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Inuwa M, Ajuluchukwu JN, Olusegun-Joseph A. Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Its Correlation With Echocardiographic Left Ventricular Function and Geometry in Hypertensive Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study. Cureus 2023; 15:e47589. [PMID: 38021707 PMCID: PMC10666909 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.47589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background It is important to consider left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in assessing hypertensive patients' global cardiovascular risk profile, as LVH and arterial wall changes occur concurrently. This study aimed to assess the relationship between CIMT and left ventricular geometry and function in hypertensive patients. Methodology This cross-sectional study included 200 hypertensive individuals and sought to correlate their CIMT with left ventricular geometry and function in Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg or on treatment for hypertension presenting at the outpatient clinics. Patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria were recruited. Abnormal CIMT was defined as >0.9 mm. Patients' demographic data were obtained in addition to general characteristics, physical examination, transthoracic echocardiography, and CIMT. The statistical relationship between CIMT and left ventricular geometry and function was obtained and analyzed. Results Normal geometry and LVH were observed in 50.5% and 15.5%, respectively. Left ventricular geometry was associated with abnormal CIMT (χ2 = 31.688, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the mean left ventricular mass index was statistically different between abnormal and normal CIMT (97.84 ± 30.5 vs. 80.75 ± 15.6; p < 0.001). Regarding left ventricular function, there was no significant difference in E-point septal separation, left ventricular fractional shortening, and left ventricular ejection fraction in abnormal versus normal CIMT groups. However, there was a significant association of CIMT with grades of diastolic dysfunction (χ2 = 7.069, p = 0.029). Additionally, individual parameters of diastolic dysfunction such as left atrial volume index and septal mitral were significantly different (p < 0.001). Conclusions There was an association between age, left ventricular geometry, diastolic function, and CIMT in hypertensive individuals. Therefore, it is beneficial to evaluate CIMT and for these patients to receive more targeted blood pressure control which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Inuwa
- Internal Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, NGA
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Camelo RM, Caram-Deelder C, Duarte BP, de Moura MCB, Costa NCDM, Costa IM, Vanderlei AM, Guimarães TMR, Gouw S, Rezende SM, van der Bom J. Cardiovascular Risk Scores among Asymptomatic Adults with Haemophilia. Arq Bras Cardiol 2023; 120:e20230004. [PMID: 37729292 PMCID: PMC10519352 DOI: 10.36660/abc.20230004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mortality rate of Brazilian people with haemophilia (PwH) is decreasing, but the relative incidence of deaths associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing. OBJECTIVES We aimed to describe the CVD risk score of PwH according to Pooled Cohort Equations Risk (PCER) Calculator tool and its treatment recommendations. We also compared the PCER estimates with the respective Framingham Risk Score (FRS). METHODS This cross-sectional study included male PwH ≥ 40 years treated at the Comprehensive Haemophilia Treatment Centre of Pernambuco (Recife/Brazil). PwH with a previous CVD event or a low-density lipid cholesterol ≥ 5.0 mmol/L were excluded. Interviews, medical file reviews, and blood tests were performed. The PCER tool was used to estimate the CVD risk and compare it with the respective FRS. A p-value < 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. RESULTS Thirty PwH were included. Median age was 51.5 [interquartile range-IQR; 46.0-59.5] years. The prevalence of obesity, systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypertriglyceridaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, and hypoHDLaemia were 20%, 67%, 24%, 14%, 47%, and 23%, respectively. The median PCER score was 6.9% [IQR; 3.1-13.2], with 50% having a high risk (PCER ≥ 7.5%). Statin use was suggested for 54% of PwH. Blood pressure was poorly controlled in 47% of PwH. The agreement between PCER and FRS was 80% (κ = 0.60; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Half of the male people with haemophilia aged 40 years or older had a 10-year high risk of developing CVD with strong recommendations to improve control of dyslipidaemia and blood pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Mesquita Camelo
- Faculdade de MedicinaUniversidade Federal de Minas GeraisBelo HorizonteMGBrasilFaculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG – Brasil
- HEMOPERecifePEBrasilFundação de Hematologia e Hemoterapia de Pernambuco (HEMOPE), Recife, PE – Brasil
- Department of Clinical EpidemiologyLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenPaíses BaixosDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden – Países Baixos
| | - Camila Caram-Deelder
- Department of Clinical EpidemiologyLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenPaíses BaixosDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden – Países Baixos
- SanquinLUMCLeidenPaíses BaixosJon J van Rood Center for Clinical Transfusion Research, Sanquin/LUMC, Leiden – Países Baixos
| | - Bruna Pontes Duarte
- HEMOPERecifePEBrasilFundação de Hematologia e Hemoterapia de Pernambuco (HEMOPE), Recife, PE – Brasil
| | | | | | - Iris Maciel Costa
- HEMOPERecifePEBrasilFundação de Hematologia e Hemoterapia de Pernambuco (HEMOPE), Recife, PE – Brasil
| | - Ana Maria Vanderlei
- HEMOPERecifePEBrasilFundação de Hematologia e Hemoterapia de Pernambuco (HEMOPE), Recife, PE – Brasil
| | - Tania Maria Rocha Guimarães
- HEMOPERecifePEBrasilFundação de Hematologia e Hemoterapia de Pernambuco (HEMOPE), Recife, PE – Brasil
- Faculdade de Enfermagem Nossa Senhora das GraçasUniversidade de PernambucoRecifePEBrasilFaculdade de Enfermagem Nossa Senhora das Graças, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, PE – Brasil
| | - Samantha Gouw
- Department of Clinical EpidemiologyLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenPaíses BaixosDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden – Países Baixos
- Department of Pediatric HematologyEmma Children’s HospitalUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdãPaíses BaixosDepartment of Pediatric Hematology, Emma Children’s Hospital, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam,Amsterdã – Países Baixos
| | - Suely Meireles Rezende
- Faculdade de MedicinaUniversidade Federal de Minas GeraisBelo HorizonteMGBrasilFaculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG – Brasil
| | - Johanna van der Bom
- Department of Clinical EpidemiologyLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenPaíses BaixosDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden – Países Baixos
- SanquinLUMCLeidenPaíses BaixosJon J van Rood Center for Clinical Transfusion Research, Sanquin/LUMC, Leiden – Países Baixos
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Darwesh Badawy MAEM, Naing L, Tuah NAA. Comparison of Screening Guidelines for Cardiovascular disease Prevention and Early Detection: a scoping review.. [DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.05.23293697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACTObjectiveGlobally, cardiovascular disease (CVD) has a significant role in morbidity and early death. This review’s objective is to provide a summary of the strengths and weaknesses in the variety of screening guidelines made by several international organizations for the early identification and prevention of CVD.MethodsAs the reporting guideline for this review, we used Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). We performed a scoping review using a few guideline-specific databases. We tabulated the main key differences between the included screening guidelines for CVD prevention and early detection from different perspectives.ResultsWe included a total of 20 unique guidelines that were developed by various organizations throughout the world and focused on screening for CVD prevention and early detection out of the 2,466 guidelines discovered by our search based on our eligibility criteria. We concluded that the target populations, CVD risk assessment techniques, outcomes, and categories of the chosen CVD prevention guidelines widely varied. Additionally, some guidelines adopted no grading scheme for their evidence, while others did not advocate the use of any imaging screening tools in their evaluation of the CVD risk.ConclusionsThis scoping review highlights the areas of each guideline’s strengths and weaknesses and conducts a systematic comparison of a number of worldwide guidelines for CVD prevention and early diagnosis.What is already known in this review?Based on the most recent evidence and consensus among experts, each nation creates its own set of guidelines for the early detection and prevention of CVD.What this review addsThis review conducted a systematic comparison and summarized the strengths and weaknesses of the various screening guidelines made by numerous international organizations for the early detection and prevention of CVD.• How this review might affect research, practice or policyThis review provided opportunities to improve the future development of the clinical practice guidelines for CVD prevention and early detection.
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Chung R, Xu Z, Arnold M, Ip S, Harrison H, Barrett J, Pennells L, Kim LG, Di Angelantonio E, Paige E, Ritchie SC, Inouye M, Usher‐Smith JA, Wood AM. Using Polygenic Risk Scores for Prioritizing Individuals at Greatest Need of a Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment. J Am Heart Assoc 2023; 12:e029296. [PMID: 37489768 PMCID: PMC7614905 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.122.029296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Background The aim of this study was to provide quantitative evidence of the use of polygenic risk scores for systematically identifying individuals for invitation for full formal cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment. Methods and Results A total of 108 685 participants aged 40 to 69 years, with measured biomarkers, linked primary care records, and genetic data in UK Biobank were used for model derivation and population health modeling. Prioritization tools using age, polygenic risk scores for coronary artery disease and stroke, and conventional risk factors for CVD available within longitudinal primary care records were derived using sex-specific Cox models. We modeled the implications of initiating guideline-recommended statin therapy after prioritizing individuals for invitation to a formal CVD risk assessment. If primary care records were used to prioritize individuals for formal risk assessment using age- and sex-specific thresholds corresponding to 5% false-negative rates, then the numbers of men and women needed to be screened to prevent 1 CVD event are 149 and 280, respectively. In contrast, adding polygenic risk scores to both prioritization and formal assessments, and selecting thresholds to capture the same number of events, resulted in a number needed to screen of 116 for men and 180 for women. Conclusions Using both polygenic risk scores and primary care records to prioritize individuals at highest risk of a CVD event for a formal CVD risk assessment can efficiently prioritize those who need interventions the most than using primary care records alone. This could lead to better allocation of resources by reducing the number of risk assessments in primary care while still preventing the same number of CVD events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Chung
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Heart and Lung Research InstituteUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Zhe Xu
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Heart and Lung Research InstituteUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Matthew Arnold
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Heart and Lung Research InstituteUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Samantha Ip
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Heart and Lung Research InstituteUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Hannah Harrison
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Jessica Barrett
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics UnitUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Lisa Pennells
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Heart and Lung Research InstituteUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Lois G. Kim
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Heart and Lung Research InstituteUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and BehaviourUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Emanuele Di Angelantonio
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Heart and Lung Research InstituteUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and BehaviourUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Research ExcellenceUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Health Data Research UK CambridgeWellcome Genome Campus and University of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Health Data Science Research CentreHuman TechnopoleMilanItaly
| | - Ellie Paige
- National Centre for Epidemiology and Population HealthAustralian National UniversityCanberraAustralia
- The George Institute for Global HealthUNSW SydneyAustralia
| | - Scott C. Ritchie
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Heart and Lung Research InstituteUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Research ExcellenceUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Cambridge Baker Systems Genomics Initiative, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Michael Inouye
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Heart and Lung Research InstituteUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Research ExcellenceUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Health Data Research UK CambridgeWellcome Genome Campus and University of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- The George Institute for Global HealthUNSW SydneyAustralia
- Cambridge Baker Systems Genomics InitiativeBaker Heart and Diabetes InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Juliet A. Usher‐Smith
- Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Angela M. Wood
- British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Epidemiology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Heart and Lung Research InstituteUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Donor Health and BehaviourUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Research ExcellenceUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Health Data Research UK CambridgeWellcome Genome Campus and University of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Cambridge Centre of Artificial Intelligence in MedicineUniversity of CambridgeUnited Kingdom
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Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent joint disease that is associated with pain, loss of function, and high direct and indirect economic costs. The current therapeutic options are inadequate, providing only a moderate symptom relief without the possibility of disease modification. While treatment options and personalized medicines are increasing for many complex diseases, OA drug development has been impeded by the advanced state of disease at the time of diagnosis and intervention, heterogeneity in both symptoms and rates of progression, and a lack of validated biomarkers and relevant outcome measures. This review article summarizes the OA landscape, including therapies in development as potential OA treatments, potential biomarkers undergoing evaluation by the US Food and Drug Administration, and a summary of current OA treatment guidelines, with a particular focus on the knee OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Kennedy
- Biosplice Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
| | | | - Nancy E Lane
- University of California, Davis, CA, United States.
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Iyngkaran P, Hespe C, Hanna F, Horowitz JD, Battersby M, Nelson C, Andrew S, de Courten MP. The Wider Considerations in Closing Chronic Disease Gaps - Focus on Heart Failure and Implementation. Curr Cardiol Rev 2023; 19:e120522204690. [PMID: 35549873 PMCID: PMC10201899 DOI: 10.2174/1573403x18666220512160737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heart failure (HF) is predominately a chronic disease. There are overlaps in HF and chronic disease research and care. Chronic disease and HF research are conducted with multiple goals. The overarching goal is "optimized patient outcomes at maximum costeffectiveness". However, observations on patients can come with many variables; thus, we see differences in clinical translation. This document discusses an argument for three important gaps common to HF and chronic disease, i.e., screening, self-management, and patient-reported outcomes (PRO), and provides a glance of how it could fit into the evidence tree. Pertinent arguments for a framework for health services and models of care are provided as a prelude to future consensus. METHODOLOGY 1) A preliminary literature review to identify a taxonomy for cardiovascular research, and 2) a review of the published literature describing the translation of research studies into clinical practice for cardiovascular disorders. A spectrum from observational to large randomized controlled trials to post-marketing studies were identified. DISCUSSION A brief discussion on traditional research and differences focusing on screening, mixed methods research concepts, and chronic diseases models of care. Six steps to facilitate this: 1) Research design; 2) Research application (translation) i. routine ii. challenges; 3. Transforming research to translational level; 4. Funding and infrastructure; 5. Clinical Centres of Research Excellence (CCRE) and collaboration; 6. Governance and cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSION Implementation research that aims to link research findings to improved patient outcomes in an efficient and effective way is a neglected area. Skills required to perform implementation research are complex. Ways to maximize translational impacts for chronic disease research to clinical practice are described in a HF context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pupalan Iyngkaran
- Heart Failure & Cardiac Imaging, University of Notre Dame, Werribee Mercy Sub School, School of Medicine Sydney; Research Fellow Mitchell Institute, Victoria University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Charlotte Hespe
- General Practice and Primary Care Research, School of Medicine, Sydney, The University of Notre Dame Australia, 160 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, PO Box 944 Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Fahad Hanna
- Program of Public Health, Department of Health, Torrens University Australia, Australia
| | | | - Malcolm Battersby
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Mental Health Program Lead, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network Mental Health Service, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Craig Nelson
- Division of Chronic and Complex Care and the Director of Nephrology, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sharon Andrew
- Adjunct Professor of Nursing, Institute Health and Sport, Victoria University, PO Box 14428 Melbourne, Victoria 8001, Australia
| | - Maximilian P. de Courten
- Mitchell Institute for Education and Health Policy, Victoria University, 300 Queen St, Melbourne 3000, Australia
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Blotner M, Betageri O, Miles W, Xiang K. Workup for Suspected Brugada Syndrome: Two Case Reports for the General Practitioner. Cureus 2022; 14:e21921. [PMID: 35273866 PMCID: PMC8901157 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.21921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
While a large proportion of ST-segment elevation on EKG is related to myocardial ischemia, the differential diagnosis must include pericarditis, channelopathies, and various genetic conditions. Identifying and working up such abnormalities present a challenge to primary care providers (PCPs). We present two clinical cases of young male patients with ST-segment elevation in anteroseptal leads suspicious for Brugada syndrome and show how to risk stratify and manage them. Our first case presents a 23-year-old male with no past medical history with acute onset substernal chest pain, shortness of breath, and palpitations. Initial workup revealed negative serial troponins and normal B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). The EKG revealed ST elevation in lead V2. An evaluation for Brugada syndrome was pursued. Upon completion of a procainamide challenge, it was determined that he did not have Brugada syndrome and was shortly discharged. Our second case presents a 33-year-old male with no pertinent cardiac medical history who presented to an outpatient cardiology clinic after discovering an incidental ST elevation in V2 on EKG. His family history was negative for early atherosclerotic cardiovascular events or sudden cardiac death. The patient’s initial workup was negative. Suspicion for Brugada syndrome leads to performing a procainamide challenge, which was significant for ST changes in the anterolateral leads. He was asymptomatic during the challenge and initial presentation, and no further intervention was indicated. He was advised to avoid sodium channel blocking medications and treat any fevers and was sent for genetic testing. These cases illustrate the importance of maintaining an appropriate suspicion for Brugada syndrome in young patients with minimal ischemic risk factors. We discuss a guideline-directed algorithmic workup for PCPs in suspicious individuals. Stratifying patients based on the presence of symptoms, history of tachyarrhythmias, and EKG findings before and after drug challenge allows physicians to guide further management of these patients.
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Sharma D, Gotlieb N, Farkouh ME, Patel K, Xu W, Bhat M. Machine Learning Approach to Classify Cardiovascular Disease in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the UK Biobank Cohort. J Am Heart Assoc 2022; 11:e022576. [PMID: 34927450 PMCID: PMC9075189 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.121.022576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Background Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver disease worldwide. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality among patients with NAFLD. The aim of our study was to develop a machine learning algorithm integrating clinical, lifestyle, and genetic risk factors to identify CVD in patients with NAFLD. Methods and Results We created a cohort of patients with NAFLD from the UK Biobank, diagnosed according to proton density fat fraction from magnetic resonance imaging data sets. A total of 400 patients with NAFLD with subclinical atherosclerosis or clinical CVD, defined by disease codes, constituted cases and 446 NAFLD cases with no CVD constituted controls. We evaluated 7 different supervised machine learning approaches on clinical, lifestyle, and genetic variables for identifying CVD in patients with NAFLD. The most significant clinical and lifestyle variables observed by the predictive modeling were age (59 years [54.00-63.00 years]), hypertension (145 mm Hg [134.0-156.0 mm Hg] and 85 mm Hg [79.00-93.00 mm Hg]), waist circumference (98 cm [95.00-105.00 cm]), and sedentary lifestyle, defined as time spent watching TV >4 h/d. In the genetic data, single-nucleotide polymorphisms in IL16 and ANKLE1 gene were most significant. Our proposed ensemble-based integrative machine learning model achieved an area under the curve of 0.849 using the random forest modeling for CVD prediction. Conclusions We propose a machine learning algorithm that identifies CVD in patients with NAFLD through integration of significant clinical, lifestyle, and genetic risk factors. These patients with NAFLD at higher risk of CVD should be flagged for screening and aggressive treatment of their cardiometabolic risk factors to prevent cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Sharma
- Department of BiostatisticsPrincess Margaret Cancer CentreUniversity Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Neta Gotlieb
- Division of Adult GastroenterologyUniversity Health NetworkToronto General HospitalTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Michael E. Farkouh
- Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, Heart and Stroke Richard Lewar CentreUniversity of TorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Keyur Patel
- Division of GastroenterologyUniversity Health NetworkToronto General HospitalTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Wei Xu
- Department of BiostatisticsPrincess Margaret Cancer CentreUniversity Health NetworkTorontoOntarioCanada
- Biostatistics DivisionDalla Lana School of Public HealthUniversity of TorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Mamatha Bhat
- Department of MedicineMulti‐Organ Transplant ProgramToronto General HospitalTorontoOntarioCanada
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Funderburk JS, Gass J, Shepardson RL, Mitzel LD, Buckheit KA. Practical Opportunities for Biopsychosocial Education Through Strategic Interprofessional Experiences in Integrated Primary Care. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:693729. [PMID: 34603099 PMCID: PMC8481570 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.693729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Even with the expansion of primary care teams to include behavioral health and other providers from a range of disciplines, providers are regularly challenged to deliver care that adequately addresses the complex array of biopsychosocial factors underlying the patient's presenting concern. The limits of expertise, the ever-changing shifts in evidence-based practices, and the difficulties of interprofessional teamwork contribute to the challenge. In this article, we discuss the opportunity to leverage the interprofessional team-based care activities within integrated primary care settings as interactive educational opportunities to build competencies in biopsychosocial care among primary care team members. We argue that this approach to learning while providing direct patient care not only facilitates new provider knowledge and skills, but also provides a venue to enhance team processes that are key to delivering integrated biopsychosocial care to patients. We provide three case examples of how to utilize strategic planning within specific team-based care activities common in integrated primary care settings-shared medical appointments, conjoint appointments, and team huddles-to facilitate educational objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer S. Funderburk
- Veterans Affairs Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center, Syracuse, NY, United States
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Julie Gass
- Veterans Affairs Center for Integrated Healthcare, Western New York VA Healthcare System, Buffalo, NY, United States
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Robyn L. Shepardson
- Veterans Affairs Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center, Syracuse, NY, United States
- Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Luke D. Mitzel
- Veterans Affairs Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center, Syracuse, NY, United States
| | - Katherine A. Buckheit
- Veterans Affairs Center for Integrated Healthcare, Syracuse VA Medical Center, Syracuse, NY, United States
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Emmanuel KE, Nassar M, Nso N. Prognostic Value of Cardiovascular Testing in Asymptomatic Patients With a History of Cardiovascular Disease: A Review of Contemporary Medical Literature. Cureus 2021; 13:e16892. [PMID: 34367842 PMCID: PMC8338770 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.16892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The cardiac stress testing, carotid duplex, coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring, myocardial perfusion imaging, coronary angiography, C-reactive protein (CRP), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), total serum cholesterol, duplex ultrasonography, digital subtraction angiography, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), computed tomography angiography (CTA), digital subtraction angiography, and ankle-brachial index (ABI) independently predict the risks and prognostic outcomes in asymptomatic cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients. The peripheral artery disease (PAD) screening guides the diagnosis, management, and prognosis of hemodynamically significant arterial stenosis, calcification, and malignant hypertension in patients with CVD without symptoms. The 79% sensitivity and 96% specificity of ABI screening, 90% sensitivity and 97% specificity of MRA, and 95% sensitivity and 50% specificity of CTA for tracking arterial occlusion indicate the high prognostic value of these tests in the setting of CVD. The 85% specificity and 60-70% sensitivity of cardiac stress testing substantiate its suitability to determine asymptomatic CVD prognosis related to myocardial ischemia, heart failure, multivessel disease, and unstable angina. The carotid duplex ultrasound potentially identifies long-term mortality, stroke, atherosclerosis, plaque instability, and angiographic stenosis among asymptomatic CVD patients with 94% specificity and 90% sensitivity. The CAC scoring has a positive predictive value (PPV) of 45.7% for identifying aortic valve calcium and PPV of 79.3% for tracking thoracic artery calcium. The medical literature provides substantial evidence concerning the validity, reliability, and prognostic value of cardiovascular testing for asymptomatic patients. Future studies are needed to undertake detailed assessments of benefits versus adverse outcomes associated with the prospective scaling (of cardiovascular testing) across asymptomatic CVD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelechi E Emmanuel
- Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Pinnacle, Harrisburg, USA
| | - Mahmoud Nassar
- Internal Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai/New York City (NYC) Health+Hospitals Queens, New York, USA
| | - Nso Nso
- Internal Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai/New York City (NYC) Health+Hospitals, New York, USA
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Ahmedov S, Amirjanov A. Genetic-fuzzy logic model for a non-invasive measurement of a stroke volume. COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE 2021; 203:106046. [PMID: 33743490 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2021.106046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the importance of stroke volume readings in understanding the work of the cardiovascular system in patients, its routine daily measurement outside of a hospital in the absence of special equipment presents a problem for a comprehensive assessment of the heart performance. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to develop a new non-invasive technique for measuring a stroke volume based on the relationship between time skin warming and a blood flow. METHODS . Ninety two randomly selected volunteers (54 males, aged 30.1 ± 11.9 years old, and 38 females, aged 35.8 ± 12.4 years old) were recruited for this study. The time skin warming was determined by applying on the wrist above the arterial pulsation a thermoelectric cooler using the Peltier effect. During recording the participants were in the supine position. Blood pressure was measured by sphygmomanometer. Heart performance was assessed by Murata ballistocardiographic sensor, detecting displacement of the whole body during each cardiac ejection of blood. The data provided by this sensor included heart rate, respiratory rate, heart rate variability and a stroke volume. Linear, non-linear statistical regression models and fuzzy logic were used to analyse the degree of interrelation between BCG-measured stroke volume and the time skin warming. RESULTS Comparative analysis of results indicated that the generic-fuzzy logic model demonstrated a high level of dependency (R = 0.803) between input (participants' time skin warming, pulse pressure and age) and output (ballistocardiographic stroke volume) parameters. CONCLUSIONS The method described in the paper offers a simple, portable, and low-cost solution that can even be used in a home setting to measure the stroke volume. The principle of the proposed method is based on the interrelation between time skin warming and blood flow. The latter, corrected by corresponding age and pulse pressure, expresses the participant's stroke volume. Adopting the genetic-fuzzy model significantly improved the accuracy of stroke volume's measurement and made the proposed method reliable for assessing of the cardiovascular system. This daily practice technique would help healthcare provider get an early diagnosis of cardiac dysfunctions and track heart changes during stress, e.g., in sport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahin Ahmedov
- School of Health, Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University, Guzelyurt, Kutlu Adali Bulvari, Turkey
| | - Adil Amirjanov
- Computer Engineering Department, Near East University, Nicosia, N. Cyprus (via Mersin-10, Turkey).
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MOUMTZI THEOFANO, ATHANASOPOULOS ALEXANDROS. Assessment of the operation of a pilot program of preventive medicine for adults in three primary care centers of Athens and Piraeus: a cross-sectional study. JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AND HYGIENE 2021; 61:E621-E627. [PMID: 33628969 PMCID: PMC7888401 DOI: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2020.61.4.1445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the operation of the pilot Program of Preventive Medicine for Adults (PPMA) from the provision of healthcare services in three primary health care centers of Athens and Piraeus (Greece). DESIGN An observational, cross-sectional study was undertaken. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. SETTING Three public primary health centers of Athens, Greece. PARTICIPANTS 142 participants, 40-55 years of age, with no previously identified/diagnosed health issues (overall healthy) that should not have undergone any type of screening in the past 12 months. MEASURES AND RESULTS The majority of participants were female (75.4%), aged 40-45 years (43.7%), Greek nationals (88%), employed (62.7%) and high school graduates (52.8%). 68.3% of participants scheduled an appointment in the first two days and 58.9% waited up to 5 minutes in the waiting room. The paramedical personnel scored higher evaluation (4.94) than the doctor (4.61), but all health care centers received a very high general evaluation (4.87). Multiple linear regression showed significant association between the evaluation of the pilot PPMA, the evaluation of health visitor/nurse (B = .240) and the communication of results to participants (B = .245). CONCLUSIONS Findings show an extremely positive evaluation of the pilot PPMA, a result that can be used by healthcare managers for the expansion of the screening program to the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- THEOFANO MOUMTZI
- Primary Health Care centre of Neos Kosmos, Machis Analatou, Neos Kosmos, Greece
| | - ALEXANDROS ATHANASOPOULOS
- Microbial Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, NCSR Demokritos, Agia Paraskevi, Greece
- Correspondence: Alexandros Athanasopoulos, Microbial Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, NCSR Demokritos, 15310, Agia Paraskevi, Greece - E-mail:
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Anand A, Pavithra R, Sangeetha T, Velayuthaprabhu S. A literature survey on the biomarkers of cardiovascular disease. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC MEDICINE 2021; 7:141. [DOI: 10.4103/ijam.ijam_80_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
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Chih S, McDonald M, Dipchand A, Kim D, Ducharme A, Kaan A, Abbey S, Toma M, Anderson K, Davey R, Mielniczuk L, Campbell P, Zieroth S, Bourgault C, Badiwala M, Clarke B, Belanger E, Carrier M, Conway J, Doucette K, Giannetti N, Isaac D, MacArthur R, Senechal M. Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Cardiac Transplant Network Position Statement on Heart Transplantation: Patient Eligibility, Selection, and Post-Transplantation Care. Can J Cardiol 2020; 36:335-356. [PMID: 32145863 DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2019.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Significant practice-changing developments have occurred in the care of heart transplantation candidates and recipients over the past decade. This Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Cardiac Transplant Network Position Statement provides evidence-based, expert panel recommendations with values and preferences, and practical tips on: (1) patient selection criteria; (2) selected patient populations; and (3) post transplantation surveillance. The recommendations were developed through systematic review of the literature and using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The evolving areas of importance addressed include transplant recipient age, frailty assessment, pulmonary hypertension evaluation, cannabis use, combined heart and other solid organ transplantation, adult congenital heart disease, cardiac amyloidosis, high sensitization, and post-transplantation management of antibodies to human leukocyte antigen, rejection, cardiac allograft vasculopathy, and long-term noncardiac care. Attention is also given to Canadian-specific management strategies including the prioritization of highly sensitized transplant candidates (status 4S) and heart organ allocation algorithms. The focus topics in this position statement highlight the increased complexity of patients who undergo evaluation for heart transplantation as well as improved patient selection, and advances in post-transplantation management and surveillance that have led to better long-term outcomes for heart transplant recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Chih
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Michael McDonald
- Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anne Dipchand
- Labatt Family Heart Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel Kim
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Anique Ducharme
- Institut de Cardiologie de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | | | - Susan Abbey
- Centre for Mental Health, University Health Network and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mustafa Toma
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kim Anderson
- Halifax Infirmary, Department of Medicine-Cardiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Ryan Davey
- University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa Mielniczuk
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Christine Bourgault
- Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec, Québec, Québec
| | - Mitesh Badiwala
- Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network and Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Michel Carrier
- Department of Surgery, Montreal Heart Institute, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jennifer Conway
- Stollery Children's Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | | | - Debra Isaac
- University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Mario Senechal
- Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ), Université Laval, Laval, Québec, Canada
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Basham CA, Smith SJ, Romanowski K, Johnston JC. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among persons diagnosed with tuberculosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235821. [PMID: 32649721 PMCID: PMC7351210 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The emerging epidemiological evidence of increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among persons diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) has not been systematically reviewed to date. Our aim was to review the existing epidemiological evidence for elevated risk of CVD morbidity and mortality among persons diagnosed with TB compared to controls. Materials and methods EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases were searched (inception to January 2020) for terms related to “tuberculosis” and “cardiovascular diseases”. Inclusion criteria: trial, cohort, or case-control study design; patient population included persons diagnosed with TB infection or disease; relative risk (RR) estimate and confidence interval reported for CVD morbidity or mortality compared to suitable controls. Exclusion criteria: no TB or CVD outcome definition; duplicate study; non-English abstract; non-human participants. Two reviewers screened studies, applied ROBINS-I tool to assess risk of bias, and extracted data independently. Random effects meta-analysis estimated a pooled RR of CVD morbidity and mortality for persons diagnosed with TB compared to controls. Results 6,042 articles were identified, 244 full texts were reviewed, and 16 were included, meta-analyzing subsets of 8 studies’ RR estimates. We estimated a pooled RR of 1.51 (95% CI: 1.16–1.97) for major adverse cardiac events among those diagnosed with TB compared to non-TB controls (p = 0.0024). A ‘serious’ pooled risk of bias was found across studies with between-study heterogeneity (I2 = 75.3%). Conclusions TB appears to be a marker for increased CVD risk; however, the literature is limited and is accompanied by serious risk of confounding bias and evidence of publication bias. Further retrospective and prospective studies are needed. Pending this evidence, best practice may be to consider persons diagnosed with TB at higher risk of CVD as a precautionary measure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Andrew Basham
- Provincial TB Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Sarah J. Smith
- Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Kamila Romanowski
- Provincial TB Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - James C. Johnston
- Provincial TB Services, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Rojulpote C, Patil S, Gonuguntla K, Karambelkar P, Bravo PE, Seraj SM, Asadollahi S, Raynor WY, Bhattaru A, Borja AJ, Zhang V, Werner TJ, Gerke O, Høilund-Carlsen PF, Alavi A. NaF-PET/CT global assessment in detecting and quantifying subclinical cardiac atherosclerosis and its association with blood pressure in non-dyslipidemic individuals. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE 2020; 10:101-107. [PMID: 32685267 PMCID: PMC7364275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We used 18F-sodium fluoride (NaF) to assess early atherosclerosis in the global heart in asymptomatic individuals with a coronary calcium score of zero and without a formal diagnosis of hypertension. We hypothesized that these individuals might present with subclinical atherosclerosis that correlates with systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure (SBP, DBP, and MAP). METHODS We identified 20 asymptomatic individuals (41.6 ± 13.8 years, 8 females) from the CAMONA trial with C-reactive protein ≥3 mg/L, no smoking history, diabetes (fasting blood glucose <126 mg/dl) and dyslipidemia per the Adult Treatment Panel III Guidelines: untreated LDL <160 mg/dL, total cholesterol <240 mg/dL, HDL >40 mg/dL. All underwent PET/CT imaging 90 minutes after NaF injection (2.2 Mbq/Kg). The global cardiac average SUVmean (aSUVmean) was calculated for each individual. Correlation coefficients and linear regression models were employed for statistical analysis. RESULTS Significant positive correlation was revealed between global cardiac NaF uptake and all blood pressures: SBP (r=0.44, P=0.05), DBP (r=0.64, P=0.002), and MAP (r=0.59, P=0.007). After adjusting for age and gender, DBP and MAP were independent predictors of higher global cardiac NaF uptake. CONCLUSION NaF-PET/CT for detecting and quantifying subclinical atherosclerosis in asymptomatic individuals revealed that cardiac NaF uptake correlated independently with DBP and MAP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaitanya Rojulpote
- Department of Radiology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical EducationScranton, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Shivaraj Patil
- Department of Radiology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of ConnecticutFarmington, Connecticut, United States
| | - Karthik Gonuguntla
- Department of Radiology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of ConnecticutFarmington, Connecticut, United States
| | - Pranav Karambelkar
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical EducationScranton, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Paco E Bravo
- Department of Radiology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Siavash M Seraj
- Department of Radiology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Shadi Asadollahi
- Department of Radiology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - William Y Raynor
- Department of Radiology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Abhijit Bhattaru
- Department of Radiology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Austin J Borja
- Department of Radiology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Vincent Zhang
- Department of Radiology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Thomas J Werner
- Department of Radiology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Oke Gerke
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University HospitalOdense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern DenmarkOdense, Denmark
| | - Poul F Høilund-Carlsen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Odense University HospitalOdense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern DenmarkOdense, Denmark
| | - Abass Alavi
- Department of Radiology, University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
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Inthachai T, Demekul K, Phonsatsadee N, Puttitommagool P, Boonyachart N. Effects of physical activity and smoking on cardio-ankle vascular index, respiratory muscle strength, and exercise performance in early normal weight adulthood: a cross-sectional study. J Exerc Rehabil 2020; 15:804-810. [PMID: 31938702 PMCID: PMC6944882 DOI: 10.12965/jer.1938676.338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Few studies have shown the impact of unhealthy habits on arterial stiffness, respiratory muscle strength and exercise performance in early normal weight adulthood. This study sought to determine the effects of physical activity and smoking on its parameters in normal weight male participants. Forty-eight participants were divided into four groups: physically inactive nonsmokers and smokers and physically active nonsmokers and smokers (n=12 in each group). All of the participants were measured for body composition, arterial stiffness, respiratory muscle strength and exercise performance. Two-way analysis of variance design was used to test the main and interaction effects of physical activity by group (smokers vs. nonsmokers). P-value of less than 0.05 was considered as a statistically significant difference. As a result, cardio-ankle vascular index and respiratory muscle strength were diminished in smokers and physically inactive participants, while body and visceral fat mass were increased in both those groups. Fat-free mass was lower in only physically inactive participants. This study also found the interaction effects on body fat and arterial stiffness. In conclusion, participants with healthy normal weight, but smoked and performed inappropriate physical activity, exhibited body composition imbalance, decreased respiratory muscle strength, exercise performance, and increased arterial stiffness. Therefore, smoking cessation and exercise in younger adults are appropriate ways of improving body composition, respiratory muscle strength, aerobic capacity and arterial stiffness instead of trying to control their weight by smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tharnwimol Inthachai
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Kanokwan Demekul
- Department of Cardio-thoracic Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Napaporn Phonsatsadee
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Pannatorn Puttitommagool
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Nontarat Boonyachart
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
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Huang J, Chen Y, Landis JR, Mahoney KB. Difference Between Users and Nonusers of a Patient Portal in Health Behaviors and Outcomes: Retrospective Cohort Study. J Med Internet Res 2019; 21:e13146. [PMID: 31593546 PMCID: PMC6914108 DOI: 10.2196/13146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patient portals are frequently used in modern health care systems as an engagement and communication tool. An increased focus on the potential value of these communication channels to improve health outcomes is warranted. OBJECTIVE This paper aimed to quantify the impact of portal use on patients' preventive health behavior and chronic health outcomes. METHODS We conducted a retrospective, observational cohort study of 10,000 patients aged 50 years or older who were treated at the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) from September 1, 2014, to October 31, 2016. The data were sourced from the UPHS electronic health records. We investigated the association between patient portal use and patients' preventive health behaviors or chronic health outcomes, controlling for confounders using a novel cardinality matching approach based on propensity scoring and a subsequent bootstrapping method to estimate the variance of association estimates. RESULTS Patient-level characteristics differed substantially between portal users, comprising approximately 59.32% (5932/10000) of the cohort, and nonusers. On average, users were more likely to be younger (63.46 years for users vs 66.08 years for nonusers), white (72.77% [4317/5932] for users vs 52.58% [2139/4068] for nonusers), have commercial insurance (60.99% [3618/5932] for users vs 40.12% [1632/4068] for nonusers), and have higher annual incomes (US $74,172/year for users vs US $62,940/year for nonusers). Even after adjusting for these potential confounders, patient portal use had a positive and clinically meaningful impact on patients' preventive health behaviors but not on chronic health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS This paper contributes to the understanding of the impact of patient portal use on health outcomes and is the first study to identify a meaningful subgroup of patients' health behaviors that improved with portal use. These findings may encourage providers to promote portal use to improve patients' preventive health behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Huang
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Yong Chen
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Institute for Biomedical Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Center for Evidence-Based Practice, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Center for Pharmacoepidemiology Research and Training, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Applied Mathematics and Computational Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - J Richard Landis
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Kevin B Mahoney
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Richard J Fox School of Business and Management, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Amadi CE, Mbakwem AC, Kushimo OA, Ajuluchukwu JN, Akinkunmi M. Prevalence of positive chronic kidney Disease screening in professional male long haul drivers at risk of cardiovascular Disease in Lagos, Nigeria: a cross-section study. BMC Public Health 2019; 19:1032. [PMID: 31370832 PMCID: PMC6676515 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-7328-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Professional drivers are known to be at high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) on account of the higher prevalence co-occurring risk factors they harbour. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and CVD share similar risk factors. Both impact each other adversely. The renal profile of professional drivers in Nigeria is not well characterised. We decided to study the prevalence of positive CKD screening amongst professional male long distance drivers in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria so as to quantify the burden and its predictors. METHODS Two hundred and ninety-three drivers were recruited. Details of their socio-demographic characteristics were obtained. Their anthropometric indices, blood pressure, fasting plasma blood glucose and lipid profile were measured. Serum creatinine was measured and estimated glomerular filtration rate, eGFR, was calculated with Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation. Urinary Albumin Creatinine Ratio (UACR) was determined. A 10 year CVD risk of the subjects was calculated with the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). RESULTS Mean age of the study population was 44.8 + 9.7 years. The prevalence of alcohol use and smoking were 71.0 and 19.5% respectively. One hundred and twenty-one (62.8%) of the subjects were either overweight or obese while 70(24.1%) had abdominal obesity. The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes were 39.7 and 13.9% respectively. Prevalence of CKD by eGFR< 60 ml/min/1.73m2 or UACR > 30 mg/g was 51.7% (95% CI; 46.0-57.5). The odds for CKD increased with lower HDL-c levels; OR 3.5 (95% CI, 1.1-11.2; p = 0.03) and longer duration of professional driving > 20 years; OR 2.4(95% CI, 1.5-4.0). CONCLUSION Professional male long distance drivers in addition to having very high prevalence of clustering of both CVD and CKD risk factors have a significant burden of asymptomatic CKD. UACR appears to be an earlier marker of CKD in this population. Health awareness promotion and aggressive risk factor reduction are advocated as ways to reduce this burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casmir E. Amadi
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Amam C. Mbakwem
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Oyewole A. Kushimo
- Department of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Jayne N. Ajuluchukwu
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Michael Akinkunmi
- Department of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria
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Hamilton DE, Jensen GS. Pain reduction and improved vascular health associated with daily consumption of an anti-inflammatory dietary supplement blend. J Pain Res 2019; 12:1497-1508. [PMID: 31190960 PMCID: PMC6526776 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s189064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: The objective for this clinical pilot study was to evaluate changes to chronic pain, vascular health, and inflammatory markers when consuming a dietary supplement blend (DSB, CytoQuel®), containing curcumin, resveratrol, tocotrienols, N-Acetylcysteine, and epigallocatechin gallate. Materials and methods: An open-label study design was used where 21 study participants were evaluated at baseline and at 2 and 8 weeks after consuming DSB. Participants were randomized to consume 3 capsules once daily versus 2 capsules twice daily. Pain and activities of daily living questionnaires were used to gather subjective data on pain levels and interference with daily living. Blood pressure was measured in both arms and ankles, and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) calculated. Blood samples were used to evaluate markers associated with inflammation and cardiovascular health. Results: Highly significant reduction of chronic pain was seen after 8 weeks (p<0.01), both at rest and when physically active. Faster improvement was seen when consuming 3 capsules once daily, compared to 2 capsules twice daily. The pain reduction resulted in improved sleep quality (p<0.1), and improved social functioning (p<0.01), and less need for support from others (p<0.05), Normalization of mildly elevated ABI at study start was seen after 2 weeks. Plasma fibrinogen and von Willebrand Factor and serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) showed reduction after 2 weeks (not significant), whereas a reduction in serum interleukin-1 receptor antagonist-a (IL-1ra) was statistically significant after 2 weeks (p<0.05). Correlation between pain reduction and changes to MMP-9 after 8 weeks was highly significant (P<0.01), whereas correlation between pain reduction and changes to IL-1ra reached significance at 2 weeks for the group consuming 3 caps once daily (p<0.04). Conclusion: Consuming DSB helped manage pain, increased comfort during daily activities, and improved vascular function. This was associated with selective effects on specific blood biomarkers associated with inflammation and vascular health.
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Stojanovic I, Schneider JE, Cooper J. Cost-impact of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with Fast-SENC compared to SPECT in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease in the U.S. J Med Econ 2019; 22:430-438. [PMID: 30732489 DOI: 10.1080/13696998.2019.1580713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
AIMS The purpose of this study is to assess the economic cost differences and the associated treatment resource changes between the developing coronary artery disease (CAD) diagnostic tool fast strain-encoded cardiac imaging (Fast-SENC) and the current commonly used stress test single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). MATERIALS AND METHODS A "payer perspective" model was created first, consisting of long-term and short-term components that used a hypothetical cohort of patients of average age (60.8 years) presenting with chest pain and suspected CAD to assess cost-impact. A cost impact model was then built that assessed likely savings from a "hospital perspective" from substituting Fast-SENC for a portion of SPECTs assuming an average number of annual SPECT tests performed in US hospitals. RESULTS In the payer model, using Fast-SENC followed by coronary angiography (CA) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) treatment when necessary is less costly than the SPECT method when considering both direct and indirect costs of testing. Expected costs of the Fast-SENC were between $2,510 and $2,632 per correct diagnosis, while expected costs for the SPECT were between $3,157 and $4,078. Fast-SENC reduced false positives by 50% and false negatives by 86%, generating additional cost savings. The hospital model showed total costs per CAD patient visit of $825 for SPECT and $376 for Fast-SENC. LIMITATIONS Limitations of this study are that clinical data are sourced from other published clinical trials on how CAD diagnostic strategies impact clinical outcome, and that necessary assumptions were made which impact health outcomes. CONCLUSION The lower cost, higher sensitivity and specificity rates, and faster, less burdensome process for detecting CAD patients make Fast-SENC a more capable and economically beneficial stress test than SPECT. The payer model and hospital model demonstrate an alignment between payer and provider economics as Fast-SENC provides monetary savings for patients and resource benefits for hospitals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jacie Cooper
- a Avalon Health Economics , Morristown , NJ , USA
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Comparison between cuff-based and radial tonometry exercise-induced central blood pressure. Eur J Appl Physiol 2019; 119:901-911. [DOI: 10.1007/s00421-019-04079-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Hall M, Ofili E, Lapu-Bula R, Alema-Mensah E, Miles-Richardson S. Living Arrangement: a Contributor to Vascular Disease in Asymptomatic African American Women. JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION 2019; 7:139-148. [PMID: 33907727 PMCID: PMC8075092 DOI: 10.20429/jgpha.2019.070220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diminished social support lias shown to lead to worse cardiovascular outcomes and since cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States (U.S.), it is critical to non-invasively study its precursor- vascular disease (VD). Assessing the impact social support lias on vascular outcomes can unveil potential CVD susceptibilities in at-risk populations. African American women exhibit the greatest burden of CVD morbidity and mortality; therefore, the purpose of tins study is to examine the association between living arrangement/social support and impaired vascular function in asymptomatic African American women. METHODS Vascular function was assessed by a non-invasive screening tool, HDI/PulseWave CR-2000, during screenings at community outreach events on participants clinically free of CVD. Vascular disease was defined as abnormal/impaired vascular function. Living arrangement, a binary variable (living with someone/living alone), was determined by survey responses (N=67) and represented social support. Multivariable analyses were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) to determine the association between living arrangement and vascular disease after controlling for confounders. Analyses were conducted using SAS 9.2. RESULTS Of those who lived alone, 82% had vascular disease (p=0.03). After adjusting for family CVD, and other CVD risk factors, those who lived with a spouse/partner or relative were 78% (p=0.04) less likely to develop vascular disease (AOR=0.22; 95% 0=0.05, 0.98). CONCLUSIONS Our study provides preliminary evidence to suggest that among African American women, clinically free of CVD, living arrangement is associated with vascular disease. While living alone may place individuals at an increased risk of CVD because of the association, living with a spouse/partner or relative may act as a protective factor against vascular disease and reduce the risk of CVD. Public health practitioners may use individuals' living arrangement as preventive measure for CVD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meldra Hall
- Master of Public Health Program, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Elizabeth Ofili
- Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | | | - Ernest Alema-Mensah
- Master of Public Health Program, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
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Choudhary NS, Duseja A. Screening of Cardiovascular Disease in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Whom and How? J Clin Exp Hepatol 2019; 9:506-514. [PMID: 31516267 PMCID: PMC6728527 DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide. Patients with NAFLD are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). In fact, CVD-related mortality is more common in patients with NAFLD in comparison to liver-related mortality. This association is related to the common metabolic risk factors such as obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and hypertension shared by both NAFLD and CVD, and also there is independent association of NAFLD with CVD because of risk factors such as insulin resistance, systemic inflammation, and atherogenic dyslipidemia. While there is abundant literature on association of NAFLD with CVD, there is sparse literature regarding the screening for CVD in patients with NAFLD. In the current review article, we discuss as to which patients with NAFLD to screen and how to screen for CVD.
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Key Words
- BMI, Body Mass Index
- CAD, Coronary Artery Disease
- CI, Confidence Interval
- CVD, Cardiovascular Disease
- DM, Diabetes Mellitus
- DSE, Dobutamine Stress ECHO
- HDL, High-Density Lipoprotein
- ILTS, International Liver Transplantation Society
- LDL, Low-Density Lipoprotein
- NAFL, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver
- NAFLD, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- NASH, Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis
- OR, Odds Ratio
- atherosclerosis
- cirrhosis
- hs-CRP, High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein
- metabolic syndrome
- risk scores
- screening
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Affiliation(s)
- Narendra S. Choudhary
- Institute of Liver Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Medanta the Medicity, Gurgaon, Delhi (NCR), India
| | - Ajay Duseja
- Department of Hepatology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India,Address for correspondence: Ajay Duseja, DM, FAMS, FAASLD, FACG, FSGEI, Professor, Department of Hepatology, Sector 12, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India. Tel.: +91 172 2756336; fax: +91 0172 2744401.
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Zielinska-Turek J, Dorobek M, Turek G, Barcikowska-Kotowicz M. MMP-9 and/or TIMP as predictors of ischaemic stroke in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic atherosclerotic stenosis of carotid artery treated by stenting or endarterectomy – A review. Neurol Neurochir Pol 2018; 52:555-561. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pjnns.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Saleh ZT, Connell A, Lennie TA, Bailey AL, Elshatarat RA, Yousef K, Moser DK. Cardiovascular Disease Risk Predicts Health Perception in Prison Inmates. Clin Nurs Res 2017; 28:235-251. [DOI: 10.1177/1054773817740534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We hypothesized that risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) would be associated with worse health perceptions in prison inmates. This study included 362 inmates recruited from four medium security prisons in Kentucky. Framingham Risk Score was used to estimate the risk of developing CVD within the next 10 years. A single item on self-rated health from the Medical Outcomes Survey–Short Form 36 was used to measure health perception. Multinomial logistic regression showed that for every 1-unit increase in Framingham Risk Score, inmates were 23% more likely to have rated their health as fair/poor and 11% more likely to rate their health as good rather than very good/excellent. These findings demonstrate that worse health perceptions may serve as a starting point for discussing cardiovascular risk factors and prevention with inmates.
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Barrett B, Ricco J, Wallace M, Kiefer D, Rakel D. Communicating statin evidence to support shared decision-making. BMC FAMILY PRACTICE 2016; 17:41. [PMID: 27048421 PMCID: PMC4822230 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-016-0436-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The practice of clinical medicine rests on a foundation of ethical principles as well as scientific knowledge. Clinicians must artfully balance the principle of beneficence, doing what is best for patients, with autonomy, allowing patients to make their own well-informed health care decisions. The clinical communication process is complicated by varying degrees of confidence in scientific evidence regarding patient-oriented benefits, and by the fact that most medical options are associated with possible harms as well as potential benefits. DISCUSSION Evidence-based clinical guidelines often neglect patient-oriented issues involved with the thoughtful practice of shared decision-making, where individual values, goals, and preferences should be prioritized. Guidelines on the use of statin medications for preventing cardiovascular events are a case in point. Current guidelines endorse the use of statins for people whose 10-year risk of cardiovascular events is as low as 7.5%. Previous guidelines set the 10-year risk benchmark at 20%. Meta-analysis of randomized trials suggests that statins can reduce cardiovascular event rates by about 25%, bringing 10-year risk from 7.5 to 5.6%, for example, or from 20 to 15%. Whether or not these benefits should justify the use of statins for individual patients depends on how those advantages are valued in comparison with disadvantages, such as side effect risks, and with inconveniences associated with taking a pill each day and visiting clinicians and laboratories regularly. CONCLUSIONS Whether or not the overall benefit-harm balance justifies the use of a medication for an individual patient cannot be determined by a guidelines committee, a health care system, or even the attending physician. Instead, it is the individual patient who has a fundamental right to decide whether or not taking a drug is worthwhile. Researchers and professional organizations should endeavor to develop shared decision-making tools that provide up-to-date best evidence in easily understandable formats, so as to assist clinicians in helping their patients to make the decisions that are right for them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce Barrett
- />Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1100 Delaplaine Court, Madison, WI 53715 USA
| | - Jason Ricco
- />Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | | | - David Kiefer
- />Group Health Cooperative, Madison, Wisconsin 53703 USA
| | - Dave Rakel
- />Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53715 USA
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