{"title":"Inflammation as a fulcrum in cardiovascular disease: The evolving case for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.","authors":"Sai Vikram Alampoondi Venkataramanan","doi":"10.1016/j.tcm.2026.06.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tcm.2026.06.005","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":51199,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148370800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Giovanna Liuzzo, Stephen J Greene, Guiomar Mendieta, Christopher B Fordyce
{"title":"High-sensitivity C-reactive protein as a prognostic biomarker in cardiovascular diseases: implications for atherosclerosis, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure - a review.","authors":"Giovanna Liuzzo, Stephen J Greene, Guiomar Mendieta, Christopher B Fordyce","doi":"10.1016/j.tcm.2026.06.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tcm.2026.06.001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is gaining recognition as an important prognostic biomarker in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD), with and without chronic kidney disease (CKD), and heart failure (HF). Evidence suggests that systemic inflammation, measured by hsCRP, is prevalent in individuals with ASCVD, CKD, and HF, and is linked to increased risk of cardiovascular events. This review explores the interconnectedness of ASCVD, CKD, and HF within the cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic axis, with systemic inflammation emerging as a common underlying driver. Prevalence estimates show that systemic inflammation (hsCRP ≥ 2 mg/L) is found in 38% to 59% of patients with ASCVD, in 42% to 65% of those with both ASCVD and CKD, and in over 50% in various HF cohorts. Elevated levels of hsCRP are consistently associated with higher rates of major adverse cardiovascular events and mortality across these populations. Although hsCRP is frequently found to carry prognostic value independent of traditional biomarkers such as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, its clinical adoption in practice is held back in part by guideline variability, lack of standardized cutoffs, and debate over how results may change clinical management with currently available therapies. The review calls for further research to define optimal hsCRP thresholds, examines the role of hsCRP in cardiovascular risk assessment, and reviews the ongoing development programs for emerging anti-inflammatory therapies. Addressing systemic inflammation could become a cornerstone of CVD management, potentially reducing residual risk beyond traditional targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":51199,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148240563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
José Nunes de Alencar, Luiz Eduardo Bessa Silveira, Stephen W Smith
{"title":"The cost of false dichotomies in a dynamic disease.","authors":"José Nunes de Alencar, Luiz Eduardo Bessa Silveira, Stephen W Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.tcm.2026.06.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tcm.2026.06.002","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":51199,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148229137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Damiano Fedele, Sara Amicone, Matteo Armillotta, Francesco Angeli, Lisa Canton, Daniele Cavallo, Marta Belmonte, Pasquale Paolisso, Luca Bergamaschi, Carmine Pizzi
{"title":"Late-presenting ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: is it just a matter of time? From temporal cutoffs to biological staging.","authors":"Damiano Fedele, Sara Amicone, Matteo Armillotta, Francesco Angeli, Lisa Canton, Daniele Cavallo, Marta Belmonte, Pasquale Paolisso, Luca Bergamaschi, Carmine Pizzi","doi":"10.1016/j.tcm.2026.05.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tcm.2026.05.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Late presentation in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains common and clinically challenging, as the duration of myocardial ischemia has traditionally been considered the main determinant of infarct size. However, the conventional 12-hour cut-off, derived from fibrinolytic-era evidence, no longer fully reflects contemporary understanding of ischemia pathophysiology, advances in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and the ability to assess residual myocardial viability. The optimal management of late-presenting STEMI therefore remains debated, as reflected by divergent international guideline recommendations and the heterogeneity of available randomized clinical trials. While early studies failed to demonstrate a clear benefit of late reperfusion, more recent observational and imaging-based data suggest that selected patients may still experience myocardial salvage and improved outcomes even when revascularization is performed beyond traditional temporal thresholds. Collectively, these observations indicate that time from symptom onset represents an imprecise surrogate of myocardial infarct evolution. Focusing exclusively on symptom duration oversimplifies a complex pathophysiological process and risks denying reperfusion to patients who may still derive meaningful benefit. This state-of-the-art review critically appraises current evidence on late-presenting STEMI and proposes a physiology- and imaging-guided framework that integrates clinical presentation, electrocardiographic dynamics, biomarker kinetics, and cardiac imaging to support biologically informed decision-making beyond rigid time-based cut-off.</p>","PeriodicalId":51199,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148018798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Targeting rotors in ventricular fibrillation: Molecular mechanisms and future therapeutic strategies.","authors":"Vu D Nguyen, Robin M Shaw","doi":"10.1016/j.tcm.2026.05.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tcm.2026.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":51199,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147864757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial commentary: From glucose-lowering to cardioprotection: Unpacking the pleiotropic effects of SGLT2 inhibitors in heart failure","authors":"Patience Ofosuah , TingTing Hong","doi":"10.1016/j.tcm.2025.12.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tcm.2025.12.002","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":51199,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine","volume":"36 4","pages":"Pages 202-203"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145710156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial commentary: Gene editing. conceived in the riviera","authors":"J. Kevin Donahue","doi":"10.1016/j.tcm.2026.01.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tcm.2026.01.005","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":51199,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine","volume":"36 4","pages":"Pages 245-246"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146108334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Joshua D Bennetts , Aaron L Sverdlov , Doan TM Ngo
{"title":"Cardiometabolic perturbations arising from treatment with novel anticancer therapies","authors":"Joshua D Bennetts , Aaron L Sverdlov , Doan TM Ngo","doi":"10.1016/j.tcm.2025.10.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tcm.2025.10.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Modern cancer therapies, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), have markedly improved cancer outcomes through more selective tumor targeting. However, as survivorship increases, there is growing recognition of long-term treatment-related complications, including a range of cardiometabolic disturbances. These include hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and accelerated atherosclerosis, thyroid dysfunction and adrenal insufficiency, which significantly elevate long-term cardiovascular and metabolic risk in cancer survivors.</div><div>The cardiometabolic sequelae of ICIs and TKIs are often under-recognised and under-monitored, despite their potential to contribute to serious morbidity. The mechanisms underpinning these toxicities are diverse and agent-specific, involving immune-mediated endocrine disruption, insulin resistance, and altered lipid metabolism. Current guideline recommendations remain limited across different therapeutic classes and clinical scenarios.</div><div>In this review, we synthesise available evidence regarding the prevalence, mechanisms, and clinical management of cardiometabolic complications associated with ICIs and TKIs. We highlight key gaps in monitoring and therapeutic guidance and advocate for a multidisciplinary approach to early detection and management. Greater awareness and standardised care pathways will be essential to prevent avoidable complications and optimise long-term health in cancer survivors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51199,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine","volume":"36 4","pages":"Pages 218-228"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145460404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christos Kourek , Serge Sicouri , Dimitrios E Magouliotis , Andrew Xanthopoulos , Basel Ramlawi
{"title":"Transcatheter procedures for tricuspid regurgitation in advanced heart failure: A systematic review","authors":"Christos Kourek , Serge Sicouri , Dimitrios E Magouliotis , Andrew Xanthopoulos , Basel Ramlawi","doi":"10.1016/j.tcm.2025.10.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tcm.2025.10.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) in advanced heart failure (HF) is associated with poor prognosis, functional decline, and increased morbidity. This systematic review synthesizes current evidence of transcatheter device tricuspid transcatheter approaches in advanced HF patients. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library identified studies evaluating transcatheter procedures for moderate-to-severe TR in advanced HF, and reporting procedural outcomes, survival, and functional measures. A total of 37 studies encompassing approximately 2,372 patients were included, spanning edge-to-edge repair systems (TriClip, PASCAL), annuloplasty devices (Cardioband, Trialign, TriCinch), transcatheter valve replacement (Evoque, LuX-Valve, NaviGate, Intrepid), heterotopic caval valve implantation (TricValve, Tricento), and leaflet spacers (FORMA). Most patients were in NYHA class III–IV with high surgical risk scores. Across techniques, procedural success rates were high, with consistent reductions in TR severity and improvements in NYHA class, 6-minute walk distance, and quality-of-life scores. Edge-to-edge repair was the most frequently studied, showing favorable safety and symptom improvement. Mortality rates varied, with limited long-term follow-up data. Transcatheter interventions for TR in advanced HF offer promising improvements in symptoms, functional status, and quality of life. Given patient and anatomical heterogeneity, an individualized approach is essential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51199,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine","volume":"36 4","pages":"Pages 204-215"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145369191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Joanna Sweeting, Fergus Stafford, Sophie Hespe, Alexandra Butters, Jodie Ingles
{"title":"Non-genetic factors and their impact on severity of inherited cardiomyopathies: Tipping the balance","authors":"Joanna Sweeting, Fergus Stafford, Sophie Hespe, Alexandra Butters, Jodie Ingles","doi":"10.1016/j.tcm.2025.11.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tcm.2025.11.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Inherited cardiomyopathies are a diverse group of diseases with overlapping clinical features and genetic basis. Once thought to be primarily monogenic diseases, it is now known that disease severity and penetrance can be impacted by both genetic and non-genetic factors, such as comorbidities. Inherited cardiomyopathies include hypertrophic (HCM), dilated (DCM), arrhythmogenic (ACM) and restrictive cardiomyopathies (RCM). Although many causative genes have been identified for these conditions, a monogenic cause cannot be discovered in many cases, and other factors play a role. Moreover, the clinical heterogeneity observed cannot be explained by a single variant, even when one has been identified.</div><div>Here we review non-genetic factors, including presence of concomitant conditions such as obesity, hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes and pregnancy, in addition to the impact of lifestyle behaviours such as physical activity and drug taking. Further, we summarise the role of common variants in tipping the balance on disease penetrance and/or severity.</div><div>Clinical considerations and opportunities to improve outcomes in inherited cardiomyopathies will be examined, with a particular focus on the potential to reduce disease severity or even prevent disease onset, through lifestyle modification and recognition of non-genetic contributing factors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51199,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Cardiovascular Medicine","volume":"36 4","pages":"Pages 247-254"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145524725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}