Innovative Cardiovascular Interventions: From Imaging to Precision Therapies

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Physiology and Pathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 296

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Patras, 26504 Rion-Patras, Greece
2. First Department of Cardiology, Hippocration General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
Interests: coronary artery disease; percutaneous coronary interventions; intravascular imaging; acute coronary syndromes; antiplatelets; structural heart diseases
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, necessitating continuous advancements in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. This Special Issue, Innovative Cardiovascular Interventions: From Imaging to Precision Therapies, aims to highlight cutting-edge research and technological innovations that are transforming the field of cardiovascular medicine.

We invite contributions that explore novel imaging modalities, minimally invasive interventions, and precision-based therapies tailored to individual patient profiles. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, advanced imaging techniques (e.g., AI-driven diagnostics, 3D/4D imaging), next-generation interventional devices, gene and cell-based therapies, and the integration of big data and machine learning in cardiovascular care.

This Special Issue seeks to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers, clinicians, and industry experts to share their insights, fostering collaboration and accelerating the translation of innovative approaches into clinical practice. By bridging the gap between imaging, intervention, and personalized medicine, this issue will contribute to the ongoing evolution of cardiovascular care, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Dr. Anastasios Apostolos
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)
  • diagnostic imaging
  • minimally invasive interventions
  • precision medicine
  • 3D/4D imaging
  • gene therapy
  • cell-based therapies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 1464 KiB  
Article
Immunonutritional Markers and the Protective Role of Sternal Irrigation and Antibiotic-Impregnated Membranes in Sternal Wound Infection: A Retrospective Cohort Study
by Ebubekir Sönmez, İzatullah Jalalzai, Ümit Arslan, Alperen Yıldız, Furkan Çelik and Merve Çetin
Life 2025, 15(8), 1163; https://doi.org/10.3390/life15081163 - 23 Jul 2025
Viewed by 201
Abstract
Background: Sternal wound infections (SWIs) remain a significant complication following cardiac surgery. Inflammatory and nutritional status are increasingly recognized as key contributors to their development. This study aimed to investigate the predictive utility of immunonutritional biomarkers and to evaluate the protective effect of [...] Read more.
Background: Sternal wound infections (SWIs) remain a significant complication following cardiac surgery. Inflammatory and nutritional status are increasingly recognized as key contributors to their development. This study aimed to investigate the predictive utility of immunonutritional biomarkers and to evaluate the protective effect of combining sternal irrigation with an antibiotic-impregnated membrane. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 480 patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Patients were categorized based on sternal management strategy (standard closure or local prophylaxis using gentamicin-enriched irrigation combined with an antibiotic-impregnated fascia lata membrane) and according to the severity of SWIs, classified as superficial or deep. Inflammatory and nutritional markers—including C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophils, lymphocytes, albumin, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI)—were assessed at three time points: preoperatively, on postoperative day 3, and after week 1. Results: SWIs were observed in 93 patients, including 75 superficial and 18 deep infections. The combined prophylactic approach was associated with a nearly 1.8-fold reduction in deep SWIs (OR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.15–0.87) and a modest reduction in superficial infections (OR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.5–1.3; p = 0.061). Threshold values of 3.75 for preoperative NLR, 9.8 for ΔNLR, and 16.7 for ΔCAR demonstrated strong predictive capacity for identifying patients at increased risk of developing deep SWIs. Patients receiving local prophylaxis exhibited significantly lower CRP, NLR, and CAR values and higher PNI levels at all time points. Conclusions: The combination of sternal irrigation and local antibiotic prophylaxis appears to confer protection against SWIs, potentially by mitigating postoperative inflammation. Immunonutritional biomarkers offer a promising means for early risk stratification. To confirm their clinical utility and broader applicability, these results should be validated in prospective, multicenter studies encompassing a wider range of cardiac surgical procedures. Full article
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