Which factors affect post-transfer gaps in follow-up care? A qualitative study of the insights of healthcare providers in Sweden and Belgium.

BACKGROUND: Young people with congenital heart disease (CHD) are frequently affected by discontinued follow-up when transferring from paediatric to adult care. Identified predictors for discontinuation include mostly patient-related factors, and further knowledge of hospital and healthcare system factors is needed. AIM: This study aims to explore patient-related, hospital-related and healthcare system-related factors affecting continued follow-up care after transfer, as perceived and experienced by paediatric cardiology and adult CHD (ACHD) healthcare providers (HCPs) in Sweden and Belgium. METHODS: This descriptive qualitative study included individual interviews with cardiologists, nurses and administrative staff, subjected to qualitative content analysis. A total of 30 HCPs from 13 specialist care outpatient clinics at 8 different centres in Sweden and Belgium were interviewed. HCPs were included if they had direct contact with patients and had at least 1 year of work experience. FINDINGS: The findings illuminate three main categories of factors perceived by HCPs to affect continued follow-up care after transfer, including 'care structure', 'care processes' and 'patient characteristics and circumstances'. Success was described as multifactorial, emphasising processes and structures of care, with a focus on collaboration, organisation, joint responsibility, resources, care relationships and transitional care interventions. Few differences appeared between paediatric and ACHD HCPs and between Swedish and Belgian HCPs. CONCLUSION: HCPs perceived factors on patient, hospital and healthcare system levels to influence continued follow-up. Process-related and structure-related aspects of care were perceived as more influential than individual patient characteristics. Hence, future research on discontinued follow-up care should focus on process-related and structure-related aspects of care delivery.

Safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents versus heparin-bonded stents in treatment of femoropopliteal peripheral artery disease: study protocol for a multicentre, prospective randomised controlled trial in China (ELITE trial).

INTRODUCTION: Endovascular therapy has emerged as a prominent strategy for managing femoropopliteal peripheral artery disease, offering acceptable safety and efficacy compared with open surgical bypass. Both paclitaxel-eluting stents and heparin-bonded covered stents have exhibited enhanced clinical outcomes compared with bare metal stents. However, there is currently a lack of level I evidence comparing the safety and efficacy of paclitaxel-eluting stents and heparin-bonded covered stents. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety outcomes of these two types of stents. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The ELITE trial is a prospective, multicentre, parallel, randomised controlled trial. A total of 450 patients will be recruited. The primary endpoints of the study include primary patency at 1 year post-index procedure. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of West China Hospital of Sichuan University (approval number: 2023-1186). The results will be submitted to a major clinical journal for peer review and publication. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ELITE trial was registered on 27 September 2023 in the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR2300076236).

Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the effect of allopurinol on the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with high and very high cardiovascular risk, including the presence of long-COVID-19 syndrome: the ALL-VASCOR study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Numerous studies, but not all, have suggested a positive effect of allopurinol on the cardiovascular system. The randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the effect of allopurinol on the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with high and very high cardiovascular risk, including the presence of long-COVID-19 syndrome (ALL-VASCOR) study aims to evaluate the efficacy of allopurinol therapy for improving cardiovascular outcomes in patients at high and very high cardiovascular risk excluding ischaemic heart disease. This is particularly important due to the high cost of cardiovascular disease treatment and its status as one of the leading causes of mortality. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The ALL-VASCOR study is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial that examines the effect of allopurinol therapy (200-500 mg of allopurinol daily) versus an equivalent dose of placebo on the risk of cardiovascular events in 1116 patients aged 40-70 with serum uric acid levels above 5 mg/dL at high and very high risk of cardiovascular disease. The ALL-VASCOR study will also assess the occurrence of long-COVID-19 syndrome. The study will measure primary and secondary as well as additional endpoints and the planned intervention will end on 31 July 2028 unless advised otherwise by the Safe Monitoring Board or other applicable authorities. Participant recruitment is planned to begin in March 2024 in Poland. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was ethically approved by the Bioethics Committee of Poznan University of Medical Sciences (No 03/23, 12 January 2023). The results are expected after 2028 and will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and at international conferences. PROTOCOL VERSION NUMBER: 01-15 November 2022. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: EudraCT: 2022-003573-32, 27 October 2022, ClinicalTrials: NCT05943821, 13 July 2023.

Protocol for Improving Care by FAster risk-STratification through use of high sensitivity point-of-care troponin in patients presenting with possible acute coronary syndrome in the EmeRgency department (ICare-FASTER): a stepped-wedge cluster randomised quality improvement initiative.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical assessment in emergency departments (EDs) for possible acute myocardial infarction (AMI) requires at least one cardiac troponin (cTn) blood test. The turn-around time from blood draw to posting results in the clinical portal for central laboratory analysers is ~1-2 hours. New generation, high-sensitivity, point-of-care cardiac troponin I (POC-cTnI) assays use whole blood on a bedside (or near bedside) analyser that provides a rapid (8 min) result. This may expedite clinical decision-making and reduce length of stay. Our purpose is to determine if utilisation of a POC-cTnI testing reduces ED length of stay. We also aim to establish an optimised implementation process for the amended clinical pathway. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This quality improvement initiative has a pragmatic multihospital stepped-wedge cross-sectional cluster randomised design. Consecutive patients presenting to the ED with symptoms suggestive of possible AMI and having a cTn test will be included. Clusters (comprising one or two hospitals each) will change from their usual-care pathway to an amended pathway using POC-cTnI-the 'intervention'. The dates of change will be randomised. Changes occur at 1 month intervals, with a minimum 2 month 'run-in' period. The intervention pathway will use a POC-cTnI measurement as an alternate to the laboratory-based cTn measurement. Clinical decision-making steps and logic will otherwise remain unchanged. The POC-cTnI is the Siemens (Erlangen Germany) Atellica VTLi high-sensitivity cTnI assay. The primary outcome is ED length of stay. The safety outcome is cardiac death or AMI within 30 days for patients discharged directly from the ED. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval has been granted by the New Zealand Southern Health and Disability Ethics Committee, reference 21/STH/9. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Lay and academic presentations will be made. Maori-specific results will be disseminated to Maori stakeholders. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12619001189112.

Triple-Vessel Disease in a High-Risk Surgical Patient Treated With Nine Drug-Eluting Stents.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, and as strides have been made in its management, outcomes have continued to improve. Management has evolved from expectant management to coronary artery bypass graft surgery and thrombolysis, to more recently percutaneous intervention with stenting and medical management in select cases. Here, we describe a case of a complex patient with severe triple-vessel disease who was deemed a poor surgical candidate for coronary artery bypass graft surgery and would instead undergo high-risk percutaneous intervention with the placement of nine drug-eluting stents.

Undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension in rural African adults: a scoping review protocol of primary health care interventions.

INTRODUCTION: Non-communicable diseases cause 74% of global deaths, with cardiovascular diseases as the major contributor. Hypertension, a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease, is highly prevalent in Africa. Diagnosis, treatment and control rates are notably limited in rural areas. This limitation results in increased risks of premature mortality and complications such as stroke due to socioeconomic, cultural and geographical challenges. Progress in African countries enhancing hypertension services through primary health care interventions exists. However, a comprehensive review of all primary health care interventions addressing undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension in rural African settings is lacking. This scoping review aims to categorise primary health care interventions targeting undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension in rural African adults. Intervention components will be mapped to the four stages outlined in the hypertension care cascade to develop a pilot intervention logic model for rural African adults with hypertension. METHOD AND ANALYSIS: The scoping review protocol will adhere to the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. Studies considered for inclusion will include any intervention delivered by any healthcare provider in a rural African primary care setting targeting any stage of hypertension care. Eight databases will be searched without date restrictions, supplemented by grey literature and reference list searches. A two-stage screening process (title/abstract and full text) will determine evidence source eligibility. All eligible sources of evidence will be extracted, charted and evaluated using the Template for Intervention Description and Replication checklist. A pilot logic model categorising and mapping interventions to the four stages of the hypertension care cascade will be visually presented and analysed using narrative synthesis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No primary data will be collected; therefore, ethics approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated to local health authorities in Ghana and other African Regions and through national and international conferences and publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Is LDL cholesterol associated with long-term mortality among primary prevention adults? A retrospective cohort study from a large healthcare system.

OBJECTIVES: Among primary prevention-type adults not on lipid-lowering therapy, conflicting results exist on the relationship between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and long-term mortality. We evaluated this relationship in a real-world evidence population of adults. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Electronic medical record data for adults, from 4 January 2000 through 31 December 2022, were extracted from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center healthcare system. PARTICIPANTS: Adults without diabetes aged 50-89 years not on statin therapy at baseline or within 1 year and classified as primary prevention-type patients. To mitigate potential reverse causation, patients who died within 1 year or had baseline total cholesterol (T-C) ≤120 mg/dL or LDL-C <30 mg/dL were excluded. MAIN EXPOSURE MEASURE: Baseline LDL-C categories of 30-79, 80-99, 100-129, 130-159, 160-189 or ≥190 mg/dL. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: All-cause mortality with follow-up starting 365 days after baseline cholesterol measurement. RESULTS: 177 860 patients with a mean (SD) age of 61.1 (8.8) years and mean (SD) LDL-C of 119 (31) mg/dL were evaluated over a mean of 6.1 years of follow-up. A U-shaped relationship was observed between the six LDL-C categories and mortality with crude 10-year mortality rates of 19.8%, 14.7%, 11.7%, 10.7%, 10.1% and 14.0%, respectively. Adjusted mortality HRs as compared with the referent group of LDL-C 80-99 mg/dL were: 30-79 mg/dL (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.30), 100-129 mg/dL (0.87, 0.83-0.91), 130-159 mg/dL (0.88, 0.84-0.93), 160-189 mg/dL (0.91, 0.84-0.98) and ≥190 mg/dL (1.19, 1.06-1.34), respectively. Unlike LDL-C, both T-C/HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and triglycerides/HDL cholesterol ratios were independently associated with long-term mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Among primary prevention-type patients aged 50-89 years without diabetes and not on statin therapy, the lowest risk for long-term mortality appears to exist in the wide LDL-C range of 100-189 mg/dL, which is much higher than current recommendations. For counselling these patients, minimal consideration should be given to LDL-C concentration.

Prognostic impact of combined non-severe aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation on clinical outcomes: a single-centre retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: Though the concomitant occurrence of non-severe aortic stenosis (AS) and mitral regurgitation (MR) is highly prevalent, there are limited data to guide clinical decision-making in this condition. Here, we attempt to determine an aortic valve area (AVA) cut-off value associated with worse clinical outcomes in patients with combined non-severe AS and MR. METHODS: Single-centre, retrospective analysis of consecutive patients who underwent echocardiography examination between 2010 and 2021 with evidence of combined non-severe AS and MR. We excluded patients with ≥moderate aortic valve regurgitation or mitral stenosis, as well as patients who underwent any aortic or mitral intervention either prior or following our assessment (n=372). RESULTS: The final cohort consisted of 2933 patients with non-severe AS, 506 of them with >mild MR. Patients with both pathologies had lower cardiac output and worse diastolic function.Patients with an AVA ≤1.35 cm² in the presence of >mild MR had the highest rates of heart failure (HF) hospitalisations (HR 3.1, IQR 2.4-4, p<0.001) or mortality (HR 2, IQR 1.8-2.4, p<0.001), which remained significant after adjusting for clinical and echocardiographic parameters. CONCLUSION: Patients with combined non-severe AS and MR have a higher rate of HF hospitalisations and mortality. An AVA≤1.35 cm² in the presence of >mild MR is associated with worse clinical outcomes.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a web-based cardiac rehabilitation programme for people with chronic stable angina: protocol for the ACTIVATE (Angina Controlled Trial Investigating the Value of the 'Activate your heart' Therapeutic E-intervention) randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic stable angina is common and disabling. Cardiac rehabilitation is routinely offered to people following myocardial infarction or revascularisation procedures and has the potential to help people with chronic stable angina. However, there is insufficient evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness for its routine use in this patient group. The objectives of this study are to compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the 'Activate Your Heart' cardiac rehabilitation programme for people with chronic stable angina compared with usual care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: ACTIVATE is a multicentre, parallel-group, two-arm, superiority, pragmatic randomised controlled trial, with recruitment from primary and secondary care centres in England and Wales and a target sample size of 518 (1:1 allocation; allocation sequence by minimisation programme with built-in random element). The study uses secure web-based allocation concealment. The two treatments will be optimal usual care (control) and optimal usual care plus the 'Activate Your Heart' web-based cardiac rehabilitation programme (intervention). Outcome assessment and statistical analysis will be performed blinded; participants will be unblinded. Outcomes will be measured at baseline and at 6 and 12 months' follow-up. Primary outcome will be the UK version of Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ-UK), physical limitations domain at 12 months' follow-up. Secondary outcomes will be the remaining two domains of SAQ-UK, dyspnoea, anxiety and depression, health utility, self-efficacy, physical activity and the incremental shuttle walk test. All safety events will be recorded, and serious adverse events assessed to determine whether they are related to the intervention and expected. Concurrent economic evaluation will be cost-utility analysis from health service perspective. An embedded process evaluation will determine the mechanisms and processes that explain the implementation and impacts of the cardiac rehabilitation programme. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: North of Scotland National Health Service Research Ethics Committee approval, reference 21/NS/0115. Participants will provide written informed consent. Results will be disseminated by peer-reviewed publication. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN10054455.

Left ventricular recovery after total arterial coronary artery bypass grafting versus conventional coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: We compared total arterial revascularization (TAR) versus conventional revascularization (CR) in terms of left ventricular function recovery in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 162 consecutive patients with multivessel CAD and reduced LVEF who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting at our institution between January 2013 and July 2022. We assessed left ventricular function by transthoracic echocardiography at admission, before discharge, and at follow-up of 3, 6, and 12 months, using LVEF, global longitudinal peak strain, end-diastolic volume index, and end-systolic volume index. We also evaluated mitral valve regurgitation and graft patency rate at 1 year. RESULTS: The TAR group had a significantly higher increase in LVEF and global longitudinal peak strain, and a significantly lower decrease in end-diastolic volume index and end-systolic volume index than the CR group at 6 and 12 months after surgery. The TAR group also had a significantly lower degree of mitral valve regurgitation than the CR group at all-time points within 12 months after surgery. The TAR group had a significantly higher graft patency rate than the CR group at 12 months. There was no significant difference in hospital mortality or repeat revascularization between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: TAR was associated with better recovery of left ventricular function than CR in patients with multivessel CAD and reduced LVEF. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings in this high-risk population.

Wearables for early detection of atrial fibrillation and timely referral for Indigenous people ≥55 years: mixed-methods protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Digital health technologies have the potential to provide cost-effective care to remote and underserved populations. To realise this potential, research must involve people not traditionally included. No research focuses on the acceptability and feasibility of older Indigenous people using wearables for early atrial fibrillation (AF) detection. This protocol compares digital augmentation against standard practice to detect AF, evaluate heart health self-efficacy and health literacy changes and identify barriers in collaboration with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations. It will establish a framework for implementing culturally safe and acceptable wearable programmes for detecting and managing AF in Indigenous adults ≥55 years and older. METHODS: This mixed-methods research will use the Rambaldini model of collective impact, a user-centred, co-design methodology and yarning circles, a recognised Indigenous research methodology to assess the cultural safety, acceptability, feasibility and efficacy of incorporating wearables into standard care for early AF detection. ANALYSIS: Qualitative data will be analysed to create composite descriptions of participants' experiences and perspectives related to comfort, cultural safety, convenience, confidence, family reactions and concerns. Quantitative device data will be extracted and analysed via Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS). CONCLUSION: Prioritising perspectives of older Indigenous adults on using wearables for detecting and monitoring cardiovascular disease will ensure that the findings are effective, relevant and acceptable to those impacted. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Findings will be published in open-source peer-reviewed journals, shared at professional conferences, described in lay terms and made available to the public. The AHMRC HREC Reference Number approved 1135/15.

Northern Shanghai Study II: systematic assessment and management of early organ damage and its role in preventing and reducing cardiovascular risk-protocol of a prospective study.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death and disease burden in China. However, there is a lack of prospective cohort studies suitable for evaluating early organ damage and its role in preventing and reducing cardiovascular risk among Chinese residents. This study intends to establish the first database based on the phenotypes of all early structural and functional damage of cardiovascular organs in Chinese population. Moreover, a digital follow-up mechanism will be formed, a prospective population cohort will be established, a biological sample bank for early cardiovascular organ damage will be established, and an intervention and management system for early damage of cardiovascular organs will be explored. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study is a prospective cohort study built on the foundation of the Northern Shanghai Study I. People aged 18-75 years are enrolled. After the recruitment, first, corresponding physical measurements and clinical examinations are conducted to collect cardiovascular risk factors and establish the demographic baseline of the study population. Next, the latest equipment is used to evaluate early structural and functional cardiovascular organ damage including heart, macrovessels, microcirculation, renal function and fundus. Meanwhile, the blood, urine, faeces and other biological samples of participants are collected to establish the cardiometabolic and gut microbiota analysis databases. The population is followed up every 2 years. Comprehensive assessment of early organ damage will be used to predict cardiovascular risk, guide people to change lifestyles to achieve early prevention and provide corresponding treatment recommendations. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital Institutional Review Board. All participants signed a written consent form. The results of this study will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals. Ethics approval: SHYS-IEC-5.0/22k148/P01. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05435898.

Non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as a risk factor for short-term mortality in elderly Chinese: a large-scale, population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the association between non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) and mortality risk, both short-term and long-term, in Chinese people. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. SETTING: The National Basic Public Health Service (BPHS) in China. PARTICIPANTS: Including 621 164 elderly individuals around Hunan Province who underwent healthcare management receiving check-ups in China BPHS from 2010 to 2020. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: (1) missing information on gender; (2) missing records of lipid screening; (3) missing information on key covariates; and (4) missing records of comorbidities (cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer.) PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The study's primary endpoint was all-cause and cause-specific mortality, sourced from Hunan's CDC(Center for Disease Control and Prevention)-operated National Mortality Surveillance System, tracking participants until 24 February 2021. RESULTS: 26 758 (4.3%) deaths were recorded, with a median follow-up of 0.83 years. Association between non-HDL and mortality was non-linear after multivariable adjustment, with the optimum concentration (OC) being 3.29 and 4.85 mmol/L. Compared with OC, the risk increased by 1.12-fold for non-HDL <3.29 mmol/L (HR: 1.12 (1.09 to 1.15)) and 1.08-fold for non-HDL ≥4.85 mmol/L (HR: 1.08 (1.02 to 1.13)) for all-cause mortality. Furthermore, there is also an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality (HR for non-HDL <3.29: 1.10 (1.06 to 1.32) and HR for non-HDL ≥4.85: 1.07 (1.01 to 1.14)). However, cancer mortality risk was significantly increased only for non-HDL <3.29 mmol/L (HR: 1.11 (1.04 to 1.18)). Non-optimum concentration of non-HDL had significant effects on both the long-term and the short-term risk of mortality, especially for risks of mortality for all-cause (log HR:0 .086 (0.038 to 0.134)), cardiovascular (log HR:0 .082 (0.021 to 0.144)), and cancer (log HR:0 .187 (0.058 to 0.315)) within 3 months. A two-sided value of p <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Non-HDL was non-linearly associated with the risk of mortality, and non-optimal concentrations of non-HDL significantly increased short-term mortality in elderly Chinese, which needs more attention for cardiovascular disease prevention.