Syncopal patients without prodromes exhibit a diverse pattern of adenosine release during head-up tilt test

Background/Introduction

In a significant proportion of patients with neurally-mediated syncope (NMS), the mechanism of syncope remains largely undetermined. Adenosine has been proposed as a central humoral factor in various forms of NMS: high Adenosine Plasma Levels (ADP) are encountered in patients with vasovagal syncope (VVS), low ADP in non-prodromes syncope (NPS), while ADP in patients with situational syncope SS are less well determined.

Purpose

We sought to assess ADP in patients with different clinical forms of syncope, with an emphasis on the presence or absence of prodromal symptoms, as well as the relation between ADP and the outcomes of Head-Up Tilt Table Test (HUTT) and Adenosine test (ADT).

Methods

Patients with different clinical types of NMS (n=124), i.e., VVS, NPS, or SS, were investigated using a standard protocol including HUTT and ADT. During HUTT, ADP was measured in the supine position, at table tilting, and in syncope.

Results

Baseline ADP did not differ among groups. ADP at syncope were higher in NPS compared to VVS (1.55±1.29 vs 0.16±0.05 μM, p=0.03) and SS (0.15±0.05 μM, p=0.02). In NPS, ADP increased from the supine position to the time of syncope (0.47±0.25 to 1.55±1.29 μM, p=0.04). In VVS, ADP increased only from the supine to the tilt position (0.23±0.04 to 0.35±0.10 μMu, p=0.02), while in SS ADP did not change in any stage of HUTT. SS was associated with cardioinhibitory HUTT (OR 3.40, 95% CI 1.05 to 9.56, p=0.04) and positive ADT (OR 4.22, 95% CI 1.47 to 11.46, p=0.012).

Conclusion(s)

A distinct pattern of ADP increase is noted during HUTT in NPS, suggesting that an excessive increase of ADP may play the key role in triggering this type of clinical presentation of syncope independently of the baseline ADP. Cardioinhibition prevails in patients with SS without clear adenosine involvement. Such observations contribute to an enhanced understanding of the pathophysiology of different clinical forms of syncope which may offer the possibility to tailor the management approach appropriately.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Prediction of long-term survival in haemoglobinopathies: insights from cardiac imaging and ferritin

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Aims.The data on echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and ferritin predicting long-term survival in haemoglobinopathies are scarce. The current study evaluated the association of these parameters with the 10-years survival in haemoglobinopathies.

Methods.This prospective study included stable consecutive haemoglobinopathy patients .Demographics, ferritin, echocardiography and CMR parameters were prospectively collected.

Results. In total, 83 patients (mean age 38.4 ± 12.0 years, 46% male) with haemoglobinopathies were included and dichotomized based on their survival status after a follow-up of 9.8 ± 1.4 years. Patients who died were older (45.3 ± 11.6 vs 37.1 ± 11.7 years, p = 0.025), had higher ferritin levels (2498 vs 754 ng/ml, p = 0.001), higher right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) (41 ± 10 vs 31 ± 11mmHg, p = 0.001), more frequently elevated left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic pressure (70 vs 35%, p = 0.039) and lower CMR T2* values (23 ± 12 vs 35 ± 12ms, p = 0.007). Older age (HR: 1.053, p = 0.018), ferritin >2000ng/ml (HR: 3.517, p = 0.03), and >950ng/ml (HR: 11,135, p = 0.02), elevated LV end-diastolic pressure (HR: 3.977, p = 0.046), RVSP >34mmHg(HR: 10,134, p = 0.003), CMR T2* <20msec (HR: 4.900, p = 0.018) and <36msec (HR: 9.376, p = 0.035) were associated with increased all-cause mortality. A baseline model including age was created andit became more predictive of worse survival by adding RVSP >34mmHg than elevated LV end-diastolic pressure (C index 0.777 vs. 0.757 respectively) or ferritin >950ng/ml than >2000ng/ml (C index 0.805 vs. 0.770 respectively) or CMR T2*<36msec than <20msec (C index 0.825 vs. 0.810 respectively).

Conclusions. In haemoglobinopathy patients, RVSP >34mmHg, ferritin >2000ng/ml and CMR T2* <20ms were associated with worse long term survival.In the current era of advanced chelation therapy, aiming for ferritin <950ng/ml and CMR T2* >36ms appears to improve their prognosis.

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