Association between risk factors and left ventricular remodeling in middle-aged and aged population: a community-based study

Echocardiography E/A Abnormality is Associated with the Development of Primary Left Ventricle Remodeling in Middle-Aged and Elderly Women: A Longitudinal Study

Background

Impaired left ventricular (LV) relaxation is indicative of grade I diastolic dysfunction, which is mainly assessed by late diastolic transmitral flow velocity (E/A ratio). Although the E/A ratio has important diagnostic and prognostic implications with cardiac outcomes, the causal link between abnormal E/A ratio and left ventricle remodeling (LV remodeling) remains unclear.

Methods

A longitudinal analysis of 869 eligible women aged ≥45 years, who had received echocardiography scans as well as 5-year follow-up assessments between 2015 and 2020. Women with pre-existing cardiac abnormalities including grade II/III diastolic dysfunction as diagnosed by echocardiography, or structural heart disease were excluded. E/A abnormality was defined as baseline E/A ratio <0.8. The classification of LV remodeling was based on the measurements of left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and relative wall thickness (RWT). Logistic and linear regression models were used.

Results

Among the 869 women (60.71±10.01 years), 164 (18.9%) had developed LV remodeling after the 5-year follow-up. The proportion of women with E/A abnormality versus non-abnormality was also significantly different (27.13% vs 16.59%, P=0.007). Multivariable-adjusted regression models showed that E/A abnormality (OR: 4.14, 95%Cl:1.80-9.20, P=0.009) was significantly associated with higher risk of concentric hypertrophy (CH) after follow-up. No such association was found in either concentric remodeling (CR) or eccentric hypertrophy (EH). Higher baseline E/A ratio was correlated with lower ΔRWT during the 5-year follow-up (β=-0.006 m/s, 95% CI: -0.012 to -0.002, P=0.025), which was independent of demographics and biological factors.

Conclusion

E/A abnormality is associated with a higher risk of CH. Higher baseline E/A ratio may be associated with decreased relative changes in RWT.

Association of antecedent cardiovascular risk factor levels and trajectories with cardiovascular magnetic resonance-derived cardiac function and structure

BACKGROUND

The association of longitudinal trajectories of cardiovascular risk factors with cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)-measures of cardiac structure and function in the community is not well known. Therefore we aimed to relate risk factor levels from different examination cycles to CMR-measures of the left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle in a population-based cohort.

METHODS

We assessed conventional cardiovascular disease risk factors in 349 participants (143 women; aged 25-59 years) at three examination cycles (Exam 1 [baseline], at Exam 2 [7-years follow-up] and at Exam 3 [14-years follow-up]) of the KORA S4 cohort and related single-point measurements of individual risk factors and longitudinal trajectories of these risk factors to various CMR-measures obtained at Exam 3.

RESULTS

High levels of diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and LDL-cholesterol at the individual exams were associated with worse cardiac function and structure. Trajectory clusters representing higher levels of the individual risk factors were associated with worse cardiac function and structure compared to low risk trajectory clusters of individual risk factors. Multivariable (combining different risk factors) trajectory clusters were associated with different cardiac parameters in a graded fashion (e.g. decrease of LV stroke volume for middle risk cluster β = - 4.91 ml/m2, 95% CI - 7.89; - 1.94, p < 0.01 and high risk cluster β = - 7.00 ml/m2, 95% CI - 10.73; - 3.28, p < 0.001 compared to the low risk cluster). The multivariable longitudinal trajectory clusters added significantly to explain variation in CMR traits beyond the multivariable risk profile obtained at Exam 3.

CONCLUSIONS

Cardiovascular disease risk factor levels, measured over a time period of 14 years, were associated with CMR-derived measures of cardiac structure and function. Longitudinal multivariable trajectory clusters explained a greater proportion of the inter-individual variation in cardiac traits than multiple risk factor assessed contemporaneous with the CMR exam.

Investigation of the prevalence of Cognitive Impairment and its risk factors within the elderly population in Shanghai, China

To investigate the prevalence of cognitive impairment and its risk factors among Chinese elders aged over 80 years, a community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2016 in Shanghai, China. Cognitive function was measured by using Mini-Mental Status Examination. Multiple logistic regression assessed associations between risk factors and cognitive impairment. Of 480 participants, 30% were diagnosed with cognitive impairment. Women [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-2.83], solitary life (AOR: 3.15, 1.89-5.26), monthly income less than 2000 Chinese yuan (AOR: 3.47, 1.18-10.23) were significantly associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment, compared with men, non-solitary life, and monthly income greater than 4000 Chinese yuan, respectively. Overweight (AOR: 0.59, 0.36-0.97), being physically active at least 60 minutes per day (AOR: 0.59, 0.35-0.95), antihypertensive drugs users (AOR: 0.45, 0.28-0.72), and lipid lowering drugs users (AOR: 0.21, 0.06-0.76) significantly lowered the risk of cognitive impairment, compared with normal weight, inadequate outdoor activity, and non-medication users, respectively. Accordingly, this study found that women, solitary life, lower income was associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment, while overweight, being physically active, and antihypertensive and lipid lowering drugs usage might lower the risk.

Incidence and predictors of left ventricular remodeling among elderly Asian women: a community-based cohort study

Background

Left ventricular (LV) remodeling is closely linked to the progression of heart failure. There are limited data on the epidemiology of new onset LV remodeling among elderly women, which requires further investigation.

Method

We examined data from a community-based cohort of women aged > 65 years, who had received > 2 echocardiography scans from 2009 to 2014. Exclusion criteria for patients included prior echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular enlargement (LVE) or hypertrophy (LVH). LVE was defined as the index of left ventricular internal diameter at end-diastole to height, and LVH was defined as the left ventricular mass and thickness index which indicate hypertrophy.

Results

Of the 474 subjects (age 71.85 ± 6.47 years), 49 (10.3%) developed LVH, while 55 (11.6%) developed LVE during the mean follow-up period of 5 years. Independent predictors of LVH included: central blood pressure (CBP, per 10 mmHg) [HR 1.094, 95% CI 1.011–1.202], BMI˃25(kg/m ²)[HR 1.306, 95% CI 1.175–1.434], B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) ≥ 100 (pg/mL) [HR 1.635, 95% CI 1.107–3.311] and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) ≥16 m/s [HR 1.605, 95% CI 1.474–2.039]. Predictors of LVE were CBP (per 10 mmHg) [HR 1.121, 95% CI 1.027–1.238], BMI˃25(kg/m ²)[HR 1.302, 95% CI 1.173–1.444], Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) [HR 1.193, 95%CI 1.013–1.405] and E/e’ ratio [HR 1.077, 95% CI 1.017–1.140].

Conclusion

CBP and BMI were demonstrated to be independent and robust predictors of left ventricular remodeling among elderly women, including both LVE and LVH. BNP and baPWV were specifically related to the development of LVH, whereas LDL-C and E/e’ ratio were related to LVE.

Longitudinal changes in late systolic cardiac load and serum NT-proBNP levels in healthy middle-aged Japanese men

BACKGROUND

We determined whether any significant association exists between change in late systolic cardiac load with time, estimated by radial pressure waveform analysis, and development of cardiac hemodynamic stress in individuals with preserved cardiac function.

METHODS

Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, radial augmentation index (rAI), first peak of the radial pressure waveform (SP1), systolic and pulse pressure at the second peak of the radial pressure waveform (SP2 and PP2), and serum levels of N-terminal fragment B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were measured at the start (first examination) and at the end (second examination) of this 3-year study in healthy Japanese men (n = 1,851).

RESULTS

A stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis demonstrated that among the parameters of radial pressure waveform analysis and markers of arterial stiffness analyzed, only PP2 was significantly associated with serum NT-proBNP levels in study participants at both the first and second examinations. Furthermore, among the parameters analyzed, only change in PP2 was significantly correlated with the change in serum NT-proBNP levels during the study period (beta = 0.131, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Sustained late systolic cardiac load might be a more significant determinant of the development of cardiac hemodynamic stress than sustained early systolic cardiac load or arterial stiffening in individuals with preserved cardiac function.