Utility of Nontraditional Risk Markers in Individuals Ineligible for Statin Therapy According to the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Cholesterol Guidelines

Clinical indications for coronary artery calcium scoring in asymptomatic patients: Expert consensus statement from the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography

This expert consensus statement summarizes the available data regarding the prognostic value of CAC in the asymptomatic population and its ability to refine individual risk prediction, addresses the limitations identified in the current traditional risk factor-based treatment strategies recommended by the 2013 ACC/AHA Prevention guidelines including use of the Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE), and the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Recommendation Statement for Statin Use for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults. It provides CAC based treatment recommendations both within the context of the shared decision making model espoused by the 2013 ACC/AHA Prevention guidelines and independent of these guidelines.

Recent Insights Into Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk Among HIV-Infected Adults

While mortality rates related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) have decreased over time among adults with HIV, excess risk of CVD in the HIV-infected population may persist despite highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) treatment and aggressive CVD risk factor control. Beyond atherosclerotic CVD, recent studies suggest that HIV infection may be associated with left ventricular systolic and diastolic function, interstitial myocardial fibrosis, and increased cardiac fat infiltration. Thus, with the increasing average age of the HIV-infected population, heart failure and arrhythmic disorders may soon rival coronary artery disease as the most prevalent forms of CVD. Finally, the question of whether HIV infection should be considered in clinical risk stratification has never been resolved, and this question has assumed new importance with recent changes to lipid treatment guidelines for prevention of CVD.

Correlation between health-related quality of life in the physical domain and heart rate variability in asymptomatic adults

Background

Reduced health-related quality of life in the physical domain (HRQOL_physical) has been reported to increase risks for cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is still unclear. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) that connects the body and mind is a biologically plausible candidate to investigate this mechanism. The aim of our study is to examine whether the HRQOL_physical independently contributes to heart rate variability (HRV), which reflects ANS activity.

Methods

We recruited 329 physically and mentally healthy adults. All participants completed Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory and World Health Organization Questionnaire on Quality of Life: Short Form-Taiwanese version (WHOQOL-BREF). They were divided into groups of individuals having high or low scores of HRQOL_physical as discriminated by the quartile value of WHOQOL-BREF. We obtained the time and frequency-domain indices of HRV, namely variance (total HRV), the low-frequency power (LF; 0.05–0.15 Hz), which may reflect baroreflex function, the high-frequency power (HF; 0.15–0.40 Hz), which reflects cardiac parasympathetic activity, and the LF/HF ratio.

Results

There was an independent contribution of HRQOL_physical to explaining the variance in HRV after excluding potential confounding factors (gender, age, physical activity, alcohol use, depression and anxiety). Compared with the participants with high levels of HRQOL_physical, those with low levels of HRQOL_physical displayed significant reductions in variance and LF.

Conclusions

This study highlights the independent role of low HRQOL_physical in contributing to the reduced HRV in healthy adults and points to a potential underlying mechanism for HRQOL_physical to confer increased risks for CVD.

Personalizing Treatment: Between Primary and Secondary Prevention

Current American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for the management of patients with elevated blood cholesterol increasingly emphasize assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk in deciding when to initiate pharmacotherapy. The decision to treat is based primarily on mathematical integration of traditional risk factors, including age, sex, race, lipid values, systolic blood pressure, hypertension therapy, diabetes mellitus, and smoking. Advanced risk testing is selectively endorsed for patients when the decision to treat is otherwise uncertain, or more broadly interpreted as those patients who are at so-called "intermediate risk" of ASCVD events using traditional risk factors alone. These new guidelines also place new emphasis on a clinician-patient risk discussion, a process of shared decision making in which patient and physician consider the potential benefits of treatment, risk of adverse events, and patient preferences before making a final decision to initiate treatment. Advanced risk testing is likely to play an increasingly important role in this process as weaknesses in exclusive reliance on traditional risk factors are recognized, new non-statin therapies become available, and guidelines are iteratively updated. Comparative efficacy studies of the various advanced risk testing options suggest that coronary artery calcium scoring is most strongly predictive of ASCVD events. Most importantly, coronary artery calcium scoring appears to identify an important subgroup of patients with advanced subclinical atherosclerosis-who are "between" primary and secondary prevention-that might benefit from the most aggressive lipid-lowering pharmacotherapy.

Risk Stratification for Primary Prevention of Coronary Artery Disease: Roles of C-Reactive Protein and Coronary Artery Calcium

Risk stratification of individuals at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) plays an important role in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. In addition to risk scores derived from conventional cardiovascular risk factors, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and coronary artery calcium (CAC) have emerged as two of the widely accepted non traditional risk factors for atherosclerotic disease that have shown incremental prognostic value in predicting cardiovascular events. This review systematically assesses the role of hs-CRP and CAC in various studies and demonstrates meta-analyses of the incremental prognostic value of hs-CRP and CAC in identifying patients at risk of future CVD events. Compared with this, CAC showed better incremental prognostic value and might be a better indicator of ASCVD risk in asymptomatic adults.

Overview of guidelines for the management of dyslipidemia: EU perspectives

Modern medicine is characterized by a continuous genesis of evidence making it very difficult to translate the latest findings into a better clinical practice. Clinical practice guidelines (CPG) emerge to provide clinicians evidence-based recommendations for their daily clinical practice. However, the high number of existing CPG as well as the usual differences in the given recommendations usually increases the clinician’s confusion and doubts. It has apparently been the case for the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Guideline on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol. These CPG proposed new and controversial concepts that have usually been considered an antagonist shift respective to European CPG. The most controversial published proposals are: 1) to consider evidence just from randomized clinical trials, 2) creation of a new cardiovascular (CV) risk calculator, 3) to consider reducing CV risk instead of reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) as the target of the treatment, and 4) consideration of statins as the only drugs for treatment. A deep analysis of the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association CPG and comparison with the European ones show that from a practical and clinical point of view, there are more similarities than differences. To further help clinicians in their daily work, in the present globalized world, it is time to discuss and adopt a mutually agreed upon document created by both sides of the Atlantic. Probably it is not a short-term solution. Meanwhile, taking advantage of the similarities, the recommended practical attitude for the daily clinical practice should be based on 1) early detection of people with increased CV risk promoting the use of validated local scales, 2) reinforce the mainstream importance of nonpharmacological treatment, and 3) need for periodically monitoring response with analytical parameters (LDL or non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and global CV risk estimation. Technological solutions such as the big data technology could help to obtain high-quality evidence in an intermediate term.

Stratifying cardiovascular risk in diabetes: The role of diabetes-related clinical characteristics and imaging

Diabetes is a major coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor and has traditionally been classified as a CHD risk equivalent. CVD risk, however, is heterogeneous among diabetic patients and thus further evaluation is warranted before initiating or titrating preventive pharmacotherapy. Prognostic clinical characteristics of diabetes such as age of onset, duration, and severity of diabetes, as well as concomitant cardiometabolic factors account for much of the variability in CHD and CVD risk. This heterogeneity can also be evaluated directly using non-invasive imaging, which allows for a more individualized risk assessment in order to minimize both under and overtreatment. In this paper, we review guideline recommendations for atherosclerotic CVD risk assessment driving the use of statins or aspirin for certain subgroups of patients with diabetes. We further discuss imaging techniques, such as stress myocardial perfusion imaging, coronary computed tomography angiography, and coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring that can guide the decision to treat high-risk patients. Among imaging tests, current guidelines consider CAC scoring the most appropriate risk stratification tool for asymptomatic individuals with diabetes that can guide initiating/intensifying or withholding the most aggressive pharmacological therapies among high-risk (CAC>100) or low-risk (CAC=0) individuals, respectively.

High Serum Immunoglobulin G and M Levels Predict Freedom From Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Hypertension: A Nested Case-Control Substudy of the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial

AIMS

We aimed to determine whether the levels of total serum IgM and IgG, together with specific antibodies against malondialdehyde-conjugated low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL), can improve cardiovascular risk discrimination.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial (ASCOT) randomized 9098 patients in the UK and Ireland into the Blood Pressure-Lowering Arm. 485 patients that had cardiovascular (CV) events over 5.5years were age and sex matched with 1367 controls. Higher baseline total serum IgG, and to a lesser extent IgM, were associated with decreased risk of CV events (IgG odds ratio (OR) per one standard deviation (SD) 0.80 [95% confidence interval, CI 0.72,0.89], p<0.0001; IgM 0.83[0.75,0.93], p=0.001), and particularly events due to coronary heart disease (CHD) (IgG OR 0.66 (0.57,0.76); p<0.0001, IgM OR 0.81 (0.71,0.93); p=0.002). The association persisted after adjustment for a basic model with variables in the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) as well as following inclusion of C-reactive protein (CRP) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NtProBNP). IgG and IgM antibodies against MDA-LDL were also associated with CV events but their significance was lost following adjustment for total serum IgG and IgM respectively. The area under the receiver operator curve for CV events was improved from the basic risk model when adding in total serum IgG, and there was improvement in continuous and categorical net reclassification (17.6% and 7.5% respectively) as well as in the integrated discrimination index.

CONCLUSION

High total serum IgG levels are an independent predictor of freedom from adverse cardiovascular events, particularly those attributed to CHD, in patients with hypertension.

Borderline ankle-brachial index is associated with poor short-term clinical outcome after coronary artery intervention

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between borderline ankle-brachial index (ABI) and clinical outcome in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

From August 2009 to August 2012, ABI was measured in 1291 patients who underwent PCI. Patients with borderline ABI were compared with those who had normal ABI. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE), defined as a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and repeat revascularization.

RESULTS

Of the 1291 patients, 1154 (82%) had normal ABI and 89 (7%) had borderline ABI. The median overall follow-up duration was 19 (interquartile range 13-26) months. After adjustment with IPTW, the incidence of stroke (HR, 6.28; CI 95%, 1.95-20.19; P < 0.01) and MACCE (HR, 2.54; CI 95%, 1.40-4.62; P < 0.01) were higher in the borderline ABI group. In a propensity score-matched population, the incidence of stroke (HR, 4.68; CI 95%, 1.18-18.52; p = 0.03) and MACCE (HR, 2.12; CI 95%, 1.09-4.11; P = 0.03) were still significantly higher.

CONCLUSION

The presence of borderline ABI was associated with worse clinical outcome and increased stroke rate compared with normal ABI during the short-term follow-up period in patients who underwent coronary intervention.

A history of preeclampsia is associated with a risk for coronary artery calcification 3 decades later

BACKGROUND

A history of preeclampsia is an independent risk factor for cardiac events and stroke. Changes in vasculature structure that contribute to these associations are not well understood.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to quantify coronary artery calcification (CAC), a known risk factor for cardiac events, in a prospective cohort of women with and without histories of preeclampsia.

STUDY DESIGN

Women without prior cardiovascular events (40 with and 40 without histories of preeclampsia, matched for parity and age at index birth) were recruited from a large population-based cohort of women who were residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, and who delivered from 1976 through 1982. Computed tomography was performed to measure CAC in Agatston units. All pregnancy histories and covariates were confirmed by review of the medical records. Current clinical variables were assessed at the time of imaging. Differences between women with and without histories of preeclampsia were examined using χ(2) tests and tests; CAC, in particular, was compared as a categorical and ordinal variable, with a χ(2) test and with Wilcoxon 2-sample tests and ordinal logistic regression, as appropriate.

RESULTS

Mean age (SD) at imaging was 59.5 (±4.6) years. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures, hyperlipidemia, and current diabetes status did not differ between women with and without histories of preeclampsia. However, the frequencies of having a current clinical diagnosis of hypertension (60% vs 20%, P < .001) and higher body mass index in kg/m(2) (expressed as median [25th-75th percentile], 29.8 [25.9-33.7] vs 25.3 [23.1-32.0], P = .023) were both greater in the women with histories of preeclampsia compared to those without. The frequency of a CAC score >50 Agatston units was also greater in the preeclampsia group (23% vs 0%, P = .001). Compared to women without preeclampsia, the odds of having a higher CAC score was 3.54 (confidence interval [CI], 1.39-9.02) times greater in women with prior preeclampsia without adjustment, and 2.61 (CI, 0.95-7.14) times greater after adjustment for current hypertension. After adjustment for body mass index alone, the odds of having a higher CAC based on a history of preeclampsia remained significant at 3.20 (CI, 1.21-8.49).

CONCLUSION

In this first prospective cohort study with confirmation of preeclampsia by medical record review, a history of preeclampsia is associated with an increased risk of CAC >30 years after affected pregnancies, even after controlling individually for traditional risk factors. A history of preeclampsia should be considered in risk assessment when initiating primary prevention strategies to reduce cardiovascular disease in women. Among women with histories of preeclampsia, the presence of CAC may be able to identify those at a particularly high cardiovascular risk, and should be the subject of future studies.

Individualized Statin Benefit for Determining Statin Eligibility in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

BACKGROUND

Current guidelines recommend statins in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease on the basis of predicted cardiovascular risk without directly considering the expected benefits of statin therapy based on the available randomized, controlled trial evidence.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We included 2134 participants representing 71.8 million American residents potentially eligible for statins in primary prevention from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for the years 2005 to 2010. We compared statin eligibilities using 2 separate approaches: a 10-year risk-based approach (≥7.5% 10-year risk) and an individualized benefit approach (ie, based on predicted absolute risk reduction over 10 years [ARR10] ≥2.3% from randomized, controlled trial data). A risk-based approach led to the eligibility of 15.0 million (95% confidence interval, 12.7-17.3 million) Americans, whereas a benefit-based approach identified 24.6 million (95% confidence interval, 21.0-28.1 million). The corresponding numbers needed to treat over 10 years were 21 (range, 9-44) and 25 (range, 9-44). The benefit-based approach identified 9.5 million lower-risk (<7.5% 10-year risk) Americans not currently eligible for statin treatment who had the same or greater expected benefit from statins (≥2.3% ARR10) compared with higher-risk individuals. This lower-risk/acceptable-benefit group includes younger individuals (mean age, 55.2 versus 62.5 years; P<0.001 for benefit based versus risk based) with higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (140 versus133 mg/dL; P=0.01). Statin treatment in this group would be expected to prevent an additional 266 508 cardiovascular events over 10 years.

CONCLUSIONS

An individualized statin benefit approach can identify lower-risk individuals who have equal or greater expected benefit from statins in primary prevention compared with higher-risk individuals. This approach may help develop guideline recommendations that better identify individuals who meaningfully benefit from statin therapy.