High-Sensitivity Troponin I and Cardiovascular Events in Stable Coronary Artery Disease: Insights from a Longitudinal Outpatient Study.

Numerous studies have been published suggesting that troponin levels are related to adverse outcomes in chronic cardiac and non-cardiac conditions. Our study investigated whether troponin levels gathered from unselected blood samples taken during outpatient care are associated with adverse outcomes in a population with stable coronary artery disease. In a cohort of 949 patients with stable coronary artery disease, an average age of 67.5 ± 9.5 years, 69.5% male, 52.1% diabetics, 51.6% with previous myocardial infarction, and 57.9% with triple-vessel disease, 21.7% of patients encountered new events during an average period of monitoring of 2.07 ± 0.81 years. Troponin I/99th percentile categorized into tertiles emerged as an independent predictor of death and combined events risk (hazard ratio: 2.02 (1.13-3.60), p = 0.017; 2.30 (1.37-3.88, p = 0.002, respectively). A troponin ratio > 0.24 was able to identify 53.3% of patients at risk of death and heart failure hospitalization. In patients with stable coronary artery disease who are adherent to treatment, troponin levels are independently associated with death and heart failure hospitalization in a medium-term follow-up.

Sex- and age-specific mild cognitive impairment is associated with low hand grip strength in an older Chinese cohort.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have demonstrated the impact of characteristics like age and sex on the association between hand grip strength (HGS) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to examine the effects of sex and age on the relationship between HGS and MCI. METHODS: We enrolled older adults age ≥60 years (n = 1009) and measured HGS and MCI in all participants. We analyzed the differences in MCI prevalence among the different variables. The role of sex and age in the association between MCI and HGS was analyzed using binary logistic regression. RESULTS: Women had significantly higher prevalence of MCI than men, as did the older group (age ≥70 years) compared with the younger group (age 60-70 years). In men, the low and middle HGS tertiles were significantly associated with MCI. In contrast, only the low tertile of HGS was associated with MCI in women. In the older group, the low tertile of HGS was significantly associated with MCI, which was not observed in the younger group. CONCLUSIONS: HGS was associated with MCI in older adults, and this association was stronger in men. HGS may be useful for evaluating MCI in older adults.

Estimating the prevalence of cognition and mental health among multiple sclerosis patients: A population-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease, considered most common autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system with dramatic impact on patient's emotional/mental well-being. Cognitive decline is acknowledged as debilitating symptom of MS. This paper aims to estimate the prevalence of cognition and mental health impairment among MS patients in Kuwait and test their association with socio-economic factors. METHODS: Data were collected from 224 MS patients. As scales of MS quality of life inventory (MSQOLI), mental health inventory (MHI) and perceived deficit questionnaire (PDQ) were used to estimate scores for mental health and cognition, respectively. Tertiles were used to estimate prevalence and associations were tested accordingly. RESULTS: The prevalence of cognition and mental health impairment were approximately 23.3% and 14.1%, respectively. When stratified by gender, significant difference exists in mental health impairment. When stratified by nationality, there is significant difference between Kuwaiti and Non-Kuwaiti Arabs in cognition. Poorest patients had median cognition score worse than all other income categories. CONCLUSION: MS in Kuwait seems to have an earlier age at onset. There is significant gender difference in mental health impairment among patients. Future interventions should be directed toward women, low-income, and non-Kuwaiti-Arabs. The estimated prevalence is based on self-reported data, tertiles as cut-off points, and hence should be interpreted with caution. PDQ and MHI are MSQOLI scales used as screening tools that don't correlate well with an objective test and shouldn't replace objective measures of physical and cognitive function tests including expanded disability status scale or magnetic resonance imaging.

Prognostic Importance of Exercise Brain Natriuretic Peptide in Asymptomatic Chronic Organic Severe Mitral Regurgitation: An Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: The optimal timing of surgery in patients with chronic organic severe mitral regurgitation (MR) continues to be debated, especially for those who are asymptomatic. The aim of the study was to determine independent and additive prognostic value of exercise brain natriuretic peptide (eBNP) in patients with severe asymptomatic MR and normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). METHODS: Two hundred twenty-three consecutive patients with severe MR defined by effective regurgitant orifice (ERO) area ≥ 40 mm2 and/or residual volume ≥ 60 mL, LVEF > 60%, and normal LV end-systolic diameter < 40 mm underwent symptom limited exercise treadmill test (TMT). Echocardiography was done immediately after exercise. Data were obtained within 3 minutes of peak exercise. BNP levels were assessed before echo (after 30 minutes of supine rest) and at exercise (i.e., within the 3 minutes of the end of effort). Patients were followed up every 3 months up to 15 months for major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) (cardiovascular death, need for mitral valve surgery and hospitalization for acute pulmonary edema or heart failure). RESULTS: Mean age was 31.2 ± 9 years (range: 18 - 40) with majority being male (n = 153; 68%). Etiologies were rheumatic (n = 201; 90%), mitral valve prolapse (n = 17; 7.6%) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (n = 5; 2.4%). BNP level significantly increased from rest (65.24 ± 43.92 pg/mL; median: 43.5 pg/mL) to exercise (100.24 ± 98.24 pg/mL; median: 66.5 pg/mL; P < 0.001). Patients were divided into three tertiles according to eBNP levels (T1 = 15 - 44; T2 = 45 - 104; T3 = 105 - 400). There was trend for significantly lower exercise time in T3. During TMT, 66 (29.5%) stopped exercise due to dyspnea. They had similar resting BNP level compared with others but had significantly higher eBNP level (136 ± 109.7 pg/mL vs. 84.88 ± 90.2 pg/mL; P < 0.001). During follow-up (15 months), MACE occurred in 83 patients (37.2%): mitral valve replacement (MVR) in 59 patients (symptomatic: 43; LV dilatation or dysfunction: 9; both symptoms and dilatation/dysfunction: 7), 17 hospitalizations for congestive heart failure, five patients developing acute pulmonary edema and atrial fibrillation in remaining two patients. This was 7.6%, 35% and 69% in T1, T2 and T3, respectively and had significantly higher eBNP level than without any event (165 ± 119 pg/mL vs. 57 ± 48 pg/mL; P < 0.001). Using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the best cut-off value of eBNP level to predict cardiac events was 90 pg/mL (sensitivity: 75%; specificity: 88.6%; positive predictive value: 79%; negative predictive value: 83.9%). CONCLUSION: In asymptomatic patients, eBNP level provides incremental prognostic value beyond echocardiographic data and those with elevated eBNP should be considered at high risk for reduced event-free survival and might be considered for early MVR.