Gut microbiota-dependent metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and cardiovascular risk in patients with suspected functionally relevant coronary artery disease (fCAD)

BACKGROUND

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) has been associated with cardiovascular outcomes. However, the diagnostic value of TMAO and its precursors have not been assessed for functionally relevant coronary artery disease (fCAD) and its prognostic potential in this setting needs to be evaluated.

METHODS

Among 1726 patients with suspected fCAD serum TMAO, and its precursors betaine, choline and carnitine, were quantified using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Diagnosis of fCAD was performed by myocardial perfusion single photon emission tomography (MPI-SPECT) and coronary angiography blinded to marker concentrations. Incident all-cause death, cardiovascular death (CVD) and myocardial infarction (MI) were assessed during 5-years follow-up.

RESULTS

Concentrations of TMAO, betaine, choline and carnitine were significantly higher in patients with fCAD versus those without (TMAO 5.33 μM vs 4.66 μM, p < 0.001); however, diagnostic accuracy was low (TMAO area under the receiver operating curve [AUC]: 0.56, 95% CI [0.53-0.59], p < 0.001). In prognostic analyses, TMAO, choline and carnitine above the median were associated with significantly (p < 0.001 for all) higher cumulative events for death and CVD during 5-years follow-up. TMAO remained a significant predictor for death and CVD even in full models adjusted for renal function (HR = 1.58 (1.16, 2.14), p = 0.003; HR = 1.66 [1.07, 2.59], p = 0.025). Prognostic discriminative accuracy for TMAO was good and robust for death and CVD (2-years AUC for CVD 0.73, 95% CI [0.65-0.80]).

CONCLUSION

TMAO and its precursors, betaine, choline and carnitine were significantly associated with fCAD, but with limited diagnostic value. TMAO was a strong predictor for incident death and CVD in patients with suspected fCAD.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT01838148.

Large health disparities in cardiovascular death in men and women, by ethnicity and socioeconomic status in an urban based population cohort

BACKGROUND

Socioeconomic status and ethnicity are not incorporated as predictors in country-level cardiovascular risk charts on mainland Europe. The aim of this study was to quantify the sex-specific cardiovascular death rates stratified by ethnicity and socioeconomic factors in an urban population in a universal healthcare system.

METHODS

Age-standardized death rates (ASDR) were estimated in a dynamic population, aged 45-75 in the city of The Hague, the Netherlands, over the period 2007-2018, using data of Statistics Netherlands. Results were stratified by sex, ethnicity (country of birth) and socioeconomic status (prosperity) and compared with a European cut-off for high-risk countries (ASDR men 225/100,000 and women 175/100,000).

FINDINGS

In total, 3073 CVD deaths occurred during 1·76 million person years follow-up. Estimated ASDRs (selected countries of birth) ranged from 126 (95%CI 89-174) in Moroccan men to 379 (95%CI 272-518) in Antillean men, and from 86 (95%CI 50-138) in Moroccan women to 170 (95%CI 142-202) in Surinamese women. ASDRs in the highest and lowest prosperity quintiles were 94 (95%CI 90-98) and 343 (95%CI 334-351) for men, and 43 (95%CI 41-46) and 140 (95%CI 135-145), for women, respectively.

INTERPRETATION

In a diverse urban population, large health disparities in cardiovascular ASDRs exists across ethnic and socioeconomic subgroups. Identifying these high-risk subgroups followed by targeted preventive efforts, might provide a basis for improving cardiovascular health equity within communities. Instead of classifying countries as high-risk or low-risk, a shift towards focusing on these subgroups within countries might be needed.

FUNDING

Leiden University Medical Center and Leiden University.

Association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and clinical outcomes among patients with heart failure: Findings from the China PEACE Prospective Heart Failure Study

BACKGROUND

The health effects of air pollution on heart failure (HF) patients have not been adequately studied.

OBJECTIVES

We assessed the associations between long-term air pollution exposure and prognosis in HF patients.

METHODS

HF patients were prospectively recruited from 52 hospitals throughout China between August 2016 and May 2018. The participants were followed up for 12 months after discharge from index hospitalization. Long-term air pollution was calculated as annual average level of air pollution before the date of the index hospitalization. Outcomes were defined as HF readmission, cardiovascular death, and composite events. Cox proportional hazards model was applied to quantify the associations between air pollution exposure and clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 4866 patients included in the analysis, mean age was 65.2 ± 13.5 years, and 62.5% were male. During 1-year follow-up, 1577 (32.4%) participants were readmitted for HF and 550 (11.3%) died from cardiovascular disease. Though no associations between long-term air pollution and HF readmission in the overall participants, geographic and age heterogeneity in the long-term effects of air pollutants on HF readmission was observed. Air pollutants included PM_2.5 [HR (hazard ratio) = 1.146, 95% CI (confidence interval): 1.044, 1.259], PM₁₀ (HR = 1.120, 95% CI: 1.043, 1.203), SO₂ (HR = 1.808, 95% CI: 1.190, 2.747), and CO (HR = 3.596, 95% CI: 1.792, 7.218) were associated with higher risk of HF readmission in South China, but not in North China, where people spend less time outdoors and have limited indoor-outdoor ventilation. PM_2.5, PM_10, O₃, and CO among patients ≥ 65 years were found to be associated with higher risk of HF readmission. The effects on composite outcomes were broadly consistent with that of HF readmission. Cardiovascular death was not significantly associated with air pollution in the overall or subgroups.

DISCUSSION

Among HF patients who were older, living in South China, more HF readmissions occurred with higher long-term air pollution exposure. The findings suggest that the elderly patients and those living in South China should particularly enhance their personal protection against air pollution.

Cardiovascular Safety of Metoclopramide Compared to Domperidone: A Population-Based Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Metoclopramide and domperidone are common prokinetics used to alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms. However, both drugs may trigger ventricular arrhythmias.

AIM

We conducted this population-based study to compare the 30-day cardiovascular safety of metoclopramide versus domperidone in outpatient care.

METHODS

We used health care databases to identify a cohort of patients in Ontario, Canada newly dispensed metoclopramide or domperidone. Inverse probability of treatment weighting based on propensity scores was used to balance the baseline characteristics of the two groups. All outcomes were assessed in the 30 days following drug dispensing. The primary outcome was hospital encounter with ventricular arrhythmia. The secondary outcomes were hospital encounter with cardiac arrest, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality.

RESULTS

We identified 196,544 patients, 19% of whom were prescribed metoclopramide. There was no difference in the risk of a hospital encounter with ventricular arrythmia (0.02% in both groups), or cardiac arrest (0.10% with metoclopramide and 0.08% with domperidone). However, 1.34% of patients died after starting metoclopramide compared to 0.52% of patients starting domperidone; weighted risk ratio 2.50 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.13 to 3.03). Similarly, 0.42% of patients died of cardiovascular causes after starting metoclopramide compared to 0.19 % of patients starting domperidone; weighted risk ratio 2.00 (95% CI 1.44 to 2.77).

CONCLUSION

The 30-day risk for a hospital encounter with ventricular arrhythmia was low for both metoclopramide and domperidone, with no significant difference in the rate between the two drugs. The higher 30-day risk of death observed with metoclopramide compared with domperidone in this study has also been observed in other studies and warrants further investigation.

Anticoagulation, therapy of concomitant conditions, and early rhythm control therapy: a detailed analysis of treatment patterns in the EAST - AFNET 4 trial

Aims

Treatment patterns were compared between randomized groups in EAST-AFNET 4 to assess whether differences in anticoagulation, therapy of concomitant diseases, or intensity of care can explain the clinical benefit achieved with early rhythm control in EAST-AFNET 4.

Methods and results

Cardiovascular treatment patterns and number of visits were compared between randomized groups in EAST-AFNET 4. Oral anticoagulation was used in >90% of patients during follow-up without differences between randomized groups. There were no differences in treatment of concomitant conditions between groups. The type of rhythm control varied by country and centre. Over time, antiarrhythmic drugs were given to 1171/1395 (84%) patients in early therapy, and to 202/1394 (14%) in usual care. Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation was performed in 340/1395 (24%) patients randomized to early therapy, and in 168/1394 (12%) patients randomized to usual care. 97% of rhythm control therapies were within class I and class III recommendations of AF guidelines. Patients randomized to early therapy transmitted 297 166 telemetric electrocardiograms (ECGs) to a core lab. In total, 97 978 abnormal ECGs were sent to study sites. The resulting difference between study visits was low (0.06 visits/patient/year), with slightly more visits in early therapy (usual care 0.39 visits/patient/year; early rhythm control 0.45 visits/patient/year, P < 0.001), mainly due to visits for symptomatic AF recurrences or recurrent AF on telemetric ECGs.

Conclusion

The clinical benefit of early, systematic rhythm control therapy was achieved using variable treatment patterns of antiarrhythmic drugs and AF ablation, applied within guideline recommendations.

ANMCO POSITION PAPER: on administration of type 2 sodium-glucose co-transporter inhibitors to prevent heart failure in diabetic patients and to treat heart failure patients with and without diabetes

This ANMCO (Associazione Nazionale Medici Cardiologi Ospedalieri) position paper aims to analyse the complex action of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors at the level of the kidney and cardiovascular system, focusing on the effect that these molecules have shown in the prevention and treatment of heart failure in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. The goal was pursued by comparing the data generated with pathophysiology studies and with multicentre controlled studies in large populations. In accordance with the analysis carried out in the document, the following recommendations are issued: (i) canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, and ertugliflozin are molecules recommended for the prevention of heart failure hospitalizations in type 2 diabetic subjects; (ii) canagliflozin and dapagliflozin are recommended for the prevention of heart failure hospitalizations in type 2 diabetic subjects with severe chronic kidney disease, dapagliflozin proved to be safe and effective also in diabetic subjects; and (iii) dapagliflozin and empagliflozin are recommended to reduce the combined risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction.

Obesity and effects of dapagliflozin on cardiovascular and renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the DECLARE-TIMI 58 trial

AIMS 

We investigated the associations between obesity, cardiorenal events, and benefits of dapagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS AND RESULTS 

DECLARE-TIMI 58 randomized patients with T2DM and either atherosclerotic cardiovascular (CV) disease or multiple risk factors to dapagliflozin vs. placebo. Patients were stratified by body mass index (BMI, kg/m2): normal (18.5 to <25), overweight (25 to <30), moderately obese (30 to <35), severely obese (35 to <40), and very-severely obese (≥40). Outcomes analysed were CV death, hospitalization for heart failure (HHF), renal-specific composite outcome, and atrial fibrillation or flutter (AF/AFL). Of 17 134 patients, 9.0% had a normal BMI, 31.5% were overweight, 32.4% were moderately, 17.2% severely, and 9.8% were very-severely obese. Higher BMI was associated with a higher adjusted risk of HHF and AF/AFL (hazard ratio 1.30 and 1.28, respectively, per 5 kg/m2; P < 0.001 for all). Dapagliflozin reduced body weight by similar relative amounts consistently across BMI categories (percent difference: -1.9 to -2.4%). Although relative risk reductions in CV and renal-specific composite outcomes with dapagliflozin did not significantly differ across the range of BMI (P for interaction ≥0.20 for all outcomes), obese patients (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) tended to derive greater absolute risk reduction in HHF and AF/AFL (P for interaction 0.02 and 0.09, respectively) than non-obese patients.

CONCLUSIONS 

In DECLARE-TIMI 58, patients with T2DM and higher BMI were more likely to have HHF and AF/AFL. Whereas relative risk reductions in CV and renal outcomes with dapagliflozin were generally consistent across the range of BMI, absolute risk reduction in obesity-related outcomes including HHF and AF/AFL tended to be larger in obese patients with T2DM.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifiers: NCT01730534.

Long-term outcome in patients with takotsubo syndrome : A single center study from Vienna

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing amount of evidence suggesting multiple fatal complications in takotsubo syndrome; however, findings on the long-term outcome are scarce and show inconsistent evidence.

METHODS

This is a single center study of long-term prognosis in takotsubo patients admitted to the Klinik Ottakring, Vienna, Austria, from September 2006 to August 2019. We investigated the clinical features, prognostic factors and outcome of patients with takotsubo syndrome. Furthermore, survivors and non-survivors and patients with a different cause of death were compared.

RESULTS

Overall, 147 patients were included in the study and 49 takotsubo patients (33.3%) died during the follow-up, with a median of 126 months. The most common cause of death was a non-cardiac cause (71.4% of all deaths), especially malignancies (26.5% of all deaths). Moreover, non-survivors were older and more often men with more comorbidities (chronic kidney disease, malignancy). Patients who died because of cardiovascular disease were older and more often women than patients who died due to non-cardiovascular cause. Adjusted analysis showed no feature of an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality for takotsubo patients. Female gender (HR = 0.32, CI: 0.16-0.64, p < 0.001), cancer (HR = 2.35, CI: 1.15-4.8, p = 0.019) and chronic kidney disease (HR = 2.61, CI: 1.11-6.14, p = 0.028) showed to be independent predictors of non-cardiovascular mortality.

CONCLUSION

Long-term prognosis of takotsubo patients is not favorable, mainly due to noncardiac comorbidities. Hence, consequent outpatient care in regular intervals after a takotsubo event based on risk factor control and early detection of malignancies seems justified.

Prediction of biological age and all-cause mortality by 12-lead electrocardiogram in patients without structural heart disease

Background

There is a well-established relationship between 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and age and mortality. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that ECG can be used to predict biological age. However, the utility of biological age from ECG for predicting mortality remains unclear.

Methods

This was a single-center cohort study from a cardiology specialized hospital. A total of 19,170 patients registered in this study from February 2010 to March 2018. ECG was analyzed in a final 12,837 patients after excluding those with structural heart disease or with pacing beats, atrial or ventricular tachyarrhythmia, or an indeterminate axis (R axis > 180°) on index ECG. The models for biological age were developed by principal component analysis (BA) and the Klemera and Doubal’s method (not adjusted for age [BA_E] and adjusted for age [BA_EC]) using 438 ECG parameters. The predictive capability for all-cause death and cardiovascular death by chronological age (CA) and biological age using the three algorithms were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic analysis.

Results

During the mean follow-up period of 320.4 days, there were 55 all-cause deaths and 23 cardiovascular deaths. The predictive capabilities for all-cause death by BA, BA_E, and BA_EC using area under the curves were 0.731, 0.657, and 0.685, respectively, which were comparable to 0.725 for CA (p = 0.760, 0.141, and 0.308, respectively). The predictive capabilities for cardiovascular death by BA, BA_E, and BA_EC were 0.682, 0.685, and 0.692, respectively, which were also comparable to 0.674 for CA (p = 0.775, 0.839, and 0.706, respectively). In patients aged 60–74 years old, the area under the curves for all-cause death by BA, BA_E, and BA_EC were 0.619, 0.702, and 0.697, respectively, which tended to be or were significantly higher than 0.482 for CA (p = 0.064, 0.006, and 0.005, respectively).

Conclusion

Biological age by 12-lead ECG showed a similar predictive capability for mortality compared to CA among total patients, but partially showed a significant increase in predictive capability among patients aged 60–74 years old.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-021-02391-8.

Layer-specific global longitudinal strain and the risk of heart failure and cardiovascular mortality in the general population: the Copenhagen City Heart Study

AIMS

Layer-specific global longitudinal strain (GLS) has been demonstrated to predict outcome in various patient cohorts. However, little is known regarding the prognostic value of layer-specific GLS in the general population and whether different layers entail differential prognostic information. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic value of whole wall (GLS_WW ), endomyocardial (GLS_Endo ), and epimyocardial (GLS_Epi ) GLS in the general population.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 4013 citizens were included in the present study. All 4013 had two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography performed and analysed. Outcome was a composite endpoint of incident heart failure and/or cardiovascular death. Mean age was 56 years and 57% were female. During a median follow-up time of 3.5 years, 133 participants (3.3%) reached the composite outcome. Sex modified the relationship between all GLS parameters and outcome. In sex-stratified analysis, no GLS parameter remained significant predictors of outcome in females. In contrast, GLS_WW [hazard ratio (HR) 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.31, per 1% decrease] and GLS_Epi (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.04-1.38, per 1% decrease) remained as significant predictors of outcome in males after multivariable adjustment (including demographic, clinical, biochemistry, and echocardiographic parameters). Lastly, only in males did GLS parameters provide incremental prognostic information to general population risk models.

CONCLUSIONS

In the general population, sex modifies the prognostic value of GLS resulting in GLS_Epi being the only layer-specific prognosticator in males, while no GLS parameter provides independent prognostic information in females.

Impact of Atrial Fibrillation on the Prognosis of Acute Decompensated Heart Failure With and Without Mitral Regurgitation

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and mitral regurgitation (MR) are frequently combined in patients with heart failure (HF). However, the effect of AF on the prognosis of patients with HF and MR remains unknown.

Methods and Results: We studied 867 patients (mean age 73 years; 42.7% female) with acute decompensated HF (ADHF) in the NARA-HF registry. Patients were divided into 4 groups based on the presence or absence of AF and MR at discharge. Patients with severe MR were excluded. The primary endpoint was the composite of cardiovascular (CV) death and HF-related readmission. During the median follow-up of 621 days, 398 patients (45.9%) reached the primary endpoint. In patients with MR, AF was associated with a higher incidence of the primary endpoint regardless of left ventricular function; however, in patients without MR, AF was not associated with CV events. Cox multivariate analyses showed that the incidence of CV events was significantly higher in patients with AF and MR than in patients with MR but without AF (hazard ratio 1.381, P=0.036). Similar findings were obtained in subgroup analysis of patients with AF and only mild MR.

Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that AF is associated with poor prognosis in patients with ADHF with mild to moderate MR, but not in those without MR.

Management of Multivessel Disease and Physiology Testing in ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

For decades, advances in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) care have been driven by timely reperfusion of the occluded culprit vessel. More recently, however, the focus has shifted to revascularization of nonculprit vessels in STEMI patients. Five landmark randomized trials, all published in the past 7 years, have highlighted the importance of complete revascularization in STEMI treatment. This review focuses on evidence-based management of STEMI in the setting of multivessel disease, highlighting contemporary data that investigate the impact of complete revascularization.

The prognostic value of the triglyceride glucose index in patients with chronic heart failure and type 2 diabetes: A retrospective cohort study

AIMS

The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is a marker of insulin resistance. However, the prognostic value thereof in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and type 2 diabetes remains unclear.

METHODS

This study included patients diagnosed with CHF and type 2 diabetes in Fuwai Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenzhen, from January 2017 to July 2019. The primary endpoint was cardiovascular death or rehospitalization for heart failure.

RESULTS

The study included 546 patients with CHF and type 2 diabetes. We divided the patients into three groups (T1 [TyG index < 8.55], T2 [TyG index ≥ 8.55 and < 9.06], and T3 [TyG index ≥ 9.06]) according to the TyG index level. The incidence of the primary outcome in the T3 group was significantly higher than that in the T1 group. There was no significant difference between the T1 and T2 groups. The trend test revealed a positive correlation between the TyG index and the incidence of the primary outcome (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a positive correlation between the TyG index and the prognosis of patients with CHF and type 2 diabetes.

All-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis with aortic sclerosis and mild-to-moderate aortic stenosis: A cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Mild-to-moderate aortic stenosis (AS) and aortic sclerosis, a precursor of AS, are associated with mortality in the general population; however, their association in patients undergoing hemodialysis with higher morbidity of AS is unknown. Thus, we investigated the mortality of aortic sclerosis and mild-to-moderate AS in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

METHODS

This was a retrospective multicenter cohort study of consecutive patients undergoing hemodialysis at nine dialysis facilities who underwent screening echocardiography between January 2008 and December 2019. We investigated the mortality of patients with aortic sclerosis or mild-to-moderate AS using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS

Among 1,878 patients undergoing hemodialysis, those with normal aortic valves, aortic sclerosis, mild AS, moderate AS, severe AS, and prosthetic aortic valves were 844 (45%), 793 (42%), 161 (8.6%), 38 (2.0%), 11 (0.6%), and 31 (1.7%), respectively. After excluding patients with severe AS and prosthetic aortic valves, we performed comparative analysis on 1,836 patients (mean age, 67 years; 66% male). In a median follow-up of 3.6 years, crude death rates (per 100 person-years) were 5.2, 10.6, and 13.0 in patients with normal aortic valves, aortic sclerosis, and mild-to-moderate AS, respectively. Compared with normal aortic valves, both aortic sclerosis and mild-to-moderate AS were associated with all-cause and cardiovascular death: adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.36 (1.13-1.65) and 1.36 (1.02-1.80) for all-cause death; and 1.52 (1.06-2.17) and 1.74 (1.04-2.92) for cardiovascular death, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Aortic sclerosis and mild-to-moderate AS were independent risk factors for all-cause and cardiovascular death in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

The risk of cardiac events in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors: a nationwide Danish study

AIMS

The study aimed to estimate the risk of cardiac events in immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-treated patients with lung cancer or malignant melanoma.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The study included consecutive patients with lung cancer or malignant melanoma in 2011-17 nationwide in Denmark. The main composite outcome was cardiac events (arrhythmia, peri- or myocarditis, heart failure) or cardiovascular death. Absolute risks were estimated and the association of ICI and cardiac events was analysed in multivariable Cox models. We included 25 573 patients with lung cancer. Of these, 743 were treated with programmed cell death-1 inhibitor (PD1i) and their 1-year absolute risk of cardiac events was 9.7% [95% confidence interval (CI) 6.8-12.5]. Of the 13 568 patients with malignant melanoma, 145 had PD1i and 212 had cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4 inhibitor (CTLA-4i) treatment. Their 1-year risks were 6.6% (1.8-11.3) and 7.5% (3.7-11.3). The hazard rates of cardiac events were higher in patients with vs. without ICI treatment. Within 6 months from 1st ICI administration, the hazard ratios were 2.14 (95% CI 1.50-3.05) in patients with lung cancer and 4.30 (1.38-13.42) and 4.93 (2.45-9.94) in patients with malignant melanoma with PD1i and CTLA-4i, respectively. After 6 months, HRs were 2.26 (1.27-4.02) for patients with lung cancer and 3.48 (1.91-6.35) for patients with malignant melanoma and CTLA-4i.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with lung cancer and malignant melanoma, ICI treated had increased rates of cardiac events. The absolute risks were higher in these data compared with previous pharmacovigilance studies (e.g. 1.8% peri-/myocarditis 1-year risk).

Simple risk models to predict cardiovascular death in patients with stable coronary artery disease

AIMS

Risk estimation is important to motivate patients to adhere to treatment and to identify those in whom additional treatments may be warranted and expensive treatments might be most cost effective. Our aim was to develop a simple risk model based on readily available risk factors for patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Models were developed in the CLARIFY registry of patients with stable CAD, first incorporating only simple clinical variables and then with the inclusion of assessments of left ventricular function, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and haemoglobin levels. The outcome of cardiovascular death over ∼5 years was analysed using a Cox proportional hazards model. Calibration of the models was assessed in an external study, the CORONOR registry of patients with stable coronary disease. We provide formulae for calculation of the risk score and simple integer points-based versions of the scores with associated look-up risk tables. Only the models based on simple clinical variables provided both good c-statistics (0.74 in CLARIFY and 0.80 or over in CORONOR), with no lack of calibration in the external dataset.

CONCLUSION

Our preferred model based on 10 readily available variables [age, diabetes, smoking, heart failure (HF) symptom status and histories of atrial fibrillation or flutter, myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial disease, stroke, percutaneous coronary intervention, and hospitalization for HF] had good discriminatory power and fitted well in an external dataset.

STUDY REGISTRATION

The CLARIFY registry is registered in the ISRCTN registry of clinical trials (ISRCTN43070564).

Layer-specific global longitudinal strain obtained by speckle tracking echocardiography for predicting heart failure and cardiovascular death following STEMI treated with primary PCI

The aim of this study was to evaluate layer-specific global longitudinal strain (GLS), obtained by speckle tracking, in predicting outcomes following ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI). Echocardiography, including layer-specific GLS, was performed at median two days after the STEMI in a prospective study of STEMI patients treated with pPCI between September 2006 and December 2008. The outcome was the composite of heart failure hospitalization and/or cardiovascular death (HF/CVD). A total of 349 patients were included. Mean age was 62.2 ± 11.5 years, 76% were male, and mean ejection fraction (LVEF) was 46 ± 9. Seventy-seven (22%) patients developed HF/CVD during median follow-up 5.4 years. Patients with HF/CVD had lower absolute values for all GLS-layers: endocardial (GLS_Endo) 11.4%vs 14.5% (p < 0.001), midmyocardial (GLS_Mid) 9.8% vs 12.5% (p < 0.001) and epicardial (GLS_Epi) 8.5% vs 10.9% (p < 0.001). In unadjusted analysis, all layers were significant predictors of HF/CVD; hazard ratio (HR) per 1% decrease for GLS_Endo: HR 1.18 (95%CI 1.11-1.25), GLS_Mid: HR 1.22 (95%CI 1.14-1.30) and GLS_Epi: HR 1.26 (95%CI 1.16-1.36), p < 0.0001 for all. The risk of HF/CVD increased incrementally with increasing tertiles for all layers, being more than three times higher in 3rd tertile compared to 1st tertile. In multivariable models, including baseline clinical and echocardiographic parameters, only GLS_Mid and GLS_Epi remained independent predictors of HF/CVD. Global longitudinal strain obtained from all myocardial layers were significant predictors of incident HF and CVD following STEMI, however, only GLS_Mid and GLS_Epi remained independent predictors after multivariable adjustment.

Long-term outcomes of adding alpha-glucosidase inhibitors in insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

In insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), glycemic control is usually suboptimal.

METHODS

This study compared the risks of mortality and cardiovascular events in insulin-treated patients adding or not adding alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs).

RESULTS

This cohort study included data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. In total, 17,417 patients newly diagnosed as having T2DM and undergoing insulin therapy during 2000-2012 were enrolled. Overall incidence rates of all-cause mortality, hospitalized coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, and heart failure were compared between 4165 AGI users and 4165 matched nonusers. The incidence rates of all-cause mortality were 17.10 and 19.61 per 1000 person-years in AGI nonusers and users, respectively. Compared with nonusers, AGI users had a higher mortality risk [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05-1.40; p = 0.01]. Regarding AGI use, aHRs (95% CI) for cardiovascular death, non-cardiovascular death, hospitalized CAD, stroke, and heart failure were 1.20 (0.83-1.74), 1.27 (1.07-1.50), 1.12 (0.95-1.31), 0.98 (0.85-1.14), and 1.03 (0.87-1.22) respectively.

CONCLUSION

AGI use was associated with higher risks of all-cause mortality and non-cardiovascular death in insulin-treated patients with T2DM. Therefore, adding AGIs in insulin-treated patients may not be appropriate.

The coincidence of low vitamin K status and high expression of growth differentiation factor 15 may indicate increased mortality risk in stable coronary heart disease patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Matrix Gla protein (MGP) is a natural inhibitor of vascular calcification critically dependent on circulating vitamin K status. Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a regulatory cytokine mainly of the inflammatory and angiogenesis pathways, but potentially also involved in bone mineralization. We sought to determine whether these two circulating biomarkers jointly influenced morbidity and mortality risk in patients with chronic coronary heart disease (CHD).

METHODS AND RESULTS

894 patients ≥6 months after myocardial infarction and/or coronary revascularization at baseline were followed in a prospective study. All-cause and cardiovascular mortality, non-fatal cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, any revascularization), and hospitalization for heart failure (HF) were followed as outcomes. Desphospho-uncarboxylated MGP (dp-ucMGP) was used as a biomarker of vitamin K status. Both, increased concentrations of dp-ucMGP (≥884 pmol/L) and GDF-15 (≥1339 pg/mL) were identified as independent predictors of 5-year all-cause or cardiovascular mortality. However, their coincidence further increased mortality risk. The highest risk was observed in patients with high dp-ucMGP plus high GDF-15, not only when compared with those with "normal" concentrations of both biomarkers [HR 5.51 (95% CI 2.91-10.44), p < 0.0001 and 6.79 (95% CI 3.06-15.08), p < 0.0001 for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively], but even when compared with patients with only one factor increased. This pattern was less convincing with non-fatal cardiovascular events or hospitalization for HF.

CONCLUSIONS

The individual coincidence of low vitamin K status (high dp-ucMGP) and high GDF-15 expression predicts poor survival of stable CHD patients.

Effect of background insulin therapy on cardiovascular outcomes with SGLT-2 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis of cardiovascular outcome trials

Cardiovascular (CV) benefits of SGLT-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) have been consistent in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To find whether SGLT-2i show similar CV effects with insulin therapy in T2DM, we conducted a trial-level meta-analysis of CV outcome trials. This meta-analysis found SGLT-2i exert CV benefit, irrespective of background insulin therapy.

Prognostic nutritional index and the risk of mortality in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

AIMS

Nutritional status has been related to clinical outcomes in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The prognostic impact of poor nutritional status in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is not clearly understood. The aim of the present study is to investigate the prognostic value of prognostic nutritional index (PNI), calculated from serum albumin level and total lymphocyte count, in HCM patients.

METHODS

A total of 393 HCM patients in a tertiary medical centre were enrolled. The primary and secondary endpoints were all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death. The association between PNI and endpoints was analysed.

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up duration of 4.8 years, patients with high PNI values (PNI ≥ 48.8) had significantly lower incidence of all-cause mortality (9.3% vs. 33.1%, P < 0.001) and cardiovascular death (7.1% vs. 21.0%, P < 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders, PNI was independently associated with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death (hazard ratio per 1 SD increase: 0.46 [95% CI: 0.34-0.62, P < 0.001] and 0.44 [95% CI: 0.30-0.63, P < 0.001]). In subgroup analysis stratified by age, gender, New York Heart Association class, atrial fibrillation, estimated glomerular filtration rate, left ventricular ejection fraction or left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, PNI was consistently related to mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

PNI is an independent prognostic factor for mortality in patients with HCM.

Cardiovascular Outcomes with SGLT-2 inhibitors in patients with heart failure with or without type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of all the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with SGLT-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i) in patients with known heart failure (HF) with or without type 2 diabetes (T2DM), that have studied the outcomes of cardiovascular (CV) death, hospitalization due to HF (HHF), and composite of CV death or HHF.

METHODS

A systematic search in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library database were made up till November 20, 2020 using specific keywords. RCTs that qualified underwent a meta-analysis by applying the inverse variance-weighted averages of pooled logarithmic hazard ratio (HR) using both random- and fixed-effects model.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis of 9 RCTs (N = 19,741) have found a significant 26% relative risk reduction in composite of CV death or HHF (HR 0.74; 95% CI, 0.69-0.79; p < 0.001) with SGLT-2i in patients with HF. The meta-analysis of 8 RCTs (N = 16,460) also showed a significant reduction in CV death (HR 0.86; 95% CI, 0.78-0.95; p = 0.003) and HHF (HR 0.68; 95% CI, 0.62-0.74; p < 0.001) outcomes with SGLT-2i in patients with HF. Subgroup analysis stratified on baseline ejection fraction (EF) showed a similar benefit in the composite of CV death or HHF in patients with HF with reduced EF (HFrEF) or preserved EF (HFpEF).

CONCLUSIONS

SGLT-2i significantly reduces the composite of CV death or HHF, CV death, and HHF in patients with HF. Although subgroup analysis suggested an insignificant P_heterogenity for these outcomes irrespective of the types of HF, however, reduction in both CV death and HHF were more pronounced in patients with HFrEF.

Efficacy and safety of sacubitril/valsartan compared with enalapril in patients with chronic heart failure and reduced ejection fraction: Results from PARADIGM-HF India sub-study

Objectives

To determine efficacy and safety of sacubitril/valsartan compared with enalapril in Indian patients of PARADIGM-HF trial.

Methods

A randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, phase III sub-study (NCT01035255) was conducted between April 2010 and May 2014. Patients with chronic heart failure (HF), aged >18 years with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% were randomized (1:1) to receive either sacubitril/valsartan 200 mg twice-daily or enalapril 10 mg twice-daily. The primary endpoint was to compare efficacy of sacubitril/valsartan to enalapril in delaying time-to-first occurrence of the composite endpoint (cardiovascular [CV] death or HF hospitalization).

Results

The trial was stopped after a median follow-up of 27 months, because the boundary for benefit with sacubitril/valsartan had crossed. Among 637 Indian patients in PARADIGM-HF (sacubitril/valsartan, n = 322 and enalapril, n = 315), the primary outcome, CV death, and the first hospitalization for HF occurred in 21.81% and 24.76% (HR 0.89; 95% CI, 0.646–1.231), 17.45% and 20.63% (HR 0.87; 95% CI, 0.605–1.236), and 7.48% and 9.52% (HR 0.78; 95% CI, 0.461–1.350) patients in the sacubitril/valsartan and enalapril group, respectively. The all-cause mortality (19.0% vs. 21.9%) and adverse events (78.4% vs. 82.2%) were comparatively lower in the sacubitril/valsartan than enalapril group. No significant difference was seen between the benefits of treatment in Indian and the total PARADIGM-HF cohort (p value for interaction >0.05).

Conclusion

Results support the use of sacubitril/valsartan in Indian patients with chronic HF with reduced ejection fraction with treatment benefits similar to global PARADIGM-HF cohort.

Electrocardiographic T-wave morphology and risk of mortality

BACKGROUND

Electrocardiographic T-wave morphology is used in drug safety studies as an adjunct to the QT_c interval, but few measurements of T-wave morphology can be interpreted in clinical practice. Morphology combination score (MCS) is a combination of T-wave flatness/peakedness, asymmetry, and notching, enabling easy visual assessment of T-wave morphology. We aimed to test the association between T-wave morphology, quantified by MCS, and mortality.

METHODS

We included electrocardiograms recorded in 2001-2011 from 342,294 primary care patients. Using Cox regression, we evaluated the association between MCS, cardiovascular death, and all-cause mortality, adjusting for heart rate, QT_c, QT-prolonging drugs, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and congestive heart failure.

RESULTS

270,039 individuals (44% men, median age 55 [inter-quartile range: 42-67 years]) were included and followed for a median of 9.3 years, during which time 13,489 (5.0%) died from cardiovascular causes and 50,481 (18.7%) from any cause. High values of MCS (i.e. asymmetric, flattened, and/or notched T waves) were associated with an adjusted mortality Hazard Ratio of 1.75 (95% CI 1.62-1.89) and 1.61 (1.43-1.92) for women and men, respectively. Low values of MCS (i.e. peaked and symmetric T waves) were associated with a Hazard Ratio of 1.18 (1.08-1.28) and 1.71 (1.48-1.98) for women and men, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In a large primary care population, we found that T-wave asymmetry, flatness, and notching provided prognostic information on mortality independent of heart rate, QTc, and baseline comorbidities.

Comparative cardiovascular safety of strontium ranelate and bisphosphonates: a multi-database study in 5 EU countries by the EU-ADR Alliance

Strontium ranelate use, compared with oral bisphosphonates, is not associated with increased risk of AMI in patients with no contraindications for SR use. However, current strontium ranelate (compared with current bisphosphonate) appears associated with 25-30% excess risk of VTE and 35% excess risk of CVDeath.

INTRODUCTION

Evaluate the risk of cardiac and thromboembolic events among new users of SR and oral BPs without contraindications for SR.

METHODS

We conducted three multi-national, multi-database (Aarhus-Denmark, HSD-Italy, IPCI-Netherlands, SIDIAP-Spain, THIN-UK) case-control studies nested within a cohort of new users of SR/BP. We matched cases of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), venous thromboembolism (VTE), and cardiovascular death (CVDeath), up to 10 controls on gender, year of birth, index date, and country. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) according to current SR vs current BP use and current vs past SR use, adjusting for potential confounders. Data were pooled using random effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

No excess risk of AMI (5477 cases/54,674 controls) was found with current SR vs current BP (OR 0.89 (95%CI 0.70, 1.12)) nor with current vs past SR use (0.71(0.56, 0.91)). For VTE (5614 cases/6036 controls), an excess risk was found with current SR compared with current BP use, 1.24 (0.96, 1.61), and current vs past SR use, 1.30 (1.04, 1.62). For CVDeath (3019 cases/29,871 controls), an increased risk was seen with current SR vs current BP use, 1.35 (1.02, 1.80), but not with current vs past SR use (0.68 (0.48, 0.96)).

CONCLUSION

In patients without contraindications for SR, we found no evidence of an increased risk of AMI but a 25-30% excess risk of VTE and a 35% excess risk of CVDeath with current SR vs current BP users. This is despite a reduction in risk in CVDeath with current vs past SR users. The latter disparity could still be partially explained by cessation of preventative therapies in end-of-life or residual confounding by indication.