Cardiovascular Death In Patients Research Articles

Safety of Empagliflozin: An Individual Participant-Level Data Meta-Analysis from Four Large Trials.

Empagliflozin is a sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor used to treat type 2 diabetes (T2D) to improve glycemic control, reduce risk of cardiovascular death in patients with T2D, and treat patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The safety profile of empagliflozin is well documented, although adverse events (AEs) remain of interest to clinicians. This study provides an up-to-date safety evaluation of empagliflozin. Data were pooled from four long-term trials which included: patients with T2D and established cardiovascular disease (EMPA-REG OUTCOME), patients with HF, with/without diabetes (EMPEROR-Reduced and EMPEROR-Preserved), and patients with CKD, with/without diabetes (EMPA-KIDNEY). Since three of the four trials evaluated empagliflozin 10mg, the meta-analysis was restricted to this dose. Total trial medication exposure was 19,727 patient-years for patients who received empagliflozin (n = 10,472) and 19,447 patient-years for placebo (n = 10,461). The percentages of patients with serious AEs, fatal AEs, and AEs leading to discontinuation were similar for both groups. The incidences of serious urinary tract infection and serious pyelonephritis or urosepsis were similar for both groups but higher for women taking empagliflozin versus placebo. Serious genital infections were not increased with empagliflozin versus placebo. There was a slight increase in ketoacidosis and serious volume depletion in patients who received empagliflozin versus placebo. The occurrence of serious acute kidney injury was lower with empagliflozin versus placebo. Empagliflozin was not associated with an increased incidence of severe hypoglycemia, bone fractures, or lower limb amputations. Empagliflozin is therefore considered safe in people without diabetes, the elderly, patients with very low estimated glomerular filtration rate, low body mass index, and HF. Safety is unaltered by blood pressure, concomitant medication for hypertension, HF, and immunosuppression. This meta-analysis of long-term safety data extends current knowledge and confirms the safety and tolerability of empagliflozin.

Effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on heart failure outcomes and cardiovascular death across the cardiometabolic disease spectrum: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have been studied in patients with heart failure, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and acute myocardial infarction. Individual trials were powered to study composite outcomes in one disease state. We aimed to evaluate the treatment effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on specific clinical endpoints across multiple demographic and disease subgroups. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we queried online databases (PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and SCOPUS) up to Feb 10, 2024, for primary and secondary analyses of large trials (n>1000) of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with heart failure, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (including acute myocardial infarction). Outcomes studied included composite of first hospitalisation for heart failure or cardiovascular death, first hospitalisation for heart failure, cardiovascular death, total (first and recurrent) hospitalisation for heart failure, and all-cause mortality. Effect sizes were pooled using random-effects models. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42024513836. We included 15 trials (N=100 952). Compared with placebo, SGLT2 inhibitors reduced the risk of first hospitalisation for heart failure by 29% in patients with heart failure (hazard ratio [HR] 0·71 [95% CI 0·67-0·77]), 28% in patients with type 2 diabetes (0·72 [0·67-0·77]), 32% in patients with chronic kidney disease (0·68 [0·61-0·77]), and 28% in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (0·72 [0·66-0·79]). SGLT2 inhibitors reduced cardiovascular death by 14% in patients with heart failure (HR 0·86 [95% CI 0·79-0·93]), 15% in patients with type 2 diabetes (0·85 [0·79-0·91]), 11% in patients with chronic kidney disease (0·89 [0·82-0·96]), and 13% in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (0·87 [0·78-0·97]). The benefit of SGLT2 inhibitors on both first hospitalisation for heart failure and cardiovascular death was consistent across the majority of the 51 subgroups studied. Notable exceptions included acute myocardial infarction (22% reduction in first hospitalisation for heart failure; no effect on cardiovascular death) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (26% reduction in first hospitalisation for heart failure; no effect on cardiovascular death). SGLT2 inhibitors reduced heart failure events and cardiovascular death in patients with heart failure, type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. These effects were consistent across a wide range of subgroups within these populations. This supports the eligibility of a large population with cardiorenal-metabolic diseases for treatment with SGLT2 inhibitors. None.

Synergistic effect of lipoprotein(a) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein on the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death in patients with acute myocardial infarction: a large prospective cohort study.

Although lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) are closely associated with the mortality of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), their synergistic effect on the risk of death remains unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the combined effect of Lp(a) and Hs-CRP on the incidence of all-cause and cardiovascular death in AMI patients. A comprehensive cohort study enrolled 912 AMI patients, categorizing them into four groups based on Lp(a) and Hs-CRP levels: Group 1 [Lp(a) < 30 mg/dL & Hs-CRP < 2 mg/L], Group 2 [Lp(a) < 30 mg/dL & Hs-CRP ≥ 2 mg/L], Group 3 [Lp(a) ≥ 30 mg/dL & Hs-CRP < 2 mg/L], and Group 4 [Lp(a) ≥ 30 mg/dL & Hs-CRP ≥ 2 mg/L]. Cox regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and sensitivity analysis were employed to determine the combined effects of Lp(a) and Hs-CRP on the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death. Over a median observation period of 38.98 months, 217 patients passed away, with 137 deaths attributed to cardiovascular causes. The multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that in the comprehensively adjusted Model 3, only Lp(a) and the combination of Lp(a) and Hs-CRP exhibited a strong association with cardiovascular death risk. Specifically, for Lp(a) levels ≥ 30 mg/dL compared to < 30 mg/dL, the hazard ratio (HR) was 2.434 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.653-3.583 (P < 0.001); for log10(Lp(a)), the HR was 2.630 with a 95% CI of 1.530-4.523 (P < 0.001); for Group 4 versus Group 1, the HR was 2.346 with a 95% CI of 1.054-5.220 (P = 0.037); and for Group 4 versus Groups 1 + 2 + 3, the HR was 1.878 with a 95% CI of 1.284-2.748 (P = 0.001). Sensitivity analysis indicated that the synergy between Lp(a) and Hs-CRP continued to be independently associated with the risk of cardiovascular death. For Group 3 versus Group 1, the HR was 3.353 with a 95% CI of 1.133-9.917 (P = 0.029); for Group 4 versus Group 1, the HR was 3.710 with a 95% CI of 1.466-9.392 (P = 0.006); and for Group 4 versus Groups 1 + 2 + 3, the HR was 2.433 with a 95% CI of 1.620-3.656 (P < 0.001). Compared to elevated levels of either Lp(a) or Hs-CRP alone, the concurrent high levels of both significantly increased the risk of cardiovascular death in patients with AMI, underscoring the importance of considering their combined effects in the prognostic management of AMI patients.

Cardiovascular mortality risk in patients with ovarian cancer: a population-based study

ObjectivesOvarian cancer (OC) can occur at different ages and is affected by a variety of factors. In order to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular mortality in patients with ovarian cancer, we included influencing factors including age, histological type, surgical method, chemotherapy, whether distant metastasis, race and developed a nomogram to evaluate the ability to predict occurrence. At present, we have not found any correlation studies on cardiovascular death events in patients with ovarian cancer. This study was designed to provide targeted measures for effective prevention of cardiovascular death in patients with ovarian cancer.MethodsKaplan–Meier analysis and multivariable Cox proportional model were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of cardiovascular diseases on overall survival (OS) and ovarian cancer‐specific survival (OCSS). We compared multiple groups including clinical, demographic, therapeutic characteristics and histological types. Cox risk regression analysis, Kaplan–Meier survival curves, and propensity score matching were employed for analyzing the data.ResultsA total of 88,653 ovarian cancer patients were collected, of which 2,282 (2.57%) patients died due to cardiovascular-related diseases. Age, chemotherapy and whether satisfactory cytoreduction surgery is still the most important factors affecting the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients, while different histological types, diagnosis time, and race also have a certain impact on the prognosis. The newly developed nomogram model showed excellent predictive performance, with a C-index of 0.759 (95%CI: 0.757–0.761) for the group. Elderly patients with ovarian cancer are still a high-risk group for cardiovascular death [HR: 21.07 (95%CI: 5.21–85.30), p < 0.001]. The calibration curve showed good agreement from predicted survival probabilities to actual observations.ConclusionThis study found that age, histology, surgery, race, chemotherapy, and tumor metastasis are independent prognostic factors for cardiovascular death in patients with ovarian cancer. The nomogram-based model can accurately predict the OS of ovarian cancer patients. It is expected to inform clinical decision-making and help develop targeted treatment strategies for this population.

Effects of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors on Cause-Specific Cardiovascular Death in Patients with CKD: A Meta-Analysis of CKD Progression Trials.

Clinical Trial registry name and registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT02065791 (CREDENCE), NCT03036150 (DAPA-CKD), NCT03594110 (EMPA-KIDNEY).

HE4 Serum Levels are Associated with Poor Prognosis in Patients with Acute Heart Failure Combined with Chronic Kidney Disease.

The levels of human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is associated not only with the prognosis of patients with acute heart failure (AHF), but also with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our study aims to understand the prediction value of HE4 on prognosis in patients with AHF combined with CKD. This study prospectively enrolled patients diagnosed with AHF combined with CKD at the Department of Cardiology of Hunan Provincial People's Hospital from March 2019 to December 2022. Serum levels of HE4 were measured using a chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassay. The endpoint events included heart failure readmission and cardiovascular death. A total of 130 patients with AHF combined with CKD were included in the stud. The median age is 73 years (interquartile range: 65-79 years). Among the patients, 94 experienced the endpoint events. The multivariable Cox analysis reveals that LnHE4 (HR=2.280, 95% CI 1.300-3.998, P = 0.004) and age (HR=1.024, 95% CI 1.003-1.045, P = 0.025) are independent predictors of the endpoint events. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve demonstrates that patients with HE4 levels>276.15 pmol/L has a significantly higher incidence of endpoint events compared to those with HE4 levels≤276.15 pmol/L (Log rank test: χ2=19.689, P < 0.001). After adjusting for age and gender, the HR is 2.520 (95% CI: 1.626-3.906, P < 0.001). HE4 is an independent predictor of heart failure readmission and cardiovascular death in patients with AHF combined with CKD.

Premature ventricular complexes: Assessing burden density in a large national cohort to better define optimal ECG monitoring duration

BackgroundPremature ventricular contraction (PVC) burden is a risk factor for heart failure and cardiovascular death in patients with structural heart disease. Long-term electrocardiographic monitoring can have a significant impact on PVC burden evaluation by further defining PVC distribution patterns. ObjectiveThis study aimed to ascertain the optimal duration of electrocardiographic monitoring to characterize PVC burden and to understand clinical characteristics associated with frequent PVCs and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in a large US cohort. MethodsCommercial data (iRhythm’s Zio patch) from June 2011 to April 2022 were analyzed. Inclusion criteria were age >18 years, PVC burden ≥5%, and wear period ≥13 days. PVC burden cutoffs were determined on the basis of AHA/ACC/HRS guidelines for very frequent PVCs (10,000–20,000 during 24 hours). Patients were assigned to categories by PVC densities: low, <10%; moderate, 10% to <20%; and high, ≥20%. Mean measured error was assessed at baseline and daily until the wear period’s end for overall PVC burden and different PVC densities. ResultsAnalysis of 106,705 patch monitors revealed a study population with mean age of 70.6 ± 14.6 years (33.6% female). PVC burden was higher in male patients and those >65 years of age. PVC burden mean error decreased from 2.9% at 24 hours to 1.3% at 7 days and 0.7% at 10 days. Number of ventricular tachycardia episodes per patient increased with increasing PVC burden (P < .0001). ConclusionExtending ambulatory monitoring beyond 24 hours to 7 days or more improves accuracy of assessing PVC burden. Ventricular tachycardia frequency and duration vary by initial PVC density, highlighting the need for prolonged cardiac monitoring.

Inflammatory risk of albumin combined with C-reactive protein predicts long-term cardiovascular risk in patients with diabetes.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of inflammatory risk as defined by the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) for cardiovascular death in patients with diabetes. This study included 4956 patients (≥18 years old) with diabetes in the National Health and Nutrition Survey from 1999 to 2010. The mortality rate was determined by the correlation with the national death index on December 31, 2019. The GPS was composed of the serum C-reactive protein and the albumin. The primary outcome was cardiovascular death and the secondary outcome was all-cause death. The Cox proportional risk model adjusted for demographic factors and traditional cardiovascular risk factors was used to analyze the cumulative risk of outcomes. Among 4956 diabetes patients with a median follow-up of 10.9 years, 601 cardiovascular deaths and 2187 all-cause deaths were recorded. After adequate model adjustment, compared with the low GPS group, the high GPS group (HR, 1.257 (1.007-1.570), P = 0.043) had a higher cardiovascular mortality. Compared with the low GPS group, the all-cause mortality of the high GPS group (HR, 1.394 (1.245-1.560), P < 0.001) was higher. The results of subgroup analyses were similar with that of the overall cohort. The inflammatory risk as defined by the GPS was closely related to the increased risk of cardiovascular and all-cause death in patients with diabetes. It may be a convenient and efficient clinical practical risk assessment tool for patients with diabetes.

Dapagliflozin and Days of Full Health Lost in the DAPA-HF Trial

BackgroundConventional time-to-first-event analyses cannot incorporate recurrent hospitalizations and patient well-being in a single outcome. ObjectivesTo overcome this limitation, we tested an integrated measure that includes days lost from death and hospitalization, and additional days of full health lost through diminished well-being. MethodsThe effect of dapagliflozin on this integrated measure was assessed in the DAPA-HF (Dapagliflozin and Prevention of Adverse Outcomes in Heart Failure) trial, which examined the efficacy of dapagliflozin, compared with placebo, in patients with NYHA functional class II to IV heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40%. ResultsOver 360 days, patients in the dapagliflozin group (n = 2,127) lost 10.6 ± 1.0 (2.9%) of potential follow-up days through cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalization, compared with 14.4 ± 1.0 days (4.0%) in the placebo group (n = 2,108), and this component of all measures of days lost accounted for the greatest between-treatment difference (−3.8 days [95% CI: −6.6 to −1.0 days]). Patients receiving dapagliflozin also had fewer days lost to death and hospitalization from all causes vs placebo (15.5 ± 1.1 days [4.3%] vs 20.3 ± 1.1 days [5.6%]). When additional days of full health lost (ie, adjusted for Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire–overall summary score) were added, total days lost were 110.6 ± 1.6 days (30.7%) with dapagliflozin vs 116.9 ± 1.6 days (32.5%) with placebo. The difference in all measures between the 2 groups increased over time (ie, days lost by death and hospitalization −0.9 days [−0.7%] at 120 days, −2.3 days [−1.0%] at 240 days, and −4.8 days [−1.3%] at 360 days). ConclusionsDapagliflozin reduced the total days of potential full health lost due to death, hospitalizations, and impaired well-being, and this benefit increased over time during the first year. (Study to Evaluate the Effect of Dapagliflozin on the Incidence of Worsening Heart Failure or Cardiovascular Death in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure; NCT03036124)

Prevalence of heart failure among hospitalized patient with T2D: results of a prospective observational multicenter study (CREDO)

BACKROUND: Heart failure (HF) is in the first place in the structure of cardiovascular death in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). One of the factors determining the prognosis of patients with this pathology is hospitalization. The difficulties of managing patients are related to the heterogeneity of the population. In some cases, HF in patients with T2D remains undiagnosed, and data on the true frequency of HF in patients with T2D and their clinical and laboratory characteristics in real clinical practice remain limited.AIM: To assess the prevalence of HF, clinical and demographic characteristics and therapy profile in patients with T2D admitted to multidisciplinary hospitals.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective observational multicenter study was conducted at the city clinical hospitals of the Moscow. For the period from August 2022 to April 2023, data from patients with T2D were analyzed. Data collection was carried out at one visit. The study design did not involve any intervention in routine clinical practice, including the choice of diagnostic method or treatment.RESULTS: The study included 445 patients in accordance with the main inclusion criteria - T2D, age over 50 years, duration of T2D more than 3 years. The incidence of HF in patients with type 2 diabetes at discharge was 76.6%. The diagnosis of HF was confirmed in 48.7% (n=217), newly diagnosed HF occurred in 27.9% (n=124) of cases, in 12.6% of patients (n=56) the diagnosis of HF was withdrawn, in 10.8% (n=48) of cases the diagnosis of HF was not established. The frequency of prescribing drugs at discharge was iSGLT-2 — 77.3% (n=344), statins — 86.7% (n= 386), MRAs — 23.1% (n=103), diure­tics — 46.1% (n=205).CONCLUSION: 76.6% of patients with T2D admitted to multidisciplinary Moscow hospitals were diagnosed with HF at discharge. The results obtained confirm the possibility of detecting HF and initiating cardioprotective therapy at the hospital stage, using inpatient clinical diagnostic examination, and patients with type 2 diabetes lasting more than 3 years and aged over 50 years can be classified as a high risk group for developing HF.

Risk of cardiovascular death in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma based on the Fine-Gray model.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common types of cancers worldwide, ranking fifth among men and seventh among women, resulting in more than 7 million deaths annually. With the development of medical technology, the 5-year survival rate of HCC patients can be increased to 70%. However, HCC patients are often at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) death due to exposure to potentially cardiotoxic treatments compared with non-HCC patients. Moreover, CVD and cancer have become major disease burdens worldwide. Thus, further research is needed to lessen the risk of CVD death in HCC patient survivors. To determine the independent risk factors for CVD death in HCC patients and predict cardiovascular mortality (CVM) in HCC patients. This study was conducted on the basis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and included HCC patients with a diagnosis period from 2010 to 2015. The independent risk factors were identified using the Fine-Gray model. A nomograph was constructed to predict the CVM in HCC patients. The nomograph performance was measured using Harrell's concordance index (C-index), calibration curve, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and area under the ROC curve (AUC) value. Moreover, the net benefit was estimated via decision curve analysis (DCA). The study included 21545 HCC patients, of whom 619 died of CVD. Age (< 60) [1.981 (1.573-2.496), P < 0.001], marital status (married) [unmarried: 1.370 (1.076-1.745), P = 0.011], alpha fetoprotein (normal) [0.778 (0.640-0.946), P = 0.012], tumor size (≤ 2 cm) [(2, 5] cm: 1.420 (1.060-1.903), P = 0.019; > 5 cm: 2.090 (1.543-2.830), P < 0.001], surgery (no) [0.376 (0.297-0.476), P < 0.001], and chemotherapy(none/unknown) [0.578 (0.472-0.709), P < 0.001] were independent risk factors for CVD death in HCC patients. The discrimination and calibration of the nomograph were better. The C-index values for the training and validation sets were 0.736 and 0.665, respectively. The AUC values of the ROC curves at 2, 4, and 6 years were 0.702, 0.725, 0.740 in the training set and 0.697, 0.710, 0.744 in the validation set, respectively. The calibration curves showed that the predicted probabilities of the CVM prediction model in the training set vs the validation set were largely consistent with the actual probabilities. DCA demonstrated that the prediction model has a high net benefit. Risk factors for CVD death in HCC patients were investigated for the first time. The nomograph served as an important reference tool for relevant clinical management decisions.

Association of secondhand smoke exposure with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death in patients with hypertension: Insights from NHANES

Background and aimThe impact of environmental chemical exposure on blood pressure (BP) is well-established. However, the relationship between secondhand smoke exposure (SHSE) and mortality in hypertensive patients in the general population remains unclear. Methods and resultsThis cohort study included US adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007 to 2018. All-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality outcomes were determined by associating them with the National Death Index records. Cox proportional risk models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for SHSE. The cohort included 10,760 adult participants. The mean serum cotinine level was 0.024 ng/mL. During a mean follow-up period of 76.9 months, there were 1729 deaths, including 469 cardiovascular disease deaths recorded. After adjusting for lifestyle factors, BMI, hypertension duration, medication use, and chronic disease presence, the highest SHSE was significantly associated with higher all-cause and CVD mortality. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that higher SHSE is significantly associated with higher all-cause mortality and CVD mortality. Further research is necessary to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

History of fragility fracture is associated with cardiovascular mortality in hemodialysis patients: the Q-Cohort study.

In patients undergoing dialysis, major bone fracture is associated with a high risk of mortality, including death of cardiovascular (CV) origin. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether a history of fragility fracture is a predictor of CV death in patients undergoing hemodialysis with long-term follow-up. In total, 3499 patients undergoing hemodialysis were analyzed for 10years. We evaluated the history of fragility fracture in each patient at enrollment. The primary outcome was CV death. A Cox proportional hazard model and a competing risk approach were applied to determine the association between a history of fragility fracture and CV death. A total of 346 patients had a history of fragility fracture at enrollment. During a median follow-up of 8.8years, 1730 (49.4%) patients died. Among them, 621 patients experienced CV death. Multivariable Cox analyses after adjustment for confounding variables showed that a history of fragility fracture was associated with CV death (hazard ratio, 1.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-1.85). In the Fine-Gray regression model, a history of fragility fracture was an independent risk factor for CV death (subdistribution hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.72). In a large cohort of patients undergoing hemodialysis, a history of fragility fracture was an independent predictor of CV death.

A Practical Approach to the Management of Residual Cardiovascular Risk: United Arab Emirates Expert Consensus Panel on the Evidence for Icosapent Ethyl and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

Patients with hyperlipidemia treated with statins remain at a residual cardiovascular (CV) risk. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids hold the potential to mitigate the residual CV risk in statin-treated patients, with persistently elevated triglyceride (TG) levels. We reviewed the current evidence on the use of icosapent ethyl (IPE), an omega-3 fatty acid yielding a pure form of eicosapentaenoic acid. REDUCE-IT reported a significant 25% reduction in CV events, including the need for coronary revascularization, the risk of fatal/nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, and CV death in patients on IPE, unseen with other omega-3 fatty acids treatments. IPE was effective in all patients regardless of baseline CV risk enhancers (TG levels, type-2 diabetes status, weight status, prior revascularization, or renal function). Adverse events (atrial fibrillation/flutter) related to IPE have occurred mostly in patients with prior atrial fibrillation. Yet, the net clinical benefit largely exceeded potential risks. The combination with other omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, in particular DHA, eliminated the effect of EPA alone, as reported in the STRENGTH and OMEMI trials. Adding IPE to statin treatment seems to be cost-effective, especially in the context of secondary prevention of CVD, decreasing CV event frequency and subsequently the use of healthcare resources. Importantly, IPE has been endorsed by 20 international medical societies as a statin add-on treatment in patients with dyslipidemia and high CV risk. Robust medical evidence supports IPE as a pillar in the management of dyslipidemia.

Effect of Ticagrelor versus Clopidogrel on All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients with Hyperuricemia.

The relationship between hyperuricemia and mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is considerably controversial. Additionally, the strategy of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) has not been evaluated in patients with ACS with hyperuricemia. This study aims to evaluate the impact of hyperuricemia on the prognosis of ACS and explore the efficacy of ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel in patients with hyperuricemia. The study enrolled 4319 patients divided into hyperuricemia (HUA, n = 1060) and normouricemia (NUA, n = 3259) groups. The inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)-adjusted Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the impact of ticagrelor versus clopidogrel on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Hyperuricemia significantly increased the risk of all-cause death compared with patients with NUA at 7 days [adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 4.292, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.727-10.67]; P = 0.002), 14 days (adjusted HR: 2.871, 95% CI 1.326-6.219; P = 0.0074), 30 days (adjusted HR: 2.168, 95% CI 1.056-4.453; P = 0.035), 3 months (adjusted HR: 2.018, 95% CI 1.152-3.533; P = 0.0144) and 1 year (adjusted HR: 1.702, 95% CI 1.137-2.548; P = 0.009). No significant difference was found between ticagrelor and clopidogrel in 1-year all-cause mortality [7.0% versus 5.5%, adjusted HR: 1.114 (95% CI 0.609-2.037), P = 0.725] among patients with concomitant hyperuricemia. Hyperuricemia was independently related to an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular death in patients with ACS undergoing PCI. At 1-year follow-up, there were no significant differences between ticagrelor and clopidogrel concerning all-cause and cardiovascular death in patients with hyperuricemia.

Revascularization for Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction and Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the main causes of heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The efficacy of revascularization therapy in patients with HFpEF and CAD, however, remains unclear. Patients who underwent coronary angiography from January 2017 to December 2019 were included in this retrospective study if they further satisfied the diagnosis of HFpEF (left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50% plus plasma N-terminal pro-BNP ≥125pg/ml) and CAD (patients had a history of confirmed myocardial infarction or ≥50% stenosis in at least 1 epicardial coronary vessel). Clinical data, way of revascularization, and outcome events (unplanned repeated revascularization, HF readmission, cardiovascular death, readmission of cerebral hemorrhage/stroke or gastrointestinal bleeding, and all-cause death) were recorded and analyzed. A total of 1,111 patients were enrolled for the present analysis. Based on whether the revascularization was complete or not, the patients were divided into the complete revascularization group (n=780) and the incomplete/no revascularization group (n=331). All patients were followed up with a median of 355days. The overall rates of unplanned repeated revascularization, HF readmission, and cardiovascular death were 6.6%, 5.0%, and 0.4%, respectively. Compared with incompletely/not revascularized patients, completely revascularized patients had a lower rate of unplanned repeated revascularization (10.9% vs 4.7%, p <0.001) and cardiovascular death (0.9% vs 0.1%, p=0.048). However, HF readmission, readmission of cerebral hemorrhage/stroke or gastrointestinal bleeding, and noncardiac death were comparable between the 2 groups. The regression analysis showed that hyperlipidemia, previous myocardial infarction, in-stent restenosis, and way of revascularization were associated with the composite events of unplanned repeated revascularization, HF readmission, and cardiovascular death during the follow-up. Complete revascularization may reduce unplanned repeated revascularization and cardiovascular death for patients with HFpEF and CAD.

The Safety and Efficacy of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors for Patients with Sarcopenia or Frailty: Double Edged Sword?

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is) show cardiovascular protective effects, regardless of the patient's history of diabetes mellitus (DM). SGLT2is suppressed cardiovascular adverse events in patients with type 2 DM, and furthermore, SGLT-2is reduced the risk of worsening heart failure (HF) events or cardiovascular death in patients with HF. Along with these research findings, SGLT-2is are recommended for patients with HF in the latest guidelines. Despite these benefits, the concern surrounding the increasing risk of body weight loss and other adverse events has not yet been resolved, especially for patients with sarcopenia or frailty. The DAPA-HF and DELIVER trials consistently showed the efficacy and safety of SGLT-2i for HF patients with frailty. However, the Rockwood frailty index that derived from a cumulative deficit model was employed for frailty assessment in these trials, which might not be suitable for the evaluation of physical frailty or sarcopenia alone. There is no fixed consensus on which evaluation tool to use or its cutoff value for the diagnosis and assessment of frailty in HF patients, or which patients can receive SGLT-2i safely. In this review, we summarize the methodology of frailty assessment and discuss the efficacy and safety of SGLT-2i for HF patients with sarcopenia or frailty.

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 predicts cardiovascular death in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: a 7-year prospective cohort study

BackgroundCardiovascular diseases (CVD) is the leading cause of death among maintenance hemodialysis patients, with dyslipidemia being a prevalent complication. The paradoxical relationship between cardiovascular outcomes and established lipid risk markers, such as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), complicates lipid management in this population. This study investigated Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), an emerging biomarker known for its proinflammatory and proatherogenic properties, as a potential cardiovascular prognostic marker in this cohort. In this context, the association between Lp-PLA2 levels and cardiovascular outcomes was evaluated, with the aim to facilitate more accurate stratification and identification of high-risk individuals.MethodsFrom August 2013 to January 2014, 361 hemodialysis patients were prospectively enrolled. Lp-PLA2 activity and laboratory measures at baseline were quantified. Comorbidities and medications were recorded. All patients were followed until the end of April, 2022. The individual and combined effects of Lp-PLA2 activity and LDL-C on patient outcomes were examined. The association between Lp-PLA2 activity and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) was analyzed.ResultsThe median Lp-PLA2 activity was 481.2 U/L. In subjects with Lp-PLA2 activity over 481.2 U/L, significantly higher total cholesterol (4.89 vs. 3.98 mmol/L; P < 0.001), LDL-C (3.06 vs. 2.22 mmol/L; P < 0.001), and apolipoprotein B (0.95 vs. 0.75 mmol/L; P < 0.001) were observed. Over a median follow-up of 78.1 months, 182 patients died, with 77 cases identified as cardiovascular death, 88 MACEs happened. Cardiovascular mortality and MACEs, but not all-cause mortality, were significantly increased in the high Lp-PLA2 group. Cox regression analyses showed that high Lp-PLA2 activity was associated with cardiovascular mortality and MACE occurrence. After comprehensive adjustment, high Lp-PLA2 activity was independently associated with cardiovascular mortality(as a dichotomous variable: HR:2.57, 95%CI:1.58,4.18, P < 0.001; as a continuous variable: HR:1.25, 95%CI:1.10,1.41, P = 0.001) and MACEs(as a dichotomous variable: HR:2.17, 95%CI:1.39,3.40, P = 0.001; as a continuous variable: HR:1.20, 95%CI:1.07,1.36, P = 0.002). When participants were grouped by median Lp-PLA2 activity and LDL-C values, those with high Lp-PLA2 and low LDL-C had the highest CV mortality. The addition of Lp-PLA2 significantly improved reclassification (as a dichotomous variable NRI = 42.51%, 95%CI: 5.0%,61.33%; as a continuous variable, NRI = 33.32%, 95% CI: 7.47%,56.21%).ConclusionsHigh Lp-PLA2 activity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular mortality and MACEs occurrence in patients on hemodialysis. The combined measures of Lp-PLA2 and LDL-C help to identify individuals with a higher risk of cardiovascular death.

Effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on liver-related and cardiovascular mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes

BackgroundPatients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) tend to have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with poorer prognosis. We performed this research to compare the risks of cardiovascular diseases, cirrhosis, liver-related mortality, and cardiovascular mortality between glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) use and no-use in patients with T2D without viral hepatitis.MethodsFrom January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2018, we used propensity-score matching to identify 31,183 pairs of GLP-1 RA users and nonusers from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the outcomes between the study and control groups.ResultsThe median (Q1, Q3) follow-up time for GLP-1 RA users and nonusers were 2.19 (1.35, 3.52) and 2.14 (1.19, 3.68) years, respectively. The all-cause mortality incidence rate was 5.67 and 13.06 per 1000 person-years for GLP-1 RA users and nonusers, respectively. Multivariable-adjusted analysis showed that GLP-1 RA use had significantly lower risks of all-cause mortality (aHR 0.48, 95%CI 0.43–0.53), cardiovascular events (aHR 0.92, 95%CI 0.86–0.99), cardiovascular death (aHR 0.57, 95%CI 0.45–0.72), and liver-related death (aHR 0.32, 95%CI 0.13–0.75). However, there was no significant difference in the risk of liver cirrhosis development, hepatic failure, and hepatocellular carcinoma compared to GLP-1 RA no-use.ConclusionsThis nationwide cohort study showed that GLP-1 RA use was associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular events, and cardiovascular death in patients with T2D among Taiwan population. More prospective studies are warranted to verify our results.

Effect of Intensive Blood Pressure Control on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Cancer Survivors.

To evaluate whether cancer modifies the effect of intensive blood pressure control on major cardiovascular outcomes. Using data of the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial), we compared the risk of the composite outcomes of myocardial infarction, other acute coronary syndromes, stroke, heart failure, and cardiovascular death in patients with and without a history of cancer. Using Cox proportional hazards regression, we tested interactions between history of cancer and intensive blood pressure control on major cardiovascular outcomes. The study included a total of 9336 patients, with a mean age of 67.9±9.4 years, among whom 2066 (22.2%) were cancer survivors. Over a median follow-up of 3.2 years, 561 primary cardiovascular outcomes were observed. Cancer survivors had a similar risk of experiencing the primary outcome compared with patients without cancer after multivariable adjustment (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.77-1.15]). Intensive blood pressure control reduced risk of the primary cardiovascular outcome similarly for cancer survivors (hazard ratio, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.51-0.97]) and patients without cancer (HR, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.63-0.93]; P for interaction 0.74). In SPRINT study, intensive blood pressure treatment reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events in cancer survivors to a similar extent to that of patients without cancer. Cancer history not requiring active treatment in last 2 years should not be an obstacle to intensive treatment of hypertension. This post hoc analysis should be considered as hypothesis-generating and merit further clinical trial. URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01206062.