High body mass index and triglyceride levels at health checkups increase the risk of new-onset chronic kidney disease and worsening renal function: the TAMA MED Project-CKD.

BACKGROUND: Health checkups are important in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is not easily accompanied by subjective symptoms. CKD can be caused or aggravated by factors that have not yet been identified. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 7 483 patients who underwent specific annual health checkups at a medical institution in Tama City, did not have CKD in 2012, and continued to undergo checkups (aged 40-74 years). We examined the risk factors for new-onset CKD and 1.5-fold increase in serum creatinine levels among laboratory values from 2012 to 2020. RESULTS: Age, body mass index (BMI), triglyceride levels, atrial fibrillation, and medication for hypertension (HT) and diabetes mellitus were independent risk factors for proteinuria, whereas current smoking, BMI, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and medication for HT were independent risk factors for estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. SBP, triglyceride levels and medication for HT were risk factors for a 1.5-fold increase in serum creatinine levels during course of the study. The cut-off values of BMI for eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 were 22.2 (men 24.7, women 22.1) kg/m2 and fasting triglyceride levels for a 1.5-fold increase in serum creatinine level were 171 (men 247, women 170) mg/dL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Health checkups provide information to prevent new-onset CKD and worsening of renal function. It is necessary to increase the rate of health checkups and visits to medical institutions after health checkups as well as to use these results for health guidance.

Characteristics and outcomes in elderly patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and high bleeding risk: subanalysis of the J-RHYTHM Registry.

Recently, a once-daily dose of edoxaban (15-mg) has been approved for stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients aged ≥ 80 years, in whom standard oral anticoagulants are not recommended because of high bleeding risk (HBR), based on the ELDERCARE-AF trial. However, information regarding the characteristics and clinical outcomes among such patients is limited. Thus, this study aimed to clarify the characteristics and event rates in elderly patients with NVAF and HBR defined by the ELDERCARE-AF criteria. Of the 7406 NVAF outpatients included in the J-RHYTHM Registry, 60 patients with creatinine clearance (CrCl) < 15 mL/min were excluded. The remaining 7346 patients (age, 69.7 ± 9.9 years; men, 70.9%; warfarin use, 78.7%) were divided into three groups: Group 1, aged < 80 years (n = 6165); Group 2, aged ≥ 80 years without HBR (n = 584); and Group 3, aged ≥ 80 years with HBR (at least one of the followings; CrCl, 15-30 mL/min, history of bleeding, body weight ≤ 45 kg, and antiplatelet use) (n = 597, eligible for 15-mg edoxaban). Patients in Group 3 had a higher prevalence of comorbidities, and therefore, both higher thromboembolic and bleeding risk scores than in the other groups. During the 2-year follow-up period, the incidence rates (per 100 person-years) of thromboembolism in Groups 1, 2, and 3 were 0.7, 1.5, and 2.1 (P < 0.001), major hemorrhage, 0.8, 1.2, and 2.0 (P < 0.001), and all-cause death, 0.8, 2.6, and 4.6 (P < 0.001), respectively. Adjusted hazard ratios of Group 3 were 1.64 (95% confidence interval 0.89-3.04, P = 0.116) for thromboembolism, 1.53 (0.85-2.72, P = 0.154) for major hemorrhage, and 1.84 (1.19-2.85, P = 0.006) for all-cause death compared with Group 1. The NVAF Patients aged ≥ 80 years with HBR defined by the ELDERCARE-AF criteria were certainly at a higher adverse event risk, especially for all-cause death. Clinical trial registration: The J-RHYTHM Registry is registered in the University Hospital Medicine Information Network (UMIN) Clinical Trials Registry (unique identifier: UMIN000001569) http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/ .

External Validation of the Kumamoto Criteria in Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy Screening　- A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: The Kumamoto criteria have been proposed as a non-invasive screen for transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy. This study assessed the validity of the Kumamoto criteria externally. Methods and Results: The study included 138 patients (median age 73 years; 65% male) who underwent 99 mTc-pyrophosphate (PYP) scintigraphy. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to total scores on the Kumamoto criteria (i.e., 0-3) for the following 3 factors: high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T ≥0.0308 ng/mL, wide (≥120 ms) QRS, and left ventricular posterior wall thickness ≥13.6 mm. The diagnostic performance and positive predictive value (PPV) of the Kumamoto criteria for positive 99 mTc-PYP scintigraphy were validated. Eighteen (13%) patients were positive on 99 mTc-PYP scintigraphy. The Kumamoto criteria had a favorable diagnostic performance (area under the curve 0.808). The PPV for groups with scores of 0, 1, 2, and 3 was 0% (n=0/42), 11% (n=6/57), 21% (n=7/33), and 83% (n=5/6), respectively, which is lower, particularly for those with a score of 2, than in the original Kumamoto cohort. However, the PPV increased after combining the Kumamoto criteria with a history of orthopedic diseases (spinal canal stenosis and/or carpal tunnel syndrome). Conclusions: This study suggests that the Kumamoto criteria have a favorable diagnostic performance; however, the PPV may decrease depending on the study population. Combining the Kumamoto criteria with the presence of orthopedic disease may improve the PPV.

A case of acute myocardial infarction due to coronary artery compression by mediastinal hematoma associated with thoracic aortic aneurysm rupture.

A 76-year-old woman was admitted to our department for pneumonia. Although she gradually recovered, she complained of chest and back pain and went into shock. Electrocardiogram showed ST-segment elevation in the inferior leads; thus, an acute inferior myocardial infarction (MI) was strongly suspected. Emergent coronary angiography revealed subtotal right coronary artery (RCA) occlusion, and intravascular ultrasound showed flattening of the RCA ostium. Although the coronary artery flow improved after percutaneous coronary intervention with rescue stent implantation, the patient was still in a prolonged state of shock. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) with a massive posterior mediastinal hematoma. We presumed that the acute MI and shock were caused by compression of the RCA ostium by the mediastinal hematoma and hemorrhage with TAA rupture, respectively. The patient was urgently transferred to another hospital for surgery. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no report on acute MI due to coronary artery compression by a mediastinal hematoma associated with TAA rupture. A staged therapeutic approach, involving preoperative coronary stent implantation, could be used to save the patient. .

Myocardial ultrastructure can augment genetic testing for sporadic dilated cardiomyopathy with initial heart failure.

AIMS: The aim of the present study was to consider whether the ultrastructural features of cardiomyocytes in dilated cardiomyopathy can be used to guide genetic testing. METHODS AND RESULTS: Endomyocardial biopsy and whole-exome sequencing were performed in 32 consecutive sporadic dilated cardiomyopathy patients [51.0 (40.0-64.0) years, 75% men] in initial phases of decompensated heart failure. The predicted pathogenicity of ultrarare (minor allele frequency ≤0.0005), non-synonymous variants was determined using the American College of Medical Genetics guidelines. Focusing on 75 cardiomyopathy-susceptibility and 41 arrhythmia-susceptibility genes, we identified 404 gene variants, of which 15 were considered pathogenic or likely pathogenic in 14 patients (44% of 32). There were five sarcomeric gene variants (29% of 17 variants) found in five patients (16% of 32), involving a variant of MYBPC3 and four variants of TTN. A patient with an MYBPC3 variant showed disorganized sarcomeres, three patients with TTN variants located in the region encoding the A-band domain showed sparse sarcomeres, and a patient with a TTN variant in encoding the I-band domain showed disrupted sarcomeres. The distribution of diffuse myofilament lysis depended on the causal genes; three patients with the same TMEM43 variant had diffuse myofilament lysis near nuclei (P = 0.011), while two patients with different DSP variants had lysis in the peripheral areas of cardiomyocytes (P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Derangement patterns of myofilament and subcellular distribution of myofilament lysis might implicate causal genes. Large-scale studies are required to confirm whether these ultrastructural findings are related to the causative genes.

Empagliflozin confers reno-protection in acute myocardial infarction and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

AIMS: Although the reno-protective effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors are known in patients with heart failure or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), this effect has not been confirmed in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS AND RESULTS: The prospective, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled EMBODY trial investigated patients with AMI and T2DM in Japan. The eligible patients included adults aged 20 years or older, diagnosed with AMI and T2DM, and who could be discharged within 2-12 weeks after the onset of AMI. One hundred and five patients were randomized (1:1) to receive once daily 10 mg empagliflozin or placebo within 2 weeks of AMI onset. In this sub-analysis, we investigated the time course of renal functional parameters such as serum creatinine levels and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from baseline to Weeks 4, 12, and 24. Ninety-six patients (64 ± 11 years, 78 male) were included in the full analysis (n = 46 and 50 in the empagliflozin and placebo groups, respectively). We used serum creatinine and eGFR as indicators of renal function. In the placebo group, eGFR decreased from 66.14 mL/min/1.73 m2 at baseline to 62.77 mL/min/1.73 m2 by Week 24 (P = 0.023) but remained unchanged in the empagliflozin group (from 64.60 to 64.36 mL/min/1.73 m2 , P = 0.843). In the latter group, uric acid improved from 5.8 mg/dL at baseline to 4.9 mg/dL at Week 24 (P < 0.001). In the earlier analysis of 56 patients with eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 , the eGFR decreased and the serum creatinine increased from baseline to 24 weeks in the placebo group, significantly different to the empagliflozin group (-6.61 vs. +0.22 mL/min/1.73 m2 , P = 0.008 and +0.063 vs. -0.001 mg/dL, P = 0.030, respectively). The changes in serum creatinine and eGFR from baseline to Week 24 were significantly correlated with those in uric acid in the placebo group (r = 0.664, P < 0.001 and r = -0.675, P < 0.001, respectively) but not in the empagliflozin group. CONCLUSIONS: Empagliflozin prevented the kidney functional decline in patients with AMI and T2DM, especially those with baseline eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 . Early administration of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors in these patients is considered desirable for renal protection.

Medical and Dental Visits of Chronic Kidney Disease-Diagnosed Participants Analyzed From the Specific Health Checkups Results in Japan: TAMA MED Project-CKD.

BACKGROUND: Since 2012, Tama City has promoted the early detection of chronic kidney disease (CKD), through an initiative that measures serum creatinine as part of the specific health checkups. We examined preventive measures against CKD deterioration based on the outcomes of this initiative. METHODS: The complications, medication status, body mass index, smoking status and other determining factors were surveyed among CKD-diagnosed participants over 3 years between 2013 and 2015. Moreover, factors aggravating CKD were investigated via a survey of medical and dental visits based on health insurance claim data over the same period. RESULTS: There was an increased rate of comorbid hypertension with each increase in the CKD stage. Comorbidity rates of diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, obesity, and smoking increased until CKD stage G4, and then decreased from stage G5. A substantial number of participants with CKD stage G3b and above were not medicated despite comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia. While the rate of regular visits at medical institutions was seen to increase significantly in accordance with the worsening degree of CKD, there were also individuals who, despite having severe CKD, did not visit medical institutions specializing in internal medicine. The rate of dental visits decreased as the CKD stage increased, and further decreased as the diabetic control status worsened. CONCLUSIONS: CKD patients should become aware of the importance of the dental visit because only a limited number of patients with advanced CKD received dental care.

"Yubi-wakka" (Finger-Ring) Test: A Tool to Detect Prefrailty in Elderly Populations, a Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Preventing frailty of elderly is an urgent issue in Japan. The "Yubi-wakka" (finger-ring) test was developed and validated as a predictor of sarcopenia, disability and even mortality. To clarify the prevalence of "frailty" defined by this test and the relationship between other indexes cross-sectionally and prospectively, we conducted this study. METHODS: Five thousand four hundred and five subjects who were 65 to 74 years old participated in this study. In a sitting position, the subjects surrounded their calf using their own finger-ring, and whether the calf was larger, just fit, or smaller than the finger-ring was determined. We analyzed these "Yubi-wakka" (finger-ring) test results and other clinical indexes. We used Student's t-tests and the Chi-squared tests to compare the data between the groups, and logistic regression tests to adjust for multiple variables. RESULTS: In total, 38.8% of the subjects' calves were judged as being "larger", 45.6% as "just fit" and 15.6% as "smaller", which was the positive test result. The positive rate differed among medical facilities without any known different characteristics. The comparison between the "larger" and "smaller" groups revealed that body weight, red blood cell count, serum lipids, uric acid and liver enzymes were significantly different between the groups. Metabolic syndrome was more common in the "larger" group. In multiple analysis, low body mass index was an independent risk factor in both sexes. Positive urinary glucose, higher aspartate aminotransferase, systolic blood pressure and low alanine transaminase were risk factors for positive test results for males. Smoking, high hemoglobin and old age were risk factors for positive test results in females. CONCLUSIONS: The test was simple and feasible enough for the primary care setting, without the requirement of any devices. However, the positive rate varied among the clinics. The subjects' age was limited to under 75 years, and the test possibly detected individuals without metabolic syndrome and fatty liver. We are also planning to increase the subjects' age range and collect data prospectively.

Prevalence and Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation in the General Population Based on National Health Insurance Special Health Checkups　- TAMA MED Project-AF.

BACKGROUND: Although National Health Insurance special health checkups have been useful for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, they are insufficient to identify atrial fibrillation (AF). In Tama City in Tokyo, 12-lead electrocardiogram has been included as an essential examination in special health checkups to diagnose AF since 2008. Methods and Results: In subjects aged 40-74 years at entry, prevalence of AF was 0.8% (men, 1.7%; women, 0.2%) in 2008 and 1.4% (men, 2.9%; women, 0.4%) in 2015. Of 10,430 subjects without AF in 2008 (mean age, 64.9±7.1 years; men, 40.4%), AF developed in 133 between 2008 and 2015. The incidence rate of new-onset AF was 2.5/1,000 person-years during an observation period of 52,707 person-years. On multivariate Cox regression analysis in subjects without a history of cardiac disease, hypertension (HR, 1.58; 95% CI: 1.01-2.47, P=0.045) and body mass index (BMI; /1-kg/m2increase; HR, 1.07; 95% CI: 1.00-1.12, P=0.049) were significant risk factors for new-onset AF in addition to age and male sex. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of AF increased between 2008 and 2015. Age, male sex, hypertension, and BMI were significant predictors for future incidence of AF in the general population without overt cardiac disease. Controlling hypertension and BMI may prevent new-onset AF in the general population.

Dyslipidemia and the Risk of Developing Hypertension in a Working-Age Male Population.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is one of the main comorbidities associated with dyslipidemia. This study aimed to examine the extent to which dyslipidemia increases the risk of developing hypertension in a Japanese working-age male population. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed data from 14 215 nonhypertensive male workers (age 38±9 years) who underwent annual medical checkups. Subjects were followed up for a median of 4 years to determine new-onset hypertension, defined as blood pressure (BP) ≥140/90 mm Hg or use of antihypertensive medication. The associations between serum lipid levels and development of hypertension were examined. During the follow-up period, 1483 subjects developed hypertension. After adjusting for age, body mass index, impaired fasting glucose/diabetes, baseline BP category, alcohol intake, smoking, exercise, and parental history of hypertension, subjects with a total cholesterol (TC) level ≥222 mg/dL were at a significantly increased risk of developing hypertension (hazard ratio: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.06-1.56) compared to subjects with a TC level ≤167 mg/dL. Similar results were observed for subjects with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) levels. A U-shaped relationship was found between HDLC level and risk of hypertension; compared to the third quintile, the multiadjusted hazard ratio was 1.22 (95% CI: 1.03-1.43) in the lowest quintile and 1.34 (95% CI: 1.12-1.60) in the highest quintile. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum levels of TC, LDLC, and non-HDLC were associated with an increased risk of hypertension in working-age Japanese men. For HDLC, risk of hypertension was increased at both low and high levels.

Development of a risk prediction model for incident hypertension in a working-age Japanese male population.

The aim of this study was to develop a risk prediction model for incident hypertension in a Japanese male population. Study participants included 15,025 nonhypertensive Japanese male workers (mean age, 38.8±8.9 years) who underwent an annual medical checkup at a company. The participants were followed-up for a median of 4.0 years to determine new-onset hypertension, defined as a systolic blood pressure (BP) ⩾140 mm Hg, a diastolic BP ⩾90 mm Hg, or the initiation of antihypertensive medication. Participants were divided into the following two cohorts for subsequent analyses: the derivation cohort (n=12,020, 80% of the study population) and the validation cohort (n=3005, the remaining 20% of the study population). In the derivation cohort, a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated that age, body mass index, systolic and diastolic BP, current smoking status, excessive alcohol intake and parental history of hypertension were independent predictors of incident hypertension. Using these variables, a risk prediction model was constructed to estimate the 4-year risk of incident hypertension. In the validation cohort, the risk prediction model demonstrated high discrimination ability and acceptable calibration, with a C-statistic of 0.861 (95% confidence interval 0.844, 0.877) and a modified Hosmer-Lemeshow χ2 statistic of 15.2 (P=0.085). A risk score sheet was constructed to enable the simple calculation of the approximate 4-year probability of incident hypertension. In conclusion, a practical risk prediction model for incident hypertension was successfully developed in a working-age Japanese male population.

Serum cystatin C, creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate, and the risk of incident hypertension in middle-aged men.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the predictive value of serum cystatin C (CysC) and that of creatinine-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFRCreat) for the risk of incident hypertension in a middle-aged male population. METHODS: Serum CysC levels were measured in 904 nonhypertensive, Japanese male subjects (mean age = 44±6 years) who received an annual general health examination in a company. Serum creatinine levels were simultaneously measured, and eGFRCreat was calculated. Subjects were followed-up for a maximum period of 4 years, and annual blood pressure measurements were recorded. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 124 subjects developed hypertension, defined as systolic/diastolic blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg or use of antihypertensive medications. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, both the third quintile of CysC and that of eGFRCreat showed the lowest 4-year cumulative incident rate of hypertension. The multiadjusted hazard ratio for incident hypertension was significantly increased in the highest quintile of CysC compared with the third quintile (2.60; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.41-4.77; P = 0.002), as well as compared with the lowest 4 quintiles combined (1.89; 95% CI = 1.26-2.84; P = 0.002). However, eGFRCreat did not show significant hazard ratios for incident hypertension in any of the adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum CysC levels could predict the risk of incident hypertension in this study population with a maximum follow-up period of 4 years. In contrast, eGFRCreat did not show predictive value for the risk of incident hypertension.

Oscillometric measurement of brachial artery cross-sectional area and its relationship with cardiovascular risk factors and arterial stiffness in a middle-aged male population.

An enlarged arterial diameter is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. This study examined the relationship of noninvasively measured brachial artery cross-sectional area with cardiovascular risk factors and arterial stiffness in a middle-aged male population. Absolute volumetric changes of the brachial artery were measured with a newly developed oscillometric method during a general health examination in 387 men (mean age: 38±9 years) without known cardiovascular disease. Based on the measurement, the estimated area (eA) of the brachial artery at end-diastole was obtained. Brachial artery volume elastic modulus (VE) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were simultaneously measured as indices of arterial stiffness by the same device. The relationships of eA with cardiovascular risk factors, including age, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, impaired fasting glucose/diabetes mellitus (IFG/DM), hyperuricemia, smoking and their associated continuous variables, as well as VE and baPWV, were examined. Overall, the mean eA was 12.9 ± 2.9 mm². The eA was significantly higher in subjects with obesity, hypertension or IFG/DM than in those without each of these risk factors. In a multiple linear regression analysis, body mass index (ß=0.31, P<0.001), age (ß=0.25, P<0.001), systolic blood pressure (ß=0.16, P=0.004) and pulse rate (ß=-0.13, P=0.005) were independent determinants of eA. In contrast, neither VE nor baPWV were selected as independent determinants of eA. In conclusion, enlarged brachial artery cross-sectional area was significantly associated with cardiovascular risk factors such as age, body mass index and systolic blood pressure, but it was not associated with increased arterial stiffness.

Spiritual activation in very elderly individuals assessed as heart rate variability and plasma IL/10/IL-6 ratios.

Proinflammatory cytokine responses might occur in elderly individuals with cardiovascular (CV) disease, cerebro-vascular (CVA) disease, and/or pulmonary disease (PD). Spiritual activation is an important coping mechanism, since psychiatric depression is an important risk factor for these individuals. Thirty-three very elderly individuals (87 ± 8 years) with previous CVD, CVA and/or PD participated in weekly 30 minute sermons by chaplains for over 20 months of chaplain liturgy (CL group). All underwent Holter ECG during the procedures and cardiac autonomic activities were assessed by maximum entropy analysis. Plasma IL-10 and IL-6 levels were compared with 26 age-matched (85 ± 10 years) individuals who did not participate in these activities (non-CL group). Both high frequency (HF) and pNN50 of heart rate variability (HRV) were higher in the CL group than in the non-CL group (HF, 190 ± 55 versus 92 ± 43 nu, P < 0.05; pNN50, 10.5 ± 16% versus 3.6 ± 3.8%, P < 0.05), whereas LF/HF was lower (1.4 ± 1.5 versus 2.2 ± 2.8, P < 0.05). Levels of IL-10/IL-6 were higher in the CL group (3.96 ± 5.0 versus 1.79 ± 1.6, P < 0.05). Hospitalization rates due to CVD and/or PD were lower in the CL group than in the non-CL group (4/33 versus 11/26, P < 0.05). We conclude that spiritual activation can modify proinflammatory cytokines and suppress CVD, CVA and/or PD via vagal modifications. Spiritual activation might be helpful for health in these very elderly individuals.

Relation of smoking status to serum levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in middle-aged men without overt cardiovascular disease.

Cigarette smoking impairs arterial function and promotes atherosclerosis. However, whether smoking status is associated with cardiac overload has not yet been fully examined, particularly from an epidemiologic viewpoint. The present study examined the relation of smoking status to serum levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP), a marker of cardiac overload, in middle-aged men without overt cardiovascular disease. Serum NT-pro-BNP levels were measured in a work-site based population of 969 men (mean age 44 ± 6 years) who did not have any history or presence of cardiovascular disease. Smoking status was evaluated by self-reported questionnaire. Four hundred fifty-nine, 222, and 288 subjects were never, former, and current smokers, respectively. NT-pro-BNP levels were significantly higher in current smokers (21.7 ± 2.3 pg/ml) than in never smokers (17.9 ± 2.1 pg/ml, p <0.001). This significant difference was maintained even after adjusting for age, obesity, heart rate, hypertension, dyslipidemia, impaired fasting glucose/diabetes mellitus, left ventricular hypertrophy, estimated glomerular filtration rate, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, alcohol consumption, and regular exercise. Current smokers had an increased odds ratio (3.04, 95% confidence interval 1.64 to 5.61, p <0.001) for elevated NT-pro-BNP (>54.5 pg/ml) compared to never smokers, even after adjusting for the studied variables. In contrast, former smokers did not show a significantly increased odds ratio for elevated NT-pro-BNP. NT-pro-BNP levels showed a weak, but significant negative correlation with duration of smoking cessation (partial r = -0.15, p = 0.034) in former smokers. In conclusion, these results suggest that cigarette smoking increases cardiac overload, whereas smoking cessation ameliorates these conditions.

Cardiac angiosarcoma diagnosed by transvenous endomyocardial biopsy with the aid of transesophageal echocardiography and intra-procedural consultation.

We report a case who had confirmed tumor cells in the biopsy specimens by transvenous endomyocardial biopsy with intra-procedural consultation and fast smear cytology. A 57-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of shortness of breath and left back pain. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans demonstrated a large mass in the right atrium and multiple liver tumors thought to be due to spread of the disease. Coronary angiography showed the right coronary artery was involved in the mass. In order to confirm the histological diagnosis, we attempted transvenous endomyocardial tumor biopsy under fluoroscopic guidance. However, we failed to obtain adequate tissue material. Due to several risks associated with a surgical procedure such as an open surgical biopsy, transvenous endomyocardial tumor biopsy was again attempted with the aid of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Intra-procedural consultation and fast smear cytology enabled us to finish the procedure. Hematoxylin-eosin stained sections demonstrated spindle-shaped cells. Immunohistochemical stains of these cells were positive for anti-factor VIII antigen, CD31, and CD34. These findings indicated a definite diagnosis of angiosarcoma. Since there was no surgical indication for this tumor, the patient underwent chemotherapy with docetaxel and radiotherapy. Three months later, CT scans showed a reduction in the size of the cardiac tumor.

Coronary artery revascularization before peripheral vascular surgery in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

The prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) approaches 50%. The incidence of perioperative cardiac complications is high in patients undergoing peripheral vascular surgery (PVS). However, the long-term efficacy of coronary artery revascularization in patients with PAD prior to PVS remains controversial. We retrospectively analyzed the long-term outcomes of 114 patients who underwent elective PVS. Coronary angiography (CAG) was performed routinely in all patients prior to the surgery. Preoperative CAG revealed CAD in 52 patients and no CAD in 62 patients (No-CAD group). Of the 52 patients with CAD, 15 patients with effort angina (more than CCS class 2), myocardial ischemia proven by pharmacological stress scintigraphy, and/or multivessel disease with impaired left ventricular systolic function underwent coronary revascularization (CAD-R group). The remaining 37 patients with CAD were treated medically (CAD-M group). The rates of postoperative events within 30 days were 26.7% in the CAD-R group, 10.8% in the CAD-M group, and 8.1% in the No-CAD group, respectively (P = 0.13), and the rates of long-term cardiovascular events were 33.3, 21.6, and 21.0%, respectively (P = 0.60). Therefore, the acute and long-term clinical outcomes in the CAD-R group were comparable with the other groups. In this study, the patients with CAD who showed inducible myocardial ischemia and/or multivessel disease with impaired left ventricular systolic function underwent coronary artery revascularization prior to the elective PVS. The patients who underwent coronary revascularization prior to the PVS exhibited comparable long-term outcomes compared with the patients who showed CAD but without inducible myocardial ischemia and with those without CAD. These data suggest that the evaluation of CAD and myocardial ischemia to determine the therapeutic strategy for CAD before elective PVS would be needed.

Direct comparison between pharmacological stress with adenosine triphosphate disodium and exercise stress myocardial perfusion imagings.

To clarify the significance of adenosine triphosphate disodium stress myocardial perfusion imaging (ATP-MPI), we directly compared the findings of ATP-MPI with those of exercise stress myocardial perfusion imaging (Ex-MPI). ATP-MPI, Ex-MPI, and coronary angiography (CAG) were performed within 60 days in 17 coronary artery disease patients with mean age of 62.1+/-7.9 years. CAG revealed single-vessel disease (SVD) in 10 patients and multivessel disease (MVD) in seven patients. The summed stress score (SSS) of ATP-MPI was significantly higher than that of Ex-MPI (10.0 [7.8-14.3] vs. 8.0 [4-18], P<0.05). No difference in the SSS was observed between ATP-MPI and Ex-MPI in patients with SVD (8.0 [6.0-9.0] vs. 8.0 [6.0-10.0], NS), whereas this difference was significant in patients with MVD (15.0 [14.0-22.8] vs.9 [7.3-16.3], P<0.05). There was no difference in the summed rest score between ATP-MPI and Ex-MPI. The univariate logistic analysis showed that "MVD" was the significant factor influencing to the overt discrepancy between ATP-MPI and Ex-MPI (odds ratio: 9.0, 95% confidence interval: 1.07-75.84, P=0.043). The accuracy of ATP-MPI and Ex-MPI in detecting the territory of stenotic coronary vessel or previous myocardial infarction was 98.0% and 92.1% (NS), respectively. In conclusion, ATP-MPI is useful for detecting potential ischemic areas that cannot be detected by Ex-MPI, particularly in patients with MVD.