European journal of internal medicine
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Eur. J. Intern. Med. · Sep 2022
ReviewFrom mid-range to mildly reduced ejection fraction heart failure: A call to treat.
The historical classification of heart failure (HF) has considered two distinct subgroups, HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), generally classified as EF below 40%, and HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) variably classified as EF above 40%, 45% or 50%. One of the principal reasons behind this distinction was related to presence of effective therapy in HFrEF, but not in HFpEF. Recently the expanding knowledge in the specific subgroup of patient with a LVEF between 41% and 49% and the potential benefit of new therapies and of those used in patients with LVEF below 40%, has led to rename this group as HF with mildly reduced EF (HFmrEF). In this review we discuss the reasons behind this modification, we summarize the main characteristics of HFmrEF the similarities and differences with the two other EF categories, and finally we provide a comprehensive overview of the current available evidence supporting the treatment of patients with HFmrEF.
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Eur. J. Intern. Med. · Sep 2022
ReviewCOVID-19, vaccines and deficiency of ACE2 and other angiotensinases. Closing the loop on the "Spike effect".
The role of a dysregulated renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is well recognized. The imbalance between angiotensin II (Ang II) and Angiotensin1-7 (Ang1,7) caused by the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors exerts a pivotal role on the clinical picture and outcome of COVID-19. ACE2 receptors are not the exclusive angiotensinases in nature. ⋯ It has been noted that an increased catalytic activity of POP/PRCP is typical in elderly individuals with comorbidities or previous cardiovascular events, but not in younger people. Thus, the adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccination associated with Ang II accumulation are generally more common in younger and healthy subjects. Understanding the relationships between different mechanisms of Ang II cleavage and accumulation offers the opportunity to close the pathophysiological loop between the risk of progression to severe forms of COVID-19 and the potential adverse events of vaccination.
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Not required.
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Eur. J. Intern. Med. · Sep 2022
Randomized Controlled TrialDurable functional limitation in patients with coronavirus disease-2019 admitted to intensive care and the effect of intermediate-dose vs standard-dose anticoagulation on functional outcomes.
Patients affected with severe forms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) suffer from a wide range of sequelae, from limited airway diseases to multiple organ failure. These sequelae may create exercise limitation, impair the daily activity and thus impact the mental health and the social life. However, the extent of functional limitations and depressive symptoms are understudied especially in patients with COVID-19 after intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization. ⋯ In patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU, functional limitations and depressive symptoms were common at 30-day follow-up and had some improvement by 90-day follow-up among survivors. Intermediate-dose compared to standard-dose prophylactic anticoagulation did not improve functional outcomes.