of 0.561 and slightly lower specificity of 0.467 and AUC of 0.507.ConclusionWe failed to find an association between arterial stiffness and hemodynamic and cardiac remodeling. In this cohort, the only important, although weak association was found for SVR. The other important finding is the lack of superiority of 24-h arterial stiffness measurements over office c-f PWV measurement using SphygmoCor. Future multicentric studies with a larger number of subjects should be performed to prove or to reject findings.

IntroductionDue to its length, the left renal vein (LRV) is generally idyllic in renal transplantation surgical procedures. As such, understanding the course and attributes of the LRV, including whether it is pre-aortic or not, is essential for surgeons and other healthcare professionals, such as physicians. The understanding of these aspects is crucial in preventing unexpected fatalities and hemorrhage resulting from surgical procedures. Nevertheless, a limited number of clinical anatomy studies have focused on the anatomical variations of the LRV compared to the renal arterial systems. Often, the anatomical anomalies and variations of the renal veins are overlooked by radiologists, even as such variations and anomalies are indicative of the operation course and type, including vascular surgical procedures. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate and describe rare LRV anomalies and variations. Macroscopic dissections of 30 human donors (23 males and seven females) were conducted to realize this objective. The specimens were acquired from various body donation services and university dissection rooms. All the specimens studied were reported as having died from causes unrelated to this study.ResultsThis study’s findings have demonstrated the existence of different LRV anomalies, which met the criteria for classification into four key categories. Type I anomaly was the most prevalent, closely followed by Types III, II, and IV. Nonetheless, the Type IV LRV anomaly has been acknowledged to be the most infrequent. In the present study, the prevalence/incidence rate of LRV Type I, Type II, Type III, and Type IV anomalies was disclosed to be 6.6%, 1.6%, 3.3%, and 0%, respectively. The present study found no Type IV LRV anomaly in the donors studied.ConclusionUnderstanding the rare LRV anomalies and variations is essential as it improves the understanding of clinical events. A pre-operative computed tomography (CT) scan is vital to ensure the safety of any surgical procedure conducted in the retroperitoneal region and to avert possible fatalities and hemorrhage during renal surgeries.

The concept of vascular aging has emerged in recent years as a comprehensive and easily understandable way for assessing cardiovascular (CV) risk, especially in subjects whose risk is underestimated by classic risk tables. However, knowledge among clinicians is very limited, and its use in daily clinical practice is even less common. Furthermore, community pharmacies are an integral part of the healthcare systems. These are highly accessible health professionals with adequate training who deserve greater responsibility in the management of hypertension and CV risk. Simultaneously, it is noteworthy that new devices have emerged on the market that allow early vascular aging (EVA) to be measured in a simple and reliable way based on estimated pulse-wave velocity. Our objective is to describe the evidence on the role of community pharmacies in assessing EVA according to published evidence. To our knowledge, there are four studies performed in Austria, Portugal, and Spain. The main results of this review are: (1) community pharmacies have demonstrated their ability to carry out large-scale vascular age estimation in international, community-based healthcare environment; (2) the prevalence of preclinical arterial damage (EVA) in the population of pharmacy customers does not differ in subjects who spontaneously visit community pharmacies compared to the general population; (3) the determining factors of arterial stiffness are very similar in the three countries studied; (4) the estimation of pulse-wave velocity in community pharmacies simultaneously involves the determination of blood pressure, demonstrating a poor control of hypertension—both in known and unknown hypertensive patients and similarly in all three countries. The determination of EVA is not superimposable to the measurement of blood pressure and provides added value in terms of vascular risk management.

ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between healthy vascular aging (HVA) and non-healthy vascular aging (NHVA) with hypertensive target organ damage (TOD).MethodsThis study included individuals from the Geriatrics Department of Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai since January 2023. The participants were divided into HVA and NHVA groups based on blood pressure and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV). HVA was defined as no history of hypertension and cf-PWV < 7.6 m/s; NHVA was defined as a history of hypertension or cf-PWV ≥ 7.6 m/s. The hypertensive TOD indicators included carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), chronic kidney disease, albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and left ventricular mass index (LVMI).ResultsA total of 1257participants was included in the study. After grouping by cf-PWV and blood pressure, 31.8% met the HVA criteria. Compared to the HVA group, the NHVA group was older, had more smokers, and exhibited higher levels body mass index, blood glucose, lipids, and blood pressure. The NHVA group also showed lower creatinine clearance (88.7 ± 17.2 mL/min/1.73 m2 vs.93.4 ± 15.8 mL/min/1.73 m2, p < 0.001), higher LVMI (108.0 ± 26.4 g/m2 vs. 92.3 ± 22.3 g/m2, p < 0.001), greater cIMT (0.8 ± 0.1 mm vs. 0.7 ± 0.1 mm, p < 0.001), and higher cf-PWV (9.1 ± 1.9 m/s vs.6.5 ± 0.7 m/s, p < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed significant associations between vascular aging groups and LVMI (p = 0.006) and lgACR (p = 0.023). The binary stepwise logistic regression results demonstrated a significant correlation between vascular aging and LVMI (OR = 2.201, 95% CI: 1.299–3.73, p = 0.003).ConclusionAccelerated vascular aging is associated with cardiac and renal TOD, providing a potential target for intervention among hospitalized patients. Vascular aging shows a significant correlation with LVMI in-hospital patients.