The T.O.S.C.A. Project: Research, Education and Care

Despite recent and exponential improvements in diagnostic- therapeutic pathways, an existing “GAP” has been revealed between the “real world care” and the “optimal care” of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). We present the T.O.S.CA. Project (Trattamento Ormonale dello Scompenso CArdiaco), an Italian multicenter initiative involving different health care professionals and services aiming to explore the CHF “metabolic pathophysiological model” and to improve the quality of care of HF patients through research and continuing medical education.

Expression of angiogenic regulators. VEGF and leptin, is regulated by the EGF/P13K/STAT3 pathway in colorectal cancer cells

The progression rate of aortic stenosis: key to tailoring the management and potential target for treatment

: Aortic stenosis is the most frequent valvular disease to require intervention in the western world and has always been featured as a progressive disease. The rate of progression can be assessed by carefully performed Doppler echocardiography and can vary greatly between individuals with a profound impact on prognosis. Unfortunately, the determinants of disease progression had been insufficiently studied and remain challenging to define, particularly in the outpatient setting. Multiple factors have been proposed and tested, but at present, there are no proven therapies to slow the course of the stenotic process. Heart valve clinics may be particularly important to define the progression ra…

Progressive right ventricular dysfunction and exercise impairment in patients with heart failure and diabetes mellitus: insights from the T.O.S.CA. Registry

Abstract Background Findings from the T.O.S.CA. Registry recently reported that patients with concomitant chronic heart failure (CHF) and impairment of insulin axis (either insulin resistance—IR or diabetes mellitus—T2D) display increased morbidity and mortality. However, little information is available on the relative impact of IR and T2D on cardiac structure and function, cardiopulmonary performance, and their longitudinal changes in CHF. Methods Patients enrolled in the T.O.S.CA. Registry performed echocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise test at baseline and at a patient-average follow-up of 36 months. Patients were divided into three groups based on the degree of insulin impairmen…