Lower Cardiovascular Mortality Research Articles

Percutaneous mechanical circulatory support versus intraaortic balloon counterpulsation in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock

Abstract Background Acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMI-CS) is a disease process associated with significantly poor clinical prognosis, placing patients at increased risk for morbidity and mortality. Currently, the optimal choice for temporary mechanical circulatory support remains unclear, with studies evaluating use of percutaneous ventricular assist devices (pVAD) yielding conflicting results. Purpose The goal of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the efficacy of pVAD compared to intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) in patients presenting with AMI-CS. Methods A database search was performed for studies reporting on the association of pVAD compared to IABP with clinical outcomes in patients with AMI-CS. The primary endpoint of interest was 30-day all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints included cardiovascular (CV) mortality, and recurrence of AMI. The databases searched included Pubmed, Web of Science, and Embase. The search was not restricted by time or publication status. Registry studies were excluded from this analysis. Subgroup analysis was performed separating randomized controlled trials from retrospective cohort studies. Results A total of 8 studies with 651 participants (322 treated with pVAD, 329 treated with IABP) met inclusion criteria. Mean age was 65 years old, 73.9% were men, mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 28%, mean follow-up was 9.8 months (ranging 1-66 months). Treatment of AMI-CS patients with pVAD was not associated with lower risk of 30-day all-cause mortality compared to IABP (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.63-1.27; p=0.55). Heterogeneity was low for the RCT subgroup and moderate for the cohort study subgroup (I2=0%; I2=48%). Use of pVAD in patients with AMI-CS was associated with a non-statistically significant trend toward lower CV mortality compared to IABP (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.29-0.99; p=0.05). The heterogeneity was low (I2=0%). Use of pVAD was not associated with significantly lower risk of recurrent AMI (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.22-1.74; p=0.37). Heterogeneity was low for this analysis (I2=0%). Test for subgroup differences was not statistically significant for any of the above analyses. Conclusion In patients presenting with AMI-CS, use of pVAD compared to IABP is not associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality or recurrent AMI. However given the apparent trend toward lower risk of CV mortality in patients treated with pVAD, additional high-quality prospective studies are required.Figure 1

Ticagrelor or prasugrel versus clopidogrel in patients with coronary heart disease

Abstract Introduction Antiplatelet therapy is pivotal in the management of coronary heart disease (CHD), especially after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Clopidogrel has long been the cornerstone of dual antiplatelet therapy. However, newer agents like prasugrel and ticagrelor boast of faster onset of action and greater platelet inhibition, which may translate to improved outcomes. Purpose Our hypothesis is that prasugrel or ticagrelor are superior to clopidogrel in reducing cardiovascular mortality in chronic CHD patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX network database, including patients with chronic CHD on dual antiplatelet therapy. A total of 1,420,165 patients on clopidogrel and 197,783 on prasugrel or ticagrelor were identified. We assessed the primary composite endpoint of cardiovascular mortality over a 5-year follow-up period, using event-free survival as our main outcome measure. Results The 5-year follow-up data revealed a significant difference in event-free survival between the groups. Patients on prasugrel or ticagrelor had a markedly higher event-free survival rate of 83.156% compared to 73.209% for those on clopidogrel. The Log Rank test showed a confidence interval of 1.544 to 1.592 with a highly significant p-value of <0.0001. Discussion The data suggest a clear benefit of prasugrel or ticagrelor over clopidogrel for event-free survival in CHD patients. This could be attributed to the more potent antiplatelet effects of these drugs, leading to reduced thrombotic events. Given the substantial sample size and robustness of the data, the findings advocate for a paradigm shift in the choice of more potent antiplatelet agents in clinical practice. Conclusion Our analysis supports the hypothesis that prasugrel or ticagrelor are associated with significantly lower cardiovascular mortality compared to clopidogrel in patients with chronic coronary heart disease.5-year Kaplan-Meier curves for mortality

Intravenous iron therapy for heart failure and iron deficiency: An updated meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Heart failure (HF) patients frequently exhibit iron deficiency, which is associated with a poor prognosis. Although various trials have been conducted, it is uncertain if intravenous (IV) iron replenishment improves clinical outcomes in HF patients with iron deficiency. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from inception till 15 September 2023 to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared IV iron therapy with placebo or standard of care in patients with HF and iron deficiency. Clinical outcomes were assessed by generating forest plots using the random-effects model and pooling odds ratios (ORs) or weighted mean differences (WMDs). Fourteen RCTs with 6651 patients were included. IV iron therapy showed a significantly reduced incidence of the composite of first heart failure hospitalization (HHF) or cardiovascular (CV) mortality as compared with the control group (OR=0.73, 95% CI: 0.58 to 0.92). The IV iron therapy resulted in a trend towards lower CV mortality (OR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.76 to 1.01), 1-year all-cause mortality (OR=0.85, 95% CI: 0.71 to 1.02), and first HHF (OR=0.73, 95% CI: 0.51 to 1.05), and an improved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (MD=4.54, 95% CI: -0.13 to 9.21). Meta-regression showed a significant inverse moderating effect of baseline LVEF on the first HHF or CV death. In patients with HF and iron deficiency, IV iron therapy reduced the incidence of composite of first HHF or CV mortality. There was a trend of lower overall CV and 1-year all-cause mortality, first HHF, and improved LVEF with IV iron therapy.

Sex differences in clinical characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes in Asian hospitalized heart failure patients.

Sex differences in long-term post-discharge clinical outcomes in Asian patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure (HF) persist despite the world-wide implementation of guideline-directed medical therapy for decades. The present study aims to elucidate the puzzling dilemma and to depict the directions of solution. Between 2011 and 2020, a total of 12428 patients (6518 men and 5910 women, mean age 73.50±14.85) hospitalized for acute decompensated HF were retrospectively enrolled from a university HF cohort. Compared with men, women hospitalized for acute decompensated HF were older in age (76.40±13.43 vs. 71.20±15.67years old, P<0.0001) with more coexisting hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia and moderate to severe chronic kidney disease, but less with ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P<0.0001). In echocardiography measurement parameters, women had smaller left ventricular and left atrial dimensions, higher left ventricular mass index, higher left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and more in HF with preserved ejection fraction (EF) category (LVEF>50%) than men (P<0.0001). In HF therapy, women compared with men received more guideline-directed medical HF therapies including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, but similar beta-blockers and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (P<0.0001). Post-discharge long-term clinical outcomes after multivariate-adjusted analysis revealed that women compared with men had lower all-cause mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.84-0.93], lower cardiovascular mortality (aHR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.80-0.99) and lower 1year mortality (aHR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84-0.99) but similar HF rehospitalization rate (aHR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.95-1.09) over 8years of follow-up. The superiority of women over men in all-cause mortality was shown in HF with preserved EF (>50%) and HF with mildly reduced EF (40%-50%), but not in HF with reduced EF (<40%) category. Subgroup forest plot analysis showed body mass index, coexisting hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as significant interacting factors. With more coronary risk factors and medical comorbidities, less cardiac remodelling and better adherence to guideline-directed HF therapy, women hospitalized for acute decompensated HF demonstrated superiority over men in long-term post-discharge clinical outcomes, including all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and 1year mortality, and mainly in HF with preserved and mid-range EF categories, in the Asian HF cohort.

Titration of sedentary behavior with varying physical activity levels reduces mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Both physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) exert important impact on type 2 diabetes, but it remains unclear how maximum impact on improving the mortality and optimized proportion of the two lifestyles combination exists. To explore the impacts of PA/SB combinations on mortality in patients with diabetes. Patients with type 2 diabetes patients samplings were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset. Their lifestyles were categorized into eight groups based on combinations of the PA and SB levels. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. During the follow-up period, 1,148 deaths (18.94%) were recorded. High SB (sedentary time ≥6 hours/day) was significantly associated with higher all-cause mortality (HR 1.65). In participants with low SB (<6 hours/day), low PA was associated with lower all-cause mortality (HR 0.43), while further increase of PA level did not show further reduction in either all-cause or cardiovascular mortality. In contrast, in participants with high SB，all levels of PA were associated with lower all-cause mortality (p<0.05), but only moderate PA was associated with lower cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.30). In patients with type 2 diabetes, different combinations of various levels of PA and SB are associated with different degree of risk for all-cause or cardiovascular mortality.

The prognostic value of the stress hyperglycemia ratio for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with diabetes or prediabetes: insights from NHANES 2005–2018

BackgroundThe Stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) is a novel marker reflecting the true acute hyperglycemia status and is associated with clinical adverse events. The relationship between SHR and mortality in patients with diabetes or prediabetes is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of the SHR for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with diabetes or prediabetes.MethodsThis study included 11,160 patients diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2018). The study endpoints were all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and morality data were extracted from the National Death Index (NDI) up to December 31, 2019. Patients were divided into SHR quartiles. Cox proportion hazards regression was applied to determine the prognostic value of SHR. Model 1 was not adjusted for any covariates. Model 2 was adjusted for age, sex, and race. Model 3 was adjusted for age, sex, race, BMI, smoking status, alcohol use, hypertension, CHD, CKD, anemia, and TG.ResultsDuring a mean follow-up of 84.9 months, a total of 1538 all-cause deaths and 410 cardiovascular deaths were recorded. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed the lowest all-cause mortality incidence was in quartile 3 (P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analyses indicated that, compared to the 1st quartile, the 4th quartile was associated with higher all-cause mortality (model 1: HR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.74–10.7, P = 0.226; model 2: HR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.03-1.49, P = 0.026; model 3: HR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.08–1.57, P = 0.006). The 3rd quartile was associated with lower cardiovascular mortality than quartile 1 (model 1: HR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.32–0.69, P < 0.001; model 2: HR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.45–0.96, P = 0.032; model 3: HR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.46–0.99, P = 0.049). There was a U-shaped association between SHR and all-cause mortality and an L-shaped association between SHR and cardiovascular mortality, with inflection points of SHR for poor prognosis of 0.87 and 0.93, respectively.ConclusionSHR is related to all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with diabetes or prediabetes. SHR may have predictive value in those patients.

Is hemodiafiltration superior to high-flow hemodialysis in reducing all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in kidney failure patients? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Hemodiafiltration (HDF) and high-flux hemodialysis (hf-HD) are different methods of kidney replacement therapy (KRT) used for the treatment of kidney failure patients. A debate has raged over the last decade about the survival benefit of patients with the use of HDF compared with hf-HD, but with divergent results from randomized controlled trials. Therefore, this study aimed to perform a meta-analysis to compare HDF and hf-HD regarding all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched until July 19, 2023, for randomized clinical trials comparing HDF and hf-HD in patients on maintenance dialysis. A meta-analysis was performed using Stata 16.1, applying fixed or random effect models according to the heterogeneity between studies. Of the 496 studies found, five met the inclusion criteria. Compared with the hf-HD group, the risk ratio (RR) for all-cause mortality with HDF use was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.67-0.88, I2 = 0%). HDF was associated with lower cardiovascular mortality, although the sensitivity analysis showed that the result differed between scenarios. Subgroup analysis showed lower all-cause mortality among patients without diabetes in the HDF group compared with hf-HD (RR 0.66, 95% CI: 0.51-0.81, I2 = 0%), but not in diabetic patients (RR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.65-1.12, I2 = 0.0%). A subgroup analysis considering convection volumes was not performed, but the studies with the highest weight in the meta-analysis described convection volume as more than 20 L/session. More clinical studies considering critical risk factors, such as advanced age and preexisting cardiovascular disease, are needed to confirm the supremacy of HDF over hf-HD on the survival of patients treated by these two forms of kidney replacement therapy.

Greater upper limb muscle mass associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality compared with other muscle groups in diabetics

ObjectivesAlthough muscle mass and its distribution have been shown to affect prognosis, the association between regional muscle mass and cardiovascular mortality risk in diabetic patients remains unclear. MethodsThis prospective cohort study analyzed data from 2166 individuals with diabetes who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Survey conducted in the United States between 2003 to 2006 and 2011 to 2018, linked to the National Death Index. Weighted Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to explore the association between different regional lean mass and cardiovascular mortality. ResultsThe weighted Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed statistically significant differences in survival probabilities across lean upper limbs, lean lower limbs, lean gynoid, and lean trunk mass levels in diabetic participants (P < 0.05). In the multivariate adjusted Cox proportional hazards models, higher levels of upper limb lean mass were found to be associated with decreased cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio, 0.589; 95% confidence interval, 0.332–0.976; P = 0.041). Notably, this correlation was more significant in men (hazard ratio, 0.378; 95% confidence interval, 0.171–0.834; P = 0.016), which was indicated by the results of the Cox regression and nonlinear regression analysis. ConclusionsHigher upper limb lean mass is associated with lower cardiovascular mortality compared with other regional lean mass in patients with diabetes, especially for men. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms involved in muscle metabolic differentiation.

Intravascular Ultrasound versus Angiography Guided Drug Eluting Stent Implantation in Patients with Left Main Coronary Artery Disease - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Several technical limitations exist in angiography procedures, including suboptimal visualization of a particular location and angiography only providing information about the contour of the vascular lumen, while intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) provides information regarding wall composition on coronary vascular lesions. With recent trials demonstrating IVUS benefits over standard angiography, our meta-analysis aimedto evaluate and summarize the current evidence on whether IVUS-guided drug-eluting stent (DES) placement resulted in better outcomes than the angiography-guided DES placement in patients with left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease. This meta-analysis aimed to analyze the current evidence on the IVUS-guided and angiography-guided drug-eluting stent (DES) placement in patients with LMCA disease. Literature searching was performed using Scopus, Embase, PubMed, EuropePMC, and Clinicaltrials.gov using PRISMA guidelines. The intervention group in our study are patients undergoing IVUS-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and the control group are patients undergoing angiography alone-guided PCI. Cardiovascular mortality, all-cause mortality, target lesion revascularization, myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis were compared between the two groups. There were 11 studies comprising 24,103 patients included in this meta-analysis. IVUS-guided PCI was associated with lower cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio (HR) 0.39 [95% CI 0.26, 0.58], p 0.001; : 75%, p 0.001) and all-cause mortality (HR 0.59 [95% CI 0.53, 0.66], p 0.001; : 0%, p = 0.45) compared to angiography alone guided PCI. The group receiving IVUS guided PCI has a lower incidence of myocardial infarction (HR 0.66 [95% CI 0.48, 0.90], p = 0.008; : 0%, p = 0.98), target lesion revascularization (HR 0.45 [95% CI 0.38, 0.54], p 0.001; : 41%, p = 0.10) and stent thrombosis (HR 0.38 [95% CI 0.26, 0.57], p 0.001; : 0%, p = 0.50) compared to the control group. Our meta-analysis demonstrated that IVUS-guided DES placement had lower cardiovascular mortality, all-cause mortality, target lesion revascularization, myocardial infarction, and stent thrombosis than angiography-guided DES implantation.

Mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair vs. isolated mitral surgery for severe mitral regurgitation: a French nationwide study.

Mitral valve surgery and, more recently, mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) are the two treatments of severe mitral regurgitation in eligible patients. Clinical comparison of both therapies remains limited by the number of patients analysed. The objective of this study was to analyse the outcomes of mitral TEER vs. isolated mitral valve surgery at a nationwide level in France. Based on the French administrative hospital discharge database, the study collected information for all consecutive patients treated for mitral regurgitation with isolated TEER or isolated mitral valve surgery between 2012 and 2022. Propensity score matching was used for the analysis of outcomes. A total of 57 030 patients were found in the database. After matching on baseline characteristics, 2160 patients were analysed in each arm. At 3-year follow-up, TEER was associated with significantly lower incidence of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 0.685, 95% confidence interval 0.563-0.832; P = .0001), pacemaker implantation, and stroke. Non-cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 1.562, 95% confidence interval 1.238-1.971; P = .0002), recurrent pulmonary oedema, and cardiac arrest were more frequent after TEER. No significant differences between the two groups were observed regarding all-cause death (hazard ratio 0.967, 95% confidence interval 0.835-1.118; P = .65), endocarditis, major bleeding, atrial fibrillation, and myocardial infarction. Our results suggest that TEER for severe mitral regurgitation was associated with lower cardiovascular mortality than mitral surgery at long-term follow-up. Pacemaker implantation and stroke were less frequently observed after TEER.

Sodium-glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors in Kidney Transplant Recipients – A Retrospective Single Center Study

Introduction: Considering the rising occurrence of posttranplant diabetes and the elevated cardiovascular burden among transplant recipients, the utilization of SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in this group is appealing because of their cardiovascular and renoprotective benefits. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of evidence for diabetic kidney transplant recipients (DKTRs) owing to concerns about potential renal graft damage and adverse effects. Methods: This retrospective study was devised to assess the effectiveness and safety of SGLT2i in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). The main focus was on evaluating their impact on parameters such as haemoglobin A1c levels, body mass index (BMI), lipid panel, haemoglobin levels, renal allograft function (estimated glomerular filtration rate) and urirnary protein-to-creatinine ratio. Results: A total of 75 renal transplant patients were included in this investigation. The study spanned a median observation period of 18 (2.0–71.0) months. Median estimated glomerular filtration rate at baseline was 61,9 (26–120) mL/min/1.73 m2 and remained stable throughout the follow-up. Median HbA1c decreased from 7.5 to 7.0% (95% CI; p&lt;0,002). A significant improvement in BMI (95% CI; p&lt;0,001) and lipid panel (95% CI; p&lt;0,05) were also observed. Median haemoglobin rate at baseline was 13,5g/dL and modestly improved at end of follow-up to 13,7g/dL (p=0,12). Regarding urinary protein:creatinine ratio, levels slightly but not significantly rose [+0.05 g/g (p=0,9)]. In a post-hoc subgroup analysis, the rate of urinary tract infections was low (10%). No other side effects were observed during the treatment course. Conclusions:This study demonstrates that the administration of SGLT2i is viable and well-tolerated, with no notable side effects observed in KTRs. However, the question of whether SGLT2i can effectively lower cardiovascular mortality and enhance allograft survival in these patients remains to be explored in subsequent studies.

Kidney Function Measures and Mortality: A Mendelian Randomization Study

Individuals with a low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are at a high risk of death. However, the causes underpinning this association are largely uncertain. This study aimed to assess the causal relationship of low eGFR with all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Retrospective cohort study incorporating Mendelian randomization (MR). Individual-level data from 436,214 White participants (54.3% female; aged 56.8±8.0 years) included in the UK Biobank. eGFR estimated using cystatin C (eGFRcyst). The outcomes of interest included all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, cancer mortality, infection mortality, and other-cause mortality. Cox proportional hazards analysis for the conventional observational analyses; linear and nonlinear MR analyses implemented using genetic allele scores as instrumental variables representing kidney function to estimate the effect of kidney function on the survival outcomes. During a median follow-up of 12.1 years, there were 30,489 deaths, 6,098 of which were attributed to cardiovascular events, 15,538 to cancer, 1,516 to infection, and 7,227 to other events. In the conventional observational analysis, eGFRcyst exhibited a nonlinear association with all the outcomes. MR analysis suggested that a genetically predicted lower eGFRcyst was linearly associated with a higher rate of cardiovascular mortality (HR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.18-1.75) across the entire measurement range (every 10-mL/min/1.73m2 decrement). Nonetheless, no causal associations between eGFRcyst and all-cause mortality (HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.98-1.17) or any types of noncardiovascular mortality were detected. Potential misclassification of the actual cause of death, a nonrepresentative sample, and potential error in the interpretation of the magnitude of associations generated in MR analyses. These findings suggest a potential causal association between low eGFR and cardiovascular mortality in the general population, but no causal relationship with all-cause mortality or noncardiovascular mortality was observed. Further studies in other populations are warranted to confirm these findings. This study investigated the existence of a causal relationship between lower kidney function and death of different causes. Using data from 436,214 people in the United Kingdom, we applied conventional statistical analyses and those incorporating genetic data to implement Mendelian randomization, an approach that estimates causal associations. The observational analysis showed a nonlinear association between kidney function and various types of mortality outcomes. However, Mendelian randomization analysis suggested a linear increase in the risk of cardiovascular mortality with lower kidney function, but no causal link between the level of kidney function and all-cause or noncardiovascular mortality was identified. Managing kidney health may help reduce cardiovascular mortality, but caution is needed in interpreting the magnitudes of these results. Further validation in other populations and in those with advanced kidney failure is needed.

Atherosclerosis in Patients with Congenital Hemophilia: A Focus on Peripheral Artery Disease.

Advances in the treatment of hemophilia have increased the life expectancy of this population and we are currently facing diseases associated with aging, including cardiovascular ones. Coronary atherosclerosis, with acute myocardial infarction as the most severe form of manifestation, has been recognized as part of the comorbidities of hemophiliacs. However, little is known about peripheral artery disease. Available data show that hemophiliacs have cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis similar to the general population. Impaired thrombus formation and phenotype of atheroma plaque rather than the burden of atherosclerosis explains their lower cardiovascular mortality. Since the effect of traditional cardiovascular risk factors overpowers that of decreased coagulability and promotes the onset and progression of atherosclerotic lesions, screening for traditional cardiovascular risk factors and peripheral artery disease should be integrated into standard hemophilia care. There is evidence that invasive treatments and long-term antithrombotic therapy are generally safe, provided that coagulation factor levels are taken into account and replacement therapy is given when necessary.

Beta-blockers after STEMI: prognostic impact and predictors of adherence, results from the real-world FAST-STEMI registry

Abstract Background The impact of beta-blocker therapy on cardiovascular outcomes after ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) is debated. Adherence to beta-blockers after acute myocardial infarction and effect on long term cardiovascular outcomes are also fields with significant knowledge gaps. Purpose To identify predictors of lower compliance to beta-blocker therapy and estimate its impact on cardiovascular outcomes and mortality during the first year of follow-up after the index event. Methods We evaluated real-world adherence to the most common cardiovascular drugs by comparing the number of tablets bought in pharmacies to the expected number of tablets needed at 1 year and at the final follow-up. A total of 6043 patients with STEMI were enrolled in the FAST-STEMI registry from 2012 to 2017 and followed up for 4.7±1.6 years. 299 patients with intraprocedural and intrahospital deaths were excluded. The main outcomes evaluated were all-cause death, cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, major and minor bleeding events, and ischemic stroke. The best compliance cut-off was found by ROC curve analysis with Youden index; Kaplan Meier and Cox proportional hazard models were performed to evaluate cumulative event rates of mortality at follow-up. Predictors of lower adherence were evaluated in univariate and multivariate analyses with logistic regression. Results A total of 4992 patients with beta-blockers prescription at discharge were enrolled: mean age was 64±12.3 years old, 76% were male, mean ejection fraction was 49±8.8%. Mean adherence to beta-blockers was 95,8% (IQR 82.2-100). After univariate and multivariate analyses, age over 75 years old (OR 0.76, 95%CI 0.63-0.91) and previous coronary artery disease (OR 0.62, 95%CI 0.44-0.87) resulted as predictors of lower compliance, whereas concomitant ACEi/ARB prescription at discharge was a predictor of good adherence (OR 1.23, 95%CI 1.04-1.46). Adherence to beta-blockers higher than 65.68% (identified as best cut-off at Youden’s analysis) was related to a lower cardiovascular (0.65% vs 1.49%, p 0.009) and all-cause mortality (1.98% vs 4.48%, p &amp;lt;0.001). At multivariate analysis, adherence to beta-blockers was significantly associated with lower cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.40, 95%CI 0.20-0.81, p 0.01) as well as EF &amp;gt;50% (HR 0.30, 95%CI 0.14-0.63, p 0.002), while age over 75 years old (HR 4.72, 95%CI 2.23-9.98, p &amp;lt;0.001) and history of atrial fibrillation (HR 2.63, 95%CI 1.02-6.80, p 0.04) were associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular death. Finally, optimal adherence to beta-blockers did not reduce the number of myocardial infarctions, strokes, or bleeding events. Conclusions In our large real-world registry, optimal adherence to beta-blockers after STEMI was associated with a reduction in both cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Older age and previous coronary artery disease resulted as predictors of poor compliance to beta-blocker therapy.Kaplan Meier on all-cause and CV deathMultivariate analysis on CV death

Reduction in systolic pulmonary artery pressure after TAVI is associated with lower cardiovascular mortality in patients with severe aortic stenosis

Abstract Background Elevated systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP), assessed by echocardiography, is associated with increased mortality, irrespective of the aetiology. Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the association between dynamic change in sPAP after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and cardiovascular mortality in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). Methods We screened 688 AS patients who underwent TAVI in our hospital between July 2009 and December 2018. Patients, who performed echocardiography examinations before TAVI (T0) and within 7 days after TAVI (T1), and completed ≥12 months clinical follow-up, were included in this study. Patients who died within 30 days after TAVI were excluded (n=27). Patients with no measurable tricuspid regurgitation for assessment of sPAP were not included. 477 TAVI patients were finally included for further analysis (mean age 81.4±5.9 years, 46.3% male). Primary endpoint was defined as cardiovascular (CV) death up to 5 years after TAVI. Results During 34 (20-55) months follow-up, all-cause mortality and CV mortality was 34.0% and 18.9%, respectively in these patients. 18.7% of patients had COPD, and COPD was identified as a risk factor for increased CV mortality risk (Hazard ratio, HR=2.152, 95% CI 1.376-3.365, P&amp;lt;0.001). Baseline septal trans-mitral early filling velocity to mitral annular early-diastolic velocity ratio (E/E´) was identified as echocardiographic parameter associated with CV mortality (HR=1.028, 95% CI 1.009-1.047, P=0.003). sPAP at 7 days after TAVI was significantly reduced in no CV-death group (median 38.9 vs. 36.0 mmHg, P&amp;lt;0.001), while remained unchanged in CV-death group (40.7 vs. 41.0 mmHg, P=0.966). We further grouped the patients according to sPAP change trend after TAVI: Group 1, sPAP at T0 &amp;lt;40 mmHg and sPAP at T1 &amp;lt;40 mmHg; Group 2, sPAP at T0 ≥40 mmHg and sPAP at T1 &amp;lt;40 mmHg; Group 3 sPAP at T0 &amp;lt;40 mmHg and sPAP at T1 ≥40 mmHg; Group 4, sPAP at T0 ≥40 mmHg and sPAP at T1 ≥40 mmHg. CV mortality was the highest in the group 4 (28.3%), and significantly lower in the group 2 than in the group 4 (13.6% vs. 28.3%, P&amp;lt;0.001, Figure 1). Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that TAVI patients with a reduction trend in sPAP at 7 days after TAVI (group 2) were independently associated with reduced CV mortality compared to patients with a consistent elevated sPAP (group 4, HR=2.470, 95% CI 1.260-4.832, P=0.008), after adjusted for age, sex, COPD, and septal E/E´. Conclusion TAVI patients with consistently elevated sPAP before and after TAVI are associated with the worst CV outcome. Reduction in sPAP at 7 days after TAVI is associated with reduced CV mortality in patients with severe AS.

The effectiveness of eplerenone vs spironolactone on left ventricular systolic function, hospitalization and cardiovascular death in patients with chronic heart failure - HFrEF

Abstract Background Heart failure remains one of the most prevalent clinical syndromes associated with significant morbidity and mortality. According to current guidelines MRA are recommended to reduce the risk of HF hospitalization and death in all patients with symptomatic heart failure. Purpose The aim of our study was to determine the efficacy of eplerenone vs. spironolactone on left ventricular systolic function (LVEF) in patients with chronic heart failure, especially their effect on preventing hospitalization, reducing mortality, and improving clinical status among patients with chronic HF. Methods From June 2021 to June 2022, the study was a randomized, prospective clinical trial single blind study. A total of 142 patients of chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction were selected by random sampling. Each patient was randomly allocated into either of the two groups and was continued receiving treatment with either spironolactone (Spiron-HF group) or eplerenone (Epler-HF group). Patients in Epler-HF group were compared with an arm of the same size. Each patient was evaluated clinically and echocardiographically at the beginning of treatment, after 6 months and at the end of 12th month. Results After 12 months of treatment, significant improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction was observed in eplerenone treated arm (37.9 ± 3.8 ± 4.6 in Spiron-HF group versus 40.1 ± 5.7 in Epler-HF group; P &amp;lt; 0.05). A significant reduction in left ventricular end-systolic volume (6.3 ± 2.5ml in Spiron-HF versus 17.8± 4.4ml in Epler-HF group; P &amp;lt; 0.05) and left ventricular systolic diameter volume (2.7 ± 0.5ml in Spiron-HF versus 6.7 ± 0.2ml in Epler-HF group; P &amp;lt; 0.05), occurred after 12 months of treatment. The effects of both MRA agents' spironolactone and eplerenone on the primary composite outcome, each of the individual mortality and hospital admission outcomes are shown in Figure 1 and 2. Patients of the Epler-HF group showed statistically significant lower cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.53; 95% CI 0.34–0.82; p= 0.007) and all-cause mortality (HR 0.64; 95% CI 0.44–0.93; p= 0.022) than patients of the Spiron-HF group. The statistical analysis did not show a statistically significant difference between Epler -HF and Spiron-HF study groups regarding the risk of the primary composite outcome; cardiovascular death or hospitalization due to HF (Hazard Ratio (HR) eplerenone vs. spironolactone = 0.95; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.73– 1.27; p= 0.675). Conclusion Our study has demonstrated favorable effects of eplerenone on cardiac remodeling parameters and reduction of cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality compared with spironolactone in the treatment of HFrEF. The ability of eplerenone to effectively block the mineralocorticoid receptor while minimizing side effects and a significant reduction in the risk of hospitalization and cardiovascular death confirms its key role in the treatment of patients with chronic HFrEFCumulative estimates of cardiovascular mCumulative incidence of the primary end-

Real-world impact on mortality of drug adherence to statin, beta-blocker and ACEi/ARB therapy in post-STEMI patients with preserved EF: results from the FAST STEMI registry

Abstract Background The impact of drug therapy on cardiovascular outcomes after ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) in patients with preserved ejection fraction (EF) remains unknown. Purpose To identify the impact of drug adherence to statins, ACEi/ARB and beta-blockers on cardiovascular and all-cause mortality at one year after the index event and on total follow-up length in patients affected by STEMI with preserved EF. Methods We evaluated real-world adherence to the most common cardiovascular drugs by comparing the number of tablets purchased inour region drugstores analyzing their registries, to the expected demand of tablets in the follow-up period. A total amount of 6043 patients from 2012 to 2017 was enrolled in the FAST-STEMI registry and followed up for 4,7±1,6 years. Out of these 6043 patients, we excluded 299 patients with intraprocedural and intra-hospital deaths and 2595 patients with reduced or mildly reduced EF. The best compliance cut-off was found by ROC curve analysis with Youden index; Kaplan Meier and Cox proportional hazard models were performed to evaluate cumulative event rates of CV mortality and all-cause mortality at follow-up. Results Of the total 3194 patients were 2396 men (76.1%) with an average age of 63,3±12,1 years old. 318 (10,1%) were diabetic, 115 (3,7%) presented with CKD while 110 (3,5%) had previous CAD. The average adherence after 1 year to beta-blockers was 96,4% (IQR 82,2-100); to statins was 90,4% (IQR 40,3-100) and to ACEi/ARB 87,0% (IQR 61,4-100). At one year, optimal adherence to statin and ACEi/ARB therapy resulted both associated to lower cardiovascular mortality (0% vs 2,9%, p&amp;lt;0.001, and 0,1% vs 1,0%, p=0.001, respectively), as well as all-cause mortality (0,4% vs 9,9%, p&amp;lt;0.001, and 1,0% vs 2,5%, p=0.006 respectively) whereas no difference was seen based on beta-blockers adherence. On an average follow-up length of 4,92±1,35 years ACEi/ARB optimal adherence showed a reduction of both cardiovascular and all-cause death (1,4% vs 2,8%, p=0.036; 7,1% vs 12,4%, p&amp;lt;0.001), statins did not impact on CV mortality but reduced all-cause death (9,3% vs 11,4%, p=0.026) whereas beta-blockers adherence worsened both CV and all-cause mortality (2,5% vs 1,4%, p=0.03; 9,3% vs 7,3%, p=0.04). At multivariate Cox regression analysis ACEi/ARB adherence resulted independent predictor of reduced both CV (HR 0.49 95%CI 0.24-0.98, p=0.045) and all-cause mortality (HR 0.65 95%CI 0.46-0.93, p=0.01), statin adherence resulted independent predictor of reduced all-cause death (HR 0.68; 95% CI 0.47-0.90; p 0.04), though beta-blockers showed a trend of increasing mortality not yet significant. Conclusion In a real-world setting of patients after STEMI with preserved EF, lower ACEi/ARB and statin adherence increased both all-causes death and cardiovascular mortality, whilst the adherence to the beta-blockers seemed to worsen survival at one year and throughout follow-up,yet not significant.

Abstract 17598: Low Socioeconomic Status Leads to Higher Cardiovascular Mortality in the United States

Introduction: Lower socioeconomic status can lead to chronic disease. However, there is a dearth of information as to how it pertains to organ-specific mortality. Hypothesis: In this study, we determined if there was a connection longitudinally between poverty-income-ratio (PIR) and cardiovascular mortality Methods: We conducted a study which assessed for all adult (≥ 20 years) individuals from the 1999-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is a population-based survey conducted with cardiovascular mortality data obtained through December 2019. All individuals from this were living in the United States. Socioeconomic status was determined using total family income divided by the poverty threshold (≤1 versus &gt;1). Comparisons were analyzed using Complex Samples Cox regression to determine the relationship of poverty-income-ratio and cardiovascular mortality. Results: Data was available for 13,680 adults in the United States population. Mean time period of males (8.3 years (CI 8.0-8.5) who experienced death was higher than the mean time period among females 8.8 years (CI 8.6-9.0). The overall age-adjusted, sex-adjusted hazard ratio for high PIR to low PIR is 1.73 (1.39-2.16, p &lt; 0.01). The adjusted HR remained strong at 1.98 (CI 1.18-3.33, p &lt; 0.01) among adults after the results were controlled for medical (obesity, depression) and demographic (gender, age, and ethnicity) risk factors. Conclusions: There is a significant relationship between low socioeconomic status and cardiovascular mortality among all adults. Consequently, individuals with cardiovascular disease need to be better screened for social determinants of health.

Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events Score Underestimates Post-Acute Coronary Syndrome Mortality among Cancer Patients

Background Patients with prior cancer are at increased risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with poorer post-ACS outcomes. We aimed to ascertain if the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score accurately predicts mortality risk among patients with ACS and prior cancer. Methods We linked nationwide ACS and cancer registries from 2007 to 2018 in Singapore. A total of 24,529 eligible patients had in-hospital and 1-year all-cause mortality risk calculated using the GRACE score (2471 prior cancer; 22,058 no cancer). Results Patients with prior cancer had two-fold higher all-cause mortality compared to patients without cancer (in-hospital: 22.8% versus 10.3%, p &lt; 0.001; 1-year: 49.0% vs. 18.7%, p &lt; 0.001). Cardiovascular mortality did not differ between groups (in-hospital: 5.2% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.346; 1-year: 6.9% vs. 6.1%, p = 0.12). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the GRACE score for prediction of all-cause mortality was less for prior cancer (in-hospital: 0.64 vs. 0.80, p &lt; 0.001; 1-year: 0.66 vs. 0.83, p &lt; 0.001). Among patients with prior cancer and a high-risk GRACE score &gt; 140, in-hospital revascularization was not associated with lower cardiovascular mortality than without in-hospital revascularization (6.7% vs. 7.6%, p = 0.50). Conclusions The GRACE score performs poorly in risk stratification of patients with prior cancer and ACS.

The Effect of Hokkaido Red Wines on Vascular Outcomes in Healthy Adult Men: A Pilot Study.

Moderate red wine intake has been associated with lower cardiovascular mortality, due in part to the intake of polyphenols and anthocyanins, whose content can vary from varietal and year of harvest. This study assessed the vascular effects in response to a single intake of 2015 and 2018 Zweigelt red wines from Hokkaido, Japan. Healthy men were randomly assigned to consume 240 mL each of a red wine, or a sparkling white grape juice as a control in a randomized three-arm cross-over design with a 7 day washout between arms. The augmentation index (AI; a measure of arterial stiffness) and AI at 75 beats/min (AI75), reactive hyperemia index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP, respectively), and platelet reactivity were assessed at baseline and two and four hours after each beverage intake. Changes from the baseline were analyzed using a linear mixed model. Significant treatment effects (p = 0.02) were observed, with AI 13% lower after the intake of the 2015 or 2018 vintages compared to the control. Intake of the 2018 vintage reduced SBP and DBP (-4.1 mmHg and -5.6 mmHg, respectively; p = 0.02) compared to the 2015 wine and the control drink. The amount of hydroxytyrosol in the 2018 wine was almost twice the amount as in the 2015 wine, which may help explain the variable blood pressure results. Future studies exploring the vascular effects of the same red wine from different vintage years and different phenolic profiles are warranted.