[Relationship between cardiopulmonary exercise testing and the prognosis of cardiovascular disease in coronary heart disease patients].

Objective: To investigate the predictive value of cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) indexes for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study. CHD patients were consecutively enrolled who procedure CPET before discharge from the Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command from November 2015 to September 2021 were enrolled. Demographic information, past medical history, CPET indexes and other baseline data were collected and the patients were followed up. Patients were divided into a MACE group and a control group according to the presence or absence of MACE. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the CPET indexes with predictive value for MACE in CHD patients. Results: A total of 3 800 patients were eligible for the criterion, age (57.2±8.8) years, 2 920 (76.84%) males. During a follow-up of 1 237 (695, 1 596) days, 390 (10.26%) patients were in MACE group, and 3 410 (89.74%) patients were in control group. In adjusted multivariable analysis, higher metabolic equivalent of tasks (MET) at anaerobic threshold (AT) is an independent protective factor for MACE in patients with CHD (HR=0.75, 95%CI 0.62-0.90, P=0.002), higher VE/VCO2 is an independent risk factor for MACE in CHD patients (HR=1.05, 95%CI 1.02-1.07, P=0.001). Conclusion: In CPET, high MET at AT is an independent protective factor for MACE in patients with CHD, and high VE/VCO2 is an independent risk factor for MACE in CHD patients.

Impact of VO 2peak on the Clinical Outcomes of Older Patients With Coronary Heart Disease in China.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the role of cardiopulmonary exercise test parameters, especially peak oxygen uptake (VO 2peak ), in predicting the incidence of adverse cardiovascular events in older Chinese patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: Older patients with CHD who underwent cycle ergometer cardiopulmonary exercise test at the Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinic of Chinese PLA General Hospital from July 1, 2015 to January 31, 2020 were enrolled. The follow-up intervals were 6 mo. Cox regression was used to analyze the relationship between VO 2peak and adverse cardiovascular events. Restricted cubic splines and subgroup analyses were used to observe the relationship between VO 2peak and the hazard ratio (HR) of the primary end point event (PEE), which included a composite of all-cause death, nonfatal recurrent myocardial infarction, unscheduled revascularization, and stroke. The composite end point event was the PEE combined with cardiac rehospitalization. RESULTS: A total of 1223 participants (mean age 68 ± 5 yr) were included. Median follow-up was 68 mo. Mean VO 2peak was 16.5 ± 4.0 mL/kg/min, and VO 2peak was an independent predictor of the PEE (HR = 0.929; 95% CI, 0.891-0.970; P = .001). This association was further validated by restricted cubic spline and subgroup analyses. Peak oxygen uptake was also an independent risk factor for the composite end point event (HR = 0.968; 95% CI, 0.941-0.996; P = .025). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, VO 2peak is an independent risk factor for adverse cardiovascular events in older Chinese patients with CHD, and more optimal therapy should be recommended to patients with lower VO 2peak .

Left atrial stiffness index - an early marker of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with coronary heart disease.

AIMS: To evaluate the correlation between left atrial stiffness index (LASI) and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) by Autostrain LA technique. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis that included a total of 82 CHD patients who had suitable image quality for left atrial strain measurement. According to the 2016 ASE/EACVI guidelines for the echocardiographic assessment of diastolic dysfunction, the patients were divided into three groups: normal left ventricular diastolic function group (n = 26), indeterminate left ventricular diastolic function (n = 36), and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) (n = 20). The left atrial conduit strain (LAScd), Left atrial contractile strain (LASct), left atrial reservoir strain (LASr) and its derived parameters, including LASI and left atrial filling index (LAFI), were compared among the three groups. Furthermore, we conduct a correlation analysis between LASI and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with CHD. RESULTS: LASr and LAScd in normal group were higher than those in indeterminate group, LASr and LAScd in indeterminate group were higher than those in LVDD group, LASI in normal group was lower than that in indeterminate group, and LASI in indeterminate group was lower than that in LVDD group (P < 0.001). LASct in both normal and indeterminate groups was higher than that in LVDD group (P < 0.05). The LAFI of normal group was lower than that of indeterminate group and LVDD group (P < 0.001). LASI was positively correlated with E/e'(r = 0.822) (P < 0.001). LASr and E/e' were negatively correlated (r = -0.637) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: LASI is closely related to the changes of left ventricular diastolic function in CHD patients.

Respiratory Function of Mitochondria in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease with Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator.

We studied the respiratory activity of mitochondria in peripheral blood leukocytes from 36 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and a history of ventricular tachyarrhythmias required cardioverter-defibrillator implantation. The measurements were carried out in incubation buffers with different oxidation substrates (succinate and pyruvate-malate mixture). In pyruvate-malate incubation buffer, oxygen consumption rate and respiratory control coefficients in patients with triggered device did not differ significantly from those in patients without cardioverter-defibrillator triggering. At the same time, respiratory control coefficients were below the reference values. In succinate buffer, values of mitochondrial parameters were significantly lower in patients with triggered devices. Our findings indicate that mitochondria of patients with non-triggered cardioverters-defibrillators have better functional and metabolic plasticity. It was concluded that activity of respiratory processes in mitochondria could be an indicator that should be taken into the account when assessing the risk of developing ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

Empagliflozin's role in reducing ventricular repolarization heterogeneity: insights into cardiovascular mortality decline from the EMPATHY-HEART trial.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) is significantly higher in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) than in the general population. Strategies for the prevention of fatal arrhythmias are often insufficient, highlighting the need for additional non-invasive diagnostic tools. The T-wave heterogeneity (TWH) index measures variations in ventricular repolarization and has emerged as a promising predictor for severe ventricular arrhythmias. Although the EMPA-REG trial reported reduced cardiovascular mortality with empagliflozin, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigates the potential of empagliflozin in mitigating cardiac electrical instability in patients with T2DM and coronary heart disease (CHD) by examining changes in TWH. METHODS: Participants were adult outpatients with T2DM and CHD who exhibited TWH > 80 µV at baseline. They received a 25 mg daily dose of empagliflozin and were evaluated clinically including electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements at baseline and after 4 weeks. TWH was computed from leads V4, V5, and V6 using a validated technique. The primary study outcome was a significant (p < 0.05) change in TWH following empagliflozin administration. RESULTS: An initial review of 6,000 medical records pinpointed 800 patients for TWH evaluation. Of these, 412 exhibited TWH above 80 µV, with 97 completing clinical assessments and 90 meeting the criteria for high cardiovascular risk enrollment. Empagliflozin adherence exceeded 80%, resulting in notable reductions in blood pressure without affecting heart rate. Side effects were generally mild, with 13.3% experiencing Level 1 hypoglycemia, alongside infrequent urinary and genital infections. The treatment consistently reduced mean TWH from 116 to 103 µV (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The EMPATHY-HEART trial preliminarily suggests that empagliflozin decreases heterogeneity in ventricular repolarization among patients with T2DM and CHD. This reduction in TWH may provide insight into the mechanism behind the decreased cardiovascular mortality observed in previous trials, potentially offering a therapeutic pathway to mitigate the risk of severe arrhythmias in this population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT: 04117763.

Impaired sensitivity to thyroid hormones is associated with different grades of hypertension: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Accumulating evidence suggests a potential link between thyroid function with hypertension. However, the research results are limited, and there is no research to explore the relationship between central and peripheral thyroid hormones (THs) sensitivity and different grades of hypertension in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). This study aims to prove the complex interaction between thyroid system and blood pressure, and provides new ideas for the assessment of hypertension in patients with CHD. METHODS AND RESULTS: Calculate parameters representing central and peripheral sensitivity to THs. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between central and peripheral THs sensitivity of CHD patients and different grades of hypertension, especially in different ages, sexes, blood glucose levels, smoking, and drinking statuses. Among the 34,310 participants, 19,610 (57.16 %) were diagnosed with hypertension. The risk of hypertension and TSHI (OR: 0.88; 95 % CI: 0.87-0.90; P < 0.001), TT4RI (OR: 0.998; 95 % CI: 0.998-0.999; P < 0.001), TFQI (OR: 0.63; 95 % CI: 0.60-0.67; P < 0.001), PTFQI (OR: 0.63; 95 % CI: 0.59-0.67; P < 0.001) was negatively associated. The risk of hypertension was positively associated with FT3/FT4 (OR: 1.20; 95 % CI: 1.17-1.22; P < 0.001). After stratified analysis, these associations remained significant at different ages, sexes, blood glucose levels, grades of hypertension, smoking, and drinking statuses (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the decrease in central THs sensitivity index and the increase in peripheral THs sensitivity index are associated with a higher risk of hypertension in CHD patients.

Stress Echocardiography by the ABCDE Protocol ln the Assessment of Prognosis of Stable Coronary Heart Disease.

AIM: To assess the role of clinical indicators and parameters of stress echocardiography performed according to an extended protocol as predictors for the occurrence of a composite cardiovascular endpoint (CCVEP) in IHD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 186 patients (60.2% men, mean age 60.6±9.9 years) with an established (n=73; 39.2%) and suspected (60.8%) diagnosis of IHD. Stress EchoCG with adenosine triphosphate (38.2%), transesophageal pacing (15.1%), dobutamine (2.6%), and bicycle ergometry on a recumbent ergometer (44.1%) was performed. The stress EchoCG protocol included assessment of regional wall motion abnormalities (WMA), B-lines, LV contractile reserve (CTR), coronary reserve (CR), and heart rate reserve. The median follow-up period was 13 [9; 20] months. The composite CCVEP included death from cardiovascular diseases and their complications, acute coronary syndrome, and revascularization and was defined at the first of these events. Statistical analysis was performed with the Statistica 16.0 and SPSS Statistics 23.0 software packages. Differences were considered statistically significant at p<0.05. RESULTS: Invasive or noninvasive coronary angiography was performed in 90.3% of patients; obstructive coronary disease (stenosis ≥50%) was detected in 67.9% of cases. During the follow-up period, 58 (31.2%) patients had cardiovascular complications. The risk of developing CCVEP was associated with the pretest probability (PTP) of ischemic heart disease (odds ratio, OR, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.02-1.08), dyslipidemia (DLP) (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.20-0.82), carotid atherosclerosis (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.18-0.86), LV ejection fraction (OR 0.96; 95% CI 0.93-0.99), appearance at peak stress of new significant (2 LV segments or more) regional WMAs (OR 0.32; 95% CI 0.18-6.55), decreased LV CTR (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.27-0.79) and CR (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.18-0.61); p<0.05 for all. In a multivariate analysis with Cox regression, the model with clinical indicators included PTP of IHD (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.07; p=0.01) and DLP (OR 0.14; 95% CI 0.02-1.01; p=0.05) as predictors. The model with stress EchoCG parameters included the appearance of new significant WMAs (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.16-0.65; p=0.001) and reduced <2.0 CR (OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.24-0.82; p=0.01). A comparative analysis of Kaplan-Meier curves confirmed statistically significant differences in the dynamics of the CCVEP occurrence depending on the absence or presence of hemodynamically significant WMAs and/or reduced CR during stress EchoCG (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Reduced LV CR and WMA during stress EchoCG in patients with suspected or confirmed IHD are significant independent predictors for the CCVEP occurrence. Among clinical indicators, PTP of IHD and DLP are of the greatest importance for prognosis.

The correlation between subendocardial viability ratio and the degree of coronary artery stenosis in patients with coronary heart disease and its predictive value for the incidence of short-term cardiovascular events.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to analyze the ability of subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR) to predict the degree of coronary artery stenosis and the relationship between SEVR and the incidence of short-term cardiovascular endpoint events. METHOD: The indexes of 243 patients with chest pain were collected.. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed using the dichotomous outcome of high and non-high SYNTAX scores. Receiver operating characteristic curves were employed to comparatively analyze the diagnostic efficiencies of the indices and models. A survival analysis combined with the Cox regression analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method to understand the relationship between the SEVR and the incidence of cardiovascular events within 1 year in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). RESULTS: SEVR was significantly lower ( P  < 0.05) in the high-stenosis group than control and low-stenosis groups. The diagnostic efficacy of SEVR [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.861] was better than those of age (AUC = 0.745), ABI (AUC = 0.739), and AIx@HR75 (AUC = 0.659). The cutoff SEVR was 1.105. In patients with confirmed CHD who had been discharged from the hospital for 1 year, only SEVR affected survival outcomes (hazard ratio = 0.010; 95% confidence interval: 0.001-0.418; P  = 0.016). CONCLUSION: A significant decrease in SEVR predicted severe coronary artery stenosis, with a cutoff value of 1.105 and an accuracy of 0.861. In patients with CHD, the lower the SEVR, the higher was the rate of cardiovascular events at 1 year after hospital discharge.

Cardiac hemodynamics phenotypes and individual responses to training in coronary heart disease patients.

BACKGROUND: In patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), individualized exercise training (ET) programs are strongly recommended to optimize peak oxygen uptake ( V ̇ $$ \dot{\mathrm{V}} $$ O2peak) improvement and prognosis. However, the cardiac hemodynamic factors responsible for a positive response to training remain unclear. The aim of this study was to compare cardiac hemodynamic changes after an ET program in responder (R) versus non-responder (NR) CHD patients. METHODS: A total of 72 CHD patients completed a 3-month ET program and were assessed by cycle ergometer cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET: V ̇ $$ \dot{\mathrm{V}} $$ O2peak assessment) with impedance cardiography (ICG) for hemodynamic measurements before and after training. Cardiac hemodynamics (e.g., CO, CI, SV, ESV, EDV, and SVR) were measured by ICG during CPET. The R and NR groups were classified using the median change in V ̇ $$ \dot{\mathrm{V}} $$ O2peak (>the median for R and ≤the median for NR). RESULTS: In the R group, V ̇ $$ \dot{\mathrm{V}} $$ O2peak (+17%, p < 0.001), CO, CI, SV, and HR increased by 17%, 17%, 13%, and 5%, respectively (p < 0.05) after the training program. In the NR group, V ̇ $$ \dot{\mathrm{V}} $$ O2peak, CO, CI, and SV increased by 0.5%, 5%, 8%, and 6%, respectively (p < 0.01). The SVR decreased in both groups (-19% in R and -11% in NR, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Among CHD patients, the R group showed a better improvement in peak cardiac output via an increase in peak stroke volume and heart rate and a reduced systemic vascular resistance than the NR group. Different cardiac phenotype adaptations and clinical individual responses were identified in CHD patients according to the aerobic fitness responder's status.

[Application of computational fluid dynamics in the evaluation of left ventricular function in cardiomyopathies and coronary disease].

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is an emerging technology applied in the field of cardiovascular medicine, which can obtain hemodynamic data by simulating the blood flow in the patient's heart for cardiac function assessment and disease diagnosis. Left ventricular function plays a key role in the occurrence and development of cardiomyopathies and coronary disease. CFD can reconstruct the left ventricular anatomic structures of patients to clarify pathophysiologic mechanisms and analyze hemodynamic parameters to evaluate left ventricular function, verify surgical efficacy, and guide surgical strategy, which has a positive effect on achieving early diagnosis and reducing mortality from cardiomyopathies and coronary disease. At present, there are still technical limitations in the large-scale clinical application of CFD, and various solutions are being developed and tested, and further improvement and refinement are needed.

Determinants of V̇+O2peak Changes After Aerobic Training in Coronary Heart Disease Patients.

This study aimed to highlight the ventilatory and circulatory determinants of changes in ˙VO2peak after exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (ECR) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Eighty-two CHD patients performed, before and after a 3-month ECR, a cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) on a bike with gas exchanges measurements (˙VO2peak, minute ventilation, i. e., ˙VE), and cardiac output (Q˙c). The arteriovenous difference in O2 (C(a-v¯)O2) and the alveolar capillary gradient in O2 (PAi-aO2) were calculated using Fick's laws. Oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) was calculated. A 5.0% cut off was applied for differentiating non- (NR: ˙VO2<0.0%), low (LR: 0.0≤ ∆˙VO2<5.0%), moderate (MR: 5.0≤∆˙VO2 < 10.0%), and high responders (HR: ∆˙VO2≥10.0%) to ECR. A total of 44% of patients were HR (n=36), 20% MR (n=16), 23% LR (n=19), and 13% NR (n=11). For HR, the ˙VO2peak increase (p<0.01) was associated with increases in ˙VE (+12.8±13.0 L/min, p<0.01), (+1.0±0.9 L/min, p<0.01), and C(a-v¯)O2 (+2.3±2.5 mLO2/100 mL, p<0.01). MR patients were characterized by+6.7±19.7 L/min increase in ˙VE (p=0.04) and+0.7±1.0 L/min of Q˙c (p<0.01). ECR induced decreases in ˙VE (p=0.04) and C(a-v¯)O2 (p<0.01) and a Q˙c increase in LR and NR patients (p<0.01). Peripheral and ventilatory responses more than central adaptations could be responsible for the ˙VO2peak change with ECR in CHD patients.

Electroplating a miniature diamond wheel for grinding of the calcified plaque inside arteries.

A miniature grinding wheel (0.85 mm diameter) was fabricated by nickel (Ni)-diamond electroplating on a thin (0.65 mm outer diameter) flexible hollow stainless steel drive shaft to remove the calcified plaque in coronary and peripheral arteries by atherectomy procedure. To coat electrically nonconductive diamond grits, the drive shaft was submerged in a pile of diamond grit during Ni electroplating. The electroplating current density and temperature were investigated for better surface finishing and Faraday efficiency. The electroplating time to obtain the designed coating thickness was modeled based on Faraday's law of electrolysis and the geometry of drive shaft, wheel, and diamond grit. To validate the miniature wheel performance in atherectomy, grinding experiments were conducted on an atherectomy cardiovascular simulator with a calcified plaque surrogate. The wheel motion, material removal rate, and wheel surface wear were studied via high-speed camera imaging and laser confocal microscopy. The grinding wheel with 80,000 rpm rotational speed had an orbital speed of 14,300 rpm around the 1.5 mm diameter plaque surrogate lumen. After grinding for 120 s, the plaque surrogate inner diameter was enlarged to 3.03 mm, and no wear or loss of diamond abrasive was observed on the grinding wheel. This study demonstrated that the proposed electroplating process for fabricating miniature grinding wheels could effectively remove the calcified plaque surrogate. This research could lead to a more effective and safer atherectomy device with sub-mm miniature diamond wheels to treat lesions deep in coronary and peripheral arteries.

Usefulness of estimated pulse wave velocity for identifying prevalent coronary heart disease: findings from a general Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Aortic stiffness and coronary heart disease (CHD) share a similar spectrum of risk factors; previous studies have identified the association between aortic stiffness and CHD. Recent studies have demonstrated estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) as a simple and easy-acquired indicator of aortic stiffness. Our work aims to evaluate the association between ePWV and the prevalence of CHD and assess the value of ePWV for the identification of prevalent CHD. METHODS: The current cross-sectional work included 7012 subjects from rural areas of southeastern China between September 2020 and February 2021. ePWV was calculated from age and mean blood pressure by specific algorithm. RESULTS: The prevalence of CHD in our population was 3.58% (251 patients among 7012 subjects). After adjusting for age, sex, education, income and exercise level, current smoking and drinking status, body mass index, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, estimated glomerular filtration rate and cerebrovascular diseases, each standard deviation increment of ePWV would produce an additional 37.8% risk of prevalent CHD. Moreover, after dividing ePWV into quartiles, the 4th quartile of ePWV showed a significant risk of prevalent CHD (OR (95% CI): 3.567 (1.963-6.479)) when compared with the 1st quartile. Additionally, the subgroup analysis showed the association between ePWV and prevalent CHD was robust to several common risk factors of CHD, including age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes and reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate. Finally, the area under curve (AUC) displayed an improvement when adding ePWV into common CHD risk factors (0.705 vs. 0.718. P = 0.044). Consistently, net reclassification index (0.436, 95% CI: 0.301-0.571, P < 0.001) and integrated discrimination index (0.004, 95% CI: 0.001-0.006, P = 0.002) demonstrated the value of ePWV to optimize the identification of prevalent CHD in the general population. CONCLUSION: The present analysis implicates the robust association between ePWV, a simple, rapid, and practical marker of aortic stiffness, and prevalent CHD in the general Chinese population. More importantly, the results suggest the value of ePWV as a potential marker to improve the identification of prevalent CHD.

Does weight mediate the effect of smoking on coronary heart disease? Parametric mediational g-formula analysis.

BACKGROUND: In settings in which there are time-varying confounders affected by previous exposure and a time-varying mediator, natural direct and indirect effects cannot generally be estimated unbiasedly. In the present study, we estimate interventional direct effect and interventional indirect effect of cigarette smoking as a time-varying exposure on coronary heart disease while considering body weight as a time-varying mediator. METHODS: To address this problem, the parametric mediational g-formula was proposed to estimate interventional direct effect and interventional indirect effect. We used data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis to estimate effect of cigarette smoking on coronary heart disease, considering body weight as time-varying mediator. RESULTS: Over a 11-years period, smoking 20 cigarettes per day compared to no smoking directly (not through weight) increased risk of coronary heart disease by an absolute difference of 1.91% (95% CI: 0.49%, 4.14%), and indirectly decreased coronary heart disease risk by -0.02% (95% CI: -0.05%, 0.04%) via change in weight. The total effect was estimated as an absolute 1.89% increase (95% CI: 0.49%, 4.13%). CONCLUSION: The overall absolute impact of smoking to incident coronary heart disease is modest, and we did not discern any important contribution to this effect relayed through changes to bodyweight. In fact, changes in weight because of smoking have no meaningful mediating effect on CHD risk.

Prognosis in patients with coronary heart disease and breath-holding limitations: a free-breathing cardiac magnetic resonance protocol at 3.0 T.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Conventional cardiac magnetic resonance (CCMR) imaging is usually performed with breath-holding (BH), which is adverse in patients with BH limitations. We explored the ability of a free-breathing CMR (fCMR) protocol to prognosticate in patients with coronary heart diseases (CHD) and limited BH ability. METHODS: Sixty-seven patients with CHD and limited BH abilities were prospectively enrolled in this study. All patients underwent comprehensive fCMR imaging at 3.0 T. The fCMR protocols included compressed sensing (CS) single-shot cine acceleration imaging, and motion-corrected (MOCO), single-shot late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging. Image quality (IQ) of the cine and LGE images was evaluated based on the 5-point Likert scale. The value of fMRI in providing a prognosis in patients with CHD was assessed. Statistical methods included the T test, Mann-Whitney test, Kappa test, Kaplan-Meier curve, Log-rank test, Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, and receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: All IQ scores of the short axis CS-cine and both the short and long axes MOCO LGE images were ≥ 3 points. Over a median follow-up of 31 months (range 3.8-38.2), 25 major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) occurred. In the univariate analysis, infarction size (IS), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), 3D-Global peak longitudinal strain (3D-GPLS), heart failure classification were significantly associated with MACE. When the significantly univariate MACE predictors, added to the multivariate analysis, which showed IS (HR 1.02; 95% CI 1.00-1.05; p = 0.048) and heart failure with preserved EF (HR 0.20; 95% CI 0.04-0.98; p = 0.048) correlated positively with MACE. The optimal cutoff value for LVEF, 3D-GPLS, and IS in predicting MACE was 34.2%, - 5.7%, and 26.1% respectively, with a sensitivity of 90.5%, 64%, and 96.0% and specificity of 72%, 95.2%, and 85.7% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The fCMR protocol can be used to make prognostic assessments in patients with CHD and BH limitations by calculating IS and LVEF.

Nicorandil Decreases Renal Injury in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease Complicated With Type I Cardiorenal Syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) is a group of disorders in which heart or kidney dysfunction worsens each other. This study aimed to explore the improvement effect of nicorandil on cardiorenal injury in patients with type I CRS. Patients with coronary heart disease complicated with type I CRS were enrolled. Based on the conventional treatment, the patients were prospectively randomized into a conventional treatment group and a nicorandil group, which was treated with 24 mg/d nicorandil intravenously for 1 week. Fasting peripheral venous blood serum and urine were collected before and at the end of treatment. An automatic biochemical analyzer and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay were used to detect B-type brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), serum creatinine (Scr) and cystatin C (Cys-C), renal injury index-kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and interleukin-18 (IL-18) levels. The left ventricular ejection fraction was measured by echocardiography. All measurements were not significantly different between the nicorandil and conventional treatment groups before treatment (all P > 0.05), and BNP, Scr, Cys-C, NGAL, KIM-1, and IL-18 were decreased in the 2 groups at the end of treatment (all P < 0.05). Compared with the conventional treatment group, BNP, Scr, Cys-C, NGAL, KIM-1, and IL-18 were more significantly decreased in the nicorandil group (all P < 0.05) and left ventricular ejection fraction was more significantly increased (P < 0.05). Therefore, nicorandil could significantly improve the cardiac and renal function of patients with type I CRS. This may prove to be a new therapeutic tool for improving the prognosis and rehabilitation of type I CRS.

The relationship between arterial stiffness index and coronary heart disease and its severity.

BACKGROUND: Arterial stiffness index (ASI) is closely related to coronary atherosclerosis. This study aims to explore whether ASI can predict coronary heart disease (CHD) and its severity. METHODS: In this study, a total of 726 patients with suspected CHD were recruited. Based on coronary angiography results, the subjects were assigned into three groups: the control group (without obvious coronary artery disease), single-vessel disease group, and multi-vessel disease group (the number of vessels diseased ≥ 2). At the same time, according to the results of angiography, myocardial enzyme spectrum, electrocardiogram, color Doppler echocardiography and clinical manifestations, these patients were divided into four groups: the control group, stable angina (SA) Group, unstable angina (UA) group, and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) group. We have compared whether there were differences in ASI and related baseline data between groups. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis was conducted to determine whether ASI could predict CHD and evaluate the severity. RESULTS: ASI was positively correlated with the number of diseased branches of coronary artery. The value of ASI was increased as the number of the diseased branches increased. The ASI value in the SA group was significantly higher compared with the control group. Furthermore, the ASI value in the UA and AMI groups was remarkably increased compared with the control and SA groups. The results of ROC analysis indicated that the sensitivity and specificity of ASI was 71.0% and 85.4% in diagnosing CHD, respectively. While ASI was used in predicting the severity of CHD, the sensitivity was 72.1% and specificity 57.9%. CONCLUSION: ASI is of great value in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease and the prediction of its severity.

DNA methylation signatures of incident coronary heart disease: findings from epigenome-wide association studies.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a type of cardiovascular disease (CVD) that affects the coronary arteries, which provide oxygenated blood to the heart. It is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Various prediction methods have been developed to assess the likelihood of developing CHD, including those based on clinical features and genetic variation. Recent epigenome-wide studies have identified DNA methylation signatures associated with the development of CHD, indicating that DNA methylation may play a role in predicting future CHD. This narrative review summarises recent findings from DNA methylation studies of incident CHD (iCHD) events from epigenome-wide association studies (EWASs). The results suggest that DNA methylation signatures may identify new mechanisms involved in CHD progression and could prove a useful adjunct for the prediction of future CHD.

Acute effects of exercise on cerebrovascular response and cognitive performance in individuals with stable coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD) exhibit cognitive deficits and cerebrovascular dysfunctions, and are at higher risk of developing dementia. Cognitive function in individuals with CHD has never been studied during acute aerobic exercise. Given the increasing popularity of training at high peak power output (PPO), its impact on cerebrovascular and cognitive functions in individuals with CHD should be further studied. METHOD: Thirty-eight individuals with CHD and 16 healthy controls completed two exercise bouts at 30% and 70% of their individualized PPO on an ergocycle while performing a cognitive task including non-executive and executive conditions. Variations of oxy- deoxy-hemoglobin, and total hemoglobin concentrations were measured on left prefrontal cortex at both PPO using near-infrared spectroscopy. RESULTS: Cognitive task performances were equivalent between groups at all intensity levels. Individuals with CHD exhibited larger variation of deoxyhemoglobin in the executive condition and larger variation in total hemoglobin concentration in all task conditions compared to healthy controls at 70% of PPO. CONCLUSION: Exercising at high intensity seems to have a larger impact on cerebral blood volume in CHD patients compared to healthy age-matched controls. Higher exercise intensity has negative impacts on cerebral blood volume variations during a cognitive task in CHD patients and could potentially lead to other neurocognitive dysfunctions. Other studies are needed to determine if a cognitive task administered during an exercise test could help identify individuals with CHD at higher risk of developing cognitive decline.

CD133+ Stem Cell Therapy Effects on Myocardial Regeneration Through Increased Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Correlate with Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Results in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Patients with Low Ejection Fraction.

BACKGROUND: Stem cell implantation has become a promising therapy for heart failure due to coronary heart disease (CHD). CD133+ stem cell therapy, together with increases of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and other growth hormones, can induce myocardial repair. OBJECTIVE: To prove that VEGF plays a role in cardiac regeneration. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with CHD and ejection fractions <35% from Harapan Kita Heart and Vascular Center, Jakarta, Indonesia, from 2016 to 2018 were randomized into 2 groups. The treatment group underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) + CD133+ implantation, and the control group underwent CABG only. Six months later, perfusion and myocardial function were assessed by ejection fraction, wall motion score index (WMSI), ventricular dimensions, and scar size using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. VEGF was assessed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: There was significant improvement in ejection fraction (8.69% ± 9.49% versus 1.43% ± 7.87%, P = .04), WMSI (0.51 ± 0.48 versus -0.01 ± 0.21, P = .003), and scar size (25.46 ± 12.91 versus 27.32  ± 12.92 mm, P = .047) and a significant increase in blood VEGF levels  (61.05 ± 63.01 versus 19.88 ± 33.78 pg/mL, P = .01). Improvements in perfusion defects (13.69 ± 5.03 versus 11.53 ± 5.81 P = .32) and ventricular dimensions (-27.59 ± 84.48 versus -19.08 ± 36.79 mm, P = .06) were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: CD133+ stem cell implantation improves myocardial function. The increase in VEGF levels is expected to continue improving restoration of myocardial function when myocardial perfusion improvement is still not optimal.