Alida Roswita Harahap

Background: Skeletal myopathy is a common complication of heart failure (HF), contributing to exercise intolerance and impaired physical function. This study explores the relationship between practical skeletal muscle measurements and key biomarkers in HF patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation. Methods: Sixty-nine stable chronic HF patients participated in a 3-month phase II cardiac rehabilitation program. Physical examinations, including the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), chest expansion, inspiratory diaphragm thickness, and handgrip strength, were conducted. Blood samples were analyzed for myostatin and miRNA-133a. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests, Wilcoxon tests, Chi-square/Fisher’s exact tests, and correlation analyses. Results: Significant improvements were observed in 6MWT distance, chest expansion, and inspiratory diaphragm thickness following rehabilitation (p < 0.001). Handgrip strength also significantly improved post-rehabilitation. Myostatin and miRNA-133a levels did not change significantly post-rehabilitation. However, exploratory cross-sectional analysis revealed trends suggesting that lower myostatin levels correlated with better endurance (p = 0.036), while higher myostatin levels were also observed in patients with better 6MWT performance (p = 0.014). Higher miRNA-133a levels were potentially associated with better overall fitness, including endurance and respiratory function (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Readily performed physical assessments can serve as clinical indicators of the systemic impact of HF on skeletal muscle. The study highlights the importance of evaluating extracardiac function in HF patients, demonstrating potential exploratory associations between physical function and key biomarkers.

A coronary artery bypass graft is a complex procedure that can cause various physiological responses, including inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and endothelial dysfunction. Nevertheless, the correlation between these responses and organ function after CABG has not yet been established. This study aims to investigate the correlation between inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, endothelial dysfunction markers, and postoperative organ function assessment as evaluated by the Cardiac Surgery Score (CASUS). A prospective cohort study was conducted on patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft from two hospitals in Jakarta. IL-6, MDA, caspase-3, and syndecan-1 levels were measured at three points in time: before surgery, on ICU Day-1, and ICU Day-2. Postoperative organ function was assessed on ICU Day 2 by Cardiac Surgery Score (CASUS). Fifty-one patients were included in the study. There was a positive correlation between IL-6 measured before surgery (r = 0.325, p = 0.020) and at the time of admission to the ICU (r = 0.374, p = 0.007). Positive correlation was also found between syndecan-1 levels on ICU day 1 (r = 0.304, p = 0.030) with CASUS. MDA correlated with CASUS on ICU day 2 (r = 0.392, p = 0.004); meanwhile, no significant association was found between caspase-3 and postoperative organ function assessment. Interleukin-6 levels pre-surgery and on ICU day 1, syndecan-1 levels on ICU day 1, and MDA levels on ICU day 2 were correlated with CASUS.

Introduction Heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) significantly contributes to global morbidity and mortality, necessitating effective rehabilitation programs. Exercise-based rehabilitation improves functional capacity and quality of life in HFrEF patients, though responses vary. The tailored BEST (Breathing, Endurance, and Strengthening) exercise protocol addresses both cardiac and extracardiac rehabilitation, benefiting all patients regardless of response status. This study evaluated the protocol's effects on HFrEF patients and classified responses based on VO₂max changes. Methods In this etiologic study with prospective cohort design, all participants underwent a three-month cardiac rehabilitation program using the BEST Exercise Protocol. Assessments included the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), short physical performance battery (SPPB), handgrip strength, chest expansion, ultrasonographic measurements, and NT-proBNP levels before and after the intervention, with statistical comparisons made within and between groups. Groupings of responder level will be reliant on 6MWT distance achievement at the end of the program, with ≥6% improvement classified as good responders. Results Out of 107 HFrEF patients (median age 55 years, ejection fraction 29.50±7.34%), 63.56% were good responders and 36.44% were poor responders (<6% improvement). Good responders showed significant improvements in most extracardiac parameters, including a 20% increase in 6MWT distance (470.96±69.21 meters post-rehabilitation), chest expansion, handgrip strength, and SPPB scores (p<0.001 for all). Poor responders also improved in chest expansion, sit-to-stand time, and postural balance, with minor 6MWT gains (407.33±72.50 meters). NT-proBNP levels decreased in both groups but were not statistically significant (p=0.288 and 0.368 for good and poor responders, respectively). Conclusion The tailored BEST Exercise Protocol offers substantial cardiac and extracardiac benefits for HFrEF patients by enhancing functional capacity and muscle strength. Both good and poor responders exhibited significant improvements, indicating the protocol's broad applicability. However, the lack of statistically significant NT-proBNP reduction suggests further studies on cardiac biomarkers are needed. The 6MWT provides accessible rehabilitation insights, though more precise evaluations like Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) can offer clearer insights into cardiopulmonary adaptations.

Understanding the significance of handgrip strength is essential for identifying frailty in heart failure patients. The aim of this study was to identify the association between handgrip strength and cardiorespiratory endurance while highlighting the importance of the musculoskeletal system in cardiac rehabilitation for patients with heart failure. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at Harapan Kita Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia, from April 2022 to April 2023, among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) attributed to cardiomyopathy or coronary artery disease. Patients were classified by a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distance into 30 kg) was associated with higher endurance (odds ratio (OR): 3.80; 95%CI: 1.35–10.67; p=0.010) and thicker forearm muscles (>1.9 cm) as measured by ultrasonography (AUC: 0.713; 95%CI: 0.585–0.840, p=0.001). In conclusion, a cut-off of ≤30 kg for non-dominant handgrip strength could effectively stratify the male patients into a lower endurance group (6MWT ≤400 meters), which is associated with elevated NT-proBNP levels and reduced forearm muscle thickness.

Background: Routine childhood vaccination, e.g., for diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP), might provide an additional protection towards SARS-CoV-2 infection. This concept of heterologous immunity was explored in healthy children receiving both DTP and inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 154 healthy children aged 6–8 years old in Jakarta, Indonesia. Their vaccination status of DTP (including diphtheria-tetanus booster vaccine at 5 years old) and CoronaVac (from 6 years old) were recorded. Peripheral blood samples were collected from all participants, in which anti-diphtheria toxoid IgG, anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD antibodies and T cell-derived IFN-g were measured. Results: Study participants with complete DTP vaccination had significantly higher titer of anti-diphtheria toxoid IgG than the ones without (median=0.9349 versus 0.2113 IU/mL; pConclusion: Healthy children aged 6-8 years old with complete DTP and CoronaVac vaccinations exhibited higher SARS-CoV-2-specific adaptive immune responses, particularly on their T-cell response. This suggests an additional benefit of routine childhood vaccination to generate protection against novel pathogens, presumably via heterologous immunity.

Purpose: The exact link between cognitive impairment (CI) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is still limited. Thus, we aim to find the relationship and interaction of quantitative CT (QCT), lung function, HIF-1α, and clinical factors with the development of CI among COPD patients. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional multicentre study was conducted from January 2022 to December 2023. We collected clinical data, spirometry, CT images, and venous blood samples from 114 COPD participants. Cognitive impairment assessment using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Indonesian version (MoCA-Ina) with a cutoff value 26. The QCT analysis consists of lung density, airway wall thickness, pulmonary artery-to-aorta ratio (PA:A), and pectoralis muscles using 3D Slicer software. Serum HIF-1α analysis was performed using ELISA. Results: We found significant differences between %LAA_{− 950}, age, COPD duration, BMI, FEV₁ pp, and FEV₁/FVC among GOLD grades I–IV. Only education duration was found to correlate with CI (r = 0.40; p < 0.001). We found no significant difference in HIF-1α among GOLD grades (p = 0.149) and no correlation between HIF-1α and CI (p = 0.105). From multiple linear regression, we observed that the MoCA-Ina score was influenced mainly by %LAA_{− 950} (p = 0.02) and education duration (p = 0.01). The path analysis model showed both %LAA and education duration directly and indirectly through FEV₁ pp contributing to CI. Conclusion: We conclude that the utilization of QCT parameters is beneficial as it can identify abnormalities and contribute to the development of CI, indicating its potential utility in clinical decision-making. The MoCA-Ina score in COPD is mainly affected by %LAA_{− 950} and education duration. Contrary to expectations, this study concludes that HIF-1α does not affect CI among COPD patients.

Background Dengue virus remains a major public health problem with one of the hallmark pathologies is the vascular leakage caused by endothelial dysfunction which can lead to Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) manifestation. In the status quo, no specific therapy has been discovered but rather heavily relies on judicious and frequent monitoring of intravenous fluids administration. The current guideline has discussed the roles of fluid therapy during the Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) stage, however, administration of early fluid intervention for DHF grade I and II remains uncharted territory. In addition, the choice and timing of colloid administration remains underexplored. As one of the widely available colloids, 5% albumin has known physiological properties that potentially minimize plasma leakage. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the benefit of early intervention of 5% albumin in adults with DHF in the hope of preventing the lethal progression to DSS and further, shorten the length of stay (LOS) for patients. Methods We conducted a multicenter, open-labeled, randomized controlled trial in Jakarta and Banten to compare the effect of early intervention with 5% albumin in adult patients with DHF compared to Ringer’s Lactate (RL). Statistical analyses were conducted using unpaired t-test and Mann-Whitney for normally and abnormally distributed data respectively. Results Adult patients with a diagnosis of DHF grade I and II that being hospitalized to receive the early intervention of 5% albumin had significantly lower levels of hemoconcentration 4, 12, and 24 hours (p = 0.002, 0.001, 0.003, respectively), higher platelet counts 4 hours (p = 0.036), higher serum albumin levels 48 hours (p = 0.036), lower proteinuria 24 and 48 hours post-albumin administration (p < 0.001, < 0.001, respectively), and shorter LOS (p < 0.001) when compared to the RL group. Conclusion Early intervention of 5% albumin showed better control on vascular integrity and function compared to ringer lactate in hospitalized adults with grade I & II DHF, thus halting the progression of DHF into DSS and other related complications which leads to faster recovery and shorter length of stay. Trial Registration: The study was registered to www.clinicaltrial.gov with trial registration number NCT04076254, and registration date October 31st 2016.

Link of Video https://youtu.be/cQUhwa50jAM Background: Predictors of mortality in COVID-19 patients, which are essential factors in guiding patient management, are poorly understood. In Indonesia, several inflammatory markers have been utilized to evaluate the severity of COVID-19. This study aimed to determine the role of C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and XCL1/lymphotactin levels in predicting 28-day mortality in patients with COVID-19. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted with COVID-19 patients admitted to the emergency department at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital and Medistra Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia, from June 2020 to February 2021. The predictors of 28-day mortality in COVID-19 patients in this study included CRP, D-dimer, IL-6, and XCL1 levels at admission. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to determine the independent predictors of 28-day mortality in the study population. Results: A total of 120 patients with COVID-19 were enrolled in the study; 21 (17.5%) died within 28 days after admission. According to our multivariate analysis, a CRP level (HR, 8.55; 95% CI, 3.310-22.088) ≥ 110 mg/L and a D-dimer level (HR, 20.642; 95% CI, 6.909-61.667) ≥ 4640 ng/mL were identified as independent predictors of 28-day mortality in COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: A C-reactive protein level ≥ 110 mg/L and a D-dimer level ≥ 4640 ng/mL can be used to predict 28-day mortality in COVID-19 patients.

Chronic inflammation is a crucial driver of carcinogenesis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Several studies have investigated the prognostic significance of cyclooxygenase−2 (COX−2) expression in PDAC patients, obtaining conflicting results. Nuclear factor kappa−B (NF−κB), specificity protein 1 (Sp1), and c−Jun are known as the transcription factors of the COX2 gene. This exploratory observational study investigated the association of the NF−κB, COX−2, Sp1, and c−Jun expressions with patient survival in PDAC. We used the immunohistochemical method to detect the PDAC tissue expressions of NF−κB (RelA/p65), COX−2, Sp1, and c−Jun. The expressions of these proteins were correlated with the overall survival (OS) and other clinicopathological characteristics of PDAC patients. We obtained 53 PDAC specimens from resections and biopsies. There were significant correlations between the four proteins’ expressions in the PDAC tissues. The expression of the cytoplasmic (aHR = 0.31; 95% CI 0.11–0.90; p = 0.032) or nuclear NF−κB (aHR = 0.22; 95% CI 0.07–0.66; p = 0.007) was independently associated with a better prognosis in the PDAC patients. COX−2, Sp1, and c−Jun showed no significant association with a prognosis in the PDAC patients. The PDAC patients who expressed NF−κB had a better prognosis than the other patients, which suggests that the role of inflammation in PDAC is more complex than previously thought.

Background: The increasing number of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) incidence has led to a great negative impact on older people's lives. This chronic disease was a critical and independent risk factor for cognitive function impairment in the elderly with mild cognitive impairment as a frequent feature. This systematic review aimed to examine the risk of developing cognitive impairment in COPD. Methods: A structured search of the literature was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses statement guideline, with a pre-determined search strategy starting from study identification, title and abstract screening, eligibility assessment, and inclusion of relevant study. The search was conducted in PubMed and MEDLINE via EBSCOhost, with restriction to human studies. The studies from inception until January 12, 2021. Results: Five original articles were included. Most studies found that patients with COPD had a higher chance of developing cognitive impairment, especially when patients were followed up for more than 5 years. We discovered that the risk of cognitive impairment seemed to be correlated with the length of time spent following the participants, with the highest risk of cognitive impairment being identified in those who had the longest observation period. It is critical to conduct cognitive screening from the time a diagnosis of COPD is obtained and on a continuing basis in order to recognize and treat these individuals appropriately. Conclusion: There is a potential association between COPD and mild cognitive impairment. We encourage more studies to be done with higher sensitivity and specificity cognitive screening tools in the future to build better evidence and qualify to be analyzed quantitatively with meta-analysis.