Novel cardiac extracellular matrix biomarkers in STEMI: Associations with ischemic injury and long-term mortality.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine whether serum levels of proteins related to changes in cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM) were associated with ischemic injury assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: The concentrations of six ECM-related proteins (periostin, osteopontin, syndecan-1, syndecan-4, bone morphogenetic protein 7, and growth differentiation factor (GDF)-15) were measured in serum samples from patients on Day 1 and Month 4 after STEMI (n = 239). Ischemic injury was assessed by myocardial salvage index, microvascular obstruction, infarct size, and left ventricular function measured by CMR conducted during the initial admission (median 2 days after admission) and after 4 months. All-cause mortality was recorded after a median follow-up time of 70 months. RESULTS: Levels of periostin increased from Day 1 to Month 4 after hospitalization, while the levels of GDF-15, osteopontin, syndecan-1, and syndecan-4 declined. At both time points, high levels of syndecan-1 were associated with microvascular obstruction, large infarct size, and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, whereas high levels of syndecan-4 at Month 4 were associated with a higher myocardial salvage index and less dilatation of the left ventricle. Higher mortality rates were associated with periostin levels at both time points, low syndecan-4 levels at Month 4, or high GDF-15 levels at Month 4. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with STEMI, we found an association between serum levels of ECM biomarkers and ischemic injury and mortality. The results provide new insight into the role ECM components play in ischemic injury following STEMI and suggests a potential for these biomarkers in prognostication after STEMI.

Digital recruitment and compliance to treatment recommendations in the Norwegian Atrial Fibrillation self-screening pilot study.

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is prevalent, undiagnosed in approximately one-third of cases, and is associated with severe complications. Guidelines recommend screening individuals at increased risk of stroke. This report evaluated the digital recruitment procedure and compliance with the follow-up recommendations in participants with screen-detected AF in the Norwegian Atrial Fibrillation self-screening pilot study. Methods and results: Norwegians ≥65 years were invited through Facebooks posts, web pages, and newspapers to participate in the study. Targeted Facebook posts promoted over 11 days reached 84 208 users and 10 582 visitors to the study homepage. This accounted for 51% of the total homepage visitors (n = 20 704). A total of 2118 (10%) of the homepage visitors provided digital consent to participate after they met the inclusion criteria. The mean (standard deviation) age of the participants was 70 (4) years, and the majority [n = 1569 (74%)] were women. A total of 1849 (87%) participants completed the electrocardiogram self-screening test, identifying AF in 41 (2.2%) individuals. Of these, 39 (95%) participants consulted a general practitioner, and 34 (83%) participants initiated anticoagulation therapy. Conclusion: Digital recruitment and inclusion in digital AF screening with a high rate of initiation of anticoagulation therapy in AF positive screening cases are feasible. However, digital recruitment and inclusion may introduce selection bias with regard to age and gender. Larger studies are needed to determine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a fully digital AF screening. Trial registration: Clinical trials: NCT04700865.

Screening for Atrial Fibrillation by Digital Health Technology in Older People in Homecare Settings: A Feasibility Trial.

Aims: Users of homecare services are often excluded from clinical trials due to advanced age, multimorbidity, and frailty. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common and frequently undiagnosed arrhythmia in the elderly and is associated with severe mortality, morbidity, and healthcare costs. Timely identification prevents associated complications through evidence-based treatment. This study is aimed at assessing the feasibility of AF screening using new digital health technology in older people in a homecare setting. Methods: Users of homecare services ≥ 65 years old with at least one additional risk factor for stroke in two Norwegian municipalities were assessed for study participation by nurses. Participants performed a continuous prolonged ECG recording using a patch ECG device (ECG247 Smart Heart Sensor). Results: A total of 144 individuals were assessed for study participation, but only 18 (13%) were included. The main reasons for noninclusion were known AF and/or anticoagulation therapy (25%), severe cognitive impairment (26%), and lack of willingness to participate (36%). The mean age of participants performing the ECG test was 81 (SD ± 7) years, and 9 (50%) were women. All ECG tests were interpretable; the mean ECG monitoring time was 104 hours (IQR 34-338 hours). AF was detected in one individual (6%). Conclusion: This feasibility study highlights the challenges of enrolling older people receiving homecare services in clinical trials. However, all included participants performed an interpretable and prolonged continuous ECG recording with a digital ECG patch device. This trial is registered with NCT04700865.

Management of cardiac emergencies in women: a clinical consensus statement of the Association for Acute CardioVascular Care (ACVC), the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI), the Heart Failure Association (HFA), and the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) of the ESC, and the ESC Working Group on Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy.

Cardiac emergencies in women, such as acute coronary syndromes, acute heart failure, and cardiac arrest, are associated with a high risk of adverse outcomes and mortality. Although women historically have been significantly underrepresented in clinical studies of these diseases, the guideline-recommended treatment for these emergencies is generally the same for both sexes. Still, women are less likely to receive evidence-based treatment compared to men. Furthermore, specific diseases affecting predominantly or exclusively women, such as spontaneous coronary dissection, myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries, takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and peripartum cardiomyopathy, require specialized attention in terms of both diagnosis and management. In this clinical consensus statement, we summarize current knowledge on therapeutic management of these emergencies in women. Key statements and specific quality indicators are suggested to achieve equal and specific care for both sexes. Finally, we discuss several gaps in evidence and encourage further studies designed and powered with adequate attention for sex-specific analysis.

Platelet activity, coagulation, and fibrinolysis in long-term users of anabolic-androgenic steroids compared to strength-trained athletes.

INTRODUCTION: Use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) is associated with adverse cardiovascular (CV) effects, including potential prothrombotic effects. This study aimed to assess platelet activation and aggregation, coagulation, and fibrinolysis, in long-term AAS users compared to non-using strength-trained athletes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven strength-trained men using AAS were compared to seventeen non-using professional strength-trained athletes at similar age (median 33 years). AAS use was verified by blood and urine analyses. Platelet Function Analyzer 100 (PFA-100) and whole blood impedance aggregometry with thrombin, arachidonic acid, and ADP as agonists, were performed to evaluate platelet aggregation. ELISA methods were used for markers of platelet activation. Fibrinogen, D-dimer, the coagulation inhibitors protein S and C activity, and antithrombin were measured by routine. Fibrinolysis was evaluated by Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activity. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in platelet aggregation between the two groups. Von Willebrand factor was lower among the AAS users (p < 0.01), and P-Selectin was slightly higher (p = 0.05), whereas CD40 Ligand, ß-thromboglobulin, and thrombospondin did not differ significantly. No differences were found in the assessed coagulation inhibitors. Higher D-dimer levels (p < 0.01) and lower PAI-1 activity (p < 0.01) were found among the AAS users. CONCLUSIONS: The investigated long-term users of AAS did not exhibit elevated platelet activity compared to strength-trained non-using athletes. However, AAS use was associated with higher D-dimer levels and lower PAI-1 activity. These findings suggest that any prothrombotic effect of long-term AAS use may predominantly involve other aspects of the hemostatic system than blood platelets.

Treatment patterns and adherence to lipid-lowering drugs during eight-year follow-up after a coronary heart disease event.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Proper prescription and high adherence to intensive lipid lowering drugs (LLD) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) are crucial and strongly recommended. The aim of this study is to investigate long-term treatment patterns and adherence to LLD following hospitalization for a CHD event. METHODS: Patients admitted to two Norwegian hospitals with a CHD event from 2011 to 2014 (N = 1094) attended clinical examination and completed a questionnaire, median 16 months later. Clinical data were linked to pharmacy dispensing data from 2010 to 2020. The proportions using high-intensity statin therapy (atorvastatin 40/80 mg or rosuvastatin 20/40 mg) and non-statin LLD after the CHD event were assessed. Adherence was evaluated by proportion of days covered (PDC) and gaps in treatment. RESULTS: Median age at hospitalization was 63 (IQR 12) years, 21 % were female. Altogether, 1054 patients (96 %) were discharged with a statin prescription, while treatment was dispensed in 85 % within the following 90 days. During median 8 (SD 2.5) years follow-up, the proportion using high-intensity statin therapy ranged 62-68 %, whereas the use of ezetimibe increased from 4 to 26 %. PDC <0.8 was found in 22 % of statin users and 26 % of ezetimibe users. The proportions with a treatment gap exceeding 180 days were 22 % for statins and 28 % for ezetimibe. Smoking at hospitalization and negative affectivity were significantly associated with reduced statin adherence, regardless of adherence measure. CONCLUSIONS: In this long-term follow-up of patients with CHD, less than 70 % used high-intensity statin therapy with only small changes over time, and only 25 % used additional treatment with ezetimibe. We identified factors associated with reduced statin adherence that may be target for interventions.

High Diagnostic Accuracy of Long-Term Electrocardiogram Interpretation by General Practitioners.

Aims: Traditional long-term ECG monitoring systems have primarily been used by cardiologist. New remote and wearable easy-to-use devices have led to increased use of ECG recordings also outside cardiology clinics. The aims of this study were to assess the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of interpretation of the one-lead ECG recordings from a patch ECG device (ECG247 Smart Heart Sensor system) by general practitioners (GP). Methods: Norwegian GPs were invited to digitally assess 10 long-term ECG recordings with different arrhythmias performed by the ECG247 Smart Heart Sensor system. For all ECG examinations, the presence/absence of different arrhythmias was registered. Results: A total of 40 GPs accepted the invitation and assessed all the 10 long-term ECG recordings. All the tests were assessed as interpretable by all the GPs. Arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation/flutter, supraventricular tachycardia, and ventricular tachycardia) were correctly identified in most cases, with sensitivity of 98% (95% CI 95-99%), specificity of 75% (95% CI 68-82%), and diagnostic accuracy of 89% (85-92%). Incorrect automatic system algorithm interpretations were rarely corrected by the GPs. Conclusion: GPs interpreted one-lead recordings by the ECG247 Smart Heart Sensor system with high diagnostic accuracy for common arrhythmias. However, in cases with rare arrhythmias, we recommend consulting a cardiologist to confirm the diagnosis before treatment is initiated. This trial is registered with NCT04700865.

Comparative Safety and Effectiveness of Reduced Doses of Direct Acting Oral Anticoagulants for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: This Nordic observational cohort study aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of reduced-dose direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban compared to standard warfarin for stroke prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. METHODS: The study, utilizing nationwide administrative databases from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, spanned from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2018 (2017 for Sweden). The cohort included 26,883 patients initiating reduced-dose DOACs and 108,014 comparable warfarin patients. Effectiveness was measured by the composite endpoint of ischemic stroke and systemic embolism, while safety was assessed through intracranial hemorrhage. RESULTS: The meta-analysis across countries revealed similar or lower incidences of ischemic stroke and systemic embolism in patients on reduced-dose DOACs compared to standard warfarin (rivaroxaban: HR 0.93, dabigatran: HR 0.88, apixaban: HR 0.79). Incidences within warfarin groups ranged from 2.16 to 3.71 per 100 person-years, comparable to DOAC recipients. Intracranial hemorrhage rates were generally low, ranging from 0.16 to 1.85 per 100 person-years. In comparison with warfarin patients, meta-analyses yielded HRs for rivaroxaban (1.41), dabigatran (0.35), and apixaban (0.72). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, atrial fibrillation patients initiating reduced-dose rivaroxaban and dabigatran exhibited incidences of ischemic stroke and systemic embolism similar to warfarin, and for apixaban, even lower. Rates of intracranial hemorrhage were comparable to or lower for patients on DOACs compared to warfarin.

Antithrombotic therapy in patients with acute coronary syndrome: similarities and differences between a European expert consensus document and the 2023 European Society of Cardiology guidelines.

Antithrombotic therapy represents the cornerstone of the pharmacological treatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The optimal combination and duration of antithrombotic therapy is still matter of debate requiring a critical assessment of patient comorbidities, clinical presentation, revascularization modality, and/or optimization of medical treatment. The 2023 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines for the management of patients with ACS encompassing both patients with and without ST segment elevation ACS have been recently published. Shortly before, a European expert consensus task force produced guidance for clinicians on the management of antithrombotic therapy in patients with ACS as well as chronic coronary syndrome. The scope of this manuscript is to provide a critical appraisal of differences and similarities between the European consensus paper and the latest ESC recommendations on oral antithrombotic regimens in ACS patients.

Extract from the 2022 ESC Guidelines on cardiovascular assessment and management of patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery - Patient Blood Management.

The 2022 Guidelines on cardiovascular assessment and management of patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery of the European Society of Cardiology are an update on the previous guidelines reported in 2014. The revised guidelines provide standardized perioperative cardiovascular management of surgical patients and emphasis on risk assessment of the patient combined with the inherent risk of the surgical procedure. One of the novelties in these guidelines is the Patient Blood Management programme, which is based on a three pillar concept: preoperative hemoglobin optimization, minimize iatrogenic blood loss and bleeding, and harness tolerance to anemia in an effort to improve patient outcome. In this review, we highlight the three pillars of Patient Blood Management and recommendations made by the 2022 ESC Guidelines on cardiovascular assessment and management of patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

The Danish-Norwegian randomized trial on beta-blocker therapy after myocardial infarction: Design, rationale, and baseline characteristics.

AIM: The evidence for beta-blocker therapy after myocardial infarction (MI) is randomized trials conducted more than 30 years ago, and the continued efficacy has been questioned. DESIGN AND METHODS: The ongoing Danish (DANBLOCK) and Norwegian (BETAMI) randomized beta-blocker trials are joined to evaluate the effectiveness and risks of long-term beta-blocker therapy after MI. Patients with normal or mildly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF≥40%) will be randomized to open-label treatment with beta-blockers or no such therapy. This event-driven trial will randomize ∼5700 patients and continue until 950 primary endpoints have occurred. As of July 2023, 5228 patients have been randomized. Of the first 4000 patients randomized, median age was 62 years, 79% were men, 48% had a STEMI, and 84% had a normal LVEF. The primary endpoint is a composite of adjudicated recurrent MI, incident heart failure, coronary revascularization, ischemic stroke, all-cause mortality, malignant ventricular arrhythmia, or resuscitated cardiac arrest. The primary safety endpoint includes a composite of recurrent MI, heart failure, all-cause mortality, malignant ventricular arrhythmia, or resuscitated cardiac arrest 30 days after randomization. Secondary endpoints include each of the components of the primary endpoint, patient-reported outcomes, and other clinical outcomes linked to beta-blocker therapy. The primary analysis will be conducted according to the intention-to-treat principle using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. End of follow-up is expected in December 2024. CONCLUSION: The combined BETAMI-DANBLOCK trial will have the potential to affect current clinical practice for beta-blocker therapy in patients with normal or mildly reduced LVEF after MI.

Empagliflozin is associated with lower cardiovascular risk compared with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors in adults with and without cardiovascular disease: EMPagliflozin compaRative effectIveness and SafEty (EMPRISE) study results from Europe and Asia.

BACKGROUND: Studies that have reported lower risk for cardiovascular outcomes in users of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors (SGLT-2i) are limited by residual cofounding and lack of information on prior cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study compared risk of cardiovascular events in patients within routine care settings in Europe and Asia with type 2 diabetes (T2D) initiating empagliflozin compared to dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) stratified by pre-existing CVD and history of heart failure (HF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Adults initiating empagliflozin and DPP-4i in 2014-2018/19 from 11 countries in Europe and Asia were compared using propensity score matching and Cox proportional hazards regression to assess differences in rates of primary outcomes: hospitalisation for heart failure (HHF), myocardial infarction (MI), stroke; and secondary outcomes: cardiovascular mortality (CVM), coronary revascularisation procedure, composite outcome including HHF or CVM, and 3-point major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE: MI, stroke and CVM). Country-specific results were meta-analysed and pooled hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) from random-effects models are presented. In total, 85,244 empagliflozin/DPP4i PS-matched patient pairs were included with overall mean follow-up of 0.7 years. Among those with pre-existing CVD, lower risk was observed for HHF (HR 0.74; 95% CI 0.64-0.86), CVM (HR 0.55; 95% CI 0.38-0.80), HHF or CVM (HR 0.57; 95% CI 0.48-0.67) and stroke (HR 0.79; 95% CI 0.67-0.94) in patients initiating empagliflozin vs DPP-4i. Similar patterns were observed among patients without pre-existing CVD and those with and without pre-existing HF. CONCLUSION: These results from diverse patient populations in routine care settings across Europe and Asia demonstrate that initiation of empagliflozin compared to DPP-4i results in favourable cardioprotective effects regardless of pre-existing CVD or HF status.

De-escalation or abbreviation of dual antiplatelet therapy in acute coronary syndromes and percutaneous coronary intervention: a Consensus Statement from an international expert panel on coronary thrombosis.

Conventional dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention comprises aspirin with a potent P2Y purinoceptor 12 (P2Y12) inhibitor (prasugrel or ticagrelor) for 12 months. Although this approach reduces ischaemic risk, patients are exposed to a substantial risk of bleeding. Strategies to reduce bleeding include de-escalation of DAPT intensity (downgrading from potent P2Y12 inhibitor at conventional doses to either clopidogrel or reduced-dose prasugrel) or abbreviation of DAPT duration. Either strategy requires assessment of the ischaemic and bleeding risks of each individual. De-escalation of DAPT intensity can reduce bleeding without increasing ischaemic events and can be guided by platelet function testing or genotyping. Abbreviation of DAPT duration after 1-6 months, followed by monotherapy with aspirin or a P2Y12 inhibitor, reduces bleeding without an increase in ischaemic events in patients at high bleeding risk, particularly those without high ischaemic risk. However, these two strategies have not yet been compared in a head-to-head clinical trial. In this Consensus Statement, we summarize the evidence base for these treatment approaches, provide guidance on the assessment of ischaemic and bleeding risks, and provide consensus statements from an international panel of experts to help clinicians to optimize these DAPT approaches for individual patients to improve outcomes.

Geographical variation in persistence to oral anticoagulation therapy and clinical outcomes among patients with atrial fibrillation initiating therapy in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

AIM: To examine inter-national and regional variations in persistence of oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy and incidence of clinical outcomes and mortality, among patients with incident atrial fibrillation (AF) in the Nordic countries. METHODS: We conducted a registry-based multinational cohort study of OAC-naïve patients diagnosed with AF that redeemed at least one prescription of OAC after AF in Denmark (N = 25 585), Sweden (N = 59 455), Norway (N = 40 046) and Finland (N = 22 415). Persistence was dispensing at least one prescription of OAC from Day 365 after the first prescription and 90 days forward. RESULTS: Persistence was 73.6% (95% confidence interval 73.0-74.1) in Denmark, 71.1% (70.7-71.4) in Sweden, 89.3% (88.2-90.1) in Norway and 68.6% (68.0-69.3) in Finland. One-year risk of ischemic stroke varied between 2.0% (1.8-2.1) in Norway and 1.5% (1.4-1.6) in Sweden and 1.5% (1.3-1.6) in Finland. One-year risk of major bleeding other than intracranial bleeding varied between 2.1% (1.9-2.2) in Norway and 5.9% (5.6-6.2) in Denmark. One-year mortality risk varied between 9.3% (8.9-9.6) in Denmark and 4.2% (4.0-4.4) in Norway. CONCLUSION: In OAC-naïve patients with incident AF, persistence of OAC therapy and clinical outcomes vary across Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Initiation of real-time efforts are warranted to ensure uniform high-quality care across nations and regions.

Transvenous lead extractions in a single high-volume center over a 24-year period: High success rate and low complication rate.

Background: Transvenous lead extraction (TLE) procedures can be complicated and are associated with a small but significant risk of cardiovascular complications. However, methods and tools vary among centers. Objective: The purpose of this study was to the present the methods and results of pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator TLE procedures in our center over a 24-year period. Methods: From April 1997 through 2020, we attempted to extract 2964 leads in 1780 procedures and 1642 patients. We mainly utilized single sheath technique using snaring or mechanical rotational sheaths and steel sheaths when necessary. Difficult procedures were performed by an experienced cardiologist, and close supervision was emphasized. Most of the extractions were performed using local anesthesia with sedation. Results: Median age of patients was 65.0 [interquartile range 20.00] years, and median dwelling time of leads was 5.0 [7.0] years. Clinical success was achieved in 1739 procedures (97.7%) and complete technical success in 2841 leads (95.8%). Clinical success (leaving <4 cm of the lead in the body and achieving the clinical goal for the patient) was achieved for 79 leads (2.7%). TLE failed in 44 leads (1.1%) and 41 procedures (2.3%) among 36 patients (2.2%). There were 23 cases (1.3%) of major complications, with only 1 death directly related to the procedure (<0.1%). In addition, 2 patients with sepsis died within the first 24 hours after the procedure. No caval tears occurred. Conclusion: Single sheath lead extractions utilizing snaring or mechanical rotational sheaths were effective and safe in our high-volume center as performed by experienced operators.

Antithrombotic treatment strategies in patients with established coronary atherosclerotic disease.

Multiple guidelines and consensus papers have addressed the role of antithrombotic strategies in patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD). Since evidence and terminology continue to evolve, the authors undertook a consensus initiative to guide clinicians to select the optimal antithrombotic regimen for each patient. The aim of this document is to provide an update for clinicians on best antithrombotic strategies in patients with established CAD, classifying each treatment option in relation to the number of antithrombotic drugs irrespective of whether the traditional mechanism of action is expected to mainly inhibit platelets or coagulation cascade. With the aim to reach comprehensiveness of available evidence, we systematically reviewed and performed meta-analyses by means of both direct and indirect comparisons to inform the present consensus document.