Prevalence Of Coronary Risk Factors Research Articles

Abstract 381: Simultaneous Use of VA-ECMO and Impella (ECPELLA) Improves Mid-Term Mortality in Patients With Refractory Cardiac Arrest or Cardiac Shock Who Required VA-ECMO

Background: Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is an effective therapy to rescue patients with refractory cardiogenic shock, including cardiac arrest. VA-ECMO increase damaged left ventricular (LV) afterload. The intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) has been often used as the additional circulatory support for LV unloading. However, the effectiveness of combining VA-ECMO with IABP has not been definitively established. The Impella , a percutaneous micro-axial pump, can reduce damaged LV preload with circulatory support, which may have significant effect on clinical outcome by concomitant use of VA-ECMO and Impella (ECPELLA). Objective: This single-site cohort study aimed to assess the impact of ECPELLA compared to VA-ECMO with or without IABP in patients with refractory cardiogenic shock who received VA-ECMO treatment. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 275 consecutive patients who received VA-ECMO from January 2012 through December 2022 in our institute. The patients were divided into two groups, ECEPLLA (n = 81) and VA-ECMO with or without IABP (n = 194). The primary outcome of this study was the 180-day all-cause mortality rate. Results: There were no significant differences in age, gender ratio, prevalence of coronary risk factors, serum lactate levels at the emergency room (ER), the rate of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (E-CPR), and instances of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest between the groups. The ECPELLA groups had a significantly higher rate of acute coronary syndrome and a lower prevalence of chronic kidney disease. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that the 180-day all-cause mortality was significantly lower in the ECPELLA group compared to the VA-ECMO group (p < 0.001). Multivariate cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.27 [10 years increase]; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.42, p < 0.001), E-CPR (HR 1.43; 95% CI 1.02-2.00, p = 0.04), lactate level at ER (HR 1.07; 95% CI 1.04-1.10, p < 0.001), and ECPELLA (HR, 0.55, 95% CI, 0.40-0.76, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the 180-day all-cause mortality. Conclusion: ECPELLA was associated with improvement of mid-term mortality in patients with refractory cardiogenic shock who received VA-ECMO.

A Clinical, Electrocardiographic and Echocardiographic Comparison of Patients with Single Vs Multivessel Disease Presenting with Acute Coronary Syndromes

Background Prevalence of coronary artery disease is between 7-13 percent in urban and 2-7 % in rural India1. The alarm in rise in the prevalence of coronary risk factors like diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, central obesity and physical inactivity2. The correlation between these risk factors and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis, assessed by angiography which may be either single or multivessel is less consistent with studies reporting conflicting results 3,4. Therefore our study aims to understand the proper correlation between risk factors and severity of coronary artery disease in an Indian population Methods This study was conducted in the department of cardiology, NIMS hospital Hyderabad which receives patients from the urban as well as rural areas of Telangana. the patients admitted in the department of cardiology, NIMS hospital Hyderabad that presented with acute coronary syndromes and diagnosed to have coronary artery disease (single vessel/multivessel disease) on coronary angiography taken for study. Sample Size is 150 Results Among the 150 subjects, males were 111(74%) and females were 39(26%). Mean age of the study population is 55.2 ± 11.4. Among SVD group 73.65% were males &26.3% were females. Among MVD group 76.2% were males & 23.7% were females. Mean age for SVD was 53±14.4 years, while mean age foe MVD was 58.6±14.5 years. For ACS mean age of presentation for females is 60.7±11.4 and for males mean age of presentation is 55.1±12.6. MVD (57.2%) were more common among smokers than SVD. In <45 years age group SVD (69.2%) were more common than MVD (30.8%). In 45- 70 years age group and >70 years age group MVD were more common than SVD with 69.6% and 66.6% respectively, which is statistically significant. MVD (60%) were more common among hypertensives than SVD. Among non-hypertensives MVD (41.8%) was less common than SVD (58.2%) MVD was common among all age groups, which is statistically signicant. Among STEMI group SVD (58.3%) was more common than MVD (41.7%). Among NSTEMI group MVD (62%) was more common than SVD (38%).Correlation between groups was statistically significant. Among SVD study group, LVEF was commonly between 30-45% & very few with LVEF <30% MVD was associated with more severe LV dysfunction as compared to SVD in acute MI. The difference in ejection fraction between the two groups was statistically significant P value=0.0002. In hospital MACE Among SVD there was 1 MI (due to stent thrombosis) who had to TVR (primary PCI) & rest were asymptomatic and discharged in normal state MVD there were in hospital deaths (due to refractory cardiogenic shock) rest were asymptomatic and were discharged in normal state. This difference between the two groups was statistically insignificant. Conclusion Multivessel disease in ACS were seen more commonly among elderly as compared to young subjects where single vessel disease were more common. Females especially elderly more commonly have multivessel disease. Mean age for multivessel disease was higher than single vessel disease. Among <45 years age group, SVD was more prevalent among smokers, obese and physically active. Multi vessel disease is more prevalent among patients with risk factors like diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and physically inactive. Subjects with family history of premature CAD presented early and correlated well with prevalence of SVD.NSTEMI presented more with multi vessel disease. In echocardiographic wall motion analysis, a depressed regional segment of infarcted area with remote hyperkinesis predicted SVD where as remote area hypokinesis predicts more multivessel disease. In hospital outcomes were seen among multi vessel disease as compared to single vessel disease although not statistically significant.

Various Factors that are Causing Difference in Prevalence of Coronary Risk Factors among Siblings.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the predominant types of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of present study was to study various factors that are causing difference in prevalence of coronary risk factors among siblings. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, among the healthy individuals (not known CAD) attending regular health care outpatient department (OPD) and their siblings over a period of 1½ years. All individuals coming for regular health checkup (not known CAD) of age more than 30 years or above and their siblings (with or without known CAD). This was a cross-sectional study, conducted among 100 pairs of healthy siblings (not known cases of CAD) who came for health checkup at health center of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, a tertiary care hospital in North India. Prevalence of obesity was more in siblings living in urban area than their counter siblings living in rural area, but it was statistically insignificant. Six had impaired fasting blood sugar (FBS) and two were diabetic. Among their siblings living in urban area, 21 were nondiabetic, 10 had impaired FBS, and seven were diabetic. This correlation was statistically significant with p-value of 0.02. Among the CAD negative, out of 23 subjects, two subjects (9.0%) had heavy stress level, while remaining four subjects (17.0%) and 17 subjects (74.0%) had light and moderate stress levels, respectively. Among the CAD negative, out of 23 subjects, 10 subjects (43.0%) had high stress level, while remaining zero subject (0%) and 13 subjects (57.0%) had light and moderate stress levels, respectively. Significant results were obtained while comparing the CAD findings of subjects divided on the basis of stress level. In our study, among siblings (CAD positive and CAD negative), significant results were obtained for residence, socioeconomic class, physical activity, stress levels, smoking, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and diabetes, that is, all these factors have correlation in increasing CAD among siblings.

Effect of Low Body Mass Index on the Clinical Outcomes of Japanese Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction - Results From the Prospective Japan Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (JAMIR).

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with low body mass index (BMI) exhibit worse clinical outcomes than obese patients; however, to our knowledge, no prospective, nationwide study has assessed the effect of BMI on the clinical outcomes of AMI patients. In this multi-center, prospective, nationwide Japanese trial, 2,373 AMI patients who underwent emergent percutaneous coronary intervention within 12 h of onset from the Japanese AMI Registry (JAMIR) were identified. Patients were divided into the following 4 groups based on their BMI at admission: Q1 group (BMI <18.5 kg/m2, n=133), Q2 group (18.5≤BMI<25.0 kg/m2, n=1,424), Q3 group (25.0≤BMI<30.0 kg/m2, n=672), and Q4 group (30.0 kg/m2≤BMI, n=144). The primary endpoint was all-cause death, and the secondary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and non-fatal stroke. The median follow-up period was 358 days. Q1 patients were older and had lower prevalence of coronary risk factors. Q1 patients also had higher all-cause mortality and higher incidence of secondary endpoints than normal-weight or obese AMI patients. Multivariate analysis showed that low BMI (Q1 group) was an independent predictor for primary endpoint. AMI patients with low BMI had fewer coronary risk factors but worse clinical outcomes than normal-weight or obese patients.

Prognostic Impact of Diabetes Mellitus on Clinical Outcomes in Lean Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Little is known about the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on clinical outcomes in lean patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We conducted this study to evaluate the impact of DM on clinical outcomes in AMI patients based on body mass index (BMI) level. A total of 1,282 consecutive AMI patients who underwent emergent percutaneous coronary intervention within 24 hours from onset were retrospectively studied. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on BMI: Underweight group (BMI <18.5 kg/m2, n=61) and non-Underweight group (BMI ≥18.5 kg/m2, n=1,221). The primary endpoint was all-cause death, and the secondary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. The median follow-up period was 3.8 (1.7-5.0) years. The Underweight patients were older and included more females than the non-Underweight patients, and had a lower prevalence of coronary risk factors including DM. The primary and secondary endpoints were significantly higher in the Underweight patients (both p<0.05 by the Log-rank test). When divided by the presence of DM, the secondary endpoint was significantly higher in the non-Underweight patients with DM than in those without DM (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between Underweight patients with DM and those without DM. Multivariate analyses showed that DM was an independent predictor for the primary and secondary endpoints in non-Underweight patients, but not in Underweight patients. DM was associated with worse clinical outcomes in normal-weight or obese AMI patients, but not in underweight AMI patients.

Prevalence of coronary risk factors in load transport drivers.

IntroductionNon-communicable diseases are the main cause of mortality worldwide, with risk factors that contribute to their development, including those associated with work activity.ObjectivesTo evaluate the prevalence of risk factors related to the development of non-communicable diseases and their relationship with work activity in professional load transport drivers.MethodsEighty male truck drivers were assessed (39.73±10.91 years) with 15.22±12.09 years of professional experience. In addition to collection of anthropometric data and measurement of blood data, drivers answered three questionnaires: Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire, Coronary Risk, and Finnish Diabetes Risk Score. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using Pearson correlation and Student’s t test, considering a significance level of p < 0.05.ResultsThe results showed a prevalence of arterial hypertension of 31.30% and a medium coronary risk (46.30%), a factor that was directly associated with time of professional performance (r = 0.519; p < 0.05). Of the 80 truck drivers, 48.80% were physically inactive, 73.80% were overweight, and 7.50% had a high risk for the development of diabetes.ConclusionsThe professional category studied presents an excess risk for health problems in the context of non-communicable diseases due to the peculiar characteristics of their profession.

Prevalence of coronary risk factors in contemporary practice among patients undergoing their first percutaneous coronary intervention: Implications for primary prevention.

BackgroundCigarette smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and obesity are conventional risk factors (RFs) for coronary artery disease (CAD). Population trends for these RFs have varied in recent decades. Consequently, the risk factor profile for patients presenting with a new diagnosis of CAD in contemporary practice remains unknown.ObjectivesTo examine the prevalence of RFs and their temporal trends among patients without a history of myocardial infarction or revascularization who underwent their first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).MethodsWe examined the prevalence and temporal trends of RFs among patients without a history of prior myocardial infarction, PCI, or coronary artery bypass graft surgery who underwent PCI at 47 non-federal hospitals in Michigan between 1/1/2010 and 3/31/2018.ResultsOf 69,571 men and 38,930 women in the study cohort, 95.5% of patients had 1 or more RFs and nearly half (55.2% of women and 48.7% of men) had ≥3 RFs. The gap in the mean age at the time of presentation between men and women narrowed as the number of RFs increased with a gap of 6 years among those with 2 RFs to <1 year among those with 5 RFs. Compared with patients without a current/recent history of smoking, those with a current/recent history of smoking presented a decade earlier (age 56.8 versus 66.9 years; p <0.0001). Compared with patients without obesity, patients with obesity presented 4.0 years earlier (age 61.4 years versus 65.4 years; p <0.0001).ConclusionsModifiable RFs are widely prevalent among patients undergoing their first PCI. Smoking and obesity are associated with an earlier age of presentation. Population-level interventions aimed at preventing obesity and smoking could significantly delay the onset of CAD and the need for PCI.

ROLE OF GRAY-SCALE AND DOPPLER ULTRASOUND OF CAROTID ARTERY IN RISK STRATIFICATION OF STABLE ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE AND ITS CORRELATION WITH CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY

Background: Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity all over the world. The burden of IHD in India can be explained by the alarming rise in the prevalence of coronary risk factors like diabetes, hypertension, atherogenic dyslipidemia, smoking, central obesity and physical inactivity. For more than a decade various sonographic techniques have been used for the assessment arterial of carotid disease. Aim: to establish the role of Gray Scale USG and carotid artery Doppler study as a leading investigation in general population presenting with Stable Ischemic Heart Disease and to evaluate the frequency and degree of carotid artery stenosis in these patients &amp; also assess the morphology of atherosclerotic plaque and IMT;to nd association between carotid artery stenosis and risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, ,deranged lipid prole ,smoking and age. Materials and methods: 50 patients were included in a prospective cross sectional study.Patients below 12 years of age were not included.Forty two were male(84%) and rest were female(16%);all were admitted in cardiology ward and OPD already having undergone coronary angiography.They were evaluated by gray scale as well as doppler ultrasound of both carotid arteries and the results were corroborated with angiography ndings. For statistical analysis data were entered into a Microsoft excel spreadsheet and then analyzed by SPSS (version 24.0; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) and Graph Pad Prism version 5. Correlation was calculated by Pearson correlation analysis Results: In our study out of 50 patients with IHD 33 patients had atheromatous plaque. Abnormal carotid intima – media thickness (IMT) was found in 40 (80%) of the study population. Multiple risk factors were present in our study group where most common risk factor was hypertension (78%) ,smoking (74%) and followed by Dyslipidaemia (72%) and Diabetes (70%). Other risk factors (66%) were present in signicant number of cases. From our study we can conclude that raised PSV across the carotid lesion will predict severe nature of coronary artery disease. Conclusions: It has been found that multiple risk factors are associated with increased risk of ischemic heart disease. Further studies can be done in persons with multiple risk factors to assess Carotid Intima media thickness as a screening tool to reduce risk of ischemic heartdisease. .Highresolution B-mode real-time sonography with Continuous-wave Doppler and single-gate pulsed wave sono Doppler graphy easily evaluates the frequency and degree of carotid artery stenosis in these patients and also assess the morphology of atherosclerotic plaque and intima-medial thickness which are clearly related to pathogenesis and aid in planning of management.

Abstract 14445: The Prevalence of Coronary Risk Factors Among Patients Undergoing Their First Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Insights From the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death globally and risk factors for CAD are well established. Although there has been a decline in the incidence of CAD in recent years, understanding the risk factor profile of patients presenting with cardiac disease in contemporary practice may help define current unmet challenges in preventing CAD. Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of CAD risk factors among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and assess how they have changed over time. Methods: We assessed the prevalence of risk factors among patients without a history of prior myocardial infarction, PCI, or coronary artery bypass graft surgery who underwent PCI at 47 non-federal hospitals in the state of Michigan between 1/1/2010 and 3/31/2018 using the BMC2 PCI registry. Results: Our study cohort included 69,970 men and 39,106 women. Traditional risk factors were highly prevalent in this population: 34.4% of men and 31.0% of women were current or recent smokers, hypertension was present in 71.8% of men and 80.6% of women, hyperlipidemia was present in 65.0% of men and 68.9% of women, diabetes was present in 27.8% of men and 35.5% of women, and 44.8% of men and 48.0% of women were obese. Over the study period, the prevalence of diabetes (29% to 32%) and obesity (45% to 48%) increased while a decline in smoking prevalence was noted (34% to 31%). Most patients had 2 or more risk factors with 51.2% having three or more risk factors. Compared with nonsmokers, smokers presented over a decade earlier (age 56.8 versus 66.9 years, p &lt; 0.0001) and obese patients presented 4.0 years earlier (age 61.4 versus 65.4 years, p &lt; 0.0001) (Figure). Conclusions: Modifiable risk factors are widely prevalent among patients undergoing their first PCI. Population-level interventions aimed at controlling obesity and preventing smoking could significantly delay the onset of CAD and the need for PCI.

P895 Relationship between left ventricular function components and cardiovascular risk factors in asymptomatic individuals

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements none Background and Aim Coronary artery disease is commonly related to conventional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. The exact role of those risk factors in early development of CV disease or left ventricular (LV) dysfunction before the development of sign and symptoms remains debated. We studied the relationship between conventional risk factors and LV systolic, diastolic and synchronous function in a population sample of asymptomatic individuals. Methods All participants underwent a detailed echocardiographic examination as part of a cross-sectional survey for the prevalence of coronary risk factors in randomly selected individuals from general population. LV end-systolic and end-diastolic dimensions, and LV volumes and ejection fraction (EF) were all calculated. From the spectral Doppler flow, LV early diastolic (E wave) and atrial systolic (A wave) velocities were measured and E/A ratio calculated. LV filling time (FT) was also measured from the onset of E wave to the end of A wave, and LV ejection time (ET) from the onset to the end of aortic Doppler velocity. Global LV dyssynchrony was assessed using total isovolumic time (T-IVT) as 60 – (total filling time + total ejection time), and Tei index was also calculated. Results The study population comprised 184 individuals (96 male and 88 female, mean age 55.9 (11.3), range 25-78 years). There was no relationship between systolic LV function expressed by EF and CV risk factors. Markers of diastolic function: LV filling velocities and E/A ratio, were correlated with age (r= -0.36, p &amp;lt; 0.000, r= -0.57, p &amp;lt; 0.000, respectively), with glycemia (r= -0.21, p &amp;lt; 0.000, r= -0.14, p = 0.004,) and with systolic blood pressure (r= -0.31, p &amp;lt; 0.000, r= -0.34, p &amp;lt; 0.000). Markers of LV dyssynchrony, in the form of prolonged T-IVT, and raised Tei index, directly correlated with age, glycemia and systolic blood pressure (r = 0.58, p &amp;lt; 0.000, r = 0.18, p &amp;lt; 0.000, r = 0.33, p &amp;lt; 0.000, respectively). However, when these correlations were adjusted for age in a multivariate analysis, the statistical significance was strongly reduced (LV filling) or completely lost (IVT and E/A). Conclusions In normal asymptomatic population, age, rather than CV risk factors, is the main determinant of changes in diastolic and synchronous function.

Relationship Between Kihon Checklist Score and Anxiety Levels in Elderly Patients Undergoing Early Phase II Cardiac Rehabilitation.

BackgroundThe frailty state consists of not only physical but also psycho-emotional problems, such as cognitive dysfunction and depression as well as social problems. However, few reports have examined the relationship between frailty and anxiety levels in elderly patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation (CR).MethodsWe analyzed 255 patients (mean age: 74.9 ± 5.8 years, 67% male) who participated in early phase II CR at Juntendo University Hospital. At the beginning of CR, patients carried out self-assessments based on the Kihon Checklist (KCL) and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory Form (STAI). Patients were divided into three groups: frailty group (n = 99, 39%), pre-frailty group (n = 81, 32%), and non-frailty group (n = 75, 29%) according to the KCL. We assessed results from the KCL scores and its relationship with anxiety levels.ResultsAmong the three groups, there were no significant differences in age, underlying illnesses, or the prevalence of coronary risk factors. Depressive mood domains of the KCL were significantly higher in the frailty and pre-frailty groups than in the non-frailty groups (3.0 ± 1.5 vs. 1.4 ± 1.2 vs. 0.4 ± 0.6; P < 0.01). The state anxiety level was significantly higher in the frailty group than in the non-frailty group (41.6 ± 0.9 vs. 34.9 ± 1.0; P < 0.01). The trait anxiety levels were significantly higher in the frailty group and pre-frailty group than in the non-frailty group (45.5 ± 0.9 vs. 39.2 ± 1.0 vs. 35.1 ± 1.1; P < 0.01). State anxiety and trait anxiety also showed a significantly positive correlations with the KCL scores (r = 0.32 vs. 0.41, P < 0.01).ConclusionsFrailty scores were positively correlated not only with physical function but also with depression mood and anxiety levels in elderly patients undergoing early phase II CR. These results suggest that assessment of depressive mood and anxiety is also important in elderly patients undergoing early phase II CR.

P6391Major acute cardiovascular events in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract Introduction Traditional risk factors for coronary heart disease have been reported in around 85% patients who present with myocardial infarction. More recently, inflammation and immune mediated diseases have been associated with ischemic heart disease. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is an immune mediated disorder which comprises of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Estimated prevalence of IBD in the United States in 2004 was 1.4 million people. These patients have an overall increased risk of thrombotic complications with microvascular thrombosis hypothesized to contribute in disease pathogenesis. Results from a recent meta-analysis were consistent with increased risk of ischemic heart disease among IBD patients, with risk greater in females and younger patients, although heterogeneity was considerable in overall data. Also, in a recent study, IBD was found to be associated with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction and heart failure despite lower prevalence of coronary risk factors in IBD patients. IBD pathogenesis involves sustained activation of immune responses with upregulation of cytokines including but not limited to IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF-alpha. Upregulation of these cytokines has also been reported in coronary atherosclerosis. Based on above information, we explored incidence of MACE (Major Adverse Cardiac Event) in this patient population from our health system data-base. Methods Propensity scores were estimated for all 15,292 (0.4%) patients with inflammatory bowel disease from a total patient pool of 3,917,894 patients in our health system to assemble a 1:1 matched cohort balanced for age, gender, race and known cardiovascular risk factors including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and smoking (current and former). ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes were used to identify cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes. Results Matched patients (n=30,584) had a mean age of 51 years, with 58% of all being women, and 63% Caucasian. During the median follow up of 4.4 years all-cause mortality was observed in 1.7% and 1.2% of patients from IBD and non-IBD groups respectively (hazard ratio {HR}, 1.31; 95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.08–1.58; p=0.005). Combined outcome for myocardial infarction or all-cause mortality was noted in 4.1% and 3.4% from IBD and non-IBD groups respectively (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.03–1.30; p=0.014) while HRs for cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction and unstable angina independently were 1.04 (0.74–1.47; p=0.833), 1.05 (0.89–1.23; p=0.591) and 1.10 (0.83–1.46; p=0.524) respectively. Conclusion Inflammatory bowel disease did not show association with myocardial infarction, cardiovascular mortality or unstable angina when matched for known cardiovascular risk factors, but was associated with increased all-cause mortality and combined end-point of all-cause mortality or myocardial infarction.

Prevalence of coronary artery disease risk factors in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery in West Azerbaijan province

Background and aims: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the main causes of death worldwide and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery accounts for 1.4% of all operating room procedures. Considering the importance of the above-mentioned issue, the present study aimed to assess CAD risk factors in CABG patients to provide more accurate information for health authorities. Methods: To this end, data of all patients with isolated primary on-pump CABG were collected from March 2014 to March 2016. The major risk factors of CAD were recorded as a history of cigarette smoking, dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), advanced age, a family history of CAD, obesity, and male gender. Statistical analyses were performed by SPSS using a t test, as well as the chi-square and Fisher exact tests, and the P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: During a 24-month period, 895 patients underwent isolated primary on-pump CABG in the only open-heart surgery center in the West Azerbaijan province of Iran. The mean age of the patients was 60.4±10.3 years (within the range of 40 to 93 years). In addition, most of the patients amounting to 525 cases (58.7%) were in the age group of 55-70 years and had two or more risk factors. Further, 98.8% of males (age ≥45) and 68.2% of females (age ≥ 55) were old, and 73.3% and 26.7% of the patients were men and women, respectively. Furthermore, risk factors such as hypertension, cigarette-smoking, DM, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and family history were observed in 53.3%, 47.9%, 37.8%, 28.5%, 61.1%, and 19.3% of the patients, respectively. As regards gender, the prevalence of coronary risk factors like hypertension (60.7 vs. 50.6%, P=0.005), DM (51.9 vs. 32.6%, P=0.001), hypercholesterolemia (43.5 vs. 23%, P=0.001), and obesity (68.2 vs. 58.5%, P=0.005) were higher in women but other factors such as smoking (19.2 vs. 58.4%, P=0.001) and positive family history (14.6 vs. 21%, P=0.01) were higher in men. Conclusion: Overall, the prevalence of most risk factors was more common among under 55-year group, especially in women, and this is a warning for increasing CADs in the future

Clinical and Demographic Trends in Cardiac Rehabilitation: 1996-2015.

Clinical interventions in programs such as cardiac rehabilitation (CR) are guided by clinical characteristics of participating patients. This study describes changes in CR participant characteristics over 20 yr. To examine changes in patient characteristics over time, we analyzed data from 1996 to 2015 (n = 5396) garnered from a systematically and prospectively gathered database. Linear, logistic, multinomial logistic or negative binomial regression was used, as appropriate. Effects of sex and index diagnosis were considered both as interactions and as additive effects. Analyses revealed that mean age increased (from 60.7 to 64.2 yr), enrollment of women increased (from 26.8% to 29.6%), and index diagnosis has shifted; coronary artery bypass surgery decreased (from 37.2% to 21.6%), whereas heart valve repair/replacement increased (from 0% to 10.6%). Risk factors also shifted with increases in body mass index (28.7 vs 29.6 kg/m), obesity (from 33.2% to 39.6%), hypertension (from 51% to 62.5%), type 2 diabetes mellitus (from 17.3% to 21.7%), and those reporting current smoking (from 6.6% to 8.4%). Directly measured peak aerobic capacity remained relatively stable throughout. The proportion of patients on statin therapy increased from 63.6% to 98.9%, coinciding with significant improvements in lipid levels. Compared with 1996, participants entering CR in 2015 were older, more overweight, and had a higher prevalence of coronary risk factors. Lipid values improved substantially concurrent with increased statin use. While the percentage of female participants increased, they continue to be underrepresented. Patients with heart valve repair/replacement now constitute 10.6% of the patients enrolled. Clinical programs need to recognize changing characteristics of attendees to best tailor interventions.

The Impact of Ischemic Heart Disease on Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease of unknown etiology. Current knowledge supports that chronic inflammation represents a crucial risk factor without prior development of atherosclerosis. Thus, the epidemiological findings of patients with RA have demonstrated an expressive increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In addition, these patients present a higher prevalence of coronary risk factors and, when associated with poor prognostic factors, increase the risk of ischemic heart disease.

Long-term Trends in Coronary Risk Factor Prevalence and Adherence to Guideline Therapies in Australians with Coronary Heart Disease: 9-year Comparison with European Outcomes

Long-term Trends in Coronary Risk Factor Prevalence and Adherence to Guideline Therapies in Australians with Coronary Heart Disease: 9-year Comparison with European Outcomes

The impact of age on cardiac electromechanical function in asymptomatic individuals.

Whether aging affects left ventricular (LV) filling and ejection and the LV electric function is not well established. We investigated the effect of normal aging on echocardiographic measurements of LV morphology and function, LV electric function and the relationship between LV electric and mechanical function in asymptomatic individuals. As part of a cross-sectional survey for the prevalence of coronary risk factors in the general population in Caltanissetta, Italy, individuals without signs or symptoms of coronary artery disease or heart failure were randomly selected and underwent electrocardiographic and echocardiographic examination. QRS duration and amplitude, PR, QT and QTc intervals, were automatically measured. Echocardiographic examination included the measurement of LV systolic and diastolic dimensions, volumes and ejection fraction (EF). From the spectral Doppler flow LV early diastolic (E wave) and atrial systolic (A wave) velocities, isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) and isovolumic contraction time (IVCT) were measured. Global LV dyssynchrony was assessed using the total isovolumic time (T-IVT) and the Tei index. Aging reduced LV long-axis function, LV filling time and E wave velocity and prolonged T-IVT, IVRT and Tei index. It did not affect LV dimensions, ejection fraction, IVCT or QRS amplitude and duration. QRS duration correlated with LV dimensions, wall thickness and left atrial area. QRS amplitude and QTc interval correlated with the markers of LV dyssynchrony T-IVT and Tei index. Overall, systolic and electric LV function are not affected by age, whereas subendocardial function, diastolic and synchronous function are significantly influenced.

Risk factors for three-vessel coronary artery disease in patients of Northwest Mexico.

Three-vessel coronary artery disease is an advanced manifestation of atherosclerosis, with high prevalence in Mexico. The aim of this study was to describe coronary risk factors in a group of patients with three-vessel coronary artery disease in Northwest Mexico. A cross sectional study was conducted on a population with three-vessel coronary artery disease from May 2015 to February 2016. The disease was defined when ≥70% stenosis was present in each major epicardial coronary artery. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured in each patient. Ankle-Brachial Index was measured with vascular ultrasound, and Syntax score calculation with an on-line application. Statistical analysis for qualitative differences was performed using Pearson X2 test, with p<0.05 being considered as significant. The study included 100 patients, of whom 75 were male (mean age 63±9 years) and 25 female (mean age 69±9 years). The coronary risk factors observed were diabetes (58%), hypertension (86%), smoking (68%), dyslipidaemia (100%), metabolic syndrome (71%), and obesity/overweight (75%). Diabetes and metabolic syndrome prevalence was higher in women (p=0.03), but smoking was higher in men (76%, p=0.003). Ankle-Brachial Index was abnormal in 58% of patients, the mean Syntax score was in 36.9±11.5, and the prevalence of left main coronary heart disease was 36%. This group of patients with complex coronary lesions has a high prevalence of coronary risk factors, which could represent a worse prognosis.

Predictors of Coronary Artery Disease Progression among High-risk Patients with Recurrent Symptoms.

Background:Despite the availability of new potent medical therapies, the rate of progression of angiographic coronary artery disease (CAD) is not well described. The aim of this analysis is to describe the rate and predictors of progression of CAD among patients with recurrent symptoms.Materials and Methods:We reviewed 259 patients (mean age 61 ± 11 years, 70% males) who underwent two coronary angiograms between 2008 and 2013. Progressive CAD was defined as obstructive CAD in a previously disease-free segment or new obstruction in a previously nonobstructive segment. Patients who had coronary artery bypass surgery between these two angiograms were excluded from the analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the independent predictors of progression of CAD.Results:The included cohort had a high prevalence of coronary risk factors; hypertension (71%), diabetes (69%), and dyslipidemia (75%). Despite adequate medical therapy, more than half of the patients (61%) had CAD progression. Using multivariate logistic regression, a drop in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by more than 5% was the predictor of CAD progression (adjusted odds ratio 5.8, P = 0.042, 95% confidence interval 1.1–31.2).Conclusion:Among high-risk patients with recurrent symptoms, the short-term rate of progression of CAD is high. A drop in LVEF >5% is a predictor of CAD progression. Further studies are needed to determine the prognostic value of CAD progression in the era of potent medical therapy.

Relationship between QRS measurements and left ventricular morphology and function in asymptomatic individuals.

QRS amplitude and duration are associated with increased left ventricular (LV) volume, mass and dysfunction. However, the diagnostic concordance between QRS measurements and LV morphology and function, as shown by Doppler echocardiography, is not well established. We investigated the relationships of QRS duration and amplitude with echocardiographic measurements of LV morphology and systolic and diastolic function in normal individuals. Individuals without signs or symptoms of coronary artery disease or heart failure, who underwent clinical examination as a part of a cross-sectional survey for the prevalence of coronary risk factors, randomly selected from the population list in Caltanissetta, Italy, were included in the study. QRS duration and amplitude were automatically measured using inbuilt software. LV ejection and filling patterns were studied using Doppler echocardiography. We studied 184 individuals (96 men and 88 women), mean age 55.9 (11.3). QRS duration increased by 5.4ms for every 100g increase in LV mass, and by 4.6ms for each 10mm increase in LV end-diastolic diameter. The amplitude increased by 0.8mm for every 100g increase in LV mass. There was no relationship with LV dimensions. A nonlinear correlation was found between QRS amplitude and indexes of global dyssynchrony. The time-voltage QRS area correlated with LV mass, dimensions and indexes of dyssynchrony. There was no relationship between QRS measurements and ejection fraction. QRS prolongation and increase in amplitude are strongly influenced by LV increased mass and volume, as well as by dyssynchrony, independently of ejection fraction.