Association of Amiodarone Use Prior to Orthotopic Heart Transplant with Post-Transplant Graft Dysfunction and All-Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is conflicting data on the association between pre-orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) amiodarone use and post-OHT graft dysfunction (GD) leading to heterogeneity in clinical practice. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate whether pre-OHT amiodarone use was associated with meaningful increases in the incidence of GD, 30-day mortality, and 1-year mortality. Studies were identified by searching PubMed and the Cochrane Register of Clinical Trials. The Mantel-Haenszel method was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI95) for each endpoint. RESULTS: 17 retrospective studies were identified that included 48,782 patients. 14 studies (n = 48,018) reported GD as an outcome. Pre-OHT amiodarone use was associated with increased odds of GD (OR 1.3, CI95 1.2-1.5, p < 0.001). 10 studies (n = 45,875) reported 30-day mortality based on amiodarone use. Pre-OHT amiodarone use was associated with increased odds of 30-day mortality (OR 1.4, CI95 1.2-1.5, p < 0.001). 5 studies (n = 41,404) reported 1-year mortality based on amiodarone use. Pre-OHT amiodarone use was associated with increased odds of 1-year mortality (OR 1.2, CI95 1.1-1.4, p < 0.001). The increase in absolute risk of GD, 30-day mortality, and 1-year mortality for patients with pre-OHT amiodarone use was 1.3%, 1.2%, and 1.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Pre-OHT amiodarone exposure was associated with increased odds of GD, 30-day mortality, and 1-year mortality. The increase in absolute risk for each endpoint was modest, and it is unclear to what extent, if any, pre-OHT amiodarone use should influence assessment of OHT candidacy.

Cardiovascular assessment in cirrhosis: is global longitudinal strain altered in cirrhosis? A meta-analysis and review.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Evaluation of cardiac function and determining the potential risk of cardiac complications with liver transplantation has been both a topic of contention and discussion. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) imaging has been used to identify subclinical myocardial dysfunction in other pathologies; however, its use in the cirrhosis population is unclear. A meta-analysis was performed to assess GLS values in patients with cirrhosis compared to healthy controls. METHODS: A literature search was conducted for studies that evaluated GLS in patients with cirrhosis compared to healthy controls published until September 18, 2020. Primary outcomes looked at differences in GLS values between these populations. RESULTS: Thirteen total studies were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, 802 patients with cirrhosis and 540 healthy controls were included in the analysis. The GLS values were numerically more negative in the healthy control group versus patients with cirrhosis (raw mean difference -2.5%, 95% CI -3 to -1.9, P = < .001), I2  = 81%. CONCLUSION: GLS can be used as an early marker of subclinical myocardial dysfunction. We noted a difference in GLS values in patients with cirrhosis compared to healthy control subjects in this meta-analysis. Other traditional systolic and diastolic echocardiographic parameters were not found to be significantly different between patients with cirrhosis versus healthy controls. This may indicate utilization of GLS when screening for cardiac dysfunction prior to liver transplantation.

USPSTF recommends aspirin to prevent CVD in adults 40 to 59 y as an individual decision; not recommended for adults ≥60 y.

SOURCE CITATION: Davidson KW, Barry MJ, Mangione CM, et al. Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA. 2022;327:1577-84. 35471505.

Letter to the editor to update the article "Remote monitoring for heart failure using implantable devices: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of randomized controlled trials".

Our recently published systematic review and meta-analysis of heart failure (HF) remote monitoring using implantable devices (Hajduczok et al. in HF Reviews 1-20, 1) has been updated to reflected new data from the GUIDE-HF trial (Lindenfeld et al. in Lancet 398(10304):991-1001, 2). Data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed to determine the effectiveness of implantable remote monitoring on the improvement of outcomes in HF patients. With the inclusion of the data from 1000 patients followed for 12 months in GUIDE-HF, our conclusions remain unchanged: Compared to standard of care, remote monitoring using implantable devices did not reduce mortality, CV, or HF hospitalizations. However, right ventricular/pulmonary pressure monitoring may reduce HF hospitalizations.

Remote monitoring for heart failure using implantable devices: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of randomized controlled trials.

In heart failure (HF) patients, remote monitoring using implantable devices may be used to predict and reduce HF exacerbations and mortality. Data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed to determine the effectiveness of implantable remote monitoring on the improvement of outcomes in HF patients. A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs testing remote monitoring versus standard of care for management of HF patients was performed. Primary endpoints were all-cause mortality and a composite of cardiovascular (CV) and HF hospitalizations. Rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. A secondary analysis tested for heterogeneity of treatment effect (HTE) comparing right ventricular/pulmonary pressure monitoring versus impedance-based monitoring on hospitalization. A regression analysis was performed using the mean follow-up time as the moderator on each primary endpoint. Eleven RCTs (n = 6196) were identified with a mean follow-up of 21.9 months. The mean age and reported ejection fraction were 64.1 years and 27.7%, respectively. Remote monitoring did not reduce mortality (RR 0.89 [95% CI 0.77, 1.03]) or the composite of CV and HF hospitalizations (RR 0.98 [0.81, 1.19]). Subgroup analysis found significant HTE for hospitalizations between those studies that used right ventricular/pulmonary pressure monitoring versus impedance-based monitoring (I2 = 87.1%, chi2 = 7.75, p = 0.005). Regression analysis found no relationship between the log rate ratio of remote monitoring's effect on mortality, CV hospitalization or HF hospitalization, and mean follow-up time. Compared to standard of care, remote monitoring using implantable devices did not reduce mortality, CV, or HF hospitalizations. However, right ventricular/pulmonary pressure monitoring may reduce HF hospitalizations, which will need to be explored in future studies.

Vitamin D heritability and effect of pregnancy status in Vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) under conditions of modest and high dietary supplementation.

OBJECTIVES: The two objectives of the current study were to: 1) investigate the genetic contributions to variations in serum vitamin D concentrations under two dietary conditions (a standard monkey biscuit diet vs. a diet designed to model typical American consumption); and 2) explore the interaction of vitamin D with pregnancy status using a cohort of pedigreed female vervet/African green monkeys. METHODS: This study includes 185 female (≥3.5 years) vervet/African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus) from a multi-generational, pedigreed breeding colony. The 25(OH)D3 concentrations were first measured seven to eight weeks after consuming a "typical American" diet (TAD), deriving 37, 18, and 45% of calories from fat, protein sources, and carbohydrates, and supplemented with vitamin D to a human equivalent of 1,000 IU/day. Vitamin D concentrations were assessed again when animals were switched to a low-fat, standard biscuit diet (LabDiet 5038) for 8 months, which provided a human equivalent of approximately 4,000 IU/day of vitamin D. All statistical analyses were implemented in SOLAR. RESULTS: Pregnancy was associated with reduced 25(OH)D3 concentrations. Heritability analyses indicated a significant genetic contribution to 25(OH)D3 concentrations in the same monkeys consuming the biscuit diet (h(2) =0.66, P=0.0004) and TAD (h(2) =0.67, P=0.0078) diets, with higher 25(OH)D3 concentrations in animals consuming the biscuit diet. Additionally, there was a significant genotype-by-pregnancy status interaction on 25(OH)D3 concentrations (P<0.05) only among animals consuming the TAD diet. DISCUSSION: These results support the existence of a genetic contribution to differences in serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations by pregnancy status and emphasize the role of diet (including vitamin D supplementation) in modifying genetic signals as well as vitamin D concentrations.

Pulmonary vein isolation plus adjunctive therapy for the treatment of atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the primary technique for ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). It is unclear whether adjunctive therapies in addition to PVI can reduce atrial arrhythmia recurrence (AAR) compared to PVI alone in patients with AF. METHODS: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing PVI plus an adjunctive therapy (autonomic modulation, linear ablation, non-pulmonary vein trigger ablation, epicardial PVI [hybrid ablation], or left atrial substrate modification) to PVI alone was conducted. The primary outcome was AAR. Cumulative odd's ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for each treatment type. RESULTS: Forty-six trials were identified that included 8,500 participants. The mean age (± standard deviation) was 60.2 (±4.1) years, and 27.2% of all patients were female. The mean follow-up time was 14.6 months. PVI plus autonomic modulation and PVI plus hybrid ablation were associated with a relative 53.1% (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.32 to 0.69; p < 0.001) and 59.1% (OR 0.41; 95% CI 0.23 to 0.75; p = 0.003) reduction in AAR, respectively, compared to PVI alone. All categories had at least moderate interstudy heterogeneity except for hybrid ablation. CONCLUSION: Adjunctive autonomic modulation and epicardial PVI may improve the effectiveness of PVI. Larger, multi-center randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy of these therapies.

Re-Analyses of 8 Historical Trials in Cardiovascular Medicine Assessing Multimorbidity Burden and Its Association with Treatment Response.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the multimorbidity burden of clinical trial participants and assess its association with treatment response. METHODS: We conducted a reanalysis of patient level data. There were 29,954 participants from 8 clinical trials containing 11 comparisons between an intervention and control condition. Patients were classified by Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score. The primary outcomes were the primary study endpoints as originally specified for each trial. A Cox model that included the CCI score groups, the randomized group, and their interaction, was used to compare the primary outcome between randomized groups. The interaction term between randomized group and comorbidity index allowed the treatment effect to differ by level of comorbidity index and comprised the primary effect of interest. Hazard ratios and risk differences were reported for all comparisons. RESULTS: The mean CCI scores of trial populations ranged from 2.1 to 3.9 points, and the percentage of patients with scores ≥5 from 3% to 39%. Tests of interaction terms in models yielded P values ≤ .10 for 4/11 comparisons and ≤ .05 for 2/11 comparisons. In 3 additional comparisons, potentially important treatment variation on an absolute scale was observed despite interaction tests with P values > .10 on the relative scale. CONCLUSIONS: These trials were mainly composed of patient populations with CCI scores ≤4. Despite this, biologically plausible treatment interactions were commonly suggested. These results are hypothesis generating; confirmation of results would require larger studies or studies targeted specifically toward patients with higher levels of multimorbidity.

Denosumab versus Bisphosphonates for Reducing Fractures in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: There are multiple classes of pharmacologic agents approved for treatment of osteoporosis, but their costs vary widely, and systematic data on their efficacy compared with the traditional standard, bisphosphonates, for reducing fractures in postmenopausal women are lacking. The objective was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the efficacy of denosumab compared with bisphosphonates. METHODS: Researchers selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing denosumab to bisphosphonates that included information on clinical and/or osteoporotic fracture events over the follow-up period. Each clinical outcome was meta-analyzed using a fixed-effects analysis, with clinical and osteoporotic fractures as the outcomes of interest. A meta-regression was performed using change in bone mineral density (BMD) as the moderator variable. RESULTS: Seven RCTs were included. Denosumab was not associated with a reduction in clinical or osteoporotic fractures compared with bisphosphonates. There was no association between the change in BMD with denosumab and bisphosphonates and denosumab's effect on both osteoporotic and clinical fractures. DISCUSSION: Existing data do not support the use of the more expensive denosumab as a first-line agent over bisphosphonates for reduction of fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. One limitation in this study was each RCT was not individually powered for fracture incidences.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of all sham and placebo controlled trials for resistant hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: There is a lack of consensus regarding the best add on therapy for treatment of resistant hypertension (RH). This is likely secondary to a paucity of data on the comparative effectiveness of proposed therapies for RH. METHODS: Placebo-controlled and sham-controlled randomized clinical trials testing therapies for the treatment of RH were included in this meta-analysis. Therapies with two or more studies were included as subgroups in this meta-analysis. The primary outcomes being tested were 24-hr systolic blood pressure (SBP) and office SBP. RESULTS: Eight studies were identified that tested mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) including 1,414 participants. The raw mean difference (RMD) between MRA and placebo control was statistically significant for 24-hour SBP (-10.56 mmHg; 95% confidence interval (CI) -12.82 to -8.30), 24-hour diastolic (DBP) (-5.48 mmHg; 95% CI -8.48 to -2.58), office SBP (-11.97 mmHg; 95% CI -16.41 to -7.54), and office DBP (-4.14 mmHg; 95% CI -5.62 to -2.65). Six studies were identified that tested renal denervation (RD) including 989 participants. The RMD between RD and sham control was not statistically significant for 24-hour SBP (-1.84 mmHg; 95% CI -3.92 to 0.24), 24-hour DBP (-0.66 mmHg; 95% CI -1.85 to 0.54), office SBP (-1.57 mmHg; 95% CI -6.04 to 2.89), and office DBP (-1.49 mmHg; 95% CI -3.52 to 0.55). Four studies were identified that tested endothelin receptor antagonists (ERA) including 1,193 participants. The raw mean difference (RMD) between ERA and placebo control was statistically significant for 24-hr systolic (SBP) (-7.02 mmHg; 95% CI -9.15 to -4.90, 24-hr diastolic (DBP) (-6.22 mmHg; 95% CI -7.61 to -4.82), office SBP (-5.84 mmHg; 95% CI -10.08 to -1.60), and office DBP (-3.73 mmHg; 95% CI -5.87 to -1.59). DISCUSSION: MRA lowers BP in patients with RH more than RD, which seems to have little to no effect in RH. ERAs lead to a statistically significant reduction in BP but the confidence in efficacy is limited due to the low number of studies and differences in trial population. Individual factors and their impact on treatment response in RH should be investigated in future research.

Pulmonary vein isolation with adjunctive left atrial ganglionic plexus ablation for treatment of atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Adjunctive ganglionic plexus (GP) ablation may increase the efficacy of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). Prior meta-analyses examining PVI with adjunctive GP ablation have included non-randomized trials and have included trials evaluating thorascopic epicardial ablation. The objective of this study is to perform a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing endocardial catheter-based PVI to PVI with adjunctive GP ablation. METHODS: Summary odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Heterogeneity was assessed with I2 values. Sub-group analysis was performed comparing arrhythmia recurrence between patients with paroxysmal versus persistent AF at trial baseline. Meta-regressions were performed with mean left atrial diameter and left ventricular ejection fraction at trial baseline as the moderator variables. RESULTS: Five RCTs were identified including 814 patients: 406 PVI + GP ablation and 408 PVI alone. The mean age of participants was 56.5 years and 74.7% were male. Four of these trials evaluated catheter-based endocardial ablation for a total of 574 patients: 289 PVI + GP ablation and 285 PVI alone. The odds of arrhythmia recurrence in patients undergoing adjunctive GP ablation with PVI compared with PVI alone were a reduced: odds ratio (OR) 0.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41-0.82, I2 = 40.2%. In the subgroup analysis, the odds of arrhythmia recurrence with adjunctive GP ablation were reduced in those with paroxysmal AF (OR 0.396, 95% CI 0.23-0.69, I2 = 0%). A non-significant trend to reduced arrhythmia recurrence was also observed in those with persistent AF (OR 0.726, 95% CI 0.475-1.112, I2 = 0%). When performing the meta-regression, increased left atrial diameter was associated with decreased treatment effect of adjunctive GP ablation (R2 index = 1.0, I2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of GP ablation to PVI was associated with reduced arrhythmia recurrence. Adjunctive GP ablation was more effective in paroxysmal AF and in patients with smaller atria. Larger RCTs are needed to confirm the efficacy of GP + PVI ablation.

A Subgroup Meta-Analysis Comparing the Renal Denervation Sham-Controlled Randomized Trials Among Those With Resistant and Nonresistant Hypertension.

Renal denervation (RD) has been investigated as an invasive blood pressure (BP) lowering treatment for hypertension (HTN). Resistant HTN (RHTN) has been defined as uncontrolled BP despite use of 3 antihypertensive medications of different classes, including a diuretic, at maximum tolerated doses. The impact of RD on RHTN remains under investigation. Ten sham-controlled trials testing RD were included in this trial-level analysis. A prespecified subgroup analysis was conducted to test whether efficacy of RD differed in patients with and without RHTN. The primary end points were change in 24-hour ambulatory systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) using raw mean difference (RMD) between sham control and RD. Ten studies (6 RHTN and 4 nonresistant HTN) were identified that included 1,544 participants (1,001 RHTN and 543 essential HTN) with cumulative mean age (±SD) of 57 years (±3). Cochran risk of bias assessment showed 69% of the domains to be at low risk of bias. The RMD for 24-hour SBP between RD and sham control was statistically significant for nonresistant HTN trials (-4.19 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval [CI] -6.07 to -2.30) but was not statistically significant for RHTN trials (-1.86 mm Hg; 95% CI - 3.89 to 0.16). Despite the numerical difference in the subgroups, the interaction between subgroups failed to reach statistical significance (p = 0.10). The RMD for 24-hour DBP between RD and sham control was statistically significant for nonresistant HTN trials (-2.60 mm Hg; 95% CI -3.79 to -1.42) but was not statistically significant for RHTN trials (-0.67 mm Hg; 95% CI -1.84 to 0.50). The interaction between subgroups was statistically significant (p = 0.02). Our analysis indicates RD is a less effective intervention for patients with RHTN. These data may be beneficial for clinicians to consider when assessing patients with RHTN for RD.

Association between diseases of despair and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease among insured adults in the USA: a retrospective cohort study from 2017 to 2021.

OBJECTIVES: To assess associations between diseases of despair (DoD) and incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) among insured adults in the USA. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Highmark insurance claims data in the USA from 2017 to 2021. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with at least 10 months of continuous insurance enrolment, no record of ASCVD in the 2016 baseline year and no missing data on study variables. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Cox proportional hazard regression was used to calculate crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to assess risk of ASCVD (composite of ischaemic cardiomyopathy, non-fatal ischaemic stroke, peripheral arterial disease or non-fatal acute myocardial infarction) by baseline DoD overall, and by the component conditions comprising DoD (alcohol-related disorders, substance-related disorders, suicidality) individually and in combination. RESULTS: The DoD-exposed group had an age-adjusted rate of 20.5 ASCVD events per 1000 person-years, compared with 11.7 among the unexposed. In adjusted models, overall DoD was associated with increased risk of incident ASCVD (HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.36 to 1.47). Individually and in combination, component conditions of DoD were associated with higher risk for ASCVD relative to no DoD. Substance-related disorders were associated with 50% higher risk of incident ASCVD (HR 1.5, 95% CI 1.41 to 1.59), alcohol-related disorders and suicidality/intentional self-harm were associated with 33% and 30% higher risk, respectively (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.26 to 1.41; HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.52). Co-occurring DoD components conferred higher risk still. The highest risk combination was substance-related disorders+suicidality (HR 2.01, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.82). CONCLUSIONS: Among this cohort of insured adults, documented DoD was associated with increased ASCVD risk. Further research to understand and address cardiovascular disease prevention in those with DoD could reduce costs, morbidity and mortality. Further examination of overlapping structural factors that may be contributing to concurrent rises in ASCVD and DoD in the USA is needed.

A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta regression of the sham controlled renal denervation randomized controlled trials.

Renal denervation (RD) has been investigated as a novel blood pressure (BP) lowering treatment for hypertension. The primary objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of RD and factors that may associate with treatment effect heterogeneity. The primary outcomes were raw mean differences (RMD) in 24-hour ambulatory, daytime ambulatory, nighttime, and office systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) between sham control and RD. A prespecified subgroup analysis was performed comparing studies with follow-up less than versus greater than 4 months. If inter-study heterogeneity was found for any of the above outcomes, additional analyses were performed to assess potential moderator variables. Ten sham-controlled randomized trials were identified and included 1,544 participants, followed for a mean of 4.20 months. RD was associated with a statistically significant reduction in all SBP and DBP measures except for nighttime SBP (-2.64 mmHg; 95% confidence interval (CI) -5.84 to 0.56, p = 0.11) and nighttime DBP (- 1.21 mmHg; 95% CI -3.17 to 0.75, p = 0.23). Mild to moderate inter-study heterogeneity was identified for three outcomes (office SBP and nighttime SBP and DBP). Studies that followed patients for longer than 4 months had numerically lower reductions in most BP outcomes; however, there were no statistically significant interactions between subgroups. Compared to a sham procedure, RD was associated with statistically significant reductions in most measures of SBP and DBP that were within bounds of what would be expected from standard blood pressure lowering medications.

The association of hormone therapy with blood pressure control in postmenopausal women with hypertension: a secondary analysis of the Women's Health Initiative clinical trials.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the effect of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) on blood pressure control in postmenopausal women with hypertension. METHODS: The Women's Health Initiative HT clinical trials were double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled studies of women aged 50 to 79 years testing the effects of HT (conjugated equine estrogens [CEE, 0.625 mg/d] or CEE + medroxyprogesterone acetate [MPA; 2.5 mg/d]) on risks for coronary heart disease and invasive breast cancer, the primary outcomes for efficacy and safety, respectively. This secondary analysis of the Women's Health Initiative HT trials examined a subsample of 9,332 women with hypertension (reported ever taking pills to treat hypertension or were taking antihypertensive medication) at baseline. Blood pressure was measured at baseline and up to 10 annual follow-up visits during the planned study phase. Antihypertensive medications were inventoried at baseline and years 1, 3, 6, and 9 during the study, and self-reported during extended follow-up: 2009-2010 and 2012-2013, which occurred median of 13 and 16 years after randomization, respectively. The intervention effect was estimated through year 6. Cumulative follow-up included all visits. RESULTS: Compared with placebo, CEE-alone had significantly ( P = 0.02) higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) by mean (95% confidene interval [CI]) = 0.9 (0.2-1.5) mm Hg during the intervention phase. For cumulative follow-up, the CEE arm was associated with increased SBP by mean (95% CI) = 0.8 (0.1-1.4) mm Hg ( P = 0.02). Furthermore, CEE + MPA relative to placebo was associated with increased SBP by mean (95% CI) = 1.8 (1.2-2.5) mm Hg during the intervention phase ( P < 0.001). For cumulative follow-up, the CEE + MPA arm was associated with increased SBP by mean (95% CI) = 1.6 (1.0-2.3) mm Hg ( P < 0.001). The mean number of antihypertensive medications taken at each follow-up visit did not differ between randomization groups during the intervention or long-term extended follow-up of 16 years. CONCLUSION: There was a small but statistically significant increase in SBP in both CEE-alone and CEE + MPA arms compared with placebo during both the intervention and cumulative follow-up phases among postmenopausal women with hypertension at baseline. However, this increase in SBP was not associated with an increased antihypertensive medication use over time among women randomized to HT compared with placebo.

The association between incidentally found breast arterial calcification on routine screening mammography and the development of coronary artery disease and stroke: results of a 10-year prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess whether the presence of breast arterial calcifications (BACs) found on routine mammography is prospectively associated with the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events after 10 years of follow-up. METHODS: Women presenting for screening mammography were enrolled in this prospective cohort. Baseline data were collected including history of CVD and CVD risk factors. Mammograms were assessed for the presence or absence of BAC. Participants completed questionnaires 10 years after baseline that assessed the development of CVD (coronary artery disease [CAD] and stroke) and CVD risk factors. RESULTS: Of the 1,995 participants who enrolled at baseline, complete 10-year follow-up data were available for 1,039; of those, 114 (11.0%) were BAC-positive and 925 (89.0%) were BAC-negative at baseline. After controlling for age, BAC-positive women were more likely to develop CAD (odds ratio, 3.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.86-5.27; P < 0.001) compared with BAC-negative women after 10 years of follow-up. After controlling for age, BAC-positive women were more likely to have had a stroke (odds ratio, 5.10; 95% CI, 1.82-14.30) compared with BAC-negative women after 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of BAC on routine screening mammography was associated with a significantly increased risk of developing CAD and stroke after 10 years of follow-up. Additional large prospective, population-based studies are needed to confirm BAC as a predictor of future CVD events and its utility in stratifying a woman's risk of CVD.

Meta-Analysis of Nonrandomized Studies to Assess the Optimal Timing of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting After Acute Myocardial Infarction.

The optimal timing of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients after an acute myocardial infarction (MI) is unknown. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing mortality rates in patients who underwent CABG at different time intervals after acute MI. Bias assessments were completed for each study, and summary of proportions of all-cause mortality were calculated based on CABG at various time intervals after MI. A total of 22 retrospective studies, which included a total of 137,373 patients were identified. The average proportion of patients who died when CABG was performed within 6 hours of MI was 12.7%, within 6 to 24 hours of MI was 10.9%, within 1 day of MI was 9.8%, any time after 1 day of MI was 3.0%, within 7 days of MI was 5.9%, and any time after 7 days of MI was 2.7%. Interstudy heterogeneity, assessed using I2 values, showed significant heterogeneity in death rates within subgroups. Only 1 study accounted for immortal time bias, and there was a serious risk of selection bias in all other studies. Confounding was found to be a serious risk for bias in 55% of studies because of a lack of accounting for type of MI, MI severity, or other verified cardiac risk factors. The current publications comparing timing of CABG after MI is at serious risk of bias because of patient selection and confounding, with heterogeneity in both study populations and intervention time intervals.

Non-pharmacologic autonomic neuromodulation for treatment of heart failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Treatment strategies that modulate autonomic tone through interventional and device-based therapies have been studied as an adjunct to pharmacological treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The main objective of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials which evaluated the efficacy of device-based autonomic modulation for treatment of HFrEF. All randomized-controlled trials testing autonomic neuromodulation device therapy in HFrEF were included in this trial-level analysis. Autonomic neuromodulation techniques included vagal nerve stimulation (VNS), baroreflex activation (BRA), spinal cord stimulator (SCS), and renal denervation (RD). The prespecified primary endpoints included mean change and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), NT pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and quality of life (QOL) measures including 6-minute hall walk distance (6-MHWD), and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class improvement was reported as odds ratios and 95% CI of improvement by at least 1 functional class. Eight studies were identified that included 1037 participants (2 VNS, 2 BRA, 1 SCS, and 3 RD trials). This included 6 open-label, 1 single-blind, and 1 sham-controlled, double-blind study. The mean age (±SD) was 61 (±9.3) years. The mean follow-up time was 7.9 months. Twenty percent of the total patients were female, and the mean BMI (±SD) was 29.86 (±4.12). Autonomic neuromodulation device therapy showed a statistically significant improvement in LVEF (4.02%; 95% CI 0.24,7.79), NT-proBNP (-219.80 pg/ml; 95% CI -386.56, -53.03), NYHA functional class (OR 2.32; 95% CI 1.76, 3.07), 6-MHWD (48.39 m; 95% CI 35.49, 61.30), and MLHFQ (-12.20; 95% CI -19.24, -5.16) compared to control. In patients with HFrEF, the use of autonomic neuromodulation device therapy is associated with improvement in LVEF, reduction in NT-proBNP, and improvement in patient-centered QOL outcomes in mostly small open-label trials. Large, double-blind, sham-controlled trials designed to detect differences in hard cardiovascular outcomes are needed before widespread use and adoption of autonomic neuromodulation device therapies in HFrEF.

The severity of individual menopausal symptoms, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Cohort.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the association between common menopausal symptoms (MS) and long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality. METHODS: In an observational cohort of 80,278 postmenopausal women with no known CVD at baseline from the Women's Health Initiative, we assessed individual MS severity (mild vs none; moderate/severe vs none) for night sweats, hot flashes, waking up several times at night, joint pain or stiffness, headaches or migraines, vaginal or genital dryness, heart racing or skipping beats, breast tenderness, dizziness, tremors (shakes), feeling tired, forgetfulness, mood swings, restless or fidgety, and difficulty concentrating. Outcomes included total CVD events (primary) and all-cause mortality (secondary). Associations between specific MS, their severity, and outcomes were assessed during a median of 8.2 years of follow-up. All results were multivariable adjusted, and individual associations were Bonferroni corrected to adjust for multiple comparisons. A machine learning approach (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) was used to select the most parsimonious set of MS most predictive of CVD and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The severity of night sweats, waking up several times at night, joint pain or stiffness, heart racing or skipping beats, dizziness, feeling tired, forgetfulness, mood swings, restless or fidgety, and difficulty concentrating were each significantly associated with total CVD. The largest hazard ratio (HR) for total CVD was found for moderate or severe heart racing or skipping beats (HR, 1.55; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29-1.86). The individual severities of heart racing or skipping beats, dizziness, tremors (shakes), feeling tired, forgetfulness, mood swings, restless or fidgety, and difficulty concentrating were associated with increased all-cause mortality. Moderate or severe dizziness had the largest HR (1.58; 95% CI, 1.24-2.01). Multiple symptom modeling via least absolute shrinkage and selection operator selected dizziness, heart racing, feeling tired, and joint pain as most predictive of CVD, whereas dizziness, tremors, and feeling tired were most predictive of all-cause mortality. CONCLUSION: Among postmenopausal women with no known CVD at baseline, the severity of specific individual MS was significantly associated with incident CVD and mortality. Consideration of severe MS may enhance sex-specific CVD risk predication in future cohorts, but caution should be applied as severe MS could also indicate other health conditions.

Usefulness of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists to Reduce Adverse Cardiovascular Disease Events in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Evidence suggests glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. The objective of this study was to analyze randomized controlled trials (RCT) testing GLP-1 RA's effect on CVD events among participants with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). RCTs comparing GLP-1 RA versus placebo were identified using the PubMed and Cochrane databases. The endpoints in this study included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), and nonfatal stroke), and the individual components of MACE. The primary analysis calculated risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each endpoint. Heterogeneity for each endpoint was calculated using Chi2 and I2 tests. For any endpoint with significant heterogeneity, a meta-regression was performed using mean baseline hemoglobin A1C (A1C) as the moderator and a R2 value was calculated. Seven RCTs (N = 56,004) were identified with 174,163 patient-years of follow-up. GLP-1 RA reduced MACE [RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.95], cardiovascular death [RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.95], and nonfatal stroke [RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.95]. There was no statistically significant heterogeneity among these RCTs. GLP-1 RA did not reduce nonfatal MI [RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.02]. However, there was significant heterogeneity among these RCTs (Chi2 = 12.68, p = 0.05, I2 = 53%). When accounting for baseline A1C in the regression model, there was no longer significant heterogeneity for this endpoint (p = 0.23, I2 = 27%). A potential linear relationship between baseline A1C and GLP-1 RA's effect on nonfatal MI (R2 = 0.64) was observed. In conclusion, GLP-1 RA reduced MACE, cardiovascular death, and nonfatal stroke; GLP-1 RA did not reduce nonfatal MI, however there may be a linear association between baseline A1C and GLP-1 RA's effect on nonfatal MI.