Higher Body Mass Index in Hospitalized Older Patients Is Related to Higher Muscle Quality

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to examine the relationship between muscle mass, intramuscular adipose tissue, and body mass index (BMI) in older inpatients.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Hospital-based study.

PARTICIPANTS

This study included 413 inpatients aged ≥ 65 years (186 men and 227 women).

MEASUREMENTS

Muscle mass and intramuscular adipose tissue of the quadriceps were assessed by measuring the muscle thickness and echo intensity on ultrasound images. To examine the relationship between quadriceps thickness and echo intensity and BMI in total participants and each sex, the Kendall rank correlation coefficient was used. Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine whether BMI was independently and significantly related to the quadriceps thickness and echo intensity, even after adjusting for other variables for total participants and each sex. The independent variables in multiple regression analyses were BMI, age, disease, days from onset disease.

RESULTS

The results of the correlation analyses showed that BMI was significantly related to the quadriceps thickness (total participants, τ = 0.431; men, τ = 0.491; women, τ = 0.388) and echo intensity (total participants, τ = -0.239; men, τ = -0.318; women, τ = -0.188). In the multiple regression analysis, BMI was independently and significantly associated with the quadriceps thickness (total participants, β = 0.535; men, β = 0.548; women, β = 0.519) and echo intensity (total participants, β = -0.287; men, β = -0.398; women, β = -0.210).

CONCLUSION

This study indicated that older inpatients with a higher BMI have greater muscle mass and less intramuscular adipose tissue of the quadriceps. These results suggested that a higher BMI in older inpatients is related to higher quadriceps muscle quality.

Relationships between neighborhood social stressors and sleep among Jackson Heart Study participants: mediation through physical activity and psychosocial stressors

Study Objectives

To examine associations between perceived neighborhood social environment (PNSE) and sleep, mediated by physical activity (PA) and psychosocial stressors.

Methods

A sample (n = 4705) of African Americans (mean age 55.0 years; 63.4% female) enrolled in the 2000-2004 Jackson Heart Study (JHS). Four self-reported sleep outcomes were analyzed: sleep duration (minutes/night), sleep quality (high/low), short sleep (short ≤ 6 h vs recommended = 7-8 h), and long sleep (long ≥ 9 h vs recommended). PNSE factors included violence (e.g. robbery), problems (trash/litter), and social cohesion (trusting neighbors). PA and psychosocial stressors (lifetime and everyday discrimination, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms) were tested as mediators. With bootstrap-generated 95% bias-corrected confidence intervals (BC CIs), linear regression was used to test for mediation adjusting for covariates.

Results

Neighborhood violence and problems were associated with sleep duration, mediated through PA (B = -1.97, 95%BC CI = -3.76, -0.60; B = -1.23, 95%BC CI = -2.55, -0.27, respectively), lifetime discrimination (B = 2.61, 95%BC CI = 0.93, 4.80; B = 2.25, 95%BC CI = 0.93, 3.94), perceived stress (B = -3.08, 95%BC CI = -6.20, -0.41; B = -2.17, 95%BC CI = -4.33, -0.28), and depressive symptoms (B = -2.22, 95%BC CI = -5.09, -0.25; B = -1.94, 95%BC CI = -4.10, -0.35). Social cohesion was positively associated with sleep duration, mediated through PA, lifetime discrimination, and perceived stress. Similar patterns were demonstrated for binary outcomes. Yet, effect sizes were relatively small. PNSE was neither directly nor indirectly associated with sleep outcomes by everyday discrimination.

Conclusions

Each PNSE factor was associated with sleep outcomes, mediated by PA and psychosocial stressors. Further research should emphasize effective community efforts to decrease adverse neighborhood conditions and psychosocial factors and increase PA; thereby reducing CVD events for African Americans.

Spatial Clustering of County-Level COVID-19 Rates in the U.S

Despite the widespread prevalence of cases associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, little is known about the spatial clustering of COVID-19 in the United States. Data on COVID-19 cases were used to identify U.S. counties that have both high and low COVID-19 incident proportions and clusters. Our results suggest that there are a variety of sociodemographic variables that are associated with the severity of COVID-19 county-level incident proportions. As the pandemic evolved, communities of color were disproportionately impacted. Subsequently, it shifted from communities of color and metropolitan areas to rural areas in the U.S. Our final period showed limited differences in county characteristics, suggesting that COVID-19 infections were more widespread. The findings might address the systemic barriers and health disparities that may result in high incident proportions of COVID-19 clusters.

Viral isolation analysis of SARS-CoV-2 from clinical specimens of COVID-19 patients

Genetic testing using reverse transcriptase real-time polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) is the mainstay of diagnosis of COVID-19. However, it has not been fully investigated whether infectious viruses are contained in SARS-CoV-2 genome-positive specimens examined using the rRT-PCR test. In this study, we examined the correlation between the threshold Cycle (Ct) value obtained from the rRT-PCR test and virus isolation in cultured cells, using 533 consecutive clinical specimens of COVID-19 patients. The virus was isolated from specimens with a Ct value of less than 30 cycles, and the lower the Ct value, the more efficient the isolation rate. A cytopathic effect due to herpes simplex virus type 1 contamination was observed in one sample with a Ct value of 35 cycles. In a comparison of VeroE6/TMPRSS2 cells and VeroE6 cells used for virus isolation, VeroE6/TMPRSS2 cells isolated the virus 1.7 times more efficiently than VeroE6 cells. There was no significant difference between the two cells in the mean Ct value of the detectable sample.

In conclusion, Lower Ct values in the PCR test were associated with higher virus isolation rates, and VeroE6/TMPRSS2 cells were able to isolate viruses more efficiently than VeroE6 cells.

Neighborhood environment perceptions associate with depression levels and cardiovascular risk among middle-aged and older adults: Data from the Washington, DC cardiovascular health and needs assessment

OBJECTIVES

Little is understood about associations between neighborhood characteristics and depression, a cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor, in diverse populations. We examined relationships between perceived/objective neighborhood characteristics, depression, and CVD markers within the Washington, DC CV Health/Needs Assessment, an evaluation among predominantly African-American (AA) adults in resource-limited DC communities.

METHOD

Factor analysis of overall neighborhood environment perception (NEP) identified three NEP sub-scores:1) violence; 2) physical/social environment; 3) social cohesion (higher score = more favorable perception). Objective neighborhood characteristics were measured by geospatially-derived scores of walkability, transportation, and crime. Depression was defined by the revised Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-R). We used linear-regression modeling to examine neighborhood measures and CESD-R associations. To investigate a subsequent connection with CVD risk, we examined relationships between CESD-R and CVD-associated cytokines in a population subset.

RESULTS

Participants (N = 99; mean age = 59.06; 99% AA) had a mean CESD-R score = 5.8(SD = 8.88). In adjusted models, CESD-R scores decreased by 0.20 units (p = 0.01) for every overall NEP unit-increase. Perceived physical/social environment (β = -0.34, p = 0.04) and social cohesion (β = -0.82, p = 0.01) were related to CESD-R while perceived violence was not (β = -0.28, p = 0.1). Of objective neighborhood environment measures (i.e. walk, transit, bike, personal crime, and property crime scores), only property crime score was associated with depression (β = 4.99, p < 0.03). In population subset (n = 42), higher CESD-R associated with higher IL-1β (β = 21.25, p < 0.01) and IL-18 (β = 0.006, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Favorable neighborhood perceptions are related to lower depressive symptoms in a predominantly AA cohort from Washington, DC resource-limited communities. Neighborhood perceptions appear to be strongly associated with depressive symptoms compared to objective characteristics. Increasing CESD-R scores were related to higher pro-inflammatory markers. Improving neighborhood perceptions may be beneficial to psychological well-being and CV health for urban minority residents.

Adjuvant abemaciclib combined with endocrine therapy for high-risk early breast cancer: updated efficacy and Ki-67 analysis from the monarchE study

BACKGROUND

Adjuvant abemaciclib combined with endocrine therapy (ET) previously demonstrated clinically meaningful improvement in invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) and distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) in hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative, node-positive, high-risk early breast cancer at the second interim analysis, however follow-up was limited. Here, we present results of the prespecified primary outcome analysis and an additional follow-up analysis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This global, phase III, open-label trial randomized (1 : 1) 5637 patients to adjuvant ET for ≥5 years ± abemaciclib for 2 years. Cohort 1 enrolled patients with ≥4 positive axillary lymph nodes (ALNs), or 1-3 positive ALNs and either grade 3 disease or tumor ≥5 cm. Cohort 2 enrolled patients with 1-3 positive ALNs and centrally determined high Ki-67 index (≥20%). The primary endpoint was IDFS in the intent-to-treat population (cohorts 1 and 2). Secondary endpoints were IDFS in patients with high Ki-67, DRFS, overall survival, and safety.

RESULTS

At the primary outcome analysis, with 19 months median follow-up time, abemaciclib + ET resulted in a 29% reduction in the risk of developing an IDFS event [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58-0.87; nominal P = 0.0009]. At the additional follow-up analysis, with 27 months median follow-up and 90% of patients off treatment, IDFS (HR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.59-0.82; nominal P < 0.0001) and DRFS (HR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.57-0.83; nominal P < 0.0001) benefit was maintained. The absolute improvements in 3-year IDFS and DRFS rates were 5.4% and 4.2%, respectively. Whereas Ki-67 index was prognostic, abemaciclib benefit was consistent regardless of Ki-67 index. Safety data were consistent with the known abemaciclib risk profile.

CONCLUSION

Abemaciclib + ET significantly improved IDFS in patients with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative, node-positive, high-risk early breast cancer, with an acceptable safety profile. Ki-67 index was prognostic, but abemaciclib benefit was observed regardless of Ki-67 index. Overall, the robust treatment benefit of abemaciclib extended beyond the 2-year treatment period.

Inflammation-frailty linkage and its long-term prognostic impact in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Introduction

Chronic inflammation has been receiving considerable attention as an emerging risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In contrast, with the aging of the population, frailty has been also attracting a great deal of attention as the residual risk for cardiovascular disease. Although inflammation and frailty exacerbate each other and have an adverse effect on many diseases, the relationship between chronic inflammation and frailty and the impact of these combination on long-term prognosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are not elucidated.

Purpose

The aims of this study were to determine the association between chronic inflammation and frailty and its impact on long-term cardiovascular outcomes in patients with ACS.

Methods

A total of 482 consecutive ACS patients with obstructive coronary artery disease (age 66±12 years, male 81%) were enrolled in this observational study. We evaluated patients' gait speed as a measure of frailty before discharge. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels at 1 month after discharge were also evaluated as inflammation in the chronic phase. According to commonly used criteria of the residual inflammation (CRP&gt;0.2 mg/dL) and the definition of the European Working Group for Sarcopenia (gait speed ≤0.8 m/sec), patients were stratified by 4 subgroups: low/high CRP with slow/normal gait speed. The primary endpoint was composite outcomes of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke.

Results

While there was no significant association between CRP levels and gait speed in all patients, a significant negative association between two variables was observed in the high CRP group (Spearman's ρ = −0.31, p=0.001). During the median follow-up of 6 years, primary endpoints have occurred in 82 patients. Overall, event-free rates differed significantly among the 4 groups, demonstrating the lowest event-free rate in the patients with high CRP and slow gait speed (p&lt;0.0001; Figure). In the multivariate analysis, high CRP (adjusted HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.14–3.46, p=0.02) and slow gait speed (adjusted HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.09–3.04, p=0.02) were independently and significantly associated with the primary endpoint. Moreover, the patients with both high CRP and slow gait speed had a 2.6-fold higher risk of cardiovascular events compared to others (adjusted HR 2.62, 95% CI 1.36–5.05, p=0.004).

Conclusion

In the patients with ACS, CRP levels and gait speed were negatively associated in the high CRP group. Chronic inflammation and frailty were both associated with poor prognosis in ACS and in particular, the combination of these factors was strongly associated with poor prognosis.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None. Figure 1

Geospatial Analysis of Neighborhood Environmental Stress in Relation to Biological Markers of Cardiovascular Health and Health Behaviors in Women: Protocol for a Pilot Study

Background

Innovative analyses of cardiovascular (CV) risk markers and health behaviors linked to neighborhood stressors are essential to further elucidate the mechanisms by which adverse neighborhood social conditions lead to poor CV outcomes. We propose to objectively measure physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and neighborhood stress using accelerometers, GPS, and real-time perceived ecological momentary assessment via smartphone apps and to link these to biological measures in a sample of White and African American women in Washington, DC, neighborhoods.

Objective

The primary aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that living in adverse neighborhood social conditions is associated with higher stress-related neural activity among 60 healthy women living in high or low socioeconomic status neighborhoods in Washington, DC. Sub-aim 1 of this study is to test the hypothesis that the association is moderated by objectively measured PA using an accelerometer. A secondary objective is to test the hypothesis that residing in adverse neighborhood social environment conditions is related to differences in vascular function. Sub-aim 2 of this study is to test the hypothesis that the association is moderated by objectively measured PA. The third aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that adverse neighborhood social environment conditions are related to differences in immune system activation.

Methods

The proposed study will be cross-sectional, with a sample of at least 60 women (30 healthy White women and 30 healthy Black women) from Wards 3 and 5 in Washington, DC. A sample of the women (n=30) will be recruited from high-income areas in Ward 3 from census tracts within a 15% of Ward 3’s range for median household income. The other participants (n=30) will be recruited from low-income areas in Wards 5 from census tracts within a 15% of Ward 5’s range for median household income. Finally, participants from Wards 3 and 5 will be matched based on age, race, and BMI. Participants will wear a GPS unit and accelerometer and report their stress and mood in real time using a smartphone. We will then examine the associations between GPS-derived neighborhood variables, stress-related neural activity measures, and adverse biological markers.

Results

The National Institutes of Health Institutional Review Board has approved this study. Recruitment will begin in the summer of 2021.

Conclusions

Findings from this research could inform the development of multilevel behavioral interventions and policies to better manage environmental factors that promote immune system activation or psychosocial stress while concurrently working to increase PA, thereby influencing CV health.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/29191

Comparing Methods to Identify Wear-Time Intervals for Physical Activity With the Fitbit Charge 2

There is no established method for processing data from commercially available physical activity trackers. This study aims to develop a standardized approach to defining valid wear time for use in future interventions and analyses. Sixteen African American women (mean age = 62.1 years and mean body mass index = 35.5 kg/m2) wore the Fitbit Charge 2 for 20 days. Method 1 defined a valid day as ≥10-hr wear time with heart rate data. Method 2 removed minutes without heart rate data, minutes with heart rate ≤ mean - 2 SDs below mean and ≤2 steps, and nighttime. Linear regression modeled steps per day per week change. Using Method 1 (n = 292 person-days), participants had 20.5 (SD = 4.3) hr wear time per day compared with 16.3 (SD = 2.2) hr using Method 2 (n = 282) (p < .0001). With Method 1, participants took 7,436 (SD = 3,543) steps per day compared with 7,298 (SD = 3,501) steps per day with Method 2 (p = .64). The proposed algorithm represents a novel approach to standardizing data generated by physical activity trackers. Future studies are needed to improve the accuracy of physical activity data sets.

Endometrial epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by menstruation-related inflammatory factors during hypoxia

Endometriosis is characterised by inflammation and fibrotic changes. Our previous study using a mouse model showed that proinflammatory factors present in peritoneal haemorrhage exacerbated inflammation in endometriosis-like grafts, at least in part through the activation of prostaglandin (PG) E2 receptor and protease-activated receptor (PAR). In addition, hypoxia is a well-known inducer of fibrosis that may be associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the complex molecular interactions between hypoxia and proinflammatory menstruation-related factors, PGE2 and thrombin, a PAR1 agonist, on EMT in endometriosis have not been fully characterised. To explore the effects of hypoxia and proinflammatory factors on EMT-like changes in endometrial cells, we determined the effects of PGE2 and thrombin (P/T) on EMT marker expression and cell migration in three dimensional cultured human endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) and endometrial stromal cells (ESCs). Treatment of EECs with P/T under hypoxia stimulated cell migration, increased the expression of mesenchymal N-cadherin, vimentin and C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4), and reduced the expression of epithelial E-cadherin. Furthermore, treatment with C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12), a ligand for CXCR4, increased EMT marker expression and cell migration. In ESCs, P/T or oestrogen treatment under hypoxic conditions increased the expression and secretion of CXCL12. Taken together, our data show that hypoxic and proinflammatory stimuli induce EMT, cell migration and inflammation in EECs, which was increased by CXCL12 derived from ESCs. These data imply that inflammatory mediators in retrograde menstrual fluid contribute to ectopic endometrial EMT and migration in the presence of peritoneal hypoxia.

Distribution and Variation of Serotypes and Pneumococcal Surface Protein A Clades of Streptococcus pneumoniae Strains Isolated From Adult Patients With Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in Japan

Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) is a surface protein of Streptococcus pneumoniae that may be a candidate antigen for new pneumococcal vaccines. This study investigates the distribution of PspA clades of the causative strains of adult invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in Japan. Of the 1,939 strains isolated from cases of adult IPD during 2014–2019, the PspA clades of 1,932 (99.6%) strains were determined, and no pspA was detected in the remaining 7 strains (0.4%). PspA clades 1–6 were detected in 786 (40.5%), 291 (15.0%), 443 (22.8%), 369 (19.0%), 33 (1.7%), and 6 (0.3%) strains, respectively. New PspA clades (0.2%) were identified in two non-typeable and two serotype 35B pneumococci. The proportions of clade 1 and clade 2 showed significantly decreased and increased trends, respectively. Furthermore, the PspA clade of pneumococcal strains was partially serotype- and sequence type-dependent. The majority of strains belonging to serotypes contained in both the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) belonged to PspA clades 1 or 3. In contrast, the distribution of clades in non-vaccine serotypes was wider than that of vaccine serotype pneumococci. Our findings demonstrate that almost all pneumococcal strains from adult IPD express PspA clades 1–4, especially for non-vaccine serotypes. These results may be useful for the development of a new pneumococcal vaccine with PspA.

Chronic Stress-Related Neural Activity Associates With Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in a Community-Based Cohort: Data From the Washington, D.C. Cardiovascular Health and Needs Assessment

Background: Psychosocial stress correlates with cardiovascular (CV) events; however, associations between physiologic measures of stressors and CVD remain incompletely understood, especially in racial/ethnic minority populations in resource-limited neighborhoods. We examined associations between chronic stress-related neural activity, measured by amygdalar ¹⁸Fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸FDG) uptake, and aortic vascular FDG uptake (arterial inflammation measure) in a community-based cohort.

Methods: Forty participants from the Washington, DC CV Health and Needs Assessment (DC-CHNA), a study of a predominantly African-American population in resource-limited urban areas and 25 healthy volunteers underwent detailed phenotyping, including ¹⁸FDG PET/CT for assessing amygdalar activity (AmygA), vascular FDG uptake, and hematopoietic (leukopoietic) tissue activity. Mediation analysis was used to test whether the link between AmygA and vascular FDG uptake was mediated by hematopoietic activity.

Results: AmygA (1.11 ± 0.09 vs. 1.05 ± 0.09, p = 0.004) and vascular FDG uptake (1.63 ± 0.22 vs. 1.55 ± 0.17, p = 0.05) were greater in the DC-CHNA cohort compared to volunteers. Within the DC-CHNA cohort, AmygA associated with vascular FDG uptake after adjustment for Framingham score and body mass index (β = 0.41, p = 0.015). The AmygA and aortic vascular FDG uptake relationship was in part mediated by splenic (20.2%) and bone marrow (11.8%) activity.

Conclusions: AmygA, or chronic stress-related neural activity, associates with subclinical CVD risk in a community-based cohort. This may in part be mediated by the hematopoietic system. Our findings of this hypothesis-generating study are suggestive of a potential relationship between chronic stress-related neural activity and subclinical CVD in an African American community-based population. Taken together, these findings suggest a potential mechanism by which chronic psychosocial stress, such as stressors that can be experienced in adverse social conditions, promotes greater cardiovascular risk amongst resource-limited, community-based populations most impacted by cardiovascular health disparities. However, larger prospective studies examining these findings in other racially and ethnically diverse populations are necessary to confirm and extend these findings.

The Mediating role of perceived discrimination and stress in the associations between neighborhood social environment and TV Viewing among Jackson Heart Study participants

Objectives

The aim of this study was to test the mediating role of perceived discrimination and stress on associations between perceived neighborhood social environment (PNSE) and TV viewing.

Methods

Baseline data were used for 4716 participants (mean age = 55.1 y; 63.4% female) in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS), a large prospective cohort study of African Americans in Jackson, Mississippi. One binary TV viewing outcome was created: ≥4 h/day versus <4 h/day. PNSE variables included neighborhood violence, problems (higher value = more violence/problems), and social cohesion (higher value = more cohesion). Mediators included perceived lifetime discrimination, daily discrimination, and chronic stress (higher value = greater discrimination/stress). Multivariable regression was used with bootstrap-generated 95% bias-corrected confidence intervals (BC CIs) to test for mediation adjusting for demographics, health-related and psychosocial factors, and population density.

Results

Neighborhood violence, problems, and social cohesion were indirectly associated with TV viewing through lifetime discrimination (OR = 1.03, 95%BC CI = 1.00, 1.07; OR = 1.03, 95%BC CI = 0.99, 1.06 [marginal]; OR = 0.98, 95%BC CI = 0.94, 0.99, respectively) and chronic stress (OR = 0.95, 95%BC CI = 0.90, 0.99; OR = 0.96, 95%BC CI = 0.92, 0.99; OR = 1.05, 95%BC CI = 1.01, 1.10, respectively). Daily discrimination was neither directly nor indirectly associated with TV viewing.

Conclusions

Each PNSE variable was indirectly associated with TV viewing via lifetime discrimination and perceived stress, but not with daily discrimination among JHS participants. Unexpected directionality of mediating effects of lifetime discrimination and chronic stress should be replicated in future studies. Further research is also needed to pinpoint effective community efforts and physical environmental policies (e.g., installing bright street lights, community policing) to reduce adverse neighborhood conditions and psychosocial factors, and decrease TV viewing and subsequent cardiovascular disease risk.

Multilevel mobile health approach to improve cardiovascular health in resource-limited communities with Step It Up: a randomised controlled trial protocol targeting physical activity

INTRODUCTION

Although physical activity (PA) reduces cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, physical inactivity remains a pressing public health concern, especially among African American (AA) women in the USA. PA interventions focused on AA women living in resource-limited communities with scarce PA infrastructure are needed. Mobile health (mHealth) technology can increase access to PA interventions. We describe the development of a clinical protocol for a multilevel, community-based, mHealth PA intervention for AA women.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

An mHealth intervention targeting AA women living in resource-limited Washington, DC communities was developed based on the socioecological framework for PA. Over 6 months, we will use a Sequential Multi-Assignment, Randomized Trial approach to compare the effects on PA of location-based remote messaging (named 'tailored-to-place') to standard remote messaging in an mHealth intervention. Participants will be randomised to a remote messaging intervention for 3 months, at which point the intervention strategy will adapt based on individuals' PA levels. Those who do not meet the PA goal will be rerandomised to more intensive treatment. Participants will be followed for another 3 months to determine the contribution of each mHealth intervention to PA level. This protocol will use novel statistical approaches to account for the adaptive strategy. Finally, effects of PA changes on CVD risk biomarkers will be characterised.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This protocol has been developed in partnership with a Washington, DC-area community advisory board to ensure feasibility and acceptability to community members. The National Institutes of Health Intramural IRB approved this research and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute provided funding. Once published, results of this work will be disseminated to community members through presentations at community advisory board meetings and our quarterly newsletter.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03288207.

Clinical significance of late diastolic tissue doppler parameters after onset of STEMI: from the view point of the timing of the echocardipography

Background

The early transmitral flow velocity (E) divided by the early diastolic velocity of the mitral valve annulus (e') is referred to as the “E/e' ratio,” is useful even for ST elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, the role of late diastolic velocity (a') which reveals the atrial function for STEMI is still unclear.

Objectives

We evaluated the clinical usefulness of tissue Doppler including atrial function for a first-time STEMI by long time follow up. Furthermore, we evaluated the meaning of each parameters by performing immediately after PCI or 2 weeks later.

Methods

We treated consecutive 571 first-time STEMI patients by immediate PCI within 12 hours after onset, and we examined 270 patients at immediately after PCI (GroupA, 65 years, 250 male) and 301 patients at 2 weeks after onset (GroupB, 64 years, 243 male). We examined trans mitral flow and TDI, then defined E/e' as LV filling pressure and A/a' as left atrial function. We followed them for a long time (&gt;5 years). The primary end point (PE) was cardiac death or re-admission for heart failure (HF).

Results

We followed the patients in Group A for 10 years, Group B for 5 years. PE occurred in 64 patients in GroupA during 10 years, and 45 patients in GroupB during 5 years. We analyzed the univariate and multivariate Cox hazard analyses and we compared e' and a', E/e' and A/a' (Table). In GroupA, a' and A/a' were the independent predictors, on the other hand neither a' nor A/a' were the predictors in GroupB. E/e' was an independent predictor both in GroupA and B.

Conclusion

TDI parameters have different meanings by the timing of echocardiography after onset of a first-time STEMI. These results demonstrated that atrial dysfunction immediately after onset of STEMI suggests the poor prognosis after STEMI.

Cox Hazard Proportional Analysis

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Relationship between cardiac magnetic resonance derived extracellular volume fraction and myocardial strain in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy

Background

The feature tracking (FT) technique has been proposed as a robust method to evaluate the myocardial strain using conventional cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the left ventricle. Data is limited regarding the relationship between FT-derived myocardial strain and diffuse myocardial fibrosis evaluated by T1 mapping in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM).

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between extracellular volume (ECV) by T1 mapping and myocardial strain by FT in patients with NIDCM.

Methods

A total of sixty-four patients with NIDCM (62±12 years) and 15 controls (62±11 years) were studied. Using a 1.5T MR scanner, pre- and post- T1 mapping images of LV wall at mid-ventricular level was acquired to calculate ECV by modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) sequence. Radial strain (RS), circumferential strain (CS) and longitudinal strain (LS) was assessed by FT technique. ECV and myocardial strain were compared using a 6-segment model at mid-ventricular level.

Results

Compared to the controls, the NIDCM patients had a significantly higher ECV (0.30±0.02 vs. 0.24±0.01, p&lt;0.001) and impaired myocardial strain (RS, 24.2±3.0 vs. 52.2±6.2, p&lt;0.001; CS, −7.5±2.1 vs. −15.3±2.2, p&lt;0.001; LS −10.4±3.5 vs. −20.2±4.7, p&lt;0.001, respectively). Similar results were obtained when comparing all 6 myocardial segments (segment 7–12) (all p values &lt;0.001). In a segment-based analysis, a significant positive correlation was found between the ECV and CS (r=0.26 to 0.41; all p values &lt;0.05), a negative correlation was found between the ECV and RS (r=−0.31 to −0.41; all p values &lt;0.05). In a patient-based analysis, there were significant positive correlations between the ECV and CS (r=0.45, p&lt;0.001), ECV and LS from 2-chamber view (r=0.30, p=0.006), ECV and LS from 4-chamber view (r=0.37, p&lt;0.001). There was a significant negative correlation between the ECV and RS (r=−0.43, p&lt;0.001) (FIGURE)

Conclusions

In NIDCM patients, severity of myocardial fibrosis evaluated by T1 mapping is associated with impaired myocardial strain by FT technique.

Correlation between the ECV and strain

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Post-procedural quantitative flow ratio gradient and target lesion revascularization after drug-coated balloon or plain-old balloon angioplasty

Background

Balloon angioplasty, including drug-coated balloon (DCB), is an important option of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), even in the drug-eluting stent era. Although quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) has been frequently used to determine the optimal endpoint of balloon angioplasty, physiological assessment may add incremental prognostic values. Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) has evolved as a novel 3D QCA-based physiological index to estimate fractional flow reserve without hyperemia nor pressure guidewire, offering both anatomical and functional lesion assessments. This study aimed to characterize post-procedural anatomical and physiological indexes by QFR and to compare their prognostic impacts on long-term clinical outcomes.

Methods

This retrospective study included 98 patients with de novo (n=39) or in-stent restenosis (n=59) lesions who underwent PCI with DCB (n=69) or plain-old balloon angioplasty (POBA, n=29). All lesions were analyzed by QCA and QFR. QCA analysis measured lesion length, reference lumen diameter (RLD), minimum lumen diameter (MLD) and percent diameter stenosis (%DS) at pre- and post-procedures as anatomical indexes. QFR analysis measured post-procedural QFR of target vessel (QFR-vessel) and QFR-gradient (ΔQFR between proximal and distal segments of the lesion) as physiological indexes. Primary endpoint was target lesion revascularization (TLR) within 1-year post-procedure.

Results

Target lesion profiles were as follows: lesion length 26.3±16.6 mm, RLD 2.90±0.70 mm, MLD 0.94±0.32 mm and %DS 79.3±18.6%. At post-procedure, MLD, residual %DS, QFR-vessel and QFR-gradient of target lesions were 1.88±0.49 mm, 34.7±10.6%, 0.84±0.13 and 0.06±0.04, respectively. During 1 year post-procedure, TLR occurred in 19 (19%) patients. Patients with TLR showed smaller MLD (1.66±0.45 mm vs. 1.93±0.49 mm, p=0.028) and QFR-vessel (0.79±0.03 vs. 0.85±0.01, p=0.06), and greater residual %DS (42.7±11.3% vs. 32.8±9.5%, p=0.0002) and QFR-gradient (0.12±0.06 vs. 0.04±0.02, p&lt;0.0001) at post-procedure compared with those without. In multivariate analysis including several clinical characteristics and anatomical indexes, QFR-gradient at post-procedure was independently associated with TLR within 1-year, demonstrating higher prognostic value compared with post-procedural MLD and residual %DS (Figure). The receiver-operating characteristics curve analysis identified the best cut-off value of QFR-gradient as 0.08 for predicting 1-year TLR after balloon angioplasty, irrespective of balloon type (DCB or POBA) (Figure 1).

Conclusions

Post-procedural QFR-gradient within the lesion was an independent and stronger predictor of subsequent TLR, compared with anatomical indexes. Further studies are warranted to investigate whether QFR guidance to optimize PCI procedure could improve clinical outcomes in patients with balloon angioplasty.

Figure 1

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Negative impact of skeletal muscle impairment in older patients with heart failure with reduced versus preserved ejection fraction

Background/Introduction

Reduced functional capacity is an important phenotype of heart failure (HF), even though it may be considered multifactorial, especially in HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Impairment in skeletal muscle may be one of extra-cardiac factors for reduced functional capacity and subsequent poor outcome.

Purpose

We sought to investigate the impact of the impairment in skeletal muscle, defined by the cut-offs proposed by the international consensus, on functional capacity and clinical outcome, in HF patients with preserved and reduced EF (HFrEF).

Methods

This is a multicenter prospective study including 1317 consecutive older (≥65 years) hospitalized patients with HF [HFpEF (ejection fraction ≥45%, n=675, 82±7 years, 46.4% male) and HFrEF (ejection fraction &lt;45%, n=642, 78±8 years, 68.4% male)].

Results

HFrEF patients were more likely to have low skeletal muscle mass measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (30.9% vs 22.1%, p=0.003) whereas less likely to have low muscle strength (handgrip strength; 62.9% vs 73.8%, p&lt;0.001) than HFpEF, resulting in similar prevalence of sarcopenia between the two groups (21.6% vs 18.1%, p=0.19). In HFrEF, presence of sarcopenia was an independent predictor of reduced functional capacity assessed by a 6-minute walk distance (standardized beta=−0.093, p=0.039 in multivariate linear regression analysis) and 1-year mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) and 95% CI; 2.14 (1.22–3.70), p=0.009 in multivariate Cox-regression analysis). In patients with HFpEF, sarcopenia could predict mortality (aHR and 95% CI; 2.23 (1.23–3.91), p=0.009), though its association with reduced functional capacity was not significant after multivariate adjustment (standardized beta=−0.059, p=0.20). Kaplan-Meier survival curves in HFpEF and HFrEF are shown (Figure).

Conclusion(s)

In older patients with HF, sarcopenia was similarly contributed to mortality in HFpEF and HFrEF whereas its influence on functional capacity was pronounced in HFrEF.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: Private grant(s) and/or Sponsorship. Main funding source(s): Japan Heart Foundation Research Grant

Extracellular volume fraction by T1 mapping predicts omprovement of left ventricular ejection fraction after catheter ablation in patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation

Background

The Catheter Ablation versus Standard Conventional Therapy in Patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction and Atrial Fibrillation (CASTLE-AF) trial has shown that the catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) significantly reduced the risk of death and hospitalization for heart failure in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) and AF (N Engl J Med 2018; 378:417–27). In addition, the Catheter Ablation Versus Medical Rate Control in Atrial Fibrillation and Systolic Dysfunction (CAMERA-MRI) study demonstrated that the absence of myocardial fibrosis on late gadolinium enhanced (LGE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is associated with improvement of left ventricular systolic function after CA in NIDCM patients with AF (J Am Coll Cardiol 2017; 70:1949–61). Extracellular volume fraction (ECV) by T1 mapping has emerges as a non-invasive mean to quantify diffuse myocardial fibrosis.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to compare the predictive value of LGE-MRI and ECV by T1 mapping for the prediction of improvement of LVEF after CA in NIDCM patients.

Methods

A total of twenty-eight patients with NIDCM and AF (age: 67±10 years; 25 (89%) male; LVEF: 34.1±8.8%) were studied. Using a 1.5T MR scanner and 32 channel cardiac coils, cine MRI, LGE-MRI, pre- and post- T1 mapping images of LV wall at mid-ventricular level (modified Look-Locker inversion recovery sequence) were acquired. Myocardial fibrosis on LGE was defined as area with &gt;5SD signal intensity of normal myocardium. ECV from six segments of mid ventricular level were averaged for each patient. All patients underwent CA for AF, and the improvement of LVEF before and after CA were evaluated by echocardiography.

Results

All patients restored sinus rhythm after CA at the time of echocardiography. The mean LVEF was 34.1±8.8% before CA and 49.1±12.0% after CA (p&lt;0.001), resulting an improvement of 15.0±11.8%. Significant correlation was found between improvements in LVEF and amount of fibrosis on LGE-MRI (r=−0.40, p=0.034), improvement of LVEF and ECV (r=−0.55, p=0.008). In the ROC analysis, ECV had a higher discriminative ability for the improvement of LVEF after CA compared with amount of fibrosis on LGE-MRI (AUC 0.885 vs 0.650) (Figure).

Conclusions

In NIDCM patients with AF, ECV by T1 mapping had better predictive ability for improvement of LVEF after CA in comparison to LGE-MRI.

ROC curves of ECV and LGE-MRI

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Atrial Fibrillation is related with higher in-hospital morality in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients from K-ACTIVE registry

Background

The prognostic significance of atrial fibrillation (AF) on in-hospital mortality in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients is not fully understood in Japanese patients.

Methods

To elucidate the clinical significance of AF on in-hospital mortality in AMI patients, we analyzed the Japanese observational prospective multicenter registry of acute myocardial infarction (K-ACTIVE: Kanagawa ACuTe cardio Vacular rEgistry), which spans October 2016 to December 2019.

Results

A total of 3482 patients included 336 patients with AF and 3146 patients with sinus rhythm. Table 1 shows patient baseline characteristics. Patients with AF were significantly older than those with sinus rhythm (75 vs 67, P&lt;0.0001). Prevalence of hypertension and hemodialysis were significantly greater in patients with AF than patients with sinus rhythm while prevalence of dyslipidemia and smoking were significantly less in patients with AF than patients with sinus rhythm. Table 2 shows characteristics of AMI. There were no significant difference in prevalence of STEMI, area of MI, Peak CK/CK-MB and prevalence of multivessel disease. However, patients with AF showed lower systolic blood pressure, faster heart rate, worse Killip category, greater prevalence of OHCA. Need of mechanical support including IABP/ECMO were greater in patients with AF than patients with sinus rhythm. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in patients with AF than in patients with sinus rhythm (Figure, 10.4% versus 5.2%, P=0.0005). This trend didn't change even after adjustment with age and sex (Odds ratio 1.6 95% confidence interval 1.1–2.4, P=0.02).

Conclusion

AF was associated with higher in-hospital mortality in Japanese AMI patients.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP15K09101.

Serial echocardiographical assessment for urgent control of rapid atrial fibrillation in acute heart failure

Objectives

Doppler echocardiography is a well-recognized technique for noninvasive evaluation; however, little is known about its efficacy in patients with rapid atrial fibrillation (AF) accompanied by acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). The aim of this study was to explore the usefulness of serial echocardiographical assessment for rapid AF patients with ADHF.

Patients

A total of 110 ADHF patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and rapid AF who were admitted to the CCU unit and received landiolol treatmentto decrease the heart rate (HR) to &lt;110 bpm and change HR (ΔHR) of &gt;20% within 24 hours were enrolled.

Interventions

Immediately after admission, the patients (n=110) received landiolol, and its dose was increased to the maximum; then, we repeatedly performed echocardiography. Among them, 39 patients were monitored using invasive right heart catheterization (RHC) simultaneously with echocardiography.

Measurements and main results

There were significant relationships between Doppler and RHC parameters through the landiolol treatment (Figure, baseline–max HR treatment). We observed for the major adverse events (MAE) during initial hospitalization, which included cardiac death, HF prolongation (required intravenous treatment at 30 days), and worsening renal function (WRF). MAE occurred in 44 patients, and logistic regression analyses showed that the mean left atrial pressure (mLAP)-Doppler (odds ratio = 1.132, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05–1.23, p=0.0004) and stroke volume (SV)-Doppler (odds ratio = 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.89–0.97, p=0.001) at 24 hours were the significant predictors for MAE, and multivariate analysis showed that mLAP-Doppler was the strongest predictor (odds ratio = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.107–1.27, p=0.0005) (Table).

Conclusions

During the control of the rapid AF in HFrEF patients withADHF, echocardiography was useful to assess their hemodynamic condition, even at bedside.

Doppler for rapid AF of ADHF

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels on admission and long-term outcomes in statin-naive patients with acute coronary syndrome

Introduction

Dyslipidemia, especially an increase in the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) has been established as one of the most important risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. In contrast, some recent studies have shown that the low LDL-C level was associated with short-term poor prognosis in patients with cardiovascular disease, and this is so-called “cholesterol paradox”. However, there is few data evaluating the effects on long-term outcome of “cholesterol paradox” in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the low LDL-C level on admission affect long-term prognosis in patients with ACS.

Methods

A total of 434 ACS patients who survived to hospital discharge were enrolled in this study. All patients were statin-naïve on admission, and were received statin therapy after hospitalization. Patients were divided into the low LDL-C (≤114 mg/dl) and high LDL-C (&gt;114 mg/dl) groups using the first tertile of the LDL-C level on admission. The primary endpoint was composite outcomes of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, hospitalization for congestive heart failure and unplanned revascularization.

Results

During a median follow-up period of 5.5 years, primary endpoint occurred in 117 patients. Overall, event-free rates differed significantly between the low and high LDL-C groups, demonstrating the lower event-free rate in patients with the low LDL-C group (38.9% in low LDL-C group versus 20.7% in high LDL-C group, p=0.0002; Figure). Even after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and various classical risk factors, the low LDL-C group was significantly at higher risk for primary composite outcomes compared to the high LDL-C group (adjusted hazard ratio 1.65, 95%-confidence interval 1.10–2.49, p=0.02).

Conclusion

In patients with ACS, the low LDL-C level on admission was significantly associated with long-term worse prognosis, regardless of statin therapy at discharge. In ACS patients with low LDL-C level, it might be necessary for elucidating the residual risk for secondary adverse event to improve their prognosis.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

The Oral Glucose Tolerance Test: 100 Years Later

For over 100 years, the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) has been the cornerstone for detecting prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). In recent decades, controversies have arisen identifying internationally acceptable cut points using fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-h post-load glucose (2-h PG), and/or HbA1c for defining intermediate hyperglycemia (prediabetes). Despite this, there has been a steadfast global consensus of the 2-h PG for defining dysglycemic states during the OGTT. This article reviews the history of the OGTT and recent advances in its application, including the glucose challenge test and mathematical modeling for determining the shape of the glucose curve. Pitfalls of the FPG, 2-h PG during the OGTT, and HbA1c are considered as well. Finally, the associations between the 30-minute and 1-hour plasma glucose (1-h PG) levels derived from the OGTT and incidence of diabetes and its complications will be reviewed. The considerable evidence base supports modifying current screening and diagnostic recommendations with the use of the 1-h PG. Measurement of the 1-h PG level could increase the likelihood of identifying high-risk individuals when the pancreatic ß-cell function is substantially more intact with the added practical advantage of potentially replacing the conventional 2-h OGTT making it more acceptable in the clinical setting.