Previous Cardiovascular Events Research Articles

#2061 Perirenal fat thickness as a potential marker for cardiovascular risk in chronic kidney disease: the influence of vitamin D analogs

Abstract Background and Aims Patients with CKD show high cardiovascular complication rates. There are classical cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, dyslipidemia, and diabetes; however, other cardiovascular disease risk factors are associated with mineral metabolism disorders (phosphorus, hyperparathyroidism, etc.) typically appear in CKD. Due to their pleiotropic effects, vitamin D analogs, such as cholecalciferol, calcitriol, or paricalcitol, have proven effective in controlling bone mineral disease secondary to CKD and cardiovascular pathologies. On the other hand, visceral adiposity has been shown as a risk factor in the general population and in patients with CKD. Specifically, the fat deposited in regions such as the epicardium generates a complex autocrine and paracrine hormonal mechanism that has been associated with cardiovascular complications. Although it has not been widely evaluated, the adipose tissue surrounding the kidneys (perirenal fat [PRF]) could provide additional information of interest in the CKD population. The aim of the study is to assess the relationship between cardiovascular disease, PRF, and the effect of therapeutic interventions for bone and mineral metabolism in patients with CKD. Method This prospective observational and cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the usage of vitamin D analogs in patients with CKD, focusing on cardiovascular history and PRF accumulation. All the patients were evaluated at the outpatient clinic in Consuelo Hospital in Valencia Spain (January-November 2022). Eighty-three patients with different grades of CKD (G1A1 to G5A3 not on dialysis) were included and follow-up for 24 months. All the patient's data from electronic medical and analytical records were entered into a protocol sheet. The patients that meet the inclusion criteria (eGFR ≤90 or>15 ml/min/1.73 m2; age ≥18 years at the time of signing informed consent, and a life expectancy higher than 1 year) were eligible to participate in the study. As exclusion criteria, patients with an active inflammatory process such as infection, active cancer, or other inflammatory states were excluded beyond those mentioned in inclusion. Patients with an AKI, ADPKD, or CKD requiring RRT were also excluded. Patients were discriminated according to their history of cardiovascular disease (coronary artery disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease) and the use of Vitamin D analogs (Cholecalciferol, Calcitriol, and Paricalcitol). The thickness of the PRF was measured in centimeters (cm) through a B-mode ultrasound with a 3.5-MHz convex transductor (Alpinion®; Alpinion Medical Systems, Korea). Patients underwent a bilateral renal ultrasound, and the kidneys were measured anteroposteriorly, transversally, and longitudinally. PRF was measured in the distal third between the cortex and the hepatic border and/or spleen. Results The mean age of the patients was 58.3 ± 16 years. Patients with a cardiovascular disease history showed significantly higher levels of urea (62.0 vs 45.2 mg/dl, p < 0.05), uric acid (5.5 vs 4.3 mg/dl; p < 0.03), intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) (186.2 vs 65.2 pcg/dl; p0.05) and decreased eGFR (53.55 vs 89.00 ml/min/1.73 mts2). The mean PRF thickness (0.99 vs 0.80 cm; SD ± 0.30; p0.05) was also observed to be elevated with respect to the group who had no previous cardiovascular events (Fig. 1). Moreover, this group showers higher levels (1.2 vs 7.1; p < 0.005) of CRP. Those patients on oral treatment with Paricalcitol (1 mcg/day) had lesser PRF accumulation than those treated with Cholecalciferol (1000 IU/day) or Calcitriol (0.5 mcg/day) (p < 0.05) (Fig. 2). It was not adjusted for confounding factors such as weight, height, or BMI. Conclusion These results show a close relationship between the presence of cardiovascular disease history and a higher accumulation of PRF. The mechanisms by which paricalcitol could influence the decrease in PRF are so far unknown, however, some studies have shown an association between PTH elevation and obesity. Finally, achieving a decrease in the latter could reduce visceral adipose tissue, thus reducing the cardiovascular risk in CKD-affected patients.

#2573 Effect of pre-transplant dialysis modalities on delayed graft function

Abstract Background and Aims Kidney transplantation represents the optimal treatment for end-stage renal disease patients. Benefits and disadvantages of different pre-transplant dialysis modalities and the effects on post-transplant outcomes remain unclear, but many authors identify peritoneal dialysis (PD) such a “bridge” versus renal transplantation. Method We analyze a consecutive series of 249 renal transplanted patients (mean age 48 ± 11 years, 67% males) between June 1998 and February 2016 with a low prevalence of comorbidities (diabetes 2%, hypertension 31%, previous cardiovascular events 2%). The median follow-up was 136 months [interquartile range (IR) 91-197 months]. The pre-transplant treatment was hemodialysis (HD) in 215 patients (86%) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in the remaining 34 patients (14%). The majority of patients received a cadaveric donor organ (219 patients, 88%). Results Delayed Graft Function (DGF) was registered in 151 patients (61%). Analyzing pre-transplant dialysis treatment, 15 patients about 34 (44%) on pre-transplant PD had DGF vs 136/215 (63%) on pre-transplant HD treatment (P = 0.03). Remarkable PD patients were older (48 ± 12 years) than HD patients (44 ± 11 years), but this difference did not rise statistical significance (P = 0.09); similarly the prevalence of living donors were higher (13%) in the group of HD patients respect the group of PD patients (9%, P = 0.53). In a longitudinal analysis the last estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) was lower in patients with DGF (44, IR 19-66 ml/min/1,73 m2) vs patients without DGF (48, IR 35-73 ml/min/1,73 m2, P = 0.04), but no substantial differences was noted at the end of observation in eGFR between the two groups of patients (HD, eGFR 45, IR 25-68 ml/min/1,73 m2 vs PD eGFR 46, IR 24-67 ml/min/1,73 m2). Conclusion Results of this study confirm that PD treatment can be considered an optimal “bridge” for renal transplantation probably because peculiar characteristic of this dialysis modality (such us long term preserved diuresis and residual renal function respect HD patients) impacts positively on recovery of renal function. Further study need to clarify these controversial points.

WELLENS SYNDROME: TIMELY RECOGNITION AND SUCCESSFUL REVASCULARIZATION

Abstract Wellens syndrome is a condition characterized by clinical and instrumental signs suggestive of a critical proximal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery stenosis and requires early revascularization. Diagnostic criteria include T–wave changes in ECG during asymptomatic periods in patients with a history of chest pain, absence of significant cardiac enzyme movement, no ST–segment elevation, preserved R–wave, and no pathological Q waves. Early recognition of this syndrome is crucial, due to its 10–15% prevalence, allowing proper management and myocardial function recovery, avoiding potentially catastrophic outcomes. A 64–year–old male, with hypertension, undiagnosed diabetes, and family history of CAD, presented to our ER with sudden, brief chest pain radiating to the left upper limb. Similar episodes had occurred in the past week. The patient denied previous cardiovascular events and home therapy. ECG conducted by the attending cardiologist, during free chest pain period, showed biphasic T–wave in V1–V3 (a). Admission ECG resembled the ambulatory one. Lab results: Hb 14.7 g/dl, Troponin I 0.059 ng/ml (cut–off 0.034). Echocardiogram indicated distal septum akinesia. Urgent coronary angiography was performed, detecting subocclusive stenosis in the proximal–mid LAD. Successful revascularization was achieved by PTCA and implantation of 1 DES. (b) Subsequently, the patient was admitted to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit for multiparametric monitoring. The ECG showed deeply negative T waves from V1 to V6. (c) No complications during hospitalization. Discharge ECG showed repolarization anomalies improvement. Echocardiography revealed preserved systolic function, without global or segmental anomalies in wall motion. Wellens syndrome is a manifestation of acute coronary syndrome that precedes an anterior wall MI. This condition can be identified by its characteristic T–wave patterns on ECG. Patients with this syndrome have severe LAD occlusion and require early coronary intervention. In chest pain episodes, the ECG appears normal, and troponin levels often remain within the normal range, which can potentially provide false reassurance. Wellens syndrome is a cardiac emergency requiring immediate attention; it is crucial for the physician to promptly identify the typical ECG signs of Wellens Syndrome, facilitating early coronary revascularization to prevent adverse patient outcomes.

Role of Lipoprotein Ratios and Remnant Cholesterol in Patients with Myocardial Infarction with Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries (MINOCA).

Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is a clinical situation characterized by evidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI)-according to the Fourth Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction-with normal or near-normal coronary arteries on angiographic study (stenosis < 50%). This condition is extremely variable in etiology, pathogenic mechanisms, clinical manifestations, prognosis and consequently therapeutic approach. The objective of the study was the evaluation of remnant cholesterol (RC), monocyte/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and various lipoprotein ratios in patients with MINOCA in order to establish their validity as predictors of this event. We included 114 patients hospitalized in the Intensive Coronary Care Unit (ICCU) and Hospital Wards of our Hospital Center from 2015 to 2019 who received a diagnosis of MINOCA compared to a control group of 110 patients without previous cardiovascular events. RC was calculated with the following formula: RC = total cholesterol (TC) - HDL-C - LDL-C. MHR was calculated by dividing the monocyte count in peripheral blood by high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels; PLR was obtained by dividing platelet count by lymphocyte count. We also calculated various lipoprotein ratios, like total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC/HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C/HDL-C), triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C), and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C/HDL-C) ratios. The MINOCA group had higher mean levels of RC (21.3 ± 10.6 vs. 13.2 ± 7.7 mg/dL), MHR (23 ± 0.009 vs. 18.5± 8.3) and PLR (179.8 ± 246.1 vs. 135 ± 64.7) than the control group. Only the mean values of all calculated lipoprotein ratios were lower in MINOCA patients. Statistical significance was achieved only in the RC evaluation. Higher levels of RC and MHR were found in patients with MINOCA. We also observed higher levels of PLR than in the control group. Only various lipoprotein ratios were lower, but this could reflect the extreme heterogeneity underlying the pathogenic mechanisms of MINOCA. In patients who receive a diagnosis of MINOCA with a baseline alteration of the lipid profile and higher levels of cholesterol at admission as well, the evaluation of these parameters could play an important role, providing more detailed information about their cardiometabolic risk.

Evaluation of blood pressure variation in recovered COVID-19 patients at one-year follow-up: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has various sequelae, one of which might be hypertension. We aimed to evaluate COVID-19’s impact on blood pressure (BP) in non-hospitalized patients at one-year follow-up.MethodA total of 7,950 consecutive COVID-19 patients regularly visiting our cardiology clinic were retrospectively screened. Patients’ electronic medical records including demographics, comorbidities, vital signs, treatments, and outcomes, were reviewed by two physicians. Individuals with at least one BP measurement in the three months preceding COVID-19 and one measurement in 12 months or more following recovery were included. BP levels before and after COVID-19 were compared using the paired t-test.Results5,355 confirmed COVID-19 patients (mean age 55.51 ± 15.38 years) were included. Hypertension (56.9%) and diabetes mellitus (34%) were the predominant comorbidities, and 44.3% had prior major adverse cardiovascular events. Both systolic (126.90 ± 20.91 vs. 139.99 ± 23.94 mmHg, P < 0.001) and diastolic BP (80.54 ± 13.94 vs. 86.49 ± 14.40 mmHg, P < 0.001) were significantly higher post-COVID-19 vs. pre-COVID-19. Notably, 456 (14%) hypertensive patients experienced exacerbated hypertension, while 408 (17%) patients developed new-onset hypertension, overall 864 (16%) of patients had exacerbation or new hypertension. Linear regression analysis revealed that advanced age, smoking, previous cardiovascular events, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus predict increased BP following COVID-19 (P < 0.001).ConclusionCOVID-19 raised systolic and diastolic BP in the long term in non-hospitalized patients, with over one-sixth developing new-onset or exacerbated hypertension. All patients should be evaluated regarding BP, following COVID-19 recovery, particularly those with the mentioned predictive factors. (clinicaltrial.gov: NCT05798208)

Revisiting Cardiovascular Benefits of Blood Pressure Reduction in Primary and Secondary Prevention: Focus on Targets and Residual Risk-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Previous meta-analyses resurrected the debated statement "the lower, the better" following blood pressure (BP)-lowering treatment. We investigated the benefits of BP-lowering treatment at different BP targets by prevention category. The meta-analysis protocol was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42022379249). The database included 115 BP-lowering or comparison trials from patients with (n=241 089) or without (n=198 937) previous cardiovascular events. Prevention disease groups were stratified by in-treatment achieved BP, drug class versus placebo, and drug class versus other classes. Risk ratios and 95% CIs of major adverse cardiovascular events were calculated. Following a standard (10/5 mm Hg) BP reduction, major adverse cardiovascular event relative risk reductions were not different between prevention groups (primary, 25% [95% CI, 18%-31%]; secondary, 28% [95% CI, 20%-37%]). For achieved systolic BP of at least 140 mm Hg, between 130 and 140 mm Hg, and <130 mm Hg (nadir, 125 mm Hg), (1) risk ratios of major adverse cardiovascular events and absolute risk reductions were not different between prevention groups across systolic BP strata, and (2) residual risk, though 4.1× greater in secondary than primary prevention, decreased in primary prevention from higher to lower systolic BP targets. The effect of separate drugs versus others on the primary outcome was not different between prevention groups. BP-lowering treatment benefits did not differ by prevention group to a nadir of 125 mm Hg for systolic BP. Although residual risk in secondary prevention is higher than in primary prevention, it gradually decreases at progressively lower systolic BP targets in primary prevention. URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/; Unique identifier: CRD42022379249.

Blood pressure cut-offs to diagnose impending hypertensive emergency depend on previous hypertension-mediated organ damage and comorbid conditions.

Background Hypertensive emergencies (HTN-E) are important due to a high risk of mortality. However, a sudden increase in blood pressure (BP) can damage target organs before the BP reaches cut-offs to diagnose HTN-E. We (i) analyse HTN guidelines for recommendations of treatment individualization, such as adjusting BP cut-offs for hypertensive urgency or impending HTN-E according to patient's susceptibility to complications (because of previous hypertension-mediated organ damage [HMOD], cardiovascular events and comorbid conditions), and (ii) provide a rationale for the inclusion of patient's susceptibility in protocols for treatment of acute HTN-E. Methods We searched PubMed, SCOPUS, Science Direct, Springer, Oxford Press, Wiley, SAGE and Google Scholar for the following terms: arterial hypertension, impending, emergency, target organ damage, hypertension-mediated organ damage, and comorbidity. Results The available guidelines do not recommend that when we estimate the probability of HTN-E in a patient with very high BP, we take into account not only the 'aggressive factor' (i.e. history of HTN, absolute BP values and rate of its increase), but also the 'vulnerability of the patient' due to previous major adverse cardio-vascular events, HMOD and comorbid conditions. Conclusion The risk does not depend only on the aggressiveness of the health threat but also on the strength of the host's defence. It is, therefore, surprising that one side of the natural interaction (i.e. susceptibility of a patient) is overlooked in almost all available guidelines on HTN.

Post-event follow-up costs in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in Spain.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries and entails high resources use and costs for health systems. The risk of suffering future cardiovascular (CV) events and the consequent resources use is higher in those patients who have already had a previous cardiovascular event. The objective of the study was to determine the average annual cost of patients with a new or recurrent atherosclerotic CV event during the 2 years after the event. Retrospective observational study of electronic medical records of patients from the BIG-PAC® database (7 integrated health areas of 7 Autonomous Communities; n = 1.8 million). Patients with a new or recurrent episode of ASCVD (angina, acute myocardial infarction, transient ischemic attack, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease) between 1-Jan-2017 and 31-Dec-2018 were included. The resources use within two years of the diagnosis was estimated in order to estimate the average cost of patient follow-up. A total of 26,976 patients with an ASCVD episode were identified during the recruitment period; Out of them, 6,798 had a recurrent event during the follow-up period and 2,414 died. The average costs per patient were €11,171 during the first year and €9,944 during the second year. Patients with ASCVD represent a significant economic burden for the health system and for society. Despite the perception that drug costs in the follow-up of chronic patients imply a high percentage of the costs, these accounted for only one tenth of the total amount. Implementing preventive programs and increasing the control of cardiovascular risk factors may have a significant social and health impact by helping to reduce mortality and costs for the Spanish National Health System. The costs derived from pharmacological treatments were obtained from the NHS pricing nomenclator database (https://www.sanidad.gob.es/profesionales/nomenclator.do).

Association between ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) and peripheral endothelial dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis patients

The identification of circulating biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction (ED), a precursor to atherosclerosis, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) would facilitate early risk stratification and prevention strategies. Ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) has emerged as a potential biomarker of oxidative stress, ischemia, and ED. However, studies examining the relationship between IMA and ED in RA patients are lacking. We measured serum IMA concentrations by using an albumin cobalt binding test and peripheral vasodilatory capacity by EndoPAT in 113 RA patients without previous cardiovascular events enrolled in the EDRA study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02341066). The mean peripheral vasodilatory capacity, expressed by the log of reactive hyperemia index (logRHI), was 0.82, corresponding to 27% RA patients having ED. The mean plasma concentrations of IMA were 0.478 absorbance units. We observed a significant and inverse association between peripheral vasodilatory capacity and serum IMA concentrations (rho = − 0.22, p = 0.02). In univariate logistic regression, ED was significantly associated with serum IMA concentrations [OR 1173 (95% CI 1.3568 to 101,364), p = 0.040) and higher disease activity. In multivariate logistic regression, the independent association between ED and IMA remained significant after correction for disease activity and other RA-confounders [OR 2252 (95% CI 1.0596 to 4,787,505), p = 0.048 in Model 1; OR 7221 (95% CI 4.1539 to 12,552,859), p = 0.02 in Model 2]. Conclusions: This study suggests that IMA is a promising biomarker of ED in RA. Further research is needed to confirm our findings and determine the clinical utility of IMA in detecting and managing early atherosclerosis in RA patients.

Retinal microvascular alterations in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis without cardiovascular risk factors: the potential effects of T cell co-stimulation blockade.

The evaluation of microvascular alterations might provide clinically useful information for patients with an increased cardiovascular (CV) risk, such as those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), being the small artery remodeling the earliest form of target organ damage in primary CV diseases, such as arterial hypertension. The evaluation of retinal arterioles is a non-invasive technique aimed to identify an early microvascular damage, represented by the increase of the wall-to-lumen ratio (WLR) index. Abatacept (ABA), a T-cell co-stimulator blocker, is used to treat RA. A CV protective action was hypothesized for its peculiar mechanism of action in the modulation of T-cells, potentially involved in the pathogenesis of CV comorbidity. The study aimed to non-invasively investigate morphological characteristics of retinal arterioles in a cohort of RA patients treated with ABA. Seventeen RA patients [median (25th-75thpercentile) age = 58 (48-64) years, baseline 28-joint Disease Activity Score DAS28-C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) = 4.4 (3.9-4.6), body mass index (BMI) = 24.2 (23.4-26) kg/m2, rheumatoid factor positive:52.9%, anti-citrullinated peptide autoantibodies positive:76.5%] without known CV risk factors (arterial hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, previous CV events, smoking) were evaluated by the adaptive optics imaging system of retinal arterioles before and every 6 months of therapy with ABA (T0, T6 and T12). Office blood pressure evaluation, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and tissue-doppler echocardiography were also performed. A progressive significant reduction of the WLR of retinal arterioles was observed [T0 = 0.28 (0.25-0.30), T6 = 0.27 (0.24-0.31), T12 = 0.23 (0.23-0.26); p T0 vs. T6 = 0.414; p T6 vs. T12 = 0.02; p T0 vs. T12 = 0.009], without significant variations in other parameters. The T0-T12 reduction of WLR was correlated with that of DAS28-CRP (r:0.789; p = 0.005). Moreover, a significant reduction of diastolic office blood pressure and a trend for reduction of daily pressure measured by ambulatory monitoring were observed. In a cohort of RA patients without known CV risk factors, a reduction of retinal microvascular alterations was demonstrated after treatment for 12 months with ABA, in parallel with the reduction of disease activity. These results might suggest the possibility of microvascular abnormalities regression induced by the immune system modulation.

Patient characteristics and reasons for discontinuation in a cardiovascular risk management programme in The Netherlands

BackgroundSince 2010, an increasing number of patients have participated in a nurse-led integrated cardiovascular risk management programme in the Netherlands. Because it is important to understand which patients discontinue and why, when evaluating the effectiveness of the care programme, the aim was to identify the reasons for discontinuation.MethodsElectronic health records of 3997 patients enrolled in a nurse-led integrated cardiovascular risk management programme that started on April 1st, 2010, were manually scrutinized for reasons for discontinuation between April 1st, 2010, and April 1st, 2018. In addition to death and moving to a diabetes care programme, we describe 7 different reasons why patients discontinued the programme and compared the patient characteristics of those who discontinued the programme without specific reasons with those who remained in the care programme for 8 years.ResultsBetween April 1st, 2010, and April 1st, 2018, 1,190 participants (29.8%) discontinued the CVRM care programme, of whom 271 participants died (6.8%) and 195 were transferred to a diabetes care programme (4.9%). The remaining 724 patients (18.1%) participated 5 years before discontinuation. Of these, 67 (9.3%) had a previous cardiovascular event at the start of the programme. In 355 patients, a specific reason for discontinuation was not found. At baseline, these patients less frequently had a history of CVD than those who continued the programme for 8 years (1.7 vs. 22.6%), were younger (62 vs. 67 years), had less registered cardiovascular comorbidity (atrial fibrillation: 1.1 vs. 7.2%; congestive heart failure 0.3 vs. 1.2%; chronic kidney disease 0.0 vs. 4.5%), were more often smokers (13.0% vs. 4.3%) and took blood pressure- and lipid-lowering drugs twice as often.ConclusionsIn our study we observed that participants who discontinued the nurse-led integrated CVRM care programme between 2010 and 2018 without specific reason or on request were younger, without previous CVD, had less cardiovascular comorbidity and were better adjusted to medication. Exploring the patients’ reasons for discontinuation can contribute to an individualized approach to prevent or reduce discontinuation.

Prevalence and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia in patients with chest pain admitted to hospital: a retrospective observational study

ObjectivesPatients with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) are genetically burdened by a lifelong elevation of the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level, putting them at a very high risk of premature ischaemic heart...

P729 Prospective observational study evaluating the effects of GLP1-RA on Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (TDM2)

Abstract Background GLP-1 RA are antidiabetic drugs approved for treatment of TDM2 as second-choice therapy for long-term treatment in patients with TMD2 without previous cardiovascular events or as first-choice therapy in patients with previous cardiovascular events and without heart failure (SID/AMD guidelines). Their beneficial effect is not only associated with glycol-metabolic control, but also with a systemic anti-inflammatory action. In view of this anti-inflammatory action, we wanted to assess whether GLP1-RA could have a possible beneficial effect on IBD in terms of laboratory and clinical parameters. Moreover, these drugs have proven to improve liver function and histology, therefore, liver wellbeing may also be included as a cross-sectional element of evaluation in the possible benefits of these therapies. Methods Through the evaluation of 981 medical records of IBD patients followed in the gastroenterology department of the Hospital San Giovanni Antica Sede (SGAS), 71 TDM2 patients were identified. Among these, 21 were recruited for the study. The recruited patients were scheduled for a diabetological examination: GLP-1 RA treatment could then be introduced where indicated. At a 3-month follow-up interval, both the GLP-1 RA treatment group and the subjects that did not have any changes in therapy (control group) underwent re-evaluation of the parameters of interest. All patients in the study were offered the possibility to receive a FibroScan to measure liver stiffness at the start of the study and at the 3-months follow-up. Results A prevalence in the IBD population of TDM2 was found to be 7.2% (vs. Piedmont population prevalence 6.2%, p = 0.31). Out of the 21 patients recruited, 6 received GLP-1 RA treatment. At 3 months, an analysis of the results through the Wilcoxon test showed that the GLP-1 RA treated patients had a reduction in faecal calprotectin levels, an improvement in disease scores, an improvement in glycemic balance and a reduction in CAP and FIB4 when compared to the control group; these results did not reach statistical significance. In contrast, the reduction in BMI reached statistical significance. A comparison of the deltas for the variables under analysis between the two groups was also carried out using the Mann-Whitney test. Concordant and positive trends were observed in the GLP-1 RA-treated group: in this case the reduction in HbA1c reached statistical significance. Conclusion Treatment with GLP-1 RA in patients with TDM2 and IBD appears safe and seems to show benefits from an intestinal, metabolic and hepatic viewpoint. Studies with a larger number of subjects are certainly needed to effectively confirm the benefit of GLP-1 RA in this specific category of patients.

Primary aldosteronism patients with previous cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events have high aldosterone responsiveness to ACTH stimulation.

Aldosterone secretion in primary aldosteronism (PA) is often regulated by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in addition to its autonomous secretion. However, the clinical characteristics and risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular (CCV) events in PA patients with aldosterone responsiveness to ACTH stimulation remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of CCV events in PA patients with high aldosterone responsiveness to ACTH stimulation. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted as part of the Japan Primary Aldosteronism Study/Japan Rare Intractable Adrenal Disease project. PA patients with adrenal venous sampling (AVS) between January 2006 and March 2019 were enrolled. The ACTH-stimulated plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) of the inferior vena cava during AVS was used to evaluate aldosterone responsiveness to ACTH. We analyzed the relationship between responsiveness and previous CCV events. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the ΔPAC (the difference between the PAC measurements before and after ACTH stimulation) significantly increased the odds of previous CCV events in PA patients after adjusting for classical CCV event risk factors, baseline PAC and duration of hypertension (relative PAC: odds ratio [OR], 2.896; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.989-8.482; ΔPAC: OR, 2.344; 95% CI, 1.149-4.780; ACTH-stimulated PAC: OR, 2.098; 95% CI, 0.694-6.339). This study clearly demonstrated that aldosterone responsiveness to ACTH is closely related to previous CCV events. The responsiveness of the PAC to ACTH could be useful in predicting CCV event risk.Registration Number in UMIN-CTR is UMIN000032525.

Cardiovascular disease risk in patients with inflammatory arthritis nowadays still substantially elevated

ObjectivesThis study aims to assess current cardiovascular disease risk and prevalence of risk factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (SpA).Methods2050 consecutive patients with...

Secondary Prevention and Extreme Cardiovascular Risk Evaluation (SEVERE-1), Focus on Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors: The Study Protocol.

Despite significant improvement in secondary CardioVascular (CV) preventive strategies, some acute and chronic coronary syndrome (ACS and CCS) patients will suffer recurrent events (also called "extreme CV risk"). Recently new biochemical markers, such as uric acid (UA), lipoprotein A [Lp(a)] and several markers of inflammation, have been described to be associated with CV events recurrence. The SEcondary preVention and Extreme cardiovascular Risk Evaluation (SEVERE-1) study will accurately characterize extreme CV risk patients enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs. Our aims will be to describe the prevalence of extreme CV risk and its association with newly described biochemical CV risk factors. Our aims will be to describe the prevalence of extreme CV risk and its association with newly described biochemical CV risk factors. We will prospectively enrol 730 ACS/CCS patients at the beginning of a CR program. Extreme CV risk will be retrospectively defined as the presence of a previous (within 2 years) CV events in the patients' clinical history. UA, Lp(a) and inflammatory markers (interleukin-6 and -18, tumor necrosis factor alpha, C-reactive protein, calprotectin and osteoprotegerin) will be assessed in ACS/CCS patients with extreme CV risk and compared with those without extreme CV risk but also with two control groups: 1180 hypertensives and 765 healthy subjects. The association between these biomarkers and extreme CV risk will be assessed with a multivariable model and two scoring systems will be created for an accurate identification of extreme CV risk patients. The first one will use only clinical variables while the second one will introduce the biochemical markers. Finally, by exome sequencing we will both evaluate polygenic risk score ability to predict recurrent events and perform mendellian randomization analysis on CV biomarkers. Our study proposal was granted by the European Union PNRR M6/C2 call. With this study we will give definitive data on extreme CV risk prevalence rising attention on this condition and leading cardiologist to do a better diagnosis and to carry out a more intensive treatment optimization that will finally leads to a reduction of future ACS recurrence. This will be even more important for cardiologists working in CR that is a very important place for CV risk definition and therapies refinement.

Risk of Mortality Following Surgery in Patients With a Previous Cardiovascular Event

There is a lack of consensus regarding the interval of time-dependent postoperative mortality risk following acute coronary syndrome or stroke. To determine the magnitude and duration of risk associated with the time interval between a preoperative cardiovascular event and 30-day postoperative mortality. This is a longitudinal retrospective population-based cohort study. This study linked data from the Hospital Episode Statistics for National Health Service England, Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project and the Office for National Statistics mortality registry. All adults undergoing a National Health Service-funded noncardiac, nonneurologic surgery in England between April 1, 2007, and March 31, 2018, registered in Hospital Episode Statistics Admitted Patient Care were included. Data were analyzed from July 2021 to July 2022. The time interval between a previous cardiovascular event (acute coronary syndrome or stroke) and surgery. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were postoperative mortality at 60, 90, and 365 days. Multivariable logistic regression models with restricted cubic splines were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios. There were 877 430 patients with and 20 582 717 without a prior cardiovascular event (overall mean [SD] age, 53.4 [19.4] years; 11 577 157 [54%] female). Among patients with a previous cardiovascular event, the time interval associated with increased risk of postoperative mortality was surgery within 11.3 months (95% CI, 10.8-11.7), with subgroup risks of 14.2 months before elective surgery (95% CI, 13.3-15.3) and 7.3 months for emergency surgery (95% CI, 6.8-7.8). Heterogeneity in these timings was noted across many surgical specialties. The time-dependent risk intervals following stroke and myocardial infarction were similar, but the absolute risk was greater following a stroke. Regarding surgical urgency, the risk of 30-day mortality was higher in those with a prior cardiovascular event for emergency surgery (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.34-1.37) and an elective procedure (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.78-1.89) than those without a prior cardiovascular event. In this study, surgery within 1 year of an acute coronary syndrome or stroke was associated with increased postoperative mortality before reaching a new baseline, particularly for elective surgery. This information may help clinicians and patients balance deferring the potential benefits of the surgery against the desire to avoid increased mortality from overly expeditious surgery after a recent cardiovascular event.

Global molecular calcium score: is there a link between sodium fluoride uptake and cardiovascular risk burden?

Abstract Background Sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) uptake in positron emission tomography with computed tomography (PET-CT) identifies active microcalcification both in atherosclerotic plaques and the aortic valve. Purpose We aimed to evaluate global cardiac microcalcification activity with 18F-NaF, as a measure of the microcalcification burden, in high cardiovascular (CV) risk patients. Additionally, as an exploratory endpoint, we evaluated the association between global cardiac microcalcification and diastolic dysfunction. Methods High CV-risk individuals without previous CV events from a single centre were prospectively scanned with 18F-NaF PET-CT. Total cardiac 18F-NaF uptake was measured as global molecular calcium score (GMCS), which was calculated by summing the product of mean standardized uptake value and volume of the region of interest on every slice within the borders of the heart. The result was then divided by the number of slices to adjust for the volume. Results We included sixty-five patients with a mean age of 64.0 ± 9.0 years and 38.5% females. There was a high rate of CV risk factors, including hypertension (95.4%), diabetes (84.6%), dyslipidemia (78.5%), obesity (58.5%), smoking (26.2%) chronic kidney disease (18.5%), and family history of premature coronary disease (9.2%). The mean 10-year risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events predicted by ASCVD risk score was 30.54 ± 18.4. Median GMCS was 221.42 [IQR 144.55-317.58]. Individuals with &amp;gt; 5 CV risk factors (46.2%) had increased overall GMCS compared to those with a lower number of CV risk factors (295.29, IQR 159.37-356.87 vs 186.16, IQR 122.57-281.78; p=0.03). Thirty-three patients underwent diastolic dysfunction evaluation by echocardiography. All patients had normal left ventricle ejection fraction, mean of 62.86 ± 3.58%. Mean E/A was 0.88 ± 0.27, mean septal e’ velocity 0.07 ± 0.02 m/s, mean lateral e’ velocity 0.08 ± 0.02 m/s, and mean average E/e’ 10.7 ± 3.3. The mean peak tricuspid regurgitation velocity was 2.14 ± 0.59 m/s and the median indexed left atrium volume was 37, IQR 29-44mL/m2. After applying the algorithm for diagnosis of diastolic dysfunction in subjects with normal ejection fraction, 21.2% had diastolic dysfunction and 36.4% had a normal diastolic function, while 42.4% were indeterminate. There was no correlation between echocardiographic variables of diastolic function and GMCS, except for indexed left atrium volume (r = 0.83, p&amp;lt;0.01). There was no association between GMCS and diastolic function categories. Conclusions In a high CV risk cohort, the global cardiac microcalcification assessed by GMCS was associated with the burden of CV risk factors. Additionally, despite a strong positive correlation between GMCS and indexed left atrium volume, we found no association between GMCS and echocardiographic variables of diastolic function.

Increased aortic valve uptake of sodium fluoride is associated with higher cardiovascular risk: assessing pathophysiology with PET/CT

Abstract Introduction Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) with 18F-sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) has been used in clinical research to characterize active microcalcification in aortic valve disease. However, its role in apparently healthy patients remains unknown. Purpose We aimed to characterize the aortic valve uptake of 18F-NaF in patients with high cardiovascular (CV) risk without known aortic valve disease. Methods Forty high CV-risk individuals without previous CV events or known aortic valve disease were scanned with 18F-NaF PET-CT. Aortic valve uptake of 18F-NaF was evaluated in 3-D multiplanar fusion images, considering top to bottom of the aortic valve for the establishment of circular regions of interest (ROI) around the valve. Maximum and mean standardized uptake values (SUV) estimated for each slice and the whole valve were corrected for blood-pool activity (mean of five ROI in the mid lumen of superior vena cava) by subtraction (corrected uptake per lesion, CUL) and division (tissue to background ratio, TBR). All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography for aortic valve evaluation. Results The patients presented a mean age of 64.63 ± 8.87 years and 65% were males. The mean SCORE2 was 13.28 ± 8.48 and the mean ASCVD was 32.30 ± 20.55. Median CUL was 0.52, IQR 0.41-0.64, and median TBR was 1.62, IQR 1.47-1.75. The mean peak aortic valve velocity was 1.71 ± 0.41 m/s while the mean peak and mean gradients were 12.18 ± 5.47 mmHg and 6.50 ± 3.13 mmHg, respectively. Only 2 patients fulfilled the echocardiographic criteria for mild aortic stenosis. Patients were grouped according to the 50th percentile of both the ASCVD risk score and the SCORE2. Maximum SUV was associated with higher CV risk predicted by ASCVD risk score (1.60, IQR 1-30-2.10 vs 1.30, IQR 1.25-1.55; p&amp;lt;0.01) and SCORE2 (1.60, IQR 1.30-1.95 vs 1.30, IQR 1.15-1.65; p=0.02), but not mean SUV. After correction for blood-pool activity, higher CV risk was associated with increased CUL both for ASCVD risk score (0.59, IQR 0.52-0.92 vs 0.44, IQR 0.28-0.53; p&amp;lt;0.01) and SCORE2 (0.59, IQR 0.52-0.84 vs 0.43 0.27-0.53; p&amp;lt;0.01). Higher CV risk was also associated with increased TBR, both for ASCVD risk score (1.71, IQR 1.59-1.77 vs 1.51, IQR 1.25-1.66; p&amp;lt;0.01) and SCORE2 (1.70, IQR 1.59-1.77 vs 1.51, IQR 1.25-1.66; p&amp;lt;0.01). There were no significant correlations between echocardiographic variables and neither maximum SUV, mean SUV, CUL, nor TBR. Conclusion Increased aortic valve uptake of 18F-NaF is associated with higher CV risk predicted by ASCVD risk score and SCORE2. In this cohort without known aortic valve disease, there was no link between aortic valve uptake of 18F-NaF and echocardiographic variables. Further studies with larger populations must confirm these findings and evaluate the potential role of increased aortic valve uptake of 18F-NaF in predicting disease progression.

Mutual effect modification between insulin-resistance and endothelial dysfunction in predicting incident heart failure in hypertensives

Abstract Both type-2 diabetes mellitus and endothelial dysfunction are associated with heart failure (HF); in addition, a strong interplay between endothelial dysfunction and insulin-resistance status that precedes of many years the clinical appearance of type-2 diabetes mellitus, has been well-demonstrated. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether endothelial dysfunction and insulin-resistance are independent predictors of incident HF and if exists a possible interaction between them. For this study we selected 705 white never-treated hypertensive outpatients free from HF, type-2 diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, previous cardiovascular events and other chronic diseases potentially impacting on HF development. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation was investigated by intra-arterial infusion of acetylcholine, and laboratory determinations were obtained by standard procedures. Insulin-resistance was evaluated by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). During the follow-up [median 117 months (range 31–211)], there were 223 new cases of HF (3.3 events/100 patient-years). Stratifying the study population in progressors and non-progressors, we observed that progressors were older and had a higher prevalence of females, baseline glucose, insulin, HOMA, creatinine, and hs-CRP mean values, while estimated glomerular filtration rate and endothelium-dependent vasodilation were lower. In the multiple Cox regression analysis, serum hs-CRP (HR=1.362,(95% CI=1.208-1.536), HOMA (HR=1.293, 95% CI=1.142-1.465), maximal ACh-stimulated FBF (100% of increase, HR=0.807,(95% CI=0.697-0.934) and e-GFR (10 ml/min/1.73m2 increase, HR=0.552, 95% CI=0.483-0.603) maintained an independent association with incident HF. The subsequent analysis demonstrated that HOMA and endothelial dysfunction interact between them in a competitive manner (HR = 6.548, 95% CI = 4.034-10.629), showing also a mutual effect modification. These interaction analyses revealed that, in crude and adjusted models, HOMA significantly modified the effect of acetylcholine-stimulated FBF on incident HF and, given the mutualistic nature of the effect modification, also acetylcholine-stimulated FBF significantly modified the effect of HOMA on HF development. Our findings demonstrate that both endothelial dysfunction and HOMA are independent and strong predictors of incident HF in hypertensives; we also demonstrated that these two risk factors interact between them with a competitive mechanism.Figure 1Figure 2