Need for improvement of cardiovascular health: a clustering method to identify cardiovascular health profiles.

BACKGROUND: In France, the overall trend in the incidence of cardiovascular disease is unfavourable, especially in young subjects. This highlights the need to promote cardiovascular health by targeting the main risk factors. Social marketing campaigns to improve cardiovascular health should identify unhealthy behaviour and understand the target audience. The objective of this study was to identify poor cardiovascular health profiles in the French population using a clustering method. METHODS: Subjects aged 18-74 years with no history of cardiovascular disease were included from the Esteban cross-sectional survey (2014-16). To evaluate cardiovascular health, seven items were considered as defined by the American Heart Association: blood glucose, blood cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, cigarette smoking, diet and physical activity. Cardiovascular health profiles were identified from these seven items by combining multiple correspondence analysis with hierarchical clustering and partitioning. RESULTS: A total of 1673 subjects were included in the main analysis. Five cardiovascular health profiles were identified: two profiles corresponded to subjects with poor cardiovascular health (mainly older men with a low socioeconomic status), two to subjects with intermediate cardiovascular health (one mainly comprised of young women with a low socioeconomic status and the other of young subjects with a high socioeconomic status) and one to subjects with good cardiovascular health (mainly older women). CONCLUSION: This description of cardiovascular health profiles, which led to the identification and characterization of target audiences for future population-based prevention campaigns, should be the starting point for improving cardiovascular health in the French population.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and onset of chronic hypertension in France: the nationwide CONCEPTION study.

AIMS: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality. We aimed to estimate the impact of HDP on the onset of chronic hypertension in primiparous women in the first years following childbirth. METHODS AND RESULTS: This nationwide cohort study used data from the French National Health Data System (SNDS). All eligible primiparous women without pre-existing chronic hypertension who delivered between 2010 and 2018 were included. Women were followed up from six weeks post-partum until onset of hypertension, a cardiovascular event, death, or the study end date (31 December 2018). The main outcome was a diagnosis of chronic hypertension. We used Cox models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of chronic hypertension for all types of HDP. Overall, 2 663 573 women were included with a mean follow-up time of 3.0 years. Among them, 180 063 (6.73%) had an HDP. Specifically 66 260 (2.16%) had pre-eclampsia (PE) and 113 803 (4.27%) had gestational hypertension (GH). Compared with women who had no HDP, the fully adjusted HRs of chronic hypertension were 6.03 [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.89-6.17] for GH, 8.10 (95% CI 7.88-8.33) for PE (all sorts), 12.95 (95% CI 12.29-13.65) for early PE, 9.90 (95% CI 9.53-10.28) for severe PE, and 13.17 (95% CI 12.74-13.60) for PE following GH. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy exposure duration was an additional risk factor of chronic hypertension for all PE subgroups. Women with HDP consulted a general practitioner or cardiologist more frequently and earlier. CONCLUSION: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy exposure greatly increased the risk of chronic hypertension in the first years following delivery.

Hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment and control in 2019 in the adult population of Mayotte.

BACKGROUND: Mayotte is a French overseas territory with significant socio-economic and health challenges. This study updates the prevalence of hypertension in Mayotte to estimate the awareness, treatment and control of this disease and identify any associated factors. METHODS: Data were taken from the cross-sectional Unono Wa Maore survey conducted in Mayotte in 2019. Analyses were based on the adult population aged 18-69 years who underwent a clinical examination with at least two blood pressure measurements (n = 2620). RESULTS: In 2019, the prevalence of hypertension was estimated at 38.4% (36.1-40.7%) in the Mayotte population aged 18-69 years. The prevalence was similar in men (38.5%) and women (38.3%; P = 0.95). The prevalence of certain risk factors was high, with 75% of hypertensives being overweight or obese, 13% reporting diabetes and 69% being occupationally inactive. Among the hypertensives, 48% was aware of their diagnosis, with women more likely to be aware than men (P < 0.0001). Of those who were aware, 45% were treated pharmacologically and 49% reported engaging in physical activity to lower their blood pressure. The control rate was 30.2% among pharmacologically treated hypertensives. Overall, 80% of hypertensive patients had too high blood pressure during the survey's clinical examination. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of hypertension remains high in Mayotte, where certain risk factors like obesity are particularly common in the population. Awareness, treatment and control remain insufficient. Primary prevention measures, access to a healthy food, and screening and treatment of hypertension should be encouraged by targeting the most affected populations.

Characteristics, Management, and Case-Fatality of Patients Hospitalized for Stroke with a Diagnosis of COVID-19 in France.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 was found to be associated with an increased risk of stroke. This study aimed to compare characteristics, management, and outcomes of hospitalized stroke patients with or without a hospital diagnosis of CO-VID-19 at a nationwide scale. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study on all French hospitals covering the entire French population using the French national hospital discharge databases (Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d'Information, included in the Système National des Données de Santé). All patients hospitalized for stroke between 1 January and 14 June 2020 in France were selected. A diagnosis of COVID-19 was searched for during the index hospitalization for stroke or in a prior hospitalization that had occurred after 1 January 2020. RESULTS: Among the 56,195 patients hospitalized for stroke, 800 (1.4%) had a concomitant COVID-19 diagnosis. Inhospital case-fatality rates were higher in stroke patients with COVID-19, particularly for patients with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 (33.2%), as compared to patients hospitalized for stroke without CO-VID-19 diagnosis (14.1%). Similar findings were observed for 3-month case-fatality rates adjusted for age and sex that reached 41.7% in patients hospitalized for stroke with a concomitant primary diagnosis of COVID-19 versus 20.0% in strokes without COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Patients hospitalized for stroke with a concomitant COVID-19 diagnosis had a higher inhospital and 3 months case-fatality rates compared to patients hospitalized for stroke without a COVID-19 diagnosis. Further research is needed to better understand the excess of mortality related to these cases.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and a national lockdown on hospitalizations for stroke and related 30-day mortality in France: A nationwide observational study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of this nationwide study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stroke hospitalization rates, patient characteristics and 30-day case fatality rates. METHODS: All hospitalizations for stroke from January to June of each year from 2017 to 2020 were selected using International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, codes I60 to I64 in the national hospital discharge database. Patient characteristics and management were described according to three time periods: pre-lockdown, lockdown, and post-lockdown. Weekly incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were computed to compare time trends in the rates of patients hospitalized for stroke as well as in-hospital and 30-day case fatality rates between the years 2017-2019 and 2020. RESULTS: In 2020, between weeks 1 and 24, 55,308 patients were hospitalized for stroke in France. IRRs decreased by up to 30% for all age groups, sex, and stroke types during the lockdown compared to the period 2017-2019. Patients hospitalized during the second and third weeks of the lockdown had higher in-hospital case fatality rates compared to 2017-2019. In-hospital case fatality rates increased by almost 60% in patients aged under 65 years. Out-of-hospital 30-day case fatality rates increased between weeks 11 and 15 among patients who returned home after their hospitalization. Important changes in care management were found, including fewer stroke patients admitted to resuscitation units, more admitted to stroke care units, and a shorter mean length of hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: During the first weeks of the lockdown, rates of patients hospitalized for stroke fell by 30% and there were substantial increases of both in-hospital and out-of-hospital 30-day case fatality rates.

Nationwide time trends in patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome: a worrying generational and social effect among women.

AIMS: To estimate the time trends in the annual incidence of patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in France from 2009 to 2021 and to analyse the current sex and social differences in ACS, management, and prognosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: All patients hospitalized for ACS in France were selected from the comprehensive National Health Insurance database. Age-standardized rates were computed overall and according to age group (over or under 65 years), sex, proxy of socioeconomic status, and ACS subtype [ST-segment elevation (STSE) and non-ST-segment elevation]. Patient characteristics and outcomes were described for patients hospitalized in 2019. Differences in management (coronarography, revascularization), and prognosis were analysed by sex, adjusting for cofonders. In 2019, 143,670 patients were hospitalized for ACS, including 53,227 STSE-ACS (mean age = 68.8 years; 32% women). Higher standardized incidence rates among the most socially deprived people were observed. Women were less likely to receive coronarography and revascularization but had a higher excess in-hospital mortality. In 2019, the age-standardized rate for hospitalized ACS patients reached 210 per 100 000 person-year. Between 2009 and 2019, these rates decreased by 11.4% (men: -11.2%; women: -14.0%). Differences in trends of age-standardized incidence rate have been observed according to sex, age, and social status. Middle aged women (45-64 years) showing more unfavourable trends than in other age classes or in men. In addition, among women the temporal trends were more unfavourable as social deprivation increased. CONCLUSION: Despite encouraging overall trends in patients hospitalized for ACS rates, the increasing trends observed among middle-aged women, especially socially deprived women, is worrying. Targeted cardiovascular prevention and close surveillance of this population should be encouraged.

The burden of acute coronary syndrome remains important in France. Moreover, there are significant social and sex disparities in the epidemiology of this disease, especially in the 45- to 64-year-old generation. The rate of coronary angiography, revascularization, cardiac complications, and inhospital mortality differed between men and women, regardless of age, comorbidities, and social status.

Two-year prognosis and cardiovascular disease prevention after acute coronary syndrome; the role of cardiac rehabilitation: a French nationwide study.

AIMS: To evaluate the impact of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on optimization of secondary prevention treatments for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), medication persistence, medical follow-up, rehospitalisation, and all-cause mortality. METHODS: The national health insurance database was used to identify all patients hospitalised for ACS in France in 2019 and those among them who received CR. Patients' characteristics and outcomes were described and compared between CR and non-CR patients. Poisson regression models were used to identify the impact of CR after adjusting for confounders. A Cox model was fitted to identify the variables related to mortality after adjustment for medication persistence and cardiologic follow-up. RESULTS: In 2019, 22% of 134,846 patients hospitalised for ACS in France received CR within six months of their discharge. After one year, only 60% of patients who did not receive CR were still taking BASI drugs (combination of Beta blockers, Antiplatelets agents, Statins and RAAS Inhibitors). This rate and the medical follow-up rate were higher in patients who received CR. Two years after the ACS event, patients who received CR had better medical follow-up and lower mortality risk, after adjusting for cofounding variables (adjusted HR all-cause mortality = 0.65 [0.61-0.69]). After adjustment for the dispensing of cardiovascular drugs and cardiologic follow-up, the independent effect of CR was not as strong but remained significant (HR = 0.90 [95%CI: 0.84-0.95]). CONCLUSION: Patients who received CR after hospitalisation for ACS had a better prognosis. Optimization of efficient secondary prevention strategies, improved medication persistence, and enhanced cardiologic follow-up seemed to play a major role.

In our nationwide study of all patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome in 2019 (n = 134,846), 22% were admitted in cardiac rehabilitation after their hospitalisation. The admission in cardiac rehabilitation unit increased patients medication persistence, increased the chance to initiate a tobacco replacement therapy in smokers, reduced rehospitalisation risk and the recurrence of acute coronary syndrome. In addition the risk of death was reduced in the two years following the hospitalization. Health benefits associated with an admission in cardiac rehabilitation following an acute coronary syndrome are significant focusing recurrence and mortality. The correction of cardiovascular risk factors, the improvement of medication persistence and a more frequent cardiologic follow-up play a major role in these health benefits.These results should help to encourage increased referral for and patient participation in cardiac rehabilitation programs, whose rate is still very low in many countries, including France. Finally, decreasing hospital capacity means that new rehabilitation modalities need to be considered, including supervised home-based CR and tele-rehabilitation.

Temporal trends in admission for cardiac rehabilitation after an acute coronary syndrome in France from 2009 to 2021: Persistent sex, age and social disparities.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation after an acute coronary syndrome is recommended to decrease patient morbidity and mortality and to improve quality of life. AIMS: To describe time trends in the rates of patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation after an acute coronary syndrome in France from 2009 to 2021, and to identify possible disparities. METHODS: All patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome in France between January 2009 and June 2021 were identified from the national health insurance database. Cardiac rehabilitation attendance was identified within 6 months of acute coronary syndrome hospital discharge. Age-standardized cardiac rehabilitation rates were computed and stratified for sex and acute coronary syndrome subtypes (ST-segment elevation and non-ST-segment elevation). Patient characteristics and outcomes were described and compared. Factors independently associated with cardiac rehabilitation attendance were identified. RESULTS: In 2019, among 134,846 patients with an acute coronary syndrome, 22.3% underwent cardiac rehabilitation within 6 months of acute coronary syndrome hospital discharge. The mean age of patients receiving cardiac rehabilitation was 62 years. The median delay between acute coronary syndrome hospitalization and cardiac rehabilitation was 32 days, with about 60% receiving outpatient cardiac rehabilitation. Factors significantly associated with higher cardiac rehabilitation rates were male sex, younger age (35-64 years), least socially disadvantaged group, ST-segment elevation, percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass graft. Between 2009 and 2019, cardiac rehabilitation rates increased by 40% from 15.9% to 22.3%. Despite greater upward trends in women, their cardiac rehabilitation rate was significantly lower than that for men (14.8% vs. 25.8%). In 2020, cardiac rehabilitation attendance dropped because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the health benefits of cardiac rehabilitation, current cardiac rehabilitation attendance after acute coronary syndrome remains insufficient in France, particularly among the elderly, women and socially disadvantaged people.

Hemorrhagic Strokes Attributable to Chronic Alcohol Consumption and Heavy Episodic Drinking in France.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the number of cases and deaths related to hemorrhagic stroke (HS) attributable to a chronic alcohol consumption and to heavy episodic drinking (HED) in France. METHODS: A population-attributable fraction (PAF) estimation approach was used. Relative risks for HS with alcohol consumption were extracted from the INTERSTROKE study. Levels of alcohol consumption in the French population were collected from the 2017 Health Barometer. Data on HS morbidity and mortality were extracted from the French National Health Data System (SNDS). RESULTS: We estimated that 7.2% (n = 2,100) and 6.6% (n = 1,900) of cases with HS were attributable to chronic alcohol consumption and HED, respectively. PAFs were higher in men than in women with 11.5% vs 2.6% for a chronic consumption and 10.7% vs 2.1% for HED, respectively. We estimated that 7.0% of HS deaths (n = 1,100) were attributable to chronic alcohol consumption and 5.1% attributable to HED (n = 800). Finally, 16.3% of patients with HS (n = 4,700) and 14.1% of HS deaths (n = 2,300) were attributable to overall chronic alcohol consumption or to monthly HED. DISCUSSION: These results remind the importance of alcohol consumption in the occurrence of HS and the importance of implementing primary and secondary prevention measures, particularly among young people, where HED is most common.

Early Mortality, Cardiovascular, and Renal Diseases in Women's Lives Following Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: The Prospective Nationwide Study CONCEPTION.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the impact of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy occurrence, recurrence, onset time, and severity on mortality and on a wide range of cardiovascular outcomes in France. METHODS AND RESULTS: CONCEPTION (Cohort of Cardiovascular Diseases in Pregnancy) is a French nationwide prospective cohort using data from the National Health Data System. We included all women in CONCEPTION with no history of a cardiovascular event who delivered in France for the first time between 2010 and 2018 (N=2 819 655). Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and cardiovascular outcomes during the study follow-up were identified using algorithms combining International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) coded diagnoses during hospitalization and purchases of medication between 2010 and 2021. We fitted Cox models with time-varying exposure to assess the associations of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy with mortality and cardiovascular events. Women with gestational hypertension had a 1.25- to 2-fold higher risk of stroke, acute coronary syndrome, peripheral arterial disease, pulmonary embolism, and chronic kidney disease, and a 2- to 4-fold higher risk of rhythm and conduction disorder and heart failure. Women with preeclampsia had a 1.35- to 2-fold higher risk of rhythm or conduction disorder and pulmonary embolism during follow-up; a 2- to 4-fold higher risk of stroke, acute coronary syndrome, and peripheral arterial disease; and a 7- to 9-fold higher risk of heart failure and chronic kidney disease. They were 1.8 times more likely to die and 4.4 times more likely to die of cardiovascular causes. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy drastically increase the risk of mortality, cardiovascular, and renal events early after pregnancy. Recurrent, severe, and early-onset preeclampsia further increases this risk.

Comparison of Stroke Recurrence, Cardiovascular Events, and Death Among Patients With Pregnancy-Associated vs Non-Pregnancy-Associated Stroke.

Importance: Women with pregnancy-associated stroke might have different risks of stroke recurrence, including during subsequent pregnancies, and other cardiovascular events due to pregnancy-specific stroke risk factors, such as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, or gestational diabetes. Objective: To estimate the rate of stroke recurrence, cardiovascular hospitalization, and death in women with pregnancy-associated stroke compared with women with non-pregnancy-associated stroke. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study included all women aged 15 to 49 years in France who were affiliated with the general scheme of French health care insurance (94% of women) and had a first hospitalization for stroke between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2018. Women were followed up until December 31, 2020, with the registration of stroke recurrence, hospitalization for cardiovascular conditions, and death. Data were from the French health care database Système National des Données de Santé. Statistical analyses were conducted between December 2021 and September 2022. Exposure: Pregnancy status at the time of stroke. Main Outcomes and Measures: Poisson regressions were used to estimate incidence rates of these events with 95% CIs. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) of each event during the follow-up for women with a pregnancy-associated stroke vs women with a non-pregnancy-associated stroke. Results: Among women aged between 15 and 49 years between 2010 and 2018 and living in France, 1204 had a pregnancy-associated stroke at a mean (SD) age of 31.5 (5.8) years, and 31 697 had a non-pregnancy-associated stroke at a mean age of 39.6 (8.2) years. Among the 1204 women with a pregnancy-associated stroke, the incidence rate was 11.4 (95% CI, 9.0-14.3) per 1000 person-years, with 2 recurrent events during a subsequent pregnancy. Compared with women with non-pregnancy-associated stroke, women with pregnancy-associated stroke had lower risks of ischemic stroke (adjusted HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36-0.77), cardiovascular events (adjusted HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.49-0.69), and death (adjusted HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.22-0.79). In contrast, the risk of recurrent intracerebral hemorrhage and cerebral venous thrombosis did not differ significantly, whereas the risks of venous thromboembolism (HR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.14-3.58) and acute coronary syndrome with ST-segment elevation (HR, 3.93; 95% CI, 1.10-14.0) were increased. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, although the risks of ischemic stroke, overall cardiovascular events, and mortality were lower after a pregnancy-associated stroke than after a non-pregnancy-associated stroke, the risks of venous thromboembolism and acute coronary syndrome with ST-segment elevation were higher. Recurrent stroke during a subsequent pregnancy remained rare.

Acute revascularization therapy for ischemic stroke during pregnancy and post-partum in France.

INTRODUCTION: Intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in women with ischemic stroke (IS) during pregnancy/post-partum is challenging, and recent guidelines claimed for additional information to better argue its effectiveness and safety. This observational national study aimed to describe characteristics, rates and outcomes of pregnant/post-partum women receiving acute revascularization therapy for IS compared to their non-pregnant counterparts, and pregnant women with IS not receiving such therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, all women aged 15-49 years hospitalized in France for IS between 2012 and 2018 were retrieved from the French hospital discharge databases. Pregnant or post-partum (⩽6 weeks after delivery) women were identified. Data about patients' characteristics, risk factors, revascularization therapy, delivery, post-stroke survival, and recurrent vascular events during follow-up were recorded. RESULTS: Over the study period, 382 women with pregnancy-related IS were registered. Among them, 7.3% (n = 28) received a revascularization therapy, including nine cases during pregnancy, one the same day as delivery, and 18 during the post-partum period, compared with 8.5% (n = 1285) in women with non-pregnancy-related IS (n = 15,084). Treated pregnant/post-partum women had more severe IS than not-treated pregnant/post-partum. Compared with treated not-pregnant women, they were younger, but did not differ regarding other characteristics including stroke severity. There were no differences in systemic or intracranial hemorrhages or in the length of hospital stay between pregnant/post-partum women compared with treated not-pregnant women. All women receiving revascularization during pregnancy had a live baby. After a mean follow-up of 4.3 years, all pregnant/post-partum women were alive, one had recurrent IS and none had other vascular events. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Only a few women with pregnancy-related IS were treated with acute revascularization therapy, but this was proportionately similar to their non-pregnant counterparts, from whom they did not differed regarding characteristics, survival, and risk of recurrent events. These findings suggest that stroke physicians applied treatment strategies of IS in a similar way regardless of pregnancy in France, and this attitude was an anticipation but consistent with the recently published guidelines on the topic.

Aspirin for the Prevention of Early and Severe Pre-Eclampsia Recurrence: A Real-World Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Many clinical trials have reported that low-dose aspirin decreases the risk of pre-eclampsia in women with prior pre-eclampsia. However, its impact in a real-world population has not been fully assessed. OBJECTIVES: To assess the rates of low-dose aspirin initiation during pregnancy in women with a history of pre-eclampsia, and to evaluate the impact of low-dose aspirin in prevention of pre-eclampsia recurrence in a real-world population. STUDY DESIGN: CONCEPTION is a French nationwide cohort study which uses data from the country's National Health Data System database. We included all women in France who gave birth at least twice between 2010-2018, and who had pre-eclampsia during their first pregnancy. Every dispensing of low-dose aspirin (75-300 mg) between the beginning of their second pregnancy and 36 weeks of gestation (WG) was identified. We used Poisson regression models to estimate the adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRRs) of receiving aspirin at least once during their second pregnancy. In women who had early and/or severe pre-eclampsia during their first pregnancy, we estimated the IRRs of pre-eclampsia recurrence during their second pregnancy according to the aspirin therapy. RESULTS: In 28,467 women who were included in the study, the aspirin initiation rate during the second pregnancy ranged from 27.8% for women in whose first pregnancy the pre-eclampsia was mild and late, to 79.9% for those women whose pre-eclampsia was severe and early. Just over half (54.3%) of those treated with aspirin-initiated treatment before 16 WG and adhered to treatment. Compared with women with mild and late pre-eclampsia, the aIRRs (95% CI) for receiving aspirin at least once during the second pregnancy were 1.94 (1.86-2.03) for women with severe and late pre-eclampsia, 2.34 (2.17-2.52) for those with early and mild pre-eclampsia, and 2.87 [2.74-3.01] for those with early and severe pre-eclampsia E. Social deprivation was associated with a lower initiation of aspirin (IRR = 0.74 [0.70-0.78]). Aspirin was not associated with a lower risk of mild and late pre-eclampsia, severe and late pre-eclampsia, or mild and early pre-eclampsia during the second pregnancy. The aIRRs for severe and early pre-eclampsia during the second pregnancy were 0.77 (0.62-0.95) for women who received prescribed aspirin at least once, 0.71 (0.5-0.89) for those who initiated aspirin therapy before 16 WG, and 0.60 (0.47-0.77) for those who adhered to aspirin treatment throughout their second pregnancy. The risk of severe and early pre-eclampsia was lower only when the prescribed mean daily dose was ≥ 100 mg/day. CONCLUSION: In women with a history of pre-eclampsia, aspirin initiation during a second pregnancy and adherence to the prescribed dosage were largely insufficient, especially for women experiencing social deprivation. Aspirin initiated before 16 WG at a dose ≥ 100 mg/day was associated with a lower risk of severe and early pre-eclampsia.

Acute coronary syndrome during pregnancy and postpartum in France: the nationwide CONCEPTION study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases, including acute coronary syndromes, are the leading cause of maternal death in many developed countries. OBJECTIVE: We assessed acute coronary syndrome incidences during pregnancy, peripartum, and postpartum periods. We also compared overall pregnancy (ie, covering all 3 periods) incidence with that found in nonpregnant women of childbearing age. STUDY DESIGN: All women aged between 15 and 49 years without ischemic heart disease who delivered between 2010 and 2018 in France were included in the CONCEPTION cohort. Data were extracted from the French National Health Insurance Information System database. Acute coronary syndromes were defined according to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes recorded in the principal hospital diagnosis. We used Poisson regression to estimate crude acute coronary syndrome incidences, and tested age-adjusted Poisson models to compare the incidence risk ratio of acute coronary syndrome between pregnant and nonpregnant women, with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Among 6,298,967 deliveries in France, we observed 225 first-time acute coronary syndrome diagnoses during overall pregnancy (overall pregnancy-related acute coronary syndrome incidence, 4.34/100,000 person-years; 1 case/23,000 pregnancies). In multivariate analysis, independent factors associated with acute coronary syndrome were age, social deprivation, obesity, tobacco use, chronic hypertension, and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (all P<.05). Among the nonpregnant women aged 15 to 49 years in the general French population, 18,247 cases of acute coronary syndrome (incidence, 16.5/100,000 person-years) occurred throughout the whole study period (>100 million person-years). Compared with the acute coronary syndrome incidence in nonpregnant women, age-adjusted overall pregnancy-related acute coronary syndrome incidence was lower (incidence rate ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.57-0.98; P<.05). Although compared with nonpregnant women, age-adjusted incidence rates were lower during pregnancy, risk was increased during peripartum and postpartum periods. CONCLUSION: With an incidence of 4.34 per 100,000 person-years, acute coronary syndrome still accounts for a significant proportion of maternal mortality. The peripartum and postpartum periods remain high-risk periods, and greater efforts should be made in terms of acute coronary syndrome prevention, especially because several cardiovascular risk factors are treatable, such as tobacco use and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Adverse Maternal and Infant Outcomes in Women With Chronic Hypertension in France (2010-2018): The Nationwide CONCEPTION Study.

Background It has been suggested that chronic hypertension is a risk factor for negative maternal and fetal outcomes during pregnancy and postpartum. We aimed to estimate the association of chronic hypertension on adverse maternal and infant outcomes and assess the impact of antihypertensive treatment and these outcomes. Methods and Results Using data from the French national health data system, we identified and included in the CONCEPTION cohort all women in France who delivered their first child between 2010 and 2018. Chronic hypertension before pregnancy was identified through antihypertensive medication purchases and by diagnosis during hospitalization. We assessed the incidence risk ratios (IRRs) of maternofetal outcomes using Poisson models. A total of 2 822 616 women were included, and 42 349 (1.5%) had chronic hypertension and 22 816 were treated during pregnancy. In Poisson models, the adjusted IRR (95% CI) of maternofetal outcomes for women with hypertension were as follows: 1.76 (1.54-2.01) for infant death, 1.73 (1.60-1.87) for small gestational age, 2.14 (1.89-2.43) for preterm birth, 4.58 (4.41-4.75) for preeclampsia, 1.33 (1.27-1.39) for cesarean delivery, 1.84 (1.47-2.31) for venous thromboembolism, 2.62 (1.71-4.01) for stroke or acute coronary syndrome, and 3.54 (2.11-5.93) for maternal death postpartum. In women with chronic hypertension, being treated with an antihypertensive drug during pregnancy was associated with a significantly lower risk of obstetric hemorrhage, stroke, and acute coronary syndrome during pregnancy and postpartum. Conclusions Chronic hypertension is a major risk factor of infant and maternal negative outcomes. In women with chronic hypertension, the risk of pregnancy and postpartum cardiovascular events may be decreased by antihypertensive treatment during pregnancy.

One Year Prevalence of Venous Thromboembolism in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in France: Patients' Characteristics, Time Trends, and Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) are at high risk of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). OBJECTIVES: The aims were to provide time trends in the 2020 nation-wide prevalence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients hospitalized with a COVID-19 diagnosis in France, and to describe in-hospital and up to 30-day postdischarge death. METHODS: All patients hospitalized in France with a COVID-19 diagnosis in 2020 were selected. Crude and age-adjusted prevalence of VTE and PE was computed by 4-week intervals and for the overall study period using Poisson regression. Time trends in in-hospital and 30-day postdischarge case-fatality rates were evaluated by comparing each 4-week intervals to weeks 10 to 14 corresponding to the first part of the first lockdown using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Among the 287,638 patients hospitalized with a COVID-19 diagnosis in 2020 in France, 14,985 (5.2%) had a concomitant VTE, with 10,453 (3.6%) having PE and 4,532 (1.6%) having DVT. In patients admitted to intensive care units, the crude prevalence of VTE and PE reached 16.1 and 11.0% respectively during the first lockdown. After adjustment, the prevalence of VTE and PE decreased during the year 2020 but a rebound was observed during the second lockdown. In-hospital case-fatality rates among hospitalized COVID-19 patients with PE globally decreased between the first and the second epidemic waves. CONCLUSION: Our study showed a decrease in the incidence of symptomatic VTE and PE in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and a decreased time trend of outcomes during the second wave compared with the first one.

Fourteen-Year Temporal Trends in Patients Hospitalized for Mitral Regurgitation: The Increasing Burden of Mitral Valve Prolapse in Men.

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the second most common valvular heart disease in Europe. The aging of the population and the increase in post-infarction survival could increase the prevalence of MR. To estimate the burden of patients hospitalized for MR in France in 2019 and temporal trends by etiology and sex from 2006 to 2020, we selected all patients hospitalized for MR using the national hospital database. In 2019, 49.2% of such patients had mitral valve prolapse (MVP), 17.1% had ischemic MR, 9.9% had rheumatic MR and 4.4% had MR with cardiomyopathy. The mean age of MVP patients was 67.8 years, and 34% were women. Among 89% of MVP inpatients who had received mitral valve repair or replacement, 55% received surgical repair, 13% received percutaneous repair and 25% received replacement. The all-cause mortality of one year after a mitral procedure of MVP was 5.4%. Among ischemic MR inpatients, 29% have had a mitral valve replacement, 16% a surgical repair and 19% a percutaneous repair. Between 2006 and 2019, the age-standardized rates of patients hospitalized for MVP have increased by 60%, especially in men (+80%) with 5.3/100,000 Person-Years (PY). The age-standardized rates of patients hospitalized for ischemic MR have increased by 25% with 1.8/100,000 PY; that of rheumatic MR has decreased by 36%. The study found that the burden of MVP in hospitals has increased substantially, especially among men. These results emphasize the need to monitor these temporal trends and anticipate care needs in the coming years.

Estimating the Future Burden of Myocardial Infarction in France Until 2035: An Illness-Death Model-Based Approach.

Purpose: In France, myocardial infarction (MI) was the second leading cause of years of life lost in 2019. Estimating the burden of MI in future years could help policymakers and other actors anticipate care and prevention needs and guide them in public health decision-making. Materials and Methods: Using data from the French hospital discharge database from 2007 to 2015 (n = 519,400), demographic data, and an illness-death model, we projected incidence, prevalence, number of prevalent cases and mean age of incident MI cases in France. The methodology took into account the age-cohort effect on MI incidence, mortality of healthy and diseased subjects, and the time since disease onset. Results: Projections highlighted an increase in MI prevalence in men between 2015 and 2035 from 2.52% (95% uncertainty interval (UI): [2.48-2.56]) in 2015 to 4.02% ([3.92-4.12]) in 2035, and from 0.85% ([0.83-0.87]) to 1.44% ([1.38-1.50]) in women. This corresponds to an increase of 365,000 cases between 2015 and 2035 (+81.1%) for men and 146,000 cases for women (+88.0%). The difference in the mean age of incident cases between men and women decreased from 9.52 in 2015 to 5.49 years in 2035. Conclusion: Our projections forecast an increase in MI prevalence between 2015 and 2035 in men and women, especially in relatively younger women. Using statistical models such as ours can help assess the impact of prevention campaigns for the main cardiovascular disease risk factors on the future MI prevalence.

Patients Hospitalized for Ischemic Stroke and Intracerebral Hemorrhage in France: Time Trends (2008-2019), In-Hospital Outcomes, Age and Sex Differences.

BACKGROUND: Rates of patients hospitalized for stroke increased among people aged under 65 years in France, as has been found in other countries. METHODS: To analyze time trends in the rates of patients hospitalized for ischemic stroke (IS) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in France between 2008 and 2019 and determine related short-term outcomes mainly, we selected all patients hospitalized for stroke using the French national hospital database. RESULTS: The average annual percentage change in the rates of patients hospitalized for IS increased significantly in men and women aged 50-64 years (+2.0%) and in men aged 18-34 years (+1.5%) and 35-44 years (+2.2%). A decrease in the average annual percentage change was observed for IS among people aged over 75 years and among those over 50 years for ICH. After adjustment on confounding factors, women were less likely to die in hospital. Case fatality rates decreased overtime in all age groups for both sexes, with a more pronounced decrease for IS than ICH. CONCLUSIONS: The increasing trend of IS among adults under 65 years is ongoing, highlighting the urgent need for stroke prevention programs in that age. For the first time, we recorded a decrease in the rates of patients hospitalized for ICH among the population over 50 years.

Underuse of lifestyle recommendations in hypertension management in France: The Esteban study.

Lifestyle recommendations are first-line elements in the management of arterial hypertension. This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the level to which lifestyle recommendations are used in hypertension management in France, using data from the Esteban study, which was implemented by Santé Publique France, France's public health agency, from 2014 to 2016 on a representative sample of the French population. The study sample comprised 440 adult Esteban participants who were aware they had hypertension and were aged 18-74 years old. The main outcomes were the proportion of participants who received lifestyle recommendations in their hypertension management plan, and the proportion of recommendations according to the three following dimensions: physical activity, weight loss, and changes in diet. Over half (57.0%) of the 440 participants declared they did not receive lifestyle recommendations as part of their hypertension management plan in the year preceding the study. Of these, 39.0% did not receive pharmacological treatment either. Physical activity was recommended to 31.8% of sedentary participants and weight loss to 26.8% of participants with overweight or obesity. One-fifth of the study sample (20.1%) received dietary recommendations. Of these, 69% and 10.7% were advised to limit their salt and alcohol intake, respectively. Lifestyle interventions are too rarely recommended in hypertension management plans in France. Adherence to lifestyle recommendations needs in-depth discussion not only at the time of diagnosis but also throughout follow-up.