ABSTRACT
Objectives: This review summarizes sex-based differences in aortic stenosis (AS) and identifies knowledge gaps that should be addressed by future studies. Background: AS is the most common valvular heart disease in developed countries. Sex-specific differences have not been fully appreciated, as a result of widespread under diagnosis of AS in women. Summary: Studies including sex-stratified analyses have shown differences in pathophysiology with less calcification and more fibrosis in women's aortic valve. Women have impaired myocardial perfusion reserve and different compensatory response of the left ventricle (LV) to pressure overload, with concentric remodeling and more diffuse fibrosis, in contrast to men with more focal fibrosis and more dilated/eccentrically remodeled LV. There is sex difference in clinical presentation and anatomical characteristics, with women having more paradoxical low-flow/low-gradient AS, under-diagnosis and severity underestimated, with less referral to aortic valve replacement (AVR) compared to men. The response to therapies is also different: women have more adverse events with surgical AVR and greater survival benefit with transcatheter AVR. After AVR, women would have more favorable LV remodeling, but sex-related differences in changes in myocardial reserve flow need future research. Conclusions: Investigation into these described sex-related differences in AS offers potential utility for improving prevention and treatment of AS in women and men. To better understand sex-based differences in pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and response to therapies, sex-specific critical knowledge gaps should be addressed in future research for sex-specific personalized medicine.
ABSTRACT
Despite calls to ensure proportionate representation of both sexes in biomedical research, women continue to be underrepresented in cardiovascular disease (CVD) clinical trials. A comprehensive analysis of seven large suspected ischemic heart disease/coronary artery disease (IHD/CAD) clinical trials (PROMISE, ISCHEMIA, CIAO-ISCHEMIA, ORBITA, FAME, FAME 2 and COURAGE trial) provides understanding of contributions to barriers to enrollment of women and leads to strategies to address these barriers. Specifically, in the seven trials, enrollment of women did not exceed 27%, while numerous barriers are evident. Proposed strategies to improve women´s inclusion in clinical trials, include adding reproductive stage/estrogen status, attention to study design inclusion/exclusion criteria using female thresholds, consideration of diagnostic and intervention study design to be inclusive, increasing women and minorities in leadership positions, including sex as a biological variable (SABV) in study design and statistical analysis, and addressing social and race/ethnicity barriers. Dedicated action to actualizing these steps are needed at this time to developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies resulting in better care and improved outcomes for CVD in women.
Subject(s)
Cardiovascular Diseases , Coronary Artery Disease , Heart Diseases , Coronary Artery Disease/therapy , Ethnicity , Female , Humans , Male , Minority GroupsABSTRACT
The epidemiology of infectious endocarditis (IE) has undergone changes due to a series of factors such as aging, comorbidities and medical procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the main clinical, epidemiological and etiological changes of the IE in the last 25 years in Argentina. A comparative analysis of three observational prospective registries was performed in which cases of definite and possible IE were consecutively included according to the Duke criteria: two multicentre studies (EIRA-1 [1992-1994] and EIRA-2 [2001-2002]) and one study in a reference cardiology center (CRC [2007-2017]). In the 1065 episodes of EI evaluated, there were no differences regarding sex, and the patients were older in each period (p < 0.001). Intracardiac device-associated IE was more frequent in the last decade: pacemaker (5.4 vs. 23% p < 0.0001) and prosthetic valve IE (8.5% vs. 19.2% vs. 47.5% p < 0.0001). On the other hand, IE associated with intravenous drugs (P < 0.0001) and congenital heart diseases (p = 0.001) was significantly less frequent. The etiology changed substantially: Streptococcus viridans group decreased (30.8% vs. 26.8% vs. 15.9%, p < 0.001) and IE by Staphylococcus spp. predominated over other microorganisms, with a statistically significant increase in IE due to coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. Surgical treatment was more frequently implemented in the last decade and was accompanied by a trend towards lower mortality in the CRC (23.5%, 24.3% vs. 17.2% p = 0.058).
La epidemiología de la endocarditis infecciosa (EI) ha sufrido cambios debido a una serie de factores como el envejecimiento, las comorbilidades y los procedimientos médicos. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar las principales modificaciones clínicas, epidemiológicas y etiológicas de la EI en los últimos 25 años en Argentina. Se realizó un análisis comparativo de tres registros prospectivos observacionales en los que se incluyeron de forma consecutiva casos de EI definidas y posibles según los criterios de Duke: dos estudios multicéntricos (EIRA-1 [1992-1994] y EIRA-2 [2001-2002]) y un estudio en un centro de referencia de cardiología de tercer nivel (CRC [2007-2017]). En los 1065 episodios de EI evaluados, no existieron diferencias respecto al sexo, y los pacientes fueron más añosos en cada periodo (p < 0.001). La EI asociada a dispositivos intracardiacos fue más frecuente en la última década: infección asociada a marcapasos (5.4 vs. 23% p < 0.0001) y EI de prótesis valvulares (8.5% vs. 19.2% vs. 47.5% p < 0.0001). Por otra parte, la EI asociada a drogas endovenosas (p < 0.0001) y cardiopatías congénitas (p = 0.001) fue significativamente menos frecuente. La etiología cambió sustancialmente: Streptococcus del grupo viridans disminuyó (30.8% vs. 26.8% vs. 15.9%; p < 0.001) y la EI por Staphylococcus spp. predominó por sobre otros microorganismos, con un aumento estadísticamente significativo del Staphylococcus coagulasa negativa (SCN). El tratamiento quirúrgico fue implementado con más frecuencia en la última década y estuvo acompañado de una tendencia a menor mortalidad en el CRC (23.5%, 24.3% vs. 17.2% p = 0.058).
Subject(s)
Endocarditis, Bacterial/epidemiology , Adult , Aged , Argentina/epidemiology , Endocarditis, Bacterial/etiology , Endocarditis, Bacterial/microbiology , Female , Humans , Incidence , Male , Middle Aged , PrevalenceABSTRACT
La epidemiología de la endocarditis infecciosa (EI) ha sufrido cambios debido a una serie de factores como el envejecimiento, las comorbilidades y los procedimientos médicos. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar las principales modificaciones clínicas, epidemiológicas y etiológicas de la EI en los últimos 25 años en Argentina. Se realizó un análisis comparativo de tres registros prospectivos observacionales en los que se incluyeron de forma consecutiva casos de EI definidas y posibles según los criterios de Duke: dos estudios multicéntricos (EIRA-1 [1992-1994] y EIRA-2 [2001-2002]) y un estudio en un centro de referencia de cardiología de tercer nivel (CRC [2007-2017]). En los 1065 episodios de EI evaluados, no existieron diferencias respecto al sexo, y los pacientes fueron más añosos en cada periodo (p < 0.001). La EI asociada a dispositivos intracardiacos fue más frecuente en la última década: infección asociada a marcapasos (5.4 vs. 23% p < 0.0001) y EI de prótesis valvulares (8.5% vs. 19.2% vs. 47.5% p < 0.0001). Por otra parte, la EI asociada a drogas endovenosas (p < 0.0001) y cardiopatías congénitas (p = 0.001) fue significativamente menos frecuente. La etiología cambió sustancialmente: Streptococcus del grupo viridans disminuyó (30.8% vs. 26.8% vs. 15.9%; p < 0.001) y la EI por Staphylococcus spp. predominó por sobre otros microorganismos, con un aumento estadísticamente significativo del Staphylococcus coagulasa negativa (SCN). El tratamiento quirúrgico fue implementado con más frecuencia en la última década y estuvo acompañado de una tendencia a menor mortalidad en el CRC (23.5%, 24.3% vs. 17.2% p = 0.058).
The epidemiology of infectious endocarditis (IE) has undergone changes due to a series of factors such as aging, comorbidities and medical procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the main clinical, epidemiological and etiological changes of the IE in the last 25 years in Argentina. A comparative analysis of three observational prospective registries was performed in which cases of definite and possible IE were consecutively included according to the Duke criteria: two multicentre studies (EIRA-1 [1992-1994] and EIRA-2 [2001-2002]) and one study in a reference cardiology center (CRC [2007-2017]). In the 1065 episodes of EI evaluated, there were no differences regarding sex, and the patients were older in each period (p < 0.001). Intracardiac device-associated IE was more frequent in the last decade: pacemaker (5.4 vs. 23% p < 0.0001) and prosthetic valve IE (8.5% vs. 19.2% vs. 47.5% p < 0.0001). On the other hand, IE associated with intravenous drugs (P < 0.0001) and congenital heart diseases (p = 0.001) was significantly less frequent. The etiology changed substantially: Streptococcus viridans group decreased (30.8% vs. 26.8% vs. 15.9%, p < 0.001) and IE by Staphylococcus spp. predominated over other microorganisms, with a statistically significant increase in IE due to coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. Surgical treatment was more frequently implemented in the last decade and was accompanied by a trend towards lower mortality in the CRC (23.5%, 24.3% vs. 17.2% p = 0.058).
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Endocarditis, Bacterial/epidemiology , Argentina/epidemiology , Incidence , Prevalence , Endocarditis, Bacterial/etiology , Endocarditis, Bacterial/microbiologyABSTRACT
Los bacilos gram negativos (BGN) que no pertenecen al grupo HACEK son una causa infrecuente de endocarditis infecciosa. Los aspectos epidemiológicos, diagnósticos y pronósticos de esta entidad son poco conocidos y la experiencia aún es limitada. Nuestros objetivos fueron analizar las características clínicas y microbiológicas de las endocarditis infecciosas (EI) por BGN no HACEK diagnosticadas en un centro de alta complejidad de Argentina en el período 1998-2016 y conocer su evolución hospitalaria, a fin de compararlas con las EI debidas a otros microorganismos.
Non-HACEK Gram-negative bacilli are a rare cause of infective endocarditis. Epidemiological, diagnostic and prognostic aspects of this entity are little known, and there is limited experience. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical, microbiological and in-hospital outcomes of non-HACEK Gram negative bacilli endocarditis and to compare them with those due to other microorganisms.
Subject(s)
Gram-Negative Aerobic Rods and Cocci/pathogenicity , Endocarditis, Bacterial/microbiology , Clinical Evolution , Endocarditis, Bacterial/classification , Endocarditis, Bacterial/etiologyABSTRACT
Non-HACEK Gram-negative bacilli are a rare cause of infective endocarditis. Epidemiological, diagnostic and prognostic aspects of this entity are little known, and there is limited experience. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical, microbiological and in-hospital outcomes of non-HACEK Gram negative bacilli endocarditis and to compare them with those due to other microorganisms.
Subject(s)
Endocarditis, Bacterial , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Argentina , Endocarditis, Bacterial/diagnosis , Endocarditis, Bacterial/microbiology , Female , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/diagnosis , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/microbiology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Tertiary Care Centers , Time FactorsABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Floating right heart thrombi (FRHTS) are a rare phenomenon associated with high mortality. Immediate treatment is mandatory, but optimal therapy is controversial. OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical characteristics according to different treatment strategies and to identify predictors of mortality on patients with FRHTS. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of reported clinical cases of TTRH from 2006 to 2016. RESULTS: 207 patients were analyzed, median age was 60years, 51.7% were men, 31.4% presented with shock. Pulmonary thromboembolism was present in 85% of the cases. The treatments administered were anticoagulation therapy in 44 patients (21.28%), surgical embolectomy in 89 patients (43%), thrombolytic therapy in 66 patients (31.8%), percutaneous thrombectomy in 3 patients (1.93%) and fibrinolytic in situ in 4 (1.45%). The overall mortality rate was 21.3%. The mortality associated with anticoagulation alone was higher than surgical embolectomy or thrombolysis (36.4 vs 18% vs 18.2%, respectively, p=0.03), and in percutaneous thrombectomy and fibrinolytics in situ was 0%. At multivariate analysis, only anticoagulation alone (odds ratio [OR] 2.4, IC 95% 1.07-5.4, p=0.03), and shock (OR 2.87 (IC 95% 1.3-5.9, p=0.005) showed a statistically significant effect on mortality. CONCLUSION: FRHTS represent a serious form of thromboembolism that requires rapid decisions to improve the survival. Anticoagulation as the only strategy does not seem to be sufficient, while thrombolysis and surgical thrombectomy show better and similar results. A proper individualization of the risk and benefits of both techniques is necessary to choose the most appropriate strategy for our patients.
