The aggregate index of systemic inflammation (AISI): a novel predictor for hypertension.

Objective: Inflammation plays an important role in the pathophysiology of hypertension (HTN). Aggregate index of systemic inflammation (AISI), as a new inflammatory and prognostic marker has emerged recently. Our goal was to determine whether there was a relationship between HTN and AISI. Methods: We analyzed patients with HTN from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2018. The primary end point was cardiovascular mortality. A total of 23,765 participants were divided into four groups according to the AISI quartile level. The association between AISI and cardiovascular mortality in patients with HTN was assessed by survival curves and Cox regression analyses based on NHANES recommended weights. Results: High levels of AISI were significantly associated with cardiovascular mortality in patients with HTN. After full adjustment for confounders, there was no significant difference in the risk of cardiovascular mortality in Q2 and Q3 compared to Q1, while Q4 (HR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.42-2.58; P < 0.001) had a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality compared to Q1. Results remained similar in subgroup analyses stratified by age (P for interaction = 0.568), gender (P for interaction = 0.059), and obesity (P for interaction = 0.289). Conclusions: In adults with HTN, elevated AISI levels are significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and may serve as an early warning parameter for poor prognosis.

Predictors of mortality in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: interaction between diabetes mellitus and impaired renal function.

BACKGROUND: The harmful effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on mortality in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) remains controversial. Furthermore, it seems that no consistent conclusion on whether chronic kidney disease (CKD) modifies the relationship of DM and poor prognosis in patients with HFrEF. METHODS: We analyzed the individuals with HFrEF from the Cardiorenal ImprovemeNt (CIN) cohort between January 2007 and December 2018. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. The patients were divided into four groups (control vs. DM alone vs. CKD alone vs. DM and CKD). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis was conducted to examine the association among DM, CKD and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: There were 3,273 patients included in this study (mean age: 62.7 ± 10.9 years, 20.4% were female). During a median follow-up of 5.0 years (interquartile range: 3.0-7.6 years), 740 (22.6%) patients died. Patients with DM have a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR [95% confidence interval (CI)]:1.28[1.07-1.53]) than those without DM. In patients with CKD, DM had a 61% (HR [95% CI]:1.61[1.26-2.06]) increased adjusted risk of death relative to non-DM, while in patients with non-CKD, there was no significantly difference in risk of all-cause mortality (HR [95% CI]:1.01[0.77-1.32]) between DM and non-DM (p for interaction = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes is a potent risk factor for mortality in patients with HFrEF. Furthermore, DM had a substantially different effect on all-cause mortality depending on CKD. The association between DM and all-cause mortality was only observed in patients with CKD.

Red blood cell distribution width predicts gastrointestinal bleeding after coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND: Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is highly associated with adverse clinical outcomes in many diseases. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between RDW and gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study that included 4473 patients who received CABG, and all the data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III database. Data collected included patient demographics, associated comorbid illnesses, laboratory parameters, and medications. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the best cutoff value of RDW for the diagnosis of GIB. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between RDW and GIB. RESULTS: The incidence of GIB in patients receiving CABG was 1.1%. Quartile analyses showed a significant increase in GIB incidence at the fourth RDW quartile (> 14.3%; P < 0.001). The ROC curve analysis revealed that an RDW level > 14.1% measured on admission had 59.6% sensitivity and 69.4% specificity in predicting GIB after CABG. After adjustment for confounders, high RDW was still associated with an increased risk of GIB in patients with CABG (odds ratio = 2.83, 95% confidence interval 1.46-5.51, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that the elevated RDW level is associated with an increased risk of GIB after CABG, and it can be an independent predictor of GIB. The introduction of RDW to study GIB enriches the diagnosis method of GIB and ensures the rapid and accurate diagnosis of GIB.

Prevalence and Prognostic Impact of Malnutrition in Critical Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction: Results From Chinese CIN Cohort and American MIMIC-III Database.

Background: Malnutrition is associated with poor prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the prognostic impact of malnutrition in critical patients with AMI has not been well addressed. Methods: We analyzed two critical AMI cohorts from Cardiorenal ImprovemeNt (CIN) in China and Medical Information Mark for Intensive Care-III (MIMIC-III) in the United States. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Cox proportional hazards models were constructed to examine the risk of malnutrition for mortality in critical patients with AMI. Results: There were 2,075 critical patients with AMI (mean age, 62.5 ± 12.3 years, 20.00% were female) from the CIN cohort and 887 critical patients with AMI (mean age, 70.1 ± 12.9 years, 37.43% were female) from MIMIC-III included in this study. Based on the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score, of the Chinese patients with AMI, the prevalence was 47.5, 28.3, and 3.5% for mild, moderate, and severe malnutrition, respectively. The percentage of mild, moderate, and severe malnutrition was 41.60, 30.55, and 7.32% in the MIMIC-III cohort, respectively. Controlling for confounders, worse nutritional state was significantly associated with increased risk for all-cause mortality [an adjusted hazard ratio for mild, moderate, and severe malnutrition, respectively, 1.10 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76-1.59), 1.49 (95% CI: 1.02-2.19), and 1.70 (95% CI: 1.00-2.88) in the CIN cohort and 1.41 (95% CI: 0.95-2.09), 1.97 (95% CI: 1.32-2.95), and 2.70 (95% CI: 1.67-4.37) in the MIMIC-III cohort]. Conclusion: Malnutrition was independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in critical patients with AMI after full adjustments. Further trials are needed to prospectively evaluate the efficacy of nutritional interventions in critical patients with AMI.

A Synergistic Association Between Inflammation, Malnutrition, and Mortality in Patients With Diabetics.

Background: Although inflammation is a known predictor for poor prognosis in patients with diabetics, few data report the synergistic association between inflammation, malnutrition, and mortality in patients with diabetics. We aim to explore whether malnutrition modifies the predictor of inflammation on prognosis. Methods: Nutritional status and inflammation were measured in 6,682 patients with diabetics undergoing coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention between January 2007 to December 2018 from Cardiorenal Improvement Registry. Malnutrition was defined as Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score, which was more than 1. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) exceeding the median was assessed as a high-risk inflammation. Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for mortality across combined hs-CRP and CONUT score categories. Results: During a median follow-up of 5.0 years (interquartile range: 3.0-7.6 years), 759 (11.36%) patients died. The mortality of the four groups (normal nutrition and low hs-CRP level; normal nutrition and high hs-CRP level; malnutrition and low hs-CRP level; and malnutrition and high hs-CRP level) were 7.29, 7.12, 10.71, and 17.31%, respectively. Compared with normal nutrition and low hs-CRP level, an isolated condition of either malnutrition or high hs-CRP level was not associated with any significant risk for all-cause mortality. However, concomitant presence of both high hs-CRP level and malnutrition condition was associated with a significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.20-1.89; p < 0.001). The p-value for interaction between nutritional status and hs-CRP level on all-cause mortality was 0.03. Conclusion: The interplay of inflammation and malnutrition in patients with diabetics significantly amplifies the deleterious effects of each as distinct disease entities. A prospective randomized clinical trial is needed in the future to verify the results.

Sex Difference Trend in 5-Year Mortality Among Patients With Coronary Artery Disease: A 24,432 Chinese Cohort Study From 2007 to 2014.

Background: The sex difference trend of short-term mortality in coronary artery disease (CAD) is narrowing, which has been reported in the previous studies. However, no studies assess the sex difference temporal trends of CAD mortality in China especially long-term mortality trend. Methods: Based on the registry at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital which is the largest cardiovascular center in South China, this retrospective cohort study included 24,432 hospitalized patients with CAD confirmed by coronary angiography from January 2007 to December 2014. Women and men were followed for 1-year and 5-year all-cause mortality. Results: From 2007 to 2014, 5-year age-standardized mortality increased from 10.0 to 11.7% in men (p for trend < 0.001) and from 11.5 to 8.1% in women (p for trend = 0.99). The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI), which compare women with men, were from 1.02 (0.39-2.67) to 0.66 (0.39-1.12) for 1-year all-cause mortality and 1.23 (0.64-2.36) to 0.59 (0.44-0.79) for 5-year all-cause mortality (p for trend = 0.04). Conclusion: Our study found that the mortality risk among men and women was similar in the 1-year prognosis of CAD, and there was no significant downward trend. In the 5-year long-term prognosis of CAD, the mortality risk among men continued to rise, while women had reached the peak, which means that the mortality risk continues to be higher among men than women.

Prevalence and Mortality of Moderate or Severe Mitral Regurgitation Among Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With or Without Heart Failure: Results From CIN Study With 28,358 Patients.

Aim: This study investigated the prevalence and mortality associated with moderate or severe mitral regurgitation (MR) among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), with or without heart failure (HF). Methods: We analyzed patients undergoing PCI without mitral valve surgery from the Cardiorenal ImprovemeNt (CIN) study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04407936). Patients without echocardiography to determine MR occurrence or lacking follow-up death data were excluded. Primary endpoints were 1-year and long-term all-cause mortality, with a median follow-up time of 5 years (interquartile range: 3.1-7.6). Results: Of 28,358 patients undergoing PCI treatment [mean age: 62.7 ± 10.7; women: 6,749 (25.6%)], 3,506 (12.4%) had moderate or severe MR, and there was a higher rate of moderate or severe MR in HF group than non-HF group (28.8 vs. 5.6%, respectively). Regardless of HF conditions, patients with moderate or severe MR were older and had worse cardio-renal function and significantly increased 1-year mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 1.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.51-2.2], and long-term mortality [aHR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.3-1.58]. There was no significant difference between patients with HF and those with non-HF (P for interaction > 0.05). Conclusion: One-eighth of the patients undergoing PCI had moderate or severe MR. Furthermore, one-third and one-seventeenth experienced moderate or severe MR with worse cardiorenal function in the HF and non-HF groups, and increased consistent mortality risk. Further studies should explore the efficacy of mitral interventional procedures for moderate or severe MR after PCI treatment, regardless of HF.

A Universal New Definition of Heart Failure With Improved Ejection Fraction for Patients With Coronary Artery Disease.

Aims: The aims of this study were to describe the characteristics and outcomes of the universal new definition of heart failure with improved ejection fraction (HFimpEF) and to identify predictors for HFimpEF among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: CAD subjects with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) (EF ≤ 40%) at baseline were enrolled from the real-world registry of the Cardiorenal ImprovemeNt study from January 2007 to December 2018. The new definition of HFimpEF was defined as left ventricular EF (LVEF) of≤40% at baseline and with improvement of up to 40% and at least a ≥ 10% increase during 1 month to 1 year after discharge. Results: Of the 747 CAD patients with HFrEF (86.7% males, mean age: 61.4 ± 11 years), 267 (35.7%) patients conformed to the new HFimpEF definition. Patients with HFimpEF were younger (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.98 [0.97-0.99]) and had a higher rate of hypertension (aOR:1.43 [1.04-1.98]), lower rate of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) treatment at the time of detection of HFrEF (aOR: 0.48 [0.34-0.69]), history of PCI (aOR: 0.51 [0.28-0.88]), history of acute myocardial infarction (aOR: 0.40 [0.21-0.70]), and lower left ventricular end diastolic diameter (aOR: 0.92 [0.90-0.95]). During 3.3-year follow-up, patients with HFimpEF demonstrated lower rates of long-term all-cause mortality (13.1% vs. 20.8%, aHR: 0.61[0.41-0.90]). Conclusion: In our study, CAD patients with HFimpEF achieved a better prognosis compared to those with persistent HFrEF. Patients with CAD meeting the criteria for the universal definition of HFimpEF tended to be younger, presented fewer clinical comorbidities, and had lower left ventricular end diastolic diameter.

Independent and joint effects of high-sensitivity c-reactive protein and hypoalbuminemia on long-term all-cause mortality among coronary artery disease: a prospective and multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) plays an important role in hypoalbuminemia as a representative of inflammation, which is closely associated with poor prognosis among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The present study aimed to evaluate the independent and joint effects of high hs-CRP levels and hypoalbuminemia on long-term mortality among CAD patients. METHODS: A total of 1449 CAD patients were included from a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study (REICIN, NCT01402232) of patients referred for coronary angiography (CAG). The primary endpoint was long-term all-cause death. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 2.9 (2.0-3.0) years, a total of 107 (7.4%) patients died. The long-term mortality was higher among CAD patients with high hs-CRP levels (> 3 mg/L) than those with the low hs-CRP levels (≤ 3 mg/L; 10.7% versus 4.1%; hazard ratio [HR] 2.49; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.48-4.17). Similarly, CAD patients with hypoalbuminemia had higher mortality than those without hypoalbuminemia (12.2% versus 4.9%; HR 1.93; 95% CI 1.20-3.08). When hs-CRP and albumin were combined, CAD patients with high hs-CRP levels (> 3 mg/L) and with hypoalbuminemia were at the highest risk of death compared with their reference group (hs-CRP ≤ 3 mg/L and albumin > 35 g/L; HR 3.79; 95% CI 1.91-7.52). CONCLUSIONS: High hs-CRP levels and hypoalbuminemia were independently and jointly associated with long-term mortality among CAD patients. Patients with high hs-CRP levels and hypoalbuminemia had the highest risk of long-term mortality compared with other groups.

Platelet-to-hemoglobin ratio as a valuable predictor of long-term all-cause mortality in coronary artery disease patients with congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The platelet-to-hemoglobin ratio (PHR) has emerged as a prognostic biomarker in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients after PCI but not clear in CAD complicated with congestive heart failure (CHF). Hence, we aimed to assess the association between PHR and long-term all-cause mortality among CAD patients with CHF. METHODS: Based on the registry at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital in China, we analyzed data of 2599 hospitalized patients who underwent coronary angiography (CAG) and were diagnosed with CAD complicated by CHF from January 2007 to December 2018. Low PHR was defined as ˂ 1.69 (group 1) and high PHR as ≥ 1.69 (group 2). Prognosis analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier method. To assess the association between PHR and long-term all-cause mortality, a Cox-regression model was fitted. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 5.2 (3.1-7.8) years, a total of 985 (37.9%) patients died. On the Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients in high PHR group had a worse prognosis than those in low PHR group (log-rank, p = 0.0011). After adjustment for confounders, high PHR was correlated with an increased risk of long-term all-cause mortality in CAD patients complicated with CHF. (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.52, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Elevated PHR is correlated with an increased risk of long-term all-cause mortality in CAD patients with CHF. These results indicate that PHR may be a useful prognostic biomarker for this population. Meanwhile, it is necessary to take effective preventive measures to regulate both hemoglobin levels and platelet counts in this population.

Prevalence and Mortality of Hypochloremia Among Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: A Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Hypochloremia is a predictor for short-term mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease, but its association with coronary artery disease (CAD) is still unclear. We aimed to assess the impact of hypochloremia on all-cause mortality (short-and long-term) among patients with CAD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Based on the registry at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital in China, we analyzed data of 49,025 hospitalized patients who underwent coronary angiography (CAG) and were diagnosed with CAD from January 2007 to December 2018. To assess the association between hypochloremia and the study endpoints, a logistic-regression model (for 30-day all-cause mortality) and a Cox regression model (for long-term all-cause mortality) were fitted. RESULTS: Overall, 4.4% of the study population showed hypochloremia (<98 mmol/L). During a median follow-up of 5.2 (3.1-7.8) years, a total of 6486 (13.2%) patients died. Patients with hypochloremia were generally older and at risk for diabetes, cardiorenal dysfunction, and morbidity than those without hypochloremia. After adjustment for confounders, hypochloremia remained a significant predictor of mortality risk (30-day all-cause death: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-3.18; P=0.017 and long-term all-cause death: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-1.47; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Hypochloremia is mildly common in patients with CAD and is associated with increased short-and long-term mortality. Meanwhile, it is necessary to further investigate effective and preventive measures and the potential mechanisms of hypochloremia in patients with CAD.

Impact of the Malnutrition on Mortality in Elderly Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

PURPOSE: Malnutrition has been shown to be related to adverse clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure, hypertension, atrial fibrillation and other cardiovascular diseases. However, in the patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), especially in the elderly, the association of nutritional state and all-cause mortality remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the association of malnutrition with all-cause mortality in the elder patients undergoing PCI. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Based on the largest retrospective and observational cohort study from January 2007 to December 2017, the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score was applied to 21,479 consecutive patients with age ≥60 who undergoing PCI for nutritional assessment. Participants were classified as absent, mild, moderate and severe malnutrition by CONUT score. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare all-cause mortality among the above four groups. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were performed to examine the association of malnutrition with all-cause mortality. RESULTS: According to the CONUT score, 48.19%, 15.08% and 0.94% patients were mildly, moderately and severely malnourished, respectively. During a median follow-up of 5.16 years (interquartile range: 3.02 to 7.89 years), 3173 (14.77%) patients died. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the risk of all-cause mortality was significantly higher in patients with a worse nutritional status. Compared with normal nutritional state, malnutrition was associated with significantly increased risk for all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio for mild, moderate and severe degrees of malnutrition, respectively: 1.20 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09 to 1.33], 1.32 [95% CI: 1.17 to 1.49] and 1.76 [95% CI: 1.33 to 2.33]). CONCLUSION: Malnutrition is prevalent among elderly patients with CAD undergoing PCI, and is strongly related to the all-cause mortality increasing. For elderly patients with CAD undergoing PCI, it is necessary to assess the status of nutrition, and evaluate the efficacy of nutritional interventions.

Prevalence and Mortality of Hypochloremia Among Patients Suffering From Coronary Artery Disease and Congestive Heart Failure: An Analysis of Patients in CIN-I and MIMIC-III Databases.

Background: Hypochloremia is an independent predictor for mortality in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) but whether the same correlation exists in CAD patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) is unclear. Methods: This is an analysis of data stored in the databases of the CIN-I [a registry of Cardiorenal Improvement (NCT04407936) in China from January 2007 to December 2018] and Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-III. CAD patients with CHF were included. The outcome measures were 90-day all-cause mortality (ACM) and long-term ACM. Results: Data from 8,243 CAD patients with CHF were analyzed. We found that 10.2% of the study population had hypochloremia (Cl- <98 mmol/L) in CIN-I (n = 4,762) and 20.1% had hypochloremia in MIMIC-III (n = 3,481). Patients suffering from hypochloremia were, in general, older and had a higher prevalence of comorbidities. After adjustment for confounders, hypochloremia remained a significant predictor of short-term mortality risk [90-day ACM: adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.69; 95% CI, 1.27-2.25; P < 0.001 in CIN-I, and 1.36 (1.17-1.59); P < 0.001 in MIMIC-III]. Hypochloremia was also associated with long-term mortality [aHR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.06-1.50; P = 0.009 in CIN-I, and 1.48 (1.32-1.66); P < 0.001 in MIMIC-III]. Prespecified subgroup analyses revealed an association of hypochloremia with long-term ACM to be attenuated slightly in the women of the two databases (P interaction < 0.05). Conclusions: Hypochloremia is independently associated with higher short-term and long-term ACM. Further studies are needed to determine if early preventive measurements and active intervention of hypochloremia can reduce the mortality risk of CAD patients with CHF.