Multiple sclerosis management during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be at higher risk for complications from the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic due to use of immunomodulatory disease modifying therapies (DMTs) and greater need for medical services. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate risk factors for COVID-19 susceptibility and describe the pandemic's impact on healthcare delivery. METHODS: Surveys sent to MS patients at Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and Vall d'Hebron-Centre d'Esclerosi Múltiple de Catalunya in April and May 2020 collected information about comorbidities, DMTs, exposures, COVID-19 testing/outcomes, health behaviors, and disruptions to MS care. RESULTS: There were 3028/10,816 responders. Suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases were more likely to have a known COVID-19 contact (odds ratio (OR): 4.38; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 18.54). In multivariable-adjusted models, people who were younger, had to work on site, had a lower education level, and resided in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas were less likely to follow social distancing guidelines. 4.4% reported changes to therapy plans, primarily delays in infusions, and 15.5% a disruption to rehabilitative services. CONCLUSION: Younger people with lower socioeconomic status required to work on site may be at higher exposure risk and are potential targets for educational intervention and work restrictions to limit exposure. Providers should be mindful of potential infusion delays and MS care disruption.

Relation of Red Cell Distribution Width to Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Pressure and Mortality in Patients With and Without Heart Failure.

Higher red cell distribution width (RDW) has been associated with poor prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF). RDW is also closely associated with iron deficiency. However, the mechanism underlying this association is unclear. The relation between left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and RDW has not been studied, especially in those without HF. We examined the relation between LVEDP and RDW in 1,084 consecutive stable patients who underwent elective coronary angiography. We observed that 38% had high LVEDP (>16 mm Hg) and 29% had history of HF. The median RDW was 13.4%, which was higher with increasing LVEDP (p <0.0001) and significantly higher in patients with HF (p <0.0001). Baseline RDW were independently associated with high LVEDP even after multivariable logistic regression analysis (adjusted odds ratio [OR] per unit change 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0 to 1.29, p = 0.044). Interestingly, result were stronger in non-HF cohort (adjusted OR per unit change 1.37, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.67, p = 0.001). In addition, elevated (third vs first tertiles) RDW levels were independently a predictor of high LVEDP and were associated with a 4.8-fold increased 5-year mortality risk (adjusted hazard ratio 4.11, 95% CI 2.12 to 7.96, p <0.0001), even with the addition of B-type natriuretic peptide to the model (adjusted OR for LVEDP 2.25, 95% CI 1.0 to 5.05, p = 0.05; adjusted hazard ratio for mortality 3.79, 95% CI 1.033 to 13.89, p = 0.044, respectively). In conclusion, high RDW levels were observed in patients with or without HF and independently associated with high LVEDP and with mortality.

Plasma Trimethylamine N-Oxide, a Gut Microbe-Generated Phosphatidylcholine Metabolite, Is Associated With Atherosclerotic Burden.

BACKGROUND: Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a gut microbiota metabolite from dietary phosphatidylcholine, has mechanistic links to atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) pathogenesis and is associated with adverse outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to examine the relationship between plasma TMAO levels and the complexity and burden of CAD and degree of subclinical myonecrosis. METHODS: We studied 353 consecutive stable patients with evidence of atherosclerotic CAD detected by elective coronary angiography between 2012 and 2014. Their high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) levels were measured. SYNTAX (Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) scores and lesion characteristics were used to quantify atherosclerotic burden. Fasting plasma TMAO was measured by mass spectrometry. RESULTS: In this prospective cohort study, the median TMAO level was 5.5 µM (interquartile range [IQR]: 3.4 to 9.8 µM), the median SYNTAX score was 11.0 (IQR: 4.0 to 18.5), and 289 (81.9%), 40 (11.3%), and 24 (6.8%) patients had low (0 to 22), intermediate (23 to 32), and high (≥33) SYNTAX scores, respectively. Plasma TMAO levels correlated (all p < 0.0001) with the SYNTAX score (r = 0.61), SYNTAX score II (r = 0.62), and hs-cTnT (r = 0.29). Adjusting for traditional risk factors, body mass index, medications, lesion characteristic, renal function, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, elevated TMAO levels remained independently associated with a higher SYNTAX score (odds ratio [OR]: 4.82; p < 0.0001), SYNTAX score II (OR: 1.88; p = 0.0001), but were not associated with subclinical myonecrosis (OR: 1.14; p = 0.3147). Elevated TMAO level was an independent predictor of the presence of diffuse lesions, even after adjustments for traditional risk factors and for hs-cTnT (OR: 2.05; 95% confidence interval: 1.45 to 2.90; p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Fasting plasma TMAO levels are an independent predictor of a high atherosclerotic burden in patients with CAD.