AimControversy exists concerning the relation between Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to examine the relationship between HP infection and severity of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with chronic CAD.Patients and methodsA total of 150 patients (109 [73%] men; mean age 62.61±10.23 years) scheduled for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery were consecutively enrolled in the cross-sectional study. According to rapid urease test and/or gastric biopsy samples stained with hematoxylin and eosin and according to Giemsa, patients were classified as HP positive (n=87; 58%) or HP negative (n=63; 42%). Coronary angiograms were scored by quantitative assessment, using multiple angiographic scoring system: 1) vessel score (number of coronary arteries stenosed ≥50%), 2) Gensini score (assigning a severity score to each coronary stenosis according to the degree of luminal narrowing and its topographic importance) and 3) angiographic severity score (number of coronary artery segments stenosed ≥50%).ResultsIn comparison to HP-negative patients, HP-positive patients were more frequently hypertensive (P=0.014), had higher values of systolic (P=0.043) and diastolic (P=0.005) blood pressure and total cholesterol (P=0.013) and had lower values of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C; P=0.010). There were no significant differences between the groups in the severity of coronary atherosclerosis: vessel score (P=0.152), Gensini score (P=0.870) and angiographic severity score (P=0.734).ConclusionIt is likely that HP infection is not a risk factor for the severity of coronary atherosclerosis in chronic CAD patients.

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Welcome to the Autumn 2021 edition of Physiology NewsCover image: Designed by Sophie Minto. To view more of her work, visit sophieminto.co.uk/. The image was inspired by the feature article in this issue entitled "Nothing about us, without us: Are we asking the right questions in transgender research?" 6 President's View: Launch of The Society's new blue plaque scheme 7 Chief Executive's View: An exciting start to 2021 for The Society 8 Letters to the Editor News and Views 10 Reports of The Society's recent committee meetings 11 How can we make the STEM workforce more equitable? A new report suggests next steps 12 LGBTQ+ STEM @UCL Network: Fostering an inclusive and visible community 13 Wiley's new author name change policy 14 New colour accessibility policy for The Society's journals Features 16 The diversity of sex development: What do conditions affecting sex development teach us about sexual diversity? 20 Regard the end: Harnessing physiology to provide better understanding of the mechanisms underpinning frailty 24 Nothing about us, without us: Are we asking the right questions in transgender research? 28 Diversifying the case study: How far has physiology education come in integrating equality, diversity and inclusion into the curricula? 32 Tackling underrepresentation to aid understanding of Parkinson's disease: Progress and further opportunities Events 35 Future Physiology 2021: For early career physiologists, by early career physiologists 36 Conference for Black Physiologists 2021 Membership 38 Diversity and Inclusion Task Force: Introducing the members leading The Society's EDI work 42 My life journey as a physiologist in a developing country: Q&A with a Fellow Member 44 Thinking a little differently: A member reflects on life as a neurodivergent physiologist

Despite advances in diagnosis, imaging methods, and medical and surgical interventions, prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) remains an extremely serious and potentially fatal complication of heart valve surgery. Characteristic changes of PVE are more difficult to detect by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) than those involving the native valve. We reviewed advances in transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the diagnosis of PVE. Three-dimensional (3D) TEE is becoming an increasingly available imaging method combined with two-dimensional TEE. It contributes to faster and more accurate diagnosis of PVE, assessment of PVE-related complications, monitoring effectiveness of antibiotic treatment, and determining optimal time for surgery, sometimes even before or without previous TTE. In this article, we present advances in the treatment of patients with mitral PVE due to 3D TEE application.