Revascularization in ischaemic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a nationwide cohort study.

AIMS: Despite the common occurrence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), there is limited evidence to guide revascularization. METHODS AND RESULTS: We investigated the long-term outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with HF and significant CAD across the spectrum of ejection fraction, using a large national cohort of patients from the Veteran Affairs (VA) Medical Centers in the US. Patients with HF were stratified into groups, HFpEF, HF with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF), and HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and compared to patients with no preoperative HF. We analysed 10 396 patients. Despite an increased hazard in the first year following revascularization, the long-term survival (median follow-up 6.6 years; interquartile range 3.7-10.1) of HFpEF post-CABG was similar to controls (hazard ratio 0.85, 95% confidence interval 0.68-1.06), but survival progressively declined with HFmrEF and HFrEF. Similar trends were seen with recurrent HF hospitalization with lower risk with baseline HFpEF (43.9 ± 6.9/100 patient-years) compared to HFmrEF (65.9 ± 3.8/100 patient-years) and HFrEF (93.4 ± 4.8/100 patient-years). Although HFpEF patients had lower mortality and HF hospitalization post-CABG compared to patients with a lower ejection fraction, they experienced the highest rates of future myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION: Although HFpEF patients with CAD have greater short-term risk post-CABG, their long-term survival is comparable to controls. However, they are at increased risk for HF hospitalizations and myocardial infarction. These data support the safety of CABG in HFpEF patients and suggest continuum of mortality risk for ischaemic HF when stratified by baseline ejection fraction before revascularization.

A combined community health worker and text messagingbased intervention for smoking cessation in India: Project MUKTI - A mixed methods study.

INTRODUCTION: We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a community health worker (CHW) led smoking cessation intervention, supplemented by text messages, and tailored to an individual's readiness to quit. METHODS: We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial (April 2018-August 2019) in adult smokers residing in a semi-urban region of India. Participants in the intervention arm received CHW-led home visits and had the option of choosing to receive regular text messages. The dose and content of CHW counseling and text messages were tailored to the participant's readiness to quit. The control group received brief education only. Primary outcome was biochemically verified smoking cessation at the end of 12 months. Both intention-to-treat and as-treated analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 238 (mean age 43±12.3 years, male 96.2%) participants were enrolled; 151 (64%) in the intervention arm and 83 (35.4%) in the control arm. At 12 months, 31 (20.5%) participants in the intervention arm and 9 (10.8%) in the control arm quit smoking (absolute risk difference=9.7%; RR=1.69; 95% CI: 0.04-71.33, p=0.74). In the as-treated analysis, 17 (36.9%) of the 46 participants who received optimal dose of the intervention quit smoking. CONCLUSIONS: CHW-led home-based counseling, supplemented by regular text messages, led to an increase in quit rates for smoking, especially among those exposed to a higher dose of the intervention. However, the difference in cessation rates was not statistically significant. Future studies should consider testing mobile application-based multimedia messaging with larger populations, as a supplement to CHW-based counseling.

Role development of community health workers for cardiovascular disease prevention in India.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in India. Since community health workers (CHWs) have historically played a pivotal role in improving maternal and child health, it has been hypothesized that they have the potential to mitigate the impact of CVD in countries such as India. Project SEHAT is a cluster RCT to test the hypothesis that CHWs can improve the control of cardiovascular risk factors in a community in West Bengal, India. This study sought to quantitatively assess the training outcomes of CHWs recruited for Project SEHAT, and qualitatively assess their recruitment, training and fieldwork experiences. CHWs were recruited through a 2 step process- a written test and an interview. Upon completion of training, their knowledge and experiences were assessed. All intervention CHWs scored > 80% on the knowledge test, implying a high rate of knowledge retention. Important themes identified during a focus group discussion with CHWs included satisfaction with a 2 step recruitment process, emphasis on communication skills, a preference for audio-visual aids in training and recognition of the importance of a supportive supervisory framework. Respect from society and a positive impact on people was consistently cited as the most satisfying aspects of the job, followed by financial compensation. Recruitment and training processes for CHWs in CVD programs should be more standardized to enable replication, scalability and adequate assessment of their potential to mitigate CVD mortality in countries such as India.

Rationale and design of a cluster-randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of a community health worker-based program for cardiovascular risk factor control in India.

BACKGROUND: The increasing burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in low- and middle-income countries is largely driven by the increasing prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and tobacco use. We hypothesize that the utilization of community health workers (CHWs) to screen for and manage these 3 determinants of CVD in an integrated manner would be an effective approach to favorably affecting public health. METHODS: We have designed and set up the infrastructure to implement a 2-year community-based cluster randomized controlled trial in an underserved region of West Bengal, India. Participants include around 1200 adults, aged between 35 and 70 years, with ≥1 cardiovascular risk factor. They are recruited through home-based screening into a total of 12 clusters, which are randomized to either a control or intervention arm before screening. After the screening, CHWs follow up with participants enrolled in the intervention arm for a period of 2 years through home visits. The control arm receives usual care in the community. The CHW arm follows a behavioral strategy focused on modifying the individual's lifestyle, increasing knowledge of CVD, promoting smoking cessation, increasing physician-seeking behavior, and promoting medication adherence. The main project office is based in Cleveland, OH, at University Hospitals/CWRU, and the local site office is located in Dalkhola, West Bengal, at a local nonprofit set up for the study. Institutional review board approval was obtained both in Cleveland as well as in India. OUTCOME EVALUATION: The 2-year primary outcome of the study is the absolute reduction in systolic blood pressure among hypertensive participants, absolute reduction in fasting blood glucose among diabetic participants, and absolute reduction in average number of cigarettes smoked per day among smokers. DISCUSSION: We believe that this study infrastructure serves as a useful model for international collaboration. It builds on unique local resources, attends to important domestic requirements, and will ultimately provide an evidence-based approach that will help manage the increasing burden of CVD worldwide.

Noninfiltrating Adenocarcinoma of the Lung Causing ST-Segment Elevation.

ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and death. We describe the case of a 51-year-old woman with advanced adenocarcinoma of the lung who presented with ST-segment elevation in the presence of an extracardiac lung mass but no objective evidence of myocardial ischemia or pericardial involvement. After the patient died of hypoxic respiratory failure, autopsy findings confirmed normal-appearing pericardium and myocardium, and mild-to-moderate atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries. A 4.5 × 4-cm extracardiac left hilar lung mass was confirmed to be poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung adjacent to the myocardium. The persistent current of injury that had been detected electrocardiographically was thought to occur from direct myocardial compression. ST-segment elevations secondary to direct mass contact on the myocardium should be considered in patients who have a malignancy and ST-segment elevation.