'Choosing Wisely' culture among Brazilian cardiologists.

OBJECTIVE: (i) To describe how aligned the 'Choosing Wisely' concept is with the medical culture among Brazilian cardiologists and (ii) to identify predictors for physicians' preference for avoiding wasteful care. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Brazilian Society of Cardiology. PARTICIPANTS: Cardiologists who agree to fill a web questionary. INTERVENTION: A task force of 12 Brazilian cardiologists prepared a list of 13 'do not do' recommendations, which were made available on the Brazilian Society of Cardiology website for affiliates to assign a supported score of 1 to 10 to each recommendation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: Score average for supporting recommendations. RESULTS: Of 14 579 Brazilian cardiologists, 621 (4.3%) answered the questionnaire. The top recommendation was 'do not perform routine percutaneous coronary intervention in asymptomatic individuals' (mean score = 8.0 ± 2.9) while the one with the lowest support was 'do not use an intra-aortic balloon pump in infarction with cardiogenic shock' (5.8 ± 3.2). None of the 13 recommendations presented a mean grade >9 (strong support); 7 recommendations averaged 7-8 (moderate support) followed by 6 recommendations with an average of 5-7 (modest support). Multivariate analysis independently identified predictors of the score attributed to the top recommendation; being an interventionist and time since graduation were both negatively associated with support. CONCLUSIONS: (i) The support of Brazilian cardiologists for the 'Choosing Wisely' concept is modest to moderate, and (ii) older generations and enthusiasm towards the procedure one performs may be factors against the 'Choosing Wisely' philosophy.

Association of early left ventricular dysfunction with advanced magnetic resonance white matter and gray matter brain measures: The CARDIA study.

INTRODUCTION: Relations between heart failure and clinically manifested stroke are well known, but the associations between heart and brain early abnormalities are not totally clear. AIMS: We explore relations of subclinical brain abnormalities with early cardiac dysfunction in a large healthy middle-aged biracial cohort. METHODS: The CARDIA study enrolled 5115 young adults aged 18-30 years at baseline (1985-1986). We assessed 719 Caucasian and African American participants of the CARDIA study, with echocardiograms and brain MRI at follow-up year 25 (2010-2011). Echocardiography assessed aortic root diameter; LVEF; circumferential, longitudinal, and radial deformation. Cerebral MRI DTI, and, on a subset, ASL perfusion sequences were used to assess white matter fractional anisotropy and gray matter cerebral blood flow (CBF). Linear regression explored relations between cardiac parameters and cerebral measures, adjusting for anthropometrics, risk factors, and brain constitutional variation. RESULTS: Mean age 50 ± 4 years, SBP 118 ± 15 mm Hg; 60% white, and 48% men. Mean CBF was 46 ± 9 mL/100 g/min, and white matter fractional anisotropy was 0.31 ± 0.02. Worse circumferential deformation and larger aortic root were related to worse white matter fractional anisotropy. Worse radial systolic deformation was related to worse CBF in multivariable models. LVEF did not relate to early brain abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of no apparent effect of LV ejection fraction, early subclinical cardiac dysfunction and brain abnormalities are present and associated in middle-aged generally healthy individuals.

Prevalence and factors associated with inappropriate use of treadmill exercise stress test for coronary artery disease: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: In some countries, the public health system has less availability when compared to the population covered by health insurance. In addition, inappropriate referrals for treadmill exercise stress test increase spending and lead to unnecessary interventions. We aim to determine the prevalence and characteristics of inappropriate referrals for treadmill exercise stress tests in the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD), considering public and private health systems scenarios. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used to describe the frequency of inappropriate use of exercise testing in the diagnosis of CAD and to determine its predictors. We consecutively enrolled 191 patients from two outpatient facilities in Northeast Brazil. For inclusion, the exercise testing should be referred for the assessment of CAD. We performed logistic regression models to identify independent predictors of inappropriate use. RESULTS: Treadmill exercise stress tests were rated as inappropriate in 150 (78 %) patients. The majority of patients had low or very low pre-test probability of CAD. Presence of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia were more frequent in the appropriate than inappropriate indications (71 %, 19 % and 29 % versus 43 %, 8 % and 16 %, respectively). Tests performed both at the public and private system showed high prevalence of inappropriate examinations, higher in the latter (57 % versus 87 %, P < 0.001). The private health system was the major independent predictor of inappropriate referral, consistent in all regression models (when adjusting for clinical variables, OR = 4.3; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The vast majority of treadmill exercise stress test referrals in the assessment of CAD were inappropriate. The availability of the method and not the estimate probability of CAD appear to be the underlying condition for a treadmill test referral.

Hemoglobin Level Adds Prognostic Value to the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events Score in Non-ST Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to test the hypothesis that hemoglobin values add prognostic information to the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score at admission in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes (ACS). METHODS: A total of 225 consecutive patients with non-ST elevation ACS were studied. Hemoglobin was measured at admission, and its prognostic value was evaluated in relation to cardiovascular events during hospitalization, defined as the composite of death or myocardial infarction. RESULTS: The incidence of major in-hospital events was 7% (10 deaths and 5 nonfatal myocardial infarctions). Hemoglobin significantly predicted events, with a C statistic of 0.67 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53-0.81; p = 0.03], with 12.1 g/dl as the cutoff point of best performance. After adjustment for the GRACE score, low hemoglobin (≤12.1 g/dl) remained an independent predictor of events (odds ratio 3.9, 95% CI 1.2-13; p = 0.028). The C statistic of the GRACE score for prediction of events improved from 0.80 to 0.84 after hemoglobin was taken into account. Finally, the addition of hemoglobin to the GRACE score promoted a net reclassification improvement of 16% in identifying high-risk patients (p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides preliminary evidence that hemoglobin level independently predicts recurrent events during hospitalization and improves the prognostic performance of the GRACE score in patients with non-ST elevation ACS.

Ophthalmic artery Doppler velocimetric values in pregnant women at risk for preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to describe ophthalmic artery Doppler parameters in pregnant women at risk for preeclampsia in the second trimester, compare them with reference values described in women with healthy pregnancies, and evaluate the association between gestational age and Doppler parameters. METHODS: We conducted an observational study with prospective data collection in which measurements of 7 ophthalmic artery Doppler parameters were obtained in 274 women at 20 to 28 weeks' gestation with clinical risk factors for preeclampsia. The following measurements were obtained: peak systolic velocity, mesodiastolic velocity, mean velocity, end-diastolic velocity, resistive index, pulsatility index, and peak ratio. The observed Doppler values were compared with reference values by a 1-sample t test. To test for linear associations between gestational age and Doppler parameters, the Pearson correlation coefficient was used. RESULTS: Significantly higher ophthalmic artery Doppler velocimetric parameters were observed when compared with the reference values. The mean values of these parameters ± SD were as follows: peak systolic velocity, 37.9 ± 10.3 cm/s (reference, 34.2 cm/s; P < .001); end-diastolic velocity, 7.2 ± 3.1 cm/s (reference, 6.8 cm/s; P = .03); resistive index, 0.81 ± 0.07 (reference, 0.70; P < .001); pulsatility index, 2.17 ± 0.53 (reference, 1.80; P < .001); and peak ratio, 0.53 ± 0.12 (reference, 0.40; P < .001). There was no correlation between the Doppler parameters and gestational age. CONCLUSIONS: Ophthalmic Doppler parameters of women at risk for preeclampsia are significantly higher than reference values for healthy pregnancies, which may indicate an inadequate vascular response to persistent peripheral resistance. Gestational age during the second trimester is not associated with ophthalmic artery Doppler parameters in pregnant women at risk for preeclampsia.

Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) proviral load of HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) patients according to new diagnostic criteria of HAM/TSP.

A high human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) proviral load is described in HTLV-1-associated diseases, especially HAM/TSP. However, the cut-off value to define high levels of HTLV-1 proviral load is not well established. 281 HTLV-1-infected patients from the HTLV reference center in Salvador, Brazil, were followed from 2005 to 2008. Patients were classified as asymptomatic, possible-, probable-, and definite-HAM/TSP, in accordance with diagnostic criteria proposed by De Castro-Costa et al. (2006): AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 22:931-935. HTLV-1 proviral load was determined using real-time PCR. A receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed using only asymptomatic individuals and definite-HAM/TSP patients. The ROC curve was used to predict the proviral load level that differentiates these two groups. Out of 281 patients, 189 were asymptomatic and 92 were diagnosed with HAM/TSP (22 possible, 23 probable, 47 definite). The mean HTLV-1 proviral load was higher in possible- (89,104 ± 93,006 copies/106 PBMC), -probable (175,854 ± 128,083 copies/106 PBMC), and definite-HAM/TSP patients (150,667 ± 122,320 copies/106 PBMC),when compared to asymptomatic individuals (27,178 ± 41,155 copies/106 PBMC) (P < 0.0001). A comparison of all HAM/TSP groups showed the highest proviral loads in probable-HAM/TSP patients, yet the differences in mean values were not statistically significant. The ROC curve suggested a value of 49,865 copies/106 PBMC, with 87% sensitivity (95% CI » 74-95) and 81% specificity (95% CI » 75-86), as the best proviral load cut-off point to differentiate definite HAM/TSP patients from asymptomatic individuals. HTLV-1 proviral loads are higher in groups of infected patients with eurological symptoms and may represent a relevant biological marker of disease progression.

Prognostic Contrast between Anatomical and Clinical Models Regarding Fatal and Non-Fatal Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndromes. / Competência Prognóstica Distinta entre Modelo Clínico e Anatômico em Síndromes Coronarianas Agudas: Comparação por Tipo de Desfecho.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent ischemic events are mediated by atherosclerotic plaque instability, whereas death after an ischemic event results from gravity of insult and ability of the organism to adapt. The distinct nature of those types of events may respond for different prediction properties of clinical and anatomical information regarding type of outcome. OBJECTIVE: To identify prognostic properties of clinical and anatomical data in respect of fatal and non-fatal outcomes of patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). METHODS: Patients consecutively admitted with ACS who underwent coronary angiography were recruited. The SYNTAX score was utilized as an anatomic model and the GRACE score as a clinical model. The predictive capacity of those scores was separately evaluated for prediction of non-fatal ischemic outcomes (infarction and refractory angina) and cardiovascular death during hospitalization. It was considered as significant a p-value <0,05. RESULTS: EAmong 365 people, cardiovascular death was observed in 4,4% and incidence of non-fatal ischemic outcomes in 11%. For cardiovascular death, SYNTAX and GRACE score presented similar C-statistic of 0,80 (95% IC: 0,70 - 0,92) and 0,89 (95% IC 0,81 - 0,96), respectively - p = 0,19. As for non-fatal ischemic outcomes, the SYNTAX score presented a moderate predictive value (C-statistic = 0,64; 95%IC 0,55 - 0,73), whereas the GRACE score did not presented association with this type of outcome (C-statistic = 0,50; 95%IC 0,40-0,61) - p = 0,027. CONCLUSION: Clinical and anatomic models similarly predict cardiovascular death in ACS. However, recurrence of coronary instability is better predicted by anatomic variables than clinical data. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0).

FUNDAMENTO: Eventos isquêmicos recorrentes decorrem de instabilidade de placa aterosclerótica, enquanto morte após um evento isquêmico decorre da gravidade do insulto. A natureza diversa desses tipos de eventos pode fazer com que dados clínicos e anatômicos tenham diferentes capacidades prognósticas a depender do tipo de desfecho. OBJETIVO: Identificar as predileções prognósticas de dados clínicos e dados anatômicos em relação a desfechos coronários fatais e não fatais durante hospitalização de pacientes com síndromes coronarianas agudas (SCA). MÉTODOS: Pacientes consecutivamente admitidos por SCA que realizaram coronariografia foram recrutados. O escore SYNTAX foi utilizado como modelo anatômico e o escore GRACE como modelo clínico. A capacidade preditora desses escores foi comparada quando à predição de desfechos isquêmicos não fatais (infarto ou angina refratária) e de morte cardiovascular durante hospitalização. Significância estatística foi definida por p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Entre 365 indivíduos, 4,4% foi a incidência de óbito hospitalar e 11% de desfechos isquêmicos não fatais. Para morte cardiovascular, ambos os escores ­ SYNTAX e GRACE ­ apresentaram capacidade discriminatória, com estatísticas-C similares: 0,80 (95%IC: 0,70­0,92) e 0,89 (95%IC 0,81­0,96), respectivamente ­ p=0,19. Quantos aos desfechos isquêmicos não fatais, o escore SYNTAX apresentou valor preditor (estatística-C = 0,64; 95%IC 0,55­0,73), porém o escore GRACE não mostrou associação com esse tipo de desfecho (estatística-C = 0,50; 95%IC: 0,40­0,61) ­ p=0,027. CONCLUSÃO: Os modelos clínico e anatômico predizem satisfatoriamente morte cardiovascular em SCA, enquanto a recorrência de instabilidade coronária é melhor prevista por características anatômicas do que por dados clínicos. (Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; 115(2):219-225).

Prognostic Value of NT-proBNP versus Killip Classification in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes.

BACKGROUND: Plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptides have better diagnostic accuracy compared to clinical-radiologic judgment for acute heart failure. In acute coronary syndromes (ACS), the prognostic value of acute heart failure is incorporated into predictive models through Killip classification. It is not established whether NT-proBNP could increment prognostic prediction. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether NT-proBNP, as a measure of left ventricular dysfunction, improves the in-hospital prognostic value of the GRACE score in ACS. METHODS: Patients admitted due to acute chest pain, with electrocardiogram and/or troponin criteria for ACS were included in the study. The plasma level of NT-proBNP was measured at hospital admission and the primary endpoint was defined as cardiovascular death during hospitalization. P-value < 0.05 was considered as significant. RESULTS: Among 352 patients studied, cardiovascular mortality was 4.8%. The predictive value of NT-proBNP for cardiovascular death was shown by a C-statistic of 0.78 (95% CI = 0.65-0.90). After adjustment for the GRACE model subtracted by Killip variable, NT-proBNP remained independently associated with cardiovascular death (p = 0.015). However, discrimination by the GRACE-BNP logistic model (C-statistics = 0.83; 95%CI = 0.69-0.97) was not superior to the traditional GRACE Score with Killip (C-statistic = 0.82; 95%CI = 0.68-0.97). The GRACE-BNP model did not provide improvement in the classification of patients to high risk by the GRACE Score (net reclassification index = - 0.15; p = 0.14). CONCLUSION: Despite the statistical association with cardiovascular death, there was no evidence that NT-proBNP increments the prognostic value of GRACE score in ACS.

Inconsistency prevents the valuable synergism of explanatory and pragmatic trails.

OBJECTIVE: To assess review articles on pragmatic trials in order to describe how authors define the aim of this type of study, how comprehensive methodological topics are covered, and which topics are most valued by authors. METHODS: Review articles were selected from Medline Database, based on the expression "pragmatic trial" in the titles. Five trained medical students evaluated the articles, based on a list of 15 self-explanatory methodological topics. Each article was evaluated regarding topics covered. Baseline statements on the aim of pragmatic trials were derived. RESULTS: Among 22 articles identified, there was general agreement that the aim of a pragmatic trial is to evaluate if the intervention works under real-world conditions. The mean number of methodological topics addressed by each article was 7.6 ± 3.1. Only one article covered all 15 topics, three articles (14%) responded to at least 75% of topics and 13 articles (59%) mentioned at least 50% of the topics. The relative frequency each of the 15 topics was cited by articles had a mean of 50% ± 25%. No topic was addressed by all articles, only three (20%) were addressed by more than 75% of articles. CONCLUSIONS: There is agreement on the different aims of explanatory and pragmatic trials. But there is a large variation on methodological topics used to define a pragmatic trial, which led to inconsistency in defining the typical methodology of a pragmatic trial.

Is there a true beneficial effect of statin therapy in the acute phase of unstable angina or myocardial infarction?

It has been claimed that early use of statins in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) protects patients against recurrent ischemic events. This protective effect takes place as early as 4 months after treatment initiation in non-ST elevation ACS, as reported in the MIRACL trial. Mechanisms such as improvement in endothelial function and inflammation are possible explanations for this early effect. These findings have been used to propose statins as part of the acute phase therapy. However, the use of statins during hospitalization is an unresolved issue, because there is a lack of evidence regarding the benefit of initiating therapy in the acute phase. Most randomized trials included patients after several days of the index event and did not report in-hospital outcome. This review critically discusses the use of statins in ACS and the level of evidence regarding their beneficial effect in acute phase treatment.

Does high-sensitivity C-reactive protein add prognostic value to the TIMI-Risk Score in individuals with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes?

BACKGROUND: C-reactive protein (CRP) measured at hospital arrival of patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes (ACS) may add prognostic information to the TIMI-Risk Score. METHODS: Eighty-six consecutive patients admitted with unstable angina or non-ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction and symptoms onset within the prior 48 h were included. Recurrent cardiovascular events during hospitalization were defined as non-fatal myocardial infarction or death. Serum CRP was measured immediately at hospital arrival and its prognostic value in relation to in-hospital cardiovascular events was tested by the area under the ROC curve and adjusted for TIMI risk predictors by logistic regression analysis. In addition, a CRP modified TIMI-Risk score was created by adding 2 points if CRP greater than the cut-off proposed by the ROC curve analysis. The accuracy of this new score was compared with the usual TIMI-Risk Score. RESULTS: A significant predictive value of CRP in relation to in-hospital cardiovascular events was indicated by an area under the ROC curve of 0.80 (95% CI=0.66 to 0.93, p=0.009). C-reactive protein cut-off point of best prognostic performance was 7.2 mg/l. In the multivariate analysis, increased CRP (>7.2 mg/l) remained a significant predictor of events after adjustment for TIMI risk predictors (OR=14; 95% CI=1.6-121; p=0.018). The area under the ROC curve for the TIMI-Risk Score was 0.87 (95% CI=0.76-0.99, p=0.001). The addition of CRP to the TIMI-Risk Score improved its prognostic value (area under the ROC curve=0.93; 95% CI=0.87-0.99, p<0.001). The additional value of the new score is demonstrated by a higher specificity (86% vs. 63%, p<0.001) and positive predictive value (39% vs. 19%) in relation to the TIMI-Risk Score. CONCLUSIONS: CRP measured at admission of patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes adds prognostic information to the TIMI-Risk Score. Additionally, the incorporation of this variable into the TIMI-Risk Score calculation is an effective manner to utilize CRP for risk stratification.