Protocol Variation in Functional Coronary Angiography Among Patients With Suspected Angina With Non-Obstructive Coronary Arteries: A Nationwide Snapshot of Current Practice Within Australia and New Zealand.

BACKGROUND: Functional coronary angiography (FCA) for endotype characterisation (vasospastic angina [VSA], coronary microvascular disease [CMD], or mixed) is recommended among patients with angina with non-obstructive coronary arteries. Whilst clear diagnostic criteria for VSA and CMD exist, there is no standardised FCA protocol. Variations in testing protocol may limit the widespread uptake of testing, generalisability of results, and expansion of collaborative research. At present, there are no data describing protocol variation across an entire geographic region. Therefore, we aimed to capture current practice variations in the approach to FCA to improve access and standardisation for diagnosis of coronary vasomotor disorders in Australia and New Zealand. METHOD: Between July 2022 and July 2023, we conducted a national survey across all centres in Australia and New Zealand with an active FCA program. The survey captured attitudes towards FCA and protocols used for diagnosis of coronary vasomotor disorders at 33 hospitals across Australia and New Zealand. RESULTS: Survey responses were received from 39 clinicians from 33 centres, with representation from centres within all Australian states and territories and both North and South Islands of New Zealand. A total of 21 centres were identified as having an active FCA program. In general, respondents agreed that comprehensive physiology testing helped inform clinical management. Barriers to program expansion included cost, additional catheter laboratory time, and the absence of an agreed-upon national protocol. Across the clinical sites, there were significant variations in testing protocol, including the technique used (Doppler vs thermodilution), order of testing (hyperaemia resistance indices first vs vasomotor function testing first), rate and dose of acetylcholine administration, routine use of temporary pacing wire, and routine single vs multivessel testing. Overall, testing was performed relatively infrequently, with very little follow-on FCA performed, despite nearly all respondents believing this would be clinically useful. CONCLUSIONS: This survey demonstrates, for the first time, variations in FCA protocol among testing centres across two entire countries. Furthermore, whilst FCA was deemed clinically important, testing was performed relatively infrequently with little or no follow-on testing. Development and adoption of a standardised national FCA protocol may help improve patient access to testing and facilitate further collaborative research within Australia and New Zealand.

Restoring microvascular circulation with diagnostic ultrasound and contrast agent: rationale and design of the REDUCE trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of sonothrombolysis delivered pre and post primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) on infarct size assessed by cardiac MRI, in patients presenting with STEMI, when compared against sham procedure. BACKGROUND: More than a half of patients with successful pPCI have significant microvascular obstruction and residual infarction. Sonothrombolysis is a therapeutic use of ultrasound with contrast enhancement that may improve microcirculation and infarct size. The benefits and real time physiological effects of sonothrombolysis in a multicentre setting are unclear. METHODS: The REDUCE (Restoring microvascular circulation with diagnostic ultrasound and contrast agent) trial is a prospective, multicentre, patient and outcome blinded, sham-controlled trial. Patients presenting with STEMI will be randomized to one of 2 treatment arms, to receive either sonothrombolysis treatment or sham echocardiography before and after pPCI. This tailored design is based on preliminary pilot data from our centre, showing that sonothrombolysis can be safely delivered, without prolonging door to balloon time. Our primary endpoint will be infarct size assessed on day 4±2 on Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR). Patients will be followed up for 6 months post pPCI to assess secondary endpoints. Sample size calculations indicate we will need 150 patients recruited in total. CONCLUSIONS: This multicentre trial will test whether sonothrombolysis delivered pre and post primary PCI can improve patient outcomes and is cost-effective, when compared with sham ultrasound delivered with primary PCI. The results from this trial may provide evidence for the utilization of sonothrombolysis as an adjunct therapy to pPCI to improve cardiovascular outcomes in STEMI. ANZ Clinical Trial Registration number: ACTRN 12620000807954.

Stratified medicine for acute and chronic coronary syndromes: A patient-tailored approach.

The traditional approach to management of cardiovascular disease relies on grouping clinical presentations with common signs and symptoms into pre-specified disease pathways, all uniformly treated according to evidence-based guidelines ("one-size-fits-all"). The goal of precision medicine is to provide the right treatment to the right patients at the right time, combining data from time honoured sources (e.g., history, physical examination, imaging, laboratory) and those provided by multi-omics technologies. In patients with ischemic heart disease, biomarkers and intravascular assessment can be used to identify endotypes with different pathophysiology who may benefit from distinct treatments. This review discusses strategies for the application of stratified management to patients with acute and chronic coronary syndromes.

Index of Microcirculatory Resistance to predict microvascular obstruction in STEMI: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Microvascular obstruction (MVO) is an independent predictor of adverse cardiac events after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The Index of Microcirculatory Resistance (IMR) may be a useful marker of MVO, which could simplify the care pathway without the need for Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR). We assessed whether the IMR can predict MVO in STEMI patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, including articles where invasive IMR was performed post primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in addition to MVO assessment with cardiac MRI. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane databases from inception until January 2023. Baseline characteristics, coronary physiology and cardiac MRI data were extracted by two independent reviewers. The random-effects model was used to pool the data. Among 15 articles identified, nine articles (n = 728, mean age 61, 81% male) contained IMR data stratified by MVO. Patients with MVO had a mean IMR of 41.2 [95% CI 32.4-50.4], compared to 25.3 [18.3-32.2] for those without. The difference in IMR between those with and without MVO was 15.1 [9.7-20.6]. Meta-regression analyses demonstrated a linear relationship between IMR and TIMI grade (ß = 0.69 [0.13-1.26]), as well as infarct size (ß = 1.18 [0.24-2.11]) or ejection fraction at 6 months (ß = -0.18 [-0.35 to -0.01]). CONCLUSION: In STEMI, patients with MVO had 15-unit higher IMR than those without. IMR also predicts key prognostic endpoints such as infarct size, MVO, and long-term systolic function.

Invasive Endotyping in Patients With Angina and No Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the usefulness of invasive coronary function testing to diagnose the cause of angina in patients with no obstructive coronary arteries. METHODS: Outpatients referred for coronary computed tomography angiography in 3 hospitals in the United Kingdom were prospectively screened. After coronary computed tomography angiography, patients with unobstructed coronary arteries, and who consented, underwent invasive endotyping. The diagnostic assessments included coronary angiography, fractional flow reserve (patient excluded if ≤0.80), and, for those without obstructive coronary artery disease, coronary flow reserve (abnormal <2.0), index of microvascular resistance (abnormal ≥25), and intracoronary infusion of acetylcholine (0.182, 1.82, and 18.2 µg/mL; 2 mL/min for 2 minutes) to assess for microvascular and coronary spasm. Participants were randomly assigned to disclosure of the results of the coronary function tests to the invasive cardiologist (intervention group) or nondisclosure (control group, blinded). In the control group, a diagnosis of vasomotor angina was based on medical history, noninvasive tests, and coronary angiography. The primary outcome was the between-group difference in the reclassification rate of the initial diagnosis on the basis of coronary computed tomography angiography versus the final diagnosis after invasive endotyping. The Seattle Angina Questionnaire summary score and Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication were secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Of 322 eligible patients, 250 (77.6%) underwent invasive endotyping; 19 (7.6%) had obstructive coronary disease, 127 (55.0%) had microvascular angina, 27 (11.7%) had vasospastic angina, 17 (7.4%) had both, and 60 (26.0%) had no abnormality. A total of 231 patients (mean age, 55.7 years; 64.5% women) were randomly assigned and followed up (median duration, 19.9 [12.6-26.9] months). The clinician diagnosed vasomotor angina in 51 (44.3%) patients in the intervention group and in 55 (47.4%) patients in the control group. After randomization, patients in the intervention group were 4-fold (odds ratio, 4.05 [95% CI, 2.32-7.24]; P<0.001) more likely to be diagnosed with a coronary vasomotor disorder; the frequency of this diagnosis increased to 76.5%. The frequency of normal coronary function (ie, no vasomotor disorder) was not different between the groups before randomization (51.3% versus 50.9%) but was reduced in the intervention group after randomization (23.5% versus 50.9%, P<0.001). At 6 and 12 months, the Seattle Angina Questionnaire summary score in the intervention versus control groups was 59.2±24.2 (2.3±16.2 change from baseline) versus 60.4±23.9 (4.6±16.4 change) and 63.7±23.5 (4.7±14.7 change) versus 66.0±19.3 (7.9±17.1 change), respectively, and not different between groups (global P=0.36). Compared with the control group, global treatment satisfaction was higher in the intervention group at 12 months (69.9±22.8 versus 61.7±26.9, P=0.013). CONCLUSIONS: For patients with angina and no obstructive coronary arteries, a diagnosis informed by invasive functional assessment had no effect on long-term angina burden, whereas treatment satisfaction improved. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03477890.

Fractional Flow Reserve-Guided Stent Optimisation in Focal and Diffuse Coronary Artery Disease.

Assessing coronary physiology after stent implantation facilitates the optimisation of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Coronary artery disease (CAD) patterns can be characterised by the pullback pressure gradient (PPG) index. The impact of focal vs. diffuse disease on physiology-guided incremental optimisation strategy (PIOS) is unknown. This is a sub-study of the TARGET-FFR randomized clinical trial (NCT03259815). The study protocol directed that optimisation be attempted for patients in the PIOS arm when post-PCI FFR was <0.90. Overall, 114 patients (n = 61 PIOS and 53 controls) with both pre-PCI fractional flow reserve (FFR) pullbacks and post-PCI FFR were included. A PPG ≥ 0.74 defined focal CAD. The PPG correlated significantly with post-PCI FFR (r = 0.43; 95% CI 0.26 to 0.57; p-value < 0.001) and normalised delta FFR (r = 0.49; 95% CI 0.34 to 0.62; p-value < 0.001). PIOS was more frequently applied to vessels with diffuse CAD (6% focal vs. 42% diffuse; p-value = 0.006). In patients randomized to PIOS, those with focal disease achieved higher post-PCI FFR than patients with diffuse CAD (0.93 ± 0.05 vs. 0.83 ± 0.07, p < 0.001). There was a significant interaction between CAD patterns and the randomisation arm for post-PCI FFR (p-value for interaction = 0.004). Physiology-guided stent optimisation was applied more frequently to vessels with diffuse disease; however, patients with focal CAD at baseline achieved higher post-PCI FFR.

Myocardial Perfusion PET for the Detection and Reporting of Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction: A JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging Expert Panel Statement.

Angina pectoris and dyspnea in patients with normal or nonobstructive coronary vessels remains a diagnostic challenge. Invasive coronary angiography may identify up to 60% of patients with nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), of whom nearly two-thirds may, in fact, have coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) that may account for their symptoms. Positron emission tomography (PET) determined absolute quantitative myocardial blood flow (MBF) at rest and during hyperemic vasodilation with subsequent derivation of myocardial flow reserve (MFR) affords the noninvasive detection and delineation of CMD. Individualized or intensified medical therapies with nitrates, calcium-channel blockers, statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II type 1-receptor blockers, beta-blockers, ivabradine, or ranolazine may improve symptoms, quality of life, and outcome in these patients. Standardized diagnosis and reporting criteria for ischemic symptoms caused by CMD are critical for optimized and individualized treatment decisions in such patients. In this respect, it was proposed by the cardiovascular council leadership of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging to convene thoughtful leaders from around the world to serve as an independent expert panel to develop standardized diagnosis, nomenclature and nosology, and cardiac PET reporting criteria for CMD. This consensus document aims to provide an overview of the pathophysiology and clinical evidence of CMD, its invasive and noninvasive assessment, standardization of PET-determined MBFs and MFR into "classical" (predominantly related to hyperemic MBFs) and "endogen" (predominantly related to resting MBF) normal coronary microvascular function or CMD that may be critical for diagnosis of microvascular angina, subsequent patient care, and outcome of clinical CMD trials.

Angina After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Patient and Procedural Predictors.

BACKGROUND: Twenty percent to 40% of patients are affected by angina after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), which is associated with anxiety, depression, impaired physical function, and reduced quality of life. Understanding patient and procedural factors associated with post-PCI angina may inform alternative approaches to treatment. METHODS: Two hundred thirty patients undergoing PCI completed the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ-7) and European quality of life-5 dimension-5 level (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaires at baseline and 3 months post-PCI. Patients received blinded intracoronary physiology assessments before and after stenting. A post hoc analysis was performed to compare clinical and procedural characteristics among patients with and without post-PCI angina (defined by follow-up SAQ-angina frequency score <100). RESULTS: Eighty-eight of 230 patients (38.3%) reported angina 3 months post-PCI and had a higher incidence of active smoking, atrial fibrillation, and history of previous myocardial infarction or PCI. Compared with patients with no angina at follow-up, they had lower baseline SAQ summary scores (69.48±24.12 versus 50.20±22.59, P<0.001) and EQ-5D-5L health index scores (0.84±0.15 versus 0.69±0.22, P<0.001). Pre-PCI fractional flow reserve (FFR) was lower among patients who had no post-PCI angina (0.56±0.15 versus 0.62±0.13, P=0.003). Percentage change in FFR after PCI had a moderate correlation with angina frequency score at follow-up (r=0.36, P<0.0001). Patients with post-PCI angina had less improvement in FFR (43.1±33.5% versus 67.0±50.7%, P<0.001). There were no between-group differences in post-PCI FFR, coronary flow reserve, or corrected index of microcirculatory resistance. Patients with post-PCI angina had lower SAQ-summary scores (64.01±22 versus 95.16±8.72, P≤0.001) and EQ-5D-5L index scores (0.69±0.26 versus 0.91±0.17, P≤0.001) at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Larger improvements in FFR following PCI were associated with less angina and better quality of life at follow-up. In patients with stable symptoms, intracoronary physiology assessment can inform expectations of angina relief and quality of life improvement after stenting and thereby help to determine the appropriateness of PCI. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique identifier: NCT03259815.

Targeted Therapies for Microvascular Disease.

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is a common cause of ischemia but no obstructive coronary artery disease that results in an inability of the coronary microvasculature to meet myocardial oxygen demand. CMD is challenging to diagnose and manage due to a lack of mechanistic research and targeted therapy. Recent evidence suggests we can improved patient outcomes by stratifying antianginal therapies according to the diagnosis revealed by invasive assessment of the coronary microcirculation. This review article appraises the evidence for management of CMD, which includes treatment of cardiovascular risk, antianginal therapy and therapy for atherosclerosis.

Differential Improvement in Angina and Health-Related Quality of Life After PCI in Focal and Diffuse Coronary Artery Disease.

BACKGROUND: An increase in fractional flow reserve (FFR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with improvement in angina. Coronary artery disease (CAD) patterns (focal vs diffuse) influence the FFR change after stenting and may predict angina relief. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the differential improvement in patient-reported outcomes after PCI in focal and diffuse CAD as defined by the pullback pressure gradient (PPG). METHODS: This is a subanalysis of the TARGET-FFR (Trial of Angiography vs. pressure-Ratio-Guided Enhancement Techniques-Fractional Flow Reserve) randomized clinical trial. The 7-item Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ-7) was administered at baseline and 3 months after PCI. The PPG index was calculated from manual pre-PCI FFR pullbacks. The median PPG value was used to define focal and diffuse CAD. Residual angina was defined as an SAQ-7 score <100. RESULTS: A total of 103 patients were analyzed. There were no differences in the baseline characteristics between patients with focal and diffuse CAD. Focal disease had larger increases in FFR after PCI than patients with diffuse disease (0.30 ± 0.14 vs 0.19 ± 0.12; P < 0.001). Patients with focal disease who underwent PCI for focal CAD had significantly higher SAQ-7 summary scores at follow-up than those with diffuse CAD (87.1 ± 20.3 vs 75.6 ± 24.4; mean difference = 11.5 [95% CI: 2.8-20.3]; P = 0.01). After PCI, residual angina was present in 39.8% but was significantly less in those with treated focal CAD (27.5% vs 51.9%; P = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: Residual angina after PCI was almost twice as common in patients with a low PPG (diffuse disease), whereas patients with a high PPG (focal disease) reported greater improvement in angina and quality of life. The baseline pattern of CAD can predict the likelihood of angina relief. (Trial of Angiography vs. pressure-Ratio-Guided Enhancement Techniques-Fractional Flow Reserve [TARGET-FFR]; NCT03259815).

Coronary perforation incidence, outcomes and temporal trends (COPIT): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Coronary perforation is a potentially life-threatening complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We studied incidence, outcomes and temporal trends following PCI-related coronary artery perforation (CAP). METHODS: Prospective systematic review and meta-analysis including meta-regression using MEDLINE and EMBASE to November 2020. We included 'all-comer' PCI cohorts including large PCI registries and randomised controlled trials and excluding registries or trials limited to PCI in high-risk populations such as chronic total occlusion PCI or cohorts treated only with atheroablative devices. Regression analysis and corresponding correlation coefficients were performed comparing perforation incidence, mortality rate, tamponade rate and the rate of Ellis III perforations against the midpoint (year) of data collection to determine if a significant temporal relationship was present. RESULTS: 3997 studies were screened for inclusion. 67 studies met eligibility criteria with a total of 5 568 191 PCIs included over a 38-year period (1982-2020). The overall pooled incidence of perforation was 0.39% (95% CI 0.34% to 0.45%) and remained similar throughout the study period. Around 1 in 5 coronary perforations led to tamponade (21.1%). Ellis III perforations are increasing in frequency and account for 43% of all perforations. Perforation mortality has trended lower over the years (7.5%; 95% CI 6.7% to 8.4%). Perforation risk factors derived using meta-regression were female sex, hypertension, chronic kidney disease and previous coronary bypass grafting. Coronary perforation was most frequently caused by distal wire exit (37%) followed by balloon dilation catheters (28%). Covered stents were used to treat 25% of perforations, with emergency cardiac surgery needed in 17%. CONCLUSION: Coronary perforation complicates approximately 1 in 250 PCIs. Ellis III perforations are increasing in incidence although it is unclear whether this is due to reporting bias. Despite this, the overall perforation mortality rate (7.5%) has trended lower in recent years. Limitations of our findings include bias that may be introduced through analysis of multidesign studies and registries without pre-specified standardised perforation reporting CMore research into coronary perforation management including the optimal use of covered stents seems warranted. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020207881.

The Australian New Zealand Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (ANZ-SCAD) Registry - A Multi-Centre Cohort Study: Protocol, Background and Significance.

INTRODUCTION: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an under-recognised cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with a strong female predominance. There are currently limited prospective studies and no randomised controlled trials that inform on SCAD's best clinical care. Little is also known about predictors of acute SCAD deterioration or recurrence. We describe the study design of a multi-centre prospective and historical cohort study recruiting patients with SCAD across 15-20 sites in Australia/New Zealand (NZ). The primary aim is to describe the clinical presentation, management and outcomes along with predictors of acute deterioration and recurrence in a large Australian/NZ SCAD cohort, with international data pooling. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Consented patients diagnosed with SCAD during a hospital admission for an ACS will be prospectively followed at 30 days then yearly, for up to 5 years. Each recruiting site will also retrospectively identify historical cases of SCAD from the proceeding 10 years, with a waiver of consent. For historical cases, data will be collected in a de-identified manner with date of last follow-up or death obtained from the medical records. All cases undergo core laboratory adjudication of coronary angiography and any accompanying imaging to confirm SCAD diagnosis. The primary endpoint will be occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events; a composite of all-cause mortality, recurrent myocardial infarction (including SCAD recurrence), stroke/transient ischaemic attack, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest/ventricular arrhythmia, heart transplantation and, repeat/unplanned revascularisation. Secondary endpoints will include each individual primary outcome as well as acute SCAD extension and quality of life/Seattle Angina Score in prospectively recruited participants. Endpoints will be assessed at the end of the hospital admission and at 30-days, 1 year, and median long-term follow-up. ETHICS: Multicentre ethics approval has been granted from the Western Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee (2021/ETH00040). DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS: The analysed results will be published in peer-reviewed journals on completion of the historical data collection and then on completion of the prospective data collection. REGISTRATION DETAILS: The ANZ-SCAD registry has been prospectively registered with the Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12621000824864).

Coronary Artery Perforations: Glasgow Natural History Study of Covered Stent Coronary Interventions (GNOCCI) Study.

Background The objective of the GNOCCI (Glasgow Natural History Study of Covered Stent Coronary Interventions) Study was to report the incidence and outcomes of coronary artery perforations over an 18-year period at a single, high-volume percutaneous coronary intervention center. We considered both the temporal trends and long-term outcomes of covered stent deployment. Methods and Results We evaluated procedural and long-term clinical outcomes following coronary perforation in a cohort of 43,343 consecutive percutaneous coronary intervention procedures. Procedural major adverse cardiac events were defined as a composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, target vessel revascularization, or cardiac surgery within 24 hours. A total of 161 (0.37%) procedures were complicated by coronary perforation of which 57 (35%) were Ellis grade III. Incidence increased with time over the study period (r=0.73; P<0.001). Perforation severity was linearly associated with procedural mortality (median 2.9-year follow-up): Ellis I (0%), Ellis II (1.7%), Ellis III/IIIB (21%), P<0.001. Procedural major adverse cardiac events occurred in 47% of patients with Ellis III/IIIB versus 13.5% of those with Ellis I/II perforations (odds ratio, 5.8; 95% CI, 2.7-12.5; P<0.001). Covered stents were associated with an increased risk of stent thrombosis at 2.9-year follow-up (Academic Research Consortium definite or probable; 9.1% versus 0.9%; risk ratio, 10.5; 95% CI, 1.1-97; P=0.04). Conclusions The incidence of coronary perforation increased between 2001 and 2019. Severe perforation was associated with higher procedural major adverse cardiac events and was an independent predictor of long-term mortality. Although covered stents are a potentially lifesaving treatment, the generation of devices used during the study period was limited by their efficacy and high risk of stent thrombosis. Registration Information Clinicaltrials.gov. Identifier: NCT03862352.

Structural, vibrational and electronic properties of some tetrel-bonded complexes of the fluorinated methanes methyl fluoride, difluoromethane and fluoroform: an ab initio study.

A search has been conducted, by means of ab initio molecular orbital theory, for potential tetrel-bonded complexes formed between the fluorinated methanes methyl fluoride, difluoromethane and fluoroform, and the related hydrides ammonia, water, hydrogen fluoride, phosphine, hydrogen sulphide and hydrogen chloride. Eleven such complexes have been identified, six containing CH3F and five CH2F2. The complexes are typically less strongly bound than their hydrogen-bonded counterparts, and the interaction energies vary in a consistent way with the periodic trend of the electron donors. The intermolecular separations and changes of the relevant intramolecular bond lengths, the wavenumber shifts of the critical vibrational modes and the extents of charge transfer correlate, by and large, with the strengths of interaction.

#funnypoliticians: How Do Political Figures Use Humor on Twitter?

Social media has increased its popularity among politicians. If they wish to succeed in the political arena, politicians need to present themselves to citizens as attractive individuals through these platforms. This study examined how politicians present themselves using humor on Twitter. We analyzed tweets (n = 6,443) from 27 politicians to determine their use of different types of humor and its relationship with age, gender, or political position. We also present changes in humor use in relation to the publication of a political survey in which politicians who were part of this study were evaluated. Results showed politicians' use of humor is relatively low in frequency and primarily aggressive. Politicians who are male, younger, and in the opposition tend to use more aggressive humor. We discuss the results considering the role of aggressive humor in political messages. Based on the analyses of tweets and the publication of the survey, we propose as a hypothesis for future studies that politicians' use of humor on Twitter could be affected by the publication of these kinds of surveys.