Finerenone in Black Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and CKD: A Post hoc Analysis of the Pooled FIDELIO-DKD and FIGARO-DKD Trials.

Rationale & Objective: In FIDELITY, finerenone improved cardiorenal outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This analysis explored the efficacy and safety of finerenone in Black patients. Study Design: Subanalysis of randomized controlled trials. Setting & Participants: Patients with T2D and CKD. Intervention: Finerenone or placebo. Outcomes: Composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure; composite of kidney failure, sustained ≥57% estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline from baseline maintained for ≥4 weeks, or renal death. Results: Of the 13,026 patients, 522 (4.0%) self-identified as Black. Finerenone demonstrated similar effects on the cardiovascular composite outcome in Black (HR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.51-1.24]) and non-Black patients (HR, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.79-0.96; P = 0.5 for interaction]). Kidney composite outcomes were consistent in Black (HR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.43-1.16]) and non-Black patients (HR, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P = 0.9 for interaction]). Finerenone reduced urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio by 40% at month 4 (least-squares mean treatment ratio, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.52-0.69; P < 0.001]) in Black patients and 32% at month 4 (least-squares mean treatment ratio, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.66-0.70; P < 0.001]) in non-Black patients, versus placebo. Chronic eGFR decline (month 4 to end-of-study) was slowed in Black and non-Black patients treated with finerenone versus placebo (between-group difference, 1.4 mL/min/1.73 m2 per year [95% CI, 0.33-2.44; P = 0.01] and 1.1 mL/min/1.73 m2 per year [95% CI, 0.89-1.28; P < 0.001], respectively). Safety outcomes were similar between subgroups. Limitations: Small number of Black patients; analysis was not originally powered to determine an interaction effect based on Black race. Conclusions: The efficacy and safety of finerenone appears consistent in Black and non-Black patients with CKD and T2D. Funding: Bayer AG. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02540993, NCT02545049. Plain-Language Summary: Diabetes is a major cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD), affecting more Black adults than White adults. Most adults with CKD ultimately die from heart and vascular complications (eg, heart attack and stroke) rather than kidney failure. This analysis of 2 recent trials shows that the drug finerenone was beneficial for patients with diabetes and CKD. Along with reducing kidney function decline and protein in the urine, it also decreased heart and vascular issues and lowered blood pressure in both Black and non-Black adults with diabetes and CKD. These findings have promising implications for slowing the progression of CKD and protecting against cardiovascular problems in diverse populations.

Comparing six cardiovascular risk prediction models in Haiti: implications for identifying high-risk individuals for primary prevention.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are rapidly increasing in low-middle income countries (LMICs). Accurate risk assessment is essential to reduce premature CVD by targeting primary prevention and risk factor treatment among high-risk groups. Available CVD risk prediction models are built on predominantly Caucasian risk profiles from high-income country populations, and have not been evaluated in LMIC populations. We aimed to compare six existing models for predicted 10-year risk of CVD and identify high-risk groups for targeted prevention and treatment in Haiti. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data within the Haiti CVD Cohort Study, including 1345 adults ≥ 40 years without known history of CVD and with complete data. Six CVD risk prediction models were compared: pooled cohort equations (PCE), adjusted PCE with updated cohorts, Framingham CVD Lipids, Framingham CVD Body Mass Index (BMI), WHO Lipids, and WHO BMI. Risk factors were measured during clinical exams. Primary outcome was continuous and categorical predicted 10-year CVD risk. Secondary outcome was statin eligibility. RESULTS: Sixty percent were female, 66.8% lived on a daily income of ≤ 1 USD, 52.9% had hypertension, 14.9% had hypercholesterolemia, 7.8% had diabetes mellitus, 4.0% were current smokers, and 2.5% had HIV. Predicted 10-year CVD risk ranged from 3.6% in adjusted PCE (IQR 1.7-8.2) to 9.6% in Framingham-BMI (IQR 4.9-18.0), and Spearman rank correlation coefficients ranged from 0.86 to 0.98. The percent of the cohort categorized as high risk using model specific thresholds ranged from 1.8% using the WHO-BMI model to 41.4% in the PCE model (χ2 = 1416, p value < 0.001). Statin eligibility also varied widely. CONCLUSIONS: In the Haiti CVD Cohort, there was substantial variation in the proportion identified as high-risk and statin eligible using existing models, leading to very different treatment recommendations and public health implications depending on which prediction model is chosen. There is a need to design and validate CVD risk prediction tools for low-middle income countries that include locally relevant risk factors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov NCT03892265 .

Self-Reported Antihypertensive Medication Class and Temporal Relationship to Treatment Guidelines.

The greater antihypertensive responses to initial therapy with calcium channel blockers (CCBs) or thiazide-type diuretics than renin-angiotensin system blockers as initial therapy in non-Hispanic Black (NHB) adults was recognized in the US High BP guidelines from 1988 to 2003. The 2014 Report from Panel Members Appointed to the Eighth Joint National Committee (2014 aJNC8 Report) and the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association High Blood Pressure Guideline were the first to recommend CCBs or thiazide-type diuretics rather than renin-angiotensin system blockers as initial therapy in NHB. We assessed the temporal relationship of these recommendations on self-reported CCB or thiazide-type diuretics monotherapy by NHB and NHW adults with hypertension absent compelling indications for ß-blockers or renin-angiotensin system blockers in National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2015 to 2018 versus 2007 to 2012 (after versus before 2014 aJNC8 Report). CCB or thiazide-type diuretics monotherapy was unchanged in NHW adults (17.1% versus 18.1%, P=0.711) and insignificantly higher after 2014 among NHB adults (43.7% versus 38.2%, P=0.204), although CCB monotherapy increased (29.5% versus 21.0%, P=0.021) and renin-angiotensin system blocker monotherapy fell (44.5% versus 31.0%, P=0.008). Although evidence-based CCB monotherapy increased among NHB adults in 2015 to 2018, hypertension control declined as untreated hypertension and monotherapy increased. While a gap between recommended and actual monotherapy persists, evidence-based monotherapy appears insufficient to improve hypertension control in NHB adults, especially given evidence for worsening therapeutic inertia. Initiating treatment with single-pill combinations and timely therapeutic intensification when required to control hypertension are evidence-based, race-neutral options for improving hypertension control among NHB adults.

Exposure and risk factors for COVID-19 and the impact of staying home on Michigan residents.

COVID-19 has had a substantial impact on clinical care and lifestyles globally. The State of Michigan reports over 80,000 positive COVID-19 tests between March 1, 2020 and July 29, 2020. We surveyed 8,041 Michigan Medicine biorepository participants in late June 2020. We found that 55% of COVID-19 cases reported no known exposure to family members or to someone outside the house diagnosed with COVID-19. A significantly higher rate of COVID-19 cases were employed as essential workers (45% vs 19%, p = 9x10-12). COVID-19 cases reporting a fever were more likely to require hospitalization (categorized as severe; OR = 4.4 [95% CI: 1.6-12.5, p = 0.005]) whereas respondents reporting rhinorrhea was less likely to require hospitalization (categorized as mild-to-moderate; OR = 0.16 [95% CI: 0.04-0.73, p = 0.018]). African-Americans reported higher rates of being diagnosed with COVID-19 (OR = 4.0 [95% CI: 2.2-7.2, p = 5x10-6]), as well as higher rates of exposure to family or someone outside the household diagnosed with COVID-19, an annual household income < $40,000, living in rental housing, and chronic diseases. During the Executive Order in Michigan, African Americans, women, and the lowest income group reported worsening health behaviors and higher overall concern for the potential detrimental effects of the pandemic. The higher risk of contracting COVID-19 observed among African Americans may be due to the increased rates of working as essential employees, lower socioeconomic status, and exposure to known positive cases. Continued efforts should focus on COVID-19 prevention and mitigation strategies, as well as address the inequality gaps that result in higher risks for both short-term and long-term health outcomes.

Cardiovascular Benefits of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibition Plus Calcium Channel Blockade in Patients Achieving Tight Blood Pressure Control and With Resistant Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: The 2017 hypertension guidelines lowered systolic blood pressure (BP) goals to <130 mm Hg and redefined resistant hypertension. We investigated if these changes alter the cardiovascular benefits demonstrated by combining a calcium channel blocker (CCB), rather than hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI). METHODS: In this post hoc analysis of the Avoiding Cardiovascular Events Through Combination Therapy in Patients Living with Systolic Hypertension trial (n = 11,506), we compared the primary composite outcome (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization for angina, resuscitation after sudden cardiac death, and coronary revascularization) between the 2 combination-treatment limbs in patients achieving a systolic BP ≤130 mm Hg and those with "apparent resistant hypertension" (prescribed ≥4 antihypertensive medications). RESULTS: Among study patients, 5,221 (45.4%) achieved a systolic BP ≤130 mm Hg. There were fewer primary endpoints in the amlodipine/benazepril (9.2%) vs. the HCTZ/benazepril (10.9%) limb (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70-0.99). There were also fewer primary endpoints in the amlodipine/benazepril (12.8%) vs. the HCTZ/benazepril (15.2%) limb (n = 4,451, 38.7%) among patients with apparent resistant hypertension (HR 0.81, 95% CI, 0.70-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy adding a CCB, rather than HCTZ, to an ACEI was more effective in preventing composite cardiovascular events even in hypertensive patients achieving aggressive systolic BP targets as well as in those with apparent resistant hypertension. Our findings add support that most patients, including those following contemporary clinical guidelines, will benefit from this combination. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: Trial Number NCT00170950.

Smoking and overweight associated with masked uncontrolled hypertension: a Hypertension Optimal Treatment (HOT) Sub-Study.

PURPOSE: The Hypertension Optimal Treatment (HOT) Study investigated the relationship between target office diastolic blood pressure (BP) ≤80, ≤85 or ≤90 mmHg and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in 18,790 patients aged 50-80 years. The home BP sub-study enrolled 926 patients and the aim was to clarify whether the separation into the BP target groups in the office prevailed in the out-of-office setting. The present study aimed to identify variables that characterised masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH) and white coat uncontrolled hypertension (WUCH). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sub-study participants took their home BP when office BP had been up titrated. The cut-off for normal or high BP was set to ≥135/85 mmHg at home and ≥140/90 mmHg in the office. We analysed data by using multivariate and stepwise multivariate logistic regression with home and office BP combinations as the dependent variables. RESULTS: WUCH was associated with lower body mass index (BMI) (odds ratio (OR) 0.92, 95% confident intervals (CIs) 0.88-0.96, p < 0.001). MUCH was associated with smoking (OR 1.89, 95% CIs 1.25-2.86, p = 0.0025) and with lower baseline heart rate (OR 0.98, 95% CIs 0.97-0.99, p = 0.03) and higher BMI (OR 1.03, CIs 1.00-1.06, p = 0.04). MUCH remained associated with smoking (OR 2.76, 95% CIs 1.76-4.35, p < 0.0001) also when using ≥140/90 mmHg as the cut-off for both home and office BP. MUCH was also associated with higher BMI (OR 1.05, 95% CIs 1.01-1.09, p = 0.009) while WUCH was associated with lower BMI (OR 0.93, 95% CIs 0.90-0.97, p = 0.0005) when using ≥140/90 mmHg as a cut-off. CONCLUSION: Our data support that 'reversed or masked' treated but uncontrolled hypertension (MUCH) is common and constitutes about 25% of treated hypertensive patients. This entity (MUCH) is rather strongly associated with current smoking and overweight while uncontrolled white coat (office) hypertension (WUCH) is associated with lower BMI.

Early Rapid Decline in Kidney Function in Medically Managed Patients With Atherosclerotic Renal Artery Stenosis.

Background Early rapid declines of kidney function may occur in patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis with institution of medical therapy. The causes and consequences are not well understood. Methods and Results Patients enrolled in the medical therapy-only arm of the CORAL (Cardiovascular Outcomes With Renal Artery Lesions) study were assessed for a rapid decline (RD) in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), defined as a ≥30% decrease from baseline to either 3 months, 6 months, or both. In the medical therapy-only cohort, eGFR was available in 359 subjects at all time points, the subjects were followed for a median of 4.72 years, and 66 of 359 (18%) subjects experienced an early RD. Baseline log cystatin C (odds ratio, 1.78 [1.11-2.85]; P=0.02), age (odds ratio, 1.04 [1.00-1.07]; P<0.05), and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration creatinine eGFR (odds ratio, 1.86 [1.15-3.0]; P=0.01) were associated with an early RD. Despite continued medical therapy only, the RD group had an improvement in eGFR at 1 year (6.9%; P=0.04). The RD and nondecline groups were not significantly different for clinical events and all-cause mortality (P=0.78 and P=0.76, respectively). Similarly, renal replacement therapy occurred in 1 of 66 (1.5%) of the RD patients and in 6 of 294 (2%) of the nondecline patients. The regression to the mean of improvement in eGFR at 1 year in the RD group was estimated at 5.8±7.1%. Conclusions Early rapid declines in kidney function may occur in patients with renal artery stenosis when medical therapy is initiated, and their clinical outcomes are comparable to those without such a decline, when medical therapy only is continued.

Prediction of cardiovascular outcomes with machine learning techniques: application to the Cardiovascular Outcomes in Renal Atherosclerotic Lesions (CORAL) study.

BACKGROUND: Data derived from the Cardiovascular Outcomes in Renal Atherosclerotic Lesions (CORAL) study were analyzed in an effort to employ machine learning methods to predict the composite endpoint described in the original study. METHODS: We identified 573 CORAL subjects with complete baseline data and the presence or absence of a composite endpoint for the study. These data were subjected to several models including a generalized linear (logistic-linear) model, support vector machine, decision tree, feed-forward neural network, and random forest, in an effort to attempt to predict the composite endpoint. The subjects were arbitrarily divided into training and testing subsets according to an 80%:20% distribution with various seeds. Prediction models were optimized within the CARET package of R. RESULTS: The best performance of the different machine learning techniques was that of the random forest method which yielded a receiver operator curve (ROC) area of 68.1%±4.2% (mean ± SD) on the testing subset with ten different seed values used to separate training and testing subsets. The four most important variables in the random forest method were SBP, serum creatinine, glycosylated hemoglobin, and DBP. Each of these variables was also important in at least some of the other methods. The treatment assignment group was not consistently an important determinant in any of the models. CONCLUSION: Prediction of a composite cardiovascular outcome was difficult in the CORAL population, even when employing machine learning methods. Assignment to either the stenting or best medical therapy group did not serve as an important predictor of composite outcome. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00081731.

Cardiovascular Events after New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Adults with CKD: Results from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common sustained arrhythmia in CKD, is associated with poor clinical outcomes in both patients without CKD and patients with dialysis-treated ESRD. However, less is known about AF-associated outcomes in patients with CKD who do not require dialysis. METHODS: To prospectively examine the association of new-onset AF with subsequent risks of cardiovascular disease events and death among adults with CKD, we studied participants enrolled in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study who did not have AF at baseline. Outcomes included heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, and death occurring after diagnosis of AF. We used Cox regression models and marginal structural models to examine the association of incident AF with subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease events and death, adjusting for patient characteristics, laboratory values, and medication use. RESULTS: Among 3080 participants, 323 (10.5%) developed incident AF during a mean 6.1 years of follow-up. Compared with participants who did not develop AF, those who did had higher adjusted rates of heart failure (hazard ratio [HR], 5.17; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 3.89 to 6.87), myocardial infarction (HR, 3.64; 95% CI, 2.50 to 5.31), stroke (HR, 2.66; 95% CI, 1.50 to 4.74), and death (HR, 3.30; 95% CI, 2.65 to 4.12). These associations remained robust with additional adjustment for biomarkers of inflammation, cardiac stress, and mineral metabolism; left ventricular mass; ejection fraction; and left atrial diameter. CONCLUSIONS: Incident AF is independently associated with two- to five-fold increased rates of developing subsequent heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, or death in adults with CKD. These findings have important implications for cardiovascular risk reduction.

Acute Declines in Renal Function during Intensive BP Lowering and Long-Term Risk of Death.

BACKGROUND: During intensive BP lowering, acute declines in renal function are common, thought to be hemodynamic, and potentially reversible. We previously showed that acute declines in renal function ≥20% during intensive BP lowering were associated with higher risk of ESRD. Here, we determined whether acute declines in renal function during intensive BP lowering were associated with mortality risk among 1660 participants of the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension and the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Trial. METHODS: We used Cox models to examine the association between percentage decline in eGFR (<5%, 5% to <20%, or ≥20%) between randomization and months 3-4 of the trials (period of therapy intensification) and death. RESULTS: In adjusted analyses, compared with a <5% eGFR decline in the usual BP arm (reference), a 5% to <20% eGFR decline in the intensive BP arm was associated with a survival benefit (hazard ratio [HR], 0.77; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.62 to 0.96), but a 5% to <20% eGFR decline in the usual BP arm was not (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.81 to 1.26; P<0.05 for the interaction between intensive and usual BP arms for mortality risk). A ≥20% eGFR decline was not associated with risk of death in the intensive BP arm (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.62), but it was associated with a higher risk of death in the usual BP arm (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.89) compared with the reference group. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive BP lowering was associated with a mortality benefit only if declines in eGFR were <20%.

Self-Reported Tobacco, Alcohol, and Illicit Drug Use and Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous studies suggest that tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use is associated with CKD. We examined the associations of substance use with CKD progression and all-cause mortality among patients with CKD. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: The Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study among 3939 participants with CKD in the United States. Self-reported tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, marijuana use, and hard illicit drug (cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine) use were obtained at baseline and annual follow-up visits. CKD progression was defined as incident ESKD or halving of eGFR. Substance use was modeled as the cumulative average exposure to capture both recent and long-term use in multivariable time-dependent Cox regression. RESULTS: Over a median 5.5-year follow-up, 1287 participants developed CKD progression, and 1001 died. Baseline proportions of tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, marijuana use, and hard illicit drug use were 13%, 20%, 33%, and 12%, respectively. Compared with nonsmoking throughout follow-up, multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for persistent tobacco smoking were 1.02 (95% confidence interval, 0.86 to 1.21) for CKD progression and 1.86 (95% confidence interval, 1.54 to 2.24) for all-cause mortality. Compared with nondrinking throughout follow-up, multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for persistent alcohol drinking were 1.06 (95% confidence interval, 0.88 to 1.29) for CKD progression and 0.73 (95% confidence interval, 0.58 to 0.91) for all-cause mortality. Compared with nonuse throughout follow-up, multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for persistent marijuana use were 0.94 (95% confidence interval, 0.82 to 1.07) for CKD progression and 1.11 (95% confidence interval, 0.96 to 1.30) for all-cause mortality. Compared with nonuse throughout follow-up, multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for persistent hard illicit drug use were 1.25 (95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.55) for CKD progression and 1.41 (95% confidence interval, 1.10 to 1.81) for all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Hard illicit drug use is associated with higher risk of CKD progression and all-cause mortality, tobacco smoking is associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality, and alcohol drinking is associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality among patients with CKD.