Executive summary of the Hellenic Atherosclerosis Society guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of dyslipidemias - 2023

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the main cause of death worldwide, and thus its prevention, early diagnosis and treatment is of paramount importance. Dyslipidemia represents a major ASCVD risk factor that should be adequately managed at different clinical settings. 2023 guidelines of the Hellenic Atherosclerosis Society focus on the assessment of ASCVD risk, laboratory evaluation of dyslipidemias, new and emerging lipid-lowering drugs, as well as diagnosis and treatment of lipid disorders in women, the elderly and in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, acute coronary syndromes, heart failure, stroke, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Statin intolerance is also discussed.

P5324Children with familial hypercholesterolemia: lipid profile, treatment and evaluation of different formulas for calculating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: an analysis from the HELLAS-FH registry

Introduction

There is limited data on cardiometabolic characteristics and treatment of underage patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Accurate estimation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is essential to tailor hypolipidemic treatment.

Purpose

To report lipid profile and current treatment of underage patients with FH in Greece as recorded in the HELLAS-FH registry. Also, to compare the Friedewald with the Martin/Hopkins equation, (which provides a customized estimation of VLDL-C) and the Dahlen's formula [(which adjusts the LDL-C measurements for the amount of cholesterol in Lp(a)].

Methods

Underage patients with FH were evaluated. Lipid profile, current treatment regimen as well as LDL-C levels as assessed with different formulas were evaluated.

Results

A total of 191 children were included (51.0% boys, 11.0±3.5 years old). Children at baseline had mean LDL-C as calculated by the Friedewald equation (LDL-CF) 233±65 mg/dL and median Lp(a) 15.3 (IQR 8–51) mg/dL. A total of 59.2% of subjects were receiving hypolipidemic treatment, mainly statins (29.4%) and sterols/stanols (25.5%). Children on hypolipidemic therapy had mean LDL-CF 183±98 mg/dL with 22.1% achieving an LDL-C≤130 mg/dL. When LDL-C was calculated based on the Martin-Hopkins equation (LDL-CM/H) respective values were 180±58 mg/dL and 24.8%. When LDL-C was corrected for Lp(a) [= LDL-CM/H − (Lp(a) * 0.30)], LDL-C was 174±105 mg/dL with 33.3% of patients within the LDL-C target.

Conclusions

Nearly two-thirds of children were receiving some kind of hypolipidemic treatment at the time of registration. For those on treatment, LDL-C goal is achieved by one in five, which rises to 1 in 3 when LDL-C is corrected for Lp(a) levels.

P5321The association of Lp(a) levels and cardiovascular disease in adult patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: analysis from the HELLAS-FH registry

Introduction

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) as well as elevated Lp(a) levels are both associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. There are limited data on the association of Lp(a) levels with CVD in FH Patients.

Purpose

To evaluate the association between Lp(a) levels and CVD in adult FH patients included in the HELLAS-FH registry in Greece.

Methods

Adult patients with FH and measured Lp(a) levels were included in this analysis. Demographics, CVD prevalence and lipid profile were evaluated.

Results

A total of 337 patients were evaluated (46% male, 48.3±15.4 years old). The median [IQR] of Lp(a) at baseline was 22.6 (9.7–56.2) mg/dL. Patients were categorized into 4 different groups according to the Lp(a) levels quartiles. There was no gender or age difference between the 4 groups. Moreover, all groups had similar smoking status, hypertension, body mass index and type 2 diabetes prevalence. There was no significant difference between groups regarding baseline and on treatment lipid profile. We observed a significant positive association between Lp(a) quartile and coronary artery disease (CAD) prevalence (p=0.004). Patients in the highest vs lowest quartile had greater CAD prevalence (21.7% vs 7%, p=0.006). No association was observed between Lp(a) quartile and the prevalence of cerebrovascular disease or peripheral artery disease.

Conclusions

Elevated Lp(a) levels have a positive correlation with CAD in patients with FH.

Treatment of Early Vascular Ageing

Artery disease can be identified from ankle-brachial index (peripheral artery disease), pulse wave velocity (arterial stiffness), carotid intima media thickness (atherosclerosis) and flow-mediated dilation (endothelial dysfunction). Arterial stiffness is a marker of cardiovascular disease associated with cardiovascular events. Increased vascular ageing is the acceleration of arterial stiffness inappropriate for the given chronological age. Treatment of early vascular ageing seems to be important if we target primary cardiovascular prevention. Known factors that postpone the progression of vascular ageing may include lifestyle interventions such as physical exercise, moderate alcohol consumption, reduced salt consumption and weight reduction, factors that may preserve the vessels healthier than what expected for the chronological age. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea and dyslipidemia are factors accelerating vessels damage and should be treated and maintained over time well controlled. In the future, trials are needed in order to identify the best combination of treatment as well as to identify drugs targeting on the vessels ageing.

Hypertensive complications of pregnancy: A clinical overview

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are a worldwide health problem for women and their infants complicating up to 10% of pregnancies and associated with increased maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. In Europe, 2.3-3% of pregnancies are complicated by preeclampsia. Gestational diabetes, obesity, no previous or multiple births, maternal age less than 20 or greater than 35years old and thrombophilia can be some of the possible factors related to increased risk for hypertension in pregnancy. Complications of hypertension during pregnancy affect both mothers and their infants. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring helps to distinguish true hypertension from the white coat as pregnant women with office abnormal values may have normal out of office blood pressure. Imbalance between proangiogenic and antiangiogenic factors in placenta may lead to endothelial dysfunction, vasoconstriction, activation of the coagulation system, and hemolysis. Carotid intima-media thickness, pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, and arterial wall tension were found to be significantly increased in women with preeclampsia compared to normotensive pregnant women. Uterine artery Doppler and serum biomarkers can be used to evaluate the probability of hypertension and complications during pregnancy, but further research in the field is needed. Lately, micro ribonucleic acids have also been the focus of research as potential biomarkers.

Gut microbiota in kidney disease and hypertension

The human gut microbiota is being composed of more than one hundred trillion microbial cells, including aerobic and anaerobic species as well as gram-positive and negative species. Animal based evidence suggests that the change of normal gut microbiota is responsible for several clinical implications including blood pressure increase and kidney function reduction. Trimethylamine-N-Oxide, short-chain fatty acids and inflammatory factors are originated from the gut microbes and may induce changes in arteries, kidneys and blood pressure. Prebiotics and probiotics change the gut microbiota and may reduce high blood pressure and ameliorate chronic kidney disease suggesting a new treatment target in patients for the initial stages of hypertension concomitant with other life style changes such as increased physical exercise and weight reduction to reduce cardiovascular disease complications.

Perceived treatment group affects behavioral and neural responses to visceral pain in a deceptive placebo study

BACKGROUND

To assess effects of perceived treatment (i.e. drug vs placebo) on behavioral and neural responses to rectal pain stimuli delivered in a deceptive placebo condition.

METHODS

This fMRI study analyzed the behavioral and neural responses during expectation-mediated placebo analgesia in a rectal pain model. In N = 36 healthy subjects, the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response during cued anticipation and painful stimulation was measured after participants were informed that they had a 50% chance of receiving either a potent analgesic drug or an inert substance (i.e., double-blind administration). In reality, all received placebo. We compared responses in subjects who retrospectively indicated that they received the drug and those who believed to have received placebo.

KEY RESULTS

55.6% (N = 20) of subjects believed that they had received a placebo, whereas 36.1% (N = 13) believed that they had received a potent analgesic drug. Subjects who were uncertain (8.3%, N = 3) were excluded. Rectal pain-induced discomfort was significantly lower in the perceived drug treatment group (P < 0.05), along with significantly reduced activation of the insular, the posterior and anterior cingulate cortices during pain anticipation, and of the anterior cingulate cortex during pain (all P < 0.05 in regions-of-interest analyses).

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Perceived treatment constitutes an important aspect in placebo analgesia. A more refined understanding of individual treatment expectations and perceived treatment allocation has multiple implications for the design and interpretation of clinical trials and experimental studies on placebo and nocebo effects.

Periodic fever as the only presenting symptom of multiple myeloma in a young man

We describe a 30-year-old male patient presenting with periodic fever. The patient underwent a series of laboratory tests, X-rays and CT scans. Quantitative immunoglobulin showed IgG 3210.00 mg/dl, IgA 20.00 mg/dl and IgM 27.70 mg/dl. Serum protein electrophoresis revealed a peak with a broad gamma band. Immunofixation revealed an immunoglobulin G -lambda monoclonal component. A bone marrow biopsy established the presence of multiple myeloma. To our knowledge, a periodic 24-hour-lasting fever as the only presenting symptom of multiple myeloma has never been reported.

Impact of gender on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure and target organ damage

Differences between male and female subjects in mean 24 h blood pressure (BP) values and target organ damage such as left ventricular mass (LVMASS) and intima-media thickness (IMT) of carotid arteries were explained. The study population consisted of 1,445 subjects. All subjects underwent 24 h ambulatory BP monitoring, left ventricular echocardiography and measurement of IMT of carotid arteries. Men and women did not differ in age, body mass index (BMI) and clinic BP values. Mean 24 h systolic and diastolic BP were significantly higher in men compared to women. LVMASS corrected for body surface area or height(2.7), IMT of common (MCCA) and internal (MICA) carotid arteries were found to be significantly higher in men compared to women. Analysis of covariance showed that men had significantly higher LVMASS, MCCA and MICA than women, after adjustment for BMI, age, smoking status, mean 24 h systolic and diastolic BPs, fasting serum glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides. These findings indicate that male sex could be an important predictor of higher mean 24 h BP and target organ damage for subjects of similar BMI and clinic BP values.

Factors influencing acute blood pressure values in stroke subtypes

The aim of this prospective observational study was to determine the association of acute blood pressure values with independent factors (demographic, clinical characteristics, early complications) in stroke subgroups of different aetiology. We evaluated data of 346 first-ever acute (<24 h) stroke patients treated in our stroke unit. Casual and 24-h blood pressure (BP) values were measured. Stroke risk factors and stroke severity on admission were documented. Strokes were divided into subgroups of different aetiopathogenic mechanism. Patients were imaged with CT-scan on admission and 5 days later to determine the presence of brain oedema and haemorrhagic transformation. The relationship of different factors to 24-h BP values (24-h BP) was evaluated separately in each stroke subgroup. In large artery atherosclerotic stroke (n=59), history of hypertension and stroke severity correlated with higher 24-h BP respectively. In cardioembolic stroke (n=87), history of hypertension, stroke severity, haemorrhagic transformation and brain oedema were associated with higher 24-h BP, while heart failure with lower 24-h BP. History of hypertension and coronary artery disease was related to higher and lower 24-h BP, respectively, in lacunar stroke (n=75). In patients with infarct of undetermined (n=57) cause 24-h BP were mainly influenced by stroke severity and history of hypertension. An independent association between higher 24-h BP and history of hypertension and cerebral oedema was documented in intracerebral haemorrhage (n=68). In conclusion, different factors influence acute BP values in stroke subtypes of different aetiology. If the clinical significance of these observations is verified, a differentiated approach in acute BP management based on stroke aetiology may be considered.

Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy for Kidney Stones Reduces Blood Pressure: Use of 24-Hour Ambulatory Monitoring for Study of Blood-Pressure Changes Induced by SWL

PURPOSE

To investigate the effects of shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) on blood pressure with the use of 24-hour ambulatory blood-pressure monitoring (ABPM).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We studied three groups of patients. Group I consisted of 60 patients with kidney stones treated with SWL. Group II was formed by 30 patients with stones in the lower third of the ureter treated in situ with SWL, and group III consisted of 30 patients with ureteral stones treated with ureteroscopy (URS). The ABPM measurements were performed before stone treatment, immediately after, and then every 3 months through 1 year.

RESULTS

There was no new onset of hypertension in any group. The prevalences of hypertension before stone treatment were 21 (35%), 12 (40%), and 9 (30%) for groups I, II, and III, respectively. One-year post treatment, the numbers of hypertensive patients found for groups I, II, and III were 15 (25%), 11 (33.3%), and 8 (22.2%), respectively. In group I, a statistically significant decrease in blood pressure values was noted 1 year post-treatment (p<0.05). This decrease was related (p<0.05) to the power (r=0.35), as well as to the product of the number and the power (r=0.25), of the shockwaves applied.

CONCLUSION

Extracorporeal lithotripsy for kidney stone may be responsible for a drop in blood pressure possibly caused by alteration in intrarenal metabolism.