P6373Serum amyloid A and left ventricular mass in psoriasis patients treated with infliximab

Background

Serum amyloid A (SAA) is an acute phase reactant associated with amyloid tissue deposition. Chronic skin inflammation in psoriasis could cause increased production of SAA in the liver and subsequent deposition in cardiac tissue.

Purpose

To assess if higher SAA is associated with higher left ventricular (LV) mass in psoriasis patients treated with infliximab

Methods

Data from 47 psoriasis patients treated with the tumour necrosis factor-α blocker infliximab (mean age 47±14 years, 66% men) was compared to 106 age and sex-matched control subjects (mean age 47±11 years, 70% men). LV mass was assessed by echocardiography and index to height m2.7. SAA was analysed by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight mass spectrometry.

Results

Psoriasis patients were more likely to be smokers than controls (38% vs. 16%, p=0.005), while other cardiovascular risk factors and SAA levels were similar. Psoriasis patients had lower LV mass index than controls (35.6±9.6 g/m2.7 vs. 40.3±9.8 g/m2.7, p=0.008). In the total study population, higher SAA level (β=0.23, p=0.003) was associated with higher LV mass index independent of presence of psoriasis (Table). In psoriasis patients, higher SAA level (β=0.48, p<0.001) was associated with higher LV mass index after adjustment for age and body mass index in multivariable analysis (Table). No association between SAA and LV mass index was found in controls.

Table 1. Multivariable associations of LV mass index in the total study population and in psoriasis patients Total study population Psoriasis LV mass index LV mass index R2=0.33, p<0.001 R2=0.43, p<0.001 β P β P Psoriasis −0.21 0.006 na na SAA, μg/ml 0.23 0.003 0.48 <0.001 BMI, kg/m2 0.39 <0.001 0.50 <0.001 Age, years 0.18 0.03 0.11 0.35 Female gender −0.11 0.15 – – Hypertension 0.08 0.35 – – Smoking 0.03 0.75 – – BMI, body mass index; LV, left ventricular; SAA, serum amyloid A; na, not applicable.

Conclusion

In psoriasis patients on infliximab treatment, higher SAA level was associated with greater LV mass index, pointing to a potential role of chronic inflammation and SAA production in the development of subclinical cardiac disease in psoriasis.

Acknowledgement/Funding

Western Regional Health Authority of Norway, Hjertefondet

Looking Back to Move Forward: The Value of Reflexive Journaling for Novice Researchers

For novice qualitative researchers, each encounter in the field yields a ream of questions and uncertainties. While fieldwork has inherent ambiguities for all researchers, novice researchers have less experience on which to draw to assess their interactions with participants. Adding to this uncertainty, gerontological fieldwork is frequently imbued by age-and cohort-related nuances, characteristics which new researchers often do not share with participants. It is also not uncommon for new researchers to work primarily alone on projects, such as dissertations and theses. Mentors and academic advisors can help examine research encounters, however advice may be most constructive following engagement in reflexive exercises. We discuss the benefits of using reflexive journaling to assist with answering the many questions generated while conducting qualitative interviews during a study with family carers. Advisors should consider encouraging the use of reflexive journaling to help novices grow as researchers.

Therapeutic approach to chronic venous insufficiency - clinical benefits of red-vine-leaf-extract AS 195 (Antistax®)

Background: Chronic Venous Disorders or Diseases (CVD) of the lower extremities are a common finding affecting almost 90 % of an adult population. CVD includes varicose veins with a prevalence of approx. 25 %, overlapping with Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI) with a prevalence of approx. 17% in the adult population. CVI is characterized by venous pathology and objective signs like edema, skin changes or venous leg ulcers. Objective: To review and evaluate non-clinical and clinical data on a standardised herbal product containing flavonoids (AS195; Antistax^®) and to put them into a perspective with the pathophysiology of CVD. Methods: Literature available on non-clinical pharmacology and clinical studies with AS195 in CVI of the lower extremities was reviewed and described. Conclusion: Antistax^® is a well-described herbal product with standardised starting materials and manufacturing process. Its active ingredients accumulate in the venous intima, preserve the endothelial barrier function, and inhibit the inflammatory and prothrombotic cascade behind the progression of CVD. Its efficacy was analysed in adequately planned and executed clinical trials in patients with mild to moderately severe CVD (CEAP C1s to C4). AS195 showed a statistically significant and clinically relevant efficacy over placebo: in objective endpoints like volumetry of lower leg edema, but also in outcomes directly relevant for patients like tension and heaviness of the legs, tingling, and pain. Supportive studies confirmed and validated these results also for the broader population treated in daily practice. AS195 was well tolerated in studies and in everyday therapy. There are no known interactions with other medications. In the later stages, it can be used in combination with compression, complementing the beneficial haemodynamic effects of compression at a cellular level. AS195 is an addition to compression and closes a therapeutic gap especially in patients, who cannot use compression stockings, but still require CVD therapy.

What Are the Characteristics of Caregivers Logging in for Support Services?

Background and Objectives

Online service delivery options have the potential to increase access to informational resources among caregivers to older adults. However, it is unknown which caregivers will use online-delivered services over usual service delivery modes (e.g., by phone) when both options are available in social service settings. This is important for service providers to know when making decisions that best serve their communities.

Research Design and Methods

Guided by Andersen's model of health service utilization, we used step-wise logistic regression models to compare the characteristics of caregivers who used an online information service called FCA CareJourney (FCA CJ) with those who accessed the same services using the usual mode of service delivery (N = 540). Online and usual-care services were available through two social service organizations in California.

Results

In all, 13.7% of clients used FCA CJ to receive services online. Enabling characteristics were the main predictors of using online-delivered services. Caregivers employed part-time had 3.82 times the odds of using online-delivered services compared to those employed full-time (odds ratio [OR] = 3.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.58-9.22). Caregivers who learned about services from health care providers had 2.91 times the odds of using FCA CJ as those who learned about services through social services (OR = 2.91; 95% CI: 1.28-6.62). Even among those who learned about services online, 62.2% still accessed services using usual delivery modes.

Discussion and Implications

Based on differences in the characteristics of caregivers using different service delivery modes and the low uptake of online-delivered services, we suggest online service delivery should supplement, not replace, usual delivery modes in social service settings. At the same time, user rates of online service delivery are likely modifiable. Given the potential for online-delivered programming to expand access to information services for caregivers, we recommend further examination into the effects of marketing online service delivery options to caregivers in novel ways.

Bidirectional transfer of Anelloviridae lineages between graft and host during lung transplantation

Solid organ transplantation disrupts virus-host relationships, potentially resulting in viral transfer from donor to recipient, reactivation of latent viruses, and new viral infections. Viral transfer, colonization, and reactivation are typically monitored using assays for specific viruses, leaving the behavior of full viral populations (the "virome") understudied. Here we sought to investigate the temporal behavior of viruses from donor lungs and transplant recipients comprehensively. We interrogated the bronchoalveolar lavage and blood viromes during the peritransplant period and 6-16 months posttransplant in 13 donor-recipient pairs using shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Anelloviridae, ubiquitous human commensal viruses, were the most abundant human viruses identified. Herpesviruses, parvoviruses, polyomaviruses, and bacteriophages were also detected. Anelloviridae populations were complex, with some donor organs and hosts harboring multiple contemporaneous lineages. We identified transfer of Anelloviridae lineages from donor organ to recipient serum in 4 of 7 cases that could be queried, and immigration of lineages from recipient serum into the allograft in 6 of 10 such cases. Thus, metagenomic analyses revealed that viral populations move between graft and host in both directions, showing that organ transplantation involves implantation of both the allograft and commensal viral communities.

Breastfeeding and vitamin D supplementation reduce the risk of Kawasaki disease in a German population-based case-control study

Background

In Kawasaki disease (KD), a vasculitis of unknown etiology, the most serious complication is the development of coronary artery aneurysm (CAA). To date, the exact pathomechanism of KD is unknown. Both environmental and genetic factors seem to be associated with the development of the disease.

Methods

Data on KD patients recruited from the population-based German Pediatric Surveillance Study during 2012–2014 were used to evaluate the impact of various factors from the perinatal and infancy period on the development of KD. The study design was a matched case-control study with respect to age, sex and place of residence (n = 308 KD cases, n = 326 controls). All KD patients were individually re-evaluated; all fulfilled the international diagnostic KD criteria. A standardized questionnaire was used to review breastfeeding practices, vitamin D supplementation and birth characteristics. Logistic regression analyses were performed to obtain odds ratios (OR) for various risk factors among the case-control pairs. Simple measures of association were used to assess the impact of these factors on the clinical course.

Results

There was no difference in lengths of gestation, birth weight or parturition between KD patients and controls, but independently from each other vitamin D supplementation and breastfeeding were negatively associated with KD, even when adjusted for age, place of residence and sex. The duration of vitamin D was significantly shorter among children with KD than among children without KD (p = 0.039, OR = 0.964, 95% CI: 0.931–0.998), as was the duration of breastfeeding (p = 0.013, OR = 0.471, 95% CI: 0.260–0.853). Comparing KD patients with and without breastfeeding and/or vitamin D supplementation, there were no differences regarding developing CAA, being refractory to intravenous immunoglobulin treatment, age at onset of the disease and levels of inflammatory laboratory values.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate breastfeeding and vitamin D supplementation to have protective effects in association with KD in our study population; however, these seem not to influence the natural course of the disease. Although the overall effects were relatively small, they nevertheless underline the overall benefit of both interventions.

Trial registration

Clinical Trial Registration: German clinical trial registration, http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=DRKS00010071. Date of registration was 26. February 2016. The trial was registered retrospectively.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12887-019-1438-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The Association between Objectively Measured Physical Activity and the Gut Microbiome among Older Community Dwelling Men

OBJECTIVES

To determine the relationship between objectively measured physical activity (PA) and the gut microbiome among community-dwelling older men.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) cohort participants at Visit 4 (2014-16).

PARTICIPANTS

Eligible men (n=373, mean age 84 y) included participants with 5-day activity assessment with at least 90% wear time and analyzed stool samples.

MEASUREMENTS

PA was measured with the SenseWear Pro3 Armband and stool samples analyzed for 16S v4 rRNA marker genes using Illumina MiSeq technology. Armband data together with sex, height, and weight were used to estimate total steps, total energy expenditure, and level of activity. 16S data was analyzed using standard UPARSE workflow. Shannon and Inverse Simpson indices were measures of (within-participant) α-diversity. Weighted and unweighted Unifrac were measures of (between-participant) β-diversity. We used linear regression analysis, principal coordinate analysis, zero-inflated Gaussian models to assess association between PA and α-diversity, β-diversity, and specific taxa, respectively, with adjustments for age, race, BMI, clinical center, library size, and number of chronic conditions.

RESULTS

PA was not associated with α-diversity. There was a slight association between PA and β-diversity (in particular the second principal coordinate). Compared to those who were less active, those who had higher step counts had higher relative abundance of Cetobacterium and lower relative abundance of taxa from the genera Coprobacillus, Adlercreutzia, Erysipelotrichaceae CC-115 after multivariable adjustment including age, BMI, and chronic conditions. There was no consistent pattern by phylum.

CONCLUSION

There was a modest association between levels of PA and specific gut microbes among community-dwelling older men. The observed associations are consistent with the hypothesis that underlying health status and composition of the host microbiome are related.

What Are Strategies to Advance Policies Supporting Family Caregivers? Promising Approaches From a Statewide Task Force

Family caregivers are the cornerstone of the long-term supports and services infrastructure in the United States, yet they often contend with many challenges related to this role. Public policy has been slow to change, leaving many caregivers vulnerable to health and economic consequences. Using models of policy making, we identify barriers to advancing policies that support family caregivers and overcome policy drift. We draw on discussions from the California Task Force on Family Caregiving as it prepares state policy recommendations. Identified strategies include identification of caregivers in health care and workplace settings to promote political consciousness raising, collecting and reporting on data that frame caregiving as a policy problem, borrowing policies and language from overlapping fields to emulate their policy successes, and presenting supportive caregiver policies as solutions to other policy problems. By presenting specific strategic approaches to advance caregiving policies, we provide tools to address the growing gap between caregiver needs and policy responses.

Association of plasma neopterin with risk of an inpatient hospital diagnosis of atrial fibrillation: results from two prospective cohort studies

BACKGROUND

Link between inflammation and atrial fibrillation (AF) has been increasingly recognized. Neopterin, a biomarker of cellular immune activation, may be associated with incident AF.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between plasma neopterin levels and risk of an inpatient hospital diagnosis of AF, and to evaluate a joint association of neopterin and a nonspecific inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) in two prospective cohorts.

METHODS

We performed a prospective analysis from a community-based cohort (the Hordaland Health Study (HUSK), n = 6891), and validated the findings in a cohort of patients with suspected stable angina pectoris (the Western Norway Coronary Angiography Cohort (WECAC), n = 2022).

RESULTS

In both cohorts, higher plasma levels of neopterin were associated with an increased risk of incident AF after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, current smoking, diabetes, hypertension and renal function. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) per one SD increment of log-transformed neopterin was 1.20 (1.10-1.32) in HUSK and 1.26 (1.09-1.44) in WECAC. Additional adjustment for CRP did not materially affect the risk association for neopterin. The highest risk of AF was found among individuals with both neopterin and CRP levels above the median (HR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.16-2.05 in HUSK and HR: 1.67; 95% CI: 1.11-2.52 in WECAC).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate an association of plasma neopterin with risk of an inpatient hospital diagnosis of AF, which remains after adjustment for traditional risk factors as well as for CRP. This study highlights a role of cellular immune activation, in addition to inflammation, in AF pathogenesis.

Nodular melanoma presenting as an exophytic subungual mass

Despite being recognised and reported in the literature for decades, subungual melanoma of the foot remains a diagnostic pitfall, with it commonly being mistaken for benign conditions. We present an interesting case of delayed diagnosis of subungual melanoma of the hallux that was misdiagnosed in the community for over one year. With melanoma being the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia in 2013, this case serves as a reminder to all clinicians about the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for melanoma of the foot.

Smoking, plasma cotinine and risk of atrial fibrillation: the Hordaland Health Study

BACKGROUND

Cigarette smoking has been identified as a major modifiable risk factor for coronary heart disease and mortality. However, findings on the relationship between smoking and atrial fibrillation (AF) have been inconsistent. Furthermore, findings from previous studies were based on self-reported smoking.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the associations of smoking status and plasma cotinine levels, a marker of nicotine exposure, with risk of incident AF in the Hordaland Health Study.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective analysis of 6682 adults aged 46-74 years without known AF at baseline. Participants were followed via linkage to the Cardiovascular Disease in Norway (CVDNOR) project and the Cause of Death Registry. Smoking status was assessed by both questionnaire and plasma cotinine levels.

RESULTS

A total of 538 participants developed AF over a median follow-up period of 11 years. Using questionnaire data, current smoking (HR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.09-1.83), but not former smoking (HR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.83-1.28), was associated with an increased risk of AF after adjustment for gender, age, body mass index, hypertension, physical activity and education. Using plasma cotinine only, the adjusted HR (95% CI) was 1.40 (1.12-1.75) for participants with cotinine ≥85 nmol L^-1 compared to those with cotinine <85 nmol L^-1 . However, the risk increased with elevated plasma cotinine levels until 1199 nmol L^-1 (HR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.16-2.05 at the third group vs. the reference group) and plateaued at higher levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Current, but not former smokers, had a higher risk of developing AF. Use of plasma cotinine measurement corroborated this finding.

What Can Elder Mistreatment Researchers Learn About Primary Prevention From Family Violence Intervention Models?

Elder mistreatment (EM) is a public health problem that harms millions of older Americans each year. Despite growing recognition of its occurrence, there are no evidence-based primary prevention programs. Although EM is distinct from other areas of family violence, including child maltreatment and intimate partner violence, common risk factors and theoretical underpinnings point to opportunities for prevention strategies. Drawing on evidence-based best practices found in other fields of family violence, we identify approaches that could be tested to prevent EM at the hands of family caregivers, who are among the most likely to commit mistreatment. Specifically, we examine home visiting approaches primarily used in the child maltreatment field and identify components that have potential to inform EM interventions, including prevention. We conclude that there is enough information to begin testing a prevention intervention for EM that targets caregivers.