Association of Neighborhood-Level Marginalization With Health Care Use and Clinical Outcomes Following Hospital Discharge in Patients Who Underwent Coronary Catheterization for Acute Myocardial Infarction in a Single-Payer Health Care System.

BACKGROUND: Canadian data suggest that patients of lower socioeconomic status with acute myocardial infarction receive less beneficial therapy and have worse clinical outcomes, raising questions regarding care disparities even in universal health care systems. We assessed the contemporary association of marginalization with clinical outcomes and health services use. METHODS: Using clinical and administrative databases in Ontario, Canada, we conducted a population-based study of patients aged ≥65 years hospitalized for their first acute myocardial infarction between April 1, 2010 and March 1, 2019. Patients receiving cardiac catheterization and surviving 7 days postdischarge were included. Our primary exposure was neighborhood-level marginalization, a multidimensional socioeconomic status metric. Neighborhoods were categorized by quintile from Q1 (least marginalized) to Q5 (most marginalized). Our primary outcome was all-cause mortality. A proportional hazards regression model with a robust variance estimator was used to quantify the association of marginalization with outcomes, adjusting for risk factors, comorbidities, disease severity, and regional cardiologist supply. RESULTS: Among 53 841 patients (median age, 75 years; 39.1% female) from 20 640 neighborhoods, crude 1- and 3-year mortality rates were 7.7% and 17.2%, respectively. Patients in Q5 had no significant difference in 1-year mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.08 [95% CI, 0.95-1.22]), but greater mortality over 3 years (HR, 1.13 [95% CI, 1.03-1.22]) compared with Q1. Over 1 year, we observed differences between Q1 and Q5 in visits to primary care physicians (Q1, 96.7%; Q5, 93.7%) and cardiologists (Q1, 82.6%; Q5, 72.6%), as well as diagnostic testing. There were no differences in secondary prevention medications dispensed or medication adherence at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: In older patients with acute myocardial infarction who survived to hospital discharge, those residing in the most marginalized neighborhoods had a greater long-term risk of mortality, less specialist care, and fewer diagnostic tests. Yet, there were no differences across socioeconomic status in prescription medication use and adherence.

Transfusion thresholds in acute coronary syndromes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Anemia is prevalent in patients with acute coronary syndromes. In this setting, there is uncertainty and controversy surrounding the optimal transfusion strategy for managing anemia. The goal of this review is to summarize the current clinical evidence, guidelines, and future directions for managing transfusion in acute coronary syndromes. RECENT FINDINGS: There is limited evidence from randomized trials evaluating restrictive versus liberal transfusion in patients hospitalized with and/or for acute coronary syndromes. The results from these studies suggest clinical equipoise between transfusion strategies for short term outcomes, and a trend toward favoring a liberal strategy for long term major adverse cardiac events. There is inconsistency across clinical practice guidelines with respect to the optimal strategy for managing anemia and transfusion in acute coronary syndromes due to insufficient evidence. SUMMARY: More evidence is urgently needed to conclusively establish the optimal strategy for transfusion management in the setting of acute coronary syndromes. These data will directly inform harmonization of clinical practice guidelines. Future investigations should explore alternative strategies to hemoglobin for quantifying the degree of anemic stress for personalizing transfusion therapy, the effects on functional outcomes, and managing anemia following hospital discharge.

Methemoglobin as a marker of acute anemic stress in cardiac surgery.

Biological evidence supports plasma methemoglobin as a biomarker for anemia-induced tissue hypoxia. In this translational planned substudy of the multinational randomized controlled transfusion thresholds in cardiac surgery (TRICS-III) trial, which included adults undergoing cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass with a moderate-to-high risk of death, we investigated the relationship between perioperative hemoglobin concentration (Hb) and methemoglobin; and evaluated its association with postoperative outcomes. The primary endpoint was a composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, and severe acute kidney injury at 28 days. We observe weak non-linear associations between decreasing Hb and increasing methemoglobin, which were strongest in magnitude at the post-surgical time point. Increased levels of post-surgical methemoglobin were associated with a trend toward an elevated risk for stroke and exploratory neurological outcomes. Our generalizable study demonstrates post-surgical methemoglobin may be a marker of anemia-induced organ injury/dysfunction, and may have utility for guiding personalized approaches to anemia management. Clinicaltrials.gov registration NCT02042898.

A Patient with Severe Anxiety and Episodes of Fainting in Need of Dental Restoration.

Patients with extreme dental anxiety and dental phobia are candidates for syncope attacks in a dental chair. Early recognition and management of these episodes is important. Vasovagal syncope is often preceded by prodromal signs and symptoms like facial pallor, diaphoresis, fainting, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting. If any element of the patient's airway, breathing, or cardiovascular system is no longer intact, the provider should commence emergency basic life support protocols and notify emergency medical services immediately.

A Patient with a History of Myocardial Infarction and a Stent Presenting for Full Mouth Extractions.

The scenario presented is of a patient in the dental chair who had history of myocardial infarction and history of stent placed in the left anterior descending coronary artery who now presents with acute chest pain, chest tightness, and extreme dizziness. Confirming cardiopulmonary arrest and beginning basic life support are the first steps in the management followed by defibrillation, advanced cardiac life support, post-resuscitation care, and long-term management.

A Patient with Epilepsy Presenting for a Dental Hygiene Visit.

All dentists should be trained in the diagnosis and management of seizures in a dental chair. Although epilepsy is a common etiological factor, there are other medical situations whereby seizures are manifested. Once a seizure is suspected and other causes of altered consciousness or involuntary motor movements are ruled out, proper management should commence immediately. The first step in management is to immediately remove/stop all provocative factors, like bright flashing lights, drill sounds, and such. Benzodiazepines remain as the first-line treatment for patients with continued seizures before activating emergency medical services.

Foreign Body Aspiration in an Elderly Male with No Significant Medical History.

Accidental foreign body aspiration is not uncommon during a dental procedure and remains a real risk for many dental procedures. Although approximately 50% of patients are asymptomatic after aspiration of a foreign body, understanding the appropriate next steps in management of these patients is critical in preventing morbid and even lethal outcomes in some instances. Appropriate knowledge of identification and management of such instances is important for all practicing dentists. This article goes into the diagnosis and management of both uncomplicated foreign body ingestion and complicated foreign body aspirations.

Diabetic Patient in the Chair for Implant Surgery.

Although dental treatment in a patient with well-controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus is uncomplicated, hypoglycemia is one of the most dreaded complications among diabetics and remains as one of the leading causes of endocrine medical emergencies. Identification and prompt treatment is important to all dental practitioners. This scenario goes into the diagnosis and management of medication-induced hypoglycemia.

A Patient with an Unknown Latex Allergy Presenting for Sealant Placement.

Dentists should be trained to treat any allergic reaction in a dental office, and in this scenario, allergic reaction to latex-based product (rubber dam) is illustrated. Identification of signs and symptoms related to latex allergies is vital, and all dentists should be trained in the appropriate management of such a patient. The dental management of the scenario describes details of the diagnosis and management of latex-related allergies in a dental office for both adults and children.

Penicillin Allergy in a Patient Presenting for Scaling and Root Planing.

Dentists should be equipped to treat any allergic reaction in a dental office and in this scenario, anaphylaxis is noted after administration of a penicillin derivative given before a dental procedure. Identification of signs and symptoms related to anaphylaxis is vital and appropriate management of the patient is the key. The dental management of the scenario goes into the diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis in a dental office.

A Patient with Known Allergy to Local Anesthesia Presenting for a Dental Restoration.

Dentists should be equipped to treat an allergic reaction in a dental office, and in this scenario, the potential allergic reaction is noted after administration of a common local anesthetic lidocaine with epinephrine. The allergic reaction quickly escalates to a full-blown anaphylaxis, and the management of such an episode is detailed in this article.

IGFBP7 and left ventricular mass regression: a sub-analysis of the EMPA-HEART CardioLink-6 randomized clinical trial.

AIMS: Given recent suggestions that serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) may identify patients who derive greater cardiorenal benefits from treatment with sodium-glucose transport 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), this exploratory sub-analysis of the EMPA-HEART CardioLink-6 randomized controlled trial evaluated the association between serum levels of IGFBP7 and empagliflozin-mediated left ventricular mass regression. METHODS AND RESULTS: The EMPA-HEART CardioLink-6 trial used gold-standard cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to detect change in left ventricular mass indexed to body surface area (LVMi) following 6 months of treatment with empagliflozin or matching placebo in 97 patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. Serum samples were collected at baseline and analysed for IGFBP7 using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A multivariate linear regression model was used to assess the association between IGFBP7 and baseline LVMi. A linear model adjusting for baseline differences in LVMi was used to test the relationship between baseline IGFBP7 level, change in LVMi over 6 months, and treatment arm. Of the 97 patients enrolled, 74 had complete covariate data and were included in our analysis. No association between baseline IGFBP7 and baseline LVMi was found [baseline LVMi: 0.14 g/m2 (95% CI: -0.29 g/m2 to 0.57 g/m2 ) per 1 ng/mL higher baseline IGFBP7]. In addition, no difference between patients treated with empagliflozin versus matching placebo was found when evaluating the association between serum IGFBP7, 6 month change in LVMi, and treatment arm [empagliflozin 6 month change in LVMi: 0.25 g/m2 (95% CI: -0.17 g/m2 to 0.67 g/m2 ) per 1 ng/mL higher IGFBP7 vs. matching placebo 6 month change in LVMi: 0.07 g/m2 (95% CI: -0.21 g/m2 to 0.35 g/m2 ) per 1 ng/mL higher IGFBP7; Pinteraction  = 0.49]. Additional sensitivity analysis assessing IGFBP7 as a categorical variable (above/below the median) showed no significant association between IGFBP7, 6 month change in LVMi, and treatment arm. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides insight into the generalizability of IGFBP7 as a surrogate marker of cardiac remodelling in patients with type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. Our results suggest that SGLT2i-mediated reverse cardiac remodelling may be independent of IGFBP7 levels. Further investigations evaluating the association between IGFBP7 and SGLT2i are suggested to understand if and how IGFBP7 levels may modulate benefits received from SLGT2i.

The relationship between cannabis use and legalization frameworks: A cross-sectional analysis using a nationally representative survey.

State policies related to cannabis have rapidly evolved but the impact of current legislative frameworks on usage is not well characterized. This study explored cannabis use patterns under different legalization statuses in the United States. The dataset included individuals from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey in 2017 and 2018. Respondents were categorized into limited medical use, full medical use, or full legalization groups based on their state's cannabis policies. The primary outcome was cannabis use in the past 30 days. Among users, we characterized frequency, method, and reason for use. Logistic regression models were estimated to assess associations between legal status and these outcome measures. The study sample included 168,299 respondents. The unweighted proportion of respondents reporting cannabis use were: 4.96% in states with limited medical use, 6.50% in states with full medical use, and 12.33% in states with full legalization. Adjusted odds of use were greater for the full medical use group (1.13, 95%CI:1.02-1.25) and the full legalization group (2.53, 95%CI:2.28-2.82) compared to the limited medical use group. Users were more likely to use non-smoking methods in the full legalization group compared to the limited medical use group (1.77, 95%CI:1.41-2.22). A greater proportion of users in the full legalization group reported medical usage than in the other two groups. Policymakers should consider these findings in order to allow for use while safeguarding public health.

Correction: Comprehensive Immunoprofiling of High-risk Oral Proliferative and Localized Leukoplakia.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.CRC-21-0060.][This corrects the article DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.CRC-21-0060.].

Restrictive versus liberal transfusion in patients with diabetes undergoing cardiac surgery: An open-label, randomized, blinded outcome evaluation trial.

AIM: To characterize the association between diabetes and transfusion and clinical outcomes in cardiac surgery, and to evaluate whether restrictive transfusion thresholds are harmful in these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The multinational, open-label, randomized controlled TRICS-III trial assessed a restrictive transfusion strategy (haemoglobin [Hb] transfusion threshold <75 g/L) compared with a liberal strategy (Hb <95 g/L for operating room or intensive care unit; or <85 g/L for ward) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass with a moderate-to-high risk of death (EuroSCORE ≥6). Diabetes status was collected preoperatively. The primary composite outcome was all-cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction, and new-onset renal failure requiring dialysis at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included components of the composite outcome at 6 months, and transfusion and clinical outcomes at 28 days. RESULTS: Of the 5092 patients analysed, 1396 (27.4%) had diabetes (restrictive, n = 679; liberal, n = 717). Patients with diabetes had more cardiovascular disease than patients without diabetes. Neither the presence of diabetes (OR [95% CI] 1.10 [0.93-1.31]) nor the restrictive strategy increased the risk for the primary composite outcome (diabetes OR [95% CI] 1.04 [0.68-1.59] vs. no diabetes OR 1.02 [0.85-1.22]; Pinteraction  = .92). In patients with versus without diabetes, a restrictive transfusion strategy was more effective at reducing red blood cell transfusion (diabetes OR [95% CI] 0.28 [0.21-0.36]; no diabetes OR [95% CI] 0.40 [0.35-0.47]; Pinteraction  = .04). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of diabetes did not modify the effect of a restrictive transfusion strategy on the primary composite outcome, but improved its efficacy on red cell transfusion. Restrictive transfusion triggers are safe and effective in patients with diabetes undergoing cardiac surgery.

SGLT2 inhibitors and cardiac remodelling: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized cardiac magnetic resonance imaging trials.

AIMS: Recent large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated efficacy of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in both preventing and treating heart failure (HF). SGLT2i-induced reversal of left ventricular remodelling has been proposed as a mechanism contributing to this effect. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs to compare SGLT2i versus placebo (treatment duration >3 months) on cardiac remodelling parameters as measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) in patients with HF and/or diabetes. The PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched until 15 June 2021. Our primary outcome was change in absolute left ventricular mass (LVM) from baseline to study endpoint. Secondary outcomes included changes in LVM indexed to body surface area, left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from baseline to study endpoint. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used to assess risk of bias. Five studies representing 408 patients were included. SGLT2i was associated with greater LVM regression compared to placebo (MD, -5.76 g; 95% CI, -10.87 g to -0.64 g, I2  = 73%; overall effect, P < 0.03; four RCTs). Statistical subgroup differences were not observed in our sensitivity analysis focusing on HF with reduced ejection fraction (P = 0.37) and were observed in our sensitivity analysis focusing on diabetes (P < 0.001). SGLT2i was not associated with statistical changes in LV mass indexed to body surface area (I2  = 75%; P = 0.16; five RCTs), LVESV (I2  = 87%; P = 0.07; five RCTs), LVEDV (I2  = 81%; P = 0.20; five RCTs), nor LVEF (I2  = 85%; P = 0.19; five RCTs) versus placebo. Sixty per cent of RCTs had low risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors treatment was associated with a reduction in left ventricular mass as assessed by cMRI.

Recent cannabis use and myocardial infarction in young adults: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis use is increasing among young adults, but its effects on cardiovascular health are poorly understood. We aimed to assess the association between recent cannabis use and history of myocardial infarction (MI) in young adults (aged 18-44 yr). METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study using pooled data from the 2017 and 2018 cohorts of the American Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey of US adults. We analyzed the association between any recent cannabis use and history of MI using a weighted logistic regression model that adjusted for demographic factors, socioeconomic factors, health-related behaviours, concomitant substance use and other comorbidities. We also assessed this association after stratifying by frequency of use and by primary method of consumption. RESULTS: Among 33 173 young adults (18.5 million weighted), 4610 respondents (3.2 million weighted) reported recent cannabis use (17.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 16.8%-18.2%). A history of MI was more frequent among recent cannabis users (n = 61 of 4610, 1.3%) relative to nonusers (n = 240 of 28 563 [0.8%], adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.07, 95% CI 1.12-3.82). A history of MI was associated with cannabis use of more than 4 times per month (adjusted OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.18-4.50), and with smoking as a primary method of consumption (adjusted OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.02-3.98). INTERPRETATION: Our study provides evidence supporting an association between recent cannabis use and history of MI in young adults. Increasing cannabis use in an at-risk population could have negative implications for cardiovascular health.