Severity of Diabetic Retinopathy and the Risk of Future Cerebrovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Disease, and All-Cause Mortality.

PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between the severity of diabetic retinopathy and the future risk of cerebrovascular accident (CVA), myocardial infarction (MI), congestive heart failure (CHF), and all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with type 2 diabetes who underwent diabetic retinopathy screening via fundus photography. METHODS: The relationship between retinopathy status and the 5-year risk of first-time CVA, MI, CHF, and all-cause mortality was investigated using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regressions that controlled for age, gender, race or ethnicity, hemoglobin A1c, duration of diabetes, high-density lipoprotein level, low-density lipoprotein level, history of hypertension, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, tobacco use, statin use, body mass index, urine microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Five-year risk of first-time CVA, MI, CHF, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Seventy-seven thousand three hundred seventy-six patients were included in this study. The average age was 59.8 years with 53.6% male, 31.2% non-Hispanic White, and 41.4% Hispanic patients. Diabetic retinopathy was significantly associated with all outcomes on multivariate analysis. Compared with patients with no retinopathy, those with minimal nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) had a higher risk of CVA (hazard ratio [HR], 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-1.46), MI (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.15-1.46), CHF (HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.19-1.40), and death (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.05-1.25). Similarly, patients with moderate to severe NPDR had a higher risk of each outcome (CVA: HR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.29-1.89; MI: HR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.57-2.34; CHF: HR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.66-2.18, and death: HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.32-1.82), as did patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (CVA: HR, 2.53; 95% CI, 1.84-3.48; MI: HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.26-2.83; CHF: HR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.47-2.59; and death: HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.36-2.56). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic retinopathy is significantly associated with future risk of CVA, MI, CHF, and death, with higher degrees of retinopathy appearing to carry a heightened risk for each outcome. Retinal information may provide valuable insights into patients' risk of future vascular disease and death.

Systemic arterial hypertension but not IGF-I treatment stimulates cardiomyocyte enlargement in neonatal lambs.

Although cardiomyocyte terminal differentiation is nearly complete at birth in sheep, as in humans, very limited postnatal expansion of myocyte number may occur. The capacity of newborn cardiomyocytes to respond to growth stimulation by proliferation is poorly understood. Our objective was to test this growth response in newborn lambs with two stimuli shown to be potent inducers of cardiomyocyte growth in fetuses and adults: increased systolic load (Load) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). Vascular catheters and an inflatable aortic occluder were implanted in lambs. Hearts were collected for analysis at 18 days of age after a 7-day experiment and compared with control hearts. Load hearts, but not IGF-I hearts, were heavier ( P = 0.001) because of increased mass of the left ventricle (LV), septum, and left atrium (40-50%, P = 0.004). Terminal differentiation and cell cycle activity were not different between groups. Myocyte length was 7% greater in Load lamb hearts ( P < 0.05), and binucleated myocytes, which comprise ~90% of LV cells, were 25% larger in volume ( P = 0.03). Myocyte number per gram of myocardium was decreased in all ventricles of Load lambs ( P = 0.01). Cells from the IGF-I group were not different by any comparison. These results suggest that the newborn sheep LV responds to systolic stress with cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, not proliferation. Furthermore, IGF-I is ineffective at stimulating cardiomyocyte proliferation at this age (despite effectiveness when administered before birth). Thus, to expand cardiomyocyte number in the newborn heart, therapies other than systolic pressure load and IGF-I treatment need to be developed.

Outcomes of Telemedicine Video-Conferencing Clinic Versus In-Person Clinic Follow-Up for Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) recipients require close follow-up that can be difficult for patients who have to travel long distances for clinic follow-up. We aimed to compare clinical outcomes between ICD patients followed-up in a telemedicine video-conferencing clinic (TMVC) and a conventional in-person clinic (CIC). We hypothesized that outcomes of patients followed in the TMVC are noninferior to the CIC. METHODS AND RESULTS: This retrospective study compares time to first appropriate ICD therapy, time to first inappropriate ICD therapy, time to first shock, and overall survival in patients followed in TMVC compared with CIC between 2001 and 2016. Two hundred and eighty-seven patients were followed in the TMVC group and 236 patients in the CIC. The average age of the TMVC and CIC groups was 64.13±9.38 and 65.23±8.57 years, respectively (P=0.164). There was no difference in the modified Seattle heart failure model score between the 2 groups (-0.12±1.0 versus -0.21±0.99; P=0.287). The Charlson comorbidity index score was higher in the CIC group compared with the TMVC group (7.0 versus 6.0; P=0.01). Mean duration of follow-up was 4.8 years. Adjusted and unadjusted tests of noninferiority found TMVC was not inferior to in-person follow-up for the prespecified outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Video-conferencing ICD follow-up for patients in areas where electrophysiology subspecialty care is not available leads to outcomes that are noninferior to CIC follow-up.

Lifelong Physical Activity Regardless of Dose Is Not Associated With Myocardial Fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Recent reports have suggested that long-term, intensive physical training may be associated with adverse cardiovascular effects, including the development of myocardial fibrosis. However, the dose-response association of different levels of lifelong physical activity on myocardial fibrosis has not been evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seniors free of major chronic illnesses were recruited from predefined populations based on the consistent documentation of stable physical activity over >25 years and were classified into 4 groups by the number of sessions/week of aerobic activities ≥30 minutes: sedentary (group 1), <2 sessions; casual (group 2), 2 to 3 sessions; committed (group 3), 4 to 5 sessions; and Masters athletes (group 4), 6 to 7 sessions plus regular competitions. All subjects underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, including late gadolinium enhancement assessment of fibrosis. Ninety-two subjects (mean age 69 years, 27% women) were enrolled. No significant differences in age or sex were seen between groups. Median peak oxygen uptake was 25, 26, 32, and 40 mL/kg/min for groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated increasing left ventricular end-diastolic volumes, end-systolic volumes, stroke volumes, and masses with increasing doses of lifelong physical activity. One subject in group 2 had late gadolinium enhancement in a noncoronary distribution, and no subjects in groups 3 and 4 had evidence of late gadolinium enhancement. CONCLUSIONS: A lifelong history of consistent physical activity, regardless of dose ranging from sedentary to competitive marathon running, was not associated with the development of focal myocardial fibrosis.

Effect of ageing on left ventricular compliance and distensibility in healthy sedentary humans.

Healthy, but sedentary ageing leads to marked atrophy and stiffening of the heart, with substantially reduced cardiac compliance; but the time course of when this process occurs during normal ageing is unknown. Seventy healthy sedentary subjects (39 female; 21­77 years) were recruited from the Dallas Heart Study, a population-based, random community sample and enriched by a second random sample from employees of Texas Health Resources. Subjects were highly screened for co-morbidities and stratified into four groups according to age: G(21−34): 21­34 years, G(35−49): 35­49 years, G5(0−64): 50­64 years, G(≥65): ≥65 years. All subjects underwent invasive haemodynamic measurements with right heart catheterization to define Starling and left ventricular (LV) pressure­volume curves. LV end-diastolic volumes (EDV) were measured by echocardiography at baseline, −15 and −30 mmHg lower-body negative pressure, and 15 and 30 ml kg(−1) saline infusion with simultaneous measurements of pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. There were no differences in heart rate or blood pressures among the four groups at baseline. Baseline EDV index was smaller in G(≥65) than other groups. LV diastolic pressure­volume curves confirmed a substantially greater LV compliance in G(21−34) compared with G(50−64) and G(≥65), resulting in greater LV volume changes with preload manipulations. Although LV chamber compliance in G(50−64) and G(≥65) appeared identical, pressure­volume curves were shifted leftward, toward a decreased distensibility, with increasing age. These results suggest that LV stiffening in healthy ageing occurs during the transition between youth and middle-age and becomes manifest between the ages of 50 to 64. Thereafter, this LV stiffening is followed by LV volume contraction and remodelling after the age of 65.

Frequency and risk of noncardiac surgery after drug-eluting stent implantation.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have described the frequency and risk of surgery after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. METHODS: The medical records of 827 consecutive patients who received a DES at our institution between January 1, 2005 and July 1, 2008 were retrospectively reviewed to determine the outcomes of patients who subsequently underwent noncardiac surgery. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 21 months, 135 patients underwent 191 noncardiac surgeries. The incidence of noncardiac surgery was 7% at 1 year, 18% at 2 years, and 22% at 3 years. Mean age was 62 years and 96% were men. A perioperative complication occurred in 19 surgeries (10%): excessive bleeding in 11 patients (6%), myocardial infarction in four patients (2%), acute renal failure in one patient (0.5%), hypotension and syncope in one patient (0.5%) and postoperative death in three patients (1.6%). Stent thrombosis occurred in one patient (0.5%). A complication occurred in six of 58 surgeries (10%) in which patients received perioperative clopidogrel vs. 13 of 133 surgeries (10%) in which patients did not receive perioperative clopidogrel (P = 0.90). Complications occurred in three of 25 surgeries performed within 6 months (16%), in four of 37 surgeries performed between 6 and 12 months (11%), and in 12 of 129 surgeries performed after >12 months (9%) from DES implantation (P = 0.90). CONCLUSION: Noncardiac surgery is frequently needed in the years after DES implantation and appears to carry a low risk of stent thrombosis and perioperative complications.

Automated detection of ocular focus.

We characterize objectively the state of focus of the human eye, utilizing a bull's eye photodetector to detect the double-pass blur produced from a point source of light. A point fixation source of light illuminates the eye. Fundus-reflected light is focused by the optical system of the eye onto a bull's eye photodetector [consisting of an annulus (A) and a center (C) of approximately equal active area]. To generate focus curves, C/A is measured with a range of trial lenses in the light path. Three human eyes and a model eye are studied. In the model eye, the focus curve showed a sharp peak with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of +/-0.25 D. In human eyes, the ratio C/A was >4 at best focus in all cases, with a FWHM of +/-1 D. The optical apparatus detects ocular focus (as opposed to refractive error) in real time. A device that can assess focus rapidly and objectively will make it possible to perform low-cost, mass screening for focusing problems such as may exist in children at risk for amblyopia.