Ceruloplasmin and Lipofuscin Serum Concentrations Are Associated with Presence of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Oxidative stress reflects an imbalance between the systemic manifestation of reactive oxygen species and cells' ability to neutralize them by antioxidant systems. The role of oxidative stress in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is not fully understood. The aim of the study was to examine selected parameters of oxidative stress in patients with HCM compared to the control group. We enrolled 85 consecutive HCM patients and 97 controls without HCM. The groups were matched for sex, the body mass index, and age. Oxidative stress markers included superoxide dismutase (SOD), ceruloplasmin (CER), and lipofuscin (LPS). The median age of the HCM patients was 53 (40-63) years, and 41.2% of them were male. HCM patients, compared to the control ones, had significantly increased levels of CER and LPS. The areas under the receiver operating characteristics curves (AUC) indicated a good discriminatory power of CER (AUC 0.924, sensitivity 84%, and specificity 88%), an acceptable discriminatory power of LPS (AUC 0.740, sensitivity 66%, and specificity 72%), and poor discriminatory power of SOD (AUC 0.556, sensitivity 34%, and specificity 94%) for HCM detection. CER with good predictive strength, as well as LPS with acceptable predictive power, allows for HCM detection. The utility of SOD for HCM detection is limited.

May Measurement Month 2021: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Poland.

May Measurement Month 2021 (MMM21) is the fourth edition of the global initiative in Poland initiated by the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) and aimed at raising awareness of hypertension and the need for blood pressure (BP) screening. An opportunistic cross-sectional survey of volunteers aged ≥18 was carried out in 132 sites - between May and September 2021. Blood pressure was measured in 1699 subjects (mean age: 40.8 ± 17.0 years; 68.8% females). After multiple imputation, the age and sex standardized systolic and diastolic BP was 126.6/78.7 mmHg for the entire group, 133.8/81.9 mmHg in individuals on antihypertensive medication, and 125.4/78.6 mmHg in those not taking antihypertensive drugs. The proportion of subjects with high BP (≥140/90 mmHg) were: 30.9% for the entire group, 40.4% in subjects taking antihypertensive drugs, and 17.9% in those not taking antihypertensive drugs. Of all participants, 33.9% were in the age range of 18-29 years and we observed higher BP levels and more frequent BP elevation in males in this age group. These data provide unique insights into the hypertension rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the associated restrictions, only limited data could be obtained for older adults. Interestingly, among young Polish participants, the rate of hypertension and the level of BP were higher in males compared to females, suggestive perhaps of a higher susceptibility of males to experience a rise in BP during specific circumstances associated with a pandemic.

Serum antinuclear autoantibodies are associated with measures of oxidative stress and lifestyle factors: analysis of LIPIDOGRAM2015 and LIPIDOGEN2015 studies.

Introduction: Oxidative stress is one of many factors suspected to promote antinuclear autoantibody (ANA) formation. Reactive oxygen species can induce changes in the antigenic structure of macromolecules, causing the immune system to treat them as "neo-antigens" and start production of autoantibodies. This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between oxidative stress markers, lifestyle factors and the detection of ANA. Material and methods: We examined measures of oxidative stress indices of free-radical damage to lipids and proteins, such as total oxidant status (TOS), concentration of protein thiol groups (PSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA), activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in 1731 serum samples. The parameters of the non-enzymatic antioxidant system, such as total antioxidant status (TAS) and uric acid (UA) concentration, were also measured and the oxidative stress index (OSI-index) was calculated. All samples were tested for the presence of ANA using an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIFA). Results: The presence of ANA in women was associated with lower physical activity (p = 0.036), less frequent smoking (p = 0.007) and drinking of alcohol (p = 0.024) accompanied by significant changes in SOD isoenzymes activity (p < 0.001) and a higher uric acid (UA) concentration (p < 0.001). In ANA positive males we observed lower concentrations of PSH (p = 0.046) and increased concentrations of MDA (p = 0.047). Conclusions: The results indicate that local oxidative stress may be associated with increased probability of ANA formation in a sex-specific manner.

Implications of ACC/AHA Versus ESC/EAS LDL-C Recommendations for Residual Risk Reduction in ASCVD: A Simulation Study From DA VINCI.

PURPOSE: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) recommendations differ between the 2018 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) and 2019 European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society (ESC/EAS) guidelines for patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) (< 70 vs. < 55 mg/dl, respectively). In the DA VINCI study, residual cardiovascular risk was predicted in ASCVD patients. The extent to which relative and absolute risk might be lowered by achieving ACC/AHA versus ESC/EAS LDL-C recommended approaches was simulated. METHODS: DA VINCI was a cross-sectional observational study of patients prescribed lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) across 18 European countries. Ten-year cardiovascular risk (CVR) was predicted among ASCVD patients receiving stabilized LLT. For patients with LDL-C ≥ 70 mg/dl, the absolute LDL-C reduction required to achieve an LDL-C of < 70 or < 55 mg/dl (LDL-C of 69 or 54 mg/dl, respectively) was calculated. Relative and absolute risk reductions (RRRs and ARRs) were simulated. RESULTS: Of the 2039 patients, 61% did not achieve LDL-C < 70 mg/dl. For patients with LDL-C ≥ 70 mg/dl, median (interquartile range) baseline LDL-C and 10-year CVR were 93 (81-115) mg/dl and 32% (25-43%), respectively. Median LDL-C reductions of 24 (12-46) and 39 (27-91) mg/dl were needed to achieve an LDL-C of 69 and 54 mg/dl, respectively. Attaining ACC/AHA or ESC/EAS goals resulted in simulated RRRs of 14% (7-25%) and 22% (15-32%), respectively, and ARRs of 4% (2-7%) and 6% (4-9%), respectively. CONCLUSION: In ASCVD patients, achieving ESC/EAS LDL-C goals could result in a 2% additional ARR over 10 years versus the ACC/AHA approach.

Design and rationale of a nationwide screening analysis from the LIPIDOGRAM2015 and LIPIDOGEN2015 studies.

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. The LIPIDOGRAM2015 study was performed to estimate the prevalence of risk factors for atherosclerotic diseases as well as cardiovascular and related disorders in the primary care setting in Poland. The LIPIDOGEN2015 sub-study was designed to include a random cohort of patients in order to analyse parameters related to lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, autoimmune disorders, and gene variants that confer susceptibility to cardiometabolic and atherosclerotic diseases. Material and methods: The recruitment was carried out by 438 primary care physicians in Poland. The expected number of patients recruited for the LIPIDOGRAM2015 study was 13,000-14,000 with 13-15% (1700-2000) also participating in the LIPIDOGEN2015 sub-study. Each patient had to complete a questionnaire concerning medical and family history, concomitant diseases, and pharmacotherapy. Anthropometric measurements were performed at the doctor's office. For the LIPIDOGEN2015 sub-study, saliva samples for DNA isolation and blood samples for measurement of glycated haemoglobin, oxidative stress parameters, autoantibody levels, and inflammatory cytokine profile and apolipoprotein profile were collected. Follow-up data will be obtained from the National Health Fund in Poland. Results: The LIPIDOGRAM2015 and LIPIDOGEN2015 study cohort reflects the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and concomitant diseases, markers of oxidative stress, the presence of autoantibodies, inflammatory cytokine profile, and apolipoprotein profile, as well as genetic variants potentially conferring susceptibility to cardiometabolic and atherosclerotic diseases. Conclusions: This study presents the prevalence of different CV risk factors, with special emphasis on lipid disorders, and it assesses the relationship between inflammation, oxidative stress, and mutations in genes encoding proteins regulating lipid metabolism, as well as genes conferring susceptibility to cardiovascular, cardiometabolic, and related diseases.

Relationship Between Anti-DFS70 Autoantibodies and Oxidative Stress.

BACKGROUND: The anti-DFS70 autoantibodies are one of the most commonly and widely described agent of unknown clinical significance, frequently detected in healthy individuals. It is not known whether the DFS70 autoantibodies are protective or pathogenic. One of the factors suspected of inducing the formation of anti-DFS70 antibodies is increased oxidative stress. We evaluated the coexistence of anti-DFS70 antibodies with selected markers of oxidative stress and investigated whether these antibodies could be considered as indirect markers of oxidative stress. METHODS: The intensity of oxidative stress was measured in all samples via indices of free-radical damage to lipids and proteins such as total oxidant status (TOS), concentrations of lipid hydroperoxides (LPH), lipofuscin (LPS), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The parameters of the non-enzymatic antioxidant system, such as total antioxidant status (TAS) and uric acid concentration (UA), were also measured, as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Based on TOS and TAS values, the oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. All samples were also tested with indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and 357 samples were selected for direct monospecific anti DFS70 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing. RESULTS: The anti-DFS70 antibodies were confirmed by ELISA test in 21.29% of samples. Compared with anti-DFS70 negative samples we observed 23% lower concentration of LPH (P = .038) and 11% lower concentration of UA (P = .005). TOS was 20% lower (P = .014). The activity of SOD was up to 5% higher (P = .037). The Pearson correlation showed weak negative correlation for LPH, UA, and TOS and a weak positive correlation for SOD activity. CONCLUSION: In samples positive for the anti-DFS70 antibody a decreased level of oxidative stress was observed, especially in the case of samples with a high antibody titer. Anti-DFS70 antibodies can be considered as an indirect marker of reduced oxidative stress or a marker indicating the recent intensification of antioxidant processes.

Analysis of the impact of sex and age on the variation in the prevalence of antinuclear autoantibodies in Polish population: a nationwide observational, cross-sectional study.

The detection of antinuclear autoantibody (ANA) is dependent on many factors and varies between the populations. The aim of the study was first to assess the prevalence of ANA in the Polish adult population depending on age, sex and the cutoff threshold used for the results obtained. Second, we estimated the occurrence of individual types of ANA-staining patterns. We tested 1731 patient samples using commercially available IIFA using two cutoff thresholds of 1:100 and 1:160. We found ANA in 260 participants (15.0%), but the percentage of positive results strongly depended on the cutoff level. For a cutoff threshold 1:100, the positive population was 19.5% and for the 1:160 cutoff threshold, it was 11.7%. The most prevalent ANA-staining pattern was AC-2 Dense Fine speckled (50%), followed by AC-21 Reticular/AMA (14.38%) ANA more common in women (72%); 64% of ANA-positive patients were over 50 years of age. ANA prevalence in the Polish population is at a level observed in other highly developed countries and is more prevalent in women and elderly individuals. To reduce the number of positive results released, we suggest that Polish laboratories should set 1:160 as the cutoff threshold.

The Differences in the Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease, Its Risk Factors, and Achievement of Therapeutic Goals among Urban and Rural Primary Care Patients in Poland: Results from the LIPIDOGRAM 2015 Study.

A nationwide cross-sectional study, LIPIDOGRAM2015, was carried out in Poland in the years 2015 and 2016. A total of 438 primary care physicians enrolled 13,724 adult patients that sought medical care in primary health care practices. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, and CVD were similar in urban and rural areas (49.5 vs. 49.4%; 13.7 vs. 13.1%; 84.2 vs. 85.2%; 14.4 vs. 14.2%, respectively). The prevalence of obesity (32.3 vs. 37.5%, p < 0.01) and excessive waist circumference (77.5 vs. 80.7%, p < 0.01), as well as abdominal obesity (43.2 vs. 46.4%, p < 0.01), were higher in rural areas in both genders. Mean levels of LDL-C (128 vs. 130 mg/dL, p = 0.04) and non-HDL-C (147 vs. 148 mg/dL, p = 0.03) were slightly higher in rural populations. Altogether, 14.3% of patients with CVD from urban areas and 11.3% from rural areas reached LDL <70 mg/dL (p = 0.04). There were no important differences in the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, and CVD, or in mean levels of blood pressure, cholesterol fractions, glucose, and HbA1c between Polish urban and rural primary care patient populations. A high proportion of patients in cities and an even-higher proportion in rural areas did not reach the recommended targets for blood pressure, LDL-C, and HbA1c, indicating the need for novel CVD-prevention programs.

Secondary Stroke Prevention in Polish Adults: Results from the LIPIDOGRAM2015 Study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to evaluate secondary stroke prevention in Poland and its association with sociodemographic factors, place of residence, and concomitant cardiovascular risk factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From all patients in LIPIDOGRAM2015 Study (n = 13,724), 268 subjects had a history of ischaemic stroke and were included. RESULTS: 165 subjects (61.6%) used at least one preventive medication. Oral antiplatelet and anticoagulation agents were used by 116 (43.3%) and 70 (26.1%) patients, respectively. Only 157 (58.6%) participants used lipid-lowering drugs, and 205 (76.5%) were treated with antihypertensive drugs. Coronary heart disease (CHD) and dyslipidaemia were associated with antiplatelet treatment (p = 0.047 and p = 0.012, respectively). A history of atrial fibrillation, CHD, and previous myocardial infarction correlated with anticoagulant treatment (p = 0.001, p = 0.011, and p < 0.0001, respectively). Age, gender, time from stroke onset, place of residence, and level of education were not associated with antiplatelet or anticoagulant treatment. Only 31.7% of patients were engaged in regular physical activity, 62% used appropriate diet, and 13.6% were current smokers. CONCLUSIONS: In Poland drugs and lifestyle modification for secondary stroke prevention are not commonly adhered to. Educational programmes for physicians and patients should be developed to improve application of effective secondary prevention of stroke.

Lipid-lowering therapy use in primary and secondary care in Central and Eastern Europe: DA VINCI observational study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is a largely understudied region, despite having the highest cardiovascular disease mortality in Europe. This analysis aimed to assess the proportion of patients in CEE who achieved their LDL-C goals based on individual cardiovascular risk recommended by the 2016 and 2019 European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) guidelines. METHODS: The DA VINCI study was a cross-sectional observational study of primary and secondary prevention patients receiving lipid-lowering therapy across Europe between June 2017 and November 2018. RESULTS: In total, 2154 patients were enrolled from the Czech Republic (n = 509), Hungary (n = 319), Poland (n = 460), Romania (n = 259), Slovakia (n = 123) and Ukraine (n = 484). At LDL-C measurement, most patients were on either moderate- or high-intensity statin monotherapy (53% and 32%, respectively). Despite this, only 44% of patients achieved risk-based LDL-C goals recommended by the 2016 ESC/EAS guidelines, ranging from 21% in Ukraine to 50% in Hungary and Romania. Only 24% of patients overall achieved the risk-based LDL-C goals recommended by the 2019 ESC/EAS guidelines, ranging from 11% in Ukraine to 32% in Poland. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients receiving lipid-lowering therapy, more than half did not achieve their 2016 LDL-C goals. In one of the first comparative analyses evaluating 2019 risk-based goal attainment among countries in CEE, three-quarters of patients did not meet their 2019 LDL-C goals, highlighting a significant gap between guidelines and clinical practice for lipid management in CEE.

EU-Wide Cross-Sectional Observational Study of Lipid-Modifying Therapy Use in Secondary and Primary Care: the DA VINCI study.

AIMS: To provide contemporary data on the implementation of European guideline recommendations for lipid-lowering therapies (LLTs) across different settings and populations and how this impacts low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal achievement. METHODS AND RESULTS: An 18 country, cross-sectional, observational study of patients prescribed LLT for primary or secondary prevention in primary or secondary care across Europe. Between June 2017 and November 2018, data were collected at a single visit, including LLT in the preceding 12 months and most recent LDL-C. Primary outcome was the achievement of risk-based 2016 European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) LDL-C goal while receiving stabilized LLT; 2019 goal achievement was also assessed. Overall, 5888 patients (3000 primary and 2888 secondary prevention patients) were enrolled; 54% [95% confidence interval (CI) 52-56] achieved their risk-based 2016 goal and 33% (95% CI 32-35) achieved their risk-based 2019 goal. High-intensity statin monotherapy was used in 20% and 38% of very high-risk primary and secondary prevention patients, respectively. Corresponding 2016 goal attainment was 22% and 45% (17% and 22% for 2019 goals) for very high-risk primary and secondary prevention patients, respectively. Use of moderate-high-intensity statins in combination with ezetimibe (9%), or any LLT with PCSK9 inhibitors (1%), was low; corresponding 2016 and 2019 goal attainment was 53% and 20% (ezetimibe combination), and 67% and 58% (PCSK9i combination). CONCLUSION: Gaps between clinical guidelines and clinical practice for lipid management across Europe persist, which will be exacerbated by the 2019 guidelines. Even with optimized statins, greater utilization of non-statin LLT is likely needed to reduce these gaps for patients at highest risk.

Oxidative Stress Markers in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background and Objectives: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) depends on the primary impairment of sarcomeres, but it can also be associated with secondary alterations in the heart related to oxidative stress. The present study aimed to examine oxidative-antioxidant disturbances in patients with HCM compared with control individuals. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 52 consecutive HCM patients and 97 controls without HCM. The groups were matched for age, body mass index, and sex. Peripheral blood was collected from all patients to determine the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), lipid hydroperoxide (LPH), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The oxidative stress index (OSI) was defined as the ratio of the TOS level to the TAC level. Results: The median age was 52 years, and 58.4% were female. The area under the curve (AUC) indicated good predictive power for the TAC and TOS [AUC 0.77 (0.69-0.84) and 0.83 (0.76-0.90), respectively], as well as excellent predictive power for the OSI [AUC 0.87 (0.81-0.93)] for HCM detection. Lipid peroxidation markers also demonstrated good predictive power to detect HCM patients [AUCLPH = 0.73, AUCMDA = 0.79]. Conclusions: The TOS, the TAC, LPH levels, and MDA levels have good predictive power for HCM detection. The holistic assessment of oxidative stress by the OSI had excellent power and could identify patients with HCM.

Lipid levels, atrial fibrillation and the impact of age: Results from the LIPIDOGRAM2015 study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: An inverse relationship between lipid levels and atrial fibrillation (AF) has been suggested, but whether the association is upheld for all age groups remains unclear. The aim of the study was to examine associations between lipid levels and AF by age groups in a nationwide study in Poland. METHODS: Multivariate Poisson regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) for AF by lipid levels. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), non-HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were grouped into quartiles. RESULTS: Of the 13,724 participants, 5.2% (n = 708) had AF. People with AF were older with more comorbidities, but lower lipid levels (all p < 0.05). The prevalence of AF was inversely associated with LDL-C (Adjusted PR (95% Confidence Interval) highest versus lowest quartile: 0.60 (0.48, 0.75)), TC (0.61 (0.49, 0.75)) and non-HDL-C (0.63 (0.51, 0.78)). The prevalence of AF was inversely associated with HDL-C (0.58 (0.46, 0.74)), but this was not statistically significant for people aged 75 years and older. For the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, the prevalence of AF was only inversely associated with higher levels for people aged 75 years and older (0.75 (0.61, 0.94)). There was no statistically significant difference in prevalence of AF by TG levels. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest an inverse relationship between lipid levels and AF. The inverse association between higher HDL-C and AF was only significant for people aged <75 years, whereas the inverse association between higher LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and AF was only significant for people aged 75 years and older.

The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular disease among primary care patients in Poland: results from the LIPIDOGRAM2015 study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To estimate the prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) disease and CV risk factors among Polish patients. METHODS: A nationwide cross-sectional study, LIPIDOGRAM2015, was carried out in Poland in the 4th quarter of 2015 and 1st and 2nd quarters of 2016; 438 primary care physicians enrolled 13,724 adult patients that sought medical care in primary health care practices. RESULTS: Nearly 19% of men and approximately 12% of women had cardiovascular disease (CVD). Over 60% of the recruited patients had hypertension (HTN), >80% had dyslipidaemia and <15% of patients were diagnosed with diabetes (DM). All of these disorders were more frequent in men. In 80% of patients the waist circumference exceed norm for the European population. Less than half of the patients were current smokers or had smoked in the past. Patients with CVD had significantly higher blood pressure and glucose levels but lower low density lipoprotein-cholesterol level. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CVD and CV risk factors among patients in Poland is high. CVD is more common in men than in women. The most common CV risk factors are excess waist circumference, dyslipidaemia and HTN. Family physicians should conduct activities to prevent, diagnose early and treat CVD in the primary health care population.