Hemodiafiltration: a synergy yet to be convincing / Hemodiafiltração: uma sinergia ainda não convincente

ABSTRACT The desperate attempt to improve mortality, morbidity, quality of life and patient-reported outcomes in patients on hemodialysis has led to multiple attempts to improve the different modes, frequencies, and durations of dialysis sessions in the last few decades. Nothing has been more appealing than the combination of diffusion and convection in the form of hemodiafiltration. Despite the concrete evidence of better clearance of middle weight molecules and better hemodynamic stability, tangible evidence to support the universal adoption is still at a distance. Survival benefits seen in selected groups who are likely to tolerate hemodiafiltration with better vascular access and with lower comorbid burden, need to be extended to real life dialysis patients who are older than the population studied and have significantly higher comorbid burden. Technical demands of initiation hemodiafiltration, the associated costs, and the incremental benefits targeted, along with patient-reported outcomes, need to be explored further before recommending hemodiafiltration as the mode of choice.

RESUMO A tentativa desesperada de melhorar a mortalidade, morbidade, qualidade de vida e desfechos relatados pelos pacientes em indivíduos em hemodiálise levou a diversas tentativas de aprimorar os diferentes modos, frequências e durações das sessões de diálise nas últimas décadas. Nada foi mais atrativo do que a combinação de difusão e convecção na forma de hemodiafiltração. Apesar das evidências concretas de melhor depuração de moléculas de peso médio e melhor estabilidade hemodinâmica, evidências tangíveis para apoiar a adoção universal ainda estão distantes. Os benefícios de sobrevida observados em grupos selecionados que provavelmente toleram a hemodiafiltração com melhor acesso vascular e com menor carga de comorbidades precisam ser estendidos aos pacientes reais em diálise, que são mais velhos do que a população estudada e apresentam uma carga de comorbidades significativamente maior. As exigências técnicas do início da hemodiafiltração, os custos associados e os benefícios incrementais almejados, juntamente com os desfechos relatados pelos pacientes, precisam ser melhor explorados antes de se recomendar a hemodiafiltração como o modo de escolha.

Trends in Income Inequities in Cardiovascular Health Among US Adults, 1988-2018.

BACKGROUND: Mean cardiovascular health has improved over the past several decades in the United States, but it is unclear whether the benefit is shared equitably. This study examined 30-year trends in cardiovascular health using a suite of income equity metrics to provide a comprehensive picture of cardiovascular income equity. METHODS: The study evaluated data from the 1988-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Survey groupings were stratified by poverty-to-income ratio (PIR) category, and the mean predicted 10-year risk of a major cardiovascular event or death based on the pooled cohort equations (PCE) was calculated (10-year PCE risk). Equity metrics including the relative and absolute concentration indices and the achievement index-metrics that assess both the prevalence and the distribution of a health measure across different socioeconomic categories-were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 26 633 participants aged 40 to 75 years were included (mean age, 53.0-55.5 years; women, 51.9%-53.0%). From 1988-1994 to 2015-2018, the mean 10-year PCE risk improved from 7.8% to 6.4% (P<0.05). The improvement was limited to the 2 highest income categories (10-year PCE risk for PIR 5: 7.7%-5.1%, P<0.05; PIR 3-4.99: 7.6%-6.1%, P<0.05). The 10-year PCE risk for the lowest income category (PIR <1) did not significantly change (8.1%-8.7%). In 1988-1994, the 10-year PCE risk for PIR <1 was 6% higher than PIR 5; by 2015-2018, this relative inequity increased to 70% (P<0.05). When using metrics that account for all income categories, the achievement index improved (8.0%-7.1%, P<0.05); however, the achievement index was consistently higher than the mean 10-year PCE risk, indicating the poor persistently had a greater share of adverse health. CONCLUSIONS: In this serial cross-sectional survey of US adults spanning 30 years, the population's mean 10-year PCE risk improved, but the improvement was not felt equally across the income spectrum.

Asprosin: its function as a novel endocrine factor in metabolic-related diseases.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Asprosin was discovered as a new endocrine hormone originating from fibrillin-1 cleavage that plays a crucial role in various metabolic-related diseases, such as obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this review is to describe the recent advancements of asprosin. METHOD: Narrative review. RESULT: This comprehensive review explores its tissue-specific functions, focusing on white adipose tissue, liver, hypothalamus, testis, ovary, heart, pancreas, skeletal muscle, and kidney. CONCLUSION: Asprosin is a multifaceted protein with tissue-specific roles in various physiological and pathological processes. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms and potential of asprosin as a therapeutic target. These insights could provide new directions for treatments targeting metabolic-related diseases.

Age-Dependent RGS5 Loss in Pericytes Induces Cardiac Dysfunction and Fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Pericytes are capillary-associated mural cells involved in the maintenance and stability of the vascular network. Although aging is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease, the consequences of aging on cardiac pericytes are unknown. METHODS: In this study, we have combined single-nucleus RNA sequencing and histological analysis to determine the effects of aging on cardiac pericytes. Furthermore, we have conducted in vivo and in vitro analysis of RGS5 (regulator of G-protein signaling 5) loss of function and finally have performed pericytes-fibroblasts coculture studies to understand the effect of RGS5 deletion in pericytes on the neighboring fibroblasts. RESULTS: Aging reduced the pericyte area and capillary coverage in the murine heart. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing analysis further revealed that the expression of Rgs5 was reduced in cardiac pericytes from aged mice. In vivo and in vitro studies showed that the deletion of RGS5 impaired cardiac function, induced fibrosis, and morphological changes in pericytes characterized by a profibrotic gene expression signature and the expression of different ECM (extracellular matrix) components and growth factors, for example, TGFB2 and PDGFB. Indeed, culturing fibroblasts with the supernatant of RGS5-deficient pericytes induced their activation as evidenced by the increased expression of αSMA (alpha smooth muscle actin) in a TGFß (transforming growth factor beta)2-dependent mechanism. CONCLUSIONS: Our results have identified RGS5 as a crucial regulator of pericyte function during cardiac aging. The deletion of RGS5 causes cardiac dysfunction and induces myocardial fibrosis, one of the hallmarks of cardiac aging.

Salt Intake in Adults with Diabetes and Hypertension: The Longitudinal Study of Adult Health-Brasil Study.

Background and Objective: Hypertension and type-2 diabetes are strong risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, and their management requires lifestyle changes, including a shift in dietary habits. The consumption of salt has increased in the last decades in some countries, but its association with type-2 diabetes remains unknown. Thus, we aimed to estimate the amount of salt intake among adults with and without diabetes and to assess whether concomitant hypertension and diabetes are associated with higher salt intake. Methods: Data from 11,982 adults 35-74 years of age enrolled in the baseline of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health-Brasil study (2008-2010) were studied. A clinical and anthropometric evaluation was performed, and their daily salt intake was estimated by the overnight 12-hr urine sodium excretion. Results: Salt intake (gram per day) was higher in participants with diabetes as compared with those without diabetes, regardless of sex (men: 14.2 ± 6.4 vs. 12.4 ± 5.6, P < 0.05; women: 10.5 ± 4.8 vs. 9.1 ± 4.1, P < 0.05). However, salt intake is high in participants with fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL or HbA1c ≥6.5%, but not in participants with blood glucose 2 hr after the glucose tolerance test ≥200 mg/dL. When hypertension and diabetes coexisted, salt consumption was higher than among people without these conditions. The prevalence of hypertension increased with increasing salt intake in women with diabetes, but not in men with this condition. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the high consumption of salt in individuals with diabetes and/or hypertension, and the need for effective strategies to reduce salt consumption in these groups of increased risk for major cardiovascular events, especially in women.

Associations between sleep duration, sleep disturbance and cardiovascular disease biomarkers among adults in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Sleep problems are associated with abnormal cardiovascular biomarkers and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, studies investigating associations between sleep problems and CVD biomarkers have reported conflicting findings. This study examined the associations between sleep problems and CVD biomarkers in the United States. METHODS: Data were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2007-2018) and analyses were restricted to adults ≥ 20 years (n = 23,749). CVD biomarkers [C-reactive Protein (CRP), low-density lipoproteins, high-density lipoproteins (HDL), triglycerides, insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and fasting blood glucose] were categorized as abnormal or normal using standardized cut-off points. Sleep problems were assessed by sleep duration (short [≤ 6 h], long [≥ 9 h], and recommended [> 6 to < 9 h) and self-reported sleep disturbance (yes, no). Multivariable logistic regression models explored the associations between sleep duration, sleep disturbance, and CVD biomarkers adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle behaviors. RESULTS: The mean sleep duration was 7.1 ± 1.5 h and 25.1% of participants reported sleep disturbances. Compared to participants with the recommended sleep duration, those with short sleep duration had higher odds of abnormal levels of HDL (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05-1.39), CRP (aOR = 3.08, 95% CI = 1.18-8.05), HbA1c (aOR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.05-1.49), and insulin (aOR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.03-1.51). Long sleep duration was associated with increased odds of abnormal CRP (aOR = 6.12, 95% CI = 2.19-17.15), HbA1c (aOR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.09-2.17), and blood glucose levels (aOR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.07-1.95). Sleep disturbance predicted abnormal triglyceride (aOR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.01-1.37) and blood glucose levels (aOR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.04-1.49). CONCLUSION: Short and long sleep durations were positively associated with abnormal CRP, HDL, HbA1c, blood glucose, and insulin levels, while sleep disturbance was associated with abnormal triglyceride and blood glucose levels. Since sleep is a modifiable factor, adopting healthy sleeping habits may create a balanced metabolism and reduce the risk of developing a CVD. Our study may provide insights into the relationship between sleep duration, sleep disturbance, and CVD risk.

GPX4, ferroptosis, and diseases.

GPX4 (Glutathione peroxidase 4) serves as a crucial intracellular regulatory factor, participating in various physiological processes and playing a significant role in maintaining the redox homeostasis within the body. Ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent non-apoptotic cell death, has gained considerable attention in recent years due to its involvement in multiple pathological processes. GPX4 is closely associated with ferroptosis and functions as the primary inhibitor of this process. Together, GPX4 and ferroptosis contribute to the pathophysiology of several diseases, including sepsis, nervous system diseases, ischemia reperfusion injury, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. This review comprehensively explores the regulatory roles and impacts of GPX4 and ferroptosis in the development and progression of these diseases, with the aim of providing insights for identifying potential therapeutic strategies in the future.

EFFECTS OF THE USE OF BETA-BLOCKERS ON CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD) ASSOCIATED WITH CARDIOVASCULAR COMORBITIES: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS.

Introduction: Cardiovascular comorbidity is common in individuals with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These factor interferes in pharmacological treatment. The use of beta-blockers has been proposed for their known cardioprotective effects. However, there is a reluctance to use them due to adverse reactions and the risk of causing bronchospasm. Objective: To summarize existing evidences on the effects of beta-blocker use in COPD associated with cardiovascular comorbidities in relation to disease severity, exacerbation and mortality outcomes. Material and Methods: EMBASE, Medline, Lilacs, Cochrane Library and Science Direct databases were used. Study selection and data extraction, observational studies were included that evaluated the effects of beta-blockers in individuals with COPD and cardiovascular comorbidities, and related disease severity, exacerbations, or mortality to outcomes. Studies that did not present important information about the sample and pharmacological treatment were excluded. Twenty studies were included. Results: Relevance to patient care and clinical practice: The use of beta-blockers in individuals with COPD and cardiovascular disease caused positive effects on mortality and exacerbations outcomes compared with the results of individuals who did not use them. The severity of the disease caused a slight change in FEV1. The OR for mortality was 0.50 (95 % CI: 0.39-0.63; p-value <0.00001) and for exacerbations 0.76 (95 % CI: 0.62-0.92; p -value = 0.005), being favorable to the group that used beta-blockers. Conclusion: Further studies are needed to study the effect of using a specific beta-blocker in COPD associated with a specific cardiovascular comorbidity.

Evaluation of the Circulatory Levels of Heat Shock Protein 60 Levels in Periodontitis and Cardiovascular Disease Patients.

Introduction: HSP is arguably the most thoroughly studied self-antigens connected to Cardio Vascular Diseases (CVD) and periodontal disease. Hence, the major goal of this analysis was to determine the amount of HSP60 in patients' Chronic Periodontitis (CP) patients' serum. Materials and Methods: The current investigation involved 100 patients in all. Based on the patients' periodontal and cardiovascular health, the patients were divided. The patients were made aware that this research had no direct bearing on disease treatment or cure. Results: In contrast to periodontal disease, which had a mean serum HSP60 of 59.94 ng/dl, CVD had a mean serum HSP60 of 85.98 ng/dl. When compared to periodontal disease, the CVD increased significantly (P < 0.05, 0.03). Discussion and Conclusion: We emphasize the function of HSP60 in the pathophysiology of individuals with chronic periodontitis based on the findings of the current investigation. Serum HSP60 concentrations can serve as a biomarker for periodontal inflammation. More longitudinal and interventional research with a larger sample size is required to validate the present findings. In periodontal therapies, targeting HSP60 may enhance results.

Early Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Diseases in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: An In-Depth Review.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are significant health issues that result in high death rates globally. Early detection of cardiovascular events may lower the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction and reduce death rates in people with CVDs. Traditional data analysis is inadequate for managing multidimensional data related to the risk prediction of CVDs, heart attacks, medical image interpretations, therapeutic decision-making, and disease prognosis due to the complex pathological mechanisms and multiple factors involved. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that utilizes advanced computer algorithms to extract information from large databases, and it has been integrated into the medical industry. AI methods have shown the ability to speed up the advancement of diagnosing and treating CVDs such as heart failure, atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, and more. In clinical settings, AI has shown usefulness in diagnosing cardiovascular illness, improving the efficiency of supporting tools, stratifying and categorizing diseases, and predicting outcomes. Advanced AI algorithms have been intricately designed to analyze intricate relationships within extensive healthcare data, enabling them to tackle more intricate jobs compared to conventional approaches.

The association between physical activities combined with dietary habits and cardiovascular risk factors.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between physical activities combined with dietary habits and cardiovascular risk factors in adults from Nanjing, China. Methods: The cross-sectional survey conducted in 2017 involved a sample of 60 283 individuals aged ≥18 years in Nanjing municipality, China. The sampling method used was multistage stratified cluster sampling. The primary outcomes from multivariate logistic regression analysis with adjusted potential confounders were the relationships between physical activities combined with dietary habits and cardiovascular risk variables. Relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion due to interaction (AP), and synergy index (S) were used to assess an additive interaction between dietary habits and physical activities. Results: After adjusting potential confounders, cardiovascular risk factors were significantly associated with the association of physical inactivity and unhealthy diet, with the highest odds ratios (ORs) for low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HLDL-c) (1.64, 95% CI [1.47, 1.84]) and hypertension (1.55, 95% CI [1.46, 1.64]). Additive interactions between physical inactivity and unhealthy diet were found in on cardiovascular risk factors of higher low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HLDL-c) (S, 2.57; 95% CI [1.27, 5.21]), type 2 diabetes (T2D) (S, 1.96; 95% CI [1.23, 3.13]), dyslipidemia (S, 1.69; 95% CI [1.08, 2.66]) and hypertension (S, 1.46; 95% CI [1.12, 1.89]). Their RERI was 0.39 (95% CI [0.18, 0.60]), 0.22 (95% CI [0.09, 0.35]), 0.11 (95% CI [0.03, 0.19]) and 0.17 (95% CI [0.06, 0.28]), respectively. OR of being HLDL-c, T2D, hypertension and dyslipidemia in participants of physical inactivity and unhealthy diet was 24%, 15%, 11% and 8.3%, respectively. Multiplicative interaction was detected in obesity, hypertension, T2D and HLDL-c. Conclusion: An unhealthy diet and physical inactivity were strongly linked to cardiovascular risk factors. This study also showed that an unhealthy diet and physical inactivity combined to produce an additive effect on T2D, hypertension, HLDL-c, and dyslipidemia, suggesting a higher risk than the total of these factors, especially HLDL-c. Preventive strategies aimed at reducing cardiometabolic risks such as hypertension, T2D, HLDL-c, and dyslipidemia are necessary for targeting physical inactivity and unhealthy diet.

How does the problem-oriented innovation system (PIS) help in the management of cardiovascular diseases?

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are a multifaceted and complex problem in the health system that can change the priorities of the economic, social, and even political systems of countries. Therefore, as a grand challenge (GC), its management requires adopting a systematic, interdisciplinary, and innovative approach. In Iran, the most common causes of death, have changed from infectious and diarrheal diseases to cardiovascular diseases since 1960. Methods: In this study, the novel framework of the problem-oriented innovation system (PIS) has been used, and cardiovascular diseases in Iran have been selected as a case study. To this end, first, the main challenges related to cardiovascular diseases in Iran were identified in two layers of "governance-centered" (including legal and policy gaps, insufficient education, financing, lack and unbalanced distribution of medical personnel) and "society driven" (including unhealthy diet and lifestyle, uncontrolled and hard-to-regulate factors, and high costs) through a library research. Then, the functional-structural framework of the problem-oriented innovation system was used to analyze cardiovascular diseases and provide policy recommendations. Results: The findings indicate that based on the eight functions of the problem-oriented innovation system, an important part of cardiovascular diseases can be managed and controlled in three short-term, medium-term, and long-term periods. Conclusion: Increasing public awareness in the form of university courses, participation of the government with the private sector in building and equipping specialized cardiovascular centers, creating an electronic health record from birth, implementing a family health plan focusing on less developed areas, supporting agriculture and guaranteeing the purchase of agricultural products and healthy food, increasing the capacity of accepting students in medical and paramedical fields, and allocating pharmaceutical currency in the form of pharmaceutical subsidies directly to cardiovascular patients, are among the most important policy recommendations for this grand challenge.

Single and combined association between brominated flame retardants and cardiovascular disease: a large-scale cross-sectional study.

Introduction: The single and combined association between brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has remained unelucidated. This research aimed at exploring the associations between mixture of BFRs and CVD. Methods: This research encompassed adult participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2005-2016. The weighted quantile sum (WQS) model and quantile g-computation (QGC) model were applied to examine the combined effects of BFRs mixture on CVD. Results: In this research, overall 7,032 individuals were included. In comparison with the lowest quartile, the highest quartile of PBB153 showed a positive association with CVD, with odds ratio (OR) values and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 19.2 (10.9, 34.0). Furthermore, the acquired data indicated that PBB153 (OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.49), PBB99 (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.58), and PBB154 (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.63) were linked to congestive heart failure. PBB153 was also related to coronary heart disease (OR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.56). Additionally, a positive correlation between the BFRs mixture and CVD (positive model: OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.47) was observed in the weighted quantile sum (WQS) model and the quantile g-computation (QGC) model. Discussion: Therefore, exposure to BFRs has been observed to heighten the risk of cardiovascular disease in US adults, particularly in the case of PBB153. Further investigation is warranted through a large-scale cohort study to validate and strengthen these findings.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is a strong and consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality among adults: an overview of meta-analyses representing over 20.9 million observations from 199 unique cohort studies.

OBJECTIVE: To examine and summarise evidence from meta-analyses of cohort studies that evaluated the predictive associations between baseline cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and health outcomes among adults. DESIGN: Overview of systematic reviews. DATA SOURCE: Five bibliographic databases were searched from January 2002 to March 2024. RESULTS: From the 9062 papers identified, we included 26 systematic reviews. We found eight meta-analyses that described five unique mortality outcomes among general populations. CRF had the largest risk reduction for all-cause mortality when comparing high versus low CRF (HR=0.47; 95% CI 0.39 to 0.56). A dose-response relationship for every 1-metabolic equivalent of task (MET) higher level of CRF was associated with a 11%-17% reduction in all-cause mortality (HR=0.89; 95% CI 0.86 to 0.92, and HR=0.83; 95% CI 0.78 to 0.88). For incident outcomes, nine meta-analyses described 12 unique outcomes. CRF was associated with the largest risk reduction in incident heart failure when comparing high versus low CRF (HR=0.31; 95% CI 0.19 to 0.49). A dose-response relationship for every 1-MET higher level of CRF was associated with a 18% reduction in heart failure (HR=0.82; 95% CI 0.79 to 0.84). Among those living with chronic conditions, nine meta-analyses described four unique outcomes in nine patient groups. CRF was associated with the largest risk reduction for cardiovascular mortality among those living with cardiovascular disease when comparing high versus low CRF (HR=0.27; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.48). The certainty of the evidence across all studies ranged from very low-to-moderate according to Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations. CONCLUSION: We found consistent evidence that high CRF is strongly associated with lower risk for a variety of mortality and incident chronic conditions in general and clinical populations.

Mediterranean diet for cardiovascular disease: an evidence mapping study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the methodological quality of existing meta-analyses (MAs) and the quality of evidence for outcome indicators to in order to provide an updated overview of the evidence concerning the therapeutic efficacy of the Mediterranean diet (MD) for various types of Cardiovascular diseases (CVD). DESIGN: We conducted comprehensive searches of PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases. The quality of the MAs was assessed using the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2(AMSTAR 2) checklist, while the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) evidence evaluation system was employed to evaluate the quality of evidence for significant outcomes. SETTING: The burden of CVD remains a significant contributor to global mortality, garnering widespread attention. Multiple MAs have consistently demonstrated the efficacy of medical interventions in managing CVD. However, due to variations in the scope, quality, and outcomes of these reviews, definitive conclusions are yet to be established. PARTICIPANTS: This study included a total of eleven studies, consisting of five randomized trials and twelve nonrandomized studies, with a combined participant population of 716,318. RESULTS: The eligible MAs underwent evaluation using the AMSTAR 2 checklist, which revealed that 54.55% of the studies demonstrated high quality, while 9.09% exhibited low quality and 36.36% were deemed critically low quality. Additionally, there was moderate evidence supporting a positive correlation between MD and coronary heart disease/acute myocardial infarction (CHD/AMI), stroke, heart failure, cardiovascular events, coronary events, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that although recognizing the potential efficacy of MD in managing CVD, the quality of the methodology and the evidence for the outcome indicators remain unsatisfactory. To establish the true benefits of MD for CVD patients, future research should not only adhere to rigorous methodological requirements but also prioritize enhancing the quality of primary studies and conducting patient-centered meta-analyses.

Risk of cardiovascular disease with high-dose versus low-dose use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated with increasing dose of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: Using the Korean National Health Insurance database, patients newly diagnosed with AS without prior CVD between 2010 and 2018 were included in this nationwide cohort study. The primary outcome was CVD, a composite outcome of ischaemic heart disease, stroke or congestive heart failure. Exposure to NSAIDs was evaluated using a time-varying approach. The dose of NSAIDs was considered in each exposure period. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to investigate the risk of CVD associated with NSAID use. RESULTS: Of the 19 775 patients (mean age, 36 years; 75% were male), 19 706 received NSAID treatment. During follow-up period of 98 290 person-years, 1663 cases of CVD occurred including 1157 cases of ischaemic heart disease, 301 cases of stroke and 613 cases of congestive heart failure. Increasing dose of NSAIDs was associated with incident CVD after adjusting for confounders (adjusted HR (aHR) 1.10; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.13). Specifically, increasing dose of NSAIDs was associated with incident ischaemic heart disease (aHR 1.08; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.11), stroke (aHR 1.09; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.15) and congestive heart failure (aHR 1.12; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.16). The association between NSAID dose and higher CVD risk was consistent in different subgroups. CONCLUSION: In a real-world AS cohort, higher dose of NSAID treatment was associated with a higher risk of CVD, including ischaemic heart disease, stroke and congestive heart failure.

Cardiovascular admission risk attributable to hot apparent temperature: a study in a rural area of northwest China.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide, posing a significant threat to public health. Research on the relationship between CVD and temperature has primarily focused on developed urban settings, with limited studies conducted in rural regions with lower levels of development. Additionally, compared to relative risks, attributable risks can provide more information when assessing the risk of CVD hospitalizations associated with exposure to apparent temperature (AT). Apparent temperature is a composite temperature index that takes into account both meteorological factors and temperature, providing an objective reflection of human thermal sensation. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of AT on CVD hospitalization and quantifies the burden of CVD admission in the rural areas of China. We employed the distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) to estimate the relationship between AT and the relative risk (RR) of CVD hospitalization. Finally, we used attributable risk methods to quantify this relationship further.

Recent progresses in gut microbiome mediates obstructive sleep apnea-induced cardiovascular diseases.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a multifactorial sleep disorder with a high prevalence in the general population. OSA is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), particularly hypertension, and is linked to worse outcomes. Although the correlation between OSA and CVDs is firmly established, the mechanisms are poorly understood. Continuous positive airway pressure is primary treatment for OSA reducing cardiovascular risk effectively, while is limited by inadequate compliance. Moreover, alternative treatments for cardiovascular complications in OSA are currently not available. Recently, there has been considerable attention on the significant correlation between gut microbiome and pathophysiological changes in OSA. Furthermore, gut microbiome has a significant impact on the cardiovascular complications that arise from OSA. Nevertheless, a detailed understanding of this association is lacking. This review examines recent advancements to clarify the link between the gut microbiome, OSA, and OSA-related CVDs, with a specific focus on hypertension, and also explores potential health advantages of adjuvant therapy that targets the gut microbiome in OSA.

Patterns of availability and accuracy of risk factor data for cardiovascular diseases among people initiated on antiretroviral therapy at selected health facilities in Khomas region, Namibia: a retrospective, cross-sectional, quantitative study.

Introduction: quality data is a prerequisite for timely decision-making and measuring health outcomes in public health settings. Comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) among people living with HIV (PLHIV), require a robust system that ensures credible data at all data-producing levels. The study at determining the level of availability and completeness of CVDs risk factors data of PLHIV. Methods: a quantitative study was conducted to extract CVDs risk factors data retrospectively from 529 patient care booklets (PCBs) between 2004 and 2017. The analysis was done with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Pearson Chi-Square was used to test for associations. The level of significance was at p ≤ 0.05. Results: the study revealed that 72.8% of patients are at risk of CVDs due to incomplete demographics (73.72%) and other systemic data (41.18%). A significant association was found (Pearson Chi-Square test 19.907; p-value of 0.001) between average visits per year, accurate data recording, and active status of the patient. Lost to follow-up (15%) and true retention (27.2%) was significantly associated with the last Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) status of a patient (Pearson Chi-Square test 87.754; p-value of 0.001). Conclusion: the study that despite concerted efforts to improve data quality, the availability and completeness of data remain unsatisfactory. Lack of harmonised data screening and analysis efforts for CVDs risk factors is found to be a significant risk factor in ensuring integrated routine measuring of CVDs health outcomes for PLHIV.