Associations between aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aortic valve or coronary artery calcification: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study

The Effect of Celecoxib on the Progression of Calcific Aortic Valve Disease-Protective or Pathogenic?

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a debilitating condition for which there are limited therapeutic options aside from valve replacement. As such, it is crucial to explore alternative management strategies for CAVD. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), particularly celecoxib, have been the subject of debate in the literature regarding their potential impact on CAVD. We conducted an in-depth analysis of five studies exploring the effect of celecoxib on CAVD and found discrepancies in both methods and results. Our findings suggest that celecoxib may impact the development of this disease via multiple mechanisms, each of which may have different effects on its pathogenesis. We also discovered limited clinical research examining the connection between celecoxib use and CAVD in medical patients. As such, further studies are needed to clarify the role of celecoxib and other NSAIDs in CAVD progression in order to inform future treatment options and clarify their impact on the disease.

Efficacy and safety of low-dose aspirin on preventing transplant renal artery stenosis: a prospective randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Transplant renal artery stenosis (TRAS) is a vascular complication after kidney transplantation associated with poor outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the efficacy and safety of low-dose aspirin for preventing TRAS.

METHODS

After kidney transplantation, patients were enrolled from January 2018 to December 2020 in Henan Provincial People's Hospital. A total of 351 enrolled recipients were randomized to an aspirin group with low-dose intake of aspirin in addition to standard treatment ( n = 178), or a control group with only standard treatment ( n = 173). The patients was initially diagnosed as TRAS (id-TRAS) by Doppler ultrasound, and confirmed cases were diagnosed by DSA (c-TRAS).

RESULTS

In the aspirin and control groups, 15.7% (28/178) and 22.0% (38/173) of the recipients developed id-TRAS, respectively, with no statistical difference. However, for c-TRAS, the difference of incidence and cumulative incidence was statistically significant. The incidence of c-TRAS was lower in the aspirin group compared with the control group (2.8% [5/178] vs. 11.6% [20/173], P = 0.001). Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression model identified the cumulative incidence and hazard ratio (HR) of TRAS over time in two groups, showing that recipients treated with aspirin had a significantly lower risk of c-TRAS than those who were not treated (log-rank P  = 0.001, HR = 0.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.09-0.62). The levels of platelet aggregation rate ( P  < 0.001), cholesterol ( P  = 0.028), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( P  = 0.003) in the aspirin group were decreased compared with the control group in the third-month post-transplantation. For the incidence of adverse events, there was no statistical difference.

CONCLUSION

Clinical application of low-dose aspirin after renal transplant could prevent the development of TRAS with no significant increase in adverse effects.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04260828.

Lipoprotein (a) is a risk factor of aortic valve calcification in patients with a risk of atherosclerosis

Aortic valve calcification (AVC), which causes aortic stenosis (AS), is more common in elderly persons. Controlling for conventional risk variables did not, however, reduce the incidence of AS. Thus, residual risk factors of AS should be identified. We enrolled 513 patients who underwent coronary angiography with computed tomography because of suspicion of coronary artery disease (CAD) or ruling out of CAD before aortic valve replacement. Calcium volume was calculated with a commercially available application. Conventional and lipid-related risk factors including serum levels of Lp(a) were evaluated for all patients. Calcium volume and Lp(a) levels were significantly higher in patients who underwent aortic valve replacement than in those who did not. A single regression analysis showed that the calcium volume was positively associated with age and the Lp(a) levels and negatively associated with the estimated glomerular filtration rate. No statistical significance was observed for other risk factors, including oxidized low-density lipoprotein, omega-3 fatty acids levels. The multiple regression analysis revealed that age (P<0.001), female sex (P<0.05), Lp(a) (P<0.01), and hemoglobin A1c (P<0.01) were determinants of the calcium volume. The area under the curve in receiver operating characteristic analysis of Lp(a) for implementation of AVR was 0.65 at an Lp(a) cut-off level of 16 mg/dL. In conclusion, the serum Lp(a) level is a potent risk factor of AVC in patients with high risk of atherosclerosis. J. Med. Invest. 70 : 450-456, August, 2023.

Role of endothelial cells in vascular calcification

Vascular calcification (VC) is active and regulates extraosseous ossification progress, which is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Endothelial cells (ECs) line the innermost layer of blood vessels and directly respond to changes in flow shear stress and blood composition. Together with vascular smooth muscle cells, ECs maintain vascular homeostasis. Increased evidence shows that ECs have irreplaceable roles in VC due to their high plasticity. Endothelial progenitor cells, oxidative stress, inflammation, autocrine and paracrine functions, mechanotransduction, endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), and other factors prompt ECs to participate in VC. EndMT is a dedifferentiation process by which ECs lose their cell lineage and acquire other cell lineages; this progress coexists in both embryonic development and CVD. EndMT is regulated by several signaling molecules and transcription factors and ultimately mediates VC via osteogenic differentiation. The specific molecular mechanism of EndMT remains unclear. Can EndMT be reversed to treat VC? To address this and other questions, this study reviews the pathogenesis and research progress of VC, expounds the role of ECs in VC, and focuses on the regulatory factors underlying EndMT, with a view to providing new concepts for VC prevention and treatment.

COX-2 Is Downregulated in Human Stenotic Aortic Valves and Its Inhibition Promotes Dystrophic Calcification

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is the result of maladaptive fibrocalcific processes leading to a progressive thickening and stiffening of aortic valve (AV) leaflets. CAVD is the most common cause of aortic stenosis (AS). At present, there is no effective pharmacotherapy in reducing CAVD progression; when CAVD becomes symptomatic it can only be treated with valve replacement. Inflammation has a key role in AV pathological remodeling; hence, anti-inflammatory therapy has been proposed as a strategy to prevent CAVD. Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) is a key mediator of the inflammation and it is the target of widely used anti-inflammatory drugs. COX-2-inhibitor celecoxib was initially shown to reduce AV calcification in a murine model. However, in contrast to these findings, a recent retrospective clinical analysis found an association between AS and celecoxib use. In the present study, we investigated whether variations in COX-2 expression levels in human AVs may be linked to CAVD. We extracted total RNA from surgically explanted AVs from patients without CAVD or with CAVD. We found that COX-2 mRNA was higher in non-calcific AVs compared to calcific AVs (0.013 ± 0.002 vs. 0.006 ± 0.0004; p < 0.0001). Moreover, we isolated human aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs) from AVs and found that COX-2 expression is decreased in AVICs from calcific valves compared to AVICs from non-calcific AVs. Furthermore, we observed that COX-2 inhibition with celecoxib induces AVICs trans-differentiation towards a myofibroblast phenotype, and increases the levels of TGF-β-induced apoptosis, both processes able to promote the formation of calcific nodules. We conclude that reduced COX-2 expression is a characteristic of human AVICs prone to calcification and that COX-2 inhibition may promote aortic valve calcification. Our findings support the notion that celecoxib may facilitate CAVD progression.

Effects of vitamin K antagonist on aortic valve degeneration in non-valvular atrial fibrillation patients: Prospective 4-year observational study

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is high in elder subjects. Our previous observational study suggested that vitamin K antagonist (VKA) promotes aortic valve degeneration, a principal cause of aortic stenosis in the elderly, and that angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) attenuates its progression. This study aimed to prospectively investigate these observations in non-valvular AF patients.

METHODS

Of enrolled 430 patients with calcification on no or one aortic valve leaflet, all of the planned 4-year follow-up data were obtained in 122 non-valvular AF patients treated with warfarin (warfarin group) and 101 patients with cardiovascular diseases and without AF and prescription of warfarin (non-warfarin group).

RESULTS

Despite higher atherosclerotic risks in the non-warfarin group, 2 or 3 newly calcified leaflets emerged during 4years in 18.0% of patients in the warfarin group and in 6.9% in the non-warfarin group (p=0.014). Aortic valve area (AVA) did not significantly change in the non-warfarin group during the follow-up, but tended to decrease in the warfarin group (p=0.057). Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant got available in Japan after this study started, and warfarin was discontinued in 15 patients of the warfarin group. The reduction of AVA was significant in the remaining 107 patients on the continuous warfarin treatment (p=0.002). The effects of ARB on AVA were obscure.

CONCLUSION

Major bleeding associated with VKA is well recognized. This study suggests that the development of aortic valve degeneration is another risk of long-term use of VKA in non-valvular AF patients with no or mild aortic valve degeneration.

COX2 inhibition reduces aortic valve calcification in vivo

OBJECTIVE

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, which affects ≈1% of the US population and is characterized by calcific nodule formation and stenosis of the valve. Klotho-deficient mice were used to study the molecular mechanisms of CAVD as they develop robust aortic valve (AoV) calcification. Through microarray analysis of AoV tissues from klotho-deficient and wild-type mice, increased expression of the gene encoding cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2; Ptgs2) was found. COX2 activity contributes to bone differentiation and homeostasis, thus the contribution of COX2 activity to AoV calcification was assessed.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

In klotho-deficient mice, COX2 expression is increased throughout regions of valve calcification and is induced in the valvular interstitial cells before calcification formation. Similarly, COX2 expression is increased in human diseased AoVs. Treatment of cultured porcine aortic valvular interstitial cells with osteogenic media induces bone marker gene expression and calcification in vitro, which is blocked by inhibition of COX2 activity. In vivo, genetic loss of function of COX2 cyclooxygenase activity partially rescues AoV calcification in klotho-deficient mice. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of COX2 activity in klotho-deficient mice via celecoxib-containing diet reduces AoV calcification and blocks osteogenic gene expression.

CONCLUSIONS

COX2 expression is upregulated in CAVD, and its activity contributes to osteogenic gene induction and valve calcification in vitro and in vivo.