Impact of cancer diagnosis on causes and outcomes of 5.9 million US patients with cardiovascular admissions

Metabolic basis of cardiac dysfunction in cancer patients

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The relationship between metabolism and cardiovascular diseases is complex and bidirectional. Cardiac cells must adapt metabolic pathways to meet biosynthetic demands and energy requirements to maintain contractile function. During cancer, this homeostasis is challenged by the increased metabolic demands of proliferating cancer cells.

RECENT FINDINGS

Tumors have a systemic metabolic impact that extends beyond the tumor microenvironment. Lipid metabolism is critical to cancer cell proliferation, metabolic adaptation, and increased cardiovascular risk. Metabolites serve as signals which provide insights for diagnosis and prognosis in cardio-oncology patients.

SUMMARY

Metabolic processes demonstrate a complex relationship between cancer cell states and cardiovascular remodeling with potential for therapeutic interventions.

Prevalence and outcomes of atrial fibrillation in patients suffering prostate cancer: a national analysis in the United States

Purpose

Although the adverse effects of atrial fibrillation (AF) on cancers have been well reported, the relationship between the AF and the adverse outcomes in prostate cancer (PC) remains inconclusive. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of AF and evaluate the relationship between AF and clinical outcomes in PC patients.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with PC between 2008 and 2017 were identified from the National Inpatient Sample database. The trends in AF prevalence were compared among PC patients and their subgroups. Multivariable regression models were used to assess the associations between AF and in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stay, total cost, and other clinical outcomes.

Results

256,239 PC hospitalizations were identified; 41,356 (83.8%) had no AF and 214,883 (16.2%) had AF. AF prevalence increased from 14.0% in 2008 to 20.1% in 2017 (P < .001). In-hospital mortality in PC inpatients with AF increased from 5.1% in 2008 to 8.1% in 2017 (P < .001). AF was associated with adverse clinical outcomes, such as in-hospital mortality, congestive heart failure, pulmonary circulation disorders, renal failure, fluid and electrolyte disorders, cardiogenic shock, higher total cost, and longer length of hospital stay.

Conclusions

The prevalence of AF among inpatients with PC increased from 2008 to 2017. AF was associated with poor prognosis and higher health resource utilization. Better management strategies for patients with comorbid PC and AF, particularly in older individuals, are required.

Association between cancer, CHA2DS2VASc risk, and in-hospital ischaemic stroke in patients hospitalized for atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is commonly encountered in cancer patients. We investigated the CHA2DS2VASc score, and its association with in-hospital ischaemic stroke in patients with cancer who were hospitalized for AF.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using the United States National Inpatient Sample, all hospitalizations with principal diagnosis of AF between October 2015 and December 2018 were stratified by cancer diagnosis, type, and CHA2DS2VASc risk categories (low risk, low-moderate risk, moderate-high risk). In-hospital ischaemic stroke and its association with the CHA2DS2VASc risk score was assessed across the groups using hierarchical multivariable logistic regression with adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Discrimination of CHA2DS2VASc score for in-hospital ischaemic stroke was evaluated with Receiver Operating Characteristic and Area Under the Curve (AUC). Among 1 341 870 included hospitalizations, 71 965 (5.4%) had comorbid cancer. Cancer patients had a higher proportion of moderate-high CHA2DS2VASc risk compared with their non-cancer counterparts (86.5% vs. 82.3%, P < 0.001). Compared with their low CHA2DS2VASc risk counterparts, cancer patients in low-moderate and moderate-high risk scores had similar odds of developing stroke (aOR 1.28 95% CI 0.22-7.63 and aOR 1.78 95% CI 0.41-7.66, respectively). The CHA2DS2VASc risk score had poor discrimination for ischaemic stroke in the cancer group (AUC 0.538 95% CI 0.477-0.598).

CONCLUSION

Cancer patients with AF have high CHA2DS2VASc risk. Discrimination of CHA2DS2VASc for ischaemic stroke is lower in cancer than non-cancer patients, and CHA2DS2VASc may not be adequate in determining ischaemic risk in cancer population.

Burden and prognostic impact of cardiovascular disease in patients with cancer

The number of patients at the intersection of cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing, reflecting ageing global populations, rising burden of shared cardiometabolic risk factors, and improved cancer survival. Many cancer treatments carry a risk of cardiotoxicity. Baseline cardiovascular risk assessment is recommended in all patients with cancer and requires consideration of individual patient risk and the cardiotoxicity profile of proposed anticancer therapies. Patients with pre-existing CVD are potentially at high or very high risk of cancer-therapy related cardiovascular toxicity. The detection of pre-existing CVD should prompt cardiac optimisation and planning of surveillance during cancer treatment. In patients with severe CVD, the risk of certain cancer therapies may be prohibitively high. Such decisions require multidisciplinary discussion with consideration of alternative anti-cancer therapies, risk-benefit assessment, and patient preference. Current practice is primarily guided by expert opinion and data from select clinical cohorts. There is need for development of a stronger evidence base to guide clinical practice in cardio-oncology. The establishment of multicentre international registries and national-level healthcare data linkage projects are important steps towards facilitating enrichment of cardio-oncology research programmes. In this narrative review, we consider epidemiological trends of cancer and CVD comorbidities and the impact of their co-occurrence on clinical outcomes, current approach to supporting cancer patients with pre-existing CVD and gaps in existing knowledge.

Hospital outcomes and costs for prostate cancer patients with comorbid heart failure by age group: An analysis of the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample

RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES

The prevalence of patients hospitalized with comorbid prostate cancer (PC) and heart failure (HF) has been steadily increasing. Both diseases share a set of common risk factors, with the most prominent being age. This study aimed to examine the outcomes and costs for patients with comorbid PC and HF, stratified by age.

METHODS

We analyzed 41,340 hospitalization events of patients with PC using the US National Inpatient Sample from 2015 to 2018. Associations of HF with in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LOS), and hospital costs per hospitalization were measured using multivariable logistic regression, negative binomial regression, and generalized linear regression with log-link and gamma distribution, respectively, controlling for covariates. Subgroup analyses were performed for age groups <65 and ≥65.

RESULTS

Visits of comorbid HF patients made up 2.3% (n = 952) of the PC study sample. Compared with PC patients without HF, those with HF had higher in-hospital mortality rates (odds ratio = 1.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.96-1.84, p = 0.085), longer hospital stays (incidence rate ratio = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.21-1.44, p < 0.001), and higher hospital costs (cost ratio = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.07-1.27, p = 0.001), controlling for covariates. On average, this amounted to a higher in-hospital mortality rate of 2.10%, an increased LOS of 1.73 days, and higher hospital costs of $2110 per patient. While in-hospital mortality did not differ significantly in patients aged <65 (p = 0.900), patients aged ≥65 had a 41% increased risk of in-hospital mortality compared with those without HF (p = 0.047).

CONCLUSIONS

In comparison to those without HF, PC patients with comorbid HF showed higher rates of in-hospital mortality, LOS, and hospital costs, with mortality showing a significant difference exclusively in the ≥65 population. Effective management of older patients with PC is needed to improve outcomes and decrease costs.

Impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors on atherosclerosis progression in patients with lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Patients with lung cancer face a heightened risk of atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular events. Despite the strong scientific rationale, there is currently a lack of clinical evidence examining the impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) on the advancement of atherosclerosis in patients with lung cancer. The objective of our study was to investigate whether there is a correlation between ICIs and the accelerated progression of atherosclerosis among individuals with lung cancer.

METHODS

In this case-control (2:1 matched by age and gender) study, total, non-calcified, and calcified plaque volumes were measured in the thoracic aorta using sequential contrast-enhanced chest CT scans. Univariate and multivariate rank-based estimation regression models were developed to estimate the effect of ICI therapy on plaque progression in 40 cases (ICI) and 20 controls (non-ICI).

RESULTS

The patients had a median age of 66 years (IQR: 58-69), with 50% of them being women. At baseline, there were no significant differences in plaque volumes between the groups, and their cardiovascular risk profiles were similar. However, the annual progression rate for non-calcified plaque volume was 7 times higher in the ICI group compared with the controls (11.2% vs 1.6% per year, p=0.001). Conversely, the controls showed a greater progression in calcified plaque volume compared with the ICI group (25% vs 2% per year, p=0.017). In a multivariate model that considered cardiovascular risk factors, the use of an ICI was associated with a more substantial progression of non-calcified plaque volume. Additionally, individuals treated with combination ICI therapy exhibited greater plaque progression.

CONCLUSIONS

ICI therapy was associated with more non-calcified plaque progression. These findings underscore the importance of conducting studies aimed at identifying the underlying mechanisms responsible for plaque advancement in patients undergoing ICI treatment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04430712.

Temporal trends in disease-specific causes of cardiovascular mortality amongst patients with cancer in the USA between 1999 and 2019

AIMS

We report disease-specific cardiovascular causes of mortality among cancer patients in the USA between 1999 and 2019, considering temporal trends by age, sex, and cancer site.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We used the Multiple Cause of Death database, accessed through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research resource. We included 629 308 decedents with cardiovascular disease (CVD) recorded as the primary cause of death and active malignancy listed as a contributing cause of death. We created disease-specific CVD categories and grouped cancers by site. We calculated the proportion of CVD deaths attributed to each disease category stratified by sex, age, and cancer site. We also examined disease-specific temporal trends by cancer site. Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was the most common cardiovascular cause of death across all cancer types (55.6%), being more common in men (59.8%), older ages, and in those with lung (67.8%) and prostate (58.3%) cancers. Cerebrovascular disease (12.9%) and hypertensive diseases (7.6%) were other common causes of death. The proportion of deaths due to heart failure was greatest in haematological (7.7%) and breast (6.3%) cancers. There was a decreasing temporal trend in the proportion of cardiovascular deaths attributed to IHD across all cancer types. The proportion of deaths due to hypertensive diseases showed the greatest percentage increase, with the largest change in breast cancer patients (+191.1%).

CONCLUSION

We demonstrate differential cardiovascular mortality risk by cancer site and demographics, providing insight into the evolving healthcare needs of this growing high-cardiovascular risk population.

Impact of cancer diagnosis on distribution and trends of cardiovascular hospitalizations in the USA between 2004 and 2017

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

There is limited data on temporal trends of cardiovascular hospitalizations and outcomes amongst cancer patients. We describe the distribution, trends of admissions, and in-hospital mortality associated with key cardiovascular diseases among cancer patients in the USA between 2004 and 2017.

METHODS

Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample we, identified admissions with five cardiovascular diseases of interest: acute myocardial infarction (AMI), pulmonary embolism (PE), ischaemic stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter, and intracranial haemorrhage. Patients were stratified by cancer status and type. We estimated crude annual rates of hospitalizations and annual in-hospital all-cause mortality rates.

RESULTS

From >42.5 million hospitalizations with a primary cardiovascular diagnosis, 1.9 million (4.5%) had a concurrent record of cancer. Between 2004 and 2017, cardiovascular admission rates increased by 23.2% in patients with cancer, whilst decreasing by 10.9% in patients without cancer. The admission rate increased among cancer patients across all admission causes and cancer types except prostate cancer. Patients with haematological (9.7-13.5), lung (7.4-8.9), and GI cancer (4.6-6.3) had the highest crude rates of cardiovascular hospitalizations per 100 000 US population. Heart failure was the most common reason for cardiovascular admission in patients across all cancer types, except GI cancer (crude admission rates of 13.6-16.6 per 100 000 US population for patients with cancer).

CONCLUSIONS

In contrast to declining trends in patients without cancer, primary cardiovascular admissions in patients with cancer is increasing. The highest admission rates are in patients with haematological cancer, and the most common cause of admission is heart failure.

Cardio-Onco-Metabolism - Metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer and the heart

Cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Metabolic remodeling is a hallmark of both cancer and the failing heart. Tumors reprogram metabolism to optimize nutrient utilization and meet increased demands for energy provision, biosynthetic pathways, and proliferation. Shared risk factors for cancer and CVDs suggest intersecting mechanisms for disease pathogenesis and progression. In this review, we aim to highlight the role of metabolic remodeling in cancer and its potential to impair cardiac function. Understanding these mechanisms will help us develop biomarkers, better therapies, and identify patients at risk of developing heart disease after surviving cancer.

Are cardiovascular comorbidities always associated with a worse prognosis in patients with lung cancer?

Many factors contribute to mortality in lung cancer, including the presence of concomitant cardiovascular disease. In the treatment of early stage of lung cancer, the presence of comorbidities and occurence of cardiotoxicity may be prognostic. The effect of cardiotoxicity of radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy on overall survival has been documented. Acute arterial and venous thromboembolic events seem to correlate with the degree of the histological malignancy, its clinical advancement, and even with optimal cardiac treatment, they may influence the survival time. In the case of high-grade and advanced lung cancer stage especially in an unresectable stadium, the prognosis depends primarily on the factors related to the histopathological and molecular diagnosis. Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities may be prognostic factors, as they seem to correlate with the patient's performance status as well as tumor localization and size.

Emergency department cardiovascular disease encounters and associated mortality in patients with cancer: A study of 20.6 million records from the USA

BACKGROUND

there is limited data on Emergency department (ED) cardiovascular disease (CVD) presentations and outcomes amongst cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES

The present study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, prevalence, and clinical outcomes of the most common cardiovascular ED admissions in patients with cancer.

METHODS

All ED encounters with a primary CVD diagnosis from the US Nationwide Emergency Department Sample between January 2016 to December 2018 were stratified by cancer type as well as metastatic status. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine the adjusted odds ratios of in-hospital mortality in different groups.

RESULTS

From a total of 20,737,247 ED encounters with a primary CVD diagnosis, cancer was present in 3.4%. In patients with cancer the most common CVDs were DVT/PE (20%), hypertensive heart or kidney disease (14.7%), and AF/flutter (11.2%). The distribution of CVDs varied by cancer type, with AF/flutter most common in patients with lung cancer, AMI most common in patients with prostate cancer, heart failure most common in those with haematological malignancies, and patients with colorectal cancer having the greatest frequency of DVT/PE. Cancer status was independently associated with significantly higher risk of mortality in almost all CVD categories, consistent across all the cancer types, amongst which lung cancer patients had the highest risk of mortality across all CVD categories, except intracranial haemorrhage and hypertensive crisis.

CONCLUSIONS

Cardiovascular presentations to the ED varied by cancer subtype. Across all cancer subtypes, patients presenting with cardiovascular presentations carried a significantly increased risk of mortality compared to patients with no cancer.

Cardio-onco-metabolism: metabolic remodelling in cardiovascular disease and cancer

Cardiovascular disease and cancer are the two leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. The emerging field of cardio-oncology has revealed that these seemingly disparate disease processes are intertwined, owing to the cardiovascular sequelae of anticancer therapies, shared risk factors that predispose individuals to both cardiovascular disease and cancer, as well the possible potentiation of cancer growth by cardiac dysfunction. As a result, interest has increased in understanding the fundamental biological mechanisms that are central to the relationship between cardiovascular disease and cancer. Metabolism, appropriate regulation of energy, energy substrate utilization, and macromolecular synthesis and breakdown are fundamental processes for cellular and organismal survival. In this Review, we explore the emerging data identifying metabolic dysregulation as an important theme in cardio-oncology. We discuss the growing recognition of metabolic reprogramming in cardiovascular disease and cancer and view the novel area of cardio-oncology through the lens of metabolism.

In-hospital mortality, length of stay and hospital costs for hospitalized breast cancer patients with comorbid heart failure in the USA

OBJECTIVES

Breast cancer and heart failure (HF) are frequently interconnected due to shared risk factors and the cardiotoxicity of breast cancer treatment. However, the association between HF and hospital outcomes among breast cancer patients has not been studied. This study examined the association between HF and hospital outcomes among hospitalized patients with breast cancer.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study using the 2015-2018 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample data included hospitalized women who were aged 18 years or older and had a primary diagnosis code for breast cancer. Logistic regression, negative binomial regression, and generalized linear models with log-link and gamma distribution were used to assess the associations of HF with in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LOS) and hospital costs.

RESULTS

Among 17,335 hospitalized patients with breast cancer, 4.2% (n = 1021) had HF. Compared to breast cancer patients without HF, those with HF were more likely to die during hospitalization (odds ratio = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.27-2.16, p < .001), stay in the hospital longer (incidence rate ratio = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.15-1.30, p < .001) and have higher hospital costs (cost ratio = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.03-1.14, p = .003) during hospitalization, controlling for covariates.

CONCLUSION

HF has a substantial negative impact on health outcomes among hospitalized breast cancer patients. Breast cancer and HF are often considered separate medical conditions, but promoting effective management of comorbid HF in breast cancer patients may help to improve hospital outcomes in this population.