Echocardiographic left ventricular mass index predicts incident stroke in African Americans: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Closing the Last Mile Gap in Access to Multimodality Imaging in Rural Settings: Design of the Imaging Core of the Risk Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal Study

Achieving optimal cardiovascular health in rural populations can be challenging for several reasons including decreased access to care with limited availability of imaging modalities, specialist physicians, and other important health care team members. Therefore, innovative solutions are needed to optimize health care and address cardiovascular health disparities in rural areas. Mobile examination units can bring imaging technology to underserved or remote communities with limited access to health care services. Mobile examination units can be equipped with a wide array of assessment tools and multiple imaging modalities such as computed tomography scanning and echocardiography. The detailed structural assessment of cardiovascular and lung pathology, as well as the detection of extracardiac pathology afforded by computed tomography imaging combined with the functional and hemodynamic assessments acquired by echocardiography, yield deep phenotyping of heart and lung disease for populations historically underrepresented in epidemiological studies. Moreover, by bringing the mobile examination unit to local communities, innovative approaches are now possible including engagement with local professionals to perform these imaging assessments, thereby augmenting local expertise and experience. However, several challenges exist before mobile examination unit-based examinations can be effectively integrated into the rural health care setting including standardizing acquisition protocols, maintaining consistent image quality, and addressing ethical and privacy considerations. Herein, we discuss the potential importance of cardiac multimodality imaging to improve cardiovascular health in rural regions, outline the emerging experience in this field, highlight important current challenges, and offer solutions based on our experience in the RURAL (Risk Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal) cohort study.

The ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) Study: JACC Focus Seminar 3/8

ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities) initiated community-based surveillance in 1987 for myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence and mortality and created a prospective cohort of 15,792 Black and White adults ages 45 to 64 years. The primary aims were to improve understanding of the decline in CHD mortality and identify determinants of subclinical atherosclerosis and CHD in Black and White middle-age adults. ARIC has examined areas including health disparities, genomics, heart failure, and prevention, producing more than 2,300 publications. Results have had strong clinical impact and demonstrate the importance of population-based research in the spectrum of biomedical research to improve health.

Prevalence of and risk factors for abnormal left ventricular geometrical patterns in hypertensive subjects administered irbesartan

Background

Distinct populations differ in LVH prevalence and impaired LV geometry. Currently, the prevalence of and risk factors for LV geometric patterns in Chinese hypertensives administered irbesartan have not been specifically addressed in large studies.

Methods

Totally 10,883 patients (6623 men and 4260 women) completed the survey, including 1181 hypertensives administered irbesartan (488 males and 693 females) that were finally enrolled. Based on LVMI and RWT derived from comprehensive echocardiography, the LV geometric patterns of irbesartan‐treated hypertensive individuals were classified into four types, including the normal, concentric remodeling, and concentric and eccentric hypertrophy groups. Logistic regression analysis was applied in males and females, respectively, for determining odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for various potential risk factors for abnormal LV geometrical patterns in irbesartan‐treated hypertensives.

Results

The clinical and echocardiographic data differed significantly between males and females. The prevalence rates of concentric remodeling, concentric hypertrophy, and eccentric hypertrophy were 36.3%, 15.4%, and 6.1% in males, respectively, and 23.5%, 20.3%, and 23.8% in females, accordingly. Gender, daily dose of irbesartan, BMI, SBP, WtHR, and neck‐circumference were significantly associated with LV geometric patterns. After adjustment for confounding factors, risk factors for LVH and impaired LV geometry included SBP, WtHR in males, and MAU‐Cr and WtHR in females.

Conclusions

LVH and impaired LV geometric patterns are more prevalent in females (67.7%) compared with that in males (57.8%) among hypertensives upon irbesartan administration. For such population, risk factors beyond elevated blood pressure may be involved in the progression of LVH and impaired LV geometric patterns in both genders.

Left ventricular mass and urinary metabolomics in young black and white adults: The African-PREDICT study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Increased left ventricular mass is an independent predictor for cardiovascular events, and shown to be higher in black than white populations. To gain a better understanding of early factors contributing to increased left ventricular mass in young black adults, we investigated metabolomic profiles, identified and compared metabolites that associated with left ventricular mass index in healthy black and white adults.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We included normotensive black and white participants from the African-PREDICT study, with data on urinary metabolomics and echocardiography. Urinary metabolites were measured using three different analytical platforms. Univariate statistical analyses, including independent t-test (adjusted for multiple comparisons), effect size (d ≥ 0.3) and single regression analyses were used to identify metabolites. When comparing the black and white groups, the black group had higher central systolic blood pressure (p > 0.005), whereas left ventricular mass index was similar between the groups (p = 0.97). Three from a total of 192 metabolites were identified to be more abundant (p < 0.046) and inversely associated with left ventricular mass index in the black group only: hydroxyproline (β = -0.22; p = 0.045), glycine (β = -0.20; p = 0.049) and trimethylamine (β = -0.21; p = 0.037).

CONCLUSION

Higher urinary levels of hydroxyproline, glycine and trimethylamine were inversely associated with left ventricular mass index in the black adults only. Hydroxyproline and glycine are important in maintaining healthy collagen turnover and stability in the heart. Our results may reflect an increase in collagen biosynthesis and collagen deposition in the left ventricle due to higher central systolic blood pressure in the black population.

Evaluation of Left Ventricular Systolic Function and Mass in Primary Hypertensive Patients by Echocardiography

Hypertension is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The accurate evaluation of cardiovascular risk is of paramount importance in the management of hypertensive patients. Conventional echocardiographic methods have provided the assessment of left ventricular systolic function and mass for many years. Tissue Doppler imaging, 3-dimensional echocardiography, and speckle tracking echocardiography are newer echocardiographic modalities for the left ventricular systolic function and mass quantification. The major emphasis of this review is to evaluate the left ventricular systolic function and mass by conventional and newly developed echocardiographic in hypertensive patients.

Estimate of ischemic stroke prevalence according to a novel 4-tiered classification of left ventricular hypertrophy: insights from the general Chinese population

BACKGROUND

Recently, a novel 4-tiered classification of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) based on ventricular dilatation (indexed LV end-diastolic volume [EDV]) and concentricity (mass/EDV^0.67) has improved all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk stratification. However, their possible association with ischemic stroke has not been extensively evaluated in the general population.

METHODS

We evaluated a cross-sectional study of 11,037 subjects from the general population of China in whom echocardiographic and ischemic stroke data were available to subdivide patients with LVH into four geometric patterns: indeterminate, dilated, thick and both thick and dilated hypertrophy.

RESULTS

Compared with normal LV geometry, indeterminate and thick hypertrophy showed a higher prevalence of ischemic stroke (p < .05). Ischemic stroke was significantly greater in participants with indeterminate (adjusted odd ratio [OR]:1.635, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.115-2.398) and thick (2.143 [1.329-3.456]) hypertrophy but not significantly in those with dilated (1.251 [0.803-1.950]) and both thick and dilated hypertrophy (0.926 [0.435-1.971]) compared with normal geometry in multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Indeterminate and thick hypertrophy were significantly associated with the presence of ischemic stroke in the general Chinese population. The new 4-tiered categorization of LVH can permit a better understanding of which subjects are at high enough risk for ischemic stroke to warrant early targeted therapy. Key messages This was the first study to investigate whether a 4-tiered classification of LVH defines subgroups in the general population that are at variable risks of ischemic stroke. We identified that thick hypertrophy carried the greatest odd for ischemic stroke, independently of traditional risk factors, followed by indeterminate hypertrophy. The new 4-tiered categorization of LVH emerged as a valuable operational approach, a potential alternative to LVM, to refine ischemic stroke stratification in general population.

QTc dispersion and Cornell duration product can predict 10-year outcomes in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy

BACKGROUND

Persistent and adequate treatment of patients with arterial hypertension leads to more favorable disease outcome.

HYPOTHESIS

Aside for the present left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), there are other non-invasive parameters which can represent additional predictors of unfavorable prognosis in patients with essential arterial hypertension during the 10-year follow-up.

METHODS

A hypertensive group with LVH (124 patients; age 57.0 ± 8.0; 84 males and 40 females) was included in the study and examined noninvasively. Patients used regular medication therapy during the follow-up period.

RESULTS

During the 10-year follow-up period, unfavorable outcome was recorded for 40 (32.3%) patients. Patients with unfavorable outcome had higher baseline values of left ventricular mass index (178.9 ± 29.5 g/m² vs 165.5 ± 29.5 g/m² ; P < 0.05) and QTc dispersion (64.1 ± 24.7 ms vs 54.8 ± 19.4 ms; P < 0.05). Frequency of positive Cornell product was higher in the group of patients with unfavorable outcome (35% vs 22.2%; P < 0.01). Positive Lyon-Sokolow score did not show statistical significance (25% vs 11.9%; P = 0.06). Cornell product (β = 0.234; P < 0.01) and QTc dispersion >65 ms (β = 0.184; P < 0.05) had prognostic significance in LVH (multiple regression analysis: R = 0.314, R = 0.099, adjusted R = 0.084, standard error of the estimate = 0.449, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with a positive Cornell product and larger QTc dispersion had more unfavorable 10-year outcomes compared with other patients with LVH.

Life Course Socioeconomic Position and Subclinical Disease: The Jackson Heart Study

OBJECTIVES

African Americans experience higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and lower childhood and adult socioeconomic position (SEP). Research that examines the associations of multiple measures of SEP with subclinical CVD markers among African Americans is limited.

METHODS

Data from the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) were used to examine cross-sectional associations of childhood SEP and adult SEP with subclinical markers among 4,756 African American participants (mean age 54, 64% female), adjusting for age, health behaviors and CVD risk factors. Subclinical markers included prevalent left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), peripheral artery disease (PAD), coronary artery calcification (CAC), and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT).

RESULTS

The prevalence of LVH, PAD and CAC was 7%, 6% and 45%, respectively. The mean CIMT was .72 ± .17 mm. In fully-adjusted models, having a college education was inversely associated with PAD (OR, .27; 95% CI .13,.56) and CIMT (β=-29.7, P<.01). Income was inversely associated with LVH after adjustment for health behaviors (OR, .49 95% CI .25,.96), though associations attenuated in the fully-adjusted model. Measures of childhood SEP (material resources and mother's education) were not consistently associated with subclinical disease measures other than a positive association between material resources and CIMT.

CONCLUSIONS

Subclinical disease markers were patterned by adult SEP measures among African Americans.

Residential Proximity to Major Roadways Is Not Associated with Cardiac Function in African Americans: Results from the Jackson Heart Study

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart failure, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly among African Americans. Exposure to ambient air pollution, such as that produced by vehicular traffic, is believed to be associated with heart failure, possibly by impairing cardiac function. We evaluated the cross-sectional association between residential proximity to major roads, a marker of long-term exposure to traffic-related pollution, and echocardiographic indicators of left and pulmonary vascular function in African Americans enrolled in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS): left ventricular ejection fraction, E-wave velocity, isovolumic relaxation time, left atrial diameter index, and pulmonary artery systolic pressure. We examined these associations using multivariable linear or logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders. Of 4866 participants at study enrollment, 106 lived <150 m, 159 lived 150–299 m, 1161 lived 300–999 m, and 3440 lived ≥1000 m from a major roadway. We did not observe any associations between residential distance to major roads and these markers of cardiac function. Results were similar with additional adjustment for diabetes and hypertension, when considering varying definitions of major roadways, or when limiting analyses to those free from cardiovascular disease at baseline. Overall, we observed little evidence that residential proximity to major roads was associated with cardiac function among African Americans.

The effect of obesity on electrocardiographic detection of hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy: recalibration against cardiac magnetic resonance

Electrocardiograph (ECG) criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) are a widely used clinical tool. We recalibrated six ECG criteria for LVH against gold-standard cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and assessed the impact of obesity. One hundred and fifty consecutive tertiary hypertension clinic referrals for CMR (1.5 T) were reviewed. Patients with cardiac pathology potentially confounding hypertensive LVH were excluded (n=22). The final sample size was 128 (age: 51.0±15.2 years, 48% male). LVH was defined by CMR. From a 12-lead ECG, Sokolow–Lyon voltage and product, Cornell voltage and product, Gubner–Ungerleidger voltage and Romhilt–Estes score were evaluated, blinded to the CMR. ECG diagnostic performance was calculated. LVH by CMR was present in 37% and obesity in 51%. Obesity significantly reduced ECG sensitivity, because of significant attenuation in mean ECG values for Cornell voltage (22.2±5.7 vs 26.4±9.4 mm, P<0.05), Cornell product (2540±942 vs 3023±1185 mm • ms, P<0.05) and for Gubner–Ungerleider voltage (18.2±7.1 vs 23.3±1.2 mm, P<0.05). Obesity also significantly reduced ECG specificity, because of significantly higher prevalence of LV remodeling (no LVH but increased mass-to-volume ratio) in obese subjects without LVH (36% vs 16%, P<0.05), which correlated with higher mean ECG LVH criteria values. Obesity-specific partition values were generated at fixed 95% specificity; Cornell voltage had highest sensitivity in non-obese (56%) and Sokolow–Lyon product in obese patients (24%). Obesity significantly lowers ECG sensitivity at detecting LVH, by attenuating ECG LVH values, and lowers ECG specificity through changes associated with LV remodeling. Our obesity-specific ECG partition values could improve the diagnostic performance in obese patients with hypertension.

Prevalence and risk factors of abnormal left ventricular geometrical patterns in untreated hypertensive patients

Background

The various prevalence of LVH and abnormal LV geometry have been reported in different populations. So far, only a few reports are available on the prevalence of LV geometric patterns in a large Chinese untreated hypertensive population.

Methods

A total of 9,286 subjects (5167 men and 4119 women) completed the survey and 1641 untreated hypertensive patients (1044 males and 597 females) enrolled in the present study. The LV geometry was classified into four patterns: normal; abnormal,defined as concentric remodeling;concentric or eccentric hypertrophy based on the values of left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and relative wall thickness (RWT). Logistic regression model was applied to determine the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the risk factors of left ventricular hypertrophy.

Results

The prevalence of LVH was 20.2% in untreated hypertensive patients, much higher in women (30.8%) than in men (14.2%) (P < 0.01). The prevalence of LV geometrical patterns was 34.9%, 11.1%, 9.1% for concentric remodeling, concentric and eccentric hypertrophy,respectively. After adjustment by using Logistic regression model, the risk factors for LVH and abnormal LV geometry were age, female, systolic blood pressure, and body mass index. And low high density lipoprotein maybe a positive factor.

Conclusions

The prevalence of LVH and abnormal LV geometric patterns was higher in women than in men and increased with age. It is crucial to improve the awareness rate of hypertension and control the risk factors of CV complications in untreated hypertensive population.

Prevalence and covariates of abnormal left ventricular geometry in never-treated hypertensive patients in Tanzania

AIM. To assess prevalence, type and covariates of abnormal left ventricular (LV) geometry in untreated native Tanzanian patients with hypertension in relation to normotensive controls. METHODS. Echocardiography was performed in 161 untreated hypertensive outpatients and 80 normotensive controls at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania. Hypertensive heart disease was defined as presence of increased LV mass or relative wall thickness (RWT). RESULTS. The prevalence of hypertensive heart disease increased with the severity of hypertension and was on average 62.1% among patients and 12.5% in controls. In multivariate analyses, higher LV mass index was associated with higher systolic blood pressure (β = 0.28), body mass index (β = 0.20), peak early transmitral to medial mitral annulus velocity ratio (β = 0.16), and with lower stress-corrected midwall shortening (scMWS) (β = - 0.44) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (β = - 0.16), all p < 0.05. Higher RWT was associated with higher systolic blood pressure (β = 0.16), longer E-wave deceleration time (β = 0.23) and lower scMWS (β = - 0.66), irrespective of LV mass (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSION. Subclinical hypertensive heart disease is highly prevalent in untreated native hypertensive Tanzanians and associated with both systolic and diastolic LV dysfunction. Management of hypertension in Africans should include high focus on subclinical hypertensive heart disease.

Addressing the relationship between cardiac hypertrophy and ischaemic stroke: an observational study

INTRODUCTION

Research over the last decade has recognized left ventricular hypertrophy as a risk factor for major cardiovascular events including stroke. While cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is the best modality to quantify left ventricular hypertrophy, echocardiographic calculation of left ventricular mass index is a reasonable alternative.

METHODS

We carried out a hospital based prospective study to identify the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy, assessed using echocardiography, in patients presenting with ischaemic strokes. This is the first study that attempted to quantify this issue in a cohort of Sri Lankan patients. The study was carried out in the National Hospital of Sri Lanka over a period of 6 months.

RESULTS

A total of 55 patients (44 males, 80%) (mean age: 62.3, range: 48-82 years) with ischaemic strokes were studied. Of them, only 38 could be mobilized to measure the height and weight to calculate the left ventricular mass index. Of the rest, only one person had the electrocardiographic criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy. Of the 38 patients evaluated, 29 (76.3%) had left ventricular hypertrophy while 19 (50%) had severe hypertrophy.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The rates of left ventricular hypertrophy reported in similar studies in other countries vary between 25-62%. Given the high prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy reported in this study and its recognition as a risk factor for stroke recently, together with the availability of effective treatment for risk reduction, the cost effectiveness of population screening should be evaluated. Further studies are planned in this regard.

Relation between carotid intima-media thickness and left ventricular mass in type 1 diabetes mellitus (from the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications [EDIC] Study)

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with early atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular mortality. The relation between carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, and left ventricular (LV) mass, an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity, has not been previously studied in type 1 DM. The Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC) study is a multicenter observational study designed to follow up the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) cohort. LV mass was measured with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at EDIC year 15 and common cIMT was assessed using B-mode ultrasound at EDIC year 12. Multivariable linear regression models were used to assess the relation between cIMT at year 12 and LV mass at year 15. In total 889 participants had cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and cIMT measurements available for these analyses. At EDIC year 15, mean age of the participants was 49 ± 7 years, mean DM duration was 28 ± 5 years, and 52% were men. Spearman correlation coefficient (r) between LV mass and cIMT was 0.33 (p <0.0001). After adjusting for basic covariates (machine, reader, age, and gender), a significant association between LV mass and cIMT (estimate 2.0 g/m(2) per 0.1-mm cIMT increment, p <0.0001) was observed. This association was decreased by the addition of systolic blood pressure, in particular 1.15 g/m(2) per 0.1-mm cIMT increment (p <0.0001), and to a lesser extent other cardiovascular disease risk factors. Furthermore, the relation observed between LV mass and cIMT was stronger in patients with shorter duration of DM. In conclusion, cIMT was an independent predictor of larger LV mass in a well-characterized population with type 1 DM.

Correlations between left ventricular mass index and cerebrovascular lesion

Left ventricular (LV) mass and LV geometry are well-established measures of hypertension chronicity and severity, have a prognostic value on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and are related to asymptomatic cerebral small-artery disease (SAD) and largeartery disease (LAD). The aim of the present study was to clarify the different effects of LV mass and LV geometry on underlying SAD compared with its effects on underlying LAD in ischemic stroke patients. Four hundred three ischemic stroke patients underwent echocardiography to determine LV mass index and relative wall thickness. Brain magnetic resonance imaging, angiography, and carotid magnetic resonance angiography were preformed to detect LAD (≥50% stenosis) and SAD (leukoaraiosis, microbleeds, and old lacunar infarction) in the brain. Multivariate analyses showed that the LV mass index was highly associated with underlying SAD but not with underlying LAD. Among the various subtypes of SAD, only cerebral microbleeds were closely related to the LV mass index. Concentric LV hypertrophy was not related to the presence of either SAD or LAD. Subgroup analyses revealed that, among the various subtypes of SAD, only cerebral microbleeds were associated with concentric LV hypertrophy. In conclusion, cerebral microbleeds may imply more advanced target organ damage than underlying LAD and ischemic subtypes of SAD.

Traditional and nontraditional risk factors as predictors of cerebrovascular events in patients with end stage renal disease

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

End stage renal disease (ESRD) patients exhibit a higher risk of cerebrovascular events as compared with the general population. In 283 ESRD patients followed up for 10 years, we investigated the long-term predictive value for stroke and transient ischemic attacks of traditional and nontraditional risk factors. Data analysis was performed by a modified Cox regression analysis for repeated events and by a competing risks analysis.

RESULTS

During the follow-up, 61 cerebrovascular events occurred in 47 patients. On univariate Cox analysis, the risk of cerebrovascular outcomes was directly related to age, smoking, diabetes, BMI, systolic and pulse pressures, triglycerides, hemoglobin, history of stroke/transient ischemic attacks, arrhythmia and left ventricular mass index. Nontraditional risk factors in ESRD such as norepinephrine, homocysteine, interleukin-6 and asymmetric dimethylarginine failed to predict these events. In a multivariate Cox model for repeated events only smoking [hazard ratio: 2.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.29-4.65], age (hazard ratio: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.08), hemoglobin (hazard ratio: 1.28, 95% CI 1.06-1.54), triglycerides (hazard ratio: 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.08), pulse pressure (hazard ratio: 1.53, 95% CI 1.01-2.23) and left ventricular mass index (hazard ratio: 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.04) maintained an independent relationship with cerebrovascular events. The direct link between hemoglobin and cerebrovascular events was significantly stronger (P < 0.05) than that of the same variable and death.

CONCLUSION

The risk of stroke in ESRD depends mainly on traditional risk factors, high hemoglobin and left ventricular hypertrophy. Multiple interventions aimed to reduce arterial stiffness, left ventricular mass and smoking as well as to maintain hemoglobin within the recommended therapeutic range may have beneficial effects on the risk of cerebrovascular events in ESRD patients.

Echocardiographic assessment of hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack

BACKGROUND

Hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (HLVH) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity, mortality, and stroke. However, little is known about the importance of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in the assessment of HLVH in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA).

METHODS

We studied 203 consecutive patients admitted to our hospital with AIS or TIA and who were referred for TTE over the last 4 years. We included 102 (50.2%) lacunar strokes, 76 (37.1%) nonlacunar strokes, and 25 (12.3%) TIAs. The mean age was 68.9 years (standard deviation ± 11) and 128 patients were male (63.1%).

RESULTS

Hypertension was the most common risk factor (131 patients; 64.5%). HLVH was seen in 86 cases (42.3%), in 51.9% of patients with previous hypertension, and in 25% of patients without known hypertension. We found that neither stroke subtype nor any previous risk factor, with the exception of hypertension (P = .0001), were associated with HLVH. Patients with HLVH were younger (67 v 71 yrs; P = .013) and more frequently women (50.6% v 37.5%; P = .078). At discharge, patients with HLVH were more likely to receive antihypertensive treatment (97% v 80%; P = .009) and a higher average number of antihypertensive drugs (2.2 v 1.4; P = .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

HLVH was common in patients with AIS or TIA. These individuals had an increased risk of stroke and needed a more intensive therapy. TTE should be carried out in all AIS and TIA patients in order to optimize the management of these patients.

Heart failure in acute ischemic stroke

Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome that can result from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the ventricle to fill with or eject blood. Due to the aging of the population it has become a growing public health problem in recent decades. Diagnosis of HF is clinical and there is no diagnostic test, although some basic complementary testing should be performed in all patients. Depending on the ejection fraction (EF), the syndrome is classified as HF with low EF or HF with normal EF (HFNEF). Although prognosis in HF is poor, HFNEF seems to be more benign. HF and ischemic stroke (IS) share vascular risk factors such as age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation. Persons with HF have higher incidence of IS, varying from 1.7% to 10.4% per year across various cohort studies. The stroke rate increases with length of follow-up. Reduced EF, independent of severity, is associated with higher risk of stroke. Left ventricular mass and geometry are also related with stroke incidence, with concentric hypertrophy carrying the greatest risk. In HF with low EF, the stroke mechanism may be embolism, cerebral hypoperfusion or both, whereas in HFNEF the mechanism is more typically associated with chronic endothelial damage of the small vessels. Stroke in patients with HF is more severe and is associated with a higher rate of recurrence, dependency, and short term and long term mortality. Cardiac morbidity and mortality is also high in these patients. Acute stroke treatment in HF includes all the current therapeutic options to more carefully control blood pressure. For secondary prevention, optimal control of all vascular risk factors is essential. Antithrombotic therapy is mandatory, although the choice of a platelet inhibitor or anticoagulant drug depends on the cardiac disease. Trials are ongoing to evaluate anticoagulant therapy for prevention of embolism in patients with low EF who are at sinus rhythm.

Prevalence of transthoracic echocardiographic abnormalities in patients with ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage

INTRODUCTION

This study investigated the prevalence of transthoracic echocardiographic abnormalities in patients with ischemic stroke (IS), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in sinus rhythm.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The patients included 120 with IS, 30 with SAH, and 41 with ICH. All diagnoses were confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging or brain computed tomography. Two-dimensional echocardiograms were taken at the time stroke was diagnosed. All echocardiograms were interpreted by an experienced echocardiographer.

RESULTS

Of 120 IS patients, 1 (1%) had a left ventricular (LV) thrombus, 1 (1%) had mitral valve vegetations, 30 (25%) had LV hypertrophy, 26 (22%) had abnormal LV ejection fraction, 4 (3%) had mitral valve prolapse, 33 (28%) had mitral annular calcium (MAC), 40 (33%) had aortic valve calcium (AVC), 3 (3%) had a bioprosthetic aortic valve, 10 (8%) had aortic stenosis (AS), 6 (5%) had atrial septal aneurysm, 2 (2%) had patent foramen ovale, and 40 (33%) had no abnormalities. Of 30 SAH patients, 5 (17%) had LV hypertrophy, 1 (3%) had abnormal LV ejection fraction, 1 (3%) had AS, 4 (13%) had MAC, 5 (17%) had AVC, and 20 (67%) had no abnormalities. Of 41 ICH patients, 9 (22%) had LVH, 1 (2%) had abnormal LV ejection fraction, 1 (3%) had AS, 6 (15%) had MAC, 8 (20%) had AVC, and 22 (54%) had no abnormalities.

CONCLUSIONS

Transthoracic echocardiographic abnormalities are more prevalent in patients with IS than in patients with SAH or ICH.

Increased atherogenic lipoproteins are associated with cognitive impairment: effects of statins and subclinical atherosclerosis

Hypercholesterolemia increases the risk for dementia. Some studies suggest that statins may protect cognition, but findings are conflicting. Unmeasured confounders, including high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol or subclinical atherosclerosis, may have influenced prior study outcomes. In older adults participating in a population-based cohort study (n=1711, aged 65 to 97 y), we investigated the relationships of total and HDL cholesterol levels, statin use, and carotid intima-media thickness with the prevalence of cognitive impairment. In adjusted models, participants in the highest quartile of non-HDL (total-HDL) cholesterol had an increased odds of cognitive impairment compared with those in the lowest quartile [odds ratio (OR): 2.06, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07-3.98]. Statin use was associated with lower odds of cognitive impairment in unadjusted models (OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.36-0.89), but this relationship was not significant after adjusting for vascular and lifestyle factors (OR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.47-1.49). In this analysis of older adults, increased atherogenic lipoproteins were associated with impaired cognition. Statin use was related to many factors that both negatively and positively affect cognition, but was not associated with better cognitive function. These results suggest that confounding by indication may explain the contradictory findings in studies assessing the association of statins with cognition. Randomized-controlled clinical trials and longitudinal studies are necessary to determine if statins protect against cognitive decline.

A SAS program for calculating cumulative incidence of events (with confidence limits) and number at risk at specified time intervals with partially censored data

Correct analysis and interpretation of longitudinal (cohort) studies with partially censored time-to-event data requires that the cumulative count of events and censored observations as well as the number at risk be calculated at appropriate time points (for example, every year), by baseline group or stratum. We present here a simple SAS program, for use in situations in which competing risks do not need to be accounted for, that calculates, by baseline group or stratum, the cumulative event count, cumulative event probability (with upper and lower 95% confidence limits), and number at risk at selected time points that can be chosen by the user. We demonstrate the use of the program in the analysis of longitudinal time-to-event data from a prospective study, the Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (ARIC) Study, for four groups and a 10-year follow-up. The SAS code presented here is easy to follow and modify and can be incorporated quickly by the user for immediate use. It provides an especially valuable tool for less experienced SAS users.