Cognitive impairment and treatment strategy for atrial fibrillation in older adults: The SAGE-AF study.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is strongly associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). Rate and rhythm control are the two treatment strategies for AF and the effect of treatment strategy on risk of cognitive decline and frailty is not well established. We sought to determine how treatment strategy affects geriatric-centered outcomes. METHODS: The Systematic Assessment of Geriatric Elements-AF (SAGE-AF) was a prospective, observational, cohort study. Older adults with AF were prospectively enrolled between 2016 and 2018 and followed longitudinally for 2 years. In a non-randomized fashion, participants were grouped by rate or rhythm control treatment strategy based on clinical treatment at enrollment. Baseline characteristics were compared. Longitudinal binary mixed models were used to compare treatment strategy with respect to change in cognitive function and frailty status. Cognitive function and frailty status were assessed with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Battery and Fried frailty phenotype tools. RESULTS: 972 participants (mean age = 75, SD = 6.8; 49% female, 87% non-Hispanic white) completed baseline examination and 2-year follow-up. 408 (42%) were treated with rate control and 564 (58%) with rhythm control. The patient characteristics of the two groups were different at baseline. Participants in the rate control group were older, more likely to have persistent AF, prior stroke, be treated with warfarin and have baseline cognitive impairment. After adjusting for baseline differences, participants treated with rate control were 1.5 times more likely to be cognitively impaired over 2 years (adjusted OR: 1.47, 95% CI:1.12, 1.98) and had a greater decline in cognitive function (adjusted estimate: -0.59 (0.23), p < 0.01) in comparison to rhythm control. Frailty did not vary between the treatment strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Among those who had 2-year follow-up in non-randomized observational cohort, the decision to rate control AF in older adults was associated with increased odds of decline in cognitive function but not frailty.

Short and medium-term outcomes in individuals hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction and multiple chronic conditions: The Worcester heart attack study.

Background: Multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) are common in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We examined the association of 12 MCCs with the risk of a 30-day hospital readmission and/or dying within one year among those discharged from the hospital after an AMI. We also examined the five most prevalent pairs of chronic conditions in this population and their association with the principal study endpoints. Methods: The study population consisted of 3,294 adults hospitalized with a confirmed AMI at the three major medical centers in central Massachusetts on an approximate biennial basis between 2005 and 2015. Patients were categorized as ≤1, 2-3, and ≥4 chronic conditions. Results: The median age of the study population was 67.9 years, 41.6% were women, and 15% had ≤1, 32% had 2-3, and 53% had ≥4 chronic conditions. Patients with ≥4 conditions tended to be older, had a longer hospital stay, and received fewer cardiac interventional procedures. There was an increased risk for being rehospitalized during the subsequent 30 days according to the presence of MCCs, with the highest risk for those with ≥4 conditions. There was an increased, but attenuated, risk for dying during the next year according to the presence of MCCs. Individuals with diabetes/hypertension and those with heart failure/chronic kidney disease were at particularly high risk for developing the principal study outcomes. Conclusion: Development of guidelines that include complex patients, particularly those with MCCs and those at high risk for adverse short/medium term outcomes, remain needed to inform best treatment practices.

Is Catheter Ablation Associated with Preservation of Cognitive Function? An Analysis From the SAGE-AF Observational Cohort Study.

Objectives: To examine the associations between catheter ablation treatment (CA) versus medical management and cognitive impairment among older adults with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: Ambulatory patients who had AF, were ≥ 65-years-old, and were eligible to receive oral anticoagulation could be enrolled into the SAGE (Systematic Assessment of Geriatric Elements)-AF study from internal medicine and cardiology clinics in Massachusetts and Georgia between 2016 and 2018. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tool at baseline, one-, and two years. Cognitive impairment was defined as a MoCA score ≤ 23. Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression of longitudinal repeated measures was used to examine associations between treatment with CA vs. medical management and cognitive impairment. Results: 887 participants were included in this analysis. On average, participants were 75.2 ± 6.7 years old, 48.6% women, and 87.4% white non-Hispanic. 193 (21.8%) participants received a CA before enrollment. Participants who had previously undergone CA were significantly less likely to be cognitively impaired during the two-year study period (aOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.50-0.97) than those medically managed (i.e., rate and/or rhythm control), even after adjusting with propensity score for CA. At the two-year follow-up a significantly greater number of individuals in the non-CA group were cognitively impaired (MoCA ≤ 23) compared to the CA-group (311 [44.8%] vs. 58 [30.1%], p=0.0002). Conclusions: In this two-year longitudinal prospective cohort study participants who underwent CA for AF before enrollment were less likely to have cognitive impairment than those who had not undergone CA.

Technology engagement is associated with higher perceived physical well-being in stroke patients prescribed smartwatches for atrial fibrillation detection.

Background: Increasing ownership of smartphones among Americans provides an opportunity to use these technologies to manage medical conditions. We examine the influence of baseline smartwatch ownership on changes in self-reported anxiety, patient engagement, and health-related quality of life when prescribed smartwatch for AF detection. Method: We performed a post-hoc secondary analysis of the Pulsewatch study (NCT03761394), a clinical trial in which 120 participants were randomized to receive a smartwatch-smartphone app dyad and ECG patch monitor compared to an ECG patch monitor alone to establish the accuracy of the smartwatch-smartphone app dyad for detection of AF. At baseline, 14 days, and 44 days, participants completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 survey, the Health Survey SF-12, and the Consumer Health Activation Index. Mixed-effects linear regression models using repeated measures with anxiety, patient activation, physical and mental health status as outcomes were used to examine their association with smartwatch ownership at baseline. Results: Ninety-six participants, primarily White with high income and tertiary education, were randomized to receive a study smartwatch-smartphone dyad. Twenty-four (25%) participants previously owned a smartwatch. Compared to those who did not previously own a smartwatch, smartwatch owners reported significant greater increase in their self-reported physical health (ß = 5.07, P < 0.05), no differences in anxiety (ß = 0.92, P = 0.33), mental health (ß = -2.42, P = 0.16), or patient activation (ß = 1.86, P = 0.54). Conclusions: Participants who own a smartwatch at baseline reported a greater positive change in self-reported physical health, but not in anxiety, patient activation, or self-reported mental health over the study period.

Accuracy, Usability, and Adherence of Smartwatches for Atrial Fibrillation Detection in Older Adults After Stroke: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cause of stroke, and timely diagnosis is critical for secondary prevention. Little is known about smartwatches for AF detection among stroke survivors. We aimed to examine accuracy, usability, and adherence to a smartwatch-based AF monitoring system designed by older stroke survivors and their caregivers. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the feasibility of smartwatches for AF detection in older stroke survivors. METHODS: Pulsewatch is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which stroke survivors received either a smartwatch-smartphone dyad for AF detection (Pulsewatch system) plus an electrocardiogram patch or the patch alone for 14 days to assess the accuracy and usability of the system (phase 1). Participants were subsequently rerandomized to potentially 30 additional days of system use to examine adherence to watch wear (phase 2). Participants were aged 50 years or older, had survived an ischemic stroke, and had no major contraindications to oral anticoagulants. The accuracy for AF detection was determined by comparing it to cardiologist-overread electrocardiogram patch, and the usability was assessed with the System Usability Scale (SUS). Adherence was operationalized as daily watch wear time over the 30-day monitoring period. RESULTS: A total of 120 participants were enrolled (mean age 65 years; 50/120, 41% female; 106/120, 88% White). The Pulsewatch system demonstrated 92.9% (95% CI 85.3%-97.4%) accuracy for AF detection. Mean usability score was 65 out of 100, and on average, participants wore the watch for 21.2 (SD 8.3) of the 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that a smartwatch system designed by and for stroke survivors is a viable option for long-term arrhythmia detection among older adults at risk for AF, though it may benefit from strategies to enhance adherence to watch wear. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03761394; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03761394. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.1016/j.cvdhj.2021.07.002.

Anxiety, patient activation, and quality of life among stroke survivors prescribed smartwatches for atrial fibrillation monitoring.

Background: The detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) in stroke survivors is critical to decreasing the risk of recurrent stroke. Smartwatches have emerged as a convenient and accurate means of AF diagnosis; however, the impact on critical patient-reported outcomes, including anxiety, engagement, and quality of life, remains ill defined. Objectives: To examine the association between smartwatch prescription for AF detection and the patient-reported outcomes of anxiety, patient activation, and self-reported health. Methods: We used data from the Pulsewatch trial, a 2-phase randomized controlled trial that included participants aged 50 years or older with a history of ischemic stroke. Participants were randomized to use either a proprietary smartphone-smartwatch app for 30 days of AF monitoring or no cardiac rhythm monitoring. Validated surveys were deployed before and after the 30-day study period to assess anxiety, patient activation, and self-rated physical and mental health. Logistic regression and generalized estimation equations were used to examine the association between smartwatch prescription for AF monitoring and changes in the patient-reported outcomes. Results: A total of 110 participants (mean age 64 years, 41% female, 91% non-Hispanic White) were studied. Seventy percent of intervention participants were novice smartwatch users, as opposed to 84% of controls, and there was no significant difference in baseline rates of anxiety, activation, or self-rated health between the 2 groups. The incidence of new AF among smartwatch users was 6%. Participants who were prescribed smartwatches did not have a statistically significant change in anxiety, activation, or self-reported health as compared to those who were not prescribed smartwatches. The results held even after removing participants who received an AF alert on the watch. Conclusion: The prescription of smartwatches to stroke survivors for AF monitoring does not adversely affect key patient-reported outcomes. Further research is needed to better inform the successful deployment of smartwatches in clinical practice.

False Atrial Fibrillation Alerts from Smartwatches are Associated with Decreased Perceived Physical Well-being and Confidence in Chronic Symptoms Management.

Wrist-based wearables have been FDA approved for AF detection. However, the health behavior impact of false AF alerts from wearables on older patients at high risk for AF are not known. In this work, we analyzed data from the Pulsewatch (NCT03761394) study, which randomized patients (≥50 years) with history of stroke or transient ischemic attack to wear a patch monitor and a smartwatch linked to a smartphone running the Pulsewatch application vs to only the cardiac patch monitor over 14 days. At baseline and 14 days, participants completed validated instruments to assess for anxiety, patient activation, perceived mental and physical health, chronic symptom management self-efficacy, and medicine adherence. We employed linear regression to examine associations between false AF alerts with change in patient-reported outcomes. Receipt of false AF alerts was related to a dose-dependent decline in self-perceived physical health and levels of disease self-management. We developed a novel convolutional denoising autoencoder (CDA) to remove motion and noise artifacts in photoplethysmography (PPG) segments to optimize AF detection, which substantially reduced the number of false alerts. A promising approach to avoid negative impact of false alerts is to employ artificial intelligence driven algorithms to improve accuracy.

Differential effect of anticoagulation according to cognitive function and frailty in older patients with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: In older patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), cognitive impairment and frailty are prevalent. It is unknown whether the risk and benefit of anticoagulation differ by cognitive function and frailty. METHODS: A total of 1244 individuals with AF with age ≥65 years and a CHADSVASC score ≥2 were recruited from clinics in Massachusetts and Georgia between 2016 and 18 and followed until 2020. At baseline, frailty status and cognitive function were assessed. Hazard ratios of anticoagulation on physician adjudicated outcomes were adjusted by the propensity for receiving anticoagulation and stratified by cognitive function and frailty status. RESULTS: The average age was 75.5 (± 7.1) years, 49% were women, and 86% were prescribed oral anticoagulants. At baseline, 528 (42.4%) participants were cognitively impaired and 172 (13.8%) were frail. The adjusted hazard ratios of anticoagulation for the composite of major bleeding or death were 2.23 (95% confidence interval: 1.08-4.61) among cognitively impaired individuals and 0.94 (95% confidence interval: 0.49-1.79) among cognitively intact individuals (P for interaction = 0.08). Adjusted hazard ratios for anticoagulation were 1.84 (95% confidence interval: 0.66-5.13) among frail individuals and 1.39 (95% confidence interval: 0.84-2.40) among not frail individuals (P for interaction = 0.67). CONCLUSION: Compared with no anticoagulation, anticoagulation is associated with more major bleeding episodes and death in older patients with AF who are cognitively impaired.

Medication cost-reducing behaviors in older adults with atrial fibrillation: The SAGE-AF study.

BACKGROUND: As patient prices for many medications have risen steeply in the United States, patients may engage in cost-reducing behaviors (CRBs) such as asking for generic medications or purchasing medication from the Internet. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to describe patterns of CRB, cost-related medication nonadherence, and spending less on basic needs to afford medications among older adults with atrial fibrillation (AF) and examine participant characteristics associated with CRB. METHODS: Data were from a prospective cohort study of older adults at least 65 years with AF and a high stroke risk (CHA2DS2VASc ≥ 2). CRB, cost-related medication nonadherence, and spending less on basic needs to afford medications were evaluated using validated measures. Chi-square and t tests were used to evaluate differences in characteristics across CRB, and statistically significant characteristics (P < 0.05) were entered into a multivariable logistic regression to examine factors associated with CRB. RESULTS: Among participants (N = 1224; mean age 76 years; 49% female), 69% reported engaging in CRB, 4% reported cost-related medication nonadherence, and 6% reported spending less on basic needs. Participants who were cognitively impaired (adjusted odds ratio 0.69 [95% CI 0.52-0.91]) and those who did not identify as non-Hispanic white (0.66 [0.46-0.95]) were less likely to engage in CRB. Participants who were married (1.88 [1.30-2.72]), had a household income of $20,000-$49,999 (1.52 [1.02-2.27]), had Medicare insurance (1.38 [1.04-1.83]), and had 4-6 comorbidities (1.43 [1.01-2.01]) had significantly higher odds of engaging in CRB. CONCLUSION: Although CRBs were common among older adults with AF, few reported cost-related medication nonadherence and spending less on basic needs. Patients with cognitive impairment may benefit from pharmacist intervention to provide support in CRB and patient assistance programs.

Is catheter ablation associated with preservation of cognitive function? An analysis from the SAGE-AF observational cohort study.

Objectives: To examine the associations between catheter ablation treatment (CA) vs. medical management and cognitive impairment among older adults with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: Ambulatory patients who had AF, were ≥65-years-old, and were eligible to receive oral anticoagulation could be enrolled into the SAGE (Systematic Assessment of Geriatric Elements)-AF study from internal medicine and cardiology clinics in Massachusetts and Georgia between 2016 and 2018. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tool at baseline, 1-, and 2 years. Cognitive impairment was defined as a MoCA score ≤ 23. Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression of longitudinal repeated measures was used to examine associations between treatment with CA vs. medical management and cognitive impairment. Results: 887 participants were included in this analysis. On average, participants were 75.2 ± 6.7 years old, 48.6% women, and 87.4% white non-Hispanic. 193 (21.8%) participants received a CA before enrollment. Participants who had previously undergone CA were significantly less likely to be cognitively impaired during the 2-year study period (aOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.50-0.97) than those medically managed (i.e., rate and/or rhythm control), even after adjusting with propensity score for CA. At the 2-year follow-up a significantly greater number of individuals in the non-CA group were cognitively impaired (MoCA ≤ 23) compared to the CA-group (311 [44.8%] vs. 58 [30.1%], p = 0.0002). Conclusion: In this 2-year longitudinal prospective cohort study participants who underwent CA for AF before enrollment were less likely to have cognitive impairment than those who had not undergone CA.

Usefulness of Self-Reported Physical Activity and Clinical Outcomes in Older Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Current guidelines encourage regular physical activity (PA) to gain cardiovascular health benefit. However, little is known about whether older adults with atrial fibrillation (AF) who engage in the guideline-recommended level of PA are less likely to experience clinically relevant outcomes. We did a retrospective study based on the data from Systemic Assessment of Geriatric Elements in AF (SAGE-AF) prospective cohort study. The study population consisted of older participants with AF (≥65 years) and a congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, diabetes, stroke vascular disease, age 65 to 75 and sex(CHA2DS2-VASc) score ≥2. PA was quantified by self-reported Minnesota Leisure Time PA questionnaire. Competing risk models were used to examine the association between PA level and clinical outcomes over 2 years while controlling for several potentially confounding variables. A total of 1,244 participants (average age 76 years; 51% men; 85% non-Hispanic White) were studied. A total of 50.5% of participants engaged in regular PA. Meeting the recommended level of PA was associated with lower mortality over 2 years (adjusted hazard ratio 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.38 to 0.95) but was not associated with rates of stroke or major bleeding. In conclusion, older adults with AF who engaged in guideline-recommended PA are more likely to survive in the long term. Healthcare providers should promote and encourage engagement in PA and tailor interventions to address barriers of engagement.

Age and Sex Differences and Temporal Trends in the Use of Invasive and Noninvasive Procedures in Patients Hospitalized With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background Few studies have examined age and sex differences in the receipt of cardiac diagnostic and interventional procedures in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction and trends in these possible differences during recent years. Methods and Results Data from patients hospitalized with a first acute myocardial infarction at the major medical centers in the Worcester, Massachusetts, metropolitan area were utilized for this study. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine age (<55, 55-64, 65-74, and ≥75 years) and sex differences in the receipt of echocardiography, exercise stress testing, coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary interventions, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and trends in the use of those procedures during patients' acute hospitalization, between 2005 and 2018, while adjusting for important confounding factors. The study population consisted of 1681 men and 1154 women with an initial acute myocardial infarction who were hospitalized on an approximate biennial basis between 2005 and 2018. A smaller proportion of women underwent cardiac catheterization, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, while there were no sex differences in the receipt of echocardiography and exercise stress testing. Patients aged ≥75 years were less likely to undergo cardiac catheterization, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery, but were more likely to receive echocardiography compared with younger patients. Between 2005 and 2018, the use of echocardiography and coronary artery bypass graft surgery nonsignificantly increased among all age groups and both sexes, while the use of cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention increased nonsignificantly faster in women and older patients. Conclusions We observed a continued lower receipt of invasive cardiac procedures in women and patients aged ≥75 years with acute myocardial infarction, but age and sex gaps associated with these procedures have narrowed during recent years.

Cognitive impairment, age, quality of life, and treatment strategy for atrial fibrillation in older adults: The SAGE-AF study.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment includes anticoagulation for high stroke risk individuals and either rate or rhythm control strategies. We aimed to investigate the impact of age, geriatric factors, and medical comorbidities on choice of rhythm versus rate control strategy in older adults. METHODS: Patients with AF aged ≥65 years with CHA2 DS2 VASc score ≥2 and eligible for anticoagulation were recruited for the Systematic Assessment of Geriatric Elements-AF (SAGE-AF) prospective cohort study. An interview that included measures of HRQoL, cognitive function, vision, hearing, and frailty was performed. The association between these elements and AF treatment strategy was examined by multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: One thousand two hundred forty-four participants (mean age 76 years; 49% female; 85% non-Hispanic white) were enrolled. Rate and rhythm control were used in 534 and 710 participants, respectively. Compared to participants <75 years, those ≥75 were more likely to be treated with a rate control strategy (age 75-84 adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.37 [95% CI 0.99, 1.88]; age 85+ aOR = 2.05, 95% CI 1.30, 3.21). Those treated with a rate control strategy were more likely to have cognitive impairment (aOR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.13, 1.99), and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) (aOR = 1.82, 95% CI 1.22, 2.72) but less likely to have visual impairment (aOR 0.73 [0.55, 0.98]), congestive heart failure (CHF; aOR 0.68 [0.49, 0.94]) or receive anticoagulation (aOR 0.53, 95% CI 0.36, 0.78). CONCLUSION: Older age, cognitive impairment, and PVD were associated with use of rate control strategy. Visual impairment, CHF, and anticoagulation use were associated with a rhythm control strategy. There was no difference in HRQoL between the rate and rhythm control groups. This study suggests that certain geriatric elements may be associated with AF treatment strategies. Further study is needed to evaluate how these decisions affect outcomes.

Online health information seeking, low atrial fibrillation-related quality of life, and high perceived efficacy in patient-physician interactions in older adults with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Little is known about online health information-seeking behavior among older adults with atrial fibrillation (AF) and its association with self-reported outcomes. Objective: To examine patient characteristics associated with online health information seeking and the association between information seeking and low AF-related quality of life and high perceived efficacy in patient-physician interaction. Methods: We used data from the SAGE-AF (Systematic Assessment of Geriatric Elements in AF) study, which includes older participants aged ≥65 years with AF and a CHA2DS2-VASc risk score ≥2. To assess online health information seeking, participants who reported using the Internet were asked at baseline if they used the Internet to search for advice or information about their health in the past 4 weeks (not at all vs at least once). Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life and Perceived Efficacy in Patient-Physician Interactions questionnaires were used to examine AF-related quality of life (QOL) and patient-reported confidence in physicians. Logistic regression models were used to examine demographic and clinical factors associated with online health information seeking and associations between information seeking and low AF-related QOL (AFEQT <80) and high perceived efficacy for patient-physician interactions (PEPPI ≥45). Results: A total of 874 online participants (mean age 74.5 years, 51% male, 91% non-Hispanic White) were studied. Approximately 60% of participants sought health information online. Participants aged 74 years or older and those on anticoagulation were less likely, while those with a college degree were more likely, to seek online health information after adjusting for potential confounders. Participants who sought health information online, compared to those who did not, were significantly more likely to have a low AF-related QOL, but less likely to self-report confidence in patient-physician interaction (aOR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.15-2.13; aOR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.49-0.93, respectively). Conclusion: Clinicians should consider barriers to patient-physician interaction in older adults who seek health information online, encourage shared decision-making, and provide patients with a list of online resources for AF in addition to disease education plans to help patients manage their health.

School-supervised Asthma Therapy is Associated with Improved Long-Term Asthma Outcomes for Underrepresented Minority Children.

Asthma morbidity disproportionately impacts children from low-income and racial/ethnic minority communities. School-supervised asthma therapy improves asthma outcomes for up to 15 months for underrepresented minority children, but little is known about whether these benefits are sustained over time. We examined the frequency of emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions for 83 children enrolled in Asthma Link, a school nurse-supervised asthma therapy program serving predominantly underrepresented minority children. We compared outcomes between the year preceding enrollment and years one-four post-enrollment. Compared with the year prior to enrollment, asthma-related ED visits decreased by 67.9% at one year, 59.5% at two years, 70.2% at three years, and 50% at four years post-enrollment (all p-values< 0.005). There were also significant declines in mean numbers of total ED visits, asthma-related hospital admissions, and total hospital admissions. Our results indicate that school nurse-supervised asthma therapy could potentially mitigate racial/ethnic and socioeconomic inequities in childhood asthma.

Effect of diet change in healthy dogs with subclinical cardiac biomarker or echocardiographic abnormalities.

BACKGROUND: A recent study showed higher high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) concentrations in healthy dogs eating grain-free (GF) compared to those eating grain-inclusive (GI) diets. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Healthy dogs with subclinical cardiac abnormalities eating GF diets at baseline will show improvements in cardiac biomarkers and echocardiographic variables after diet change, whereas healthy dogs eating GI diets at baseline will not improve. ANIMALS: Twenty healthy dogs with subclinical cardiac abnormalities (12 Golden Retrievers, 5 Doberman Pinschers, 3 Miniature Schnauzers). METHODS: This prospective study included dogs with increased hs-cTnI or N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentrations, or echocardiographic abnormalities. Mixed modeling was used to evaluate echocardiographic, hs-cTnI, and NT-proBNP differences between groups (GF or GI diet at baseline) over time (1 y after diet change). RESULTS: Ten GF and 10 GI dogs were evaluated. There were statistically significant time: group interactions for hs-cTnI (P = .02) and normalized left ventricular internal systolic diameter (LVIDsN; P = .02), with GF dogs showing larger decreases in these variables than GI dogs. Median (range) hs-cTnI (ng/mL) for GF dogs was 0.141 (0.012-0.224) at baseline and 0.092 (0.044-0.137) at 1 y, and for GI dogs was 0.051 (0.016-0.195) at baseline and 0.060 (0.022-0.280) at 1 y. Median LVIDsN for GF dogs was 1.01 (0.70-1.30) at baseline and 0.87 (0.79-1.24) at 1 y, and for GI dogs was 1.05 (0.84-1.21) at baseline and 1.10 (0.85-1.28) at 1 y. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Decreased hs-cTnI and LVIDsN in GF dogs after diet change supports reversibility of these subclinical myocardial abnormalities.

Optimized Signal Quality Assessment for Photoplethysmogram Signals Using Feature Selection.

OBJECTIVE: With the increasing use of wearable healthcare devices for remote patient monitoring, reliable signal quality assessment (SQA) is required to ensure the high accuracy of interpretation and diagnosis on the recorded data from patients. Photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals non-invasively measured by wearable devices are extensively used to provide information about the cardiovascular system and its associated diseases. In this study, we propose an approach to optimize the quality assessment of the PPG signals. METHODS: We used an ensemble-based feature selection scheme to enhance the prediction performance of the classification model to assess the quality of the PPG signals. Our approach for feature and subset size selection yielded the best-suited feature subset, which was optimized to differentiate between the clean and artifact corrupted PPG segments. CONCLUSION: A high discriminatory power was achieved between two classes on the test data by the proposed feature selection approach, which led to strong performance on all dependent and independent test datasets. We achieved accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity rates of higher than 0.93, 0.89, and 0.97, respectively, for dependent test datasets, independent of heartbeat type, i.e., atrial fibrillation (AF) or non-AF data including normal sinus rhythm (NSR), premature atrial contraction (PAC), and premature ventricular contraction (PVC). For independent test datasets, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity rates were greater than 0.93, 0.89, and 0.97, respectively, on PPG data recorded from AF and non-AF subjects. These results were found to be more accurate than those of all of the contemporary methods cited in this work. SIGNIFICANCE: As the results illustrate, the advantage of our proposed scheme is its robustness against dynamic variations in the PPG signal during long-term 14-day recordings accompanied with different types of physical activities and a diverse range of fluctuations and waveforms caused by different individual hemodynamic characteristics, and various types of recording devices. This robustness instills confidence in the application of the algorithm to various kinds of wearable devices as a reliable PPG signal quality assessment approach.

Prospective study of dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs eating nontraditional or traditional diets and in dogs with subclinical cardiac abnormalities.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have investigated dogs with presumed diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy (daDCM), but prospective studies of multiple breeds are needed. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate baseline features and serial changes in echocardiography and cardiac biomarkers in dogs with DCM eating nontraditional diets (NTDs) or traditional diets (TDs), and in dogs with subclinical cardiac abnormalities (SCA) eating NTD. ANIMALS: Sixty dogs with DCM (NTD, n = 51; TDs, n = 9) and 16 dogs with SCA eating NTDs. METHODS: Echocardiography, electrocardiography, and measurement of taurine, cardiac troponin I, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide were performed in dogs with DCM or SCA. Diets were changed for all dogs, taurine was supplemented in most, and echocardiography and cardiac biomarkers were reassessed (3, 6, and 9 months). RESULTS: At enrollment, there were few differences between dogs with DCM eating NTDs or TDs; none had low plasma or whole blood taurine concentrations. Improvement in fractional shortening over time was significantly associated with previous consumption of a NTD, even after adjustment for other variables (P = .005). Median survival time for dogs with DCM was 611 days (range, 2-940 days) for the NTD group and 161 days (range, 12-669 days) for the TD group (P = .21). Sudden death was the most common cause of death in both diet groups. Dogs with SCA also had significant echocardiographic improvements over time. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Dogs with DCM or SCA previously eating NTDs had small, yet significant improvements in echocardiographic parameters after diet changes.

Presence of Geriatric Conditions Is Prognostic of Major Bleeding in Older Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: a Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: In older patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), physical, cognitive, and psychosocial limitations are prevalent. The prognostic value of these conditions for major bleeding is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether geriatric conditions are prospectively associated with major bleeding in older patients with AF on anticoagulation. DESIGN: Multicenter cohort study with 2-year follow-up from 2016 to 2020 in Massachusetts and Georgia from cardiology, electrophysiology, and primary care clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Diagnosed with AF, age 65 years or older, CHA2DS2-VASc score of 2 or higher, and taking oral anticoagulant (n=1,064). A total of 6507 individuals were screened. MAIN MEASURES: A six-component geriatric assessment of frailty, cognitive function, social support, depressive symptoms, vision, and hearing. Main outcome was major bleeding adjudicated by a physician panel. KEY RESULTS: At baseline, participants were, on average, 75.5 years old and 49% were women. Mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 4.5 and the mean HAS-BLED score was 3.3. During 2.0 (± 0.4) years of follow-up, 95 (8.9%) participants developed an episode of major bleeding. After adjusting for key covariates and accounting for competing risk from death, cognitive impairment (hazard ratio [HR] 1.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-2.56) and frailty (HR 2.77, 95% CI 1.38-5.58) were significantly associated with the development of major bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: In older patients with AF taking anticoagulants, cognitive impairment and frailty were independently associated with major bleeding.