The Third Nationwide Korean Heart Failure III Registry (KorHF III): The Study Design Paper.

With advancements in both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments, significant changes have occurred in heart failure (HF) management. The previous Korean HF registries, namely the Korea Heart Failure Registry (KorHF-registry) and Korean Acute Heart Failure Registry (KorAHF-registry), no longer accurately reflect contemporary acute heart failure (AHF) patients. Our objective is to assess contemporary AHF patients through a nationwide registry encompassing various aspects, such as clinical characteristics, management approaches, hospital course, and long-term outcomes of individuals hospitalized for AHF in Korea. This prospective observational multicenter cohort study (KorHF III) is organized by the Korean Society of Heart Failure. We aim to prospectively enroll 7,000 or more patients hospitalized for AHF at 47 tertiary hospitals in Korea starting from March 2018. Eligible patients exhibit signs and symptoms of HF and demonstrate either lung congestion or objective evidence of structural or functional cardiac abnormalities in echocardiography, or isolated right-sided HF. Patients will be followed up for up to 5 years after enrollment in the registry to evaluate long-term clinical outcomes. KorHF III represents the nationwide AHF registry that will elucidate the clinical characteristics, management strategies, and outcomes of contemporary AHF patients in Korea. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04329234.

Lower Atrial Fibrillation Risk With Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors Than With Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Accumulating evidence shows that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) reduce adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, whether SGLT2i, compared with other antidiabetic drugs, reduce the new development of atrial fibrillation (AF) is unclear. In this study, we compared SGLT2i with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4is) in terms of reduction in the risk of AF in individuals with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We included 42,786 propensity score-matched pairs of SGLT2i and DPP-4i users without previous AF diagnosis using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database between May 1, 2016, and December 31, 2018. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 1.3 years, SGLT2i users had a lower incidence of AF than DPP-4i users (1.95 vs. 2.65 per 1,000 person-years; hazard ratio [HR], 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55-0.97; p=0.028]). In individuals without heart failure, SGLT2i users was associated with a decreased risk of AF incidence (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.52-0.94; p=0.019) compared to DPP-4i users. However, individuals with heart failure, SGLT2i users was not significantly associated with a change in risk (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.44-2.44; p=0.936). CONCLUSIONS: In this nationwide cohort study of individuals with type 2 diabetes, treatment with SGLT2i was associated with a lower risk of AF compared with treatment with DPP-4i.

Effect of hemoglobin A1c change on 24-month clinical outcomes in patients with diabetes after acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: The average glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) may not accurately reflect glycemic control status during the mid-term after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We aimed to evaluate changes in HbA1c and their effect on mid-term clinical outcomes in patients with diabetes and AMI. METHODS: We enrolled patients with diabetes (n = 967) who underwent HbA1c measurement in the Korean nationwide registry. These patients were categorized into three groups based on changes in HbA1c from index admission to the 1-year follow-up visit: a decrease in HbA1c > 1%, changes in HbA1c within 1%, and an increase in HbA1c > 1%. Clinical outcomes at 24 months were examined. RESULTS: The baseline HbA1c levels were 8.55 ±â€…0.85, 7.00 ±â€…0.98 and 7.07 ±â€…1.05 (P = 0.001) and HbA1c levels after 1 year were 6.62 ±â€…0.73, 7.05 ±â€…0.98 and 9.26 ±â€…1.59 (P = 0.001) for patients with 3 groups, respectively. Patients with a 1% decrease in HbA1c had significantly lower incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), cardiac death, and rehospitalization after 24 months than those with a 1% increase in HbA1c. However, in the Cox regression analysis, a >1% decrease in HbA1c change was not an independent factor for MACE, cardiac death, and rehospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis indicates that an HbA1c decrease of >1% within the first 12 months was not an independent prognostic factor until the 24-month mark. Therefore, standard diabetic control is recommended for patients with diabetes and AMI for up to 2 years.

SCORE and SCORE2 in East Asian Population: A Performance Comparison.

Background: Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2 (SCORE2) and SCORE2-Older Persons (OP) models have been proposed as new cardiovascular risk evaluation tools. Objectives: This study evaluated the performance of SCORE/SCORE-OP and SCORE2/SCORE2-OP in the East Asian population by using population-based cohort data from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) Health Screening Cohort of Korea. Methods: A total of 324,384 NHIS examinees from 2004 to 2005 were divided into 5 age groups: 40-49 years, 50-59 years, 60-69 years,70-79 years, and more than 80 years. The examinees had their predicted cardiovascular disease risks calculated by using SCORE, SCORE2, SCORE-OP, and SCORE2-OP models. The low-risk model was applied on the basis of the cohort's observed event rates. The observed and predicted cardiovascular risks were compared. Results: A total of 324,384 subjects were included (mean age 51.4 ± 7.3 years; women, 37.9% for the SCORE/SCORE2 group and mean age 73.0 ± 2.8 years; women, 47.5% for the SCORE/SCORE2-OP group). Over a median follow-up of 9 years, cardiovascular events occurred in 15.0% and 28.9% in SCORE/SCORE2 and SCORE/SCORE2-OP groups, respectively. The SCORE/SCORE-OP model underestimated cardiovascular disease risk in young men (aged 40-49 years) and women (aged 40-59 years) and overestimated it in older age groups. In contrast, SCORE2/SCORE2-OP invariably overestimated the risk in all age groups and sexes. SCORE2/SCORE2-OP showed no improvement in Harrell's concordance index (C-index) compared with SCORE/SCORE-OP. Calibration plots favored SCORE2 over SCORE but not SCORE2-OP over SCORE-OP. Conclusions: Both SCORE2/SCORE2-OP and SCORE/SCORE-OP overestimated cardiovascular disease risk with low performance. SCORE2/SCORE2-OP showed slight improvement over older versions, but modifications are necessary for the East Asian population.

Characteristics According to Frailty Status Among Older Korean Patients With Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: As the prevalence of hypertension increases with age and the proportion of the older population is also on the rise, research on the characteristics of older hypertensive patients and the importance of frailty is necessary. This study aimed to identify clinical characteristics of older hypertension in Korea and to investigate these characteristics based on frailty status. METHODS: The HOW to Optimize eLDerly systolic BP (HOWOLD-BP) is a prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized clinical trial that aims to compare intensive (target systolic blood pressure [SBP] ≤ 130 mmHg) with standard (target SBP ≤ 140 mmHg) treatment to reduce cardiovascular events in older hypertensive Korean patients aged ≥ 65 years. Data were analyzed through a screening assessment of 2,085 patients recruited from 11 university hospitals. Demographic, functional (physical and cognitive), medical history, laboratory data, quality of life, and medication history of antihypertensive drugs were assessed. RESULTS: The mean age was 73.2 years (standard deviation ± 5.60), and 48.0% (n = 1,001) were male. Prevalent conditions included dyslipidemia (66.5%), obesity (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m², 53.6%), and diabetes (28.9%). Dizziness and orthostatic hypotension were self-reported by 1.6% (n = 33) and 1.2% (n = 24), respectively. The majority of patients were on two antihypertensive drugs (48.4%), while 27.5% (n = 574) and 20.8% (n = 433) were on 1 and 3 antihypertensive medications, respectively. Frail to pre-frail patients were older and also tended to have dependent instrumental activities of daily living, slower gait speed, weaker grip strength, lower quality of life, and lower cognitive function. The frail to pre-frail group reported more dizziness (2.6% vs. 1.2%, P < 0.001) and had concerning clinical factors, including lower glomerular filtration rate, more comorbidities such as diabetes, stroke, and a history of admission. Frail to pre-frail older hypertensive patients used slightly more antihypertensive medications than robust older hypertensive patients (1.95 vs. 2.06, P = 0.003). Pre-frail to frail patients often chose beta-blockers as a third medication over diuretics. CONCLUSION: This study described the general clinical characteristics of older hypertensive patients in Korea. Frail hypertensive patients face challenges in achieving positive clinical outcomes because of multifactorial causes: they are older, have more morbidities, decreased function, lower quality of life and cognitive function, and take more antihypertensive medications. Therefore, it is essential to comprehensively evaluate and monitor disease-related or drug-related adverse events more frequently during regular check-ups, which is necessary for pre-frail to frail older patients with hypertension. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0003787.

Association Between Orthostatic Hypertension and Frailty Among Older Patients With Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Frailty frequently coexists with hypertension in older patients. We aimed to evaluate the association between frailty and positional change in blood pressure, especially orthostatic hypertension. METHODS: Participants were recruited from 12 University hospitals in South Korea. Using a digital device, trained research nurses measured blood pressure in the supine and standing positions. Physical frailty was evaluated using the Korean version of the FRAIL questionnaire, gait speed, and handgrip strength. Orthostatic hypertension was defined as a ≥20-mm Hg increase in systolic blood pressure within 3 minutes of standing and upright systolic blood pressure of ≥140 mm Hg. RESULTS: We analyzed the data of 2065 participants who had been enrolled until December 31, 2022. The mean age was 73.2±5.6 years, and 52.0% were female. The mean blood pressure was 137.1±14.9/75.1±9.7 mm Hg. Among the participants, 1886 (91.3%) showed normal response after standing, but 94 (4.6%) had orthostatic hypertension, and 85 (4.1%) had orthostatic hypotension. Orthostatic hypertension was associated with female sex, obesity, cognitive function, physical frailty, and lower quality of life. In the multivariable analysis, body mass index and frailty status were independently associated with orthostatic hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Orthostatic hypertension is associated with physical frailty, cognitive impairment, and low quality of life in older patients with hypertension. Therefore, evaluation of orthostatic blood pressure changes to confirm orthostatic hypertension or hypotension in frail older adults will serve as an important diagnostic procedure in vulnerable patients. Further studies are required to identify the underlying mechanisms of this association.

Eligibility and Cost-Utility Analysis of Dapagliflozin in Patients with Heart Failure Across the Whole Spectrum of Ejection Fraction in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: The DAPA-HF and DELIVER trials demonstrated the clinical benefits of dapagliflozin in heart failure (HF) patients across the entire ejection fraction (EF) spectrum. However, further investigation is needed for the real-world application of dapagliflozin in HF patients. This study examines the proportion of real-world HF patients eligible for dapagliflozin and evaluates the cost-effectiveness of adding dapagliflozin to current HF therapy. METHODS: Data from the nationwide prospective registry, the Korean Acute Heart Failure (KorAHF) registry, were used to determine dapagliflozin eligibility based on the enrollment criteria of the DAPA-HF/DELIVER trials. A cost-utility analysis was conducted using a Markov model to assess the cost-effectiveness of dapagliflozin by comparing it to the standard of care. RESULTS: Out of 5178 KorAHF patients, 48.7% met the enrollment criteria of the DAPA-HF/DELIVER trials, while 89.5% met the label criteria (US Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency, and Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety). Eligibility was highest among HF patients with preserved EF (55.3% vs. HF with mildly reduced EF and HF with reduced EF 46.4%). Dapagliflozin proved to be cost-effective, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of 4557 US dollar (US$) per quality-adjusted life year, which falls below the US$18,182 willingness-to-pay threshold. The cost-effectiveness benefit was more pronounced in patients with a left ventricular EF (LVEF) ≤ 40% (ICER US$3279 for LVEF ≤ 40% vs. US$8383 for LVEF > 40%). CONCLUSIONS: Discrepancies in dapagliflozin eligibility were observed between real-world data and clinical trial results. The addition of dapagliflozin to HF therapy proved to be highly cost-effective across the entire EF spectrum.

Real-World Eligibility and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Empagliflozin for Heart Failure in Korea.

BACKGROUND: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved empagliflozin for reducing cardiovascular mortality and heart failure (HF) hospitalization in patients with both HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, limited data are available on the generalizability of empagliflozin to clinical practice. Therefore, we evaluated real-world eligibility and potential cost-effectiveness based on a nationwide prospective HF registry. METHODS: A total of 3,108 HFrEF and 2,070 HFpEF patients from the Korean Acute Heart Failure (KorAHF) registry were analyzed. Eligibility was estimated by inclusion and exclusion criteria of EMPagliflozin outcomE tRial in Patients With chrOnic heaRt Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction (EMPEROR-Reduced) and EMPagliflozin outcomE tRial in Patients With chrOnic heaRt Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (EMPEROR-Preserved) trials and by FDA & EMA label criteria. The cost-utility analysis was done using a Markov model to project the lifetime medical cost and quality-adjusted life year (QALY). RESULTS: Among the KorAHF patients, 91.4% met FDA & EMA label criteria, while 44.7% met the clinical trial criteria. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of empagliflozin was calculated at US$6,764 per QALY in the overall population, which is far below a threshold of US$18,182 per QALY. The cost-effectiveness benefit was more evident in patients with HFrEF (US$5,012 per QALY) than HFpEF (US$8,971 per QALY). CONCLUSION: There is a large discrepancy in real-world eligibility for empagliflozin between FDA & EMA labels and clinical trial criteria. Empagliflozin is cost-effective in HF patients regardless of ejection fraction in South Korea health care setting. The efficacy and safety of empagliflozin in real-world HF patients should be further investigated for a broader range of clinical applications. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01389843.

Changes in alcohol consumption habits and risk of atrial fibrillation: a nationwide population-based study.

AIMS: Heavy alcohol consumption is an established risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the association between habitual changes in heavy habitual drinkers and incident AF remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether absolute abstinence or reduced drinking decreases incident AF in heavy habitual drinkers. METHODS AND RESULTS: Atrial fibrillation-free participants with heavy alcohol consumption registered in the Korean National Health Insurance Service database between 2005 and 2008 were enrolled. Habitual changes in alcohol consumption between 2009 and 2012 were classified as sustained heavy drinking, reduced drinking, and absolute abstinence. The primary outcome measure was new-onset AF during the follow-up. To minimize the effect of confounding variables on outcome events, inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis was performed. Overall, 19 425 participants were evaluated. The absolute abstinence group showed a 63% lower incidence of AF (IPTW hazard ratio: 0.379, 95% confidence interval: 0.169-0.853) than did the sustained heavy drinking group. Subgroup analysis identified that abstinence significantly reduced incident AF in participants with normal body mass index and without hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, heart failure, stroke, chronic kidney disease, or coronary artery disease (all P-value <0.05). There was no statistical difference in incident AF in participants with reduced drinking compared with sustained heavy alcohol group. CONCLUSION: Absolute abstinence could reduce the incidence of AF in heavy alcohol drinkers. Comprehensive clinical measures and public health policies are warranted to motivate alcohol abstinence in heavy drinkers.

In this study of 19 425 participants, we investigated whether alcohol consumption reduction was associated with lower risk of incident atrial fibrillation (AF) in individuals with chronic heavy alcohol consumption. The absolute abstinence significantly reduced incident AF, but reducing alcohol consumption was not associated with a lower incident AF. The benefit of absolute abstinence for incidence of AF was significantly identified in participants with normal body mass index and without hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, heart failure, stroke, chronic kidney disease, or coronary artery disease.

Metformin treatment is associated with improved survival in diabetic patients hospitalized with acute heart failure: A prospective observational study using the Korean acute heart failure registry data.

AIMS: Although the hypothesis that metformin is beneficial for patients with diabetes and heart failure (HF) has been steadily raised, there is limited data on metformin use in patients with acute HF. We analyzed the association of metformin on all-cause mortality in hospitalized patients with type 2 diabetes and acute HF. METHODS: The Korean Acute Heart Failure registry prospectively enrolled patients hospitalized for acute HF from 2011 to 2014. Among this cohort, we analyzed patients with diabetes with baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 30 ml/min/1.73 m2 or more. We analyzed the all-cause mortality and re-hospitalization for HF within 1 year after discharge. Inverse probability treatment weighting method was used to adjust baseline differences on metformin treatment. RESULTS: The study analyzed data from 1,309 patients with HF and diabetes (mean age 69 years, 56 % male). Among them, 613 (47 %) patients were on metformin at admission. During the median follow-up period of 11 months, 132 (19 %) and 74 (12 %) patients not receiving and receiving metformin treatment died, respectively. The mortality rate was lower in metformin users than in non-users (hazard ratio 0.616 [0.464-0.819] P<0.001). After adjustment, metformin was significantly associated with a lower risk for the mortality (hazard ratio 0.677 [0.495-0.928] P=0.015). In subgroup analyses, this association remains significant irrespective of baseline kidney function (eGFR <60 or ≥60 ml/min/1.73 m2, P-for-interaction=0.176) or left ventricular ejection fraction (<40 %, 40-49 %, or ≥50 %, P-for-interaction=0.224). CONCLUSIONS: Metformin treatment at the time of admission was associated with a lower risk for 1-year mortality in patients with diabetes, hospitalized for acute HF.

Diagnosis and management of resistant hypertension.

Resistant hypertension is a condition where blood pressure levels remain elevated above target despite changes in lifestyle and concurrent use of at least three antihypertensive agents, including a long-acting calcium channel blocker (CCB), a blocker of the renin-angiotensin system (ACE inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker) and a diuretic. To be diagnosed as resistant hypertension, maintaining adherence to therapy is required along with confirmation of blood pressure levels above target by out-of-office blood pressure measurements and exclusion of secondary causes of hypertension. The key management points of this condition include lifestyle changes such as reduced sodium and alcohol intake, regular physical activity, weight loss and discontinuation of substances that can interfere with blood pressure control. It is also recommended that current treatment be rationalised, including single pill combination treatment where antihypertensive drugs should be provided at the maximum tolerated dose. It is further recommended that current drugs be replaced with a more appropriate and less difficult treatment regimen based on the patient's age, ethnicity, comorbidities and risk of drug-drug interactions. The fourth line of treatment for patients with resistant hypertension should include mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists such as spironolactone, as demonstrated in the PATHWAY-2 trial and meta-analyses. Alternatives to spironolactone include amiloride, doxazosin, eplerenone, clonidine and beta-blockers, as well as any other antihypertensive drugs not already in use. New approaches under research are selective non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists such as finerenone, esaxerenone and ocedurenone, selective aldosterone synthase inhibitors such as baxdrostat, and dual endothelin antagonist aprocitentan.

Cardiac osteosarcoma: a case report and literature review.

Background: Primary cardiac tumors are rare, and malignant primary cardiac tumors are even rarer. Cardiac osteosarcoma is a very rare type of malignant primary cardiac tumor with limited reported cases. We present a case report of cardiac osteosarcoma and review its characteristics and the related literature. Case summary: A 44-year-old female patient without a specific medical history presented with intermittent dyspnea that started 1 month prior to presentation. A heterogeneous mass was observed in the left atrium on echocardiography and a large mass was observed in the left atrium on computed tomography. Surgery was performed under the suspicion of atypical cardiac myxoma, and the tumor was successfully removed. However, postoperative histopathological examination revealed cardiac osteosarcoma. The patient underwent chemotherapy and has been well maintained without recurrence for 10 years. Conclusion: We present a case report of the echocardiographic features and treatment strategies for cardiac osteosarcoma, an extremely rare cardiac tumor. Multimodal imaging can be helpful; however, a histological diagnosis through surgical resection is essential. Appropriate treatment and follow-up based on histological findings are necessary.

Geographic differences in patients with acute myocardial infarction in the PARADISE-MI trial.

AIM: The globalization of clinical trials has highlighted geographic differences in patient characteristics, treatments, and outcomes. We examined these differences in PARADISE-MI. METHODS AND RESULTS: Overall, 23.0% were randomized in Eastern Europe/Russia, 17.5% in Western Europe, 12.2% in Southern Europe, 10.1% in Northern Europe, 12.0% in Latin America (LA), 9.3% in North America (NA), 10.0% in East/South-East Asia and 5.8% in South Asia (SA). Those from Asia, particularly SA, were different from patients enrolled in the other regions, being younger and thinner. They also differed in terms of comorbidities (high prevalence of diabetes and low prevalence of atrial fibrillation), type of myocardial infarction (more often ST-elevation myocardial infarction), and treatment (low rate of primary percutaneous coronary intervention). By contrast, patients from LA did not differ meaningfully from those randomized in Europe or NA. Use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (34.8%) and beta-blockers (65.5%) was low in SA, whereas mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist use was lowest in NA (22%) and highest in Eastern Europe/Russia (53%). Rates of the primary composite outcome of cardiovascular death or incident heart failure varied two-fold among regions, with the lowest rate in SA (4.6/100 person-years) and the highest in LA (9.2/100 person-years). Rates of incident heart failure varied almost six-fold among regions, with the lowest rate in SA (1.0/100 person-years) and the highest in Northern Europe (5.9/100 person-years). The effect of sacubitril/valsartan was not modified by region. CONCLUSION: In PARADISE-MI, there were substantial regional differences in patient characteristics, treatments and outcomes. Although the generalizability of these findings to a 'real-world' unselected population may be limited, these findings underscore the importance of considering both regional and within-region differences when designing global clinical trials.

Prognosis after discontinuing renin angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitor for heart failure with restored ejection fraction after acute myocardial infarction.

Prognostic effect of discontinuing renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system-inhibitor (RAASi) for patients with heart failure (HF) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) whose left ventricular (LV) systolic function was restored during follow-up is unknown. To investigate the outcome after discontinuing RAASi in post-AMI HF patients with restored LV ejection fraction (EF). Of 13,104 consecutive patients from the nationwide, multicenter, and prospective Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction-National Institutes of Health (KAMIR-NIH) registry, HF patients with baseline LVEF < 50% that was restored to ≥ 50% at 12-month follow-up were selected. Primary outcome was a composite of all-cause death, spontaneous MI, or rehospitalization for HF at 36-month after index procedure. Of 726 post-AMI HF patients with restored LVEF, 544 maintained RAASi (Maintain-RAASi) beyond 12-month, 108 stopped RAASi (Stop-RAASi), and 74 did not use RAASi (RAASi-Not-Used) at baseline and follow-up. Systemic hemodynamics and cardiac workloads were similar among groups at baseline and during follow-up. Stop-RAASi group showed elevated NT-proBNP than Maintain-RAASi group at 36-month. Stop-RAASi group showed significantly higher risk of primary outcome than Maintain-RAASi group (11.4% vs. 5.4%; adjusted hazard ratio [HRadjust] 2.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-4.46, P = 0.028), mainly driven by increased risk of all-cause death. The rate of primary outcome was similar between Stop-RAASi and RAASi-Not-Used group (11.4% vs. 12.1%; HRadjust 1.18 [0.47-2.99], P = 0.725). In post-AMI HF patients with restored LV systolic function, RAASi discontinuation was associated with significantly increased risk of all-cause death, MI, or rehospitalization for HF. Maintaining RAASi will be necessary for post-AMI HF patients, even after LVEF is restored.

Feasibility and measurement stability of smartwatch-based cuffless blood pressure monitoring: A real-world prospective observational study.

Cuffless wearable devices are currently being developed for long-term monitoring of blood pressure (BP) in patients with hypertension and in apparently healthy people. This study evaluated the feasibility and measurement stability of smartwatch-based cuffless BP monitoring in real-world conditions. Users of the first smartwatch-based cuffless BP monitor approved in Korea (Samsung Galaxy Watch) were invited to upload their data from using the device for 4 weeks post calibration. A total of 760 participants (mean age 43.7 ± 11.9, 80.3% men) provided 35,797 BP readings (average monitoring 22 ± 4 days [SD]; average readings 47 ± 42 per participant [median 36]). Each participant obtained 1.5 ± 1.3 readings/day and 19.7% of the participants obtained measurements every day. BP showed considerable variability, mainly depending on the day and time of the measurement. There was a trend towards higher BP levels on Mondays than on other days of the week and on workdays than in weekends. BP readings taken between 00:00 and 04:00 tended to be the lowest, whereas those between 12:00 and 16:00 the highest. The average pre-post calibration error for systolic BP (difference in 7-day BP before and after calibration), was 6.8 ± 5.6 mmHg, and was increased with higher systolic BP levels before calibration. Smartwatch-based cuffless BP monitoring is feasible for out-of-office monitoring in the real-world setting. The stability of BP measurement post calibration and the standardization and optimal time interval for recalibration need further investigation.

Addressing global disparities in blood pressure control: perspectives of the International Society of Hypertension.

ABSTRACT: Raised blood pressure (BP) is the leading cause of preventable death in the world. Yet, its global prevalence is increasing, and it remains poorly detected, treated, and controlled in both high- and low-resource settings. From the perspective of members of the International Society of Hypertension based in all regions, we reflect on the past, present, and future of hypertension care, highlighting key challenges and opportunities, which are often region-specific. We report that most countries failed to show sufficient improvements in BP control rates over the past three decades, with greater improvements mainly seen in some high-income countries, also reflected in substantial reductions in the burden of cardiovascular disease and deaths. Globally, there are significant inequities and disparities based on resources, sociodemographic environment, and race with subsequent disproportionate hypertension-related outcomes. Additional unique challenges in specific regions include conflict, wars, migration, unemployment, rapid urbanization, extremely limited funding, pollution, COVID-19-related restrictions and inequalities, obesity, and excessive salt and alcohol intake. Immediate action is needed to address suboptimal hypertension care and related disparities on a global scale. We propose a Global Hypertension Care Taskforce including multiple stakeholders and societies to identify and implement actions in reducing inequities, addressing social, commercial, and environmental determinants, and strengthening health systems implement a well-designed customized quality-of-care improvement framework.

In-hospital glycemic variability and all-cause mortality among patients hospitalized for acute heart failure.

BACKGROUND: High glycemic variability (GV) is a poor prognostic marker in cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to investigate the association of GV with all-cause mortality in patients with acute heart failure (HF). METHODS: The Korean Acute Heart Failure registry enrolled patients hospitalized for acute HF from 2011 to 2014. Blood glucose levels were measured at the time of admission, during hospitalization, and at discharge. We included those who had 3 or more blood glucose measurements in this study. Patients were divided into two groups based on the coefficient of variation (CoV) as an indicator of GV. Among survivors of the index hospitalization, we investigated all-cause mortality at 1 year after discharge. RESULTS: The study analyzed 2,617 patients (median age, 72 years; median left-ventricular ejection fraction, 36%; 53% male). During the median follow-up period of 11 months, 583 patients died. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis revealed that high GV (CoV > 21%) was associated with lower cumulative survival (log-rank P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox proportional analysis showed that high GV was associated with an increased risk of 1-year (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.26-1.92) mortality. High GV significantly increased the risk of 1-year mortality in non-diabetic patients (HR 1.93, 95% CI 1.47-2.54) but not in diabetic patients (HR 1.19, 95% CI 0.86-1.65, P for interaction = 0.021). CONCLUSIONS: High in-hospital GV before discharge was associated with all-cause mortality within 1 year, especially in non-diabetic patients with acute HF.

Secular trends and determinants of influenza vaccination uptake among patients with cardiovascular disease in Korea: Analysis using a nationwide database.

Background: Influenza vaccination reduces cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Identifying the factors that affect influenza vaccination uptake can help improve the prognosis in patients with CVD. This study aimed to evaluate the secular trends of influenza vaccination uptake and factors associated with lack of vaccination in individuals with CVD. Materials and methods: We analyzed the annual trends and factors associated with influenza vaccination among 3,264 patients with CVD, included from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey which reflect the health and nutritional status of the nationwide population of Korea conducted between 2007/2008 and 2018/2019. We used a stratified, multistage sampling method. Results: The influenza vaccination rate was greater in patients with CVD (53-74%) than in those without CVD (28-40%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age <50 years [odds ratio (OR), 16.22; 95% confidence interval (CI), 7.72-34.07], 50-64 years (OR, 6.71; 95% CI, 4.37-10.28), male sex (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.14-1.65), and asthma (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.22-0.92) were independently associated with a lack of influenza vaccination. Among patients aged <65 years, smoking (OR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.31-4.04), college graduation status (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.16-2.82), and hypertension (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.51-0.95) were independently associated with influenza vaccination. For individuals aged 65years, there was no significant determinant of lack of vaccination. Conclusion: In patients with CVD, a continuous increase in the secular trend of influenza vaccination was demonstrated in Korea. Young age, male sex, and non-asthma status were independently associated with lack of influenza vaccination uptake.

Clinical Implication of Genetic Testing in Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of the important causes of heart failure (HF). With the rapidly evolving technologies for gene analysis and tremendous advances in knowledge of HF genetics, the importance of genetic testing in DCM is currently highlighted. Several genetic variants causing DCM have been identified and this information is used for diagnosis, risk stratification and family screening of DCM patients. However, there are still several challenges in applying genetic testing to real clinical practice. In this review, we will summarize recent understandings in DCM genetics and provide an evidence-based practical guide to the use of genetic testing for DCM patients.

Modified reverse shock index predicts early outcomes of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

AIMS: Increased blood pressure (BP) and decreased heart rate (HR) are signs of stabilization in patients admitted for acute HF. Changes in BP and HR during admission and their correlation with outcomes were assessed in hospitalized patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). METHODS: A novel modified reverse shock index (mRSI), defined as the ratio between changes in systolic BP and HR during admission, was devised, and its prognostic value in the early outcomes of acute HF was assessed using the Korean Acute HF registry. RESULTS: Among 2697 patients with HFrEF (mean age 65.8 ± 14.9 years, 60.6% males), patients with mRSI ≥1.25 at discharge were significantly younger and were more likely to have de novo HF. An mRSI ≥1.25 was associated with a significantly lower incidence of 60-day and 180-day all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31-0.77; HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.45-0.85, respectively], compared with 1 ≤ mRSI < 1.25 (all P < 0.001). Conversely, an mRSI <0.75 was associated with a significantly higher incidence of 60-day and 180-day all-cause mortality (adjusted HR 2.08, 95% CI 1.19-3.62; HR 2.24, 95% CI 1.53-3.27; all P < 0.001). The benefit associated with mRSI ≥1.25 was consistent in sub-group analyses. The correlation of mRSI and outcomes were also consistent regardless of admission SBP, presence of atrial fibrillation, or use of beta blockers at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: In patients hospitalized for HFrEF, the mRSI was a significant predictor of early outcomes. The mRSI could be used as a tool to assess patient status and guide physicians in treating patients with HFrEF.